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http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html That is a link for the 5-day pouch test. I think I will try it also.

Hope everyone is doing well. It's been a while since I visited with you guys. I passed my one-year anniversary, and I haven't been as successful as I had hoped. Since my last fill, it's been pretty rough. Cynthia said I needed a slight UNfill, but I'm so stubborn, and scared that if I do that, I'll be able to eat anything again, and gain the weight back. Well, I've gained about 3 lbs in the past few weeks, and I finally realized I've developed a habit called "eating around the band"... meaning I eat what is EASY to eat, which means, of course, all the BAD stuff. :smile: The question is, how do I start all over and change my eating habits again? I can't get anything down that I'm "supposed" to eat. It's hard to move beyond this frustrated hopeless feeling that I've got right now. I *KNOW* all the right things to do- exercise, eat right- but actually becoming motivated again to DO them is another story. I'm not really asking for advice, just needing to vent my frustrations! But any words of encouragement would be appreciated! Has anyone else gone through this after a year of having their band???

Misty- Not really except rain and some wind. The weather people had everyone in the Dallas area all hyped up, expecting the worst, but we had stronger winds here just the week before. It never hurts to be prepared, though! I was pretty nervous- and didn't even resort to nervous eating! Glad you're ok!

Misty, how did you guys weather the storm down in Katy? Hope everything is ok!!

Wheetsin, Thanks for that explanation. It makes a bit more sense, except I still can't see how anything can get stuck above it, since that area is not effected by the band- it's the same size it was *before* the band was put in place. But I've had that example happen to me.. I've gotten stuck, drank a bit of milk or Water, then PB'd and all that came up was the milk or water, but the stuck was gone afterwards. The food causing it didn't come up. Weird!!!!! Maybe I should stop trying to figure this all out and just accept it, since it works. *lol* Does the learning curve ever stop? I'm still learning how to eat, by trial and error!

Ok.. this has puzzled me from the very beginning, and I haven't found an answer to it. food is supposed to stay in the smaller pouch and slowly move into our regular stomach, right? So, WHERE, along this process, does the food get stuck that makes us hurt so much? If it's supposed to stop at the pouch, then everything we eat theoretically gets stuck there. But you can actually *feel* the food pass that spot, wherever it's stuck, and the pain stops. Any answers from either the docs or someone who knows? <confused>!!

Congrats, Cowboy!! Hi all! I've been taking a break for a while, trying to adjust to this new "lifestyle". It's been frustrating because I seemed to be really stuck on a plateau, but thankfully it seems to have passed. It seems like I've had more non-scale victories than scale loss, so that has given me incentive to hang in there. I cleaned out my closet last weekend and realized that NONE of my winter stuff would fit anymore, so I bagged it all up for the Helping Hands thrift store in Rockwall. Imagine my surprise when I went shopping and bought 4 pairs of slacks that were a size 12!!!! I nearly cried in the dressing room. I never thought I'd EVER see a 12 again! I was in 18/20's when I had surgery. That was such a wonderful feeling! I guess we don't see ourselves as others see us. I knew I was losing inches and sizes, but I still think of myself as "FAT". Maybe that will eventually give way to reality in my head, but it sure felt good to bounce out of JC Penneys with size 12 clothes!!!!!! Hope you guys don't mind - I just *had* to tell someone, and you're about the only ones who can truly understand the emotional roller coaster of all this. So how is everyone else doing? Cynthia, I'll be sad to see George go- he was the BEST! Pat

Cynthia.. Wow.. that's fantastic to lose 2 pounds with all that food 24 hours a day! I've been on several, and we've got two more booked (one in November, one in March). I was told years ago that the secret to not gaining weight on a cruise is to *always* take the stairs everywhere you go. Question: Did you have any trouble finding food you could eat? That's my only concern- living for 7 days on mashed potatoes. *lol* I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who's had to learn how to eat again after a fill. It's been frustrating.. I've PB'd more this past 2 weeks than in the whole 6 months since my surgery. I don't think I'm too full. My problem is that I wait until I'm STARVED before eating- then I eat too fast and don't chew well enough. I'll learn the hard way, I guess. I hope that person with the bad experience will communicate with you. I just hated seeing them blast you guys when just about everyone on this thread has had good experiences there. I just couldn't imagine you taking this lightly! Good luck!

Hi Cynthia- hope you had a wonderful vacation! Here's the link to the other TLCEdge thread. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f11/tlc-edge-70541/ Not sure what you'll be able to do- you'll never be able to please everyone, no matter what you do. I wasn't able to make the Saturday meeting but I'll try again next month. It would have been nice to meet some of the others who post here! I'm doing ok since my last fill- but I'm having to learn how to eat all over again. Nothing seems to want to go down except soft foods. How is everyone else doing? Pat

Hey Stephanie- How are you doing? :smile2: I'm going to *try* to go to the next Saturday meeting too. It would be really fun to meet some of the folks on here that we've talked to! Maybe I'll see you there!! I don't think I have the info on when/where- does anyone know? Pat

Howdy! Just got back from my fill appt with George- He says this one should give me more restriction- I sure hope so! He didn't put much more in, but I could definitely feel the difference! Dianne, your comment about yours being tight is encouraging! It's liquids for me now and for the next 24 hours. Ugh! Hope and the others were all in a meeting so I really couldn't find out much about the 6-month checkup but I was told that I needed to make an appt with the nutritionist, so I'll call back later and make that. Dianne, that's wonderful about the size 14!!! I'm close- in women's sizes I need the 14, and even some of those are too baggy, but I am in regular 16's now! Woohoooo!! My goal is a size 10 or 12. I'd be content there, even though it would be nice to be even smaller. Six months ago that seemed like a very unobtainable goal, but the closer I get to it, the more optimistic I am that I'll get there. It sure feels nice to shop on the "normal" side of the stores, doesn't it!!!!!!!!!! Way to go, girl! :biggrin:

This was in NO way intended to be "hostile".. just trying to be fair. Just because YOU had a bad experience doesn't mean that everyone else has or will. Give them a chance- they just opened that location 6 months ago! Sure it'll take some time to work things out, but if we discourage people from going there, they'll never get the chance. Heaven knows, we NEED more places like them, helping people. Nobody is perfect.. WE, of all people, should know that! And for the record, I'm all for freedom to express your feelings and opinions, but I'm also all for giving others the right to defend THEIRS. Sorry you took offense to MY opinions.

Well, maybe I didn't know what I was missing. You might want to be a bit more specific with your complaints if you're going to slam them publicly for things they didn't do. Give them a fair chance to defend themselves, since I know Cynthia posts here regularly. In my opinion, the only problem I ever saw was in getting the fills. Since George is the only one doing them and he floats around, it's sometimes difficult to get in when you need to. I was the second patient that morning and was home by 11am, so I doubt we were there at the same time.

Hey gang... did anyone else see the post from the unhappy patient of TLCEdge? I was rather surprised, but wondered if anyone else had problems like she spoke of (assuming it was a "she".) She was banded on the same day I was, and my experience has certainly been different from hers. I suggested to her that she call Cynthia and discuss the problems she's had that makes her so dissatisfied with their services. Off for my 4th fill tomorrow... I can't wait! I went to Black Eyed Pea tonight and cleaned my plate of chicken fried chicken- my "condemned last meal".. *LOL* Boy do I need a fill!!! :thumbup: