Kime-lou

Thanks AJ and Alex- not sure what happend, but glad it's fixed.

Don't know I can no longer PM- it says I do not have access, so I can't reach Alex for help.

Talk to your Doc and NUT. I got to a point where I was burning a lot more than I was taking in (according to my fitbit). They told me to increase my calories- I upped them slightly by adding in Snacks instead of just 3 meals and I lost 5 more lbs quick. Now I have hit another plateau, but that is another story.

The doc is the only one for sure, but you should be fine. I have severe allergies and cough all the time, plus I have asthma. I was coughing in preop, but my lungs were clear so I was clear for surgery. Most of the time as long as you are not running a fever and your lungs are not congested they will go ahead with surgery.

The pain sounds more like muscle pain that eating related. It's always best to call the doctor with pains. Yes, you could have some type of infection, but more than likely your moved wrong or worked some muscles around that area that are feeling the foreign body. Plus, all your nevers are starting to rebuild post op and you will have some odd sensations. I went to the doctor a month post op freaked out that something was wrong because my port was killing me. Found out that it was just an internal suture that hadn't desolved yet causing some iritation. No problems, just try to continue as normal. In about a week the pain was gone.

Thanks for the post Shelly- I feel like you are speaking right to me. I have been in the throws of self-pity for a while now. I, too, have been blessed greatly, yet still seem to expect more. But, we must put it into perspective. Eating less is worth it, it is just hard to stick to it sometimes. I have come to the point that I know I am a weak person and have to work hard to have the strength to stand up for myself. Sometimes though, I need some one to help hold me up.

My doc and NUT said 20-30 min. that is about the norm for me.

My doc warned me about bad breath post op. He said that while you are quickly burning calories, a side effect of that can sometimes be bad breath. This isn't always the case, but it happens to some people.

Find the best hospital close to you. Call the insurance dept. and ask if they are a center of excellence in bariatric surgery. If a hospital as the center of excellence stamp then it's good, with low complication rates- then ask what doctor do bariatric surgery there.

Do you exercise a lot? I don't exercise like I should, but a doc told me when I ask him (my cousin is a primary care in Ohio), when you increase your lean Protein intake, it will help build muscle up no matter what. He, just like my surgeon, says just hang on the scale will catch up in time.

I spent a while last night researching little things I can do to increase my weight loss with out feeling like I am giving up anything and here are some of the things I found: - Say no to empty calories (drinks with calories are useless- they do nothing to fill you up and only add to your waist line. If you need flavor in your drinks there are a great deal of water flavor packets you can buy with 0 calories) - 3 meals a day isn't always the best (I use to think if I stuck to breakfast, lunch, dinner I would be ok- not so much. If you eat a big meal 3 times a day, your metabolims looks like a roller coaster. If you eat small meals- like our 1 cup meals- and add in protein/fiber rich snacks your metabolism keeps trucking along, which helps you burn more calories) - If you are going to eat a carb, make it complex. (Fruit has carbs, go ahead check behind me, but they also have water, nutrients and fiber. So mix a little fruit in with your protein- like grapes and cheese, blueberries or strawberries in yougurt or oatmeal) - Moving burns calories. (Any movement will burn calories. Shake your legs while sitting at your desk, walk to a co-workers office rather than calling, park further away from the store, walk to the mail box rather than driving (yep I know people who do this), Shake your grove thing while cooking (the hubs love when I do this), laugh, clean your house, wash your dishes instead of putting them in the dish washer. The point is MOVE.) -Develop a meal plan for the week. ( This will keep you on track and will help the budget, because you won't buy things that you don't need. Put your plan on the frige- this really does make things easier, when you have a busy life). -Take Vitamins (Nearly all American Adults have low Vitamin D levels. When mine was just tested it was 19, it should be 50. Your body must have Vit. D to break down fat, I didn't know this, but have found out, this can cause weight loss slow downs. Make sure you are getting your levels check at least yearly and you are supplimenting where needed). -Spice it up (By adding a little heat from pepper to your meals you can boost your metabolism. This may not be a huge boost, but if you are like me I'll take what I can get. Sprinkle a little chili powder on different foods- spice up chicken.) -Eat fruits and veggies. (Yes, protein is very important, but a person can not live by protein alone- well they can, but you get my point. It's summer, hit the local farmers market and try veggies. There are thousands of healthy ways to prepare veggies- hit up google. Try new and diffrent fruits and veggies. For a indulgent desert- grill a halfed peach and put on spoon of greek yogurt on top (it is so good!!). Fruits and veggies give you nutrients, help your digestive system, satisfy a sweet tooth, gives you water- so add a fruit of veggie to each meal.) I planted a small garden out back of my house which I go out and weed and water nightly -moving- and I get fresh organic veggies- so double the good for me. Little things may seem little, but together they add up. I have found over the last year, sometimes it is the little things that can make a big difference.

It is to true that old habits die hard. It doesn't seem to matter how long ago you put them away, you thought for good, they will still on occassion rear their ugly head. If we are not on the look out for them, it is very easy to fall prey. This weekend, the hubs and I hosted my mom's 65 birthday party. I had about 35 people at my house. While it was an awesome night and every one had fun, I realized that I screwed up. Our menu was hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, sides were: chips, tater salad, cole slaw, baked beans, mac and cheese. I thought ahead enough to know I couldn't do the bread, so that was fine, I bought skinless hot dogs so I could have one with a little slaw on the side. I did good in the fact that I avoid the chips, mac and cheese, and tater salad. I had a small spoon of baked beans. I was having a great time. I ate slowly- no stuck problems. Then it was dessert time. I had made a homemade apple cobbler and peach cobbler and had purchased a beautiful cake from BJ's. I also had ice cream to go with these. I ate a peice of cake and a spoon of ice cream on the side. Granted in days past I would have eaten double, maybe triple what I ate that night. But, I still over did it. My band is really loose right now and that makes it really easy to slip up. (My appointment is Thursday- yeah) But, I can't blame my band, it is me, my choice. But, honestly I wasn't even thinking. We had a ton of cake left and chips and burgers. I sent left overs home with my brothers being that one has 5 kids at home and the other has 3 at home. I did keep one small square of cake for me and my hubs to share- shouldn't have done that. Yesterday, I woke up with the mother of all migraines. I managed to stay up right long enough to feed the dogs and tell the hubs I was going back to bed. I stayed their till noon. I got up cleaned my house up from the party the night before and the head ache returned, I hit the couch. I hardly moved yesterday. Felt like crap. This morning I felt better- got up and hit the scale before heading out to work. 191.3- well the weekend certainly showing it's self. 3 lbs up for the lowest. I keep bouncing between 188 and 191 for the past 3 weeks. I know I can do better, I should do better, I want to do better- but I keep slipping up. At the moment I am like screw it I want this- then I feel aweful. Granted I don't slip to bad, but a slip is a slip and bad either way. I worry that I will never drop below this weight. Is this where I am destined to stay? Will I self-sabatage myself more? How do I get back on track and stay there? You may say, well you have to do it, you have to want it. I do want it and I know I have to do it- but it is not easy, WLS is NOT the easy way out.

I have hit many stumbling blocks of late and admit to falling a few times. I regret this and do not blame my band at all, I blame myself for becoming complacent and just plain out not caring enough. When I get down and out I tend to get into the "I just don't care" mode- not a good place to be. I haven't had a fill since Feb and am really feeling it now. I get hungry pretty quick, this lets me know the band does work, which properly used. I go in Thursday to see my surgeron and get a fill- pretty excited. I will be happy to drink protein shakes for a day and have them fill me up. Last night I did a fridge purge of all the bad stuff that I was falling prey to. I know this is my own fault- not the foods or the bands. I am not as strong as I would like to be when it comes to certain things. I must work on that. Work is killing me - long hours and a lot of hurry up and wait. Right now I am waiting on several teachers to do their part so I can finish mine. There slowness, makes my days long and irritating. I woke up this morning and told myself that today was a new day- fresh with no mistakes (A line in Anne of Green Gables- love that movie _) I am going to make this a good day- I have that power. I can do it and I will. I have said this several times of the last month and still manage to stumble in a few days. However, this time I have taken a few steps to help myself. I am back to my journal and I have made meal plans. I will not gain this weight back, I will not fail. I will move forward. I will not fall!! It is imbarrishing to faulter as much as I have, but I am not pefect and I have my issues. There are some bandsteres on here that are the "perfect" patient and don't seem to ever have a problem or struggle with this process, but that isn't me and I have to accept that I am not them. I have to stand up, shake it off and get back on the horse. I hope that others who read this and have stumbled will join me in getting back on it. I hope that those who stumble find courage and support that they are not alone in the fight. We can do this if we continue fighting, but if we throw our hands up in defeat the fat will win. My rump is dusty and sore from all the "throws", but I am jumping back on!

Thanks Dawn for that info. It makes since, but I didn't realize that.

Migraines can be kicked off my hydration issues as well as nutrient problems. Make sure you are taking your vitamins and drinking enough water. I is good to have your laps run at 3 months post op and see where levels are you may need more suppliments- I do.

Get back to the doc!! You are to tight.

Greek frozen. I figure I eat greek yogurt anyway- why not frozen some times in the summer.

That is really awesome!!

I would rather travel before than after! Travel tends to make my band unhappy, especially if I have to fly.