Whitepants

Hello Everyone, I see we're all are somewhere at or near that "sweet spot". But, help me with this. Since October, I've cut back drasticly on my carbs, rice, Pasta, potatoes the lot. Well, yesterday there was a luncheon at work. Since I've given up meat for Lent, of course I couldn't eat any of it. So what was left for me to eat was salads. pasta and potatoes. So I had, mac&cheese, mac salad, potatoe salad and garden salad w/dressing. Took a few bites then had to wait a few hours before finishing the rest. Had that stuck feeling again in my chest. When I was able to finish it, between 3:15 and 3:45pm, I ate more than I should of. Now to the chase. Two hours later, I came down w/ a servere migraine headache, couldn't keep my eyes open or focused, nausea and dizziness. When I got home, I took 1 pain killer pill and went to bed woke up 2 1/2 hrs later. I was kinda scared that I would not wake up. I'm serious. My head hurt so bad, I thought somethng would burst in my head. Can someone help me with what happened? Tonight I put a piece of mac salad in my mouth and quickly spit it out. To scared to finish it. And it was only 2 pieces of mac salad. Thanks...

gina1959, Congrads on losing 80lbs you've come a long way, with a little more to go. I agree w/ Mrs Husker, you may need to increase your Protein and or Fiber. Do revisit your calorie intake, protein and fiber. Like Oh Juli says, you may going thru a fear of being successful and may want to give some thought to seeing a therapist. Don't dismiss the idea. We had to see one to be approved for the surgery and see your nutritionist also. My nutritionist helps me out a lot in balancing out my wrong choices of foods. I remember also that we may crave/like foods that we didn't before the surgery. So hope this is one of those new cravings for you. Since you've recognized your problem, now it's time to take control... Reverse your control over Mr. Goodbar. Oh Juli, I didn't realize you put up 2 pics. The picutre puts in my mind, that you've gotten off the porch and are running with the big dogs now. Good for you. What's next to do? Jeni 85, your eyes to me are the only thing that I see in the 2 pics. You look so different in the two. Keep the shirt. For your before and after pics. I didn't remember to keep anything to show my before and after weight loss. After awhile, you can put a belt around it and call it a dress. gkert, Congrats on your new career. I like what you said about being able to feel like you're giving back. For any patient, it's nice and comforting to see a nurse or doctor who has gone thru and come out of a surgery you're about to go through. I know I would. And too your new sport. Have fun and give details when you come back. Well, time for me to get ready for work. I'm the sound booth person in a play we're giving at my job today. The actors think they're nervous, I'm in the booth by myself working the controls. Have a good day everyone and get what you can out of it. And make it work.

Oh Juli, the picture came out good. Are you in this shot? I couldn't make out any of the numbers. I had no doubt that you would not finish the race. I can only imagine the rush you had when you finished. With you friends and family there. This was your first race, right? Since some are us are in accord with being nicely restricted, more weight is about to be lose by the end of the month. I'm working on at least 5 - 6 lbs myself. Just to get out of the 230's. My next band is 3/5, w/ .1cc hope to be at the best restriction and won't have to go back for a few months. Mrs Husker, I don't know what S.O.D. is? Did the pain get greater w/ each fill you got? Maybe there's a corralation there? With the restriction the stoma being full is pressing against something in the area. Just an idea. I did lose almost 10 lbs w/ this last restriction. It was better than the last. So maybe you'll have some of the same results to Mrs. Husker. How's everyone else doing?

How is everyone doing? It's been quiet over the weekend. I bought a wok and tried it out today. I made broccoli and eggplant w/ garlic sauce. I bought the garlic sauce from the Chinese Rest. Blanched the broccoli added the eggplant and strired in the sauce. The broccoli was to soft and I added in too much of the sauce. But it came out good, so I know how to perfect for the next time. I also prepared and cooked my meals for the week. 4oz of veggies and 4oz of fish 3x this week. 2oz of carbs and 4oz - 6oz of veggies 4x this week. All I need is to make my Protein drink in the mornings and go off to work. Now if I can just be motivated to exercise, I'm sure to lose the 5lbs I want by the end of the month. What meals or food do you plan to include to eat this week? Well, hope to read positive things from you.

