barngal2003

Hi all, I see that all of you are doing well even though some may not be losing quite as much as hoped. I was banded on 12/19 and am down 52 lbs. While I'm tickled with that my weightloss has stalled for about the last 2 weeks. I've been exercising and continue to do so, and eat as I'm supposed to although my portions are larger than what they've wanted me eatting but, I'm not over eatting, and I'm eatting what they have told me to eat. I can only think that maybe I need to again increase my exercise and hope that this plateau will break. I currently have 5cc in my 10cc band and go back for another fill (if they feel it's needed) on this coming tuesday. I'll see what the nutritionist and doctor say. I just hope I can get the plateau to break so I can pick up the weightloss again.

So, getting the band is only the very beginning of the learning experience. In fact, dare I say I've learned more since I've healed than anyone could ever have taught me over the internet or seminar....nothing quite prepares you. It's not necessarily bad...it's just different. I've lost 51 pounds since being banded Dec. 19. Yay me! It's getting harder to lose though, I've found that I have to put more effort into it exercise wise than before. Which is understandable, but at the same time, I'm doing a LOT of physical activity...I go to curves about 3 times a week, work on our family farm 7 days a week, clean our house, and have taken up jogging about 2 or 3 times a week. Yet in the last two weeks I've only lost 1 pound. As far as the actualy band....wow it's finicky! :tounge_smile: Day to day I know I can eat kraft mac'n'cheese and cereal, like grape nuts. Anything else I may be able to eat, or may not. My band simply does not tolerate sushi :mad:, green beans, brussel sprouts, under cooked beans, eggs, pizza and greasy foods...oh and ham. :mad: While the sushi part really upsets me, the rest doesn't so much, just confuses me....Also most days I end up doing a little "dance" trying to help let burps out. Sometimes people end up looking, sometimes they ignore me...either way I don't really care what they do or don't do, because I know I can't help it. But emotionally, is a different story..I'm losing weight, feeling good, and good about myself, and have a lot more energy. That said, I fear that I've lost my feelings for my boyfriend. I don't know if it's directly related to my band, but all together I just don't know. :thumbup: I love him, but I don't think I'm in love with him anymore. He gets on my nerves, and gauks at me when I'm eatting, and I just don't feel the same about him anymore. We've talked about marriage but, I don't want to get married anymore, and certainly not to him. But I don't want to hurt him and besides I've always been the dumpee and never the dumper.. I just don't seem to know what to do. Aside from that, not having a job, and working on the farm, everything seems to be great. Perhaps things will figure themselves out soon enough.

So, getting the band is only the very beginning of the learning experience. In fact, dare I say I've learned more since I've healed than anyone could ever have taught me over the internet or seminar....nothing quite prepares you. It's not necessarily bad...it's just different. I've lost 51 pounds since being banded Dec. 19. Yay me! It's getting harder to lose though, I've found that I have to put more effort into it exercise wise than before. Which is understandable, but at the same time, I'm doing a LOT of physical activity...I go to curves about 3 times a week, work on our family farm 7 days a week, clean our house, and have taken up jogging about 2 or 3 times a week. Yet in the last two weeks I've only lost 1 pound. As far as the actualy band....wow it's finicky! :thumbup: Day to day I know I can eat kraft mac'n'cheese and cereal, like grape nuts. Anything else I may be able to eat, or may not. My band simply does not tolerate sushi :mad:, green beans, brussel sprouts, under cooked beans, eggs, pizza and greasy foods...oh and ham. :mad: While the sushi part really upsets me, the rest doesn't so much, just confuses me....Also most days I end up doing a little "dance" trying to help let burps out. Sometimes people end up looking, sometimes they ignore me...either way I don't really care what they do or don't do, because I know I can't help it. But emotionally, is a different story..I'm losing weight, feeling good, and good about myself, and have a lot more energy. That said, I fear that I've lost my feelings for my boyfriend. I don't know if it's directly related to my band, but all together I just don't know. :thumbup: I love him, but I don't think I'm in love with him anymore. He gets on my nerves, and gauks at me when I'm eatting, and I just don't feel the same about him anymore. We've talked about marriage but, I don't want to get married anymore, and certainly not to him. But I don't want to hurt him and besides I've always been the dumpee and never the dumper..:thumbdown: I just don't seem to know what to do. Aside from that, not having a job, and working on the farm, everything seems to be great. Perhaps things will figure themselves out soon enough.

Hi all, just thought I'd drop a quick update. I had my surgery on dec. 14th and and am currently down 49 lbs since surgery. While not as dramatic as trina's 60 lol =) I'm still pretty stoked about it. I'm eatting by my diet and exercising, while I have had a few problems I'm still trucking it! I currently have 5cc in my 10cc band, after having 6 in there and it being WAY too much, 5cc is really tight. So much so I'm having a few problems with pbs and figuring out what I can tolerate with the band this go 'round. Aside from the seaweed in sushi, most everything else I've figured out, teeny tiny bites, chew for forever, and talk more at the table than eat...lol Hope everyone else's journeys are going well!

Another night home, alone and apparently my space bar just broke on my laptop....not a good thing by any means. :frown: I see why they warn you that people who have weightloss surgery are more likely to develop an eatting disorder. I'm beginning to worry about being addicted to the weightloss. Take this week for example...I've had an extremely good week, I've lost 4 pounds so far and it's just thursday. I realize that this is a fantastic amount to lose in a week, actually even borderline too much but what can I say? I want the scale to continue to go down...no matter! :cursing: I'm currently weighing 292 lbs, the lightest I've been in a very long time! I'm down a total of 36 pounds since surgery, so 4 pounds till I hit 40 and 3 pounds till I will be back in the 280's which has been even longer since I've weighed so little. :thumbup: However, I do have to say that I'm getting pretty frustrated with my spacebar at the moment..:cursing: But I'm getting in my protein every day, drinking my water, exercising and don't need to snack, but my servings are larger than what the doctor wants....but I'm losing well and not starving myself....so whatever works, right? I just can't help but feel like no one can tell I'm losing and I myself can only tell that I've lost a little.....Not what I feel like I should see having lost close to 40 lbs. But oh well I'll survive whether I'm down or not tomorrow...I'd just be happier if I were down! :w00t:

Another night home, alone and apparently my space bar just broke on my laptop....not a good thing by any means. :frown: I see why they warn you that people who have weightloss surgery are more likely to develop an eatting disorder. I'm beginning to worry about being addicted to the weightloss. Take this week for example...I've had an extremely good week, I've lost 4 pounds so far and it's just thursday. I realize that this is a fantastic amount to lose in a week, actually even borderline too much but what can I say? I want the scale to continue to go down...no matter! :cool2: I'm currently weighing 292 lbs, the lightest I've been in a very long time! I'm down a total of 36 pounds since surgery, so 4 pounds till I hit 40 and 3 pounds till I will be back in the 280's which has been even longer since I've weighed so little. :wink: However, I do have to say that I'm getting pretty frustrated with my spacebar at the moment..:wink2: But I'm getting in my protein every day, drinking my water, exercising and don't need to snack, but my servings are larger than what the doctor wants....but I'm losing well and not starving myself....so whatever works, right? I just can't help but feel like no one can tell I'm losing and I myself can only tell that I've lost a little.....Not what I feel like I should see having lost close to 40 lbs. But oh well I'll survive whether I'm down or not tomorrow...I'd just be happier if I were down! :w00t:

Joann- I am the same way for the fills. Only my journey hasn't been so pleasant. My first fill they told me they were going to put 3 cc in my 10 cc band, and that it would be my biggest fill the rest would be smaller. Not true. My second fill they put another 3 cc in, and actually overfilled me, most painful, unpleasant thing ever! I couldn't even swallow my spit! It took from that morning when we left the clinic (because the doctor who filled me assured me the strange feeling was normal) till late that night to get someone to remove 2 of those cc. I now have 4 cc in my band, my restriction isn't a lot better, but I don't have to snack as much, but I'm also having a lot of problems with pbs...which are rather painful. Lesson learned from the experience is....DO NOT let the doctor put in more than 1 cc at a time after the initial fill! On the other hand my weightloss has been good according to them...I'm down 32 pounds since dec. 12....but I can't help but think I should be further along than I am, but slow and easy right? Hope everyone else has had more pleasant fill experiences and are doing well.

So, last week, I believe I mentioned that my farm dog got hit by a car...too bad that wasn't the extent of problems last week! I went for my second fill last friday, the 13th, big mistake! My nutritionist believes that I'm doing everything perfectly and that it's ok for me to have a snack in the late afternoon, like nuts or fresh fruit. She also was very excited and complimentary about my exercise routine. However, I was still battling a lot of hunger issues, I felt like a bottomless pit! :frown: So, my PA Ms. Dix decided to give me a fill, but didn't tell my dad and I how much of one until she was done. I already had 3 cc in my 10 cc band, my surgeon told me that would be the largest fill and the rest would all be smaller...nope! She put in another 3 cc!!!! I guess I should've known it was trouble when I walked out of the office feeling the restriction and wishing I could burp....I couldn't eat lunch, it hurt too much, then couldn't drink my water and by that evening I was throwing up white foam, basically just my spit! She had way overfilled my band. I called my surgeon and he said to go back (which is an hour drive for me) to their ER and they would remove 2 cc of the 6. It took forever! It's like no one there understood that I literally could not swallow!!! :eek: By the time they finally got the doctor down there to remove it, and then finally was able to hit my reservoir, I was next to tears it was so uncomfortable and painful! However, as soon as the saline came out, I immediately felt 100% better! :mad2: Granted the next day is a different story, my stomach on the inside was sore, my port is bruised and sore from all the poking and prodding..but I've recovered well. But I promise you, I NEVER want to feel that ever again! EVER!!! Meanwhile, I am left with 4 cc in my band now, I go back in like a week and a half, hopefully if I do need a fill they'll make it ultra small, because man, that was horrible! I've been going to the gym everyday with the eception of saturday and sunday because of the gym hours, and I know I'm eatting right, paying VERY close attention to it, also trying my best not to snack, and I am definitely getting in my water, my thing is, I haven't lost any more weight since early last week. I understand that over the weekend I didn't worry soo much about what I ate but if I could keep it down from the soreness, I didn't eat that differently but just a little, so I guess you could say I've hit a plateau, but hopefully with perserverance I'll break through it soon. I just wish things would calm down a little....I feel like the last week and a half have flown by and left me dizzy. My dog is doing well now, she believes she's a fifty-some pound lap dog, but she's a sweety. My dad keeps pressuring me about a job, and I apply, I really do! I apply for anything and everything, and yet, I never get a call back! Even if it's volunteer work at this point, I have to do something...he's driving me bonkers about it, and I'm trying and don't know what else to do! Anyway, just felt like I should try and write some of this down before I blow up, but back to work on the house and farm....:confused:

Yes she did..and it felt funky when I did. I tried to explain to her how it felt and at the time she said it was normal and would go away. Only instead it got worse, much much worse.

