Lanakila

A couple of comments: Don't buy a Slim Fast or Atkins shake just because it says Low Carb! You need to read the labels. I know that the Atkins Low Carb actually have less Protein and more carbs than the Advantage. If you are taking the protein bullets, realize that your body can only absorb about 20 g of protein at once. If you are taking a 45 g bullet, split it up throughout the day or you are just wasting your money.

That first day home I was really sore when I tried to sit up out of bed. I finally figured out the best way to do it and by the 2nd day I was fine. I'm a stubborn gal, so that might have made me tough it a bit more.

Because you will need to focus on consuming enough protein, you will find yourself limited to what is basically a low-carb diet. Once you get off of the carbs for a week or so, your cravings will drop dramatically.

Hmmmm...might be time to demand a flouroscopy look. Could be that they charted you wrong, or it could be that they didn't click the band closed all the way. Either way is an inattention to detail that would make me irate! I'm not trying to be pissy on this next question...I promise. I see that alot of people are very focused on how much they currently have in their band and how big of a band they have. Why? Restriction is highly individualized, so why does the size or volume matter? Just curious, really

I'm fortunate in that I can eat any meats. We are very, very careful to seriously undercook whatever piece I plan to store for my next meal, and I microwave on defrost or Medium so that I don't overcook. It takes alot of attention and doesn't always work out. We forget to pull the meat early sometimes, and I don't always keep a close enough eye on during the reheating. The only "forget about it" foods at this point are breads, tortillas, soft baked goods like cakes, Cookies, brownies, etc. It's nice that the things I simply cannot eat are what I ought not be eating anyhow. If I get the hankering for bread, I go with Wheat Thins. If you are having trouble finding something meaty that will work for you, try the tuna and chicken pouches. They are super convenient because they are shelf stable and they come in flavored varieties too. I keep them on hand at work for those times when I over-nuke my leftovers

After getting as much as I did this last time I decided to calculate how many more of the regular fills I would have needed and I probably would have gotten to 10 before I felt this "right". As long as I wait until lunchtime or so, I can take my meds whole. I just can't take the entire handful at once like I used to, but that's because I can't chug whatever I'm washing them down with! I hope your fill works great for you! You are definitely right that you don't want to overdo and then be on the road. Just ask Claudine :thumbup:

An Update! They ended up putting almost another 2cc's in! Thank goodness I asked them for a fill under flouro. It would have been another 2 months before I got to this point if they had kept putting in 1 cc a month. Whew! Now "Stanley" is finally kickin' my butt. I'm sip-sip-sippin' from morning until about 11 or so. Have about 1/2 c for lunch, 1/2 c late afternoon, and 1/2 c for dinner. So far, so good. Like a dork, I continue to try to "finish" what little I put on the plate...which is sometimes a REALLY bad idea. I'm feeling pretty good for now. I hope that I can keep up the calories enough to avoid the low blood sugar shakes. I've started journaling like crazy :laugh: I'm off to have some milk to finish up the day. I'll get past -25# yet!!!

The brain thing is killing me! I eat that last bite knowing full well that it's not going to work for me. You'd think I'd have learned :laugh: Hope your fill makes you feel better, Lanakila

I used the State Health Plan and it covered all but about $2200. They did require a 5 year history, documentation of organized effort to lose weight like proof of membership in weight watchers, a gym, whatever. They also required me to see a nutritionist, but they didn't pay for it, which I thought was really, really stupid. You should ask the insurance specialist in your surgeons office. They are super knowledgeable about how much different plans cover and will give you a realistic idea of what personal cost you are looking at.

That's an awful lot of slider foods. I don't think you should be using shakes as a Meal Replacement. A banders we should only really consume them as a supplement, and then only when you have difficulty eating enough protein in your regular meals. It kind of defeats the purpose of the band, which is to allow you to eat normal food with pretty severe portion limits. If you are eating these mushies because they are "easier" then you are doing yourself a disservice by not working the band properly. If you are eating these foods because you cannot tolerate anything else, then maybe you need the unfill. Track your food and make sure that you are getting enough calories. On the surface it doesn't look like it, and that will contribute to your lack of stamina. Make sure you are taking a multi-vite and a B-complex too help you along too. Best, Lanakila

