the best me

Another thought to encourage (and I hope it does). It's true that I can't totally scarf food anymore, and sometimes it terribly frustrating. BUT! I do still really really enjoy my food, similar to the way I did pre-band. Enough that I feel satisfied and GOOD after having eaten, and eaten well, with that same sigh of relief feeling of pre-band. And with the satisfaction of knowing that without my band, I'd have eaten 3-4 times MORE than I just did. That makes it even MORE satisfying. Two bites of anything is not enough food. Barring problems or temporary issues such as post-op or post-fill or post PB, most bandsters should be able to eat a normal meal. I think about a Lean Cuisine portion. THAT's a normal meal. If anyone is so tight (for no reason) that they can't eat a Lean Cuisine sized meal, they really need to think about whether or not a small unfill is in order. Ask if you are wondering...every situation is different, but bandsters should be able to eat. Hey, Teresita, that was a WONDERFUL post! Good job! Glad you are feeling better, Margo. To Hell with those pancakes!!!!!!

Wow, it really is a pretty color green! Amazing! Now, this is a pic of the gauze while still packed? Is that why it's cut off? come on! show us a wider shot! We can take it!!!! LOL

And stay away from acidic foods/drinks such as lemonade or tomato soup or V8? That might help. Good luck...keep us posted!

Oh yeah, you should DEFINATELY post a picture. Do your "Warning, gross pic to follow, look at your own risk" disclaimer, but I LOVE seeing to goopy stuff. I know there are lots of other "gross" folks here, too. So, green is good, huh? Ewwwwww!

Congrats! WTG on making a decision and getting your date! Yippeeeeee!!!! I wish you ALL the best!

Hello Dr. C! I love your wierd obsession with helping band patients do well. LOL It's good to have you here! We could probably use you on some of the other Forums, too, though, so don't limit yourself! Thanks for the intro. Welcome to LBT!

My band makes it possible for me to actually DO WW and make a success of it. It's a very important and personal decision, but I was pushing 40 and KNEW I didn't want to live that way for the whole next decade, trying in vain to lose. Gain and lose and gain and lose. By then I would be pushing 50 and be an unhealthy glob of discouraged "less than" a woman (I felt this way about me). The writing was on the wall for me. And my hubby saw it, too. He's very proud of my progress so far and appreciates my band, too. Here's a story. I pulled out my Richard Simmons food Mover and slid in a card so I could more easily track my food intake for a day or two. (this was months ago after being banded and adjusted) so I start closing windows during the day. Wow! It was easy! I got my Water in, I chose fruits for Snacks, otherwise i wouldn't get those in, and at the end of the day I had a carb and a protien left over! "oh" I thought, "maybe I should put in the blast-off-week-one-card instead of the 1200 calorie card, then I'll be eating about 1000 calories a day?" so I slid out the card...it was already on the Blast-off-week! Point is, not only can I do it, I can do it day after day after day. Who knew?!

Okay Cheryl, time to put away the scale. EVERYONE (just about) gains when they go off liquids and start adding in solid foods. Yup, you could do a liquid diet for 3 months and take off all kinds of weight, but you can't live like that forever. And when you start eating again, guess what? You'll gain. Concentrate on healing. You have only been banded 3 weeks! Know that this band is for the long haul. It does more work than you think. Please be patient, choose well, eat with your head, not your heart.

This was one of the first things my patient rep mentioned to me as a "down side" to banding. Eating Envy. Or, a P'nut said "pancake envy"! Yup, sometimes I still get good and pissed when I want to shovel and can't. But, Margo, are you a bit too tight? You mentioned the soft foods and the inability to eat more than just a few bites. That's not good. YOu should be able to eat real regular foods (healthy ones) in resonable quantities...reasonable for weight loss, not for stress eating!! LOL and if you can't, you need to consider if you need a small unfill. Another thought...maybe it isn't soft foods that's making 2 pounds creep up? Maybe it's simply not enough food? Hang in there, girl. You don't really need all that goopy junk anyway!

Yay Stacy! Please come! Ooooo! A new person! I'm excited! We have a fun group. You'll enjoy, I promise!

I use loose powder by Coty...cheap stuff from the drug store. I apply it with a round make-up sponge. I buy the "Extra Coverage" formula. But I'm not so oily, so it works well and doesn't seem to clog too much. My face does better when I wash it gently twice a day and use great moisturizers. And my Metrogel on clean, dry skin, under my moisturizer.

Pars Flaccida here...according to my doc's notes. ??? I'm lots less worried about slippage than I am erosion, for some reason. Not sure why, maybe because I was so tight post-op? I have had zero problems though. The occasional PB (me to blame), one unfill (too tight first fill) and some reflux problems early on, which were treated with Prilosec and Aloe Vera juice. Okay, so that's not zero problems, but nothing horrible so far, knock on wood. I'm very happy with my band placement. From a patient's perspective, it's been golden!

Dang. I'm so sorry you lost your band, but your attitude is phenomenal! I know you will reach your goal. Keep us posted on your progress. You always have great advice, so I hope you will continue to post here often. Once a bandster, always a bandster. Pass the inspiration! (((hugs)))

Hang in there and keep sipping. The pain is from sipping too much at once. Yup, too much. I was very tight post surgery and didn't start to see relief until after 3 bags of IV fluids and 2 weeks post-surgery. That seems like a lifetime ago. Now I can chug ounces upon ounces of Water on an empty stomach with no discomfort. It does get better. I was thirsty, too. Avoid the pain, it's because your pouch isn't draining very fast and it fills up quickly. Stick to liquids and hyrdate as well as you can, and have some patience. I know it's hard. I also wish I had discovered Aloe Vera juice early on. It's very soothing and healing, and would be perfect for sipping an ounce at a time, several times a day. Good stuff. You can get it at Wal-Mart with the Tums, etc. Hang in there, it gets better!

I regularly visit the dog food aisle at the grocery store. We don't have a dog. I just like to trudge up and down with a 50 pound bag and realize..."I have lost 60+ pounds!!!!! No wonder I felt like crap!!!!!" Feels good, don't it?! Well done! Keep up the good work! (I also like how hubby's eyes got big...yup, that makes it real!)

Monday June 26th to Friday June 30th?

Yup, Leener, DonnaB is right. Liquids, then mushies if it's going well till it clears up. Then you know I'm gonna tell you to get out your aloe vera juice, right? 2-3 ounces, 2-3 times a day. WTG, calling the doc. Keep us posted!

Aloe Vera Juice? It's good stuff for soothing and healing an irritated anything from top to bottom. I'd also get some Prilosec and take it. Sounds like you may have "esophogitis". Do a search on here. I went for a few weeks with a terrible burning throat and started the prilosec and Aloe Vera juice and it healed up nicely. And just because you were banded in MX doesn't mean you can't call or e-mail your doc! You should call. Feel better!

"Lord, just let me get him to age 4 without losing it! 3 is so hard!!!!!!!!" I'll come here and look at his silly pic and remember his sweet cuteness, maybe it will help me through....LOL

Okay, went to the OB/Gyn today for my annual check-up (yuck...Pap) and the doc is so pleased with my weight loss! He was leery when I went in last year at 211 pounds, just a few months into my banding. He's glad my band life is going well and happy about my wieght loss progress. He also suggested another 20 pounds loss and that's it! Huh? So, this morning at home I weighed 181. Later at the doc's I weighed 185. A 20 pound loss puts me at a 165 goal weight, according to him. I need to check my BMI at that weight. I know it still has me in the "overweight" category. I was 168 when I got married 9 years ago, so I know I can do a 165 goal weight pretty comfortably. I may make some adjustments to my numbers...??? We also discussed Tummy Tucks. He gave me a card for a Plastic Surgeon he likes and we discussed my port. I really don't want to have it moved. I'll have to see the PS to discuss port placement. But I won't be seeing the PS my doc recommended. He's clear on the other side of town with no band/port experience that I'm aware of. Anyhow, it's always a boost to have a great appointment with your doctor. OH! And my blood pressure today was 120/82, and the nurse took it right after I sat up from having my feet in the stirrups...hello! LOL OMGosh! I'm a healthy 41 year old woman! I'm turning into a regular patient, not an obese one with pending health problems! Hooray! AND I feel as though I have "permission" to raise my goal weight, which I felt like 140-145 was shooting for the moon anyway. If 165 is reasonable and healthy, I can do that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey Carol! :wave: Thanks for checking in! I love FitDay, but I find I do better with my Richard Simmons Food Mover...a little more user friendly for me, but I will occasionally check my daily intake on FitDay just to be sure I'm eyeballing well. FitDay rocks!

Haha, that made me laugh. Okay. Got it! But I'd like to sneak a peek, too, keep an eye on you folks. Make sure you are behavin'. LOL Thanks guys! (((southern hugs)))

Holy Smokes! How wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well done!

Okay my Northern neighbors. I have a sincere question. When one of you starts a thread and puts "Canada" in the title, I pass right by because I'm thinking you only want replies from other Canadians. Is this right? Or do you just want me to notice that it's in the Canadian Forum? Because I'm one to miss that little tid-bit when scrolling through the new posts list. I totally understand not needing irrelevant info, when you can get on the General boards for that. So, really, should I ignore all Canada Forum posts, or what? Please be honest, and I'm not trying to be a smart a$$, just want to know what to do. I guess I kind of answered my own question...if you have a thread for the entire web world, you'd post it in the general forum? So I should continue to pass by the Canadian Forum posts, right?

K@t, there's nothing sucky about maintaining. You didn't gain! Get a grip on your eating. You are doing great!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=19426 There's this thread...is that the TV show you mean? Hope that helps.