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Today the Doc did a total unfill. I go back in 3 weeks. During this time I will eat a bland diet and take my meds in the hopes that I will no longer have the pain and will begin filling my band again. Special K, I understand how you feel. I too have wondered why I have gotten so down about all of this lately. We will pull through and get back on track. Christine

Tomorrow I go for an unfill and a nutritionist appt. I have not lost in about 2 months. My problem is this... When I eat solid food I end up hurting about an hour later....and continue to hurt for about 2 hours after that. It seems that while the food is sitting in the pouch I have this pain. It's not an over full feeling and it's not a stuck food feeling. It's a slow burning discomfort. So, I have been having Protein shakes and soft foods...meaning yogurt and ice-cream. Things that will not really help with weight loss. So, I am thinking if I get a cc taken out and can start trying to eat salads and such and see how I feel, maybe I'll start losing again. I'm meeting with the nutritionist to get back on track. I really hope I can get out of this discouraging little slump I have been in. Glad to see everyone doing so well. I do think of you guys often, but lately I have a fear that this will all soon fall apart for me. I'm takting Omeprazol twice a day and multiple Tums throughout the day on days I try to eat solids. Christine

Amanda, Thanks for the pep talk. I really need to find a behaviour modification therapist that is in our plan who does not cost an arm and a leg. I have to get these head issues under control....and I know I will. NSV...yesterday my 2.5 yr old daughter had minor surgery. We were in this little pre-op play room and I had put my rather large bag on my chair beside me. I got up to help my daughter with something and when I went to sit back down I was going to move the bag. The space for my bottom looked way, way, way too small. I did not move the bag, I just sat down and I fit! Last year at this time I was filling a chair like that with my bottom and upper body filling it touching the arms of the chair. I really have come far. I just feel stalled right now and I guess that's OK for a little while. There has been a lot of stress here lately and that does not help. Christine

Why am I making this so hard? I have been making all the wrong choices. I am so disappointed in myself. I am a dietary mess no matter how I look at it. I find it kind of strange how many of us are having a hard time right now. Christine

Happy Bandiversary Amanda! I too think you've come so far from where you were. Congratulations and keep up the excellent commitment to yourself! Christine

BNL....so glad you found excersize you enjoy. I fell out of my treadmill routine and I have to get back into it. I will start tomorrow AM. Christine

The biopsy results came back....I am thrilled to report that I have gastritis. I know does not sound like much, but I'm so glad to have a reason for the way my stomach burns and burns. I was really upset when on visual exam with the endoscopy he found nothing. So a medication change and a mild diet for the next month and hopefully I'll be feeling better. Christine

Hi guys. Sorry I've been MIA for a few weeks. I had my endoscopy. The only thing the Doctor found was that my pouch is small. He has me doubling my medication for a month and then if there is no change, I should have my band loosened more. This really made me very upset. I am now thinking about seeing a behaviour modification therapist, I am just bummed. Anyway, have not lost any more, but have not gained. I'll go back to the GI doc the end of March. I was thinking about doing a liquid fast (like the 2 weeks pre-op) for a few weeks to jump start the wieght loss and really get me motivated. I really wanted to be in onederland by my bandiversary. Glad to hear everyone doing so well. Christine

LOL Rhonda! Everthing just hangs so much lower now. My belly hangs, my boobs hang, maybe in a couple of years I'll have a few things lifted. Christine

I will always be bigger on top than on bottom. I have big boobs. I am in a 16 (loose, could probably go to a 14) bottom and a 18 top. Christine

Harley, that is the chart my MD has in their office. Those are the guidelines they use. Sorry to hear about the stress. It makes my band very tight too. Christine

WyominGirl...I totally understand. The behavior modification therapist I saw before having surgery really emphasized working on eating 3 meals a day. Not having food exclusions (can't have this and can't have that) and moderation. This said I did have to do a journal at the same time. Not just noting the foods I was eating, but my feelings at the time I was eating. Awareness without obscession....that's my goal. Christine

Go for the fill if you feel you need it. My surgeon uses these guidelines.... Are you hungry in the morning. Do you feel hungry less than 4 hours after eating? Are you losing 1-2 pounds a week? It is possible that if the doc could only remove 6 cc, that's all there was. I have 4 cc in my band right now. I had 6.5cc at one time. I had to have an unfill because of some issues I've been having. When I was too tight I had horrible reflux and could not keep anything other than liquids down. I have heard that with the 10cc band the sweet spot for most people is between 6 and 7 cc. Best of luck to you and please post anytime. We all could use the support and we learn from one another all the time. Christine

