Twilight

Just one more thing.... I am not a Breakfast person and my dietician said that if I was going to insist on not eating b'fast that I needed to have something with Protein in it regardless. I don't know about everyone else but it has NOT been my favorite task. So I asked a friend who had bypass done what she has been doing for protein. She gave me a sample.... The drink is called proticcino. She got it from her bariatric center. Well, she said she had found it cheaper online so after I tried it and liked it, she gave me the website. The nice thing about this site is that any order under $70 is just $7 shipping...which really isn't that bad compared to some of the places. Also, if you order more than $20 you can pick three free samples. So where is this going....well I LOVE the proticcino. It comes pre-measured in a bottle and you just add Water and shake. It isn't thick like a lot of shakes, more like thin milk. And I LOVE it. Well I went to sit down to watch Big Medicine and decided to treat myself to one of the free samples I ordered. It is amaretto cocoa. It has 80 cals and 15g protein. I was a little short protein today at dinner because I filled up so quick. It is AWESOME! I know Salsa was talking about only being able to drink right now and this is something warm and indulgent and GOOD FOR YOU! or as good for you as snacking goes. AND I get my chocolate fix and it doesn't taste like fake chocolate like all those "diet" chocolate bars do. Anyways....if you are interested the website is MyDietShopz.com for e-Z Weight Loss, e-Z Shopping, and e-Z Prices and I like it. There are also a bunch of products aspartame free (the proticcino is) for those who have problems with that. I have another cinnamon cocoa to try, their oatmeal, and tropical banana drink. I just thought someone might be interested. Now...thanks to tivo...I'm off to watch Big Medicine!

Joy and Skinny, I don't think I have any plans Thurs. or Fri. night if we want to get together and talk. I'm sure I can find some time on Sat. and Sun. outside of bb games and church. Give me a call, I'm in the book.

I did not have any co-morbidities as of yet, but I knew they were coming. Last time I had my cholesterols checked they were border line. Last two times I was pregnant I had gestational diabetes and had been having some of the same feelings so I'm sure I was borderline diabetic too. My blood pressure has always been good but my heart rate was through the roof. I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without puffing by stair 12. It hurt to get on the floor and hurt even worse to get up. When I would get up to walk after sitting for more than a half hour my feet were on fire. I'm only 25 pounds down and a lot of the pain is gone. I am waiting for 6 months to check my bloodwork again....I haven't had a blood sugar episode in 2 months. There are positives even without serious health issues. I look at the path I was on and those health issues were just around the corner if I hadn't put up a road block. Keep learning. If this is really for you, you will know it in your heart.

Quick question. I suffer from migranes. I have never taken anything stronger than excedrin for them. Tylenol doesn't touch them. I did buy some children's motrin so that next time I had something that maybe might help a bit. If I can't have that, do you have any suggestions? I know...ask my dr. (and I will next time I'm in) but do you think once every couple of months will cause a problem? I only get them when I am reallys stressed out or my syatic nerve is pinching (like today). I'm wondering about an IMHO is all.... Kathy, we haven't met because I've joined this board from the decembers but I'm very sorry to hear about your father. I lost my dad a year and a half ago under about the same circumstances. 6 weeks from dianosis to funeral. I'm sure you are still spinning. Make sure you take care of yourself during this time. I didn't and pay for it every day. Everyone else...I've been off board a lot more the last couple of days. It has seemed very strange, but I have been very busy with school and kids. My back is out again...as it always has done every couple of months. I go to the back cracker tomorrow and hopefully he will align everything and work out some of the kinks I have put in my neck. Semester exams were just too hard I guess. I think they are harder on the teachers in some ways than they are on the students. We care so much about them and the kids just take them. On a positive note....I picked up "walk away the pounds" on dvd at Walmart a couple of weeks ago and I finally took the plunge and opened it up tonight. Honestly, I was going to sit and watch it to see if I liked it but felt guilty sitting there so went and changed and just dove on in. There are three workouts on the dvd. A 1 mile, 2 mile, and 3 mile. I made it through the 1 mile! Okay...honestly I had to stop a few times....but I didn't quit and sit down, I stretched and started back up. It only took 15 minutes or so and I think I'll try to do it in the morning before my shower. I think it will kick start my day and be better for me than groaning about how early it is when my 13 year old has to be taken to basketball practice at 5:50. I can come home and do that for 15 minutes and then hop in the shower. I'm hoping that it didn't hurt my back....actually it was probably great for it, just sitting here now that isn't. So....I'm off to stretch my back some more and watch Big Medicine. I said on Sunday I was going to have a great week and so far, so good. I'm on the downhill slide and it can only get better from here.

