StLouisGal

Shiny, don't beat yourself up. Just do what you need to do. You've done it before and You WILL do it again. I am struggling right now but from a different angle. I get horrible heartburn every time I eat anything. I doesn't seem to matter what I am eating, soft, crunchy, solid, salad, etc, about 30 minutes later and for the next three or four hours, severe pain. I have an appointment for Thursday to see the doctor. This is miserable. I think I am going to stick to protein shakes until Thursday. Funny thing, ice cream doesn't make it hurt???? I can't seem to win.

Thanks, I'll try to get an appointment soon. I may just stick with liquids for a couple of weeks because this is our busy time of year at work and I'm really not in too much pain unless I eat too much. Your story has motivated me not to wait until my next appointment in December.

Ok, now I am kind of scared. Your symptoms sound a lot like mine, although I take prilosec so I don't get the acid reflux. I have no problems with liquids but after about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food I am stuffed for about four hours, not even able to drink or I will throw up. I have had an unfill that, like you said, gave great releif for about a month or two, now it is getting tighter. I've had the Upper GI and Endoscopy and they really didn't show anything other than a really tight band and possible slip (x-ray guy said it was a slip, my doc said no.) This is just too weird. I only have 1 cc of fill at this point. Any thoughts???

I've tried papaya enzeme and pinapple juice and neither seemed to help. I just have to learn to stop eating sooner. I'm throwing up much more than I did when I first got the band. It may be that I am just not paying attention but it is quite irritating.

I wonder what is up with suddenly getting tight after so long. The same thing happened to me a couple of months ago and I had to have my fill taken out. I have no desire to have any more put in because I think I am still too tight. I can only eat about a quarter of a cup of solid food without throwing up. It is maddening. anyone else had this experience?

Hey all! Glad to hear everyone had a good 4th. I was at my aunt's house. It is amazing how healthy good choices fill me up very quickly, it's the junk that seems to hit a bottomless pit. I did good because all I had was healthy stuff. My tomatos are in so I have been filling up on them. mmmmm good. I have to see the doctor again on Thursday and I want to at least be where I was the last time I saw him so I am going to be very, very good this week. I'm only about two pounds heavier so I think I'll be ok. I really don't want him to put any more fill in because I think I am still pretty tight. Two grilled chicken tenderloins and I am stuffed for hours. We went to a party yesterday and saw some folks we hadn't seen in a couple of years. They were astounded by the change so I guess I am on the right track even if I am not quite where I want to be. Gotta go for now. You all take care,

Happy Monday! We got back from our trip to Gatlinburg and the Great Smokey Mountains last night. We had so much fun, hiking in the mountains, walking down the strip in Gatlinburg, etc. I wish we could have stayed a few more days but alas, we had to come home. I held my own on the weightloss scale, didn't gain or lose even though we spent the weekend trying out new restaurants. (This is where the band really helps) and they have Baskin and Robbins, Ben and Jerry's and two other ice cream shops. (the band isn't much help there and my willpower is weak) At least we walked to get our evening ice cream so I don't feel too bad. I was on vacation after all. Hope everyone is having a great week and planning something fun for July 4.

It does make sense and your doctor has his standards that for whatever reason wants you to strive for. It is hard to imagine ourselves thin. I still start out in the Women's sizes until I realize they don't fit anymore. It's hard not to "think like a fat person" when that is all you have known. It's good to have a goal but remember you have to get here one day and one pound at a time. Stressing over it just makes your band tight.

My BMI goal is the highest healthy goal for my height. I think the BMI calculations are a little off and if I could get to 28 I would be thrilled. I am pretty muscular so I think my body fat is much lower than the BMI indicates. (Just like I think 155 is too little for me to weigh. I look sick at 155) It is the highest healthy weight on the chart for me so that is my goal but I will be thrilled to get to 175. Don't forget we are all unique individuals and the chart doesn't always fit us as individuals. Your body will tell you when it feels and looks right.

Just checking in, nothing really new here. It's been rainy and now it is too hot to go out and exercise. (they frown on people with ashma walking in a heat advisory.) I'm still hitting Curves so I'm not a total slouch. I'll be back soon!

ldeere2005 and malissa, You are both doing great! Malissa, I am astounded that you ride four miles and then work out too. That is amazing. I would encourage you to try the Curvesmart if it is available at your club. I do it and it is encouraging to me to keep the green light flashing and then see that I have burned between 550 and 600 calories during the workout. I am convinced that Curves kept me from being 400lbs instead of nearly 300 lbs when I had my surgery. It also kept me flexible enough to walk instead of having to resort to a wheelchair before I had my surgery. Keep up the good work ladies. "Change Stations Now"

Congrats on the 12 1/2 inches. That is awesome. Is that in one month? I've lost 66 lbs and 55 inches since I joined 5 years ago. ( I had gained some weight between joining Curves and my surgery) For me Curves is a lifelong journey. I can see myself pumping the machines at 80. Good luck and keep pumping!

Hang in there Tapshoes. :thumbup: I think sometimes we get our tummies irritated by trying to force food too fast. (or I should say, that is what I do) Usually a couple of days of soft and liquids will allow it to settle down. I hope you don't have to get an unfill, but don't wait too long to at least consult your doctor. :bored:

Congratulations. I'm closing in on 600 workouts and think it is the greatest workout ever.

Good Morning! I'm back to trying again this week. Last week was quite disasterous. I didn't exercise as much as I should have and ate way too much sugar. This is another week and it is going to be better. I walked to church last night (3.5 miles) It was a little hotter than I thought it was but I survived at any rate. I picked the first tomato off my vines yesterday. It was a little grape one so not a very big bite but it tasted sooooo good. I'm looking forward to many more this summer. Have a great Monday!

The struggles we are having must be fairly common to bansters who have are a year plus out of surgery. I think it is because I am starting to take the band for granted and slide back into my old habits. I'm trying to get back to the basics I so faithfully followed for the first few months after my banding. Measure your food, eat slowly, chew, chew, chew, etc. Today is going well although I didn't get a chance to walk at lunch, and I popped a few gumdrops in on the way back from errands at lunch:blushing:, but I'm still trying. Unfortunately knowing that it is normal, doesn't make it any easier. I went to a baby shower yesterday, saw folks I hadn't seen in a year or so and got lots of compliments so it's alll worth it.:thumbup: Happy Monday!

Happy Weekend! I'm taking today off from the heavy exercising. I took my girlfriends granddaughter for a ride on the MetroLink this morning and we walked around a little bit but it is hard to get much exercise with a 3 year old alongside. She had a blast. All she has wanted to do all week is ride the ChooChoo train so I took her today. I may try to talk my husband into a walk up to the park this evening. It's hot here today. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.:blushing:

You are all such a great support. With your support and encouragement, I have exercised all five days this week. Today according to Google maps, I walked 4 miles on my lunch break, (55 minutes total) so I was really moving. I walked the city streets instead of the track today and went farther than I had planned but it was a pretty day. My weight this morning was back down to 203. It had been as high as 212 again since I got my unfill. Now I am really watching what I eat and drinking lots more plain water. Tomorrow I can start breaking new ground and try to break past the 200 mark. That has been a tough one for me. I am really trying now to stay away from the sugary snacks, although I did eat about half a piece of chocolate cake when I was out with my Red Hat friends. I left the other half on the plate instead of boxing it up to go. :tongue2: Love you all!

What happens with liquids when you are stressed? What if you tried shakes when you know you are having a stressful day. Jazz it up with some fruit, skim milk, protein powder and some sugar free syrup so that you get nutrition but don't aggravate your tummy. I did nearly a month of liquids before we finally figured out what I needed was an unfill. Fortunately I was able to get liquids down easily. It's not the most exciting diet in the world but it might give your tummy a rest. (The bonus is, if you are eating the right kind of liquids (no ice cream or chocolate :thumbup:) You should shed a few pounds. Hang in there.

Oh Crystal, I'm so sorry you have had such a struggle. Your explanation explains a lot of why I have had so much tightness. I had to have most of my fill taken out too. (and my doctor only refills at a rate of .25 to .50 cc per fill) I hadn't put the stress piece in to the equation and it makes perfect sense. If you are able to maintain that is a plus. I always gain when I am stressed. I am trying to get back on track and have lost 7 of the ten pounds I gained by exercising my tail off and eating only three small meals a day with no snacks. It is really hard because I am a stress eater. Cutting the sugar has helped reduce the stress somewhat but it is still there. Hang in there. Hopefully your job will stay put and things will settle down. I am so sorry for the loss of your friends. Losing a friend is a super stresser and you got a double whammy. Hang in there and don't be so hard on yourself. I'm off for my lunchtime walk but I just wanted to tell you how good it is to see you on the board again. Welcome back! Love ya,

Hey Shiny, glad the move is going well. I dread the day we have to move. We've been in this house for 28 years and I don't look forward to trying to pack it all up (or worse yet get rid of some of my treasures (aka junk)Hopefully a move for us is still 7 or 8 years away. Good information on the water. I know I do much better when I drink at least 72 ounces of plain water before I hit the tea/Crystal Lite, etc. According to your plan I should be drinking about 102 per day. It is just so hard unless I am doing something other than sitting at my desk. Hope your day is going great!

I did my three miles. I forgot I had a doctor appointment today at lunch and I took the train to work today. It's about a mile and a half to the office so off I went. With Curves tonight, I feel good about my exercise. Hope you are all having a fabulous day. It's 61 degrees today so it was a much more pleasant walk than yesterday at 88 degrees. Gotta love Missouri weather.:confused:

Ain't it the truth, sugary treats go down with no problem but meat and veggies get stuck. Let me know when you figure that one out because that is exactly the problem I have. Even with practically no fill in my band, if I eat fast or don't chew for ever I get stuck. I don't throw up but I am in pain for several hours and if I try to drink I do throw up. I started tracking on the Daily plate again yesterday. We have to get with it girls! We've come too far to fail now.

Hey, if you are on your feet and moving forward it is running.

I buy white tea at the grocery store. Some of them have it and some of them don't. Revolution makes a great one with pear. Bentley's has an amazing ginger peach, STASH has a plain one and a Chai white tea that is pretty good. The flavor of white tea is much lighter than black tea and it has less cafeine so I guess that is good.