riley4183

OMG Tina you have me totally busting up! I LOVE the idea of wearing the measuring tape like a belt, then going, "oh gee, I wonder what this is for!' Since I am always the wacko one there, be nice to have some other zanies around there!! LOL, keep em coming laughter burns lots of calories! :-) I can't go tomorrow, Tuesdays are Board of Supervisors & I am usually presenting so they are pretty much out . . . the Tuesday I got there a few weeks ago was great tho, you guys are SO much fun!!! They measured us at the beginning & end of our 14-week class in Santa Rosa, I lost 5 freakin' inches off my waist in the time! Nothing so dramatic since, dagnab it . . . . Rosey ol' pal, good to hear from you!! Wish I had made the meeting you had, dagnab it again . . .I want to meet you! As I was hiking up hills Saturday, giving thanks that my body is working the way He intended for it to again, it occured to me that this whole time that I was thinking He had let me down with this body, in fact the whole time, it was I letting Him down by not doing what I needed to do to keep my body healthy . . . lots of factors in that, of course . . .and how blessed I am to have this band, as it has allowed me to come back to health and realize it, and . . . . anyways as I was walking, I thought I had to tell you that! So there you have it

Tina, I hear ya. . . I find myself looking in large peoples' carts now, am I becoming judgmental?? Elitist?? I feel badly but I can't seem to help it!

Hi Candra ~ keep telling yourself this is the LAST time, because it is! Every 5 lbs. you lose is 5 lbs. gone forever, because after the pre-op weight loss you never have to do it "alone" again! You will always have your little personal "trainer" (your band) reminding you to not eat too much, eat slowly, chew carfeully, and stop when you first get full. How cool is THAT?!? So this IS the last time! Riley

Nicole, just read yoiur blog entry - you girls are so clever to be able to figure all this stuff out! - and I winder, I was told (don't remember by whom) that it is a 10 ml. band but holds 14 cc? Does that sound familiar to anyone? I know that they come in 2 sizes now, but I remain confused . . . .and who are the austrilians?

Afternoon ladies . . . . Reggie, I had sharp pain in my shoulders (both) for a few days after surgery, us. in the evening, that was like the only place I had gas pains after I got out of post-op. But I continued to have bad pain in my right shoulder - and it turns out it is a pinched nerve, it is related to the rapid weight loss: the 'girls' are just now beginning to shrink, they are not well-supported -I'm 47 & nursed 3 babies, plus rode horses for years, so they don't exactly have a pleasing shape LOL - and my neck & shoulder apparently suffer from their weight in front. I am so glad they are shrinking now! Anyway my PCP has given me a bunch of exercises to do for it, and Flexeril for the pain when it makes my shoulder muscles cramp up suddenly. I struggle with it every day. He wants to give me cortisone injections but I'm just not ready for that. I hope your pains are jst gas, with no lasting effects! Restriction from my fill Friday did not last long, the "funnelling" was only the first day. But I am full on 1/2 cup again, hallelujah! I think the "sweet spot" will always be elusive for me, I will hit it right after a fill for 2 weeks that be out of it again until my next fill. Thank goodness there is a lot of room in my band, I only have 50 lbs. left to lose and can still fit quite a few cc's in the band! Oh the tofu noodles with the laughing cow light wedge and smoked turkey was SOOOOOO good! My mom used to make turkey tetrazini (sp?) and it tasted just like that, very comforting and VERY fiiling! Too stuffed to go walk right now tho, LOL! I love it

Good morning ladies! Nicole, that is totally awesome news! I know that whole thing was weighing heavy on your mind, but you were you and Mike was proud and you got complimented on how great you look! WOOT! It's not just skinnier either, girls we are HEALTHIER in all ways, and it shows! Peeling/painful nails, uhm yeah, after a year of acrylics your real nails would be really thin, and painful! I have them taken off every couple of years and it takes them 3-4 months to grow out & by healthy again, I actually had a hole right through my real nail from where they cut off the fake . . it hurt SO bad . . . but do you think I would learn, and just grow my own nails?? Oh hells no, I got acrylics again as soon after surgery as I could drive down to the spa! It's my only girly-girl thing Scale is moving again, I am full of good cheer and loving my band this morning! Wish I felt this way every time O got on the scale, LOL but I don't. Out for my walk so I can get back in time to do laundry while I watch the rescheduled NASCAR race! :laugh:TTFN

I totally get what you mean about being scared to eat "normal" foods, I told Robin I wanted to wait because I didn't want to be able to just "grab something" - that I was scared of real food LOL, I needed my little containers of puree she let me wait a few days but pretty much talked me through it, I wish I had listened to her better and kept bringing my food in the little containers, before this last fill I was eating 2 cups at a time NO PROBLEM and I was really scared that i had stretched my pouch! When I met with her on friday I told her how worried i was about my volume eating having come right back, it was always my problem before and it looked like it still was, she kept telling me I needed a fill and then I got it and OH so much BETTER! I eat 1/2 cup now and am perfectly happy :w00t: Oh and I had not stretched my pouch I think everyone has to see Robin before 2nd fill, I know Tina did before 1st fill but she's special :thumbup: she's vegetarian & that's Robin's specialty! You can call and leave her a message anytime & she will call you back, I find it very helpfull to meet with her :thumbup: I love these little smiley guys they're fun Adult ADD here can you tell?!? Have a great evening all! I did 12 miles today, I SO love that my body is working like it's supposed to again! OH yeah, constipation, very common and a big problem for me, I have to have no cheese, benefiber (which makes me gassy), fiber one cereal (which robin cut out) and salads WAY before I was supposed to. Also that new oceanspray diet cranberry-pomogranate juice, a whole bottle a day! 5 cals per serving so that's all good. And a lot of water, decaf coffee, hot water to drink in the AM and LOTS and LOTS of walking, it "motivates" me if you know what i mean! I hope that helps, goodnight! :sad: Riley

I seriously doubt that he reads our posts, probably too busy . . . still . . . . it's pretty easy to search bt his name on here and find 900 posts!! LOL, what can we say he's the lap-band king. So I take it that at your support group meeting there was someone who had only lost 30 lbs 3 years out and thought it was NORMAL?? And a Kaiser patient no less?? Maybe she had a band with no preparation somewhere else, then got Kaiser later??? I have never heard of anyone in the Kaiser program being that unsuccessful . . . but then, Kaiser does not get to chose who becomes their patients. I have heard of plenty of folks who are disappointed in their bands because the band did not "make them" lose weight, and so then they want bypass or whatever. I have no patience for people who expect the band to do all the work, personally. Those people are driving down the stats! Of course plenty of people just see an ad for it, go to mexico or whatever to get it without any education, and then expect to just lose with the same lifestyle. We know better! YAY to us, congrats for making good choices & coming on here to get even more educated than Kaiser already makes us! SO you girls with fills on June 25th, do you all see Robin that day too? It sounded like a sort of group-teach like we did at pre-op. Does anyone know howlong it will take? He said to come at 9:30 no matter what my card says. I feel like I need more info so I know if I have to take the whole day off, etc.

oh yum, spaghetti squash is SO good . . . . . I make a sauce with Trader Joe's pomodoro sauce (lowest in carbs, and YUMMY), sauted onions and smashed kidney beans, serve it over spaghetti squash and YUM-O it is so good!!! OK, while we are on pasta, I have to ask: has anyone tried those spaghetti-shaped tofu noodeles? They are called Shiritaki, at Safeway they are in the produce section by the tofu, and they do NOT taste like tofu! You have to rinse them really really well because they smell like fish when you open the package. 2 servings per pkg, each serving 20 calories and 1 net carb!!! So what if you "blow it" and eat the whole package?? 40 calories, big deal! For lunch today I had 1/2 cup of them with 1 laughing cow light green onion flavored wedge and 1 tsp of brumell & brown spread melted and mixed in with it, it was totally like stroganoff and less than 100 calories, yumo yumo! OK I have to stop typing about food, now i am getting hungry again!!

I had pokey stiches too, Dr. Baggs says cut 'em off with nail clippers - carefully of course! and that if you rub antibiotic ointment on them it will soften them up, then they won't grab your shirt & pull & hurt & such.

Nicole that's FABulous!! I love to hear that you are in love with your band :w00t: I think that's how we are supposed to feel! Full and happy, but on very little! So what does "full" feel like to you? Different from before I know, but 'where' do you feel it? Christine, I think that watching the videos is SO helpful to people considering having lap-band! It totally would have helped me when I was not sure I wanted surgery yet (I knew I didn't want RNY tho, LOL) to see what went on, esp. at a Kaiser facility. I had seen some other fill vids on YouTube but they were from back east or mexico, and I just had no idea if that was going to be what I was facing. And I always wondered "what else?" so I would totally encourage you to post what you have! I don't think Dr. B would mind at all, you could always email him & ask if he wants to see the rest of his show! Reggie, how are you doing this morning girl?? I'm praying for you to hit that "good!" point :wink2: SO girls. Is anyone else considering plastic surgery? I am thinking that I am going to need a pannelectomy in another year . . . I have this HUGE blob of skin that hangs way down in front, it's getting closer to me knees every day! With 3 c-sections, there is no way that I could ever "tone" that away, and it's really in my way. I am putting $250 a month extra in my county retirement plan so I can borrow it out again (like pre-tax savings) if and when i do it, but have not started exploring yet. Ideas??

Thanks for making me feel better about it, Tina! Fortunately he was a good sport about the whole shiny head thing! I was SO embarrassed, but it just slipped out! Then i got the giggles so bad & couldn't . stop . . . oh well maybe he'll forget! I am SO loving not being hungry again! Little bit is keeping me full 4 or 5 hours, horay! My band is working for me again. Did a nice 7 mile hike today while still on liquids only, would have gone farther but was afraid I might crash since I hadn't eaten for like 30+ hours, but I seemed to do fine! Feels good to love my band again :wink2:

Christine, your fill video is SO GREAT! So is your whole page :-) I pasted the link to the fill video over on the "fills" forum, one gal just posted so thanks to you! OK so here is the best part about my fill yesterday, I asked Dr. Baggs if he had gone on you tube and seen the fill video, he was like oh no way, I am not on you tube, and I am like oh yes, you can't see your face or anything, just your shiny head when it gets in the way of the camera, and he is like, I want to see it! Here get on line right here and show me, he was so excited about it! I told him you had a whole page and he was like blown away. So I lay back for the fill, and as he does the local he starts laughing and he goes, wait, "shiny head?!" and that got me to laughing too, then I couldn't stop I was SO embarrassed that I had said that! I was giggling so hard that he had to wait for me to stop because my port was popping around all over the place, he was like oh man, I really do have the best patients. Then he says "shiny head?!?" all indignant again as I finish sipping my water, I'm like sorry doc, and he's like, no I'm sorry that my head got in the way! He acted excited like a little kid, I think he likes being a movie star! I told him he could probably google it and find it, but he looked sorta doubtful so I emailed him your link and he said thanks and he wants to show it to the Pinole gal that was helping him out that day. I think he's real happy that we are all friends, he did not even give me that choice about coming to Pinole, he's just like, oh you'll like it :wink2: For sure we all are his superstars! So I have to say, my fill was totally fun yesterday! Got to go potty again, jeez it feels like my bladder is going to swim away. You guys, after your fills, did you go straight back to "real" food after 24 hrs of clear liquid, or did you phase it back in?

Ok I'm back, had to come home & plug in my laptop :w00t: So Tina! yes my appointment with Robin was great, lasted like 40 minutes & we talked at length about my transitioning back to vegetarianism. It has been 6 months back on meat for me and I am actually eating beef now - which I never thought I'd do again. Never gonna gnaw a bone tho! Anyways she was totally empathetic and she was all about me settling in to an eating plan that I am comfortable with and can live with for the rest of my life!! Very supportive of starting my transition back now. She wants me to add beans back in, and especially lentils since they are lower in carbs. Plus boca burgers, etc. and we both sat there mourning the fact that those great vegie ribs have 35 grams of sugar!! We spent a long time on the soy question - I have asked her several times if there is such as thing as too much soy, and have never really gotten an answer out of her before, this time she said that I needed to be careful if I had a family history of estrogen-related cancers, but I am adopted and so I have no idea! I finally asked her how SHE gets her protein, and she smiled and said she eats tofu every day. She spent a lot of time exploring non-soy, non-meat protein options for me, but it is tough because I have wheat sensitivity (so no seitan) and whey sensitivity too! She's still thinking on it :wink2: but basically she was 100% supportive. I am getting WAY more protein than I need eating meat - like 90-120 grams a day - and she reminded me that the body stores excess protein as fat & I could pretty much cut my protein in half and be fine. And I had only lost 12 lbs. since my last fill, but instead of busting my chops about it, she just said "how do you feel about your weight loss?" I told her that I HAD no weight loss to speak of for the last few weeks, but overall I felt really great about it. She commented several times that things would be a lot better when I got some more fluid in my band, and they are. I had 1/2 cup of pureed gumbo soup for lunch today and I actually felt full, SO happy to have some restriction!! I hope it lasts for more than a week this time :eek:

Reggie welcome back, you bandster you! It gets better every single day, I promise! Applesauce never did sit well with me, I pureed a lot of soups and ate them warm . . . spicy seemed to actually settle my stomach, so I lived on pureed hot & spicy soup from the Chinese place around the corner . . .that and homemade split pea, made it in the crock pot with pureed ham, the kids ate theirs from the pot and I pureed mine further with soy milk & extra firm tofu to bump up the protein. Keep walking, get that gas OUTTA there!!! Nicole you go! Good GOD woman, you are at 70 lbs. lost!!! And I love your idea for kicking the snacking. Robin did bust me for snacking a bit, but that's OK - I was very honest about what I was eating and she was too! Tina he knows we all know each other because I told him! oops gott go my battery just ran out

YAY I am happy happy right now, here is why! 1) When I went in for meeting with Robin today, it was great! She was SHOCKED by the sheer volume of what I was eating, but reassured me that I was NOT stretching my pouch, it was just because I did not have enough restriction yet and the food was slipping right through. Very little wrong with WHAT I am eating, just with how much . . .she did cut out my soy slender and my protein bars, but I knew that was comin'! 2) I got a full 1 cc at my fill with Dr. Baggs today, I think Robin told him a REALLY needed it! And he is not going to make me wait until the early August appt. in Richmond that they had set up for me for the next fill, he said if I wanted I could come to his new "group fill" in Pinole on the 25th of June! I asked him who was going to be there and he said he could't tell me (with a great big grin) but I could ask my friends! So YAY girls, Christine I know you have a fill that day too! Anybody else?? 3) I THINK I HAVE RESTRICTION! Goodness I can feel water going down - it's doing the funnel thing! I have never had that before K will type later! Very excited to be back on track :thumbup:

OH I found it thank you Christine! I blew right past it before, just saw the one that she was out. Reggie you poor baby! Day 2 is hardest, I promise. . . . . walk sip sleep walk sip sleep!!

YAY!!! Yay yay yay Christine, that is SO awesome!!! WOOT, WOOT!!! :smile2::w00t: Sounds like you are WORKIN that band girl!!! Good for you, gettin' your excercise on! And ENERGY, isn't that absolutely the BEST PART!!! I love the energy :thumbup: I sure hope I get full on that amount after my fill tomorrow! Heard any more from Reggie??

OK, here is my friend Christine's first fill, this is at Kaiser Richmond with Dr. Baggs. Her mom shot it, isn't that cool!??!They do a little anesthetic local first, then pull out the big guns . . I have the same surgeon, and he has an easier time getting to my port than he does to Christine's in this video . . . .

Yay reggie! Focus on how HAPPY you will be when it is over!!!

My port is in a way different place, it is way up high and directly below the middle of my ribcage, 2 or 3 ribs to the left of my strenum. It hurt to slouch for a long time! I guess it is easier to find there. No, fills do not hurt in the least. My doc uses a local and I can sorta feel that, but I definately do not feel the fill needle. My friend just posted her first fill video on you tube if you want to watch it let me know and I'll send you the link . . .I don't want you to let it scare you, though! It looks MUCH worse than it is :redface: I have 5 incision including the port, the port is about 1.5", I have 3 about .5" scars and a little teeny 1/4" scar that I can hardly find anymore. They are flat and still red but will fade to white. Riley

Oh! Well I would let it go, too, then. It just sure makes it hard on you guys! OK changing prayer for Mike to get a good job soon! :-)

OMG Nicole I am so sorry! Can your parents do anything with the new federal programs to reset their payment before foreclosure takes place? Yikes. Praying for you!! :redface: