Carrie22803

yay! I'm a Terp, too! I'm finishing my Master's there right now. I dislike crabs. Not worth it! I love shrimp, too!!!! Red Lobster....yummy. Fried shrimp, shrimp scampi and shrimp alfredo pasta!!! Ok, I need to stop! I love Maryland, too.

They were on sale so you just had to get them, right ? I know how it is...don't worry. Remember, it's not about what happened this weekend, it's about the big picture. You have lost a lot of weight so far, and you'll just get back on track this week. Let us know how the weigh in went, and don't get down on yourself. One weekend of indulgence doesn't ruin everything! You can do it!

Yeah, after my surgery I had to take several large pills for various reasons, and they all went down ok. Definitely hot drinks to help them dissolve, and drink lots of fluids to help it go down. But don't gulp too much so you end up puking! I think it will be ok. Sorry that the beginning of your Banded life started out so rocky, but once this is taken care of, you'll be alright. Good luck and God bless!

That's so great! I know I will love it when someone says that to me!!! I am a closet bandster too, which is good for me as well so people wouldn't be all in my business and wondering why I haven't lost more weight. "I'm taking my own route." -Stuart ha!

Thanks. It's good to know you're not alone

Thanks for the support! You are right, it just is very frustrating sometimes...BUT I will be happy this weekend because 1st weigh in: 230 2nd weigh in: 225 total pounds lost: 5 YAY!!! Now I get to fix my ticker!!! I just have to try not to be happy and celebrate with food........

I have been wondering why my hair is falling out!!!! Now I know! Biotin? Have you tried it? I thought I was going to need Rogaine for women or something like that!!

I think around 40g a day is good. It really depends on the person. In a low-carb diet, like Atkins, you are supposed to have less than 20g per day for 2 weeks, then slowly add them back in until you stop losing weight, then you know how many grams you should eat. I think most people are between 40-60grams a day. I don't know if this helps....

Oh, to be a turtle....it is very hard for me! I want to be thin now! I get so down on everything and myself, I feel like no matter what, even having this surgery, I will always be fat Just having a hard day right now. Talk to you guys later...

Yay! That's so great...we'll see where I am tomorrow morning. You have surpassed me be a long shot! I am a member of the Turtles (slow weight loss group)! Keep it up!

I like Lane Bryant in a fix, because I need talls and when I know I need a certain something, I go there, even though it is RIDICULOUSLY expensive. And I know what you mean about their khakis and stuff, you can see the fat dimples which is most unflattering. The tops don't fit me too well, I mostly buy the jeans. Yeah, $18 for panties is silly. HELLO, TARGET!!!

Yes, it's all about the fills. my first fill wasn't enough but I thought I had to wait and tried to do it on my own, being upset about the surgery!! Well, I went for my 2nd fill and I am feeling better and I'm sure the weight will start coming off. I know it's depressing, but we are here for you. You might be a slow loser...join us turtles!!!

I was afraid I was alone. Everyone else seems to be losing so fast I was banded in July and have lost 13 measly pounds. People banded the same month as me have lost 40!!! I know, I know It's Not A Race...but blarg!!! Anyway, I'm glad to see we can all hang together, and now I don't feel defective!!! My first fill wasn't enough, but I just got my 2nd fill today, so hopefully my restriction will be better!!! Talk to my fellow turtles soon....

My first fill was 1.5 cc and I just had my 2nd fill at 1 cc in a 5cc band...the first fill wasn't enough but now I feel nice and restricted, I just have to get used to it all over again!!! eek...

Um, ps - Teresa, you have lost FIFTY pounds!!! And LSasha THIRTY FIVE!!! That is so great! Just look at how far you've come already!!! I've only lost 13, so you are both an inspiration to me.

Consider it kicked - good and hard!!! Now kick me back!!! Ok, now that we're done beating eachother up, remember to post on Friday how you did for the week on meeting your goals. I had my 2nd fill today, and I'm feeling good about this first week...talk to me later on in this challenge, and we might be hearing something else...but, oh well. We'll keep eachother motivated!!!!

Ok, I went through some of this stuff, too, and was just as worried as y'all if it was working and what was going on. Sometimes it still feels like I can eat a lot with no problems, other times it feels like nothing is going down. The pressure in your chest is when something is either going to get stuck or go through...kinda right on the verge. If the feeling goes away, it went down. If not, it's still there waiting. My doctor told me right after you get a fill, there might be a little swelling so it feels tighter than it actually is. After the swelling goes down, you feel like you can eat more. I have trouble with bready things still, but sometimes it seems ok. It really is like a back and forth thing - part of getting to know your band and how it's working with your body. I've only been banded for 3 months and I am still learning. But I am slowly realizing that it's not going to do everything for you, you have to make sure you don't eat too much or eat the wrong things. I like what the other lady said about time spent at a meal. 20-30 minutes sounds like enough time to chew thouroughly and get your food down, but not eat too much. And the fullness-yeah, it's not like an "I'm so stuffed" kind of thing, it's just a feeling like "I'm done" hard to explain especially since I am so used to ignoring it!!! But you just have to say is it really worth eating 1 more bite??? Really? I hope some of this helped, I know it's confusing, it still confuses me, but I just try to do the best I can and not worry too much. It's there, it's doing it's job, you just have to get used to it/work with it.

I don't know if this will help at all, but I didn't tell anyone either. Not even my parents even though my dad had gastric bypass, i thought they would just try to tell me I didn't need it or something. I told most everyone I was going to visit my sister in Tennessee, and I told my parents I was going to Ocean City with a friend. I know it's lying, but it is your personal business. When and if you want to tell people, you will. If anyone asked about the liquids, I just said I was dieting. I told my parents afterwards, and of course they said I should have told them from the beginning, but I guess it was just a really personal thing for me. My immediate family are still the only ones who know about it. Everyone else just thinks I'm changing my eating habits so I can lose weight, which I am! I just feel like you shouldn't have to tell anyone if you don't want to or don't feel comfortable. It's great that some people are so inspiring and will tell their stories, that's why I even know about banding in the first place! But not everyone is like that, so do what you feel.

Ok, we can do this together! It has been a few days and I've been doing alright, but I need to exercise! I'm going for a fill on Wednesday, so that should help me some, I feel more motivated right afterwards. We'll see how I've done on Friday...thanks for joining me, guys

I go to Dr. Brinkley, too. I like her, she is quirky and very knowledgeable. She let me feel her port and see her scars when I first went. I'm actually going for my 2nd fill on Oct. 26 (Wednesday) with her. I'm excited!!

I just wanted to post my weight and goal (I don't think it will change much by Friday) Carrie weight: 238 :dead goal: lose 20 lbs. in 10 weeks and to exercise on a regular basis habits to overcome: emotional eating, eating when not hungry, impulse eating

The scale pisses me off no matter what! I just joined Bally's and it is good so far. There are a variety of people there, which is good because I thought it would only be skinny people. Yeah, slow going pretty much sucks, especially since I am the kind of person who wants immediate results and quick fixes...I'm trying to get over that. Maybe us Marylanders should start a winter challenge amongst ourselves, lasting 10 weeks, weigh ourselves every Friday and report in??? Does anyone else want to do it? I just thought it would be fun and motivating. I'll start a new thread to see if anyone's interested.

Thank you so much for all the words of support. It's hard when you feel like no one else had gone through or is going through the same thing. But you helped me to see that I'm not the only one out there that this has happened to. My son, Reilly, and I are living with my parents now anf hopefully a separation agreement will be signed soon. Stress!!! Ok, I will try and tell myself I am an awesome woman, even though I feel like you all are the awesome women, not me. I have been doing better with eating, and I am going for a fill in 2 weeks. It means so much to me to have women to talk to about these things. I can't wait to meet you both at the next lap band meeting, whenever it may be. How did Oct.16th go? Random : this woman from Barix Clinics told me you were supposed to get fills every 6 weeks for the 1st year of banding. Is this true? Did you guys do that? Because I thought you just got one when you felt like you could eat more/after losing 20-30 lbs.? Let me know. Thanks again for everything!!!

Hey! My name is Carrie, I am 25 and was banded in Monterrey, Mexico on July 14th. I have only lost about 6 lbs. so far, and there is quite a ways to go (about 90lbs)! I live in Maryland and am finishing my Master's at UMD (go terps!). I feel I am able to eat pretty well now, soft foods and such....I'd love to hear some other experiences with weight loss and eating with the band in the first weeks, because I am too hungry for just liquids.....

It's ok, sweetie! I am trying to do better myself, so we can help eachother. I have been eating bad stuff and not drinking my Water either. But, like my mother in law says, if you mess up at one meal, just try to do better the next. What I just started is this: Wake up - drink 16oz water wait 30 minutes, eat some breakfast 1.5-2 hours later, drink another 160z water wait 30 minutes, eat some lunch if hungry or wait until hungry 1.5-2 hours after lunch, drink 16oz water wait 30 minutes, eat dinner or wait until hungry and eat dinner 1.5-2 hours later, drink your last 16oz of water! (you now have 64oz) wait 30 minutes, and you shouldn't be hungry, but if you are, have a light snack or healthy something that's what I just started, so we'll see how it goes. I know this is tough, i somehow thought it would be simple, and I would just lose the weight effortlessly, but I now realize it is up to you as much as it was before, now we just have some help (a little edge) I still have to control what I eat, what goes in my body, and if I work out. I have been slacking on the treadmill for the past 4 days, but I will do it tonight! Just remember, if you mess up , just try to do better the next time you eat/exercise. We can do it (together)! I'll be needing a lot of support, too! I'm glad we have eachother!