HeatherO

Canned artichokes are definitely yuck, but the ones in the jar are pretty good and even great in a good recipe. I also love asparagus in just about every form . . . but canned is simply awful. Actually there are few items that I can eat canned, but some veggies were not intended to be in a can . . . like artichokes. I like capers, artichokes and mushrooms together in sauces with chicken or pasta. My pregnancy cravings have been in the line of marinated items like mushrooms, feta, olives, artichokes, etc. Laura, thanks for sharing your belly picture :0). You are definitely looking preggers but are not very big for 34 weeks. You look pretty darn good for being pratically at the end of pregnancy. You are right about the pannus thing. I have almost no pannus, but I thought what little bit I have would dissapear during pregnancy because my belly would fill out the excess skin . . . It doesn't work that way. It just stays poochy at the bottom, lol. I also had a little pooch near my port and I still have a little pooch. I am definitely going to have to try the parmesan chicken recipe, it sounds wonderful. I live in the state of Ohio. As far as I know, I think all of the Vi's are pretty far away (but always near to my heart). Kat, I am happy that your company has been given notice for your own peace of mind. I am surprised he didn't offer to do the house-sitting so you wouldn't have to worry about a third party coming over. How soon are you going away? I am getting jealous of all of the "boot camp" talk. I really can't wait to get back into the swing of exercise. I always feel like a million bucks when I am staying on top of it. I cant wait for pregnancy to be finished so I can a) see my new baby, :tt2: get a flippin fill as soon as possible, c) get to exercising regularly again. Have a lovely afternoon everyone!!!

You adjust over time. It feels wrong to leave stuff behind after you are first banded. One thing that helps is to cut things down to size. You can slice a sliver of pizza into 1/3 or 1/2 a piece and then you don't feel such deprivation when you can't eat it all. I also got into the habit of eating at home off of a saucer. Once you adjust it becomes no big deal.

Great advice, thanks for sharing. Banding definitely takes some adjustment time. It took me some time before I could eat in public again, or eat and go out directly after. I had to learn what I could or could not tolerate first to avoid embarrassment, lol. With time it becomes easy and you automatically know what will and won't work.

My ultrasound technician said that too regarding error rates. A boy can later be determined to be a girl . . . but a girl never turns into a boy if they get a clear view. Mistakes tend to only go in one direction. I actually got print outs of her nether regions as evidence, lol. I hope she is right because I already got a nursery decorated in butterflies and a closet full of pink and purply stuff. If I end up with a boy . . . he better like pink, lol.

It sucks, but anyone banded for any length of time have all been there and done that. I got to goal but only after more plateaus then I could count. My weight loss was always in fits and starts. Steady loss, stalllll, pound up-down-up-down, loss, stallll again . . . but over the months it was a net loss so it was definitely working. You just have to redirect your frustration into getting the scale moving again. Just know that this is a normal part of the process and that everyone plateaus. I was able to break my plateaus by doing the following things (however, I found without making changes my stalls just lasted longer and longer). 1) Change up the exercise routine by doing something different. It didn't always mean more time, just different activities. I also tried to incorporate it into my daily routine. I found if I committed myself to 20 minutes a day, I would end up doing more time because once you start it is easy to continue. 2) Charting calories on fitday.com. Every bite would be input for 2 weeks or so until I made a change. Once I established how many calories I was eating, I would start switching levels. Sometimes going up, sometimes going down . . . never more than 1300 daily. 3) Changed my food. I am a creature of habit and tend to eat the same things over and over. I would start taking different veggies/proteins, etc. 4) If the stall lasted for more than a few weeks, I would do the 5 day pouch test diet. This always kick started my weight loss immediately and I could guarantee 5-10 pounds lost and then my plateau was usually broken afterwards. 5) Last but definitely not least, I upped my Water intake. I can tell you, at least in my case, that stalls usually occur when I was drinking less than 64 ounces of water a day. Good luck and keep your head up. If you keep doing the right things, the weight has to come off eventually even if not steadily. :0)

Ahhhh . . . how sweet :0)

