allykat

Becca - that is just about the sweetest thing I've ever heard of! I cannot imagine my DH buying any clothing at all for me, unless of course, it was some sort of lingerie that he felt would ultimately benefit him...lol! Rhapsody - I have the same NSV today! I have a wrap that I wear with my engagement ring and over the last year, it had gotten tight. It was wearable, but sometimes my fingers would swell in warmer months and it would feel way too tight. I took it off about 2 months ago and started wearing my wedding band again instead. Well yesterday I decided to try the wrap again and it fit! Just perfect!

Thanks for all the feedback on carbonated drinks, guys. I knew it was a no-no from the material, but I just wondered if there was any wiggle room on that. I haven't had anything carbonated and don't plan to, but I do miss Diet Coke and wondered if I'd ever get to have one again. I want to take care of my band since I'm self-pay. I'm already super-nervous since he moved me up the diet ahead of schedule. Speaking of food, last night my girls had dance dress rehearsal for their competition this weekend. Don't know how familiar you all are with Whigham, but we were at the school there and there is NOTHING in Whigham. They grilled hotdogs for the families and I was really nervous about eating something like that since I haven't had regular foods yet. Dr. B said I could start, just go slow, so I had about a half of a hotdog. It was hard to take small bites, but I chewed it until oblivian and did okay with it. I honestly don't feel any restriction at all, and Dr. B said that was okay, I probably wouldn't until my fill. Just to go slow with food and I'm self-limiting on the portion sizes. But who knew I could be so scared from a hotdog?

LOL Brina, you must have missed my post last week. Remember when I was majorly freaking out the weekend after getting banded? I was seriously messed up and crying for no reason at all. Seriously sobbing. We called the nurse line that weekend because my head was all swimmy and my blood sugar level was way down (DH is a paramedic and checked it at work). Dr. B wanted to see me the following Monday. He said my electrolytes, blood sugars, etc. had basically bottomed out from being on what is essentially a starvation diet (I'd had only popsicles and jello), and he moved me straight to purrees and soft foods. He thought that all of that was messing with my hormones and making me crazy...lol. He didn't use those words, but that was how I felt. He had me stop on the way home and drink Gatorade and to start eating something more substantial that day. It worked and I immediately felt better. So yeah, I moved right over Clear Liquids. I've done more mushies than soft foods (I have had a little Pasta and some baked fish this past weekend), and will try to stick mostly to softs for the next week before moving on to regulars. He said I was okay with regulars if I wanted to try it. For lunch today, I had intentions of a baked potato from Wendy's. I skipped Breakfast because I was rushing to get to my appt. When I went, they were out of potatoes so I got a small chili. I'm not crazy about their chili, but I figured it was the lesser of all the evils. I ate maybe half and that was it. So far, I seemed to have handled it okay. That was 2 and a half hours ago and I am still full.

Mia, sorry you've been so sick. I had the flu about 6 years ago and I remember it SUCKED! I think it took me a good 2 months before I felt 100% again. I did loose my voice for some reason, and I was hoarse for a month. DH loved it....lol. As for songs at the wedding, I had one in my wedding that I'd never heard until my rehearsal and I bawled my eyes out when I heard it. I had a friend sing and he brought a partner to do it as a duet. Basically, there was one song I really wanted (I Cross My Heart by Georgia Strait), and I told him he could pick out another one. At that point, I was sick of decisions. He did Only God Could Love You More and it was just beautiful. Other songs I've seen in weddings that I can think of off the top of my head: The Wedding Song The Lord's Prayer (I had this one) I Swear (my brother had this one) Keeper of the Stars (My BF had this one) Here's an old one that is still really pretty....my sister had it in hers. It is Honestly by Stryper. If you go to ProjectPlaylist.com and put that song (or any song) in there, you can hear it. I saw Dr. Bagnato today for my 2 week follow-up. He moved me straight to mushies and softs last week, so I asked him today if I needed to stay on that longer or move on to regular foods and he said since I wasn't having any trouble, I was fine to start with regular foods but to just go slow and chew well with small bites. He said he does prefer patients to stay on softs as long as possible, but he knows most cheat on the post op diet anyway. I think I will try to stay on softs and mushies a bit longer, but we are going out of town this weekend. I know eating on the run may make it hard to do softs, but that will be my goal. I'm only down another half pound since I was there last week, but that is okay with me. I know that after my fill, that is when the loosing will really happen! One thing I forgot to ask him was about carbonated drinks. I've not had a diet coke, but I see on the boards where some doctors are okay with it occasionally and some say never again. I wanted to get his take on it. I have a band friend who says she drinks one a day. I don't think I'll go that far, but I did want to find out if once in a blue moon is okay. Does anyone know?

I just came back from a 2 week post op check and all is well. My doctor's normal eating plan is: week 1 - clear liquids week 2 - full liquids week 3 - mushies - purree week 4 - softs week 5 - begin regular foods I am different because about halfway through my first week, all my numbers really bottomed out and started making me a little wonky. He thought it was messing with my hormones (seriously, I was sobbing nearly everyday and couldn't figure out what was wrong!), so he moved me straight to mushies and softs. I've been eating that for the last week. I asked today if I could start regular foods and he said since I was having no trouble, that would be fine as long as I chewed and chewed and took small bites. My portion size is definitely smaller than what it was preband...I cannot eat a lot at one time, but I am able to eat more now than I did this time last week. He said that was all fine. He did say he'd prefer his patients stay on softs as long as possible, but he knows most cheat on the preop diet. I think I'll try to stay as close as I can to soft foods for one more week. I am going out of town this weekend, so eating on the run may be more difficult with a soft diet, but I'll just make the best choices I can. I am self pay and I want to do whatever I need to to do to take care of my investment!

Wow, you sure have had a rought time of it! It is pretty obvious that your story would have turned out a lot different with a doctor who paid a little more attention to you. I really hate that you had to go through that, but I hope you are now on the road to success. You've certainly earned it!

Wow, that sounds like a big fill....I usually read how people get 1cc at a time. I bet you feel a difference right away. My doctor has us do liquids for a few days after the fill. I don't get mine until the second week of April! That seems like FOREVER!

Nope, you cannot see it at all. I can feel it there, but so far, you can't see a thing. My doctor places it there for that very reason, ease of access. Makes it easy to do a fill without xray.

I may try that, Georgia Girl, when I need the detox. Right now, I'm still on softs and mushies, so it is hard to do any real harm. I will confess to be absolutely STARVING Sunday, so I ate a little snack cake cupcake thingy. I totally hated myself afterwards, but it is much better than some of the damage I've been known to do on a weekend. I mean, I haven't really eaten out since being banded (other than the Applebee's take out for work last week), and we used to go out to eat nearly 2-3 times a week! Today, I did kinda eat out I guess. I didn't bring anything with me for lunch today and DH went to eat Mexican food with his work guys. I told him to pick me up a side of refried beans with cheese and I picked that up from him later and had it for lunch. It was high in fat I know, but better than scarfing down a burrito or eating half the basket of nachos if I'd have gone!

I hope nobody minds that I started this. I thought it might be nice for us to have a thread where we can post our exercise for this week. We can always go back in and update our original posts to add the exercise we do throughout the week. I know for me, it will make me feel more accountable so that maybe I actually do it! Here's mine. Right now, I'm still limited to walking only, but I look forward to adding some weight training and body shaping exercises soon! My goal this week is to get in at least 3 days. It is a busy week for us because my daughters have a dance competition this weekend and we have dress rehearsal, but I think 3 days are do-able! Monday - walked 2 miles Tuesday - will walk 2 miles Wednesday - can't go walking this day, have dress rehearsal Thursday - plan to go walking Friday - going out of town, maybe walk that morning?

I guess this makes me glad my port is on the upper left side of the chest, right above "the girls" under the bra strap line.

I walked 2 miles Saturday and did it again last night! Here is my plan for the week. I'm not released to do much more than walk, and we have a really busy week, but I think 3 days are do-able and a good "starting out" goal: Monday - 2 miles Tuesday - will walk 2 miles Wednesday - my daughters have dress rehearsal for a dance competition, no walking Thursday - will walk 2 miles Friday - going out of town...maybe walk in the morning?

*I can't wait to buy something from Victorian Secret again. *Buy clothing from the 'regular section.' *Not feel like the biggest one in our leadership team meeting. *Go to Disney World with my family and not feel like I am 'bringing up the rear' because I'm the slowest walker. *Not be afraid to ride some of the more intense rides on our next WDW trip. *Have skinny sex...you know, like be on top without feeling like my DH is taking his life into his hands.:tongue:

I'm right there with you and glad to know I'm not alone. I was on clear liquids for a week and dropped 14 lbs. right away. My doctor moved me to mushies and soft foods early and the minute I started on those, I gained 2 lbs back and that is where I've stayed. It is nice to hear this is typical. I have started exercising, so I'm hopeful that will get things moving again.

I am wearing some pants today that I distinctly remember having to really suck in to zip up a few months ago. In fact, they got so tight I took them out of my "work clothes rotation." Now, they are actually getting a little loose!

Actually, this was a goal I set for my self last time I started "really" dieting. My goal was to be at goal by June 2008. Obviously, that didn't happen! So now I am thinking I want to go to WDW for Christmas this year! And since that is 10 months away, I am hoping that (at minimum) I could be at least 80 lbs. lighter by then, which would put me at 156ish. Not my big goal, but it will still be 100 lbs. lighter than I was during my last WDW trip this past Thanksgiving!

Georgia Girl, The way I look at it, we are on a life's journey. We will not get skinny overnight, nor will we magically keep it off when we finally loose all our extra weight. It is called maintenance for a reason. Is it realistic to think you'll never have slip-ups on your journey? No, it isn't. But the difference is that a slip-up now doesn't mean that you will say to hell with dieting and gain back all the you've lost. A brownie isn't the death knell of your diet now. It is an occasional treat, or an occasional slip-up depending how you look at it. And you pick yourself up and you move on. The band is your tool, and you will work it. Personally, I don't want a life that doesn't include the occasional brownie. But the difference for me will be the word occasional. Just because I eat one doesn't mean I have to eat the whole pan....lol. The reason I have failed on every diet is because I haven't been able to go the distance. I'm good for months at a time and then I just say to hell with it for some reason because I'm tired of feeling deprived. That is the absolute worse thing you can do. I need a diet plan that I can live with long term, and the band will give me that. Don't beat yourself up about faltering lately. Maybe you just need a fill or you need to commit to an exercise plan. Brina, Girl, I think the lack of real food is getting to you. I can certainly understand that! Just because your friend had a lot of loose skin doesn't mean you will. I can tell you that I lost about 70 lbs. a few years ago,and the only place I had loose skin was my lower tummy. My arms, thighs...everything else did fine because I was exercising and doing weight training as I lost. That is soooo important! I'm starting to walk for exercise right now and I hope to add the weights in after I'm cleared for that by Dr. Bagnato. I don't want to go through another surgery again either. But if it comes down to it, I think loose skin is much better than skin bursting with fat. Hang in there!

Brina, how were you this weekend? I know we were banded days apart, so I'm always curious about what you are feeling/doing. I have to tell you...I've been freaking starving today! I don't know what is going on, it is like the sleeping beast has awakened or something. I haven't done bad and I'm sticking to the soft/mushy food lists but I am so ready for regular food. I see Dr. Bagnato on Wednesday and I am really hoping he lets me start on regular foods. How is it going for you?

Jonathan...wow - congrats on your loss! I bet it feels good to wear pants that big!

Did anyone else feel the world stop turning this morning? That was me...I actually did it. I called my sister and went and walked 2 miles. I have to say, it felt good! Not sure if I'll have time to do it again tomorrow, but my plan is to start Monday. My daughters have dance over in Cairo and while I wait for them to finish, I'm gonna put my walking shoes on!:thumbup:

And just this morning, I was reflecting on how very different thing seem today versus last Saturday. Last weekend, I was crying my eyes out at every turn, light headed, and just feeling totally depressed. Today, I feel very hopeful that this will actually work for me. Everyone told me right after that my depression and feelings of regret were normal, and they were right. My numbers all bottomed out and my doctor moved me to mushies and softs early (said it was messing with my hormones, hence the sobbing all the time), and the difference that real food made was amazing. Hang in there....there is a light ahead!

Bamboobabe - Don't get discouraged, although I know it is so hard not to. What you are doing is what ALWAYS makes me throw the towel in on a diet. That up/down/up/down messes with your head, your self confidence, and your motivation...don't let it! This is when it is good to be measuring yourself, because sometimes you'll see a difference there when the scale isn't moving. I struggle with exercising, too. I really don't hate it. I have a sister who is addicted and I wish it would rub off on me. Sadly, doesn't appear to be happening! LOL! Mia - what type of music? Instrumental? Or something for someone to sing? As for me, I had baked grouper and some pasta last night for dinner. I actually ate what the family was having. I don't know what is different, but I can definitely tell that yesterday I could eat more than I have any other day since surgery. I didn't overeat by any means, but I did eat more than the 1/4 cup I've been eating. I'd say it was maybe 1-2 oz of fish and maybe 10-15 bowtie pastas in a cheese sauce. I can tell that I probably had more sodium today since the scale was a pound and a half up! I know I shouldn't be concentrating on loosing before the first fill, but that is hard not to do. Quick question on the OTC - does anyone know my hours? I'm scheduled for my first fill around 10 am one morning and being from Tville, that isn't exactly convenient. Just wondering what their normal hours are so that I can call and reschedule.

Okay, today was my first work lunch. In my job, I have to frequently attend and host luncheons and dinners, and I'm really nervous about how to eat in these situations in my early days. Monday, Dr. Bagnato told me I could slowly start moving to mushies and some softs. We ordered in from Applebee's and did the 'pick and pair' combos. I had chicken noodle soup, and mainly ate the broth and a few noodles chewed very well. A coworker who knows of the band and is scared to death I'll die of malnutrition (haha) also gave me a side of penne pasta. I probably had 4 or 5 noodles cut in half, again chewed really well. Does this sound like I did okay? I stopped as soon as I felt full and only took a tiny sip of water once or twice. Yeah, I know that isn't allowed but I was coughing and needed it. Dessert came next, some type of dessert bar with a cream cheese topping. I tasted the topping and took a teeny taste of the bar and then put my napkin over it to signal I was done. Again, I chewed the heck out of it. Did I do okay? It is about an hour and a half out and I feel fine, my tummy made some gurgling noises, but I've had no discomfort. And one more question...think baked fish is okay? It is on the soft foods, right?

Mia, you hit it in your post, that you used to use food to comfort you when you felt bad. You've been stressed and you relied on the old faithful method last night. It happens! I think it is just falling into those old habits. I know there are lots of times I don't feel like cooking, so we'll pick up take out or eat something "quick and easy" which means fattening, usually. I guess we have to find some easy things to do that are healthier and start making those a habit. You've only been at this a few months, so it is understandable that the old habits you've lived with so long were easy to turn to. You'll remember this feeling for next time. And at least you were a pound down! Quick question - Dr. Bagnato moved me to mushies last week. Monday will be one week. Think I'm okay to start on softs Monday? I'm really ready to actually chew some food! LOL!

I've been following your progress quietly...since way before I was banded! You are such an inspiration to newly banded folks like me! Those pics of you in jeans are fabulous. You must feel awesome!