mmcbelle

Hi Texrose, This is one of those things...you have to call your Doctor. Throwing can be nothing, but can be a symptom of something really wrong. Get in touch with your Dr. immediately. Let the health care professionals help you mange this one. Your health is too important to take chances. Call the doctor. Let us know how it goes. Good luck, MMT

Hi Rain, I am starting to run into this. Fortunatly, my wedding set is free resize. When they are rediculous I will resize, then resize agian...since it is free. As for my others, I am waiting for resizing which is many lbs and months away. I do have a suggestion for the heirloom rings if you want to wear them in the meantime, could you put them on a chain and wear as a necklace until time to resize? Just a thought. What a wonderful problem to have:) Happy banding, MMT

Hi Liz, Don't get a fill just yet. You admit that you know you are not eating appropriately. Get back to basics. One of the hardest things for me to learn was to slow down my eating. I'd PB when I eat too fast even when I have restriction. To give you an idea of what I had to do to slow down. I had a saltine cracker with chicken spread on it. I took four bites of the saltine, making sure I chewed each bite for 20-30 times before swallowing. Then I waited five minutes for the next cracker. This kept me from PBing. Also, in the beginning I used a seafood fork and baby spoon to get appropriate bite sizes. Here is a link to another post where I posted the band road rules. Give them a read every day and get yourself into the habit of living with the rules: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/depressed-43335/index2.html#post598751 You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be fit and healthy. The beauty of the band is that is is always there waiting for you to use it. Today is a new day and you can begin a wonderful new band experience. You can do this. Use this board and all the experiences out here to help you be successful. Happy banding, MMT

Hi Tomecia, By the time you read this, you will probably be banded. The nerves will settle. I understand how it is easy to think something will go wrong, but the other shoe will not drop. You are on your way. Dr. Marsden is wonderful and his nurses are great. They understand the experience and treat you with respect with all questions and concerns. Good luck and let us know how you are doing post op. MMT

Hi Melissa, First...wonderful news about your surgery date, congratulations! It seems like my prep time was about 60-90 minutes. My preop experience in a nut shell. I went back, got into the hospital gown, took a pregnacy test, hopped in bed, they took some blood for pre op blood work, chatted with the nurse, saw my family, got an IV, met the anesthologist (sp) and got my first dose of happy drugs, was wheeled to the OR, got more happy drugs, then remember waking up in recovery. The pain I needed to manage was only one days worth for me. Second day I no longer needed any pain meds. Everyone is different. I did not have the gas issues most suffer. Make sure you walk around and keep some gas ex or like product incase you need it for the gas pains. I think everyone gets nervous, the surgery date makes it VERY real. I am so excited for you. Your nerves will calm on your schedule. Just get yourself prepared emotionally and physically. Get your kitchen prepared for the post op diet. Keep your meds stocke and your Dr.'s phone number handy. You will do great. Happy banding:whoo: Mary

Hi Cherlita, Great work at staying on the plan. You are doing fabulous. Keep up the good work. Keep letting us know what is going on. Cheers, Mary

Hi Trisha, Congrats on making it through surgery. My week post op was the worst for me too. You will get through it and will look back and not remember how bad it feels right now. Get your rest, get your Protein, keep hydrated and try to walk around in your home to get your muscles used to moving and help the healing process along. You are doing great. I am glad your mom and best friend could be there for you. Stay active on the boards and keep looking forward. Cheers, Mary

Hi Zannie, :eek:CONGRATULATIONS!!!! What a wonderful achievement. Keep up the good work!:cheer2: Happy banding, Mary

Hi solaa5, I don't just think it works, I know it does. I started with a trainer twice a week for an hour each session at six weeks post op. At the end of the first five weeks I had lost 18 lbs. The amazing part is that 18 lbs represents 44 lbs of fat loss and 26 lbs of muscle gain AMAZING! I believe I would have lost around the 18 lbs regardless, but to lose 44 lbs of fat, that is wonderful. I have just finished my 12th week with the trainer. He has set a goal to take measurements and figure body composition again when I reach 300 lbs. (46 lbs from the 18 lb loss). I am excited to see what my body composition is then. This is about fitness and health for me (looking better in clothes and out of them is a bonus). My physicality has literally tripled. That is the same workout that used to take me 60 minutes in week one and two, I can now do in 20 minutes. So yes, exercise makes all the difference and resistance combined with cardio makes for excellent results. An added bonus is that the exercise gives me another way to manage stress becasue now I can't just eat my stress away (another benefit of the band). Thanks for letting me get on my soap box. Good luck and happy banding, Mary

As opposed to "catching" the hair you could let it go down the drain and treat the drain. I treat our drains monthly with hot water flushing and bleach followed by more hot water. Keeps them running clean and smooth (the bleach eats the hair). You just might have to do it more often. Cheers, Mary

Congrats LilMissBand-Aid! Patience and persistance are a good thing to have with the band. Keep us posted and again congratulations:cheer2: Best wishes, Mary