So, last week, I believe I mentioned that my farm dog got hit by a car...too bad that wasn't the extent of problems last week! I went for my second fill last friday, the 13th, big mistake! My nutritionist believes that I'm doing everything perfectly and that it's ok for me to have a snack in the late afternoon, like nuts or fresh fruit. She also was very excited and complimentary about my exercise routine. However, I was still battling a lot of hunger issues, I felt like a bottomless pit! :tt1: So, my PA Ms. Dix decided to give me a fill, but didn't tell my dad and I how much of one until she was done. I already had 3 cc in my 10 cc band, my surgeon told me that would be the largest fill and the rest would all be smaller...nope! She put in another 3 cc!!!! I guess I should've known it was trouble when I walked out of the office feeling the restriction and wishing I could burp....I couldn't eat lunch, it hurt too much, then couldn't drink my water and by that evening I was throwing up white foam, basically just my spit! She had way overfilled my band. I called my surgeon and he said to go back (which is an hour drive for me) to their ER and they would remove 2 cc of the 6. It took forever! It's like no one there understood that I literally could not swallow!!! :eek: By the time they finally got the doctor down there to remove it, and then finally was able to hit my reservoir, I was next to tears it was so uncomfortable and painful! However, as soon as the saline came out, I immediately felt 100% better! Granted the next day is a different story, my stomach on the inside was sore, my port is bruised and sore from all the poking and prodding..but I've recovered well. But I promise you, I NEVER want to feel that ever again! EVER!!! Meanwhile, I am left with 4 cc in my band now, I go back in like a week and a half, hopefully if I do need a fill they'll make it ultra small, because man, that was horrible! I've been going to the gym everyday with the eception of saturday and sunday because of the gym hours, and I know I'm eatting right, paying VERY close attention to it, also trying my best not to snack, and I am definitely getting in my water, my thing is, I haven't lost any more weight since early last week. I understand that over the weekend I didn't worry soo much about what I ate but if I could keep it down from the soreness, I didn't eat that differently but just a little, so I guess you could say I've hit a plateau, but hopefully with perserverance I'll break through it soon. I just wish things would calm down a little....I feel like the last week and a half have flown by and left me dizzy. My dog is doing well now, she believes she's a fifty-some pound lap dog, but she's a sweety. My dad keeps pressuring me about a job, and I apply, I really do! I apply for anything and everything, and yet, I never get a call back! Even if it's volunteer work at this point, I have to do something...he's driving me bonkers about it, and I'm trying and don't know what else to do! Anyway, just felt like I should try and write some of this down before I blow up, but back to work on the house and farm....:thumbup:

So another week is about over. Which puts me, I think 8 weeks out from my surgery date, or 2 months and currently my weightloss is 31 pounds. Which averages out to be almost 4 pounds per week. I know this is a good weightloss, despite the fact that I think I'm just depressed because I can't see it. But, I'm going in tomorrow for a fill. Unfortunately I'm not getting any restriction and I can't stay satisfied for very long...regardless of what I eat. I really hope this helps, it's been a long week. I joined the gym (curves) on monday with my neice Ashleigh. It figures that when found our farm dog a sweet 5 yr old lab in the front yard suffering from the shock of being hit by a car. So we didn't get to the gym tuesday, and we've been dealing with trying to get her healthy. She did survive the hit and extremely lucky might I add! She doesn't have any broken bones! But she did come out with a really bad laceration on her left back hock (ankle area) and her lungs collapsed and were badly bruised. She's very pitiful looking. She was hit tuesday evening and came home wednesday night for strict monitoring for the next 3 weeks. My poor big baby doesn't understand why we can't let her go work with us on the farm, and my indoor pups don't understand why she's inside all of a sudden....or at least they didn't at first. I think they got the hang of it when they heard her wimpering. :tt2: I just can't believe, I live in a small town, on a back road where everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows whose dog is who's and yet they hit her, left her and never even hit their brakes. :mad: I really want to find the person and make them feel the pain she has had to endure the last 48 hours.....:w00t: But alas, I don't think I'll get any justice for her. I'm just glad at this point that she's seemingly ok. So, yeah my nerves have been on edge this week, my sisters are driving me crazy, my dad wants me to take a job in NC and I don't want to leave home! :eek: The lady at curves asked Ashleigh and I if we had an stress in our lives...we looked at eachother and laughed....I know she didn't know but for us to imagine a life where we didn't have an intense amount of stress would be easy street. I mean, we've had doctors tell our family, namely my Dad, me and my sister Lisa that if we don't reduce our stress levels in our lives somehow, it WILL kill us. SOOOOO, I kinda want to move to Vegas and become a dealer in a casino.....yeah right...I mean I would but I can't/won't leave this farm. I love it too much...I just want to lose my weight and get a job and make ends meet, don't need much more than that, just survive..that's all. I guess just focus on the immediate and try not to think or worry about the future. :smile:

So another week is about over. Which puts me, I think 8 weeks out from my surgery date, or 2 months and currently my weightloss is 31 pounds. Which averages out to be almost 4 pounds per week. I know this is a good weightloss, despite the fact that I think I'm just depressed because I can't see it. But, I'm going in tomorrow for a fill. Unfortunately I'm not getting any restriction and I can't stay satisfied for very long...regardless of what I eat. I really hope this helps, it's been a long week. I joined the gym (curves) on monday with my neice Ashleigh. It figures that when found our farm dog a sweet 5 yr old lab in the front yard suffering from the shock of being hit by a car. So we didn't get to the gym tuesday, and we've been dealing with trying to get her healthy. She did survive the hit and extremely lucky might I add! She doesn't have any broken bones! But she did come out with a really bad laceration on her left back hock (ankle area) and her lungs collapsed and were badly bruised. She's very pitiful looking. She was hit tuesday evening and came home wednesday night for strict monitoring for the next 3 weeks. My poor big baby doesn't understand why we can't let her go work with us on the farm, and my indoor pups don't understand why she's inside all of a sudden....or at least they didn't at first. I think they got the hang of it when they heard her wimpering. I just can't believe, I live in a small town, on a back road where everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows whose dog is who's and yet they hit her, left her and never even hit their brakes. :mad: I really want to find the person and make them feel the pain she has had to endure the last 48 hours.....:thumbup: But alas, I don't think I'll get any justice for her. I'm just glad at this point that she's seemingly ok. So, yeah my nerves have been on edge this week, my sisters are driving me crazy, my dad wants me to take a job in NC and I don't want to leave home! :eek: The lady at curves asked Ashleigh and I if we had an stress in our lives...we looked at eachother and laughed....I know she didn't know but for us to imagine a life where we didn't have an intense amount of stress would be easy street. I mean, we've had doctors tell our family, namely my Dad, me and my sister Lisa that if we don't reduce our stress levels in our lives somehow, it WILL kill us. SOOOOO, I kinda want to move to Vegas and become a dealer in a casino.....yeah right...I mean I would but I can't/won't leave this farm. I love it too much...I just want to lose my weight and get a job and make ends meet, don't need much more than that, just survive..that's all. I guess just focus on the immediate and try not to think or worry about the future. :tt1:

Thanks Wendy, I know you're right. I should be happy with the amount of weight I've lost. I guess part of my problem is that I can't see a difference..I called my doctor back and am going for my second fill tomorrow instead. My appetite is just insane right now, regardless of the weightloss. But you're right, I really don't want to lose it too fast.

So, I'm just over 7 weeks out from surgery and I'm down 30 pounds. :bored: While I'm very excited for the loss, I had hoped I would be further along by now. 5 weeks out from surgery I had my first fill, 3cc in my 10cc band. I haven't noticed much change in the amount of food I can hold per meal, but I am snacking less, or was.....:thumbup: My appetite is inching back up on me. In the last 2 days I feel like I'm a bottomless pit! :frown: So tomorrow I've decided I'm calling my PA, Ms. Dix and seeing if I can get in sooner than the 27th of this month. I really don't want to risk gaining any. Also, tomorrow I'm finally getting to join a gym tomorrow so that should help out, being that the last 3 days I haven't been able to do as much exercise as I'd like to. But I'm excited about it, hopefully it'll help keep my losing or at least keep me from gaining. In other news, my tat on the back of my shoulder, I knew had a little scar tissue which causes you to be able to feel the tattoo on the skin, but apparently with losing weight, I can feel more of the tat. Basically the entire outline now, where it was only part of the tattoo....ugh. Also today I have been unusually tired and not sure why. So, hopefully it's just a fluke but just incase I'm monitoring how I'm feeling....weird I guess.

So, I'm just over 7 weeks out from surgery and I'm down 30 pounds. :crying: While I'm very excited for the loss, I had hoped I would be further along by now. 5 weeks out from surgery I had my first fill, 3cc in my 10cc band. I haven't noticed much change in the amount of food I can hold per meal, but I am snacking less, or was.....:scared2: My appetite is inching back up on me. In the last 2 days I feel like I'm a bottomless pit! :sleep: So tomorrow I've decided I'm calling my PA, Ms. Dix and seeing if I can get in sooner than the 27th of this month. I really don't want to risk gaining any. Also, tomorrow I'm finally getting to join a gym tomorrow so that should help out, being that the last 3 days I haven't been able to do as much exercise as I'd like to. But I'm excited about it, hopefully it'll help keep my losing or at least keep me from gaining. In other news, my tat on the back of my shoulder, I knew had a little scar tissue which causes you to be able to feel the tattoo on the skin, but apparently with losing weight, I can feel more of the tat. Basically the entire outline now, where it was only part of the tattoo....ugh. Also today I have been unusually tired and not sure why. So, hopefully it's just a fluke but just incase I'm monitoring how I'm feeling....weird I guess.

So here it is, a tuesday night. I'm getting ready for bed, but I'm frustrated....with just about everything in my life. My boyfriend is in town and I love him, I know that, but I'm beginning to question is I'm IN love with him anymore.....? He's my best friend, but he's sooo agrivating! When he says he's coming to see me, I'd really rather tell him to keep his butt at home, but I know I can't do that to him. He's been pretty much fantastic to me, but we are soo different! Why am I feeling this way? What's wrong with me? We've dated for 3 years now and talked about marriage, and now ...I'm home, for good, love being here, love my Dad, after all the problems with my sisters and their men I sit here and wonder if I even want to get married....? Why is life so complicated??? :blushing: My Dad's out of town with his girlfriend, and of course everything around here goes to crap. All of a sudden we're getting snow and ice, our cows are knocking down fences, my uncle (God bless his heart, but he's lost his mind and needs to retire) is about like asking a 3 year old to do stuff around a farm....My friend Lauren called, her mom and hubby got into another fight. This time the cops got called, and he got taken to jail. The judge told her mom that it was her fault he hit her, HER FAULT!? WTF? Because she threatened to break his cell phone if he came any closer to her, boy did he, he got so close his fist touched her face! :thumbup: So not only am I dealing with the usual crap from my sisters, not having a job and bills piling up, I've been sick, my boyfriend is driving me crazy, my dad's out of town and everything is going to crap on the farm, my friend's mom was beaten by her husband, and yet, all I want is to lose weight.......Which while sick apparently now viruses kill my appetite, so I apparently stalled my weight loss because I couldn't make myself eat near enough during the day. I'm down 28 pounds, right at 300 pounds now, and dieing to get under it! But haven't had the time or energy since I've been sick to really exercise. figures. I feel like I'm running and running, and doing all that I can for everyone else but it's never enough. Why am I second guessing my boyfriend? Why do I feel like everything is hopeless in life? To top it all off, I really want to take a little vacation in march or july but I don't know if I'll be able to because of money, but yet my cousins apparently have money to blow and go gamble like every weekend....What's wrong with me? Why is it bothering me what they do? Are all of my questions just me being an unusually worrysome form of myself or is this part of that rollercoaster that's part of having the band? I just feel frustrated and angry right now, and I'm not sure why. I've lost 28 pounds, and I hope to go have another fill soon....so we'll see. Maybe this will just go away.