Zannie

4 slips!!!!!!! Oh my gosh!:faint: Call me naive, but I didn't think it happened all that often if you were doing the right things...and certainly not to the same person! You poor thing!! How are you doing now? Care to share your experiance at all...? Like, do you have any idea what caused any of the slips? What was needed to "fix" them each time? I don't even know what else to ask, but I hope the worst is over for you!

Ooh, good to know! I've wanted to try them too, but I didn't want to buy a 12-pack. There's a Viatamin Shoppe nearby my clinic, so I think I'll swing by to get some tubes next time I go! Wish GNC carried them though...

Teacher, I think we'll all be forgiven for these Easter transgressions... At least I hope so because the Jellybeans at my parents' house were too much for me!!!! BUT!! I did do a mile on the treadmill, too, which I don't usually do at all on weekends. So I'm hoping it'll balance out...

Sorry it took me so long to reply...I'm not even really sure why! :eek: No question is off-limits & I could (do?) blabber on about this whole LapBand thing forever!! I'll back-fill my reply into your post now...

Your big day is almost here! Dr. T is great!! I stayed overnight (by choice since it was included in the self-pay fee & I didn't want to drive back down for the barium x-ray they do before advancing you off of clear fluids) & the staff was friendly, too. The only complaint I had was about the pressure stockings -- there is no way those were meant to fit MY legs!!! At one point one of the nurses said, "This is crazy let’s get those off of you!" But everything else was fat-friendly and I was very comfortable. My advice: walk-walk-walk & use the meter breathing tube thingy they'll give you! I was worried about blood clots so I really tried to stay on top of those! I did NOT get the shoulder/back pains that so many people complain of, and I think those two elements were why. (TMI alert) Also - be prepared that 'potty issues' will present themselves! I had no cleansing issues after my 2 c-sections, but after THIS -oh my gosh- bending, twisting, or stretching in any direction HURTS!!! The 1st time I had to go, I was in tears – and I felt GREAT post-op!!!!! Some people even talk about making contraptions out of kitchen tongs to get the job done, but I didn’t expect it to be that bad! I remember wishing I had tongs...! :girl_hug: I'm 7 weeks out & the hardest part so far was the 1st 2 weeks of liqiuds/protein powder! Blech! I missed chewing at that stage. Sonics sells their crushed ice by the bag, which is great to chew on...and I got Vitaballs at FramFresh which are gumball Vitamins. Get through liquids & it's downhill from there! I just had my 1st fill on Thursday (4/5)...no problems & only felt a pinch from the numbing agent injection. I’m on liquids for 48 hours, then mushies for another 48 hours, and then back to solids. I've had no complications at all (knock on wood). I have to say, I still get "port pain twinges" but other than that, I feel wonderful physically!! Adn hardly ever hungry between meals!!! Good luck – and I hope to see you at support group on April 19th! :clap2:

Good job this week, everyone! :clap2: :peace: :clap2: Historically I don’t workout on the weekend (but who knows what Pod-Zannie will do?), so I’m hoping to really get on the water! :spit: Happy Easter to those of you celebrating this holiday weekend! And somebody please keep me away from the jellybeans…oh, and the Cadbury eggs, too!

Heh, heh, heh...somehow I knew nobody'd go for that! :eyebrows: :) :biggrin1: :) :eyebrows: I was really just kidding, but I like your idea of making an thrid row to keep track for myself of how many extra sessions I can get in. A visual reminder of my efforts would be nice, since I've got no NSVs to speak of and the scale hasn't moved in a week now! :straight I really want to do the Water & exercise right -in additon to the food- to get things going again!!

I should leave the replying to more veteran bandsters than myself, like you requested, but as no one else has responded yet… I just wanted to pass along what I was told. Okay, remember, I am NOT an experienced bandster – just banded 7 weeks as of Thursday. But it sounds to me like you ate an awful lot of food for the mushies stage if that was all at one sitting. That is not meant to sound judgmental!! This is all such a new way of thinking & eating, but we'll get used to it! Both my doc & dietician said meals should be “about 1/4 to 1/3-cup of food at a sitting that lasts no more than 30 minutes” on the mushies stage. My dietician referenced “1 egg = 1/4-cup” as a rough estimate. Soft scrambled eggs, heavy-mayo tuna, egg, & chicken salads were all suggestions on my mushies diet plan. I’ve been on solids for a couple of weeks now & the recommendation given to me was not to eat more than a 1/2-cup of solids at a meal. If you are feeling hungry, don’t forget your Protein drinks & Water – they really help fill me up. Review your materials & look at the guidelines your clinic provided for each stage…and call them if you can’t find the information you need! Every clinic is different, so my guidelines may very well not be the same as yours. But since you seem concerned about causing damage, I wanted to be of some help before you went to see your family. Hopefully you’ll get some replies from people with more experience, too!