Rain, I was just thinking about posting something similar. I also need something to cope. My patience is beyond thin. Tonight I just lost it with my hubby. It seems that every little thing seems like a crisis anymore. Maybe it is because for so long we turned to food instead of dealing with issues. Your little ones are young and fragile but also VERY resilient. Make sure that they know how much you love them when you aren't frustrated and it will help them cope with mommy's tantrums. Explain to the oldest one that sometimes mommys need to go to timeout too. I try to hold it all in until they are in bed. I then break down usually and have my temper tantrum. Tonight I couldn't hold it in that long and my little ones had to see a very ugly side of mom. Hubby still isn't talking to me, but since they went to bed he went back to work. So....later we can hash out those issues. I don't have any good advice, just support. I don't know what makes us so cranky right now. I don't feel deprived. I don't feel tortured. I feel powerful right now....but still my anger is sitting right under the surface. Who knows why but I believe this too shall pass and a better us will rise. Keep posting and let us know what works for you.

My fill PA said that there were people with issues on eggs. It makes no sense and who can really tell why except maybe we don't normally chew our eggs very well.... I don't know but I guess you aren't alone. Be happy you have restriction.

Oh, and phyll, WOWZER on the pics. Happy bandiversary and you should be beyond proud of yourself! I hope I am half as successful as you are at 6 months.

Karri, I hope your appointment went well. I wasn't very excited to hear how your fill nurse treats you. Is she banded? Has she ever felt restriction? Has she never been told that the journey is different for everyone? I would ask her, if it was so normal for everyone to feel the same, why do we do fill after fill after fill trying to find the INDIVIDUAL sweet spot for everyone. And super news on you weight. I finally changed my weight on my drivers license to be CLOSER to my true weight when I got my motorcycle endorsement this summer. I need to go get my new license on Tuesday and have no idea what to say for weight...cuz it will be there for 8 year. Thinking about putting on my goal weight. Super for you! :girl_hug: I didn't mean to suggest that you aren't paying attention to what you are eating and what you are doing on a daily basis. I meant it to mean that I find it strange to see questions on here that aren't all around what is going in your mouth today. On the December board the focus still seems to be there and that is different here. AND I like it. It gives me more to think about than the calories and the workout. Like you said, the mental issues are so important and difficult. I need to work on THAT side of the band and come to grips with some of those demons before I will be comfortable with my band experience. I completely agree that I am an addict. I wrote about that somewhere on here a little bit. And my dad also was very instrumental in teaching me to pick myself up and take care of my own self. He felt very strongly that I was super strong. Most of the time he believed in me more than I believed in myself. When I lost him a year and a half it was devastating. I quit biting my nails the day he died. It was one habit he couldn't stand. Now I'm working on my weight. I don't think he would have agreed on the method, but he would have been beside me encouraging me. We are stronger than this addiction. I hate scales. I have a love hate relationship with mine. I hate to climb on it, I hate when it doesn't say what I think it should. I hate that it is not digital so I see NO progress on a daily basis. But I LOVE it when I compare it to my docs. Mine is almost 10 pounds lighter. It is a consistant difference and I would LOVE to use it for my ticker....however, I don't remember who said it, but I know that my doc's is probably more accurate. So I feel your pain. but the other way around. Very stressful day today. I took my mother to the train. She had been staying here the last couple of weeks. I would love for her to be closer but by the time she is ready to leave it is always a relief. Frustration is very bad for my eating habits....and when the stress is relieved that is bad for my habits too. I need to come up with better coping mechanisms. It was 10 below today so getting out and going for a walk was NOT an option. I can't wait for school to start back tomorrow to get back away from food and the opportunity to indulge. It will be much better for me when I only have choice twice a day rather than every time I pass the fridge. Good night everyone. I'm going to have a GREAT week. I hope you all will too.

Good job Chris. Mine has moved a bit this week and I'm hoping to see more progress this next week. I didn't go to the clinic to weigh in so I'm hoping to see a much bigger jump this time.

Utah, I just posted under your other thread but didn't address the shoulder pain. My pain went away about 8 days after surgery. It was horrible and I was positive I had done something crazy. I couldn't raise my arm over waist high. I couldn't carry anything... But then it went away. Well, last week, it started up again. I could hardly sit up straight from the pressure. It is gone again, but I'll never forget that pain. Heat did wonders for me. I kept a heating pad on my shoulder at all times....and took a lot of hot showers. It also helped to not sleep in my bed but to doze in the recliner. I never tried the peppermint tea. I did use the gasx strips but those were for stomach gas and not the internal gas pains. Have you tried heat? What about pain medication. My dr. suggested liquid motrin (you can only find children's but it does have an adult dosing on it) but cautioned that it could cause stomach irritation. If you dr has not said no ibuprofen you might try that. I hope you find relief soon. I know how irritating that pain can be.

Utah, Your doc and/or team should have given you some guidelines to follow for the first 4-6 weeks post op. I know that my guidelines were for about 6 weeks total. There seem to be about as many guides as there are banding patients out there. If you have doubts about what you can/can't eat, try there first. My first two weeks were hell. I was angry A LOT! My husband would chew too loudly and I'd be upset. My son put too much food in his mouth and I growled. I got angry if I thought they were eating their food and not enjoying it enough. After all, I would be super grateful to eat it. I would LOVE it. I would savor every single bite. How could they be so ungrateful and greedy. So YES, I understand the frustration. But now I am 6 weeks out and eating just about anything I want. There are a few exceptions but it is mostly back to normal. I'm working on making better choices. Something that helped me when I was struggling... I would cook dinner and then find something else to do. I did the dishes. I did some laundry. I called a friend. I painted my nails. Anything that I could that would keep me away from the frustration that dinner was. It may be worth a try. Have you tried writing about it? What you write down may give you more insight into what the root of your frustration is. I hope this is getting better for you. When you originally posted I felt your pain. Keep posting and keep in touch. We will worry about you.

Thanks for all the welcomes! I would love to sit down and tell you all why I am fat and will some day. Tonight however I have my DH's Christmas party. We are leaving for dinner in half an hour. Last night was okay....not great. I had a couple of chips but the victory was only having three or four instead of an entire bag. I ate 4 or 5 rollups which was good but did get stuck on a little smokie. Got rid of it quickly and could enjoy the rest of the night. I stayed away from the cake and ice cream and only had a little lick of frosting when it was on my finger. All in all, for me it was good, but not great. Today I have stayed pretty much on guidelines. I had protein and coffee for breakfast and a McD's snackwrap for lunch. I was out of town for lunch and there was little else to choose, but tried to make a fairly good choice. Better than the quarter pounder and fries I had my heart set on Tonight it will be walleye and a small salad. I'm not sure about the snackwrap calories (it was crispy not grilled) but I'm pretty sure I've stayed under 700 so far. That's what I try before dinner. I've had water pretty much all day so that is good. It seems odd that I'm all focussed on what I'm eating and you are all beyond that. But hopefully you will all help me stay accountable. That is definitely what I need. And Kartrina, I was banded Dec. 6th. Karri adopted me. I'm a baby bandster compared to all of you. You're all a great inspiration to me. Your success and your great attitudes give me great hope. Off to dinner. Thank you all for your kind words and great stories. I'll share mine one of these days....

I got my favorite pair of pants on and ZIPPED today without doing the pants dance. They still are a little tight but not as tight as the size 20's I was wearing pre-op. I could wear them today but I've gotten used to wearing my pants looser and they were super uncomfortable! They are a size 18...but not a WOMEN'S 18. Levi's here I come!

No Chris, It's not just you. I'm pretty sure they are updating everything. I have noticed a lot of glitches the last couple of weeks and I'm sure that they are just "improvements". It usually drives me crazy with improving a program I use a lot....like Office 2007....but this one isn't driving me too crazy. I sort of like the new layout...and really like how they are grouping things like the 2007 groups vs. the rest.....and the new updated search. I was going to ask how you were doing with your new fill. I don't notice much change with mine except that I can't eat some of the things I had been able to. Not less hungry or anything, just more often stuck feelings. Have a great weekend

Hi all, Since Salsa invited me to read, I seem to have spent an extreme amount of time checking out this thread. I have to admit I did NOT read all 526 pages but what I did, I was impressed. I can't believe how unbelievably supportive you all are. And when you have to show some tough love, how loving it feels. No one gets upset that they are being picked on. You all have AWESOME attitudes. I am hoping you won't mind me joining in and asking you all for advice and talking about my victories and my setbacks. I know I can use some of your tough love as well as some of your encouragement. Would you all mind if I'm a "lucky loser"? I'm going to start with my victory....drum roll please.... Since a stagnant 3 weeks, my scale has resumed downward progress. As good as that is, what is better is the renewed commitment to this I have started this week. I have been focusing on Protein and Water. My liquid intake was slumping and I was not eating in the right order. I also was snitching all the time. I guess a little here and a little there really does add up to SOMETHING! So, there has been no snitching and I've been getting in at least 80oz of water the last three days. (actually the water thing wasn't hard the last couple of days since while I sit and the computer and read I continually sip...and that was a LOT of reading). Today is my birthday and this morning my coworkers brought me a big cinnamon roll "cake" which I politely declined. Then my students brought me a cupcake "cake" and a Mt. Dew, which I thanked them for but declined. I did eat 1 chocolate chip cookie at lunch, but only after my yogurt and string cheese was finished. I am making shrimp cocktails and crab roll-ups for dinner so that I'm not tempted by cake and ice cream. And my husband's birthday card this morning was addressed to his "beautiful CURVY wife". I have CURVES!!!! and they curve the right direction! It really has been a terrific day.

Okay, Chris said she was short on guidelines from the nutritional standpoint. I'm curious what other your teams have told you. When I asked if I should be counting calories my NUT said that she preferred I follow a balanced diet and that if I followed her guides I would be staying between 1000 and 1200 calories a day. She showed me approximate sizes of plastic food so that I could picture how full my plate would be with her guides. She then set priorities when I told her she was crazy if she thought I could eat all that food. For Breakfast, since I am not a breakfast eater, I asked if it was alright for me to continue with my shake I had been drinking. I found it at walmart in the produce section. It is made by Bolthouse farms and called Perfectly Protein. It has 178 cals, 29g carbs, 10 g protein in each 8 oz serving. She looked at it and the ingredients and said it was a fine substitution for breakfast. I told her I also try to drink a glass of v8 fusion light before I leave the house each day because it gives me 1/2 serving veggies and 1/2 serving fruit and only 50 cals. She approved. I don't know what she would have said if I hadn't been doing shake for b'fast. I'm curious what others have been told. For lunch she said she wants me to have 1 starch exchange, 1/2 fruit exchange, and 1 veggie exchange. I am also allowed a fat if I want to add p'butter to my apple or put dressing on my salad. She added that I need 2 - 3 oz. of protein. She showed that the 1/2 fruit was about 1/2 banana or apple or about 8 large grapes. The veggie ended up being about 1/2 - 1 cup of veggies. 2-3 oz of protein is about 1/2 of a thin pork chop size. I like cottage cheese for lunch so that is about 1/4 cup of that. dinner needs to be similar but I am allowed 1 fruit ex. and 1 - 1 1/2 veggie ex. as well as more protein. and 1 fat. The starch would be something like noodles or potatoes. She didn't add in Snacks for me but said that if I need them to make them "good" choices. She suggested yogurt, string cheese, another Protein Drink. I asked her about soy nuts and she said great as long as I stay with the 1/4 cup suggested serving size. She said to make sure to portion it out before I eat any so that I don't just keep digging in the bag. Those sure do curb my crunchy cravings. She said to continue to work to get 64 oz of Water daily. I have been fighting to get that in. Very rarely do I succeed. She did say I could count my coffee for 1/2. If I drink 16 oz. I get to count 8 oz for Fluid. I thought I had to say none. So that does help some. So here is my plan. after my shower I pour a glass of v8 fusion (8 oz) and drink that until I leave for work. In the car I bring a shake for b'fast (8 oz) and 16 oz of coffee (8 oz) During the first two classes I drink a bottle of water (16 oz) and during my next two I work on another bottle (shooting for 8 oz). For lunch I plan on having 1/4 cup of cottage cheese, some fruit, and if I have room, some yogurt. I will change it up with the school lunch as it allows but it is really carb heavy. In the afternoon I try to get another bottle of water in (16 oz) and possibly another protein drink or soy nuts if I'm hungry. dinner will be whatever I am feeding my family. I will be sure to add more fruits and veggies to our table and work on eating them first. In the evenings I will work on another glass of v8 to add another veggie and fruit. Since I have set this up, my fill was on Wed. I have managed to get all my liquids in and it looks like my scale is moving again. I hope to go in and weigh at my PCP's office on Fridays but didn't go today since I was just in for appt. Wed. The fill has helped and sometimes it's hard to get the liquid in....but it's not "stuck". Just slow going. Please add your food plan. I'm interested in hearing what everyone has been told. TIA, Steph

Which main board? I've been posting on the general boards....I've been reading some of the other July threads, but you all seem so much further along, I feel a little like an intruder. I'll chime in I'm sure. You don't want to eat me Ruby, I'm all fatty....the one's that have lost "a bale of hay" however, they probably taste better :tt1: Thanks for the welcome all.

