Band_Groupie

Well, Mom seems to have forgiven me for not coming out there over Christmas. She didn't realize that DS1 has Finals through this Friday night...get this; his last final ends at 8:45pm...YES, I said PM!!! FRIDAY NIGHT!!! What are these Professors, crazy? Anyway, DS1 call us three times last night seeing if we would pick him up on Friday (we were going on Saturday morning). According to him, he'll be ‘the last student on campus’…so DH is going to get him Friday. 　 Mom & Dad are coming Sat. for two nights now, and I can’t wait! Back to wrapping…

Up .5# this week (and I've been putting off making the cookies...bourbon balls are my fav). Oooo JT...new floors for xmas, yay!

Thanks, I hope it works...they really need a pill cutter for capsules! -BG

Boy do I remember that 'holding pattern'. Enjoy the holidays...it's only your weight that will change. Your gifts sound wonderful...lucky recipients!!! -BG

My fav was the FF refried beans with some cheese and mild salsa, and greek yogurt with the beans (like sour cream) or with some SF preserves. Mushies...yum! -BG

Best wishes for tomorrow! Keep us posted! -BG

Kathy- Yep, I'm not thrilled about DH/DS1 driving 4 hours starting off after 9pm. It's mostly back roads (Happy Valley is in the middle of nowhere).

Good job Heather! We're here to support you, and it's never to late for any of us to get back on the band wagon again!

Well, Mom seems to have forgiven me for not coming out there over Christmas. She didn't realize that DS1 has Finals through this Friday night...get this; his last final ends at 8:45pm...YES, I said PM!!! FRIDAY NIGHT!!! What are these Professors, crazy? Anyway, DS1 call us three times last night seeing if we would pick him up on Friday (we were going on Saturday morning). According to him, he'll be ‘the last student on campus’…so DH is going to get him Friday. 　 Mom & Dad are coming Sat. for two nights now, and I can’t wait! Back to wrapping…

Glad you're calling your doc! Hope all is well. -BG

YAY you! Of course they'll notice!!! ...and welcome to PA! -BG

Congratulation on your banding! If it's a clear soup it will go through the stoma pretty quickly with small sips (ie. I couldn't chug water or it would hurt, but small sips went down fine). If it's a pureed soup you should go slowly. At the beginning I 'drank' 1/4C at a time of any liquid and would take a few sips/spoonfuls and then put the spoon down for a min-few min. Hydration is the key at the beginning, so forget 'meals' and just keep pushing fluids all day. Best wishes! -BG

My doc would say, if you can't eat meat you're too tight! Sometimes just a tiny unfill can help a lot (I also use a little sauce if the meat is particularly dry, but I'd never be able to get in all my protein without meat). You should also track your calories (and protein) for a few days and discuss this with your doc or NUT. You may be getting too few calories if you're having problems eating...anything around 800 or less and your body will go into 'starvation mode' and your WL will slow. Or you may have too many calories as you might be in 'soft food syndrome' eating higher cal sliders because you're too tight. Best wishes and...call your doc! -BG Oh, and the hair loss is normal (anesthesia), mine slowed considerably after the 6th month.

Yes to the cocoa, and FF refried beans with some salsa and cheese was my fav (also loved the greek yogurt, with the beans like sour cream or with some SF preserves).

I was told what the above poster said...your stomach wants to empty itself and it has a much harder time doing this with the band/new stoma. My doc sent me home with anti-nausea meds and I've only had to take them twice, but I'm glad I had the Rx. Who wants to wait for a doc to call in an Rx when you're already vomiting hard? Get the medicines now!!! Hope you feel better soon! -BG

Yep, I agree with several of the above...DH is a Geologist and we've had this discussion a lot. I didn't answer the poll because my answer isn't there. Do I believe we're in a period of global warming...yep...we went to Alaska a year apart and could actually mark the receding of the glaciers we visited twice. Do I believe we have much influence/cause or control on this now/in the future...nope. It's an 'irregular' cycle that the Earth headed into and there's not much we can do about it with what we know now.

RUN, don't walk to another doctor. She's absolutely nuts (diet), and she's not providing you with a decent level of care (4 months!).

- I lost THREE pounds this week (don't ask me how)! One more pound until my ¾ Goal! Remind me of this happiness when I'm whining about a gain next week...and (judging from my pattern getting to my last ten pound head)...the next 10 weeks after that. 　 - I woke up to another bad UTI this morning…WTHeck! Yes, I took the right Cranberry (pain) pills this time, and I left a message for the doc, whom I just visited for my physical Wed., that I need an Rx. Please say a prayer that they don't make me drive the 40 min. to their office, or it will be time for my 'almost a diaper' pads again. - Scratch that…they called and I had to go in (no more phone in Rx's)…there's 2 hours I'll never get back…if I didn't love our PCP so much I'd get one closer (guess it's a good thing I went as she thinks I have an antibiotic resistant UTI…and she thinks it's a continuation from the last one…testing underway). I keep telling them they need an office up North as I alone can keep them in business (you know it's bad when the Receptionist greeted me with a 'You're back again!'). 　 - DH was sick at home from work yesterday…no, you don't understand…he hasn't taken off work in, I believe, 10 years (broken leg then). He managed to drag himself to work this morning for a meeting, (they can't live without him) but I'm guessing he'll be back soon (must…type…faster…). It has been confirmed that he's never allowed to retire (men are no fun when they're sick…I love my DH). 　 - School had a two hour delay this morning due to the wind chill factor temperature…How dare they invade on my time…I hate getting that automated phone call...better go make the most of my last few moments alone...I'm guessing I'll be spending most of it in the bathroom (stupid UTI). Have a great weekend all!

Congrats on the WL...you'll reach your goal! (I have a small slice usually once a week still). -BG

174 WOOT! Three pounds this week (I didn't even realize it until I came here LOL). Remind me of this when I gain next week... Have a great weekend all!

Yep, I was a long-time yo-yoer, and a good one...lost lots of weight and found it again, plus it's friends. I'm able to eat like a normal skinny person. There's no food or drink I can't have. You'll learn that how tight your band is, is a matter of choice. I've got plenty of restriction to keep me satisfied between meals (I'm never hungry between small meals...although head hunger is another battle), but not so much that I've got a list of foods I can't eat. I didn't want to be a Bander that was still drinking Protein shakes (although that works for some)...it's a choice. Oh, and don't drop below the 35 BMI threshold before you're approved. I made a committment to myself for the whole year to be about me for a change (put myself at the top of the list for once...I usually wasn't even on the list). So I did everything I could to get me healthy again. It was hard not to feel guilty or selfish, but I truly believe 'giving yourself permission' to make that committment is what's helped me be successful. I didn't even know what a blog was when I started here LOL...so you're not alone. A blog is a 'journal' and mine here is working like a support group for me...others that are having/had the same issues comment or offer support/help. The Home page here (tabs at top) is where you can look for specific information on a topic...that's where you would ask a specific question vs. blogs. There are 'stickies' in the forums (look at the top of each forum/general area) that are saved information you can read. You can do a 'search' there for a topic, doctor, etc. You can read 'threads' and the 'posts' that reply to that thread, or you can 'start your own thread' and ask a question. There are also 'groups' that you can join...I 'subscribe' to the 'Over 50', 'Low BMI', 'Pennsylvania', and 'April '09 Banders' groups. The monthly group especially will help you as you get banded as everyone is in the same place you are (we had about 400 people here get banded my month in our group). Hope that helps! Good luck and let me know if I can help! -BG

CRUNCH!!! I could have kissed (or eaten) the person who invented SF popsicles during the liquids stage...I found them in yummy tropical flavors too...wouldn't have made it through without them. -BG

CONGRATULATIONS on your re-banding, and WELCOME to LBT!! -BG