Hey there to all you Huskers! I’m living in Virginia now, but spent 8 years (on & off) in the Offutt AFB/Bellevue area as a kid. My husband’s family still lives there. I get a kick out of seeing y’all post…like old home week even though I don’t know any of you! I just wanted to say HI and wish you all well! :wave: Good luck with your Bands.

I can’t believe I actually treadmilled (ooh, the conjugations just keep getting better) twice today! :whoo: At Breakfast, it took me 40 mins to make the 1-mile mark. Just now it only took 35.5 mins to get there! Wahoo! Granted that's no 12-minute mile, but I have NEVER IN MY LIFE done double the “required” amount of exercise in one day – never. I’m so surprised at how motivated I’ve become from this challenge. It’s like I’ve been replaced by a pod person…where did the real (aka LAZY) Suzanne go??? So , do I get to mark this down as 2 30-min workouts on the challenge ticker? And, Babygirl, I took your advice. Rather than a bottle of Water, I made it my goal to finish a full glass of my Protein Shake while treadmilling. I’m happy to report that I hit the water mark today, too!! :high5: Oh, and I had my 1st fill, too. What a day, what a day…:cheer2:

My surgery was 7 weeks ago today...I have not had a fill yet & I'm still nicely restricted (i.e. Three 1" meatballs fills me up for dinner). I couldn't finish an egg or more than 1/4c of tuna salad on the mushie stage before gettign that slight chest pressure feeling, followed by a dry burp. I can eat about 1/3c of less-mushy tuna salad now that I'm on solids, and about 1/3 c of chicken pulled off a thigh. I've got a pattern now of mild hunger at the 3 proper meal-times and I have one snack in the late evening, too. I'm doing really good food-wise, and I feel great aside from some occasional port-pain (which I was told might last about 2 months). We called off my 1st fill by a week because of it. I'm supposed to go in today for FIll #1, but the dietician I saw on Monday thinks my doc will postpone it again after making sure everythings okay via x-ray. I think I'm the exception to the rule, however. Bloody well figures!!! The dietician was laughing at me when I said "3 friggin' meatballs -- how much more restricted do ya want me?!?" She thought I was doing wonderfully well, even with my 1/2c. OJ several times a week. Anyhow...take heart! You are NOT the only one! And that means I'M not the only one either! Haaaahahaha! I'm off now to my 1st fill...we'll see what happens!

That's great! It was HARD post-op to get down those shakes until I found one that I actually liked. Well, perhaps I should say until I played around with one until I liked it! I was not a huge coffee drinker pre-op, but I have started adding instant General Foods International coffee powder to [Zero Carb] Isopure Protein Powder. "SF decaf French Vanilla Cafe" works well in the Vanilla powder with milk or Water or both -- makes a latte that is pretty yummy. And the "SF decaf Vanilla Cream" is good when I blend my Vanilla protein powder with 1/2 c. orange juice & water or milk -- makes something close to an Orange Julius. Aslo, adding SF daVinci syrups to your shakes is an easy way to change up the flavors. I actually buy mine at TJ Maxx & Marshals. The 2 worst protein things I ever made were: ~ unflavored powder in cheddar cheese Soup - JUST AWFUL!! ~ strawberry protein powder blended with crystal light Pink Lemonade, which I really thought was a brilliant idea because I love flavored lemonades. Oh, sooo bad!!!!!! :clap:

I’ve made a discovery! Perhaps the rest of the world knew this before now, but I didn’t… You can READ on the treadmill! Yesterday I talked on the phone, too! Ha! I stay-at-home with our 2 kiddies, so it is hard to A) find time to read a good book (without pictures), and find time to workout. Today I blended up my 50g Protein shake, fixed Breakfast for my babies, settled them in to eat by the treadmill, jumped on with my shake & a book…and did my workout! Shocking! We all were nourished & I did TWO things “for myself” at the same time! Talk about your multi-tasking! AND I’ve already had 16oz of Fluid, too! Wahoo! :clap: I’m starting to see the beginnings of this “Lifestyle Change” we’re all striving towards… I wouldn’t have thought to TRY figuring out how to workout while they were awake without this challenge, so I thank you again!

At your earlier "protein juice" suggestion I went to www.Healthy-Weight-Supermarket.com myself. They do not have internet shopping (yet), BUT you can view their product line at the website. Click on Food Products, then click on MENU & a PDF will show the goods. You have to call (417) 881-8600 to place an order, with shipping usually $7-$12, or so I was told. I placed my order on Monday, so I can't give any feedback on the products or delivery yet, but the service Martha gave was very helpful! HTH

4 workouts down :clap2:, but I'm short on Water again today... I didn't realize how much I've really been slacking on the water. But, as the song says, tomorrow's gonna be another day - hey, hey, hey hey!

Now Tracy, that is a non-scale victory if I've ever heard one! :clap2:

My 1st fill is on Thursday, rescheduled from March 29th. I really do have restriction still without a fill. For last night's dinner I ate 3 of 4 (1" frozen) meatballs in tomato sauce, with cheese -- I was full before starting the 4th one. I can't fathom more restriction than that... Both the dietician (whom I saw Monday) & the nurse surgical coordinator who leads the clinic’s support group (with whom I confirmed my fill appt.) seem to think Dr. T will hold off on my 1st fill for a while longer. They said that NOT getting a fill is something he & I can discuss once he’s been able to recheck the position & function of the band by x-ray. I can’t believe I’m contemplating not having that fill now because, as of this morning, I have not lost anything in a full week. I don’t even have any non-scale victories yet! ARGH! My goal is 200 lbs afterall, it's not like I don't want to make the most of my Band!! I did slack off the treadmilling for about 2 weeks after catching a bug with my kids, and I’m still struggling to meet that fluid requirement. Hopefully exercise & water are my problem, because I feel pretty good about my food intake overall… Did anybody else hold off on getting that 1st fill because you were still doing well with the initial restriction of the band alone? Am I crazy to consider waiting while NOT continuing to loose?

My 1st fill is on Thursday, rescheduled from March 29th. I really do have restriction still without a fill. For last night's dinner I ate 3 of 4 (1" frozen) meatballs in tomato sauce, with cheese -- I was full before starting the 4th one. I can't fathom more restriction than that... Both the dietician (whom I saw Monday) & the nurse surgical coordinator who leads the clinic’s support group (with whom I confirmed my fill appt.) seem to think Dr. T will hold off on my 1st fill for a while longer. They said that NOT getting a fill is something he & I can discuss after he’s been able to again check the position & function of the band postoperatively by x-ray. I can’t believe I’m contemplating not having that fill now because, as of this morning, I have not lost anything in a full week. I don’t even have any non-scale victories yet! ARGH! I did slack off the treadmilling for about 2 weeks after catching a bug with my kids, and I’m still struggling to meet that fluid requirement. Hopefully exercise & water are my problem, because I feel pretty good about my food intake overall… Did anybody else hold off on getting that 1st fill because you were still doing well with the initial restriction of the band? Am I crazy to consider waiting while NOT continuing to loose?

I feel the same way! I have not lost anything in a full week, as of this morning. ARGH! I know my food is not the issue becasue A) I really do have restriction still without a fill, and I saw the dietician on Monday & she said my diet was great -- even with a 1/2 cup of OJ a day! So maybe it's that I've slacked off on the treadmilling...and I've had a hard time with Water since the start. Hopefully this challenge will continue to help me address both of THOSE issues!

I didn't quite hit the water mark today, but I refused to go to bed without getting on the treadmill! Yea me! Handy that exercise wipes me out rather than invigorates, because it’s bedtime and even though I’m just off the treadmill, I feel like I could sleep for days…

Welcome to Bandland, maziemommy! I hope you are recovering nicely! And thanks for the Healthwise suggestion; I ordered all the different fruit flavors today. So far my post-op liquid diet stage (2 weeks) has been the hardest part. Just get through this one protein drink at a time! My 1st fill is Thursday, and I’m a bit nervous! Christy, definitely try some different shakes if yours are not prescribed! You’re gonna be drinking your protein for a good stretch of time, and it’s worth it to find one you like. You don't want to burn out on icky protein & start fooling with your post-op liquid diet. Everybody's tastes are different, so you really need to poke around with flavors & brands yourself. I would highly suggest sampling protein powders PRE-OP. There were tons of people who told me that my tastes would change post-op. That may be true a little further down the line, but I have not experienced it yet at nearly 7-weeks out. I didn’t have a pre-op diet, but I almost wish I had one to experiment with these shakes & drinks before surgery! :mad: It's become my daily mission: Sample New Protein Drinks! I finally found this website that sells samples of most of their protein powders. www.WLSSupplies.com The shipping wasn’t cheap, nor were the actual samples a great price (ranging from $1.30–1.60 each for the ones I’ve selected). But ya really just can’t buy small quantities of protein powder! And twice I’ve bought the 2lb tub of something that sounded good, only to gag on my $25 at the blender! So I’ve just invested in a sample of every powder that they offer described as a drink, cocktail, or juice (so tired of milky shakes). I really miss juice, so hopefully I’ll hit on something that's protein, juice-like, and tasty! There’s another site that will send you 2 free samples from a limited selection of protein powders (plus 3 bonus vitamin samples.) The free sample link is: http://order.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/wg-request-catalog?bariatriceating and the main site is: Also, I keep hearing about people who’ve tried samples of the new bullet/ shooter style protein tubes (3oz of liquid protein in a test-tube), but I have not found a website selling less than a 12-pack. Can anybody point me in the right direction?:help: Good luck to both of you!

This challenge was such a good idea! :clap2: With the balmy weather we're having in Virginia, our whole family headed out for a walk this evening -- me sneezing all the way (darn allergies, I’m still sneezy 6 hours later). But I did it! When my DH & DS(4yo) 1st brought up the idea of them taking a walk, I’d automatically begun planning around time alone with my DD(1-1/2yo) -- at home. And then it dawned on me…go with them! I am NOT a walk-in-the-neighborhood girl, so this was not an immediate leap. But as they were getting ready, I realized that a walk would count as my 1/2-hour & I could be drinking, too! So I fixed a mobile dinner for m’girl, got Water ready for the rest of us, and off we went. Naturally, we had a great time.:high5: It’s so sad how much my weight (more specifically my physical discomfort) stops me from doing. My blasted allergies are an obvious & handy reason to refrain from outdoor activities in the spring & summer. The weather is an obvious & handy reason to remain indoors in the winter. But really, I just hate my thighs rubbing together, my boobs sweating, my waistband chafing, my knees throbbing, my arches aching…everything to do with being active outdoors. This walk we took today is just a little achievement in the grand scheme of things, I know. But I could literally count on my fingers the number of neighborhood walks (including Halloween) we’ve taken together since moving to our house in 2005! I’ve got major lifestyle changes to make beyond just portion control. Getting outside is one of them!! And I’d have passed up today’s opportunity if not for this challenge. (Plus, I drank all my fluids, too!) So, again, thanks for the motivation. :whip: And keep up the good work everyone!

I'm looking for a good, but affordable digital scale, too! :help: I hate trying to peer over my belly to see the reading on my analog(?) scale. Now that I'm under 300 lbs :biggrin1:, I hope there's a reliable digital that'll fit my budget! And I hope my scale now is accurate -- I go in today for a dietician consult prior to my 1st fill on April 5th. Port Pain!! I've got the same thing -- sharp twinges of pain when I over do even the smallest thing (bend, stretch, twist, DRIVE!). My doc said that some people don't get this, but those who do tend to have it for about 2 months post op. I'm 6-1/2 weeks out now, and it's happening far less often than before so I'm hoping it will end all together in the next 2 weeks!! My port incision is also "sinking in"...that’s the only of my 5 cuts with this phenomenon. (My kids (1 & 4yo) think it’s funny, like Momma’s tummy has a mouth.:kiss2:)

That's what I do, too! I use Vitaballs for my Vitamins (www.vitaball.com). They're a gumball which you chew for 10 mins to get all the vitamins out of it, and then you throw it away like regular gum. I chew one after lunch & one after dinner once I finish the meal. A) It provides moisture after eating, :girl_hug: it stops me from nibbling more, C) is a reminder to take my vitamins, and D) it helps kill the time until I can actually drink! I was banded 6-weeks ago, and NOT drinking with meals is by far the hardest part for me.

I just completed my longest single workout since my Banding!:whoo: And that’s no foolin’!! Granted it was only a ½ hour on the treadmill, but before now I’ve only pushed myself to 20-mins at a time. And many days I just wouldn’t get around to getting back on for the other 10-15mins for my 30-min goal. Today I did all 30 minutes in a row, and at my fastest pace yet! I’m completely wiped, but I feel ~dare I say it~ proud of myself, too.:humble: This challenge came at the right time for me. I’ve really been lackadaisical about exercise the last 2 weeks… A) I really dislike it :confused: exercise is where I’ve “failed” with every other weight loss attempt before C) my kids & I caught a bug & I really haven’t gotten back on the horse since, because any excuse will do D) I have absolutely no energy after my treadmilling <O:p</O:pE) I know how important this element is to success, but I need more motivation than that, apparently And I'm working on the fluids, too!:spit: Thanks for the inspiration! :clap2: