Bandista

Hi Fiona, congratulations on your surgery! I am from New England, lol, but I know there are some UK peeps here. Hope you're having a nice healing weekend. Best wishes!

Regularly changing out sneakers has helped me, and I have Sole inserts as well as custom orthotics and think the Sole brand, for me, is just as good or better. Sole also makes a cork-bed flip-flop and I wear those all the time -- never ever barefoot. That's helped tremendously and losing sixty pounds big difference! We have rockers to stand on to stretch out the plantar -- those are great. If your heel is worse from contact with the bed at night you can use a neck collar, one with Velcro, around that ankle to lift up the heel a bit and prevent contact. Repeat, never ever barefoot. This was hard for me but those flip flops with the arch support are heaven.

Julie, I'm an iPad user but go in through my internet browser rather than the iPad app -- works well for me.....

Hi there, I think you're answering your own question! The sliming can be a precursor to a stuck episode and while it's great you're not getting stuck it seems like it can't be good that your body thinks it needs to produce slime -- that's a big signal from your esophagus saying it is irritated and to please slow down and take smaller bites. This is hard for all of us to learn. Sometimes I have to tell myself to out the utensil down (and I use a tiny fork or spoon -- love mu silverware, lol). I resist this, the putting down -- like I want to shovel, shovel as in the old days. You know, the old days when I wasn't even really tasting my food in a real way and I was just thinking about what would be next, jumping ahead instead of being in the moment with the bite of food. And that's what I try to do now, enjoy that bite. Chew it until it's mush and the whole time I'm really tasting the food. Then, miraculously, I find I'm satisfied after a bit. I tell myself I can enjoy some food in another four or five hours, no deprivation. Satisfaction.

SO private about my WLS -- not sure why but whatever. We have a pretty social life here in the middle of nowhere, lol, and I've developed a couple of techniques. (Macbutterpants, thanks for the napkin idea -- great one!). I'm busy -- if we are hosting at home that's easy, up and down from the table. But at a restaurant I might pop up for a sec and go look at the artwork or view. I talk about stuff other than the food. People are thinking about themselves ("just like I am right now," I tell myself when I'm worried they are thinking about me -- um, probably not!) so I ask them about themselves. If I'm feeling nervous my band feels tight and I can't eat -- kind of a vicious circle. A work event or something like that, new people, me in a weird mood, whatever -- if I'm anxious then it's going to be worse. Here's what I say, "oh, I can't believe I had that Protein shake this morning -- now I'm so full!" Then I order my little appetizer and pick at it. I hang with some chef types and Lordy, do they watch for response to the food. But what they are looking for -- a taster who really savors a bite and gets the complexity -- is exactly what I wanted to be when I got WLS: some one who loves food but in very small portions at appropriate intervals. Can't believe I would ever be considered a delicate eater, but that's what the truth is now. And a hell of a cheap date!

When I find a word that works for me I put it up at my desk, on the fridge, etc., make it my own. For a while it was "willing." Maybe you should write "investment" on your hand, on a little stack of post-it's, etc. You are so worth it!

Hi there and congratulations on your success -- you are doing beautifully! Like every one, I want to "get there" but I honestly believe the gradual loss is so much healthier than sudden drop. I don't want to be loose and flabby; I want to be toned. Also, while I'm over the moon about losing weight and feeling like I'm in "normal" range (albeit a ways to go), I'm also just so happy not to be in food jail anymore. Having the appetite monster off my back is a beautiful thing, and if it takes a while to get to goal then so be it. I'm not suffering on some diet, I don't feel deprived. I feel happy. Good luck to you -- you're doing great!

Hi there, such good posts here -- glad you will be addressing this issue so you can get your band working the way it should. I am nine months out and not hungry in the mornings so I don't eat. I feel "tight" and just have my tea until I get a hunger signal, usually around 11:30 bit sometimes quite a bit later. That meal is usually a yogurt with mix-ins. Every one is different, but I can't get a protein shake down early in the day; it's just too thick-y. Plus a protein shake doesn't hold me, whereas a slowly chewed yogurt with granola definitely triggers my satiety then I'm good for 4-5 hours. Find the food that works for you -- maybe it's roll-ups of a deli meat and cheese or chili or tuna. Bit the eating very, very slowly is the trick. I was such a bolter and always thinking about what to have next. Now I really work on paying complete attention to what I'm having. After a while it becomes second nature but there is that learning curve. I want to address the environment -- this has become a stressful place for you and I know that I am sensitive to that. I can have episodes if I'm tense. Maybe you can eat elsewhere, on break or a lunch hour to avoid getting mindless about the eating and swallowing something too large because of the anxiety that something may happen...then it does happen and it's a vicious circle. Can you break the pattern by changing up when and how you eat while at work? It takes me twenty minutes to eat my yogurt and I enjoy every bite. It's important to me to savor it. There's no rushing with the band, and I can't multi-task now, like eating in front of the computer as I did before. Maybe you can get outside and nibble a protein bar like a mouse. Teeny tiny bites. Best wishes to you and do let us know how you're doing!

Dear Shantra, so sorry about your friend. You are in good company here as we all know what turning to food is like and that tendency to tamp down emotions while eating, sometimes eating stuff we don't even want. But look at you -- you're noticing it, examining the behavior and you know you don't want to do this anymore. The band will help curb the compulsion -- and believe me, we've all been there. When your appetite is dimmed you'll be making good choices. It's amazing. I thought I'd be the one person it didn't work for, blah, blah -- but hey, it's working great. Be gentle with yourself and know you're not alone. Best wishes!

I'm going to check that out, too! I'm a volume cook (just not a volume eater anymore, lol) and we have a second freezer. When I make something I double or triple up then put whatever it is into mason jars. I even print out labels and rubber-band them on, sometimes with extra little instructions for myself like "make rice" or "get baguette".....things I don't eat but others do. The jars come in all sizes. If we are having a dinner party I can pull out two big ones a few days ahead to thaw in the fridge. If it's just me, a tiny jar of chili, etc. Today we are having a birthday party for my father, 89, and I'm making a big chicken Marabella. This such a band-friendly food. Boneless skinless thighs, olives (I got those big green omitted ones from the olive bar at the supermarket and some black kalamatas for contrast), capers, pitted plums Aka prunes, an onion or two, garlic, lemon wedges (get the seeds out), chicken stock. Hot hot pan, sauté the thighs brown on both sides, remove from pan and sauté the onion and garlic until a little golden, dump the chicken back in, add all the ingredients (olives, lemon wedges, capers, pitted prunes) and cover with chicken stock. You can get nice organic boxed stock very easily. Let it simmer uncovered a long time to reduce and thicken. Poke at the chicken and it falls apart, makes a lovely "stew." Can serve with rice or cous cous for the carb eaters. This is so easy and every one loves it. Very rich and glamorous for very little effort.

Oh, and 5comorbids, very funny about the four-year old -- your own little public relations staff! I remember a "to tell or not to tell" post a while back from a woman who went to great pains to conceal her surgery only to have her toddler rat her out to every single person she encountered. "Mommy got a belt on the INSIDE of her tummy!" Still makes me laugh. @pinkdahlia I am an adoptive parent also and adopted myself......as you say, stories for another day. And I wish you could see the dahlias in my garden right now -- some are even pink!

@@5comorbids hi there and congratulations on your upcoming surgery! I didn't know I had a hiatal hernia until after my surgery but they had suggested that many people do and if they found one they would repair it as part of my surgery (I got the band and don't know much about RNY but I think it's probably a similar "while we were there" situation)......I think I may have been suffering from hiatal hernia symptoms without knowing it. I didn't have acid, which is a common HH symptom, but I had pain in the solar plexus area and that feeling of needing to sigh heavily. And I feel so much better now -- maybe that is the new life post WLS or maybe getting the hiatal hernia taken care of is part of that, who knows. The last few days I've had some of those symptoms back and I think that is anxiety (so upset about these shootings, and Robin Williams taking his life really hit me unexpectedly). Re: the hiatal hernia surgery, I was shocked when the billing came through and I saw what they got for that, whew! I will never hesitate to call my surgeon's office about anything, however small. They are well-compensated and hey, I'm worth it! But I digess. Back to mothers, the first thing mine asked is whether it was strangulated. (?). Also I informed her of the surgery at the very last minute so there would be no insistence on coming to the hospital. Good luck to you -- you're going to do great.

Nice going on the walking! Congratulations on your surgery -- exciting times. I have no idea about the protocol for returning to exercise after your sleeve surgery but I just wanted to say way to go!

So happy for you -- and you know what? You are going to be a real success story. You've definitely got your head in the right place and you're doing all the right things. Way to go! It isn't hard, this banded life -- unless we get in our own way, clearly you are not going to be doing that. Best wishes -- September is right around the corner! I am nine months out and so happy each and every day. Yes, the weight loss but also this freedom which I did not anticipate. Out of food jail!

Wow, thanks so much David. Hard stretches! I walked almost five miles today on my new sneakers and I'm feeling good. Took two days off and did some mayo facial kind of stuff. Youch! But I think it helped -- or just the magic of new shoes. Way to go on your run today! So tricky this balance of good exercise without accompanying injury. I am so much stronger than I was six months ago. Nice to put down almost two cinder blocks of weight, for one thing! Enjoy your day - beautiful New England weather this summer and bugs now gone, yippee!

Can you call your Bariatric surgeon for a little pow-wow and is the surgeon who is removing the cyst aware you have your band? Put those medical professionals to work. We really have to be our own advocates. Call now and get some answers so you don't have any more anxiety than you already have with any upcoming surgery. Best wishes to you! Call. Both.

I exercise regularly and feel GREAT doing it and afterward I am so happy -- pleased with myself for doing it, glad to have gotten it out of the way, joints loosened up so less arthritic pain, seeing the results of well-toned body, mood enhanced, etc. Then the next day once again I don't really want to do it and then I do it anyway, feel great (see above) then the next day once again...... Now I do wake up planning exercise rather than dreading it or having stupid mental dialogues about how I can get out of it -- but I'm still not at the mindset of really wanting to do it. But I will get there and meanwhile the doing it anyway is working. Also I think of it as an investment in myself. Also I call people to work out with -- the mutual benefit thing really works. You show up for the other person and you're showing up for yourself. Go walk for 30 minutes, do it! Then tomorrow do it again! Next Monday 40 minutes, do it! I'm with others on the hooked on progress thing. Love it that my two miles is now four miles+ and sometimes I go for a second walk. Do it!

Vasectomy!

Hi Dan, I am one whose fills have to settle in -- I usually feel it on day four or so....and I needed regular fills before reaching my Green Zone at the sixth one. I was still losing weight and felt the dimmed appetite even before the Green Zone. Once there, obviously it's much easier. I've had to go back for tweaks twice since, maybe because the weight loss changes the band? I don't know. But it's a great lifestyle for me -- so happy to have that appetite monster off of my back!

I had my first fill a month out. My surgeon looks for being satisfied after a tennis-ball sized portion and not hungry again for 4-5 hours. I had one but not the other -- would feel hungry again after a couple of hours. We kept going with small fills until I has both. As TMF says, each surgeon has their own protocol. Some people have primed bands (some fluid at time of placement), other people -- especially those with band plus Plication -- never need a fill. I was lucky post-op not to be ravenous but by a month out I knew I needed a fill. Glad I kept at it to find the green zone as it's so much easier with the appetite really dimmed. You will get there -- persevere, keep all your appointments and practice mindfulness. Most of us will say that even though it was frustrating at times to have to go through the process rather than just being there, it was actually very good to have the staged approach so that we could address behavior modification. Learning to chew and paying attention to portions, listening to the body, etc. all required a learning curve. But looking back it was no time at all, really. I wanted to get the show on the road and now I realize it was on the road -- the road to success. Pat yourself on the back because you are, too!

This one is interesting -- it's a third person form and I often do this over and over while driving: My name is (say your name). In my open human heart, I choose (say your name) first, love (say your name) now, receive joy.... And some others: I deserve all good things. I am willing. All good lies ahead.

@@Andrew0929 -- I also used the hiatal hernia alibi with my parents, and it turned out to be true. Sometimes I wonder of that fix is part of why I feel so great or if it's just the WLS.

@@lose4life2 I think we need to be friends! As soon as I saw the post title, I got it. Like you, I am adopted -- and my Mom and her sisters, cousins, etc. are all petite. I'm 5'6" (hey, your stats say you are three feet tall, lol, need to fix that in your profile). My mother is a professional dieter even though she's never really been fat. But I have, and she has given me every diet book on the market for the last twenty years. Then obsessed over how "this one is IT." Currently she is on the most restrictive one I've ever seen -- and believe me, I know from restriction -- and she has my father, 89, on it, too. It's very clear she is trying to control him because he is starting to slip away. He has dementia and she wants to reverse that by having him off of all grains, dairy, any sweet vegetables like beets and carrots, etc. It's a nightmare. They live in a retirement facility and now he can't have a little custard, etc. He's so skinny -- it's elder abuse, really. And all those supplements, gagging down the coconut oil, one fad after the other. She's 87 and so obsessive that I knew I couldn't tell her. And you know what? I'm a 10 in jeans vs. 18 nine months ago, I've lost my Winnie-the-Pooh belly and she has barely mentioned it. Yes, I'm a mother, too. I know mothers are great -- but they are not all the same. Okay, going for a walk. Thanks for the therapy! And, really, we should be friends! Best wishes for your upcoming surgery -- such exciting times. You are choosing yourself and your healthy future. Way to go!

Thank you so much! Having been brought up with a lot of "pride goeth before a fall" kind of crap, I am just so stinking happy to feel proud of myself -- out of the low self esteem trenches!

Mikee, so glad you have access to that pool. Your bike will be waiting for when you're ready. Swimming is such great exercise. I found out I could swim at the place where my parents live but I'm sensitive to all the chlorination they use. Maybe I'll duck in next time I'm there and see if maybe it's not as bad as I thought. I bought a bathing cap and even a snorkel so I could keep my neck in a good position. We have a lake where we live and I may just be able to get in soon. I grew up in the south and this spring-fed lake is c-o-l-d. Catfish, way to go -- big ride. Twice! Hey, I got my new sneakers, Saucony seems to be my brand. I got two pairs and marked the calendar in my head for six months -- around Valentine's Day to re-up. Not fooling around with this IT Band thing.