JLM, I am not sure what to write, but wanted to let you know I am thinking about you and sending positieve energy your way. We have bad minutes, hours and days. It is only one day and one bar. You have had so many good days in the last 14 months. You are strong and incredable. You will find a healthy coping mechanism. We are not striving for perfection, just improvement. Slow down and get back to basics. There are lots of folks out here that care about you. Hang in there and let one of us inspire you. You take care, Mary

Okay, last post in my series. I have a new NSV. I suddenly realized this weekend that I can rest my arms at my side. I can sit in an arm chair and use the arm rests as intended. :whoo:You might think this is not a big deal, but until this last week, I would walk with my arms sticking out uncomfortablly because between the fat at my sides and the fat on my arms, it made my arms stick up. I did not even know what I was missing. I can't remember when I lost this ability. I am just glad it is back. Stay tuned...crossing of the legs is coming soon:clap2: Have a wonderful day, Mary

The weekend, I had a little PBing. I know I was eating too fast, but could not figure out a strategy to mange the pace of my eating. Last night I finally figured it out. I had saltines with a chicken spread on them. Three and I PB'd. Then I waited about 15 minutes and tried again. I had one saltine with spread and waited five minutes before having the second one. Then the third, I waited three minutes. There it was, my formula for pacing my eating. Eat one saltines worth of food then wait three minutes before I put another bite in my mouth. I am sure I will forget and will have to learn the timing without a clock, but man am I glad to have a strategy to manage this. The band is getting more and more managable. Happy banding! Mary

The holiday was good, my first with the band. I was anxious about how to handle it. I was able to eat at noon (unusual for me) and I took a little of everything I wanted. It was amazing to sit with my family and enjoy being with them. The food was not my focus, they were. Also, I did not get that bloated, can't eat another bite, must sleep after feeling. I was awake, cheery and energized. I did not even have to employ the brushing my teeth following eating to deter me from eating any more food. Now for the amazing part..lost five lbs over the holiday...that is unheard of in my recorded history. Let me know how you did. Happy banding, Mary

Hi Darkling, In situations where I used to run to food and eat myself numb, I can no longer do that. It took a couple of things to get me to coping better. First was reading a book called, "Feeding the Hungry Heart, The Experience of Compulsive Eating" by Gennen Roth (you likley can only find it used). Even if you are not a compulsive eater, there are things to learn. This really helped me to face my problems instead of shoving them deeper inside and holding them in. Personal training helps much, I go in thinking about my problems, but within 10 minutes...literally...I have processed the issue and concentrate on my workout. I can't explaind how this one works, I just know it does. The band itself has forced me. One day after about the second fill, I had a bad day and tried to eat my way through it...the band said no. I felt the pressure from being full and eventually pb'd. That was enough for me to know I could no longer use food that way. I take a walk. I know it sounds silly, but I take a walk. It clears my head and I get cardio at the same time. If I have been to the trainer and had my cardio, I am tired and may not be able to exercise, so I take a hot shower and have a cry in the shower. This has saved my sanity more than once. On days it is really bad, I ask God to take it away. I say I have had enough and ask that it be taken from me. After I ask, I feel the burnden taken from me. I don't envoke this often, but when all other coping mechanisms fail, this one succeeds. Finally, one of the most important ways is that I have a support system in place. I have girlfriends I call and say, I'm having a bad day and want brownies and a mocha frappucing. The talk me off the ledge. I also have a thread on this forum that I do to when I need support. The folks out here are great. Find a thread where you feel at home. I hope it helps. Happy banding, MMT

Hi bartacvs, Congratulations, wonderful beginning. Keep up the good work! Mary

Hi dreno, You ask the age old question. Everyone is different. So to ask what works for others may not work for me. I will tell you that there are bandsters that seem to lose 1-3 lbs a week (some more in the beginning) and some like Wheetsin who started this thread that lose inconsistantly on a weekly basis, but have chunks of weight at a time. You are unique. Keep getting your fills. You will know restriction when you have it. As for me I have had my fourth fill and am getting a better idea of restriction. I now understand how 1/2 cup of food is enough. That is the guide line I am given is 1/2 cup of food at a meal, three times a day. Protein first, then veggies. I have the eating in the evening issue too. I find two things that help. Turn off the TV and go to bed earlier. I have hand to mouth in front of the TV, so turning it off is the easiest thing to help (thanks for asking because I am having trouble with this myself right now). If you must, then make the best choice you can. Typical meals now after fourth fill: Protein drink breakfast, 1-3 oz of lean meat lunch. 3-4 oz lean meat and veggies dinner. My band does not open until the afternoon (I can't eat solids until between 12-3 daily), so I use the shake to begin my day. As for crunchies, I like wasa crackers once in a while with a topping. In the beginning, I had saltines with something on top of them (tuna, chicken salad, etc.). The thing that helped was that I put a number of crackers on a salad plate and only ate what I put on the plate. I got the crunch and limited what I could have. Occasionally I would have low fat chips, but chips are something I find difficult to control, so I have removed them from the house and stick with crackers. I crave protein, so a snack for me is usually a piece of cheese. I have often felt I was eating too much, especially the week before a fill. I began to remember how much I used to eat before the band and some how what I was eating did not seem as so bad. It helped me to look at my improvement, not perceived perfection. Good luck! Mary

Hi Darkling, Congratulations! The nervousness is normal. I didn't think I would get nervous, but I did. The surgery went great. The worst thing for me was that I had a unique complication two days following surgery. The swelling around the bad closed my stomach so nothing could pass...not even Water. Even after an "unfill" three days post op, no relief. Three days of this combined with acid reflux and inability to sleep because I could not lie down was awful. There was a good side to this. I got to know what the worst was like right up front and knew how it felt when something was wrong. I have never felt that way since. Two best things really:The band seems to have catapaulted me into this fitness machine. I have a personal trainer and I do cardio on my own. I don't dwell on food as much as I used to and I now notice I am obsessing about food when it happens and make a genuine effort to stop. I have found other coping strategies than eating...who knew I was capable. Just a lot of wonderful, positive changes that seem to coincide with getting banded. Knowing that I have one of the most important strategies in place to help me manage my weight when I get to maintenance. That is, when I am at goal, the band helps me stay there...I have lost weight before, but never kept it off. The band will help me keep it off. Hang in there, banding is a wonderful thing. Remember you are the real magic. The band is just a tool to help you. Best of luck, MMT

Hi McQty, Wonderful news!!!!! Congratulations, that should take part of the burdon off your shoulders. Hang in there and keep moving forward. Cheers, Mary

Hi Tom, A high protein and low carb (carb conscious) diet has always worked for me when I wanted/needed to lose weight fast. Atkins Induction (phase I) always produces results for me. My best guess would be to keep your calories above 1000. Also keep you water intake high, minium of 64 oz per day. My other recommendations, cut sugar out completely. Artifical sweetners too. If you like to sweeten things look into a natural sweetner called stevia and give it a try. All the good benefits of artifical sweeteners without any of the bad and does not effect blood sugar/glycemic index like sugar. Add some resistance training to your exercise. Cardio has a big bang for the buck and resistance (weight training) will get you there faster. Remember to give muscles one day to rebuild between training sessions. Never perform resistance training on the same muscle groups on sequential days. If you have to choose, stay with cardio. Also would like to recommend you talk to a different surgeon and get a second option. Seems a lot to ask a patient coming to you for WLS. Give yourself the opportunity to still get the surgery in a timley manner even if you do not lose all the 65 lbs. Good Luck and keep us posted! Mary

Hi Mona, My weight was 392.5 and BMI around 61 when I began. I lost about 12 lbs before surgery. I understand what you are asking and I don't think you have to be concerned. Stick to your pre-op diet as well as you can, you should be fine. More about what Mona is talking about. There is a tool used during surgery that holds the liver up and out of the way so the surgeon can perform the surgery. If the liver is too heavy (fatty), the tool cannot hold the liver out of the way. Your surgeon has two choices if this happens: one; to stop the surgery and try again once you have lost more weight, two; perform the surgery open (increases your recovery and healing time). My surgeon did tell me that he had to stop a surgery because the patients liver was too heavy. The patient lost more weight and the surgery was completed at a later date. This is the only instance that I have found of surgery being altered due to the liver being too heavy. Again, Mona, just stay on the preop to the best of your ability and you should be fine. Good luck, Mary

I got my 4th fill last week. WOW, I thought I had experienced restriction, but I think I have a better understanding now. I followed the post fill instructions to a T this time and it was most benificial. I got tired of soup, but the scale finally made progress since the fill. I finally understand eating only 1/2 cup in a sitting. Finally ready to eat from my DH's plate when we go out, otherwise I have leftovers for four meals...lol. I don't know if on my next follow up I will get a fill, I will let them decide. The biggest challenge for me has been to slow down my eating. When I would get hungry, I would chew the first couple of bites very well, but did not slow down. That has bit me in the hiney a couple of times. Now, after all the practice and experience to get here, I seem to have a handle on it this week. Again, I am going through some emotions because my relationship to food has changed again, but this time I seem more prepared from the previous fills. This is an ever learning experience. Life it good, restriction is here and the scale has once again moved in the desired direction. Thanks for letting me ramble. Happy banding, Mary

I had a NSV (non scale victory) this past week. During my training session, I bent over from a standing position and tied each of my shoes. I cannot tell you the last time I was able to stand and tie my shoes. I am amazed at the little things that I had lost and did not know it until I am able to do them again. Look out booths in restaurants...here I come...lol. Lesson learned...celebrate every victory:whoo: Happy banding all, Mary