willowcat

Now that the month is almost over and it's getting down to the wire, EVERY mile and part of a mile counts! I had one day last week when I didn't ride my bike and now I'm having to factor in that day's miles into the time that's left. Yesterday and today I rode 8 miles instead of my usual 6 miles--just so I could get closer to catching up. I would NEVER have done that if it weren't for this challenge! A day missed would have been "oh well, missed a day." This challenge has really been pushing me to be my best! I'm trying to think how I can celebrate and mark this accomplishment at the end of the month--anyone have ideas/plans along the lines of celebrating?

Find something that is FUN for you and that you like to do: walking, running, dance class/dancing, rollerskating/blading, biking, hiking, swimming, weight-lifting, eliptical-ing, yoga, water-aerobics, geo-caching, tennis, jump roping... I think whatever you do, it's important to set little mini-goals for yourself so that you're always improving (going further, going longer, going faster, getting stronger). My trainer said that the body is very good at adapting to a steady diet of doing the same thing--you need to change the intensity or the activity periodically. The mini-goals keep you going and keep you challenging yourself. It's fun when you realize that you are going further, going longer, going faster, and getting stronger!

Oops! Forgot to post yesterday. Week 3: Rode: 135.6 miles Still to go: 44.4 miles

I want to be able to walk down and up the same trail at the Grand Canyon that my husband and I walked down and up the summer we first met and fell in love--we're going to celebrate our 20th anniversary by going back to the Grand Canyon next summer--I know I'll be 20 years older, but I think that 47 years old is not too old (I know people way older than 47 who run up and down Pikes Peak--mountain near where I live--elev. 14,000 ft!). Also, I want to scuba dive again.

Hi Anne! Welcome! You might want to check out the "slow losers" forum (scroll down on the main forum and you'll see it). There are many people who are struggling losing all the weight that they had hoped to lose. Also, I'd quit calling myself a "big failure" if I were you--nothing good can come from putting yourself down like that. If anything, I'd blame your dictors/aftercare--why do you have such a small amount in your band? Do you have a particularly small band to begin with? Maybe you need another fill? Are you exercising? Do you have friends that speak English--so that you aren't eating out of lonliness or boredom? I'm just thinking off the top of my head. Hope you find what works for you.

I got melasma (brown patches on my face--also called the "mask of pregnancy" because some pregnant women get them) about two years ago. I'm a faithful sunscreen user (spf 85) because the brown patches are sun-sensitive, and I've tried bleaching cream from the dermatologist, but all to no avail. I hate those brown patches. My doctor said that they are related to PCOS (which I haven't been officially diagnosed with--I just have the symptoms--my doctor says that I "probably" have PCOS). Next to wanting to be thin/normal weight, I really want to get rid of the melasma. I've been banded since June 4th and am full of hope. Has anyone had melasma improve or go away after losing weight? It's good to read on other threads here that the facial hair improves in color and texture. Now, if only the brown patches go away, things will definitely be looking up! :biggrin:

marie, Thank you for your reply. Congrats on the 88 pounds! Good for you! :thumbup: I have to admit that it's discouraging to hear that the melasma hasn't changed, though. Darn . This might sound like a silly question, but how do you cover the melasma? I've never used foundation before. What product(s) do you use? Are you dark-skinned? Fair-skinned? Something in-between? Do you put something on the melasma that is close to your natural skin tone? I've considered going to the Clinique counter in the department store and getting the gal to show me how to cover them up or reduce their appearance. I just hate them so much. Thanks, and once again--way to go with the 88 lbs!

I agree with isaviolinist--you shouldn't "settle" for anything as major as wls! You and your band (or RNY) will be together for the rest of your life. It's kind of like getting married--that's not something you want to just "settle" for. You want the one that is the best for you! If you just "settle" on the band, I predict that you'll have a really hard time with "bandster hell" (that time after surgery but before you reach your correct fill level--and you're still really hungry). Bandster hell is hard enough as it is, but I really wanted the band over any other wls, so I can make allowances for the band's quirks and I can be patient with the process. I predict that you'll hate every minute of having the band and that you'll always be wishing you had had the RNY instead--like letting the love of your life get away and marrying someone else (the one you "settle" for will never be as good as the one that got away). Also, another thing to consider is the thought that will always be in the back of your mind that unlike your husband, your sister, and your cousin, you got stuck with the inferior (in your mind--and maybe in theirs too) surgery. It would make for a really good excuse to fail at the band--you know, not give it your all, because well, you only got banded instead of getting the RNY. Reschedule your surgery. You don't have to make this decision in the next two weeks. What did the psych evaluation say about you being ready to make the necessary changes for the lapband? Did they go ahead and approve you, even though it's not the proceedure you really want? Don't let your insurance company run your life for you. Either make an appeal to them to cover the RNY for you or go the self-pay route--sometimes something really worth having is worth saving for. Lots of people on here wanted the band, and their insurance didn't pay for it, so they paid for it themselves.

2911, Just wanted to say "Thanks!" for starting this thread/challenge! Some days it's been the only thing that pushed me to ride my 6 miles! I'm glad to say that I haven't missed a day yet. Thanks--we can do it! :scared2: Willow

Wed. July 15 85.7 miles rode! 94.3 left to go

Yes,I do. I get a sharp pain between my shoulder blades when I get too hungry and it doesn't go away until I eat something. I wish I knew what causes the pain, but I have no idea why. All my doctor said is that it is "unusual but not unexpected." At my next fill, I'm pressing him for more of an explanation!

Week 1 48.5 miles biked 131.5 miles to go

I have been having a sharp pain between my shoulder blades ever since my surgery on June 4th. At first I thought it was risidual surgery gas pain. But it continued well past the 2nd week post-op. I still have this pain. I mentioned it to my surgeon and he said it was "unusual but not unexpected." The pain does go away after I eat (it wakes me up in the middle of the night when I'm really, really hungery). I'm now five weeks post-op and I'm getting really tired of waking up from the pain and having to eat. I'm thinking maybe the chiropractor can help me some. What should I be concerned about? My chiropractor is very hands-on and pushes and twists in all sorts of ways. Do you think my band and port will be ok? I'm going to explain the band and port to him before he does anything, but I thought I'd draw on the vast wisdom of everyone here. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. PS. Please don't try to convince me that chiropractors are quacks or some such thing--I know that this alternative treatment option is controversial, but I've had very positive outcomes with it.

Elcee, Thanks for your thoughts. Have you ever mentioned chiropractors to your doctor before? Mine looked at me like I was going to a Witch Doctor! I really do appreciate your response, and I will give it careful consideration.

Who's your insurance company? I also have to pay 50%--I'd love to get that money back! :biggrin: Also, I'd really wonder WHY your insurance company changed their policy for what % they'll cover for lapband? Who made a mistake?

my dietician said that brown rice was ok

It seems like everybody's doctor is different--some here have to wait 8 weeks post-op for their first fill, some 6, some 4. Mine was 4 and I have a second scheduled for 3 weeks after. My first and favorite mushies were scrambled eggs--also refried beans. Those two meals were some of the best tasting foods I've ever eaten--you feel like those people on the show, Survivor, after not eating for so long. Hope you're feeling well after your surgery!

Ifyourstomach, I don't think that having gas pains 3 weeks out is the gas pain from surgery. When do you get the shoulder and neck pain? Is it related at all to when you're hungry? To when you're full? The reason I ask this is because a week after surgery I continued to have a sharp pain in my back between my shoulder blades. It only happened at night when I was sleeping. I thought maybe it was gas from the surgery. But, after trying many different things to get rid of the pain, I noticed that I was also waking up very, very hungry. So I tried eating a little something and like magic, the pain in my back went away. I am almost 5 weeks post-op and it is still happening. I told my doctor about it at my first fill. He said that the pain was "unusual but not unexpected." So, if I were you, I would try and see if you can find a pattern to your pain. But I think it's too long since surgery for that gas to be hanging out with you still. Good luck.

So did the restriction stick with you? Or did it go away as suddenly as it came? Headin_to_Mexico, I don't know! This morning I could hardly eat anything at Breakfast, but this evening at dinner I felt like I could eat plenty. But my meals are lasting longer--4 hours as opposed to 2 hours--so that's something anyway. This whole process is just so weird and not at all as black and white as it sounded when I was researching lapband.

Glad to hear you're felling better! When is your first fill? Seems like it should be coming up pretty soon. If it still hurts, I'd definitely mention it to your doctor. Good luck!

Okay, this is too wierd. I was feeling nothing from my first fill all the way up to yesterday (July 4th) and now suddenly today: "Yep. I had a fill." What a difference one day has made. I didn't do anything differently, but today's meals were smaller (not that they were ever very big) and they lasted a whole lot longer. THIS I can live with! Phew! (Still, it just doesn't make any sense from a purely mechanical point of view).

No water 30 minutes before and again no water until 60 minutes after--that's what my dietiician said also. But since I'm not a big drinker naturally, I don't have any problem with those two rules (I have to force myself to drink my 68 oz. of water a day--and reward myself with a sticker on my calendar). I get the wanting to understand the "why?" on your part, really I do. But, someone on this board said that she figures that her doctor knows a lot more about the human body than she ever will, so she's just going to follow her doctor's orders (that sounds like such a harsh word--what else would you call it though?). I took that to heart for me personally, because I have a history of rationalizing and reasoning myself out of doing what I really should be doing. Sometimes it's like Mom used to say: "Because I told you so."