SpecialK

Haven't posted in FOREVER!! Finally made it to onederland slow but sure! Down 98lbs and feeling great. I have lots of reflux issues which led to an unfill and upper Gi. Nexium is my friend. Post more later just wanted to check in.

Susan - Nice to hear from you. Had you been going along for a long time at the same fill level like I did before you saw the reflux? My .5cc unfill did the trick and my reflux totally went away. Hope yours will too. I think that "slow and steady" thing is harder to get our heads around than we wish it was but we will get there.

Kathy

A family member sent me this and I thought I'd share on the Fitness and Exercise thread here for a laugh. I haven't had the money to hire a personal trainer but I have gone from being a couch potato to a regular exerciser and that is my victory post LAP-BAND®! Enjoy!:smile:

I'm 1.5 yrs out and totally glad with what I did. -120 lbs to date and even though I know I still have a ways to go, I think I can get there with mindful eating, exercise, and a positive attitude. I used to face my first weigh in at Weight Watchers with such enthusiasm, and lose a little at a time and get discouraged, and give up. I even lost 100 lbs on WW twice and regained it because when I just stopped Portion Control, I could eat what I wanted. I am now very conscious of every calorie eaten has to be a calorie burned.

On the issue of having something implanted now for a lifetime. I plan to continue regular follow ups with my surgeon and at the first sign of a problem, go see him. I let some acid reflux go for a month or so and thought it was just me with eating wrong combinations, etc. and a tiny unfill adjusted that band and the reflux went away in 24 hrs and hasn't been seen since. So, the Adjustable part of a gastric lapband, is invaluable.

The .5cc unfil was enough to beat back the acid reflux as if it had never happened. Pretty neat. I can sense I can eat a little more but I'm trying to still stay into the Mindful Eating mode.

Hello from Ohio. I had a colonoscopy today and the prep for it is always worse than the test itself but I had a good laugh when I got on the scale after a day of liquids and many bathroom runs to see I was down something like 4 lbs. I know its artificial number but I am maybe hoping in my mind that this will kick my butt into gear and be enough of a shock to my body it will let these stubborn 2 lbs go and I'll see the next set of new numbers. I did have a couple NSVs from this colonoscopy deal today - 1) they gave me a regular adult size blood pressure cuff - didn't have to run for the XL one; 2) they gave me the standard one size fits all hospital gown instead of looking around for what can we put on this big lady!

Hi Sillypuddy. Yep you are right where we all have been in the past. Don't worry about these early weeks on. Just try to stay mindful of your portions and no, they held pretty strong to the waiting 6 weeks to give us a first fill and even then, they go conservative with the first fill and keep incrementally going up from there. Glad to hear your initial recovery has gone so well.

I just had a .5cc unfill for the first time in 18 months of being banded due to acid reflux that was waking me at night and I had a burning sensation in my throat, etc. Within 24 hrs of that tiny unfill, I felt much better, in 48 hrs, no acid reflux at all.

Hi Hope. I am with you about we have a long term issue with overeating as an addiction behavior and we just need to continue being Mindful Eaters now and for the rest of our lives.

I am on the last few days now of the crazy deadline they set for me and my project team back in January that was next to impossible to have a new computer system up and running by September 30 when they had not even selected the people to be on the team until March except for me and a couple preliminary people. I know I have been stress eating and I have been trying to add in extra exercise, get sleep, but it is still a hard thing for me when we are buying goodies and Snacks at work to keep people working long long hours including this weekend on Saturday and Sunday after working long hours all week again. I'm just hanging on and trying to make the best choices I can. No weight loss but not anything gained - just keep fluctuating up and down on those same 2-3 lbs which is so different than where I was a year ago with steady losing downward. That is a big mental hit for me because I know I am responsible for what I eat and nobody else. I hope we will continue to long term keep in touch as those who started the journey with incredible excitement together and keep monitoring and supporting until we all find our happy balance long term.

Doesn't this situation with learning to live for the long term really make you realize the difference now in choosing RNY -- that is a major commitment with no going back -- I'd be in big trouble now with my current behavior with "dumping" and who knows what else so I am being so much more appreciative of their decision as I see how life goes along longer term post-op. I think both Lapband and RNY and Sleeve too, we all cannot really realize what 'live with this the rest of your life' really is like when they are dangling that carrot in front of our face to get those pounds off incredibly fast after we've faced a lifetime of obesity and complications, embarrassment. I was ready to do anything it took. Now, I get compliments on how nice I look, how incredible what I have done is, and it is turning my head inside out some, knowing I still have a good 60 lbs to go, I can't let this interim stage keep me from my end goal.

Okay, sorry for such a long post here. Had to get it off my chest this a.m. I guess so I can go face another long work day.

Kathy

Yes Mary Rose - those little tiny 1/2" by 1/2" by 1/2" size bits of yellow, pink, green, etc. buttery tasting mints -- 20 of those tiny things is 60 calories versus 3 of the 1" round peppermints for a hard candy is about 60 calories. I'd much rather have the one that I can suck on for awhile and have it last versus the others melt in your mouth and are quickly gone.

The disks are called Brach's Starlight or Starbrite individually wrapped Peppermints

The tiny squares are lots of brands but I found a Richardson's Pastel After dinner mints... is 20 pieces for 60 calories. That is a little better.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 20 pieces Amount per Serving

Calories 60

Calories from Fat 0%

Daily Value *

Total Fat 0g

Saturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 0mg

Total Carbohydrate 15g

Dietary Fiber 0g

Sugars 15g

Protein 0g

Okay, I couldn't resist to see the nutrition info of a TABLESPOON of white sugar compared to the mints! So it looks like there are calories from the corn Syrup combined with the sugar -- all around a good sugar high! Nothing nutritional at all but then I kind of should have guessed that but the hand was quicker than the brain.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 TABLESPOON (12.55g)

Amount per Serving

• Calories 47 Calories from Fat 0
  

% Daily Value *

• Total Fat 0g 0%
  
• Saturated Fat 0g 0%
  
• Sodium 0mg 0%
  
• Total Carbohydrate 12.55g 4%
  
• Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
  
• Sugars 12.55g
  
• Protein 0g 0%
  

I had heard that the bowl full of mints in restaurants even with a spoon to dip them out is not a good idea to take them due to the germs from people who reach into the bowl with their hands. So I knew not to take unwrapped mints at a restaurant but this temptation for me came because someone bought a bag at work and was sharing among coworkers I knew. I poured a handful out of the bag, ate those and then kept going back for more. Lord help me!

Here is the nutrition label info from Daily Plate:

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 3 pieces (15g) 1" round disks individually wrapped

Amount per Serving

• Calories 60 Calories from Fat 0
  

% Daily Value *

• Total Fat 0g 0%
  
• Saturated Fat 0g 0%
  
• Trans Fat 0g
  
• Sodium 10mg 0%
  
• Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
  
• Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
  
• Sugars 8g
  
• Protein 0g 0%
  

INGREDIENTS: BRACH'S STAR BRITES PEPPERMINTS CORN Syrup, SUGAR, PEPPERMINT OIL, ARTIFICIAL COLORS (TITANIUM DIOXIDE, BLUE 1, RED 3, YELLOW 6, RED 40).

Okay friends, I thought I'd confess and share that I learned this the hard way. Someone brought in a bag of those Brach's Starlite pastel mints to work and they were so tempting that before I realized it I had popped a bunch in my mouth on a couple days in a row. THEN I caught up on my food tracking of calories consumed and those mints blew me away. Not only was it empty sugar calories, but 20 TINY MINT, yes those ones that are 1/2" square, are 60CALORIES.

So the next time you are tempted to take a free spoonful (or handful) of those mints from a dish at a restaurant, just remember, they aren't free in terms of calories.

:tongue2:

Hi guys. I logged in my 'sneaking mints at work' this a.m. in my Bodybugg food tracker for calories consumed adn that was a wake up call. 3 tiny pieces of Brach's starlite peppermint mints - pastels, like they have in a dish at restaurants, 3 = 59 Calories -- I had popped at least 12 of those tiny devils in my mouth yesterday. Now that I have the accountability that I ate more in sugar than in the big salad with eggs I had for lunch, that is a wake up call that should keep me out of it today. One day at a time.

On the social event eating, yes, it is so tempting to want to show people that I can still eat real food, still enjoy a treat and yet still lose weight. Aha... I can stablize or fluctuate up and down at the same 2 pounds with having a piece of pie for dessert or getting into the mints, but I can't go down consistently like I did when I was a newbie lapbander. I think all this is just that ongoing head game working the program stuff. I'm with Potatie on not beating ourselves up as long as we are being accountable to Ourselves and not anyone else as the food police. That's why I like to come here and post as I know you can relate and will encourage me to keep trying and the same from me back to all of you. So, my own message to myself is, step away from the sweets today.

P.S. I did get 30 minutes in on the elliptical and 1 hr of Water aerobics yesterday so I did do things good for myself too!

Happy to report that the tiny unfill last week has made a tremendous difference in how I feel and my eating pattern. I also finally knocked off those 2-3 lbs that were fluctuating up and down between 233-236 or so and am hoping I can break into the 220's soon!

Getting good workouts in and trying to make good choices although I found some of the mints yesterday and I had a few and then went back for more so evidently I still have a love for sweets. I need to stay away from all the Halloween candy sales!

New topic for those in the bariatric programs who have struggled with hair loss like I have even before WLS. It was something I have been so self conscious about and could never find a solution for. Well, I have a new product my hair dresser and I tried today that made me so happy I want to share with others. It is a product called Toppik and its hair fibers that are sprinkled into your dry hair after you have done your styling but before you apply your hairspray. The trial size bottle ordered off the internet was $6.50 plus shipping so its worth a try for a small investment. Now that I know I like it, I plan to order a bigger bottle. There are video links on the web site that show the product being applied and it was so fast from the time my hair stylist started that when she had the right side of the top of my hair done, she stopped and said this is amazing, what a difference that makes. We took a picture of it half way done and then when it was all done. I went into the bathroom to look very carefully up close at my hair and it didn't look fake or artificial at all. So, I don't get any financial compensation or anything from this and its up to you to see if you like it.

:blushing:

www.toppik.com

New topic for those in the bariatric programs who have struggled with hair loss like I have even before WLS. It was something I have been so self conscious about and could never find a solution for. Well, I have a new product my hair dresser and I tried today that made me so happy I want to share with others. It is a product called Toppik and its hair fibers that are sprinkled into your dry hair after you have done your styling but before you apply your hairspray. The trial size bottle ordered off the internet was $6.50 plus shipping so its worth a try for a small investment. Now that I know I like it, I plan to order a bigger bottle. There are video links on the web site that show the product being applied and it was so fast from the time my hair stylist started that when she had the right side of the top of my hair done, she stopped and said this is amazing, what a difference that makes. We took a picture of it half way done and then when it was all done. I went into the bathroom to look very carefully up close at my hair and it didn't look fake or artificial at all. So, I don't get any financial compensation or anything from this and its up to you to see if you like it.

www.toppik.com

New topic for those in the bariatric programs who have struggled with Hair loss like I have even before WLS. It was something I have been so self conscious about and could never find a solution for. Well, I have a new product my hair dresser and I tried today that made me so happy I want to share with others. It is a product called Toppik and its hair fibers that are sprinkled into your dry hair after you have done your styling but before you apply your hairspray. The trial size bottle ordered off the internet was $6.50 plus shipping so its worth a try for a small investment. Now that I know I like it, I plan to order a bigger bottle. There are video links on the web site that show the product being applied and it was so fast from the time my hair stylist started that when she had the right side of the top of my hair done, she stopped and said this is amazing, what a difference that makes. We took a picture of it half way done and then when it was all done. I went into the bathroom to look very carefully up close at my hair and it didn't look fake or artificial at all. So, I don't get any financial compensation or anything from this and its up to you to see if you like it.

www.toppik.com

Mt. Carmel's Bariatric Support group for October is the 1st Monday in October at 6pm at MT Carmel West in the Auditorium which is in the basement level where the cafeteria is.

We had one of our informal get together's last Saturday at the Polaris mall. We can plan another for the 2nd Saturday in October at the Polaris Mall food court again. Hope to see you there.

Doing great since my tiny unfill. No acid reflux at all for 5+ days now. Amazing.

Hi out there to my Shrinking Shamrocks - yep, that .5 cc unfill did the trick. Within a day, no more acid reflux and by 48 hours I can eat a salad or reasonable meal with Protein without a problem. YEA!!

My surgeon is conservative enough that he sent me for an x-ray of my abdomen Monday a.m. after he did the unfill to check my band position and I got a call yesterday that he reviewed the films and my band is doing just fine, no slip. YEA! YEA!!!

I did ask him if specifically if alot of abdominal exercises at the gym could have impacted my band and he said No, you'd almost have to take a solid hit in the stomach or have a severe coughing episode or something like that. So keep on working those abs at the gym!

I have to tell you that feeling like I can eat real foods again is an emotional boost that translates into a mental boost - I think I was getting depressed over the idea that something had slipped or I might just have to suffer with the acid reflux problem long term and I am so glad I went in to see the doctor. So, lesson learned, if you are doubting whether things are okay, make an appt to see the doctor and it will help to reassure you.

Hi out there to my Mt. Carmel bandster buddies - yep, that .5 cc unfill did the trick. Within a day, no more acid reflux and by 48 hours I can eat a salad or reasonable meal with Protein without a problem. YEA!!

Dr. Miller is conservative enough that he sent me for an x-ray of my abdomen Monday a.m. after he did the unfill to check my band position and I got a call yesterday that he reviewed the films and my band is doing just fine, no slip. YEA! YEA!!!

I did ask him if specifically if alot of abdominal exercises at the gym could have impacted my band and he said No, you'd almost have to take a solid hit in the stomach or have a severe coughing episode or something like that. So keep on working those abs at the gym!

I have to tell you that feeling like I can eat real foods again is an emotional boost that translates into a mental boost - I think I was getting depressed over the idea that something had slipped or I might just have to suffer with the acid reflux problem long term and I am so glad I went in to see the doctor. So, lesson learned, if you are doubting whether things are okay, make an appt to see the doctor and it will help to reassure you.

Mellissa Webb also shared at the Mt. Carmel Bariatric Support meeting that the stress I am under for my job right now is also having an inflammatory effect on your stomach so she said that once I am past my really tough deadline and extra overtime, that alone should help things too. Another reason to keep up the exercise to deal with stress instead of eating.

Congrats out to Cindy for the nice talk she gave at the support group meeting on exercise and working out, it was a motivating talk and she is doing great herself - I think she said she is at -118 lbs now and I'm so happy for her and all of us.

I've got an appt Monday a.m. for an unfil and to see Dr. Miller. The acidy stuff hasn't abated and I have recognized I'm eating "easier" foods because to eat solid Proteins and veggies is harder which is a sign I need an adjustment. I'll post how it goes. For now, I'm doing soft foods and Protein Shakes through the weekend. Not gaining but not losing.

Sillypuddy, glad to hear all went well with your surgery.

I loved sugar free popsicles when I was at the liquids stage post op.

Hi Shamrocks! Well I finally encountered my first episode where the acid reflux I'm having (giving me a burning sensation in my throat) has me lined up for a partial unfill on Monday a.m. I kept hoping it would get better and it wasn't. I could also see a pattern developing of eating "easier to eat" things and when I went to more solid Protein, veggies, it was tough to get a small portion down and I'd end up with a PB episode. I tried cutting back on coffee and cutting back any eating at least a couple hours before bed time, but the bottle of Tums beside my bed has become a regular "snack", sometimes waking me in the night to crunch a few Tums for the sore throat sensation of the acidy taste.

So, I have to confess I am a little worried that this is going to open me up for more eating with less restriction but maybe the opposite will happen where the restriction I have will tolerate the full Proteins better.

I have been at this fill level since March 2009 so it is a mystery to me on why 6 months later the acid reflux stuff started.

Anybody know if there are any restrictions on working out with an abdominals machine at the gym? I swear I can feel my insides rolling when I do those crunches. I worried that maybe it was not okay for my band.

Okay, enough from the worry wort. Not losing but not gaining any either. With 60 lbs to go, I want to get back on the road downward.

I posted on another thread that I've been having some acid reflux at night, enough that I'm taking some Tums so I have been told by another bandster that I'll probably need a small unfill. Planning to call the doctor on Tuesday and see if I can get in. Nothing drastic really but I don't want to let this irritation on my esophagus/stomach go on even though I'm not sure why it started. I have had the same fill level now since March (6 months) and I'm not eating bad so it might just be the exercise and what weight loss I have has made it shift a little and its too tight for how its positioned. Will post how it goes but I'm not too worried.

Thanks Scrappy for the encouragement for those of us still plugging away. I have my ups and downs but when I look back this year I can remember hitting my 90 lb mark at Valentines Day and now at -120 well before Labor Day so that's going in the right direction, just not the wild downward ride it was last year with 10 lbs a month or so!

I am noticing some acid indigestion at night time that I hadn't had up until now. A few Tums and its fine. I am trying to figure out if its related to how late I ate before bed or what food I ate, etc. I see my surgeon next in October so I think I can manage until then but if not, I can call and get in sooner.

My mother made her famous potato salad at my house today for a big family dinner we have tomorrow and I got into the bowl of potato salad and scooped out maybe 3/4 cup and it took me awhile to eat that and I was full. Not the healthiest choice but I'll get some Protein in soon - maybe a shake while I relax. I got a nice walk in and that took me over 10,100 steps for today on my pedometer.