How do you use your Wii Fit? We bought one recently and I am trying to find a system that will give me the best result. I have discovered that just like the treadmill I cannot use it if the kids are around....so that limits it to after bedtime, since I'm on the treadmill in the AM before they wake. Do you have a system or do you just play around with it? Christine

Harley, make it a goal for yourself and push it. Imagine how amazing you will feel when you get there. I am having trouble with my goal of being under 200 by my 1 yr point. I am now in the size pants that I had set as my ultimate goal. I am still obese and need to keep losing, but my DH has made it clear that I am fine the way I am....then again he thought I was fine the way I was 75 pounds ago. So, I have decided to push it and really set my mind to it. I will do it. Join me. Christine

Loved the interview Jonathan! I think you are a Hottie! I have always had a thing for big guys....interesting that I married a guy very, average in build and only 5'6" tall. Hmmm..... Anyway...great interview. Christine

Scheduled an endoscopy for February 24th. Wish I could get it done sooner, but no ride since DH is in Hong Kong for a while still. I find I am avoiding eating anything that will cause me discomfort. Thus anything that will stay in the pouch and do what the band is supposed to do. So I am eating soft foods and way too much ice cream. If I eat "real" food I am uncomfortable with burning and somtimes pain for about 2 hours after I eat. I just need some answers. I will stop the ice cream, and try to get back into normal meal eating. My GI guy said to double up on my meds I've been taking since October on the really bad days. Christine

No gain or loss this week. Damn that ice cream....it's an evil, evil thing!! Christine

WooHoo Fenton!!! Congratulations!!! Carrie...good to see you have found restriction and are doing well. I too have to get my act together with the excersize side of things. Harley...glad you got your band tweeked. It's nice to not be hungry. I see the GI doc tpmprrow. Hope to have my endoscopy scheduled soon. Christine

I can't remember ever buying a size 16 in a "regular" store...like the GAP. Even in High School I shopped Lane Bryant and Macy's woman. I def had a better figure than I do now though. I got the gut after the kids and now my things are really getting pretty disgusting. I plan on getting a tummy tuck with my hernia repair in a year or two. My thighs are pretty gross. I had not noticed until we recently went to a hotel that had MIRRORS...we are talking BIG MIRRORS...wow the thighs are smaller, but wow are they FUGLY. I look great dressed, but naked....whew it's not a pretty picture. Christine

I've been having trouble finding time for myself lately. Sorry I have not been around much. I just caught up on the past few pages of posts. Amanda welcome back. Glad your mom is getting better care. Fenton, I agree with what Amanda's post about eating out. Maybe it could be a challenge for your friends to present you with healthy small portions or share meals with friends. On the other hand, if you stay the course most of the time and have an extravagant meal out every once in a while, you will still lose and enjoy....so I guess it's a toss up. My DH is having a very hard time with me being banded. He used to like to see me eat well at resturants. It drives him nuts that now I order very little (got tired of taking 2/3 of it home). So now I'll order an appetizer or Soup as an entree. DH even admitted to liking my bigger body better. He now feels I am getting too thin. Mind you, I am a size 16 bottom and 18 top (not small). DH like big women, and now he sees me slipping away. Christine

Down 3 this week. Not hungry. Weird how nothing has changed, but not hungry....then again, DH left for Hong Kong. Intersting. Will have to see if there is a pattern here. Christine

My esophogram was totally normal. I am scheduling an endoscopy. I might have to wait for DH to return from his trip to Hong Kong unless I can find someone to drive me or convince the MD to do it without sedation...do they do that?... Anyway...no fill for me. She won't give me one until we know for sure there is no ulcer. I asked what would we do if the endoscopy is normal...she said I should really try to chew my food better....did not even know how to respond to that one. Christine......feeling a bit discouraged.....

Looks like I'm going to face the wrath of the claw today. I'm up one pound. The really scary part is that I'll be in Fenton's neighborhood this morning and I know he's very close to the claw! Best of luck to everyone with weigh in. Christine

Amanda, Thanks for checking in. I am so sorry you and your family are going through this. My prayers are with you all. I find swimming laps is a great way to clear the mind. I had forgotten about that little fix. I dated a swimmer in college and he got me into the pool. Thanks for the reminder...maybe I'll find a pool. Hugs, Christine