I also think the band sounds better when you don't have too much to lose. I don't know how tall you are but I would imagine you have less than 100 pounds to lose to get to a normal BMI. It is so much less stress on the body. Another way to look at it is by reviewing your eating habits. If you are a chronic overeater at meal times, banding may be the best choice. If you are a sweetaholic or primarily eat junk food, then R&Y might have the added benefit of the "dumping" syndrome which might cause you to lose the desire to eat sweets if you get exceedingly sick when you do. Also keep in mind that doctors have their preferences as well. Some doctors favor one surgery over the other in most cases. Your doctor could be biased one way or the other and it is helpful to keep this in mind. Ask your doctor why they prefer one over the other in your particular case to see if it makes sense to you . . . after all, it is your ultimate decision. If you can get cardiac clearance and bariatric surgery would be considered relatively safe from your doctors perspective, I think you would still benefit from taking off the weight. Any excess weight is a strain on your heart. Weight loss with a healthy diet and doctor approved exercise may prolong and enhance your life considerably.

I was between 30-50 pounds before people started noticing (those who didn't know that I was "dieting") and making random comments. I remember one time in particular going to the bank and a teller (who I don't remember seeing before) said, "wow, did you lose like, a lot of weight?" I just responded, "a little." For some reason I am a little embarrassed by these reactions and never know what to say. No one knows that I am banded other than my brother and husband. The strange thing is, you have to lose a lot of weight for people to notice in the beginning, but when you are closer to normal weight, 5-10 pounds is a dress size and very noticeable. I always got comments when I was close to goal. I have now been at a "normal" size long enough now that the comments have dissapeared except when I see people who have not seen me for a very long time.

As mentioned previously, risk of ulcers and stomach bleeding are an issue. It is very hard on the stomach when taken regularly, but is especially bad for bandsters since it can sit for too long in the pouch. Mine allows it in liquid form on a very limited basis, no more than a couple of doses a month at most. When I do take it, I am required to take it on an empty stomach well after my last meal (so that the pouch is empty). I then need to follow it with a full cup of liquid to flush it through quickly. I usually use milk.

If you could find a company that would cover the surgery, I would really be amazed. The problem is that if people were aware that they covered the surgery, it would be better for all of us self payers to go on the plan long enough to get the surgery and drop it afterwards. The insurance company would lose a lot of money this way and either have to raise premiums which are already high or drop the coverage.

It is really impossible for anyone to tell you that for certain. You would need to see what the insurance requirements are first for submission to insurance and then what the surgeon will require. It is so different for each surgeon, you just never know until you ask. Also, you insurance might require a lot of testing and maybe a 6 month supervised doctors weight loss plan. Contact your insurance company first to find out the requirements. You will need to know those anyway so that you can be sure to get everything done appropriately to ensure approval. It would be worse to pay out of pocket for everything in the beginning and then get a denial from the insurance company. Also some tests can be covered if not specifically for possible surgery then for another reason such as GERD or reflux. Just keep this in mind.

Woohooo . . . congratulations. I got really tight after conception wayyy before I got a positive pregnancy test. I guess I am not the only one, lol.

Congratulations . . . that is awesome!!! I was so happy to reach that point as well. I remember a time when Lane Bryant was my favorite because not everything looked matronly . . . but being able to shop in the misses section of most stores, or just being able to fit in things flatteringly off the rack is truly the best feeling in the world.

Everybody has said the right things. The only thing I would add is that when restriction final comes . . . it will make all the difference in the world. You will not be able to deny that the band is working for you at that point, you just have to get there. It is hard not to eat when you are hungry. If I had to suggest anything to you at this point, it is to cut out the junk food. That will sabotage your banding over the long run. If you are going to eat more, eat healthy things. If you are hungry, fill yourself with Proteins and veggies. If you keep up the junk food habit, you will find that even with restriction the junk food goes down all to easy. Exercise also makes a huge difference. It also helps you to feel better about yourself. Now that Spring is pretty much here, you should do everything in your power to incorporate it into your life. Good luck :0)

I had it as well. I tried reflux meds, propping pillows to keep my head and chest raised, sleeping in a recliner and not eating after 7PM. These things helped a little but the reflux didn't go away. I ended up getting a small unfill and the reflux dissapeared completely. You might just need the smallest, fractional amount removed to get back to normalcy. Good luck and keep us posted on what works for you.

I would get the fill. I think the average person only has a 20% chance of getting pregnant each month. If it takes one month or six months, any extra weight lost will help. You don't necessarily need an unfill unless you get very tight or have morning sickness. It may not be much of an issue at all.

