Band_Groupie

What a great idea! What a great way to remember your journey and some favorite clothes from the past! I've just started DS1's graduation quilt...I make them out of the kids sports/organizations/work T-shirts that I've collected since they were little (w/white rails between that people write messages on/sign at the party), but I machine quilt them.

JT- I said "spill the BEANS", not "the BLOOD"! Wow, and I thought giving all those tiny vials was bad! Thanks for the story!

It moved 4 inches! Holy cow! I've heard the placement feels different as you lose weight and your abdominal muscles tighten up, but if it's sutured to the abdominal wall how can it move 4 inches?! I guess I'll have to wait to see what happens. I don't carry most of my weight in the abdomen so I can feel the port now easily, and I'm almost 5'9" and not short waisted...like you said, if it moves, I'll just have to deal.

Holy Cow! I'm so jealous of some of you on your third fill already...with restriction...YAY! I don't get my first fill until June 2 and have 0 in my 10cc band now. I can eat anything and don't have to chew any differently than normal...Bandster Hell...oh well, I knew it would come. I should have asked how much he puts in at the first fill...knowing my conservative doc it will probably be less than 3cc which is only enough to fill the port and the tubing...so nothing again in the band. Does your restriction feel just like it did after surgery?

I know this isn't any consulation, but I got to pick my port postion. I asked a lot of people here before chosing my spot (sounds like where yours is...between my ribs and belly line, but far enough down that my ribs can't really catch it, and I have to sleep on my right side so placement was important). I drew a porthole on my tummy to mark the spot for surgery (read HERE). I've noticed while gardening and bending a lot this week that my port is still sore, and I hurt it a few times bending so far...so maybe yours won't bother you once it heals completely. I'd ask your surgeon if this will continue to be a problem as I've heard things tighten up as you lose weight and tissue forms around the port sutures, so maybe it will get better. It could be worse...there are many here who told me they woke up to a 'third boob' on their breastbone! (Read HERE. Or if your a man LOOK there LOL.).

I had a choice between the LB and the Realize band. I chose the LB. As said, the doc either picks the APS (Standard) or the APL (Large) depending on your anatomy during the surgery...I got the APS. Realize recently came out with a new band; the Realize "C", but some docs are still using the old version. The new one is supposed to make it more comparible with the LB. I still would have picked the LB (I liked the non-crease wedge sections) although the results are similar with all of them.

Exactly, you can eat around any WLS, some more easily than others (the Band), so it's important to come to grips with my food issues as I go along. I'm sure there'll be many more slips along the way...even if I reach goal. My goal is to have food become a more normal part of my life and that doesn't mean never eating another bad food/sweet...skinny people eat sweets too...just in tiny infrequent amounts. Wish I had a locking pantry!

If you had restriction right after surgery, then you know what it feels like. Most people need several fills before getting that restriction back. The sweet spot is where you can follow the lifetime diet/amounts and you're not hungry for about 4 hours following a meal. Many say fills take 7-10 days to 'kick in', I'm not sure why. So some don't have immediate restriction, but do a week or so later. Ask for another fill if you need it and hang in there...we'll get there eventually. -BG

This weekend was all about yard work and more yard work. I can hardly move this morning and my arms look like I ran them over a rake…scratches everywhere. We’re trying to get ready to mulch next weekend. There was so much work to be done…mainly because we were lazy last year and didn’t mulch so the weeds and erosion took over. I have way more landscaping/beds than I’d really want here just because of the hills in Pittsburgh…if it’s too steep to mow then you landscape it. Our yard is mainly flat in the back but it drops off to one side steeply, enough to make a walk-out basement so there’s a huge bed both front and back going down that really we never see or enjoy, but have to weed. Then I have my flower beds and my herb garden around the little pond/waterfall I made. By last night I was exhausted. At 5pm we called it quits and I ran to the shower to hopefully wash off the poison ivy sap that surprised us under one of the bushes. By then I was tired and starving. I made the mistake of eating a slider for lunch…I had a little of Lena’s (voiceomt2002) cream-of-mushroom soup (super yummy BTW) left over from my post-op phase and that’s what I had. DH decided to take a pork tenderloin and cook it on the grill for the first time. This wasn’t just any tenderloin…he bought a 9 pound one! We figured out that it would take about an hour on the grill and that we’d be eating later than usual. DD’s BF was over for the day, so I played the hostess and got out chips and dips…Tostito’s scoops with salsa and some spinach dip. I tried to resist but I decided to test my band (zero fill, and no restriction) with a chip or two. I was actually hoping those hard chips would get stuck, no such luck…they went down fine, then a few more and whether I chewed them well or not they went down. I couldn’t eat the salsa as I’d put hot peppers in it and I don’t do spicy foods. Yep, I went for the creamy calorie rich spinach dip and found that went down with no problem either. I found quickly found myself heading into ‘binge mode’ where I couldn’t stop shoveling them in. If you’ve ever had this feeling it’s like someone else controlling you…I could have eaten my kids at that point (kidding). I took the stuff outside for the guys to eat by the grill and headed inside. When the grilling was almost over I went to fetch the chips and dip to clean up for dinner. By now it was about 7pm and I found myself shoveling in the little bit of spinach dip that was left. I couldn’t eat half my dinner and not because I felt any restriction, but because I ate too much already. I guess the good news is that normally I would have eaten at least twice as many chips/dip and I haven't gained or lost any weight in the last week. I’ve made a conscious decision that I’m not going to beat myself up for any slips I have along the way in this WL journey. I’ve had enough of feeling bad about myself, my body image and my relationship with food. For me this journey is not another diet (I’ve been successful at so many) that I’ll gain the weight back from. It’s about feeling good about the lifestyle changes I do make and learning positive things from my slips along the way. Last night taught me that no restriction for me means it’s not really even like a funnel. I’ve tested my band and I can eat normally. I know all the dangers of slippage and other complications, yet I let the hunger demon win. I’ve learned that I need to not let myself get that hungry and a healthy snack would have helped…how simple would that have been to get out a few low fat peel cheeses. I’ve learned that the ‘binge mode’ is a strong force in me still and I have to find ways to deal with it and stop it when it kicks in. Even though last night wasn’t head hunger, but real hunger, I felt the battle in my head with willpower and I know I have a lot of head work left to do with my relationship with food. Bandster Hell is a hard time indeed, but in a way it’s a good period for us to deal with our food issues before the gift of restriction comes to help us. If we can only start changing our habits and relationship with food at this time of no restriction, then we should be even more successful when the Band is working with us. One of the major reasons I chose the Band is because it’s still all up to us and we have to slowly make the lifestyle changes along the way to be successful with it. I know myself and chosing another WLS that does some of the work for me would have been an invitation for me not to do the real work I need to to make these lifestyle changes. Changing my relationship with food is as important to me as losing the weight is, and the Band forces you to do this. I know these lifestyle changes aren’t going to happen overnight so I’m taking each lesson as it comes.

Thanks all! I do hope the motor lasts...they say as long as you run it for less than a min. the motor should last. I put frozen fruit in it a lot when I was making the protein shakes and it did fine. I make and microwave my scrambled eggs in it all the time. I'll remember the tip on meats for when I get more restriction, thanks! -BG

I don’t usually get this excited about appliances, but this thing is awesome. A few years back we bought one of those Smoothie machines for DD (like a blender with a spigot at the bottom) and it lasted about a week before the motor burned up. The Magic Bullet has been everything it promised and more. I love how easy it is to use and I especially love how easy it is to clean…everything can get thrown into the dishwasher. Someone really designed this well and thought through this product. It’s seriously a Bandster’s best friend, especially during the liquid diet and I have a feeling I'll be using it even more to chop things up into smaller bites once I have some restriction. I’ve used it for making frozen drinks, smoothies and protein shakes. It does a great job of chopping fruits and veggies as well and I've used it for onions, dips and soups. The motor base takes up about as much room as a coffee cup on your counter and I use it so often it’s now got a permanent place sitting out. OK, the rest of this is going to sound like a Billy Mays infomercial, but that’s how much I love this thing. It comes with two different blades which work well on ice or even hard coffee beans or spices. There are 4 cups and 2 different sized containers. You pour everything into the cup or container and twist on one of the 2 blades…turn it all upside down and stick it on the motor…lock it down with a twist for steady mixing (less than a min. recommended so you don't stress the motor, but I've never needed a whole min. even) or press and release to pulse. Now you turn it upright again and untwist the blade…twist on a lip ring if you’re using a mug and you’re drinking in seconds. There are even covers if you don’t finish the whole thing so you can throw the mug in the fridge for later. It’s also completely microwave safe. They include 2 steamer/shaker tops for steaming veggies or whatever in the microwave or there are different sized holes for shaking out cheeses or spices. I bought this set at Kohl’s for about $30 (it was on sale and I had one of those 30% off scratch card coupons). Online it comes with bonus items of a full sized blender and a juicer. My DH says that they now offer it at Costco for $50 and it comes with more items than my set.

'Flea dip'...ROTFLMAO!

Ditto the above comments. It sounds like you're too tight. I'd call the doc or nurse and tell them your symptoms and how often this is happening and let them decide the best path for you. Pepcid shouldn't help with PBing.

Feeling this way is normal...most of us question doing this at some point. It took me until the 3rd week just to feel like myself again, so give this some time. Reach out to your Psych if you want some help getting through this and just know it will get better. Best wishes. -BG

I was banded 4/22 and once I started solids I have gone up and down the same 2 pounds...I'm just glad I haven't gained which is very NORMAL. You're basically on your own right now as the band isn't working yet. Hang in there; after a few fills we'll start feeling restriction and then our tool will be there for us. Bandster Hell is frustrating. -BG

What a great goal...you're an inspiration! I can't even imagine running more than a minute (that's about all I can do on the treadmill before I'm back to walking). Keep us posted on your training! -BG

Hang in there girl. You've got the best attitude, change the things you can and relinquish the rest. WRITE on!

Whooooot!!! I'm so glad you failed your test!!! That's awesome! You'll get approval for sure now! Make sure you get a copy of your bariatric policy yet from insurance, just to make sure you've met the requirements (like many require the 3-6 mo. diet). I see you have your MD's recommendation and your surgeon consult scheduled. You're really on your way now!!! We have something in common...I had 100 pounds to lose too...and was banded the week of my 50th birthday...but you'll be at goal by then! Keep me posted on your progress...I'm cheering you on!!! -BG Ooops- Just posted this to your visitor messages, then I saw your blog!

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Paxie, I try to limit the SF stuff (I try to buy the ones that use Splenda as it is not as bad as Aspertame for you) and I use Stevia (be aware that Truvia and Purvia say they're made from Stevia, but have been chemically altered). I've been trying to drink more skim milk. I'm not a milk gal, but with a little SF choc. syrup, or pudding mix I can get it down. Try a fresh slice of lemon or lime in your Water, it helps.

ROTFLOL...I peed my pants! I'd be wondering WHAT the needle got stuck in...hopefully she didn't puncture anything, but I think you'd know pretty soon if you had a leak.

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