Band_Groupie

Congratulations to both of you! -BG

loulou- I agree with the above. You need to at least call and talk to your doc or a nurse there. That said, when I was researching where I wanted my port I ran into several people who's ports had moved. This can happen from one or more stitches (or clamps if you have a Realize) coming undone. The other thing that is common is that people think their port has moved, but really it's your layer above that moves as you lose weight (the port is attached to the abdominal wall and as you lose weight your scar above it may be in a different place as your stomach shrinks). I've bumped my port twice now and made it sore (well, once was boogie boarding for a week on it at the beach). But if you haven't done anything you can remember, then I would call. You don't want to find out you port has come undone or flipped and now it's had 4 weeks for more scar tissue to form around it. Best wishes -BG

I eat so little now that I don't worry quite as much about the cost of different foods than I used to...I figure I get a lot more servings out of them then the average person, but I'm always looking for a deal LOL. When I'm tight I always have some greek yogurt in the fridge (Oikos is lower cost than others I've found) and way higher in Protein than other yogurt. I bought some inexpensive SF preserves (at Wal-Mart) and I'll put a little ontop, or sprinkle some high Fiber cereal like Kashi go lean ontop (or even fruit). I also always have low fat cottage cheese in the fridge and you can put some lite or fresh fruit ontop. If you're not allergic to soy-then try some roasted edamame (they sell them at costco in big containers). I can't eat a lot as they aren't the best tasting things to me (not awful, but not as good as nuts), but really high protein and it satisfies me when I need a snack that's crunchy. I love berries for a snack...even frozen...pop in some frozen blueberries...yummm. I also like cheese (I want to try the laughing cow ones). When I really need a sweet snack I love the Russell Stover bags of SF chocolates and they have them now in dark chocolate...all kinds of insides; Peanut Butter, carmel, truffle, toffee, etc. I never have more than one a day though. I get them at Target.

Great post! So uplifting and encouraging! Congratulations on ONEDERLAND!!!! Enjoy the new you! Thanks for the info. on LB pants...I'm tall too and am always looking for Talls (almost 5'9", but I have really long legs) and didn't realize they have 'colors' at all LOL. Good info. Keep up the great work...you'll know it when you're 'there'. -BG

Good luck tomorrow...you'll do great! -BG

There's no food that's off-limits for me, but amazingly I don't crave huge amounts of things like chocolate like I used to. I really don't feel the 'deprevation' like I have on other diets because I'm not on a diet! I'm a huge chocoholic and now I'll have a SF Russel Stovers, or just a bite of something and be satisfied. I have battles with head hunger sometimes, but not often. Best wishes! -BG

Hope you feel better...at least you'll be getting lots of rest post-op! I know what you mean "it won't be a big surprise when I start to drop some weight"...that's the good part of being a seasoned yo-yoer...no one has questioned my 60 lb. WL! Good luck tomorrow and keep us posted! -BG

Great job! 50 pounds is a big achievement! Keep getting those fills!

CONGRATULATIONS! Amazingly fast WL!!!

Thanks girl!

Today marks the first day of Autumn here. We put up the Fall decorations this weekend. I usually wait until the end of Sept., but the next two weekends are booked for DH/and or I so we're early this year (I need his help with the outside stuff). Plus I never got the Easter or Memorial/4th of July stuff up this year because of the LB, so I'm ready to dive into another holiday (I'm a holiday freak). I thought I'd take a few pics of my fall decorations to share for those crafters out there. I love to craft so I try to add one new thing each year (and usually get rid of old tired things). Dag, I forgot the outside...I'll take one this week to share. - Pic 1: My stairs with basket pumpkins (store bought). DS2 stepped on the big pumpkin coming down the stairs in the dark last night; crushed it in, but DH popped it back out...creases in the back LOL. - Pic 2: The lighted garland/bows (my neighbors tell me it looks nice at night through the glass front door). Closer to Halloween we add a giant spider web that goes across the whole 2 story foyer and up to the 2nd floor...the kids love throwing hundreds of plastic spiders up into the web (they catch and dangle down) and we have some flys and rats we wrap like a cacoon. - Pic 3: My foyer table. DS2 and I made the pumpkin flower arrangement a few years back when he was sick at home for a week. I'm not a silk flower lover, but it works for me with fall's bright colors. He grew all the gourds in his veggie garden and we dried them. Oh, and you can see my glass front door I've mentioned before in the mirror reflection. - Pic 4: My fireplace. I've been a Homeroom Mom for all three of our kids and as an ex-art teacher I always organize the craft. I've done the pumpkins on the right with each of their classrooms over the years. For other HR moms or those with kids (I made these up, but they're easy I swear): just a block of wood with a dowel hot glued on the top pre spray painted orange/green stem and ready for the kids to "pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch" (set them out on the floor) to decorate....raffia bows (we premade with green pipe cleaners -Kids twist around the stem with some silk green leves and older kids can make tendrils with the ends of the pipe cleaners by wrapping over a pencil, some glue-ons (spiders, etc.- they would bring to us to hot glue where they wanted) and for the face either sharpie or black sticker paper they cut depending on the grade of the class (did the black stickers with the kindergarteners- just give them large/small squares and they can cut shapes). We made DH make the big one on the right a few years back (under many protests...he hates to do art), but it didn't look right with one from each of us in the family and not him (the kids love his- candy corn wooden glue-on eyes). - Pic 5: Acorn trees in the Dining Room. I would suggest doing these to no one! When we moved here about 10 years ago DH collected a bucket of acorns from the backyard (our backyard is up against a large wooded hillside going down with huge oak trees). He brings them in and proudly proclaims...Here, we got these for you to do a craft with! .....Ummm thanks? No clue what to do...I got some styrofoam cone shapes, covered them with fabric and hot glued the acorns on and then sprayed them with a sealant. Well, I kept finding what looked like tiny wood shavings around them...finally figured out there were tiny acorn worms burrowing holes out of them DISGUSTING...bagged them for a year and re-sealed them really well...and every year when I get these out I still have to re-glue acorns on that fall off (have a few missing in the photo- need to get out the glue gun today)....but thanks Honey for the acorns!

