Frustrated

That's really naughty. :thumbup: And precisely what I think I'll do. :eek: The itching and the rash are annoying. But not so annoying that I can't put up with it for a little while. I mean, I put up with being fat for ages and that was depressing. A bit of red and itchy should be simple enough. It's been a difficult day. I've been paying extra close attention to my hubby lately and have put my own needs in the background for now. I only got half of my water in today. Bad monitor! :eek::eek: But my hubby is first and foremost in my mind. He works from home on his computer in another room and I've probably been smothering him a bit, constantly going in there to check on him. It wouldn't surprise me if he told me to bugger off and stop stalking him. :blushing: But he knows it's only because I care. And a couple of times he's needed my shoulder. So I'll keep doing what I am until I drive him insane. His mother's service is on Thursday in Toronto. There's going to be a small service there for her friends but she will also have a service in Edmonton for her family where they plan to scatter her ashes at the family holiday homestead. My hubby can only make one service and has chosen to go to Edmonton for the more personal one next month. Still, it will be a tough day for him on Thursday and I plan to take him to a Japanese garden or somewhere pretty for some reflective time for himself while her service is being held at the same time in Toronto. It's been hard for him and his emotions have been on a roller coaster since Sunday. But that's understandable and in a way I'm glad that he has me to lean on in this time of need. He's always been so giving of himself and while it's not an ideal situation it's comforting to me to be able to give back some of what he's given to me these past years.

I agree. There is a Lipton Chicken Noodle Cup-a-Soup that I enjoy. During a liquid stage following a fill where all I could get down was liquids and the noodles were too much, I simply drained the soup through a tea strainer and drank the fluids. Sometimes out of the blue I'll have a day where I'm really tight, so I'll go back to this soup and maybe add a couple of dashes of hot sauce to give it some kick.

"Of course too much is bad for you. Too much of anything is bad for you. That's what 'too much' means." - Stephen Fry.

Has he mentioned why he doesn't want you to have these things? The answer will give you an idea as to his reasoning behind it. I'm with Gh0st in that I feel you do need something in the morning to get your metabolism kick started, otherwise it'll lay dormant until your hunger kicks in and perhaps in doing so, cause you to overeat. For me personally after my most recent fill, I couldn't get any protein or smoothies down because of the texture. The bubbles were just too much. Also, the temperature of the liquids suddenly became an issue and I could only drink hot liquids in the morning. Hot smoothies/shakes just aren't appealing. :glare: You need to find what works for you. Protein is important. If the only way you're going to get it into your system is via the drinks, I don't see how your doctor could tell you that was bad. But of course, his opinion trumps mine, so you really should get his input. Make a call to his office. You don't have to go in for a visit each time you have a question, I'm sure his staff should be able to answer any queries and concerns you may have.

Oh! Keep me posted linda. I'm hoping to get mine covered because of the rash. Right now it's not bad. My PCP prescribed a pill and it cleared up probably 95% of the problem. I'm done with that script now, but I feel like I'm borderline and the rash could flare up again at some point. I apply powder to the area twice daily and that seems to keep it at bay. But if need be I could and would help the rash along if it got me insurance coverage.

Thank you all so very much for your kind words and support. You're right, there are no magic words I can say that will help ease his pain, and I think just letting him talk and find his own words helps him more than anything I could offer. He'll be travelling to Edmonton for his mother's service and while I would like to go and support him, we both agree it makes more sense financially for me to remain here and have the money we would have spent go towards the costs of her funeral.

I suggest you make sure you're getting in your daily Protein requirements. Also make sure you're getting all of your Water in. Sometimes we confuse hunger with thirst. When you're feeling a little hungry, reach for a bottle of water first and then if you're still hungry 30 minutes later, have a snack. Snack suggestions would be sugar free Jello or puddings, add a splash of some kind of condiment/sauce to cottage cheese. There are 100 calorie snack packs available at most grocery stores, but if you're going to have one of those, make sure it's only one. If you're still hungry after that, put a stick of gum in your mouth to get you through to designated meal times and sip on your water as well. I'm guessing you're at the mushy stage of diet, so perhaps different combinations of mashed vegetables. Some of my favorites were carrot and parsnips or rutabaga and squash with some spinach added for texture and fibre, etc. Fish, ground chicken and turkey, some of the leaner meats that can be chewed up really well, but be careful that you're not eating too much too soon of these things. Remember that the first 6 weeks after surgery you should be concentrating on healing and healing only. That's why sticking in the liquid/mushy stage is important. You don't want to aggravate your band area and suffer complications as a result. You have plenty of time to get onto a controlled diet/weight loss/exercise routine, so don't rush things. I thought back to my son's baby stage and basically made food that I would have made for him both in size and ingredients. Baby food. Fresh, not the canned/bottled stuff. Exercise. One thing I've learned is that I can't eat chocolate chip Cookies while exercising. :drool: At times when the hunger really gets to me, I'll go for a 20-30 minute stroll outside just to get away from the temptations of food in the fridge and cupboards. You need to break yourself out of old habits that got you into trouble in the first place. It takes a lot of work in the beginning, but if you stick with it, it becomes second nature to have your meals, Snacks and exercises planned for the upcoming day or week. When choosing an exercise, make sure it's one that you'll enjoy. Or at the very least, one that you don't hate. If you start to feel like exercise is a chore you'd much rather avoid, sooner or later you'll find reasons and excuses to do so. Some people get into a routine that doesn't change at all, but others find they need to keep changing in order to keep things interesting and not get bored with their workout. I think the best purchase I've made since my lap band has been my iPod. It helps keep me focused when I'm on the treadmill or elliptical and the time goes by really quickly when I'm singing along; in my head, so as not to scare the public :biggrin: On the days when I've forgotten my iPod it seems like it takes twice as long to get through my exercises. :smile: Hang in there. This is a wonderful journey that at times is very hard, but the rewards of that hard work are SO worth it. I hope this helps.

My day started off well today. I woke feeling better than I have in days. Aunt Flo has left for the month, my throat wasn't sore and I got on the scales and I am officially overweight. I'm no longer obese. Woooooohooooooo! However things didn't stay so good. We got a call today from my sis-in-law. My mother-in-law passed away. The sad thing is she was fiercely independent despite her age (72) and not so good health and she wasn't discovered until this morning when a neighbor worried about not seeing her for more than a week. The coroner looked at her health records, she'd been to the doctor 10 days prior complaining about some gastro problems, he didn't prescribe anything but booked an ultrasound for 3 days ago. The coroner said she had probably been dead for about a week before being discovered. The gastro problems would have made her feel weak and nauseous. She lay down where she was in her hallway and probably suffered a coronary at some point. It's just so very sad that she was alone at the time and my husband and his siblings are extremely guilt-stricken about it. The thing is, I don't know how to comfort him. I never had a good relationship with my own mother, and while I got on well with his, we weren't exactly close. I just don't know what to do for him or how to help him cope or even what to say. :thumbup:

Yeah sorry. Peckish is my word and Janet got it right. It means a little hungry. I try to Americanize a lot of my posts so everyone will understand, but sometimes phrases and words slip through. :thumbup: Aussie has a lot of similarities with English phrases and uses of words. My hubby is used to most of mine now, but once in a while I'll say something that I have to translate. :frown: Well I started out feeling good this morning, but as time passes I'm not feeling so great. I had a hair appointment and walked there (it's only a 5 min walk) and took a longer way home just because it was nice out and I was enjoying the weather. But the closer I got to home, the more tired I was feeling. I could almost feel my energy evaporating. So I'm glad to be home again and I think I'll make a cup of tea and put my feet up for a bit. I've already clocked up my 30 treadmill this morning, so don't have to feel guilty about resting. Just got to get my water in now or I'll never hear the end of it from you lot. :w00t:

Good morning ladies. I'm feeling a little better today. Still not 100%, but throat doesn't hurt as much as yesterday and Aunt Flo has packed up her cramps for this visit and I'm just waiting for her final departure. I fell 8oz short of my Water as well, but I had 2 cups of Soup, a cup of tea and coffee, so will count my goal as made. I don't usually count other fluids in my water intake. Not much else to say today. Be good ladies; drink, drink, drink. :biggrin2:

Karri - You RAN 5K!!!! WOOOOHOOOOO! That's our girl. :wink2: I'm proud of you too. You're freaking amazing. :biggrin2: I don't know if I'll ever be a runner now, not unless I get a steel reinforced bra. :tt1: But I do enjoy brisk walking and once I get the 'all clear' from my doctor next week, I'm hoping to get into weights and possibly even into the pool again. I'm not feeling so great this morning. :tt2: Aunt Flo is causing me grief. The treadmill helps a lot with easing the pain, but then as soon as I'm off and sitting down again, the aches return. I try to avoid pain meds as much as I can, but not today. Especially since my sore throat is still bothering me as well. :tongue: I drank 64oz of water yesterday. For the life of me I can't remember how much was recommended to me. I don't know if it was 48 or 64 or something else entirely. It sure feels like I'm peeing out 3 gallons though with all the trips to the bathroom. :tt2: I'm hungry, but I think I'll just stick to fluids today. Soup, tea, water, maybe even some coffee. Bed sounds like a good option as well. Catch up with you later ladies. Remember, the water patrol and food police are about. :wink:

Thanks for the tip Karri. I have one of my own that I discovered on this forum: Instead of regular Mayo, use Tostitos Creamy Spinach Dip (like I did for lunch today, only I only needed 1Tbsp) Here's the breakdown comparison: 2Tbsp Regular Kraft Mayo: Calories = 180 Total Fat= 20g Cholesterol <5mg Total Carbs = 0g Protein = 0g 2Tbsp Tostitos Creamy Spinach Dip Calories = 50 Total Fat= 4g Cholesterol<5mg Total Carbs=2g Protein=1g So as you can see as far as calories and fat go, the dip is a real winner. Plus it's really creamy and there are little chunks of water chestnut and red bell peppers to keep it interesting.

You're right. I stir fried some frozen shrimp in garlic instead and mixed in a tablespoon of Tostitos Creamy Spinach Dip once it was on my plate. I'm sure it was fate that got my meals mixed up and you can't argue with that. I was probably better off without it. I've gone through 40oz of water so far. It's a little hard for me today. Aunt Flo is here and has made me feel bloated for most of the day. Doesn't stop me from being hungry at times though. :rolleyes2: But instead of looking for a snack, I pick up my bottle of water and pop a stick of gum in my mouth to get me through. It's done me well so far. It's getting close to dinner and even though I'm a little hungry, my bloated tummy is telling me not to eat. I think I'll give it another hour and if I'm still peckish, maybe I'll have a cup of soup and some crackers.

GRRrrrrrrr! :crying: So as you know I went to dinner last night and was looking forward to heating some of the leftovers of my meal for lunch. Well I open the box and find someone else's meal in there. :crying: It's chicken with spaghetti noodles, and while it looks nice enough, I just can't bring myself to eat something a stranger has already made their way through, so I fed it to the garbage disposal. I'm sure they feel about my seafood pasta. So now I'll have to find something else. I do not like when my plans go awry. Btw, 24oz of water thus far for me. Can't have Steph waggling her finger at me if I don't set a good example. :smile:

Oh, forgot to say Welcome home Phyl. Glad you made it back safe and sound. :biggrin2:

Good morning ladies. :biggrin2: I have a sore throat this morning. :wink: It feels like I have a cornflake stuck at the back of my throat, or sort of between my nose and my throat. My hubby was complaining of the same thing yesterday. It was our anniversary yesterday. We went out to a nice Italian restaurant for dinner. It was hard to find something on the menu that didn't make my food conscience cringe. I finally decided that I only have one anniversary a year, so it was okay to have the seafood pasta even though it had cream sauce. I ate about 3/4 cup, which is more than I normally would, and I had a few sips of hubby's red wine. I didn't order a glass for myself because I knew I'd never be able to drink it all. And I wasn't supposed to be drinking with my meal anyway. I even treated myself to some dessert from their plates. My son ordered a chocolate molten lava cake and it was divine, but I only needed 2 small spoonfuls of that to satisfy me. Hubby got an Italian cheesecake with Amaretto cream and I had 2 small spoonfuls of that as well. It was a really nice evening and I didn't feel guilty about indulging myself, because after all, it was a special occasion. I think I'll walk over to the store and get some honey and lemons and make drinks for hubby and I to ease our boo-boo throats. Don't forget ladies, the Water Monitor is watching you today. :confused: But I'm not a total meanie, I shall be nice and give you may all hall passes for potty breaks. :thumbup:

Good for you Janet. I didn't mean to come across as so bossy (or maybe I did ). But you know I only did it because I love you. :biggrin2: If you're anything like me, what happened today to make you get your water in is that you became stubborn. It's not the same as will power, or not having any will power. I'm probably the most stubborn person I know, but there are times when I lack will power. But once I become stubborn about something, there's no stopping me. All you needed was someone to be "mom" to you to bring out that stubborn streak. YAY for water!

You're the one responsible for getting me back on track. So no excuses tomorrow! You will make more of an effort to get your water in! You portion your calories so that you can give yourself a snack at the end of the day. So no snack unless you've got all your water in. *stands with hands on hips* :huh2:

:huh2: I hope my marriage is this cute during our retirement years. :biggrin2:

Gum! Of course! Chewing gum used to scare away my hunger demons a lot of the time. Thanks Karri. :biggrin2:

GAH!!! :biggrin: So now that I'm making a more conscious effort to get my daily water intake, I have to take into consideration my 30 minute before and after rule! I'm thirsty now :w00t: but I have to wait 30 mins before I can drink anything. Obviously I was breaking rules when I let this lapse and paid no attention to my water intake.

Avoid both of them. Run far. Run fast. They're the devil! :smile2:

I know it's pretty cliche on this site, but everyone is different. You have to learn to listen to your body and the signals it gives you. And often you can't do that alone. Talk with your surgeon or his office about what you're going through. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You won't be charged for their advice over the phone. At least you shouldn't. :tongue: For me personally, if I can eat 1-2 cups of food in one meal, then it's probably time for a fill. Maybe. I will find I can do this once in a while just out of the blue and for no reason. But on other days I struggle just to get Soup down. So if it's just one meal where I can eat more than 1 cup, I'll let it slide but make a note of it. If the next day it's the same, and the day after that, then I'll consider other possibilities. Where am I in my menstrual cycle? For many this isn't an issue, but for me it plays a big part. My hunger will increase 5-7 days before my period is due. Sometimes this is the sole culprit and I have to tough it out for a while. I'm usually not hungry for all of those days, but there's usually at least one during that period where I could eat a horse and nibble on the jockey. The next question I ask myself if it's not due to my menstrual cycle is, am I still losing weight? If the answer is yes, I'll hold off and try other forms of portion control. Perhaps adding more Protein and/or drinking more Water. If I'm not losing weight, this is another sign that a fill is needed. So I'll call my surgeon's office and talk to them and ask for their opinion. I'll also ask the opinion of my many friends on this site, and then make my decision from there. There's no template guideline for anybody. You'll definitely become more tuned to the messages your body sends you and it takes time to learn what they mean. And sometimes, as I've discovered, body messages can continually change and you have to change along with them. The smart ones pay attention to the messages they're being sent. Sometimes it'll take you a little while to figure out what they are and what they mean, but that's all part of the process. Yes, it's frustrating, but the rewards far outweigh the burdens. At least they do for me. :smile2:

Welcome aboard Carol and Nicole. I hope you both decide to stay here in our friendly little thread. Ask whatever questions are on your mind. Sometimes I just come here to rant about whatever is going wrong in my mind, sometimes band related, sometimes not. But there is always a sympathetic ear here to respond to me or just to give me a cyber hug. One thing's for sure, we'll be honest with you. Each of us has a different story and lots of different tricks that have worked. Some suggestions don't work, but that doesn't mean it's a bad suggestion because it may work for the next person who has the same problem. The band life isn't always an easy one. Nor should it be. I think having to work hard for something as important as your health is well worth the extra effort and I've appreciated this journey more as a result. If being slim was easy, everyone would be slim. Again, welcome aboard and don't be afraid to bombard us with questions. There's no such thing as a silly question. :biggrin:

It's my official weigh-in today. I lost 3lbs!!!!! I'm 176 now. I'm so completely surprised and ecstatic. I had a tough couple of days this week, but held strong. I think making more of a conscious effort to get my water in really helped. I fell 8 oz short yesterday, but I think I'm inspired now to get that extra cup in. YAY!!!