USAGoosie

Start 281 New Year 269 Loss 12 lbs - met my goal! Congrats to everyone! :biggrin: :tongue: :confused:

Start 281 - current 271 - 2lbs to go to the New Year Challenge Goal. I had a new treadmill delivered up here in the beautiful mountains with several feet of snow on the ground and am on vacation this week - so my goal is to get 5 miles per day of walking and exceed the remaining 2 lbs. Good luck to everyone and keep up the good work! :hurray:

Challenge start = 281 Current 273.8 Challenge Loss to date = 7.2 Keep up the good work everyone!:confused_smile:

Nov 30 weigh-in - down 4 lbs this week - I walked by behind off over Thanksgiving - even in between cooking dinner! USAGoosie Start 281 11/30 277 Diff 4 lbs Goal 269 (may need to adjust this!) :cursing: :blushing:

Sounds good! Don't become couch potatoes over the Thanksgiving Holiday - get out there and be active! My goal is to hit 12,000 steps at least 1 day during the 4-day weekend - which for me is major with bad knees and back. I'm going to give it the old college try though! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I am game too - I've been losing 2-3 lbs a week for the past 3 weeks but I doubt that continues. I do get a fill on Monday but with my weightloss I'm not sure they will add anything. Goosie === Current 281 === Goal 269 === 12 lbs Good luck to everyone! :rolleyes2: :tongue2:

Our company joined VirginHealthMiles.com where you get paid for getting healthy. They provide a pedometer and it was very enlightening to see how much I wasn't walking - only about 2000 steps per day. Now I try to get 7000 steps working toward 10,000 steps per day and I've already earned a $25 gift card to just about anywhere. When I get to my next level I get $125. I can earn up to $525 a year.The pedometer is definately an incentive - if I'm around 6000 steps for the day I find myself out walking more to get to 7000 where I get a lot more points for the day. I try to do the treadmill for 30 minutes about 4 times a week. I'm limited because of very bad knees and a painful back - but once I started this I started losing 3 lbs a week. Try a pedometer and wear it all day - try to beat your steps from the prior day! Good luck to everyone - I hit 45lbs this week and hoping for 55lbs by Christmas. :rolleyes2: :tongue2:

So far I'm pretty happy with Dr. Leport's office and Dr. Francis. I'm still getting bills from lab work and others that were paid through SmartDimensions but the office is trying to take care of it. The office staff is amazing and always happy to see you - answering all your questions. Dr. Francis is also very patient in answering your questions. My first fill was amazing - felt nothing and she hit the port first time. I go back in a few weeks for my 2nd fill - but I've been losing 2lbs per week at 3cc so I'm not sure they will want to do one yet. I think they have a very solid program and support groups - good luck.

I gave up coffee and soft drinks as part of my pre-op diet and don't miss either one. I believe I am not hungry as much because of eliminating it. Also I used to take anti-inflamatories for my knees and I think eliminating the two drinks helped with the inflamation in my knees and I have not gone back on the meds. It's been 3 months since I gave it up. I tried a cup of decaf the other day and confirmed I can leave it - no desires at all for either one. Crystal Light Lemonade is my staple drink.

I used Dr. Francis out of Dr. LaPort's Office (SmartDimensions in Fountain Valley). It was a flat rate for everything including the hospital stay. Somewhere around $15,000 but includes a year of follow up and fills. It's a good group - remember you get what you pay for too. I looked all over before I picked them.

I've only had one fill - but the list of no-no's for me so far (causes me to lose my lunch so to say): Brocolli - every time I get the golf ball feeling no matter how much I chew Garlic Bread - too doughy - won't digest chicken skin - doesn't break down Cole Slaw - sometimes a problem - depending (may be what I ate with it) Some chocolate - but I eat very little so I don't know if it was the brand or the chocolate. Skinless chicken even if it has batter doesn't cause me any problems, nor does fish. Tuna fish is easy too but have to be careful with crackers and eating too fast. My goal is to not get sick this week! I have my 2nd fill Nov 24th. Good luck and keep losing.

At 3 weeks I was still very swollen and I doubt a fill would have been a good thing - but everyone is different and every doctor is different. My doctor says mininum of 6 weeks between fills. I've had my first fill of 3cc and seriously doubt I will get another fill in November because I have great restriction - but again everyone is different. Good luck to you - if you are losing weight nothing says you can't push off the appt a few more weeks.:eek:

