momcof3

Candra - I was a serious Diet Coke drinker. I tried to cut down on my Diet Coke during the 1200 cal pre-op diet, but I didn't give it up until my surgery. I actually had a 44 oz Diet Coke the day before my surgery. I went through the caffeine withdrawal after my surgery while I was taking Lortab so I didn't notice the headaches etc. I have not had any soda or caffeine at all since Aug 26 and I don't miss it. I occasionally associate certain events with wanting a Diet Coke (like my kids' track practice), but that doesn't happen very often. I know they say we can have some caffeine, but I figure if I haven't had any since Aug 08, why go back now? I sleep better without out. Hang in there.

My first fill was Oct 08 at 6 wks post-op, the second fill was Jan 09, and I have an appt June 25 - I assume I can get a fill then. My program has set intervals for appointments so we can't just go get a fill. We meet with the dietician each time and then the surgeon who does the fills.

I had my first fill in Oct at my 6 wk appt, my 2nd fill at my next appt which was 3 mths later in Jan. At the end of my Jan appt Dr. Im said he would see me in 3-5 mths again. My appt in June is 5 mths 1 week from the last appt. I guess that is the intervals they see you. I had to have bloodwork done before my Jan appt so he could check my levels. I am not sure what happens at this next appt which will be 10 mths since my surgery - I don't have to have bloodwork - I called and checked.

It generally means when you eat your allotted amount of food each meal but because you have no restriction you are really hungry in between meals.

I got 4 cc my first fill and did not feel any restriction after the first couple of days. I got 2 cc more put in 3 mths later and felt restriction for a couple of months, but now it seems to have gone away.

Good Morning Ladies - I do think Robin needs to walk a week in our shoes. If we only eat 1/4 cup protein at each meal and nothing else we would be malnourished - in my opinion. They won't be happy with me at the end of June if 10 lbs in a month isn't enough. I am down the 2 lbs I was up last week so maybe that is a good sign. Hopefully I can lose some more before my June 25 appointment. I am not planning on bringing a food log with me. Do they really expect us to keep a food log for the 5 mths between appointments? My stomach is swirling right now - maybe the yogurt I ate for breakfast didn't agree with me. I am not really a dairy in the morning person.

It was nice to meet you Reggie and Riley- and nice to see the rest of you yesterday. Wish I could have stayed longer, but I had to pick my kids up from school. It is hard to believe it has been a year since I went to orientation in Richmond. Our little group is growing - that's a good thing. The more the merrier. I know the support helps me keep focused on this journey.

Wow - I just read 4 pages of posts to catch up with the group. I was at my daughter's track meet all day Saturday and busy with chores yesterday so I didn't get a chance to log on to the computer. I needed to come back to work today to get a rest. :frown: I am planning on being at Mimi's tomorrow at 1 pm. I will have to leave by 2:30 though to pick up my kids from school. I too need another pick me up as I am still stuck on a plateau - actually up 2 pounds which freaked me out. I do believe our bodies get used to fewer calories and the metabolism slows down to prevent us from starving. It was truly easier to lose weight pre-op on the 1200 calorie plan. I made up tuna last night and put it in my little 1/3 cup containers for lunch this week and I have switched to a low-fat yogurt and 1/4 cup edamame nuts for Breakfast starting today. I also brought some orange wedges left over from the track meet. Nicole - I think it could have been your cold that made you feel really tight. I thought I was too tight after my last fill (which brought me to 6 cc), but as long as I chew good and eat slowly I am not too tight anymore. Sometimes, it doesn't even feel like I have restriction. I too get the moody blues at least once a week where I am upset with my saggy arms and frustrated with how slow the weight is coming off. I have decided if it takes me another year to lose the 30-35 lbs I would like to lose, so be it. See you tomorrow at Mimi's

The binder says 1/4 - 1/3 cup so I would go to 1/3 cup. Sorry to tell you that you will feel hungry - that is what is called bandster hell. Have a sugar free popsicle. I ate kind of runny cream of wheat in stage 2 as it seemed to stick with me a little longer.

I agree. Whichever WLS one has, there are more issues involved besides food. I for one was/am an emotional eater. That is one of the issues I still struggle with even after lapband surgery. I am now 8 months post op and the newness has worn off and the weight loss has slowed down. I have to talk to myself mentally all the time to stick to my band rules. I don't eat too much, but sometimes I eat the wrong things. You can't really eat too much at one sitting once you have some restriction as it will come back up, but you can eat around your band. I don't think any type of weight loss surgery is a final fix. We will always have to pay attention to what we are doing food wise in order not to gain the weight back, but I think I have adjusted my view on food and changed my eating habits enough to make it all easier. I currently have 6 cc in my 10 cc band and am interested to see how I feel after my appointment on June 25 if I get another fill. Keep up the good work everyone. Let's not argue which surgery is better - it is all a personal choice and we can support each other regardless.

Good Morning Ladies - I received two appointment reminders in the mail yesterday from Kaiser Richmond - I have two appointments on June 25 - 2:30 with Robin and 3:30 with Dr. Im. That will be five months since my last appointment on Jan 16. I am going to call them today to see if I need to get blood work before then and if I can switch to appointments earlier in the day - don't want to drive home from there during the afternoon commute. Hopefully I can lose a few pounds before then. I am home sick today with a headache and seriously sore throat - was at work yesterday feeling the same and decided I needed to rest. Great picture of us if I say so myself - we all look so happy.

Thanks for the update on Candy - I was thinking about her this morning. Pam

My B12 was lower than my surgeon wanted on my first post op lab work and he advised me to buy the sublingual B12 tabs that dissolve under your tongue. Was yours really low and that's why he prescribed the shots?

I saw them at Costco yesterday, but I think I will try a smaller pack before buying the Costco size pack.

Yes, I will be at Mimi's today.

I have not been reading posts regularly - are you guys meeting up this Thursday April 30 at 12:00 at the Mimi's in Natomas (next to the BJs)? I am going to try to make it - I need to check with my boss. I might be a couple of minutes late so save me a seat.

Congratulations Christine! Glad to hear Riley and Nicole are doing good too. Boy pretty soon everyone will be banded. I finally hit the 70 lbs lost last week (since orientation). Next month will be a year since I started this journey - wow where did time go? Let me know if you are going to meet.

I had a complete hysterectomy Mar 08 and then had my lapband surgery Aug 08. I am also taking 1 mg of Estradiol daily and have also wondered if that is causing me to lose so slowly - I also take 20 mg of Fluoxetine (generic Prozac) daily and wonder if both of them can cause slow weight loss or even weight gain. I would like to wean myself off of both of them, but am not sure I should.

Good Luck on your surgery tomorrow Nicole - it will be over before you know it. On my surgery day, my nurse told me to go weigh myself on the scale outside the bathroom - it was an old fashioned kind where you move the weights - I didn't know how to use it so I had to have him do it. I guess he would have written down whatever weight I told him.

I would wear your heaviest shoes too and drink a lot of water and eat good before your class. I weigh 3 lbs more at Kaiser even with my lightest clothes on and my shoes off than I do naked at home. Good Luck.

I haven't posted on weigh in day for a few weeks. I was up and down 1-2 lbs during that period of time. Last Friday - 217 Today 3/27 - 215 down 2 lbs - finally

Glad to hear you are doing well Riley. Most of my struggles lately are not with actually being hungry in between meals, but the head hunger and just wanting something. I actually dropped 2 lbs this week - my first loss in over a month. I actually went up a couple of pounds and then down before dropping one more pound on Thursday and one this morning. So I have finally lost 70 lbs - 40 of it since my surgery on 8/26. I have about 35-40 more pounds I would like to lose, but I will work on getting under 200 first. Hope to see some of you tomorrow at the support meeting.

That's great you lost 4 lbs while on vacation. Are any of you going to the support group meeting this Saturday March 28 at the Kaiser by Cal Expo (Point West)? It is from 11-1 pm. I am planning on being there. I have been struggling with burnout and food boredom. I have had a few incidents where food came back up and I haven't been losing weight either. I called Richmond and they called me back this morning as I was wondering if my band is too tight. My surgeon Dr. Im is out until the 30th so I couldn't send him an e-mail. The scale was down 2 lbs this am - which is one I gained and another one. After talking to a nurse in Richmond I decided to wait awhile longer to see if it gets better. They offered me an appt with Dr. Im on the 1st of April, but I am not sure I want any taken out yet.

I don't think mine has actually moved, but it is definitely more prominent and hard as a rock - I have lost 68 lbs. What is the name of the little town near Stuttgart you live in? I spent a summer in Tubigen while in college at language school before going up to Heidelberg for school.

I'm glad to hear you are feeling better Riley.