riley4183

That is SUCH a good question!! And for me, the answer has changed as I have gone through stages - I constantly have to re-learn what "full" means. I will tell you the stages I've gone through so far. But first, let me say that "full" like after-Thanksgiving, ugh I ate too much full, is NOT the objective - ever again. We got hooked on that feeling, but we need to get over it! We're not after that kind of "full" anymore - sorry. On full liquids - I used a baby spoon and ate 2-3 bites, stopped and waited 5 minutes, ate 2 bites more and waited - until I kinda got a "weird" feeling, not hurt not pain just kind of - pressure, in the stomach not the throat. On mushies, at first I got "full" in my stomach - on 2 tablespoons. This is the stage when the really deep burps started when I had eaten enough - they start down in my knees and rumble on up through, very low and slow and . . .satisfied! It actually feels good, but it's REALLY rude to anyone around you, LOL. I was eating more like a cup to get full when I went to solids. That was TOTALLY different! I would get "full" in my POUCH, not my stomach - and I hated it! I wanted to be full in my stomach, NOT in my stupid throat!! I got really down about the whole thing during this time, whined a LOT to my support group. Then slowly, as I started getting fills, the "full" feeling did transfer back to my stomach - I only feel it in my throat (pouch) right after I eat, then feel full in my stomach for hours. And I still do the long low burp thing! So it changes - a lot - it's important to go slow and LISTEN to your body. Feel something weird? Stop and wait for that feeling to develop - or go away. Stuff is different with a band! You'll know - if you overeat one time (we ALL do it one time), you will really hurt and you wont be eager to do it again! Good luck!

OK I way need a better pic for my avatar now - have lost a size since the one that's up there now! And we need goup pics of our activity meetings :-)

Heather - 46! OMG! I am so proud of you!!!! You are totally rockin it! Dr. Fisher probably knew that you would respond to a challenge head-on like this :-) Tina if you call Kelly for an unfill appt., tell her you have to come in next Friday with me cause Dr. Baggs needs to take it OUT of your band and put it IN my band! We can do a (very small) group vegetarian nutrition appointment with Robin too! I will have my older son with me but he can only narc on me, he's got nothing on you LOL!!

Oh my GOSH you guys - I mean girls - if you want to read a good blog, check out Wendy's Ugh - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum This little gal (bandster from Texas) has been through EVERYthing - husband diagnosed with MS, Hurricane Ike, gallbladder surgery, a rare allergic condition brought on by her weight loss - and yet she is absolutely grateful and finds the good in people and is just full of life and . . OH! I just love her! Tina maybe we can move by her if we get laid off! Anyways - reading her blog entries just really reminded me of how fortunate we are to have our health and all that we DO have . . . we are truly blessed, even though times are really tough and unsure right now. And oh yeah Wendy also says quite a few times that she's too tight when stressed . . . we know what that's like, but this girl is dealing with some STRESS

Go for a walk then, before it gets dark! Once you have not done carbs for 4-5 days, you won't be starvin' anymore. For the few times that I was, I used (shh - don't tell Robin or Liz) those special K protein waters, they have protein + fiber so they will get rid of "starving" for long enough for you to go to sleep at night! Not supposed to use them tho because they have more than 5 calories per serving - I think they're 30. I also used Soy Slender Chocolate, which is just sugar-free lofat chocolate soy milk but it has 9 protein 4 fiber for only 70 calds and a nice warm mug of that at night REALLY did the trick for me, and still does!

Jeez look at you, you already lost 3 of them! Holy smokes girl! It took me 2.5 months; my weights are in my siggy. I can tell you that I lost nothing during the holidays, but other than that - with my wonderful 2x a week support group up here - I ROCKED that weight off! I knew it was the LAST time, and that made all the difference in the WORLD to me

My provider does a urine test for nicotine, and says that it lasts 3 days in the urine. I had no idea that there even was a blood test! It is not likely that it lasts much longer than 3 days, tho. So if it comes back positive, simply ask for them to test it again! By then you should be clear! I hope you really have quit and don'thave any problems with it - you are on the way to a whole new healthy you! (I quit 4 years ago after 10 years of a pack+ a day) I would be more worried about having all of that garbage out of your system before surgery, as it SO interfers with healing - and you don't need that! Good luck! It'll all come out fine . . . . but fast!

Probably RNY, cause he gets rid of them a lot sooner! We stick around and bug him for a long time, LOL. Seriously, when I first met with him he said he preferred educated, motivated patients, and to tell my friends! At another appointment he said he was lucky because he gets all of the best patients. I think he probably prefers lap-band for kinds like us, because we are happy and motivated and supported and educated and reasonable and successful - you know, the best patients. Other kinds he probably prefers RNY for, let's face it there's a lot less aftercare involved and weight loss is guaranteed - for the first year. If a patient is unmotivated he would probably rather not watch them fail with a band. You do have to be motivated with this tool! :juggle:

Ha! SO glad they have humor bones there. Dr. Baggs asked me which surgery (this is after he lifted my shirt, took one look and said, "you are going to have skin, we don't pay for that," LOL) I was interested in and I said I am only interested in the lap-band, he pulled one out of the pocket of his lab coat and just handed it to me, silently, I sat there like, well uhm thanks, uh . . . . could I get you to install this for me? SO. . . my restriction is perfect today, I have had no sliming or PBing, I can eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup and a time, and then I feel full down in my tummy - not up in my pouch (that weird pouch feeling of being full has slowly turned into a tummy feeling of being full again - YAY!). I can get 3 hours out of it, if I got 4 I would be happier but . . . . I don't think I'm ever going to get that on 3 meals a day. I may snack forever! Shh don't tell Robin. I am logging carefully cause I have to fax her 1 week worth of food log before my fill on the 7th! The difference? Well . . . no excercise. All total I got 2 miles in today, whereas I usually get 4 in before 6:30 am. I really think that's what drives my hunger. So either I don't get a fill and I stop excercising, or I get a small one and keep excercising?!?! Girls I know you think I am weird, but . . I GOTTA HAVE MY EXERCISE!! Do you think he will give me like just .25cc if I ask nice? If I had this level of restriction every day I would be TOTALLY in my green zone and not need any fill atall!

YAY Tamra! I am SO glad you hit it off with him . . I was worried about his weird joking giving you the heebie-jeebies! YAY! And do you know what girl, I want you to lose 32 lbs before surgery too! Even more if you can . . cause I want surgery to go easy for you. You can do it fast, we PROMISE!! Just remember, this is the LAST TIME you will ever have to lose weight without the wonderful tool that is the band. Tina OH my goodness I am so bumming watching the news . . the budget cuts . . . all the ARC houses closing across the state . . . the safe & sober houses, the halfway houses . . there willbe NOTHING left, and we will have prisons full of down's syndrome and bipolar folks who only need support services and are on the streets . . .OMG to say nothing of the poor children! Pray for our state girls, our children, our senios, our handicapped . . .cause it's going to take divine intervention. Yee gads. I want my denial back! Also just heard all CA courts are now ordered to close for the 3rd Wednesday of every month . . . so back to courts is still gonna be a pay cut Tina . . but at least you have that! We have a 10% reduction to 90% time + a 10 day unpaid furlough, I keep saying I would rather have 90% of a job than 0% . . . . OH! WHERE is my denial?!?

Tina hunny I'm getting worried - what have you heard @ work? Today I booked our tickets to Oregon (dad's girlfriend got pacemaker) on Southwest - 320 for both of us round trip, we can't drive there and stay in a hotel for that! - and I thought gee, I have not been on a SW flight since last October, just a few weeks before orientation . . . and then I had to try a bunch of seats to find one with a long enough belt, on the way back the plane was full and I had to get an extender. This time?? NO PROBLEMO! I can sit ANYwhere!!! Yay, can't wait :-)

Hi rosie!! Welcome!!!

I love shopping too! OK ladies here it is: Since the Schollengerger Park walk opens this weekend (this Friday is the ribbon-cutting, actually) in Petaluma, and we know we all want to do that one, AND since there is an Outlet Village in Petaluma - whaddayasay we make a day of it?? Walk in the late AM (or early PM if on Sunday, give folks time to get there after early service) - the walk should take us 2 hours - then shopping?? woo-wee Donna is skinny 12s!!! They are open on Sundays till 6 and till 8 or 9 the other nights Petaluma Village Premium Outlets Also there is little-shop shopping at the Petaluma Marina, and the trail goes there too! So when? I have a wedding this Saturday August 1st, we could go the 2nd on Sunday, or wait until the next weekend - if we go the following Saturday (Aug 8th) you guys will have to put up with my cranky butt on clear liquids! I will sneak in a SF soy latter and be just fine tho :-) Here is the Shollenberger wetlands walk link again Shollenberger Park Support group activity!!! We should invite Liz, even if she can't go she'll be right proud of us :biggrin:

And Tamra I know you are shy . . don't let him intimidate you! Stick up for what YOU want girl . . . you have done your research. If you feel really overwhelmed, ask for Dr. Park, she is the sweetest calmest kindest thing you have ever met!

The guy that fell asleep probably has severe sleep apnea - they fall asleep all the time - one would think she'd be used to it . . it IS pretty boring tho, LOL! Yes Tamra you absolutely can change, all you do is call and say you want to switch because you don't feel that the surgeon you met with can support you. If that even happens! I have heard him say that the lap-band is a good surgery . . . of course that statement was followed by, "but RNY is the gold standard." I know like 5 people who switched. And yes he IS very forgetful! My one friend visited him 3 times and every time he forgot what surgery he was having - can't he just look at his chart?!?! But he has been there a long long time and has excellent results so try him and see what you think! Nicole I totally agree with Pam re: Auds and the crib/security. Give her a couple nights, she will crawl in the bed again when she's ready. She gets stressed too!

Candra by jove, I think you're right!!! I haven't been to Ross (except to get stuff for the boys LOL) for ages - I think I'll try to get there this afternoon! Thanks for your encouragement :-)

Yes good point Nicole, labs can be no more than 4 weeks out from surgery

Tamra can't wait to hear what he says! Tell him you have done a lot of research and are only interested in the lap-band (if that's true of course!) And that you are already in a support group, that's a great indicator of success & he will appreciate it. I hope you think he's a good fit for you, come back on and tell us when you get done!

WOW Candra, really? I've had 2 kidney infections in my life, would not wish one on an enemy! YUCKO. My fever is gone now, still have the "intestinal troubles" but that's probably from eating wheat yesterday. Runny nose, sneezing but no coughing/chest crap yet, thank goodness! One of my very best friends from college is getting married Saturday and I CAN'T miss it. I am lucky enough to work with her so I see her almost every day, but still . . . very excited about this wedding! AND I want to feel good enough to go shopping before it, I have lost 12 lbs. since my daughter's wedding so I think I need a new dress to wear, don't you? The only one I have that fits right nowe is black with little red dots - good for work, not so much for a wedding. I can't afford it but I want it anyways! Tina what do you hear?

Good morning my beautiful ladies, who I happen to know do not hardly eat at ALL! We should do a lap-band rality show :-) I came in to the office to get that stuff done for the CAO before our meeting this afternoon, but I told him I won't be attending the meeting to infect him LOL . . going back home now, splitting headache

Yes, yes, and yes! Here are the things that make me too tight to eat w/out getting stuck! +mornings. +being upset. EVERY time. This is a good thing, as I can't stuff my face when upset anymore! +eating with other chatty people - seriously. I talk & don't pay attention. +Aunt Flo - tighter during my period & just before - same time I have PMS symptoms +Being away from home - camping, vacations, other peoples' houses. I don't know if this is because I'm "stressed" because I am out of my routine, or because I'm being too social, or ?? Also, I do not feel the full impact of a fill until 1-2 weeks after I've gotten it. I try to always have my "emergency cooler" with appropriate yogurt, string cheese, etc. If you have to resort to liquids to be able to eat, you are too tight for sure!

3 cups of lettuce today, down without a problem - no dressing, either. It was my salad from yesterday! I ate it real slow, yeah, but it all fit . . . . and I had 2 whole wheat tortillas with my dinner, I can't tolerate wheat so I am going to pay for that one! So too tight to eat one day (well, I was getting the flu) and I can eat too much today. Finicky band!