Oh, I forgot to mention about future ultrasounds. I am not slated for anymore unless their is a growth concern or health issue that pops up. I am also my doctors first bariatric patient. I did discover that my baby is only in the 21st percentile for growth so she is definitely smaller than average. However, the doctor said that is no cause for concern, specially since my son was a small baby born at term.

. . . and here is the post I was looking for :0). Congratulations on your new little boy. I was just asking about a sex update on a different thread. I had the same issue with my 19 week ultrasound, only instead of the heart it was the brain. She was upside down with her head deep in my pelvis and they could not get good shots to tell that everything was normal. It wasn't an issue, it was just a matter of not being able to see everything clearly. They also repeated the shots of the heart as well during the next ultrasound and everything was perfect. I wouldn't worry too much about it. They can't give you a 100% answer if they can't see clearly . . . and if they are going to wait another month, it just sounds like the standard wait and nothing of concern. Just remember, they have to be really careful about what they say in case there is an issue, so they can't say anything unless they are really certain about it in today's malpractice world. Some practitioners are just a little better at saying we don't see a problem but we need a better look than others. It was strange and I guess I was lucky. They were fairly certain it was a girl at the 19 week ultrasound. She said she is not allowed to say 100%, but she was pretty darn sure that is what it was. At the next ultrasound, she wasn't being cooperative and they could not tell for certain. If the ultrasounds would have been switched, I would have had to go an extra month not knowing . . . just think of how many good after christmas sales I would have missed, lol.

Well . . . curious minds are dying to know. Is there any news???

Mine is exactly the same as yours. It is the sign that you are overdoing it . . . and if you don't put the fork down NOW, you are going to be very uncomfortable.

My first sign of pregnancy was extreme tightness to where I couldn't get liquids down well and needed an emergency unfill. I had not had a fill before that point for 5 months and had never had a problem like this before. I did not get a positive pregnancy test until the following week or two after the emergency unfill. Since I have been pregnant, I have had three emergency unfills. Pregnancy has really affected my band tightness more than anything else. I can be fine one day, and the next be virtually closed but without any incident that seemed to cause it.

I almost never order seafood out for this reason . . . I can't guarantee it is cooked right. I am not a picky person in general, but with seafood you have to cook it just right. Although I have no qualms eating sushi at a local restaurant called Sushi Rock where the sushi is absolutely delish. Being preggers, I can assure you that I am having sushi withdrawal since it is not allowed. I had salmon pinwheels with my husband stuffed with a lobster/crab stuffing today for lunch with a side of guacamole salad which was divine . . . but I did the cooking, lol. One of the last times I ordered shrimp out, it was basted in a herbed butter sauce with cheese crusted on the top. I went to take a bite . . . and realized that they still had shells. Why on earth would you melt cheese on something that you have to pick apart from the shell and eat from the inside???? It didn't make any sense. Anyway, there is nothing better than fish cooked at home because I can guarantee it will be cooked to the precise amount of "doneness" for our tastes, lol.

I know over the time I have been banded, there have been a couple of meals that just messed with me for several days. I have since learned to take it easy and go for a couple of days of liquids/mushies if I still feel bad the next day or two. I have found that one such food for me is corn on the cob. It doesnt get stuck going down but I feel really crappy for a couple of days after. I can eat hot dogs and slaw with no issue. I hope you are feeling better by now.

I saw a reference to caffeine eroding the band twice in threads over the last year or two. However, the person that mentioned it did not back it up with any medical evidence or state that it came from their doctor . . . it was like heresay and I didn't take it seriously at all. My doctor said caffeine is perfectely fine, but like everything else in life, it should be used in moderation. A cup or two a day should have no significant ill effect . . . a pot or two a day is a different story. Also, if you think about it, if you are following the bandster rules of not drinking for a certain amount of time before or after meals, when you do drink, the caffeine is just washing relatively quickly through your stoma. Unless you have a blockage or are eating at the same time, it is not going to sit there long enough to have much of an impact. I really think caffeine being specifically linked to erosion is erroneous information to be taken with a grain of salt.

Being supportive will help for your daughter, but I wouldn't make too big a deal out of it so that she starts feeling more self conscious. It is getting to be springtime now and there are plenty of reasons to get out and be active. Perhaps you could make it a family thing. Also, cooking at home can make a huge difference. Convenience foods are rarely if ever the healthiest. Eliminate junk food as well and support healthy eating. I would never make it about weight gain/loss as much as just healthy living.