tiggergramma

So, I flew from Seattle to Chicago yesterday, did fine eating last night. This morning, I got stuck on a tiny bite of scrambled egg. Ended up with very runny oatmeal, very slowly, and that seems to be ok. I have read that the band seems to tighten with flight, but can anyone give me an idea how long it stays tight? The other problem I may have is getting a soft enough diet the rest of today and tomorrow after being stuck today. I am with a tour group and we have pretty set menus for the next couple of days. Any suggestions?

Seriously? This has been viewed 96 times and not one person has any advice? I am shocked. Well, I've been stuck, or close to being stuck, at almost every meal since I arrived Monday. If I don't lose weight on this trip, my body is simply incapable of it! Walking miles a day, eating a quarter of what I have been used to...you would think it would be inevitable, right?

Both, I am currently back to counting calories. It does make a difference because I tend not to excuse my behavior if I am being accountable to someone (myself) and will do a better job of paying attention to what goes in. I average 1100 calories a day, some days over 1200, some days closer to 900.

It took until my 4th fill to feel much difference, but so far it hasn't made any difference in my weight. I am eating less finally, but hovering in the same spot. I'm discouraged, but not giving up yet.

My surgeon recommends no solid food after 4 hours prior to a fill, but encourages liquids up to an hour before. However, I have eaten solids up to 2 hours prior, because I was not expecting the fill that day, and did not have any problems. Since then though, I don't take any chances on recheck days and stop eating 4 hours before my appointment. His office is an hour away, so I usually drink a protein drink as I am getting on the road and have one in the car for the trip home.

My surgeon wants 3 meals a day, regardless of what stage you are in.

The granola gets very soft in the yogurt if you let it sit for a few minutes. The peppers and mushrooms are diced very small. YMMV.

Refried black beans with cheese and salsa is one of my favorites when I go back on mushies after a fill. I also love Indian food, so I usually have Dal or Saag with either paneer or tofu. Yogurt with lowfat granola mixed in so it softens up is good. I like scrambled eggs with diced bell pepper and mushrooms. Shoot! Now I want breakfast!

I have finally come to what may be my "green zone" with this last fill, and finally the head hunger seems to be taming. Not entirely, I still have to have self-talks about whether a craving is actually hunger or not, but that is getting less and less frequent. I struggle late at night still, but during the day I find I don't think about food unless I really am hungry. As to the plateau..I have been stuck on one since January. I was going to the gym 3 days a week and working my butt off (literally), and I lost 6 inches, but only 1-2 pounds in a 3-month period. My surgeon has been happy with my progress because I am converting fat to muscle and toning and losing "area". I have been unhappy with my lack of progress, because I want to lose WEIGHT! Anyway, I am changing up my exercise and with this last fill I am finally losing the ability to eat too fast and the head hunger, so fingers crossed, I may actually drop a few pounds this month. All this to say, you are on the right path if your clothes are fitting different. There is a trick to the head hunger thing, if you aren't sure if you are really hungry, set a 10-minute timer with no bell (the buzzer or bell just activates my "it's okay to eat!" response) and go do something engrossing. If you are really hungry, your belly will tell you. Otherwise, you will continue what you are doing and move along. Good luck!

Color me jealous! I have been stuck at 25-28 pounds lost for almost 4 months! I exercise like crazy, drink more water than I ever have, and play ping pong with these 3 pounds that come and go! Don't know what to tell you about the protein drink. Keep up the good work though!

My surgeon also included rechecks and fills for the first 90 days post surgery, and I just found out that my Federal BCBS will pay all buy the co-pay of $35. (I did not check previously because I figured I was going to have to get fills whether they are covered or not...) I also kind of thought that at least something would be covered if the surgery is, they wouldn't just leave you hanging like that, right? But still, you should call and find out.

She is very likely angry at herself, embarrassed by her inability to stay with her dieting, and yes, jealous of your success. If you are close to her, talk to her about how hurtful it is for her to talk behind your back and continue to be supportive of her. If not, I would still talk to her about talking behind your back, then distance yourself from her and keep working toward your goals. Remember, others can play the tune, but you have to choose to dance to it.