I couldn't burp on-cue pre-band to save my life. The more fills I've had the more I belch. I'm 5 months out today and might be at my sweet spot now; and I belch like a drunken sailor constantly even with just drinking Water. I do it so often I hardly notice it anymore (which scares me that I might 'let her rip' in front of friends or in a quiet restaurant without even realizing it). I know it's gotten really bad because my boys (who of course have always thought burps and farts are funny) are complaining...Mom! That's disgusting...stop that! Wish I could! I know this is a function of air coming out of the stomach as food or liquids go in...it feels like I have to burp to get the food to go through. It's a small price to pay for this wonderful restriction, but I want to know...Does this ever stop or are you still belching years later?

I had the worst diarrhea ever on and off until I was back on solids. Eating just mushies, a few solids, and drinking a lot (usually more than most of us drank before) doesn't give your systems enough solids yet. It should get better with more solids...I never have a problem now.

What exact products have you been using- what's Nioxin? Biotin? I'm still shedding although it's slowing down some (5 mo. out today). I'd like to get something that helps it grow back healthy...my hair is very fine, but there used to be a lot of it.

Sharon- Thanks girlfriend...you're always such a great cheerleader for all of us! Glad to see your scale is making major moves again...that 'slow and steady' can get frustrating when the losses are tiny...a big week now and then really helps...good for you! Angie- Isn't restriction a wonderful thing! It's great when you finally put a milestone behind you and start believing you'll never see it again! Next milestone...199 for you...Onederland baby!!! Keep it up!

OK, what's up with the no restriction and bands pretty full? I know I've seen others here on LBT who had their bands almost full before they found their sweet spot, but I thought you'd feel at least a little something along the way. Hang in there gals...restriction will come! Not being hungry is an amazing feeling. I'll post an update now as today is my 5 month bandiversary. 1. WEIGHT-Start 248, now 188, down 60 pounds total, 41 since surgery. Most of that was up to me as the band has only been helping the last 8 weeks. 2. FILLS-Have had 4 fills, 5.9/10cc band. 3. RESTRICTION-Have had restriction since the third fill at 5.6 cc's, better restriction now. I'm not hungry at all between small meals. Tighter in the mornings than evening. 4. RULES-It's harder now to get all my Water in when you have to eat slower. I'm usually trying to make up the loss in the evenings. 5. ANYTHING ELSE-This has been the hardest WL I've ever done, but so worth it (and I've been on EVERY diet). I'm at a good place now where I can still eat anything, I'm not PBing anymore (I'm a slow learner) and I'm not hungry between meals. I hope it stays like this and I see some weight loss where the Band is helping me finally!

Cut back hard these last few days (protein shakes only?) as it will lighten your liver. Don't worry, I didn't have a specific pre-op either and my doc said he's never not been able to do a surgery because of someone's liver size (and he take on the super morbid cases that the other hospitals won't in our city). Best wishes on your surgery! -BG

Bandster Hell is a normal part of the process for most until you get enough fills. Be careful you're not overeating as it takes at least 6 weeks for the stitches on your stomach holding the band to heal and you could cause complications. Hang in there! -BG

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

Lifting- This week we had the week all the other teams had last week LOL...and USC lost! Hope the WVU game was good! O...H...