I was banded on Friday - not nearly as bad as I had anticipated but having a few problems today. I have a lot of neck pain - like a very stiff neck - some folks says it's the gas. I thought I escaped the gas problem in the shoulders but ended up getting it higher. It was really bad on Saturday and minor today. I also experienced pain after taking a 1/3 of a pill - like I was stopped up. Again folks said it is just that full feeling. It went away in about 20 minutes. I guess this is normal? I'm fighting congestion - not using my machine enough so my bad. I am going to start trying to walk more today. The only time I can sleep is after taking the liquid vicodin. I took a shower today and haven't put the corset back on - not sure if it helps or not, but it's not as itchy without it. I guess I should put it off if I do any walking? My PA said the opening is only 1.2 CM or 1/2 inch which is alot smaller than I thought it would be without any fills - I can't imagine how small it will be with fills. I feel right now like I am 20 lbs heavier because of all the bloating but my weight only went up 2 lbs and that's without taking a Water pills. Any suggestions or confirmations would be appreciated. I'm pretty excited but scared at the same time. I'm currently taking 8 pills a day and hoping to drop them as soon as I can - which my GP says is definitely going to happen. I noticed that after 2 weeks off of my anti-inflamitory I am doing ok in that area - which really surprises me. Unless it gets bad I'm not going back on that one because of the damage it causes. Woohoo! The beginning of the rest of my life which hopefully will be longer than it would have been prior to Friday! Good luck to all of the other August All-Stars!

7 weeks out - how are all the Aug 22nd folks doing? I got my first fill last Thursday - 3cc and have great restriction. It was a piece of cake - the doctor got the numbing done with one shot and one poke for the saline. 3-4 oz of chicken breast is max - I'm never hungry.:biggrin: Hope everyone is doing well - post here and let us know how you are doing.

It would be hard for me to stay with anyone who treated me like that - thick or thin.:biggrin: Maybe the true personality is coming out - whatever happened to the vows? If his dad is like that it sounds like maybe he needs to see a psychologist and work out his issues. You should work on your weight - which will help your depression (it did for me) and move on with your life. I know someone who spent 30 miserable years that way and the husband came in one day and said he wanted out. Best thing that ever happened to her. She met someone months later who treats her like a queen. Good luck to you!

I just had my first fill this morning - 3cc. The doctor said that was agressive and the next one is usually 1.5cc bringing it to 4.5cc. I have to say at lunch with my CIB - I feel totally full and it took me awhile to get 12 oz down - so I hope the feeling continues! She said the opening right now is about 6cc so about 1/2 width of your thumbnail and would be about 1/2 that after the 2nd fill. I am curious how people say they are at 11cc in a 10cc band? Good luck to everyone!

I was self-pay but I filled my pain medicine on my insurance - no reason not to. That is the only prescription I needed - and have already dropped 4 prescriptions after 4 weeks post-op.:thumbup:

Hi all you Aug 22nd'ers! How is everyone doing. Today is our 1 week anniversary to the start of our new life? I ended up taking the entire week off - getting lazy and I always push myself too hard so decided I earned it. I've lost 6 lbs this week. I know I am not getting enough liquids but it's been hard. The only pain I have now is the one incision where the port is. The corset they gave me helps give my stomach support but it itches after awhile (which reminds me I'm not wearing it now - oops). I had a gross-out last night in that my tongue was caked in white. I think it's all the CIB and Boost - was gross. I also am not sure how much is from the post-nasal drip that I've developed and it is horrible in gagging me. (sorry to gross you all out). It will be nice to have 4 days before I have to start working - mushies start tomorrow - woohoo! I can't wait for a scrambled or poached egg! Let us know how each of you are doing - hang in there - each day gets better and better!

After the dietary classes I would think it would be hard to travel so soon because you are basically needing to eat or drink a measured amount every 90 minutes - at least that's what my dr does. I ended up scheduling 4 weeks of remote work so I didn't have to travel. She also said it is very important to not lift anything for the month because you could get a hernia at one of your incisions. Be careful!

I have my surgery on Friday and have been doing liquids for several weeks - with a modified plan of 3 liquids and one meal of chicken breast/vegetables - until this week. One thing I did 5 weeks ago was go ahead and stop caffine and sodas and I'm nowhere as hungry as before - caffine makes you hungry. I think it's true. When I had my psych session - she stressed the importance of family/friend support. I've only told a few people but it's not something you can hide and my family totally supports it. Better to get it out now than to deal with the rumors later. Be frank with your Mom and tell her how important her support is to you. Good luck to you!

I figured this out 30 years ago and when I see people on the street or a plane who have hiccups I tell them how to get rid of them and they are gone within 15 seconds. The mistake most people make is taking a deep breath and holding it. You need to do the opposite - blow out ALL your air and swallow as many times as you can in a row. If you need to sip a little Water to swallow that's fine. Guaranteed gone in 15 seconds. I think it restricts the throat and that's why it works so well. Let me know if it works for you! :cool2:

I just got my instructions yesterday and my Doctor says clear liquid diet the day before surgery plus 2 ounces of Milk of Magnesia around noon. I can't imagine them saying you can have a regular dinner the evening before surgery - it's amazing how they all differ.

USAGoosie - surgery date Aug 22nd!

I got my date for surgery - Aug 22nd - woohoo! They have consolidated all my appointments and tests into 3 days because I'm out of town for 4 weeks. I'm excited!:w00t::cursing::eek: