HeatherA

I try to stay at 1200 calories or less each day... even with exercise. So my "net" calories tend to range about 950 or so after I get my daily walk in.

I love love love The Daily Plate! They are constantly working to make it better and it's so easy and clean to use. I use it every day and feel lost without it. :-)

SpecialK... the get-together is only 9 days before you get banded! Whoo Hooo! We'll be celebrating... aren't there 3 of you getting banded in March? I'm losing track of everyone. Can you imagine our April meeting???? What a blast to celebrate with all the newly banded... I'm sure you guys will have tons of questions!

I went in for my second fill yesterday. I was down 8 pounds since my first fill and explained to the doctor that I have been dieting and exercising but have felt very little restriction. He wanted to put in 2cc to bring me to 7cc total. I thought that maybe I'd be ok with just 1cc because I never want to be too tight and I don't mind watching my calories to work with my band as a partner. We finally compromised at 1.5cc... Immediately when I tried to drink the Water, he gave me, my teeny tiny sips were getting stuck and causing me great discomfort. I was so shocked! I could barely get 2 ounces of water down while sitting there and each sip was painful. I finally said I thought it was too tight and asked for some to be taken out. So he removed half of what he'd put in leaving me with .75cc. I haven't had anything to drink yet today, but I could definitely feel some restriction yesterday with just liquids. I hope it sticks around for awhile because I don't go back in until 3/25 for another fill.

I know! I did not like the feeling at all. I know I will not be one of those that lives too tight. I get too much pain and discomfort and I don't like it at all!

I was given 3cc in the hospital during surgery, then my first fill was 2cc. Yesterday I went for my second fill, and ended up with .75 additional. So I currently have 5.75cc and felt restriction while drinking yesterday.

Melisa, I sent you a private message :-)

Oh sweety, ignore it... it was most likely sent before you got the weight history in to them. It's a technicality because they had to deny you without that. That's why it was so fast for approval once they had the information they needed. I'm sure that's what Charlene will tell you tomorrow.

Niki, that is my plan this time around. I also plan to embrace my health more and focus on my looks less. That's something I've never "truly" done before. The last time I got serious about losing I was 29 heading into 30. This time I'm facing down the barrel of 40. My youth has been spent as obese. I don't want to spend the rest of my life that way and deal with all of the health issues that come with it. That said... I still spend a lot of time in the mirror marveling over the slight changes to my body. :-) I plan to enjoy those as well :-) I think a benefit of our local group is that we can all help each other work through the "mind" things and help each other to be more successful at this than we would be on our own. We're so lucky to have found each other.

Did I hear that the AP band comes with the low profile port?

OMGosh! I am doing the happy dance for you!!!!!! I hope you get your date soon! My fingers are crossed for a quick call back!

I have added several more sweaters to the pile for our next meeting. They are some of my favorites but they are just swimming on me these days and I've decided that if I want to embrace the changes in my body I must make sure to wear things that fit better. My one exception is my favorite vintage OSU sweat shirt that I can't part with. It's getting pretty big on me, but it's like a security blanket so I'm still wearing it. :-) Have any of you had a hard time dealing with the parting of clothing? Wearing smaller sizes? Acknowledging that we don't have to hide behind our clothing anymore? I'm freaking out about the day when I get to shop in regular sizes and not plus sizes. I got there briefly back in 2002 and I think I was so freaked out that it started me on my re-gaining journey. I don't want that to happen to me this time.

Joy, Your prior doctor should still have access to your records. I'm not sure how long you must keep patient files, but I'm pretty sure it's at least 10 years. I would call them again and ask them to see if they can get them out of storage for you. You might have to pay a fee to get copies, but it'd be worth it. Good luck.

My surgeon doesn't ask us to do anything the day before... or even the day of. After the fill we go to liquids and then progress to soft and then mushies until we feel we're ready for regular food. Good luck on your first fill!

HeatherA ........ 255.6 ..... 225 ........ 250.9 ....... 25.9

SpecialK, those babies are so adorable!!!!! I want a cat so bad, but so many people in my life are allergic that we'd never have company if we got one. :-(

Ever since I've recovered from surgery I haven't had any regrets. My biggest regrets truly stemmed from the recovery stage of the process and the food limitations. Now that I'm eating again normally (for the most part) I'm in a much better place. I've lost almost 20lbs since surgery. I'm thrilled with that.

Sue, that's awesome news! Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm glad you called. Being too tight can cause all kinds of problems... it's better to be safe than sorry!

I bought a treadmill and put it right in front of the TV in my family room. It's not the most beautiful decoration for my house, but having it stare at me as I sit and watch TV is enough motivation for me to get up and use it each day. I've managed 25/26 days on it since we brought it home. I try to do 20-30 minutes minimum and if time, or my body, permits I sometimes do as much as an hour. If you can afford one, or you can get one from family members that might not be using their old ones, I recommend trying something like this. Good luck!

What has your log showed you in the last few days? How are things going since you started tracking? Are you making sure to get your 900 calories in?

My doc put in 3ccs at surgery and gave me 2ccs at my first fill.

I went to the seminar of my surgeon in early October (the 2nd I think). It was the second seminar I had attended and it caused me to switch course to his program. Anyway, I was banded on the 18th of December. It took me 2-3 weeks for my initial appointment day which encompassed a single and group meeting with a nutritionist, an exercise physiologist, the psych eval, blood work, a physical and a meeting with the surgeon. After that my program wants you to meet with a nut. 2 more times before they will submit you to ins. regardless of whether your ins. requires or not. These meetings are usually a month a part and if the nut. does not sign off on you you are not allowed to move forward with the surgery until they do. Before this first meeting I got a notice from my husband's employer that our ins. was changing Jan. 1 and had a mild freak out. I called and was told that if the nut. and psych. agreed we could fast track my surgery and have my nut. appts. 2-3 weeks apart. So that's what we did. I am thrilled that they were willing to work with me. Otherwise I'd probably still be waiting to be banded.

Congrats!!!!!! That's awesome and it's a good excuse to miss the next get together!!!! :-) Good luck with the pre-op liquid diet!

Thanks Grace!!!