kgloverii

Their Perfectly Protein Vanilla Chai is TO DIE FOR. MMMMM

Before surgery, I drank 8 Diet Cokes per day. I cut it cold turkey. I never realized how HUNGRY Diet Coke made me... Once I cut it out, it was amazing how much less hungry I was. I have cut artificial sweeteners completely and now if I want SWEET, I eat real sugar... in moderation of course. I am more satisfied with sugar. If I eat artificial sweeteners I am hungry all day... Just something for all of you to think about. Diet Coke, my favorite, is an EVIL EVIL drink. Glad it is gone... FYI- Here's an interesting article... Can Sugar Substitutes Make You Fat? - TIME

Thanksgiving is a great time to take your focus off food, and instead enjoy those family interactions, and family fights... Maybe even start a family fight by trying to explain to Aunt Bessie why you are not going to be eating any of her fruitcake. Unless you are on liquids, you can enjoy anything you want, just a bite or so of each, and enjoy that turkey. My favorite is pumpkin pie... eat it without the crust... mmm... and if you want to be a 'little bad' take an extra little dollop of Cool Whip... it won't kill you... :cool:

Just as an FYI, my doc told me that a complete loss of restriction OR total restriction is a possible sign of a slipped band. Severe reflux often accompanies this. I'm praying it is nothing. Hang in there.

Amen to that! I got crows feet! I was happy to see them...

I love Miralax... but it is not cheap. Warehouse clubs are the place to go for that stuff... BTW- I found a box of dried apricots at Walgreens for $1. That is a deal!

This is a good lesson for when you are banded later on... Drinking is a REALLY good thing. Why? I learned the hard way. For some people, when they get dehydrated, their stoma thickens (I know, sounds contradictory, but it is true!)... Why care? A thicker stoma means MORE restriction. I got myself into a bad predicament where I was dehydrated, couldn't eat cause I was so restricted, and thus PBing a ridiculous amount... The PBing makes your stoma swell, also. It was a vicious cycle. And so I was even having a hard time to drink. It was horrible, and I could not get the dehydration under control. I couldn't eat, and around and around I went for 3 weeks until I FINALLY got the fluids in...

I am currently at 6.1 and am 'sweet.' Every single person is quite different, though as we can see from the poll!

What a great idea to commemorate your journey!

The band works for me. If I stop losing for over 3 weeks, I have a discussion with my doc. We evaluate my situation and decide if I need a fill, if I am on a plateau or if I am doing something to sabotage myself. Once you get to a 'sweet spot' you'll be less food obsessed (I no longer have any food obsessions whatsoever), and you'll have the ability to make smarter choices without an emotional 'tie' to the food. I eat what I like. I stop when I am full. And I keep slider foods out of the house, and don't drink while I eat. Works for me...

Some docs go by the statistics. Some go by their experiences with their patients. Some are just optimistic like crazy. And some, are anti-band and make you feel like a loser for choosing that procedure. I have a bit of a different situation, because I had my band placed by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico and found aftercare locally. My aftercare doc has had less than stellar results with his patients. He was honest about it with me. He told me that he hardly does bands anymore and prefers RNY or Sleeve. But I told him that I am not just anyone and he's been fully supportive. He gives it to me straight. And he watches in amazement as I defy his expectations. I like my aftercare doc cause he's been forthright and honest. He may not have had patients with the best stats, but I have GREAT stats. Lap-Band is different because you MUST have a relationship with your doc in order to have complete success. You MUST work your band. You must follow-up regularly and make sure your dialogue with your doctor is complete and honest. No room for being embarassed or shy. YOU determine your success. If you can handle a surgery with slower initial results, and want to be a decision maker in your care, the Lap-Band is a great TOOL. But, if you don't want that, and you want a little easier of a route, then there is nothing wrong with another form for WLS. Do your homework. Look at all of the options. And if you decide that the band is for you, get your doc on board with your philosophy or find a new one. You need your doc to be your biggest cheerleader, not someone who says "I told you so."

KT, Wow... what a story! I am so glad you were persistent with your doc and refused to give up. Many wishes for a full recovery and lots of weight loss success!

Liz, I PM'ed you. You WILL see skinny jeans again. HANG IN THERE!

Just wanted to respond that I do not subscribe to the 'eat only certain things' mentality. I don't shoot for a certain amount of protein or fat per day, or anything like that. I had food obsessions and no longer worry about food. I actually forgot to make dinner tonight (I have a FAMILY that I have to cook for, LOL!). I eat what I want, and when I am full, I am done. I make sure that I am not eating slider foods, and not drinking while eating, but besides that, there are no rules. For some, it doesn't work that easily, but it has been GREAT for me.

I did the lotion, exercise, etc. And as I lost weight, I was thanking GOD for the lack of excess skin. Even DH was impressed. I attributed it to my youth. Then, one day I woke up, and it was there. Tummy skin, and batwing arms! Oh, the horror! I am just kidding, about 'the horror.' When you lose a lot of weight, you'll have to expect some excess skin... My tummy, it is all UNDER the bikini line where my underwear is, so even though it is not the prettiest without underwear, it is not HORRIBLE. And the arms, I just practice the wave of the queen. It hasn't kept me from wearing sleeveless items. A little excess skin is nothing compared to that 75 pounds I was lugging around before, so I am very thankful. And someday, when I plateau, and when finances permit, I'll try to get the tummy and arms taken care of. Till then, I'll enjoy my skinny body!

Oh, and the TOM DOES make a HUGE difference. As soon as that water starts exiting, I see big number fluctuations in the scale. I have been lucky, and when TOM hits, I don't gain, but I don't lose. But as soon as it is over, I see a shift downward on the scale...

My losses come in spurts as well. Since I am closer to the end of my journey, I don't get 5 pounds at a time anymore, but I do get 2-3 pounds. I was stuck for 2 weeks, and got on the scale today and was down 2 pounds... Go figure!

It really depends on you... Your doc will probably do an upper GI to make sure all is well with the band. He/She might do a slight unfill and keep you on Nexium to see if that helps. Some bandsters have reflux issues post-band... My doc tried Prilosec with me, which did not help, but Zantac has been a lifesaver. You'll probably just have to experiment a bit. Each doctor's protocol is different. Hang in there, and wait to see what he says. And make sure you let us know what happens! Hope you feel better soon!

I agree. All you can do is encourage her. Perhaps you can show her this website. Maybe that will provide her some motivation?

If I am retaining water due to my cycle, I stop peeing like crazy during this time. Sodium intake can make you retain water as well. It would be REALLY hard to overdose on water. Your body will tell you when to stop.

After my stomach's swelling went down, I did not have any restriction until my first fill. I used a food journal to track my intake during this time so I would not gain weight during my time of unrestriction. After my first fill, I had some restriction and just ate moderately and was satisfied.

Thank you to EVERYONE for their word of encouragement. I truly appreciate it more than you know. Your encouragement keeps me motivated for those last few pounds... the last few pounds are the ones we have to fight the hardest for, that is for sure. Thanks again!

I sent you an email, Liz. We'll get there together!

I use Dr. Pleatman in Bloomfield Hills. About Dr. Pleatman He has been super. I cannot sing his praises enough...

Congrats! it is an AMAZING journey isn't it?!!!