Good for you. If nothing else, it feels like progress. My PA had trouble finding my port also....she said it was really shallow and I didn't have a fat layer over it. I had to giggle...I have fat everywhere but where you expect it I guess. She said she was actually in it the whole 10 minutes she was fishing but that she must have been backed into the wall because it wouldn't do anything. Did you have any fill from surgery. I had 3 cc's I believe. PA said it was to help seat it as it healed and then she added some. I'm not keeping track of my total fill level. I figure it doesn't matter how much I have in there, just how much good it is doing. I'm sure you're much more relieved than last appointment. Keep telling us how you're doing.

Chris, I know you've been waiting what feels like forever for today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well for you. Keep positive and remember to talk to your dr and team about what's going on besides weight loss. It's not all about pounds but also about how you feel. Let us know how it goes for you.

Too funny! I've lost an a LOT of pizza....or 4 chihuahuas and a brain!!! I hope you all don't mind me reading and following with you. Salsa said I could :tt1:

Danna, I will have to talk to DH about that. Some support on his end would help. Not that he's being negative, but he's not being overlly enthusiastic either. He has been very appreciative of the figure that has been returning. Maybe Aunt Flo has a little to do with my negativity. She needs to leave and maybe stay away for a few months. And maybe once she leaves I can get back to weight loss. Thanks for the suggestion...I'm taking it under advisement.

I too am getting very frustrated. I have no one to blame but myself though. I have taken a good hard look at my behavior and my plateau is not going to break until I break myself of these bad habits....here are my problems. first....I have not been moving the way I need to move. I need to be more active and get more exercise in. My team told me that when you stop losing it's because you're body is used to what you are doing to it....and then it will maintain. I need to dedicate myself to getting things organized in my life and getting my priorities straight. Second, I'm a snitch. I snitch all freaking night. From the time I get home to the time I get to bed there is something I'm putting in my mouth. It's never anything big, a lick of peanutbutter off of the knife, a bite of my hubby's ice cream sandwich, the last couple of bites off of my kids plates after dinner, a piece of chocolate here and there. None of it is anything huge. I'm not sitting down with a jar of pb and spooning it or eating two ice creams, or having two helpings of dinner, but I'm not hungry and still putting food in my mouth. THAT HAS TO STOP!! Finally, I've got to get positive about this again. I have hit that interest plateau as well. The same place that I get every time before I turn to myself and call it failure. I am, in a way, bored with this. It's not new and it's not exciting anymore and I'm sabotaging myself before I ever have a chance to succeed. I don't know what I can do to turn some of this around but I need to do some serious soul searching. I spent way to much time, money, and pain to get here. FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION! Maybe you all can relate, maybe not. I know I need to turn this around and only I can do it. If it helps to see someone else struggle, keep watching, because I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon. Thanks for listening

Then COME ON RESTRICTION!!! I have to admit the longer I am stuck here the harder it is to make good choices. That evil man in my head (and it is definitely a man because a woman would not try to talk me into such horrible things) keeps saying, "Oh you're not losing anyways, why NOT eat the cookie? It can't HURT anything." I keep ignoring it, but the longer I look at the scale sitting in the same spot, the more he sounds correct. I'm going to do my measurements. I haven't done that yet and after a week, if I haven't lost any poundage, hopefully I'll see it in my measurements. SOMETHING HAS TO MOVE!!!

A bypass friend of mine gave me a protien drink for me to try. It comes pre-packaged in their own bottle to shake after you fill it with Water. I just ordered a bunch because finally I like something that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. It is called proticcino and I ordered it from mydietshopz.com. They have very reasonably shipping and free if you order enough. They also have a discount if you order even more but free samples of their products if you order over $20 worth. I haven't gotten my order but I'm fairly certain it is a good company since given the advice from a friend. But, since I have not gotten the order yet, I 'm reserving judgement. There are a ton of different flavors from the same company but I have only tried the proticcino one. I ordered samples of three others so we'll see if there are others that I like. Oh...and the nutritional info is with each product. Take it FWIW, I just thought I would pass along my review.

So I have heard a little about a "soft" stop that some people have experienced. I'm wondering if any of you have had a similar experience. I seem to be getting the hiccups a lot and wondering if that is mine. It seems like it is coming AFTER I've hit full and I should have stopped a couple of bites before hand. Any insight would be helpful. Thanks, Steph