steph_co

I hate needles because my veins like to hide in my fat ever since I gained weight. It's horrid getting blood drawn. I almost always get poked 3-4 times before they hit a vein right. I have only had 2 times since I got heavy that I only got stuck once and they hit it right on. So that's what I think of when it comes to needles, even though I knew the fill would be different. So I had my husband holding my hand on the one side and the NP on the other side to poke the needle in the port. It didn't feel great, but I did okay. She had me lie with a pillow under my back. I just chose to not look. I don't like people touching my stomach, anyway, so that made it even harder. Not looking actually helped. I can usually look when they draw blood, but I couldn't look while I got a needle to the tummy. Go figure.

Dang. I agree.

Yes, it was hard for me to wait for my first fill, too. But filling too soon *can* lead to slippage. So even though I wanted that instant gratification, I realized that this isn't a race...this is the rest of my life (this band), so I'd rather be patient and let my body adjust. I want this band to be there for me for life, so I do my best to take care of it. Just hang in there - you'll be there soon enough.

Yay for "new to you" pants!! I can't wait to wear some of mine that are stashed away! I'll be shopping at our local thrift shop as I go down sizes, too...that stuff can get expensive! Plus, they'll get it back soon enough, anyway, as I blow through sizes. LOL Haha! I don't think I'd be ashamed, either - what a great accomplishment!! Congrats on the shirt! How exciting. I'm having a hard time caring too much about clothes and "style" until I get close to goal-size, anyway. All that matters is how much you're shrinking!!! WTG! I agree, Kristin - I enjoy coming to our group, it's fun to read about everybody. It's uplifting in here. What great compliments. How fun to be able to show that off. Your pic in your sig looks great. Keep up the good work! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I don't have anything new to report, really. I'm still a size 18 even though I've probably dropped at least 25 lbs (I weigh again tomorrow). But I will say this - my doc's office seemed excited when I went in there and had dropped 9 more lbs from my last visit. LOL They don't realize that even without restriction, I am bound and determined to drop this weight. Honestly, I can drop weight...it's the maintenance and the occasional bad day that I could use a little boost with.

Kandice - Yeah, I read that the average is 3-4 fills. My surgeon at my post-op was hoping that I'd be restricted with my first or second fill since I was feeling a teensy bit of restriction 2 weeks post-op. I went in for my 1st fill yesterday. She started with 5cc (took out my initial 3, then put back 5 total). I was having issues swallowing water! It was the weirdest feeling to not be able to get anything to go down. So she took out .5cc so I'm currently at 4.5. My 2nd fill is scheduled for mid-January. They wanted it to be another month before I get more added. I'm on liquids for 2 days, then mushies for 2 more, then regular food. So I have no idea how my restriction is except that it kind of feels like I can feel the liquids gurgle through my stoma. Not sure. I hope to have a little bit of restriction because I was starting to feel like I was starving between meals before my first fill!

I've also read that calcium carbonate can cause gas.

I can't figure this one out. NO...I'm not pregnant. Physically impossible for several reasons right now. But for the past SEVERAL days I have craved hot sauce so bad. In fact, the past two mornings I got home from work, I have eaten a tablespoon of hot sauce. I ate it on chicken yesterday, but I still crave it so bad and I'll probably eat it again when I get home this morning. What's the deal? I realize when you crave something that your body needs something that is IN that particular item (usually), but WTH with hot sauce? I just want that HOT flavor. If it's not hot sauce, I'm craving fresh horseradish. Any medical types know anything about this? I'm not worried, just really curious because I can't say I've ever had a 1-week craving even after I have eaten said item. I think if I brought the bottle up to work, I'd be grazing on it all night long. LOL...maybe that's what I have to do to get this to go away.

Oh, I am so offended. You are just as bad as Santa that says "ho ho ho." I'm suing.

I had to sit here and chuckle. Did you steal my family? I haven't told anybody in my family - that's how I dealt with it. LOL I just couldn't handle it. I know my mom would have supported me, but I didn't feel like answering all the questions. My brother for sure, I can hear him making the running comment. He is overweight. My sister has this dripping way of asking questions that make me feel SO stupid and small sometimes. I don't want her questions about my band. It's like my secret lover - I don't like anybody talking bad about it. LOL Anywho...suggestions to deal with it. Maybe sit the whole family down and have a little education session where you can explain how the band works, how you get to eat, what you can eat, your own preparation and reasons for choosing the band, and how they can best support you. I'm sorry you're having to deal with them. I would SO be feeling homicidal. Gees, I swear you must be talking about my family. LOL

Very interesting, Kacee! Thank you for that. This will be helpful for any future cravings. LOL I have bookmarked it, as well. Thanks for the comments, everyone. Maybe it's a band thing. I dunno. I've always loved Mexican food and I have really missed not being able to eat it. But I only really ate HOT stuff every once in awhile. I am so looking forward to a chicken enchilada, but I want to wait until I have some restriction or I KNOW I'll be eating more of it than I should.

I'm scared to eat too much "normal" food because one time I did have 3 regular meals and I wanted to keep eating!! For the time being, I've been replacing 2 of my meals per day...protein shake or bar. Yes, I'm starving!! When I do have my one regular meal, I can eat a cup or more depending on what it is. I do have a teensy bit of restriction because when I do fill up on at least a cup of food, I'm generally full for 2 hours or a bit more. I'm hoping my first fill can help cut down on my ability to eat more than a cup of food! And that it can help me feel full longer. Maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones. Who knows? I go in for my first fill today.

My doc's office recommended Citracal Creamy Bites. The lemon is nasty, the caramel and chocolate aren't half bad. Just make sure when you take your calcium that you don't take it at the same time as your multi-vitamin because the iron can interfere with absorbtion. And don't take more than 500 mg of calcium...your body can only handle that much at once.

when people may ask why the Band? Or "Why would you choose the 'easy' way?" "Why not just exercise or eat less?" FAT: What No One Is Telling You - Watching: Chapter 1 | PBS VERY interesting special. I got the link from another board. There is a LOT of information about the dynamics of obesity, how our brains work in regards to such, etc. Long special, but you can watch it in chapters. I like to be armed with knowledge and I think this will come in especially handy if I choose to one day tell my family I got the Band and they have a bunch of "why" questions. Watching this truly has solidified my confidence in my decision of the Band. I had a thought when watching this. That I didn't choose the "easy" way, I chose the "SUCCESSFUL" way for me - a way that I can keep this off for life and not have to worry about gaining it all back again!

I eat these: Adult'S Chewable pineapple by Nature's Plus - VitaminShoppe.com Only one per day necessary. Pineapple flavor. They're not like candy or anything, but they aren't bad. I don't mind chewing them up and then just washing my mouth out with Water. No terrible aftertaste. Pretty good price for the quantity. I like them.

I used to love sleeping on my tummy. Not as much anymore. I do it sometimes when I just can't fall asleep, but I feel like I'm sleeping on a big marble if I'm positioned just so.

Dave, the AP band is "installed" with saline in it already. I think 3 ccs is the exact number, actually.

Any ideas? I really don't want to load the step-kids up with sugar. I might get them a thing or two, but they will have already had Christmas with their mom and step-dad, so they'll probably have gotten a bunch with them. In years past, we've done the candy and then a little toy or two. I have no clue what to do, now. Do you think SF candy is okay for kids? Do you think they'd notice it was SF? I'd really like to get moving towards something healthy because I know for me, the holidays are tied up in food and candy especially and I'd rather not pass on that legacy. Before anyone suggests fruit...it won't be happening with these kids. LOL They'll eat fruit out of the fridge, but if it was in their stocking, they'd probably say, "What is this??" LOL

Tish! Yay! So good to see you! I'm glad to see things went well. I first saw you post in another thread, so I had to run out to this forum to see if you posted. Thank you so much for the update. Hope the healing goes speedily and smoothly. It's great to see you here.

Tish! How did it go yesterday?! I'm going to have to go look now to see if you made a post about it.

Great ideas, everybody! I'll have to head over to Walmart with DH this week and load up! Telecia - you gave me a FABULOUS idea! Last year for a group activity, we had them decorate gingerbread houses and I guess they got a little ill off of it (their dad was alone with them and apparently let themselves gorge on it...ugh). This year, I think they'd LOVE to make their own ornament! How fun. I would LOVE to do that with them and then you're right - it gets to be a part of the tree so they'll get to see it every year and feel like we are a family. I love it! Thank you so much. I am also going to do a SMALL batch of sugar Cookies for them to cut up and decorate. But I want to make sure it yields no more than like 2 cookies per person. I love the ideas, you guys! Thank you so much. I was at a loss - I've never had kids of my own and I've only done stockings once, and that was last year. Looking back on my stockings, all I remember is candy, so that's what they got. LOL But I think my mom did do the whole coloring book and crayons thing. I don't remember what else, but I love the ideas, here. I have some shopping to do!

Yeah...all that matters is that you can REACH it. Even then, sometimes that doesn't matter. LMAO

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/

I think I know the segment you are talking about! Isn't it the "Joy Fit Club," or something? With the requirement that people in it cannot have had surgery. That made me so mad. I'm working my rear off to lose the weight that I have lost. I could easily do so many things to gain weight right now rather than losing it. I don't see why they see it necessary to discriminate against people that have had surgery. :huytsao

Hrmm. A teacher that doesn't know how to spell sarcasm, but is better than me because she has no problem with a block wall of text with no paragraph breaks. Hmmm. I'm going to have to ponder that one for awhile. I agree, Denise - those are VERY hard to read and I tend to overlook them, too, after a few lines. If it's an interesting story, then I may buckle down and really try. But I lose my way sometimes on my way through the paragraph from hell. I also <3 ellipses. Just remember:

I forgot to update after I weighed...I was down an additional 2.5 lbs on Saturday. So a total of 21 lbs since surgery and I'm 4.5 weeks out from surgery, now. Everybody is doing fantastic! I love reading about the losses. LOL...I don't think mztrniceguy wants to be referred to as a nymph. I could just see the guys at work. hahahaha I think Satyrs is excellent. It would probably be a good idea that posts addressed to our group say "November Nymphs/Satyrs."