Mrs Husker, when I hear of pain in the side, I think of appendix or hernia. Get to the hospital right away. That long in pain is dangerous. The appendix is located in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen Check out WebMd to see if you can narrow it down to what may be the cause of the pain until you see your doctor. Good Luck Oh Juli on your run Sunday. I haven't even gotten up the momentum to run on the treadmill yet. Thanks for wanting to give this recipe a try. As for the ingredients, they're being grinded so it's not like eating whatever a serving is. It's spread out among the other ingredients. I also sneak some into the family meals. Especially when I need to thicken up the gravy. My plan is prepare meals for the week again. This kept me on track with my foods this week. And besides I gave up meats for Lent. I'm eating fish and seafood for the next 40 days. I must say eating fish has cleared up my complexion. I wonder what else I'll notice. Well, have a good weekend and hope to read postive results.

Hi All, just checking in and finished reading the past posts. I want to share something that might work with overeating which I completly forget. The extra Fiber and filler to help with feeling full/er. Flaxseed, oat bran, oats, sunflower and almond. It gives extra Protein and fiber...I found a container that I had not finished when cleaning. 3 cups of flaxseed/linseed 2 cups of sunflower seed 1 cup of almonds Blend them in a blender/grinder till fine. Use them in your meals, in cooking your meals, yoghurt or drinks, etc. It also helps with your bowel movements and get you to drink more Water. You don't want to be constipated. I found this in "The Liver Dleansing Diet" by Dr. Sandra Dabot. I forgot how much that had worked for me. I had used the reminder again by adding it to my meals. Especially my drinks. This time I only had flaxseed left and about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal left. So I blended them. Blending these two seems to work better than the flaxseed, sunflower and almond. Depending on what you're eating you judge how much to use. Hope this may help someone. I still eat the same portion size. and measuring. But stay fuller longer. Since adding the extra fiber and protein, sometimes I can go with only two meals a day. I still drink my water which helps also. Had another bout of food being/feeling stuck. I had just gotten the Papaya Enzyme pills mentioned here. After taken them the burning, uncomfortable feeling only lasted about 10 minutes. So, I keep some at work, now I just need to remember to carry them always. I had taken the hot tea in the morning before my oatmeal Breakfast. Then only had Soup for lunch. Then had a piece of meat for dinner and that's when it happened. Mrs. Husker, I must give you thanks again for that bite of info. I do not go a day without my hot tea or hot water drink anymore. It really helps when taking that first solid food meal. I had another fill two weeks ago, 2/6/08 and I am feelig better restriction. Started losing weight again. From 245lbs to 233lbs. Hoping to lose 5 - 10lbs by the end of the month. I need to get back into exercising to help this along. I've let the cold weather and little bit of snow we've had keep me from exercising and putting a mood with no motivation to exercise. So, thanks for reading all this and hope to read your success over the weekend. Please try the recipe above of some variation of it. Let me know how it worked for you.

Hi, met with my doctor today and received a .2cc fill. When I told him about the gas I've been having he said it's from swallowing of air as I'm chewing my food. The gas was only happening with regular milk. Why didn't I think of that, I don't know. There are probably more reasons, but this is one of them.

Today I had another fill. This time .2cc. When I drank the 6oz cup of Water I had a sensation of a bubbling/gurgling feeling as the water went down. About an 1 1/2 later I had 16oz of Soup. Towards the last few sips, again I felt and heard a gurgling sound as it went down. When I explaind to the doctor what had happened since the last fill, he said I'm almost there. Then I said something of encouragement, "He hope I don't call him over the weekend about being over filled." That was music to my ears, from him that I'm close to restriction. The last fill I was able to eat a regular meal. Not wanting to chance it this time I had soup. It was 2 cups, 16oz. Didn't want to have a PB...experience while this fill is still fresh and sensative. I'll stay on liquid meals, Protein drinks till friday and see what happens. Then go onto soft foods after, then solid foods. I also noticed he used a different size needle. This one was longer and I still feel where he stuck me. Has anyone taken notice of the size needles used for their fills? I asked about the bouts of gas I'm experiencing every day (down not up). He said it due to having to chew, chew and chewing the food into small pieces. As air is being swallowed as I'm chewing. Why didn't I think of that, I don't know. It was only happening with regular milk, now something else to pay attention to. Well, as I'm writing this my stomach is grumbling and feel I could have a little more soup, but I won't. I feel hunger may come about and 1 or 2 from now. How many days have anyone stay on liquids after a fill, and how many ounces did you consume when you ate? Well, onto another part of this journey.

Oh Juli, the picture is great. I think you look good and Babygirl1234. Glad you and the kids had a great time. Your Water actiities balanced out what you ate at the buffet. Other than the water slide, just romping around in the water doubled as exercise. And all that walking you did around the park too. You're a serious bike rider. A 100 mile ride, have you done that before?

It's been kind of quiet here. Hope everyone's been doing fine and everything is okay at home and in your life. Still at a reasonable restriction but anxious for Wednesday to get here. I get my next fill which I hope puts me at that "sweet spot". WooWee. And Wednesday, is Ash Wednesday. What are you giving up for Lent, if you observe Lent. I'm giving up meat and eating fish/seafood 3-4 times a week, the other days vegetarian eating. Should lose more weight in addition to my being more restricted. Well, that's to be seen. Hope to read good news...

Thanks for this tread. I too just recently noticed after my last fill that I too suffer with gas. Before it was when milk products. No necessary dairy products. I'm now monitoring my foods to find out what is causing the gas. I'm just greatful that there is no odor when I pass gas. This week I will be meeting with the nutritionist to help me track down what may be giving me gas. I do keep a food journal yet I can't pinpoint what is giving me gas. So good luck on your search to see if there is something you're eating may be giving you gas.

My doctor won't give me more than .3cc fill at a time. And it's always my doctor that gives my fill. The asst. only takes the basic info. b/p, weight and intake info of food intake since the previous fill. That info usually determine how much of a fill he'll give me. That's the first time and the last time I'll test the band like that. My fill last December put me closer to a restriction than I've been since being banded. It was scary to of gotten that far with that sandwich. Of course I was too full for dinner. It was just Water for the balance of the day. My next fill is 2/6 so, I won't dare test the band like that. For I've already experienced what PBing is and everything else that goes with overeating. So as you said, that sweet spot, where you have the best of both worlds... a good restriction . Then I can see that 8 - 10 lb per month weight loss that's suppose to take place when you're restricted. I've learned my lesson with that test. Didn't come this far to just mess up on a test like that. It's not worth it.

Happy February All, Now that I've come to terms with having carbs in my daily diet, I'm losing weight again. It was hard acceptence, but it had to be done. My next fill in next week Wednesday, 2/6, AM. At this time I hope to be at a restriction that I won't have to include 2 -3 Snacks a day. I just want my 3 meals, fruit, Protein drink and Water. It just so happens my job allows me to have a snack during the mornings and afternoons. Soon, it may not. And we all know there is nothering worse than wanting someting to eat and hungry. Have anyone included other diet plans along with our new way of eating? Before the band I tried the Michael Thurmond 6 Week Body Makeover. It did work for me for 3 months. Three months is how long I'll stay on a diet and lose the most weight and then plateau out. As I discovered just recently. The Thurmond diet includes 5-6 small meals a day. Each meal consiting of 2oz of protein, 4oz of veggie and 2oz of carbs. So, with the next fill I'll follow this plan, with the exception of the 3 additional small meals. Looking for the 1 -2 lbs weekly weight lose we're suppose to have losing weight with the band and proper resriction. Would like to hear what other diet plan you used and it's results. Stay on course this weekend. Welcome to February. We can do this we have the tools.

Hi everyone, I gauged my nutrition value by getting info from "NurtitionData.com". Answer a few questions and it give you an estimate of nutriton value you shoud take in daily. And always talk to your nutritionist, when in doubt. My nutritionist is very helpful with my food intake and calorie intake. What to eliminate or what food to replace to eat. And she hasn't been wrong yet. It states that a healthy weight loss per month is 10lbs/2lbs per week. Sometimes more is loss, but not on a steady basis. And we all know the most weight lose is in the first/beginning stages of being banded. I've also read on some sites people have used diet nutritional site i.e. FitDay.com and SparkPeople.com. There are others of course, but these are the ones I've seen most posted. I myself use the sparkpeople. You may want to visit them and get an idea of what a days meal/menu will consist of. By all means don't get discouraged. We're all still learning new eating habits. Everyone have good weekend. Stay the course.

HI Everyone, TulipStar, I agree with you when coming to some agreement with the doctor with how much fill you want. My last fill we settled on .3cc. Lo and behold that did the trick. I had my second restriction with 5 tries. I still can eat a nice portion of food; 4oz of Protein, 4oz of veggies, 2 - 3oz of carbs. My next fill is 2/6, I want a .2cc fill which should put me at a restriction where I hope I can eat 1/2 - 1 cup of food. Since that is what they say we should only be able to eat. For I am not losing the 2lbs a week like they say I should. I've already felt the sliming, saliva and PB'ing. Horrible, horrible feeling. Someone suggested to me to drink hot tea or eat a small bite of food about 10 minutes before a meal. The hot tea did help. So I've been doing that first thing in the morning. Just Tuesday past, I was able to eat a pastrami sandwich on whole wheat bread. And I wasn't really hungry. I should not of been able to eat 1/2 of that sandwich. So, I know I'm not at my sweet spot. Lost only 5lbs since 1/2. So hope this next fill is it for a long while. As for the doctors givning small fills, it's a $$$$ thing. It's $350 a visit that's billed to my insurance co. But, also to get you to a retriction slowly. But, preventive medicine compared to the illness get if we didn't have the band. Well, hope everyone have a successful weekend.

Hey Everyone, Talk about a small world. comepickmeup and Workintheband I was banded 3/07 by Dr. Kurian's former partner Dr. Roslin/Lenox Hill Hosp. I was wondering what had happened to her. Now I know. Hi TachaBaby505 and chocolate_snaps. I'm from Manhattan/East Harlem. Hope we can keep in touch with each other here. Have a good weekend everyone.

Hi and Welcome to the Club. What you're experiencing is normal. Some doctore administer slow fills. Since you're recently banded your stomach is still in the healing stage. You will need several fills before you reach your or any restriction. You'll read many posts verifying this. I myself have had 5 fills and I'm just now and this is the second time I am feeling any restriction. I now stay full longer, but can still eat a nice portion. I'm due for another fill next week, at which time I expect to be at a restirction where I can eat smaller portions. The best you can do for now is drink your water and protein mix drinks. This will help stave off the hunger and keep you full. Eat your protein first, veggies second and carbs last and desserts for that craving. I'm quite sure your nutritionist and doctor have told you this. And see your nutritionist often, they should be able to guide you in what you need to stay full longer. Take this time to learn the 5 W's, who, what, where, when, why and how of new and old eating habits. You're about to learn a whole new you. Continue to come back and get advise and ingormation of what is going on with your feelings and what youkre are experiencing at the moment. Continue to do your own reading on this. But the experience of others will help you greatly on this adventure. You're are truly not alone in anything you're about to go through. At the different stages you are about to be and go through, someone has been there. Good Luck you have taken one of many big steps in your life.

Good Morning To Everyone; Thanks again Mrs. Husker, I've been taking tea in the mornings before eating. Sometimes before oatmeal, which I don't have any problems with. Today, I forgot to drink the tea. It was only tuna and crackers. But I had eaten a few crackers before I realized I didn't take my tea. Well, I paniced :party:, but it wasn't so bad. I did feel the noticable effects. Also, I did get the ticker straight. Vinegar, has anyone taken the apple cider vinegar or the pills as a supplement to their diet? I heard and read that this does aid in weight lose. My daughter has been taking them almost a year and she been seeing results in maintaining her weight. I've started taken it along with my hot water drink. Just hot water at room temp. w/ two caps of vinegar. So far I haven't seen any results to soon to note. I'll give it two weeks to see. Hope everyone's doing well and not letting the little setback get to you. It's only a setback. There's two months to lose more weight, and we can do it. Let's go back to the basic steps,. Weighing our foods and what ever it was that we lost the most weight. Think back to what you did and map out a plan and do it again. I'm going back to eating 3oz of meat, 4oz of fish, 4oz of vegetables and 2oz of carbs either per meal or just one meal. Carbs are my down fall, but the body needs it. Adding one protein meal drink per day and atleast one fruit. What' s going to be your plan? :frown: It's IN all of us to do.....

God Morning Everyone, I just want to say thanks for being here. I have learned alot from you regarding fills and experiences from having too much of a fill, not enough of a fill and how you combat the inbetweens. With this last fill, I am more restriced. I seem to eat the same amount as before, but I'm staying full longer. And drinking of the water/liquids is really working this time. So well, that I don't get in all my water for the day. And the sweet cravings are not much. I'm still having trouble eating carbs. I don't think any amount of restricion will help that. I'm just carb sensitive. Weight lose is constant when I don't include them in my meals. Yet, when I do, I can tell. But the body needs the carbs. I just have to understand and accept the weight gain and adjust my thinking and meals according. That's the new weight lose issue I now have to deal with. Exercising is constant. Getting in 2x a week still trying for 3x. That'll come with time. I'm not worried about that part. My other issue also is loose skin. It's beginning to show and it's not so pretty. Although I've seen how it looks from photos and tv programs of others, when it's your skin your looking at it's different. And not so pretty. Exercising can only do so much for weight lose of a lot of weight. With about 60+ lbs more to lose, it's going to look horrible. And the thought of another surgery, I don't know. Then again I can avoid all mirrors and don't look down. I LOVE MY BAND. I'm glad I opt for this and not the others. Controlling my destiny for my weight is just another lesson I'm learning. This is trully a tool to use and master. When I master this, the next time to deal with will be retirement. :eek: I want this behind me when that time comes. That will be within the next two years. Maybe. Well, thanks for reading all this. Looking to read great success from everyone.

Hey All, Oh Juli, I was just looking at your ticker. I'm and really inspired by anyone losing over 100 lbs. Did you feel a sense of nervousness/anxiety when you reached there? I feel that I'll be a nervous wreck, jittery, anxious and a little scared that I actually lost that much weight. I have 40 lbs to get there and already I'm getting anxious. Congrats Jeni 85. You're doing great. Hope everyone has great success this week.

Hey, dropped another 3 lbs. So I hyped up to lose more now. Oh Juli, I made enough food to last 2 weeks. curry chicken legs, turkey meat w/ sauce, stewed wingettes, marinating scallops, shrimps and fillets, green beans & tomatoes, peas & carrots. The carbs I'll cook as I go along. If I cook up alot I'll eat alot. thickchickTEXAS, congrats on getting into that sz 12. A new goal for you to look forward to. Hope to hear that you're feeling comfortable in them. When I felt comfortable in my jeans was when I had enough confidence to wear them out of the house. slikchik10, I know what you mean by comparing the doctor to the principal. But, what keeps me from feeling bad, is that there are patients who are not doing as well, 'cause they may not be really trying. Hoping the band will do the work for them. So, keep up the good work. Let's stay the course. We're on our way to a new us.

Thanks for the update. I'm disappointed too. Had stopped looking for one, waiting for your report on how it worked. I'll stick to my 15 yr old wt watcher's scale. Sorry to hear about your medical setback. Why don't you do some checking into seeing if you may have food allegeries now. This may be from losing weight and not the onset of pressure migraines. Of course you and the doctor will be able to tell better. If you need to go back on meds, maybe it may be at a lower dosage till it gets back under control. Can you plese explaine it "aura"? Feel Better. I only went to a buffet once since being banded. I didn't do to bad, but it was eveident that I was not at restriction. Glad to hear that you had a great time Oh Juli. I haven't gone to a restrauant since being banded. It's going to be interesting. I usually have lunch at a Chinese Rest., which we share a meal. It's during lucnh so don't have much time to lounge. It'll be a challenge when I do. I try out the new gym equip. today. Will be going 3x a week instead of two. Cooked up a batch of foods yesterday. I'll only need to dish it out at night so I'll be able to get to work ontime. Well, everyone keep those challenges up.

Sue Magoo, :girl_hug:, way to go. Congrads on your 100lbs loss. Kee up the good work. When I see results like yours, I know I can do it. Basking in your success.

Hi All, I too have been making bad food choices. I've been eating Peppridge Farms "Soft Batch" cookies. Thanks to my daughter and she also likes to bake sweet foods. I'm learning to take small pieces, rather grazing on small pieces. Now that I know my weakness "for the moment", I have to learn to counter act it. My food choices are okay, have to get back into using the food scale. And remember to take my pressure meds. I've been retaining water. I've already lost about 9 lbs in water alone. As for exercise, the gym opens up tomorrow from installing new equip last week. This will motivate me to see how they work. The pedometer have been logging in over 10,000 steps these last two weeks. I'll go to the gym 3x a week instead of 2x for my new challenge. 1st was 10,000 steps a day, 2nd was the gym, 2x a week. Carrying that gym bag to work sucks, they don't assign lockers. Mrs Husker and kyethra, I too use SparkPeople. Are you going through the diet stage or just winging it? I'm in Stage 3, in a week or two, I start stage 4, which is the last stage. Right now I need to go back to stage 1, to get back on track. Mrs Husker, hope you see and hold onto that 179. Increase your exercise and you should be able to hold onto it for a few days. Encourgement that you're doing it right. There's only 10 days left to the month. I'm hoping I can get down 5 lbs. This 8-10 lbs a month is not happening for me. Then again, if we've done everything right we'll see it. We are further along than the last few years. I can't knock that. And I'm so greatful too. I am feeling more restriction since my last fill, 1/2/08. Next appt. is 2/6/08, hoping this will be the restriction I'm hearing of. Would like to be 200 lbs or under by March. Then I'll feel the last 25 - 30 lbs will soon be reached. Oh Juli and Janine, how did your "quality time" with the kids go? Fill us in on all the fun events. Well, enough of me. Looking forward to reading positive results since you were last here. And all is well with you and your family and friends.

Good for you for choosing the Band. I agree with not going the procesed food route. It's okay, when you don't have time to cook. Depending on how much time you can give to cooking healthy meals get some of the following in your kitchen arsenal; 1) a food scale, it doesn't have to be an expensive one, 2) measuring cups and spoons. 3) containers for batch cooking and freezing Protein - 4oz of meat, fish or other protein, unlimited vegetables and about 3oz - 4oz carbs. And stay within the grams guideline your nutritionist gives you. See the nutritionist often. Their very helpful in getting you on track with what you should eat. All this depending on how much you can eat at this time. There are many websites you can go to and follow their (diet) menu. The one I'm using is SparkPeple.com, it's free. One other is FitDay.com and after this post, you will get other suggestions. Hope you'll have time to visit them. On SparkPeople you can manuver the menu plan. They also give you a fitness plan and a host of other useful info. The site is for anyone wishing to lose weight. Don't get discouraged it's still a learning process. We're all still learning to get this right.