Longhorn

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I just want to mention that they don't pump gas into your stomach but into your abdomen in order to create space to work. The gas and bloating that some of us get inside our digestive systems is the result of the digestive process, including symptoms of being lactose intolerant. But the gas that is pumped in during surgery does not actually enter the digestive system. Also, I read that you can become lactose intolerant from this procedure even if you've never been before. So ladytuscany's suggestion that you consider it is a good one! I got some chewable Lactaid because I have had a reaction to some whey Proteins before surgery and I wanted to be prepared. However, the unjury Protein I'm using didn't cause a reaction. I'm glad you're feeling better and hope things settle down very soon!

Wow, my two fills haven't hurt a bit! I wonder if the difference is our sensitivity to pain or the way that our fills are done? My doctor uses lidocaine first but I barely feel those pricks either. After that, I feel nothing, nor is there pain later. He doesn't use fluoroscopy -- he has me lay down and raise my legs to tense my abdominal muscles so that he can feel my port. Then he goes right in the first time. I even watch him. I can't tell yet how yesterday's fill has affected my restriction. That's great that you're getting close! Good luck!

You're very welcome! I'm certainly no expert so everything I've posted about this is just trying to summarize what I've learned from others, especially Wendell and Dr. Watkins. I've just had my second fill -- 6 ccs in a 10-cc band -- and will be on liquids for the weekend so I can't really tell yet if there's restriction, except I had two Slimfast shakes and a cup of Unjury chicken broth yesterday and wasn't hungry at all, nor am I this morning, so that tells me something's a little different! :ohmy: But I'm pretty much in the same spot as you. Good luck to both of us!

The way I understand it, it's not how much saline that's in the band that is important but how much pressure is being put around the stomach in order to make the opening between the new pouch and the rest of the stomach smaller. A 4 cc band filled to 3 ccs is 75% full; a 10 cc band filled to 7.5 ccs is also 75% full. The AP bands hold more saline but they are designed differently, with multiple "pillows" on the inside instead of a single chamber. Also, I've read that the bands can be overfilled a little. Each band, no matter how much it holds, is designed to be a certain diameter when full. The fat around the stomach can put additional pressure on the stomach, which is one reason that the band can become looser when its owner loses weight. Each recipient can have different sized stomachs or thickness of the stomach. So there are clearly a lot of variables and that's why it's difficult to generalize about how much it takes in a certain band to reach optimal restriction. The other sticky at the top of this forum does a better job of explaining all of this. Check out the original post by Wendell Edwards.

The first week was fun but yes, very tiring. I'll get back in the swing of things, though. Thanks for thinking of me, Cindy!

When you say ".25 = 2 oz" I assume you mean 1/4 CUP = 2 oz, 1 cup = 8 oz, etc., but the band measurements are not in cups. 1 cc means 1 cubic centimeter. A 10-cc band would hold about .34 oz. The bands come in different sizes. So far, I've read that bands are 4 ccs, 9 ccs, 10 ccs, and 14 ccs. At 14 ccs, the biggest band would hold less than half an ounce.

I had this discussion with the physical trainer in my surgeon's office today. According to the metabolism test they did before my surgery, I have a "fast metabolism." I'm eating way less and I'm exercising but weight loss is slow. My trainer believes I need to build up muscle. She's coming to my house tomorrow to check out my home gym and other equipment and help me with a plan. It sounds like the strength training is more important for me right now than the aerobics! By the way, I teach math and I guarantee there is no simple formula for weight loss!

I think Fanny and Wasa have it right. Life's too short to assume the worst. I decided a long time ago that I would give people the benefit of the doubt because it's free :seeya: and feels better!

To me, the issue isn't if this is the best way to lose weight. The issue is, once you lose weight, how are you going to keep it off? I think a lot of people think the reason they regained the weight is because they failed. But my belief is that we are fighting biology once we lose weight. How many people do any of us know that lost a significant amount of weight (not just 20 pounds) and were able to keep it off? Do we really believe that 95 percent of overweight people have no willpower or have extreme food issues? I sure don't! Some of us, yes, but not everyone stays overweight for dozens of years because they didn't honestly try to lose. How many times does a young person have to "prove" what we and countless others have proven over and over? If you've never seriously tried to lose weight, then perhaps you should and maybe you'll be one of the five percent who keeps it off. Otherwise, I'd say consider it! And speaking of "The King of Queens," Kevin James, the actor who played Doug, did lose weight a couple of years ago and spoke about it on talk shows, etc. And then he gained it back, too, even though he certainly has access to a personal chef, trainer, etc., AND is in the public eye. I suggest you read Khaliah Ali's book, "Fighting Weight." It's very good and co-written with her doctors, one of whom has been banded. Good luck!

Howdy, y'all! We did a thread like this back in November but I'm glad you started another one, shortgal, as our group of November Nymphs has grown! I'm 52, married almost 32 years with four grown children, ages 23 to 28. My oldest daughter lives in Denver, my identical twin daughters were both married last spring and live in Austin, and my son is a U.S. Marine who spent the last three years in Japan but is now stationed at Camp Pendleton, California. My husband, who is a remodeling contractor, and I live outside of Austin. I teach and tutor math at community college. Our nest isn't empty because we have five dogs, two to 11 years old and 18 to 110 pounds! I'm an avid Texas Longhorns fan (all sports), a San Antonio Spurs fan, and a Dallas Cowboys fan. I'm also a political junkie of the liberal variety. When I have time, I enjoy reading, crocheting, and traveling. I gained weight by losing it. Every time I lost 20, I gained 30, etc. Four years ago, I was up to 70 pounds overweight so I lost it on Medifast. This time, I meticulously fought every pound I regained and regained it anyway. But I stopped gaining five pounds short of my highest weight and got the surgery instead. I see a lot of folks blame themselves on this board (and everywhere else!) but I think much of that blame is misplaced. I believe we need to take responsibility for our health and our eating habits but there are plenty of thin people who make no effort to control what or how they eat (I'm married to one!) And there are plenty of overweight people who have worked hard all of their lives to change their condition. So it's my belief that many of us are fighting biology. It is not simply a matter of self-control. When I realized that the band would allow me to lose weight but, more importantly, to avoid regaining it, I knew it was for me. I really enjoy the November Nymph board and look forward to continuing to share our challenges and success!

1. Momto1plus1.......241...............238..............229...........9 2. TxArcher...........360........Last week, 357......???...........12 3. Hungryforchange...227.5..........225...............215.5.......10 4 shortgal ............. 198............195................192...........3 5. Hollyberries.........298............293................285........... 8 6. Tyman311..........167...........168................150............17 7. Trixie.................264...............255..............244......... .11 8. plump_princess.....237.............233..............227........... 6 9. Foofy ................249............244...............237............7 10. wnt2lose..........236............233.8...........225.............8.8 11. BarbBee...........284.............278.............272..............6 12. Longhorn..........211.............209.............199.............10 I got my second fill today -- 2 ccs bringing me to a total of 6 ccs in my 10cc band. I'm on a liquid diet through the weekend. I can't say that I feel very different yet except I'm sure not hungry even though I've only had two Slimfast shakes today. I'm so excited because I met with the physical trainer today and she's going to come to my house tomorrow to check out my equipment and help me development a strength training and cardio program. Also, we discussed my diet and I told her how I've always had a trouble with vegetables. She told me she gets all of her veggies and fruit for the day by throwing them in a juicer and making juice. So I stopped at the store and picked up a juicer. I can't wait to get started. She said it doesn't taste very good but it's just one glass a day -- I can handle that. :seeya: My next fill is February 15. I don't know if I'll make my goal by Valentine's Day but I'm feeling more optimistic now than the past few weeks.

I've got a new hectic schedule where I'm gone from the house from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on MW and 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on TTh. Until I get the hang of things, I'm living on Slimfast and Luna bars. Yesterday, I had: Breakfast: Slimfast Optima shake Snack: Luna bar Lunch: Slimfast Low-Carb Shake Snack: Slimfast Low-Carb Shake Dinner: chicken salad made with low-fat Miracle Whip and Water crackers. Snack: sugar-free Jell-O pudding I get a fill tomorrow and will have the weekend to adjust. I'd like to come up with "real food" alternatives once I get settled into my new schedule and see how the fill goes. I forgot to mention that I am also on the road about two hours each day because I teach in another city and that's another reason for the "portable" foods. Sometimes the only time I can eat is in the car.

Sure, I'd be glad to help! I teach at the college level but everything from basic math (including fractions! :wink:) to calculus. I don't have a problem with timed practice drills when kids are learning addition and multiplication facts by rote but that shouldn't be the only way they are quizzed or tested. I like the idea of setting a timer and letting them take as long as they need but the next time, they try to beat their own time. I find that there's a lot students who suffer math anxiety and test anxiety and especially math test anxiety and timed testing just makes it worse. I won't stay away from this board, I promise, if y'all promise to keep coming back and letting us support one another! :welldoneclap:

Thanks, Cindy! Your marathon analogy is right on! For me, weighing every day is like running a marathon and constantly checking to see how fast I'm going. Who cares how fast I'm going? There's no way I'm coming in first and my only goal is to finish! :clap: I don't even give my students timed tests because all I care about is what they know, not how fast they can tell me what they know. :smile: I think it's time I step away from the scales and maybe even step away from the board, which is going to happen anyway with the start of the new semester tomorrow. I don't mean that I'm leaving but that I need to curtail my obsession a bit. The November 07 forum is my favorite, however, so I'll still check in here. Thanks, Momto1plus1, Mindy, Kristin, and Sades for your comments and this enlightening discussion!

Five days -- surgery on Thursday and I returned to work on Tuesday. I tutor math (move from table to table) and teach several classes a week. Rather than get up and down, I rolled around in a chair more often. My lectures are on PowerPoint so I sat through most of my first few lectures and used a laser pointer. I wasn't really in pain but just a little weak and tired. I also had time between classes to rest. By the next week, I was fine.

Hi, Mindy. I'm only frustrated with myself for giving into the frequent weighing. :smile: Oh, sure, I'd love to be losing as quickly as some. As helpful as this board is, the down side can be reading about others gushing about how the weight is falling off when it isn't happening to me. And I know I'm not losing because I don't have restriction yet, because I had a low BMI to begin with, and because I'm perimenopausal and having periods that last two weeks and come every two weeks. :eek: I have small NSVs every day and when I'm not weighing myself, I appreciate them more. I posted this thread to "come clean" about my dirty little habit. I was thinking last night as I was going to sleep that weighing once a week would probably be fine for me. However, I'm such a slow loser that even once a week might show very little progress. Since I go in Friday for my next fill, I'm at least going to weight till then. If I can feel any change in restriction, I might weigh weekly but if it doesn't feel any different, I might as well wait until my next appointment. Thanks for your counsel! You know I value your input and you've set a great example! :clap:

I think you're misunderstanding a bit. My "plan" was to do exactly what you suggested -- to relax and see what happens. I steered away from that plan when I started weighing myself because it shifted my focus to only one aspect of my life since the surgery. The only reason I put a "projected" weight for this Friday is that I figure that's a reasonable guess as to what I'll be in order to finish making my point, not what I "plan" to be. And I haven't even thought about what I expect to be at any given time. The graph in my signature makes a projection based on my average weight loss so far but I don't really pay any attention to the actual date -- it just makes me feel good that slants down and ends in 2008! But I've used that tracking graph when I lost weight before and the projection jumped all over the place so that's why I don't really pay it much attention. No, my disappointment comes from not seeing a loss -- if it was .25 pounds a day, I would be happy! And when I weigh every day it does not make me accountable -- to what or to whom? I've yet to see a connection to what I did the day before. I've exercised and barely eaten and saw a gain. I've eaten more than I should and sat around all day and saw a loss. So how does that hold me accountable? I wouldn't argue with anyone who says it helps him or her -- I just know that it doesn't help me. I trust this process and I know I will lose eventually. So I just need to be patient, quit weighing myself daily and then, in all probability, I will only see losses. Frankly, I'm beginning to wonder whether it is good for me to participate in these challenges that crop up here on the board. The fact is, I can't control how quickly I lose weight (or I'd be done by now! :smile: ) So what's the point of the challenge? I might as well challenge myself to grow my hair an inch by Valentine's Day! :myscared:

Same here! I will be able to update this Friday but my next appointment will probably be after February 14 so I'll have to update late on the challenge. We're in this together, Sis!

You make an excellent point. I'm sure someone needed everything on that list but everyone won't need everything! I found the heating pad helpful for my shoulder pain but I already had one. I don't know that I would have gone and bought one just for this. Cold and heat can be helpful but if you don't want to buy something special, just wet a few washcloths, then freeze in plastic bags for cold packs or microwave (with the bag open -- be careful!) for hot packs. They also sell cloth packs filled with something like rice (or you can make your own) that can be frozen or heated in the microwave. I got mine at the drugstore a few years ago. I bought way too much broth, Protein powder and egg white powder. I'm hoping when work starts again Monday to use it up because that's all I'll bring to work. It turns out, I preferred Low-Carb Slimfast. It is usually recommended that you find a protein source that you like (I would say, LOVE) before surgery. I got caught up in thinking I'd need a "special" protein powder. I'll use it up eventually but I wish I had just stuck to Slimfast (which I really do LOVE! ) I bought too much SF Jell-O and pudding thinking I would make it with the protein powder. But I didn't really like how the powder mixed with the Jell-O, though it's okay with the pudding. I just find I like the prepared pudding cups better. But that's something else I can still do -- mix the unflavored protein powder with the prepared pudding. I'm not much of a popcycle eater but I did enjoy the SF popcycles in the first few days after surgery. Again, I bought too many and will probably end up throwing the rest away. Someone posted that we MUST have large bandages for our incisions. Not true -- didn't use the ones I bought but I'm prepared for the next skinned knee. I didn't need (or buy) tongs for bathroom hygiene either. :frown: I agree that the Gas-X doesn't help with the gas that is pumped into us but I did have some gas inside my digestive system and I thought it helped with that. I definitely needed and used the pain killers that the doctor prescribed and that we bought at the store and they were relatively cheap. We also live 20 minutes from the nearest 24-hour grocery store. If it was a quick trip for my husband to the store, it would be one thing but the anesthesiologist told me to "stay ahead of the pain" and I did! The pain killers don't go bad that quickly so can come in handy later, especially at my age. I'm glad I brought the small pillow to the hospital. I used it while waiting for surgery and on the trip home in the car. It just felt good to hold it over my stomach. I also wore slip-on shoes, a leisure bra, and a pullover dress, all of which made it easier and more comfortable to get dressed and come home. That's all I brought to the hospital. I wouldn't go out and buy a recliner but I was glad that I had one in my bedroom because it was quite comfortable for lounging during the day. I was able to sleep in my bed at night but others have said they slept in their recliners. For those who don't have a recliner, practice ahead of time propping pillows on your bed, couch, or favorite chair to find the right arrangement and combination. You won't want to be struggling with pillows after surgery. I was most comfortable slightly reclined with my feet up, a small, squishy pillow over my belly, and a couple of extra small pillows and an afghan nearby. I had a TV tray next to my chair for my medications, Water, heating pad (already plugged in before I got home,) and TV remote. Since I knew it was important to get up and walk frequently, I made a point of not stocking up with items next to my chair too much so that I would be forced to get up and get things. For example, I have a dorm-sized frig in another room that I could have moved next to my chair with extra shakes and water but I purposely kept everything downstairs. In fact, I could have "set up camp" downstairs but chose not to so that I would have to get up more. (I know how lazy I can get, especially when I have an excuse! ) I think as folks read these VERY HELPFUL lists, they should consider their own situation, likes, and dislikes and then choose what they need accordingly. BUT, if something comes up, because of these lists, you've already got an idea of how to handle it.

I'm an adjunct professor at a community college, which means I don't get sick leave. If I miss a class, I don't get paid, plus it isn't easy getting subs. I considered waiting until the break between fall and spring semesters but I really wanted to get going on losing weight! So I told my department that I needed to cancel classes on Thursday and Monday (my classes are MW and TTH so that was just one cancellation per course) because I needed to have minor surgery. I had my surgery on Thursday morning at 7 a.m. and I returned to work on the following Tuesday. If I had sick leave and it wasn't such a hassle to cancel classes, I would have taken longer but I did fine, though I was a little weak and tired that first week back. And I'm (at least) 19 pounds lighter than I would have been at this point if I waited.

You won't hear that from me! :wink: Willpower only goes so far when you're fighting your own body -- and that's part of the battle. Someone once said it's like trying to use willpower to survive on two hours sleeps every night. Sure, you could do it for awhile but eventually your body is going to say, "Forget this! You need to sleep!"

Wow, I'm gone a day and look at all the changes! Not just our own thread but our own forum! Cool!