tweenwaters

Ok....figured out what the deal is with the shot. Those who had the shot prior to being "asleep" did NOT have Dr. Kim for their surgeon. No worries Baggio....Dr Kim does not follow this method. We were all asleep prior to that shot, so no worries. Yes...it is HARD to stay motivated to exercise. My friend is letting me borrow her T-Tapp tapes but I've only watched one and tried another. I need to get my butt in gear as well. The scale dropped after my last fill but has crept back up 3lbs now. It's so frustrating!!

Were you awake for the blood thinner injection? I was out cold....and don't recall any needles other then the IV. Not having slept much the night prior....I was too tired to be stressed once I got to TLCEdge. At that point, I was like just hurry up so I can go home and sleep:) We'll be holding your hand...right here...and ready to chat as soon as you're up for it!!

Nooooooooo......I never even saw the operating room. They put the meds in my IV while I was in the "holding" area ...where they do vitals, start the IV etc... the meds put me right to sleep and then they wheeled me into surgery. If there was a big shot or needle in the stomach, I sure didn't know about it. No need to worry....The whole experience with Dr Kim is top notch! You are in such great hands....from the nurses to the anesthisiologist (sp?) to John (Dr. Kim's PA) and Dr Kim....they are awesome! Hang in there....best wishes.

Dianne, How is your fill working out for you? Hope you are doing well and seeing the scale results. I am still able to eat too much in the evenings and feel like I need to go back for another fill adjustment. The mornings are GREAT....so I'm not sure what to do. Anyone else have this same problem?

WELCOME!!! So glad that our posts and info from our banding experiences has helped you reach your decision to get banded as well. This site has helped me so much as well....it does feel really good to help offer support to those who are just starting their journey. I know you will be able to help someone else by sharing all your stories too!! Has anyone gone to Prestonwood for a support group meeting? I think everyone from this link needs to put it on our calendars to go on the same month.....we need to put faces with our user names!!! Your surgery date is my 40th birthday!!! I'll be thinking of you and wishing you well!! You are in wonderful hands....feel great about your decision!! It will be here before you know it! I actually enjoyed the 2 weeks on Optifast. Best wishes!!! ~Stacey (Tweenwaters) ps... check out Welcome to ‘Tween Waters Inn on Captiva Island, a Florida beach resort, near Sanibel Captiva Hotel. This is our favorite family vacation spot!!

I copied and pasted this from the Vitamin Shoppe website......page 3 or 4.....if you search New Whey protein bullets. Hope this helps.... I have tried the fruit punch, grape and blue raspberry. I think my fav is probably the grape or blue raspberry.

Home List Price $45.90 Sale Price $34.99 Quantity: £ 17.50 † ¥ 3485.00 † IDS Sports Whey 42 Liquid Protein Grape 12 Drink(S) Serving Size: 3.1 FL OZ YQ-1006 #1660802 prod37767 Availability: Ships within 24 hours. FREE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING on orders of $99 or more. see details Read Product Information </IMG> Print this page </IMG> E-mail this page Other Ingredients: Pure Deionized Water, Actinaseý [Patent Pending Blend Of Enzymatically Hydrolyzed (Predigested) Collagenic Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Casein Protein Isolate], Malic Acid, MyovolýComplex [Proprietary Blend Of Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine], All Natural Flavors, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, Blue #1, Red #40 Does Not Contain: fat, cholesterol, sugar † We accept payment in US Dollars (USD) only. † For informational purposes only. Foreign exchange rates under license from XE.com. For further information about the foreign exchange rates, go to Terms of Use and Frequently Asked Questions. Exchange rates may vary based upon your form of payment, date the exchange rate is determined, and your financial institution. Also Available In:Whey 42 Liquid Protein Fruit Punch - 12 Drink(S) Whey 42 Liquid Protein Orange - 12 Drink(S) More High Protein RTD products · More products from IDS Sports · Read about High Protein RTD in our Health Guides All online offers and prices are valid for online purchases only, and may be different from those in the catalog and in our retail stores. We are not responsible for pricing or typographical errors . FREE SUPER SAVER SHIPPING and Sale Prices are valid through April 30, 2008 only.

Hi Pat! Yes...I'm Stacey:) breads are my FAVORITE food...but now with 6 cc's in my band, they get stuck too often for me to want to keep indulging...it's not worth the pain! I've had a couple bites of Pasta here and there b/c I LOVE it....but also know that it's part of the bad habit that I know I need to break. The band is not the "miracle" sure to weight loss.....we have to still change our old, bad, eating habits. It's definitely a learning process for all of us:) I buy the 42 gram New whey Protein bullets from the Vitamin Shoppe.....haven't tried GNC yet to see if they carry them or not. This is what works best for me....try it or change it to your liking...whatever works best for you:) 1 liter spring Water bottle 1 protein bullet (42 gr) 1 packet of crystal light lemonaide ~shake well & enjoy!!!

some good soft Proteins are cottage cheese, scrambled eggs or an omelet, cheese, yogurt and also....tuna, any softly cooked seafood really... I've also really relied on the 42 gram Protein bullets that I add to my 1 liter Water bottle. It helps soooo much. The band does make us give up the carbs eventually...all part of that "life-style change". No more breads, rice, Pasta...all the stuff I used to LOVE and can no longer tolerate or I get stuck. But the weight is coming off and that was my goal....it's a small price to pay (giving up the carbs) to lose the weight and get healthy. Hang in there....it will get easier.

It's not uncommon for surgeons to put fluid in during surgery. I have a 10cc band and my surgeon put in 2.4 cc's on surgery day. I now have 6 cc's.

From what I was told by my surgeons P.A......the 4cc band is older and most surgeons want the new and improved....just like with everything else in life. I'm sure the 4cc band is still very capable of doing it's job....and wouldn't worry in the least.

I know what you mean.....before this fill, I was STARVING all the time, especially in the late afternoon evening time frame. With Easter, I totally blew it and got into my kids Easter candy a few times and then felt soooo guilty about breaking my diet. I've gotten stuck on tortilla soup .... the chicken pieces were too big. And that was 5 weeks after my first fill. I'll be sticking to thin soup without lots of chunks....though I LOVE all soups and chowders. Have a great day and enjoy your walk....it's nice and cool over here. I thought it would be mid 80's and HOT but it's still really nice. We're planting some flowers in our front flowerbeds today....my back will be sore tonight.

Dianne...that is WONDERFUL!! Congratulations!! That 3 lbs is just the motivation you needed to get you off the plateau. I'm only at 6 cc's....and start mushies today. I'm worried about getting stuck as well....it HURTS and it's scary. My friend who was banded in December has let me borrow her tapes and DVD's for an exercise program that she does at home called TTAPP. You can google it and see if it is something you might be interested in trying out yourself. The movements are LOW impact, and no hand weights are used.....just your own body resistance. Check it out....I'm going to order my own set of DVD's next week. Again....congratulations!!! one more thing.... remember that this process makes us change our old habits of eating out of boredom, or for comfort or just because the food is there. So if you think you've had about 1/2 cup or so of your meal....stop and wait it out. If you are still hungry, really truly hungry...then go back and have a little bit more. If you walk away fromt he table for 30 minutes and feel satisfied (not stuffed)....then I'd say try to hold off for a couple hours and then have another small meal after 2-3 hours. This is supposed to get our metabolism really working and burning fat. Hope that helps a little bit.

No...5 cc's is great! You will feel restriction, which is the whole point of having the band. I would NOT eat normally after your fill for 24 hours. Stick to liquids today and then mushies tomorrow...then ease back to normal food on day 3. This is when you MUST slow down when you eat, and chew,chew,chew.... It will be a great starting point for you!! The first fill (also 5 cc's) helped me starting moving the scale again. I just had my 2nd fill last Thursday...an additional 1 cc...for a total of 6 cc's. The scale is moving again and I'm thrilled! Best of luck...it will be fine.

The PA who does my fills uses "cold spray" to numb the area first....no pain from the needle at all. I've had two fills and still feel like I need another one b/c I'm starving! It's by will power that I haven't over done it on foods....well...before this 2nd fill anyway. After the fill....you will stay on liquids for 24-48 hours (possibly)...I did, anyway. I still have a 1/2 case of Optifast shakes, so that is what I am using right now. I've gone a bit further with my liquids and have just completed 3 straight days of Optifast after this 2nd fill. The scales are MOVING!! I'm so happy! I will stay on the shakes for another full day and then ease back with mushies for a couple days.... best of luck...you will do great!

How are you feeling today after your fill? I'm at 6 cc's and really can't tell much difference from the first fill. The mornings I have some restriction but right now I'm really hungry and just had an Optifast. How many Optifast should I be having per day.....3-4? I'm planning to stick to just liquids until Monday. I'm sure it will get easier each day but WOW...my stomach is growling!!

Hi Cindy, I haven't been to the Irving office. Hurst or Euless (can't remember) for my first fill and then Prestonwood yesterday. I'm planning to keep going back to Prestonwood for my fills....even though it's a 45 minute drive each way. Oh well.... You will find a good fill level soon....it's not supposed to be a quick fix to rapid weigh loss.....slow and steady wins the race. I'll agree that changing our bad habits and making better food choices will help the scale move much quicker and keep it off. The band is just a tool....we have to make permanent changes to how and what we eat to see the results we want. It's certainly not the easy way out....it's HARD. I'm so excited to dream of reaching my goal though....I've never felt that it was possible before the band. I've already moved down a couple clothing sizes and that helps with motivation a lot. Good luck to you and check in here on this thread from time to time and let everyone know how it's going:)

I'm glad your fill went well. The journal really does help...IF...you write down everything. It does help the folks at TLC figure out what changes we could make to help the weight loss. Sometimes it's just a simple change, like not eating past 7 pm....or it could be to increase the Water throughout the day. Stay in touch and let us know how you're doing. This morning, my restriction is pretty good....took about 20 minutes to drink an Optifast shake. A friend of mine who got banded in Dec...suggested drinking something HOT in the mornings once we move on the solids again. She & I have both experienced getting stuck & slimimg early after our fills....and I don't want to do it ever again!! Not pleasant. I love the New whey Protein bullets in my 1 liter water bottle with 1 packet of crystal light. It really helps me get in both my water & my protein.

I don't feel much restriction either.....but I'm sticking to just liquids for the weekend in hopes of dropping a few pounds. I need to finish these Optifast shakes anyway. The mornings are better....feel good restriction but by afternoon...I'm starving. George said to give it 2 weeks and if I need another fill....to call and come back in. I'm at 6cc right now.....How about everyone else?

Hi Pat....I had a 10:30 appt...but got there @ 10:00. It would have been nice to meet you today....so we could put names and faces together. Was this your 2nd fill? How are you feeling? I'm just hoping that I can reach a good level of restriction before the 6 months of free fills is up. It feels good right now....just sipping my Water bottle takes time....no gulping here! Good luck Dianne & Cowboy!! Looking forward to hearing from you and how your fills went.

Hi eveyone....how ya doin? I've been struggling with my diet since returning from spring break. I think I got a little "cocky" from losing weight over vacation...that I kept eating whatever I wanted once home! It caught up with me and I regained the weight I had lost during our trip. I was supposed to have my 2nd fill two weeks ago on March 27th and had to cancel....so today was my 2nd fill (6 weeks from my first fill....and 11 weeks post-op). surgery~ 2.4cc in 10cc band 1st fill~2.6cc total 5cc 2nd fill~1.0cc total 6cc Went well today. Had the fill done with George at Prestonwood. He said that I could come back as early as 2 weeks...but made an appt for the 6 week mark. I'm hoping to really see some progress with this fill....and drop. I turn 40 at the end of this month and REALLY want to reach the goal I set for that. Dianne....hope your fills goes well for you today!! "T"....how are you feeling?

Dianne & T~ The protein bullets really help me with the hunger as well. Getting in all that protein!! I have sipped the blue raspberry New Whey bullet and thought the same thing as you did....how awful! So YES...I do mix the whole bullet in a 24 ounce water bottle....I've even added a single serving powdered crystal light lemonade. That worked well but I think just the mixing with water works best for me. The crystal light was even too tangy for my liking. For a protein drink shake to replace your Optifast....have you tried the EAS carb control shakes? EAS is the brand, but they have several options....I reccommend the "carb control" b/c that is the only one I've tried so far. I like the chocolate best....not fond of the vanilla or strawberry. You can find the EAS shakes at Walmart, Sam's club....pretty much anywhere that has an aisle for diet shakes, bars and other supplements. Let me know what you think.....

yes...my fill will be the morning of the 3rd. I am hoping to see Dr Kim since it's a Thursday and he will of course be doing surgeries that day. I had 2.4 in my band from surgery and at my first fill George added 2.6....for an even 5cc's. I'm anxious to get this new fill. I've come to accept that my days of eating steak and other favorite proteins is over....and I'm OK with that. I am happy with my food options right now. I'm sure I will get burned out soon and need to change it up again....but thankfully this forum has so many wonderful links and helpful hints for every stage along the way. Keep in touch and let me know how you're doing. We're all here to support each other so check in when you feel like you need a pep-talk or want to share any success stories. ~Stacey

Dianne, I'm sorry your husband is having some health problems and pray that he will get well soon. The added stress from worrying is probably not making this new way of living any easier on you. I lost 14 during my pre-op diet...and the rest has come off in a kind of yo-yo-ing pace. A key to success in the weight loss (for every diet I've ever been on) is to get your fluids in each day. That is why I love the protein bullets....b/c I can get in both the water and the protein. Although I have yet to get in ALL my water each day....I try to hit my goal of at least 60 ounces each day. We walked and hiked a lot during my kids spring break....so I'm guessing that is why the scale was cooperating with me when we got home:) Hang in there Dianne....it takes different fill levels for each of us to get good restriction. You want them to be aggressive with your fill but also careful not to be too tight and end up in the ER for an emergency unfill.... George is GREAT at what he does....so just put your trust in him to help you reach a really good amount in your band that you are also comfortable with. take care and stay well.... Stacey

Hey Dianne....so good to hear that TLC will let us make the next fill appt at the 2 week mark instead of waiting 4 weeks. My 2nd fill was supposed to be this Thursday but I had to reschedule b/c I had already agreed to sub for a teacher at my kids school that day. My 2nd fill is on the same day as yours....4/3/08. I'll be heading back to Prestonwood for this one though....how about you? I do not have a protein bullet every single day....but I really should. During our road-trip over spring break....I brought 7 with me and only used 4. They really do help me a lot though. Hard proteins (chicken, hamburg) are not easy for me to get down....they hurt. I've been eating a lot of cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, seafood (scallops are my fav)....hope this helps with some protein options. I am also still trying to finish off the last case of Optifast shakes. I need to be more consistent at having one @ 8 or 9 pm.