If you can catch them early, use Oxy-10 to help dry them up. My doc said mine were probably staph and I use an antibiotic salve nasally to help keep them at bay. I'm lucky, I've only had to have one incised and drained; I have friends who have had to have surgery to remove the tracts that can develop after multiple infections, and one friend had to have a huge surgery to remove several feet of tract in her groin and abdomen. All of them are different sizes, so I don't know that weight has anything much to do with it.

Quinoa is smaller than rice and does not clump up like rice does. It feels more like cous cous, if you have ever had that.

I felt like I had restriction for about 5 minutes after my first fill, it didn't seem to make much difference until my 3rd one. My doc told me I could come in early for my second fill, but I didn't do that. I really don't know why, other than I had it in my head I had to learn better habits and I was concentrating on that. If you feel like you need more restriction now, and your doctor is okay with another fill now, I say go for it.

I have not needed the hypnotherapy, for which I am grateful. The last fill finally started to do what I got the band for in the first place: tell my head to stop obsessing over food! I am still plateaued, but am still losing inches, so still on the right road. I thought I needed another little fill this month, but he disagreed because I had lost a couple of pounds. He felt like I would probably need one next month, so we'll see. Thanks for the recipe site, and good luck on your visit!

I am in Auburn, but Dr. Neal did my surgery in September. I adore him! Surgery went great, his team are very supportive and he is the best cheerleader you will have on this journey! I was having trouble with an eating habit a couple of months ago, and felt like I was restricted enough, so during my monthly visit with him told him I was thinking of going in for hypnotherapy to help with this one issue. He looked like I told him his puppy was going to die! He really was concerned that I didn't think the band was working for me! Anyway, he explained that I needed a fill, and sure enough! I have done much better since then. One of the things I really like about Dr. Neal is that he recognizes our humanity and doesn't try to enforce things he knows we won't do, he works with what we will do and makes us want to do better. Follow his guidelines as closely as you can and he will work with you on the things you struggle with. His staff can be sort of goofy sometimes...but altogether they are a good team and will do everything they can to help you succeed.

Having been in medical fields all my adult life, I wouldn't have a problem with having my husband remove my stitches if I couldn't do it myself. My concern would more be the followup visit to your doctor. I think it is important. However, more concerning is in this day and age your surgeon used external sutures that have to be removed...and I have to echo a concern above...you are going to have to make that trip monthly? I drive 45 minutes to my surgeon's office monthly, and the months that he determines I do not need a fill are always kind of a drag because I feel like I made the trip for nothing more than a pat on the back from him. Of course, I will continue to make those trips because I need the contact with him. Good luck with your journey, and give your hubs a peck on the cheek for being willing to help!

I switched us over to mostly quinoa several years ago. There are some things that only rice will go with, but if we are going to have a starch, it will almost always be quinoa.

If you will email the questionnaire to me at tiggergramma@gmail.com, I will respond too.

It's good that you are going to a new doctor. Too bad your parting shot to the insensitive git who did this to you couldn't have been "well, the good news is that I am going to be able to lose weight. The bad news is you will always be ignorant!" Best of luck to you with the new journey!

I stalled after 2 months and have been playing with the same 4 pounds since December..SO frustrating! I have been working out since I healed, and have lost 6 inches overall, so I know things are working, but it is really difficult to remain optimistic and patient! My hubs keeps telling me to stop obsessing over it and let it take time...I did not get this size in 6 months, why would I expect to lose it all in 6 months? So, I take a deep breath and concentrate on what and when I eat and hope for a new, lower plateau.

Yes, it is a fluoro fill...fluoro is short for fluoroscopy. Pardon my pedantry, I am a medical transcriptionist and shortened terms are always expanded in my life, LOL.

That is Fluoroscopy...it is like an action x-ray. The stuff they had you drink was a barium liquid that shows up on the fluoroscope because it is dense.

There is a little pain with the needle, but it isn't terrible. I have been trying to think of something it compares to, but haven't really found anything...I guess it is like getting a shot, but it is different too. Sorry, I guess this isn't much help, but you'll do fine. If they are doing it fluoroscopically, they will put you in a chair and move the scope around to locate your port and band, then they will insert the needle, then they will have you take a sip of barium and see how fast it travels through the band. They will fill the band some, have you take another sip and possibly adjust the band once more, then a final sip. Out comes the needle, bandaid over the spot and off you go. Be sure to go back on liquids for at least 24 hours, then soft, then mushy, then solids...just like after surgery.