lapbandbarb

Thanks for that- I realize that maybe the reason that I have been telling more people and told the woman I talked about in my last post is just this! Besides trying to inform and help her,I am not ashamed of my band and I am not a liar!! JUst so tired of making up excuses of how I lost 123 lbs!! I still think I will hold back on telling too many people I don't know who just come out of the woodwork and tell me I look great and how did I do it. But this post put a new perspective on things for me.

I'm holding a yummy banana cream protein shake in one hand and in the other hand I have The Trophy!!!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone, Just checking in. ONE DAY... Hope you feel better soon! Yellow Tulip.... Welcome! Joanne...Happy Birthday! Meredith.... Hear anything yet? If I forgot to mention anything else personal to anyone...I am wishing the best and on your side! I am home. Had an accident yesterday. :crying:The little guy I watch opened the door into my nose! OUCH!! I saw stars! It is broken at the tip but nothing they can do. It does not look terrible and I did not get black eyes so it could have been worse. I have a slight headache. The house really needs cleaning but headache gets worse when I bend down so I guess I need to leave the house alone. I don't know about anyone else but I like things in order and I almost feel a panic when things are a mess and all over the place. There is something going around and my 12 yr old son has a stomachache and is home from school.(7th grade) I have a 3rd grade girl too. The Swine Flu is not in my School District but it is in the next one over. I know that it is really just a flu and we are healthy so should not be to bad even if it did effect us but still so scary!! :cursing: Still doing good with band/food. This is amazing to me. My restriction really curves my urge to eat but I have been making myself have 5 small Protein snacks/ shakes or meals a day. I guess I am fueling my metabolism constantly which is the best thing to do. I count the shakes as liquid. Do you guys do that? Dr said yes, they count so I make sure to get 80 oz of some liquid daily. I actually lost another 3 lbs but not in the mood to change my ticker. I am a few pounds under my original final goal.:cursing: I can't believe it! Oh boy, head is starting to hurt. Need to lay down. Have a good day everyone!

Lil Miss- Hi ya! I'm still here, still the winner.

LOL-Charlene, I was thinking the same thing about here and Janet's thread. Sorry you had to have .5 removed but it is for the best if you were Pbing. .2 did the trick for me when I once got a swelling. I had asked you about the cortisone shots because I am considering them for my knees. Maybe I will get .2 removed before I get the shots. Thanks for the info. :thumbdown:I had a door smack me in the nose and break it so I have been laying low yesterday and today. It stinks, but I really can't smell. I think the stress of my broken nose has caused my band to tighten, too. I'm being very careful! Orea- glad to hear that your husband has a possibility. Our prayers at 3:00 on Mother's day must have worked. Good Luck! Well, glad we are back on track here. It is good to have each other. Good Night, Everyone!

Thanks, biklab- I will look you up when I come to Ca next time. Be careful with that Garlic Ice cream! It will slide right through your band:lol:LOL.

Sounds like you are doing well! Isn't it like a miracle, almost a dream, an adventure feeling full after eating a small amount. I remember when it first hit me. I felt like jumping for joy! I think I actually did.:laugh: I did not realize that you are in Northern Ca. I lived in Monterey for a few years and have of course been through Gilroy. Loved the Garlic smell and the festivals! Santa Cruz, oh, I miss it all. You are so lucky to live out there. I live in a beautiful town in Hudson Valley, NY but I miss the beauty of Ca. Oceanview Blvd, Pebble Beach, Oh! So many memories!

Charlene- thanks for the info. I will keep this in mind if and when I get the shots. I am tight, but not too tight so I am not worried about damage to my stomach. I will be going for my esophogram in a few weeks. I have no symptoms and I am able to eat well. I get myself checked every 6 months. Insurance pays for it and I want my band to be forever. I don't have reflux but when I was overfilled, I did have it at night and it was horrible! Have learned not to go there again! Hope everyone had a great weekend! Happy Monday. Will check in tomorrow. Barb

What good thinking and exactly how I feel. I'm glad I did not tell anyone before I lost the weight and no more telling now, either!

When I was first banded, I didn't tell too many people. Just my husband, kids, sister and a few close friends. I should have kept it that way! Now that I am at goal, for some reason, I find myself telling more people. And sometimes, I regret it. People, some I hardly know, are coming out of the woodwork saying "you lost a lot of weight. How did you do it?" Well, most of the time and in the past, I always just said, "I stopped overeating and started exercising for my health" end of story. The other day, a mother in my daughter's Girl Scout Troop, who is about 150 lbs overweight comment and I said "Do you want to know, but I do not tell too many people, I got the lapband and it is the best thing I have ever done!" She looked mortified and I was instantly sorry that I had told her! She walked away from me! And I saw her talking and looking at me with another mom. I felt horrible. I was really just trying to help her by telling her. I thought maybe she would be interested and I could mentor her or something. She must have felt insulted or something! All I could think is what a B--ch! And now, I think everyone in my whole town will know. I am not ashamed but people are so ignorant and judge mental. Not to mention JEALOUS!!!! I know that I have done allot of work to get this weight off and it is her problem but I still feel bad. The only thing that I feel might come good of telling people is that it motivates me to not gain the weight back!(Not that I think I could with the band) Good luck to everyone just starting out on your band journey. You are in for a ride!

The size band that the Dr will put in depends on the size your body needs. The Dr will only know this when he sees your internal size on the operating table. So it is not your choice. It is the Drs' knowledge that should determine what size band you get. There is also a 4cc lapband for people who need a smaller band. Best of luck to you on your surgery!!! Keep me up to date and feel free to Private Message me if you would like to talk with someone who has been through it sucessfully.

As Tapshoes leaves the room, Barb trips her, trophy flies through the air right into Barb's hands. Barb is the winner once again :rolleyes2:

Biklab- If you are comfortable with your food intake, and have lots of energy, I'd say you are good to go. The same thing happened to me once I had good restriction. I lost 120 lbs in about a year from pre-band diet till now and I have never felt so good. Don't expect to continue losing 1/2 lb a day, though. Your body will level off and that will slow down. I, like Janet only weigh myself 1-2x per week and I advise that. You can drive yourself crazy otherwise and be let down if you don't lose or a gain shows from water weight or whatever. Also, once you lose a significant amount, you will need another fill because the band gets loser as your stomach gets smaller. This is when I had a slight problem and was too full, waited too long and had to have 1cc removed. That was when I struggled with the hunger. Now I have slowly put it back and am back to good restriction. It is a learning curve. Congratulations on reaching your sweet spot!:scared2: It is so exciting! Good Luck. I know you will keep us informed and I look forward to hearing about it!

Hi all- Hope everyone is having a good day! I am one of those people who cannot eat in the morning. I have had to eliminate scrambled eggs from my diet. Something about the consistency. I can not handle egg drop Soup either which I know is a favorite among lots of banded people. I can do very soft egg whites and whenever I make egg salad for the family, I take out some egg whites before I add the mayo. It especially agrees with me if the eggs are not too cold. Right out of the Water and cooled under water, otherwise it could be a problem. Funny how you just know what to do after a while. I agree with you Janet, biklab, you might be a tad tight but it is up to you how tight you can handle. I mean you are keeping your food down. It is a matter of if you are able to give up certain things and adjust your eating for the band. I had to because when I am not at this level of restriction, my hunger comes back and I know I will not be able to maintain my 120lb loss. I don't have the option to burn more calories because of my arthritis so I choose to live tight and sacrifice certain foods. I have learned what I can handle and when. There are times when my band has a mind of its own though and then I have to adjust the next couple of meals accordingly. I don't mind the shakes. They actually give me more energy than food. So far, so good! Charlene- I am glad you are feeling better! Where on your body did you have the cortisone shot? I ask because I might get some in my knees to help prevent a pain flare. I want to wear cute sandals and it could be a disaster for me. I wonder if a shot in the knees could possibly change my band restriction??? Have to think of everything before hand! Thanks! Have a beautiful day! I will check in later.

Vicki- You've got it right there-in both your posts. Simply hysterical!!! :thumbup: Luckily I have a great man who has loved me through thick and thin(literally) This is a great thread! Everyone deals with their new selves the best they can! I have lost 100 lbs before only to turn around and gain it back plus so I am happy being my thin self again. With the band, I know that I will be able to maintain my lose. Fundamentally and maybe this has come with age and a bit of therapy, I know that I am the same person at any weight! I have learned to be comfortable in my skin no matter what the scale says. Being healthy, looking great and shopping for a size 8 is just such a plus!!!

Congratulations on your decision to get the surgery! I wish I would have done it when I was in my 20s! (although now that I think of it, it was not even available:eek:) Your mom's reaction is very normal, she loves you and is concerned. Once you lose the weight she will be very happy that you are healthy! How much do you want to lose? As far as life changing after, it sure does! There are lots of stages you go through and it is really up to you how you handle them. The band is a tool and you do need to work it. It sounds like you have done your homework and know alot. I would love to answer any questions and help you along on your journey! I have been very successful and it helps me to help others. I live in Westchester, NY and was banded at NYU. Where are you being banded, who is your Dr and where in NY do you live? What kind of pre-surgery diet will you be following? Please feel free to PM me! Best of luck to you!

Protein will keep you full longer, especially solid protein like fish and chicken(if chicken doesn't give you problems) Slider foods are things that go right through the band- like ice cream, chocolate, chips(things that are not good for you at all) funny how these things never give us problems. Try to stick to Protein shakes in your next three days of liquids. Get at least 70-80grams a day and you will notice your hunger decrease. Remember, your body can only absorb 30 grams at a time. Good luck with your band journey!

All I can say and I know this to be true- the band will KEEP the weight off! I have lost 100lbs 2x before on my own mainly through exercise only to gain it back + but this time I know I will not gain it back.The band is designed to keep us from gaining it back and that is something that the biggest losers do not have. I lost 120 lbs and due to bad knees, could barely exercise. Be thankful for your band and take care of it. It is trial and error to know how much fill you can handle. You will get there, but you need to believe and have faith. You have an amazing tool to help you!

Blow you nose and hand it back over :thumbup:

Good thing I keep a whole bunch of hand sanitizer handy! I WIN!!!!

Charlene-I am posting in July Butterfly thread with you too! I will answer your question here. I want to ask you, what is diverticulitis? It is very common for us bansters to have difficulty in the regularity department. I take miralax everday too but still have some issues sometimes. I have been too tight in the past and it really is a learning curve of how much your band can have and still keep you comfortable and able to eat. If you are taking the small bites, chew, chew, chewing and are still sliming solid protein, maybe you need a slight unfill. Even .1 can make a difference. What protein are you having trouble with? I have established that in my 10cc band, I cannot go above 5.3cc. Right now, I have 5.1 and I am good. I want to maintain my loss and keep my hunger at bay and this seems good now. I know I have .2 to play with should I start having hunger issues. I have worked on distinguishing head from real hunger. When I know it is not real hunger, I distract myself and eventually the urge to eat goes away. This has taken me awhile and talking to a professional to accomplish. I have accepted that I cannot eat in the AM. Many bansters are tight in the morning (and before and during their TOM. Stress also causes the band to tighten. When my kids are fighting, I literally feel it constrict.LOL ) I was never a Breakfast person so it does not bother me not to eat when I get up. I make a coffee/ Protein powder shake in the early AM and eat my first meal at 11 or so. I do not count calories. I am used to making choices that I know will be Ok for me. I know the cal/protein content of most foods. If I slip up, I get right back on track. I eat greek yogurt, cottage cheese and a high protein fish grilled everyday. I supplement with different flavored protein powders and it works for me. Some people don't like the powders. I have worked hard to find ones that I like and that is how I eat everyday. I do allow myself up to two 100 pacs a day but honestly, some days I don't even want them. I used to have really bad night "hunger" and I started going to sleep earlier. I broke the habit and now I usually don't eat passed dinner. We are not supposed to eat 3 hours before bedtime or laying down so that our pouches are empty. Otherwise reflux and other issues can occur. It is also recommended that we drink a glass of Water 1 hour before laying down to ensure that the food is washed through. Well, good that you have an appt on Thursday. Talk to your Dr and see what he thinks. If you are having a hard time, I would stay with liquids and mushies until then. Good Luck! Sorry this post got so long, but you know what ladies, this is great therapy! We are lucky to have each other. Thanks. Have a good evening everyone!

No, I am not struggling with anything right now. I am slowly getting used to myself and the attention I get at 120 lbs lighter. I have gotten pretty used to living and eating in the "Bandster" lifestyle. I just want to have better connection to fellow bansters like in Janet's thread. It is nice to feel like you belong and know others who have gone through the same thing and have to eat a certain way. Hope everyone has a great day! :mad2:

Hope everyone had a good day! The weather is finally getting nice here NY. I am about an hour up north from the City. It has been going back and forth with rain and cold but today was beautiful. Not too hot, not too cold, just the way I like it. Mother's Day was OK but has been hard for my sisters and I last two years without my mom with us any longer. We kept ourselves busy all day-dragged my husband and kids to a farm market and shopping with us. We had a BBQ. Like you, Mrs Bubba, I had a hard time with chicken which was cooked the way it is usually not a problem for me. It is good that you still have restriction even though your band is unfilled. And I forgot to tell you that I am glad you are doing better! I am a nanny and know how hard it can be. Try to take it easy when you can!:lol:Good Luck with that! It is amazing how the band has a mind of it's own and you can never be sure if you will be Ok with eating something that was Ok in the past! We ate late and I have not been stuck like that in a while but I am fine today. I had a coffee Protein shake on my way to work. I ate greek yogurt mixed with banana Protein powder late morning, marinated steamed Tofu for lunch and I will have some fish for dinner. I am pretty happy eating like this everyday. I make sure I get 70-80 grams of Protein. I supplement with different flavored powders but it keeps me satisfied and it is easy. I also drink about 12 glasses of Water a day and that really keeps you full! I work 7-2 and then my kids get home from school so my day is full. It is still amazing to me that food is really a non-issue for me. I used to spend my life obsessing about it no matter how busy I was. :thumbup: Joanne, do you remember that we used to correspond when we were first banded? We had PMed each other about our knee problems. You are doing so well! I am glad you got to visit your family and you are safe at home now. It is great being here! It is great to meet everyone and be able to share our band journey together! Have a great evening!

I can feel my port when I touch the area and to be honest, I like it being there to remind me of all the weight I have lost and to keep me in check. I am lucky that it is not visible to the eye. I have seen people who have it sticking out after they have lost a ton of weight. Someone in one of my groups had it surgically moved because they were so conscious of it. She has really overdone the weight lose though(and she seems a bit crazy to me). Try not to worry about it now. It eventually will probably just become a part of who you are and remind you to stay on track with your band journey. Good Luck to everyone!

I get really tight right before and during my TOM. I can actually feel it happening inside me. I make it a point to only weigh myself once a week and I skip the week I have my TOM. It keeps me in a good mood.