I know that it might sound silly...but I had no change this week and I'm actually happy about it! I went to an excellent cocktail party last weekend, and my birthday was yesterday, and I managed to not gain. I guess it helped that I talked, and talked, and talked, and talked at the cocktail party. It is a group for couples without children (by choice), so everyone was actually there with the intention of meeting new people. So fun! It was a potluck, so there were lots of temptations, but it's hard to carry on a good conversation while balancing a loaded plate and a glass of wine. I skipped the plate but the wine...well....:tt2: Lanakila

No change...but no gain! :tt2:

Amy Sweetie, I'm right in here with you. I was banded on the 28th and am still swapping the same 2 lbs back and forth! I'll admit that I'm hugely frustrated. :biggrin: I've had 5 fills and they weren't little. I knew that it wouldn't be like I had a bypass but, sheesh, you know? Today is my 40th birthday. I could throw myself an "over the hill" pity party but instead I am celebrating. I figure that I'm 20# lighter than I have been in years, and that by my 41st I will have permanently said goodbye to even more lbs. Let's keep our chins up. It looks like there are a bunch of us in the same boat. I've stayed away from posting mostly because I didn't want people to look at my pitiful ticker! Now I know that I'm not alone and that we'll be here for each other. Look at all of the wonderful band-buddies who have been brave enough to come out to support you! :thumbup: Lanakila

I didn't have a pre-op diet other than the typical fast before general anesthesia.

One down, 9 to go! I get another fill tomorrow...so Cupid here I come :tongue2:

I'm down 1 this week. Fifth fill on Monday....

I've slacked off posting on these weigh-ins because I quit losing. Time to start over! I'm at 268 today, and I've signed on to the V-day challenge with my goal of losing 10 by then. Lanakila

Like Sarah said...welcome to the party...where everyone brings their own band. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OK, it's midnight. Lanakila

Hang in there Heather...and keep coming back here alot! I totally agree that you need to kick the bagel for Breakfast. Those carbs just don't stick with you and keep your blood sugar all whacked out. This catches up with you later in the day. Not only do you want to eat out of habit...you are absolutely starving too. I sure sympathize with you on that one! My problem is stopping for something "quick" on the way home. :tongue2: I've decided that most Cereal bars and oats just don't provide enough staying power for me, even though they are useful for fibre. I've recently started eating SoyJoy bars. They have 4 grams of Protein and 3 of fibre, so they are far more filling than the other bars I used to eat. I also like the FiberOne bars. I love the idea of the 5-day plan. It looks like my post-op with just one day for each week. I think I'll give it a try and see if I can't get back to working on my head hunger! We'll work on this together, k? Lanakila

If you are having one of those Monday's where the weekend is showing up on the scale...either not moving, or going the wrong way...here's a story that will help you get over the frowns. http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/weird/Trucking_Duck_All__National_.html Lanakila

I LOVE roller coasters, but had to lay off of them when I got too big for the bars to close. I like to ride wooden coasters. Soooo embarassing when they have to stand on the bar to get it to close...and even then you have no blood going to your toes and have bruises on your thighs for a week. Kinda sucks all of the fun out of the thrill ride. :tongue2: With the great progress that you've made, I'm really encouraged to get down to where I can ride again! Lanakila

Ok, since you said it like that I'm in for 10#. I get my FIFTH fill in a week so, hopefully, something will start moving. At least I didn't gain over the holidays!

I don't know if he does fills for patients he didn't do surgery for, but I would think he would. He does not do his fills under flouro. It may be because where he puts the port is very consistent and very easy to locate, so he doesn't have to. I dunno. Lanakila

I'm with you Lisa! I just got my FOURTH fill yesterday and the record shows that I've lost just under 20#. I'm not whining though. That's 20# less than I've weighed in years. Clothes that I used to "make" fit are now fitting the way they should. I need to get my butt moving MORE and, hopefully, I'll get some restriction this time to help me along the journey. We'll hang tough and keep trying. It took a long time to get this way, and I need to keep reminding myself that this is the "right" way to lose.

I'm right with you! I've had 3 fills, with the first two not providing squat as far as restriction. This last fill helped some though, since I do get that pain if I push it and "negative feedback" if I don't quit after that. If I could have stuck with a diet before, I wouldn't have needed the band. Now that I am starting to get that "mechanical willpower", I actually feel hope that this will work for me. My belief in the system was starting to flag after my 2nd fill. I'm excited again! I also joined the New Years Challenge, so look out! :smile2: Lanakila