spud.mama

Which is also called ur "sweet spot". I'm only 4 years out and the lingo change already. Confused me for a minute when I came back. Lol

Hey Jenna! I see u r new. This is an awesome site for encouragement and in-ur-face advice. R u starting over essentially? I've had my gizmo since '09, lost 80 lbs, kept it off for 2 years then gained 60 lbs back. I've been completely unfilled for a year now cuz of stomach issues but I go in for a refill in a couple of days. I am starting over. Came back here for the support I need from other banders. I am in the process of relearning the rules. And the past week trying to remember to stop when full (not easy when I can eat ALOT). But I know I have to shrink the pouch I have stretched out. I was gonna do the 5 day pouch test to shrink but figured I have to go on all liquids when I get my fill so I've just been preparing mentally and watching how much I eat. There r others here starting over too. Talk to us. Tell us more about u and what's going on? How can we help?

Don't forget u could be losing inches and getting toned. Remember muscle weighs more than fat. Just a thought. I think ur doing awesome. I know PCOS sucks for weight loss. In ur kick boxing class think of kicking PCOS! Lmao

That copied funny. Stop trying to hold onto the past. - You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last.

That copied funny. Stop trying to hold onto the past. - You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last.

I always say "who better to ask diet questions to than an overweight person? We've tried it all and know it all." Lol Sad but true. It's just the follow through that I have a hard time with. Good for u! Stick with the NUT program. U will be great!

I am so there with u guys!! I was banded 4 years ago. Went from 278 to 196, maintained a year and a half at 206. Then lost job and started my own business. Major stress! Long story with stress making me too tight then body holding on to everything I ate after an unfill, low thyroid and stress adding to the weight. Then having stomach issues cuz I was in denial about ibuprofen causing issues so consequently I've been completely unfilled for the past year. Oompa Loompa here is now at 260. saw nutritionist a few days ago and get a fill next week. I have to relearn all the rules! I've even been reading people's pre-op posts. It helps a bit. I was going to start the 5 day pouch test today but got, I think, food poisoning yesterday so I think I'm gonna weight on that. (Misspell intentional. Lol) I'm glad to be back to lbt. This sight is awesome!

My BFF is 300lbs, 5'5", has had back and knee surgery, has diabetes, and everything else! She needs LBS!!! I had it last year and she just has ins issues! Finally her ins will pay $20,000! But we can't find anyone close that will do it for that!! She has bc/bs. We live in Colorado. Can anyone help with any advise or where ins would cover at that price???????? She cannot afford self pay.

Hello Everyone!!! I haven't been here for a while--didn't have internet. I'm not sure if I should say I'm "proud" to say I've maintained my weight over the holidays, or I've "struggled" to maintain over the holidays. I gain 5lbs in Nov when my doc put me on birth control for the lovely peri-menopause---lost that. Then gain 5lbs after xmas when I relaxed from trying not to over eat (OK i bought the xmas chocolate at 1/2 price!)---lost that too. I am actually working at it again, lost a few more, and determined I have to get to a solid 220 before I can get another fill. Plus I gotta give myself some time to relearn the rules. Ugh! Happy to see the same faces here! We all need the support from our band buddies.:biggrin:

My question is for people who have been at their 'sweet spot' for a while. How long did it take for you to get a grip on things?? Like actually taking smaller bites w/o thinking about it? And chewing enuf w/o thinking about it? Even taking sips instead of gulps? Just generally working WITH the band instead of testing it? I am now 3 months out, just had my 5th fill and hoping and praying that I am finally there (but still wary of it). I have had 3 months of 'normalcy' like before my Gizmo. Yes at every meal and at every drink of Water I get the pain in my chest that says I swallowed too much. And I'm thinking that at some point my head will tell me I don't want to eat so I wont feel the pain, or that my brain will tell my mouth to do what it's suppose to do BEFORE I wait for the pain to tell me. So, I'm just wondering how long it took people to GET A GRIP?? (If you were perfect from the beginning--I am SO happy for you, :thumbup: but I want to hear from people who have struggled like me.) :frown:

That is AWESOME!!! :thumbup: I hope this will be your miracle baby! And I know you are not alone. There are others on here who got pregnant soon after getting banded (maybe not as soon as you. lol) and you can have a safe pregnancy and be banded--you'll just have to wait to loss weight. But what a good excuse! I am happy for you! Hope and pray it will be a safe and normal pregnancy. P.S. You definately have to have 'band' somewhere in it's name. lol Or 'lap'. lol Either way!

I'm new to all this like you. It took me 5 fills before I felt real restriction. And I think I am finally there. What I have noticed in myself and seen from others on here that feel they are at their sweet spot is that we are really tight in the morning--like you can only drink liquids, and as the day goes on you can just barely eat 3/4 of a cup and be satisfied. And as the day goes the band loosens up a bit. I learned this week that dry=tight and that is why in the morn we are tighter. I heard someone say they drink warm tea first to loosen things up then eat breakfast. I'm trying that today. I personally think you need a fill and are doing VERY well observing your body ques and measuring. Good Job!

Iv heard that if it's meat that is stuck you can drink a little water with tsp of season salt in it and that will break it up. I have not had to try this but hear that it really does work.

Have you talked to her about this?? My bff, I thought, was getting jealous and we talked and also I told her my struggles and she has been much better. But also I'm not losing as fast as we thought I would so that has helped (her not me) a little.

Getting a grip of the rules? permalink My question is for people who have been at their 'sweet spot' for a while. How long did it take for you to get a grip on things?? Like actually taking smaller bites w/o thinking about it? And chewing enuf w/o thinking about it? Even taking sips instead of gulps? Just generally working WITH the band instead of testing it? I am now 3 months out, just had my 5th fill and hoping and praying that I am finally there (but still wary of it). I have had 3 months of 'normalcy' like before my Gizmo. Yes at every meal and at every drink of Water I get the pain in my chest that says I swallowed too much. And I'm thinking that at some point my head will tell me I don't want to eat so I wont feel the pain, or that my brain will tell my mouth to do what it's suppose to do BEFORE I wait for the pain to tell me. So, I'm just wondering how long it took people to GET A GRIP?? (If you were perfect from the beginning--I am SO happy for you, but I want to hear from people who have struggled like me.) __________________ 09-11-2009, 12:54 AM #2 Jachut re: Getting a grip of the rules? permalink For me the good behaviour came quickly, but for it to become automatic? I think at least a year. It was at about 15 months that I realised I was finally not serving myself four times too much food at every meal! There's a bit of "relearning" with every fill, but I found by about a year I could really say my eating habits had changed. I found the same with exercise - it took about 9 to 12 months for running to be somethign that is just a part of my day and not a 'chore'. My body had adapted, it no longer tired me, it no longer felt "hard" but I've continued to have the good effects of fitness and weight control with what feels quite natural and easy. but this "it takes six weeks to form a habit" - what a load of bollocks. Honestly. Nobody loves runniing and is good at it and finds it a natural thing to do in six short weeks. Nor does anybody change their eating habits that quickly. __________________ Jacqui

I am there with ya!! OUCH!!! A few days ago I asked how long till I get it? only one person commented but it was what I needed. I'll see if I can copy and paste it on here.

Thanks Jacqui, that really does help. :thumbup:

Elle... you helped motivate me a bit, I like the idea of a mileage challenge for myself, I'll have to check out the august thread. Hey TooPhat...let's get walking!!! You too padenelle!!

You hit in right on the head!! I 100% AGREE!!!! Took only a few days to get approved!

IDK. Is it gallbladder??

OMG!!! That is me TOTALLY!!! I seriously thought I'd be more motivated!! But not at ALL!!!

This whole "stretching out the pouch" thing for some reason really bothers me that people freak out about it--no offense meant to you0. Think about it--thru your life you eat sometimes too much and if you keep eating a lot you end up being able to eat more (stretching your stomach), but then you go on a diet--you eat less and over time you are satisfied with less (your stomach SHRANK) until you decided to eat more and it stretched again, then you ate less and it shrank, and on and on. I'm not exactly sure about the over the years thought of well...being like a balloon--after it gets bigger it will shrink but not as small as before, or like skin stretches and shrinks but over the years it loses it's elasticity. My point--DON'T STRESS! :wub:

No one has talked about a 4th fill. I had mine a few days ago. First fill--nothing! Second fill (2 wks later)--maybe a day or two restriction. Third fill (2 wks later)--decent restriction for 2 weeks. Actually SAW 239! but had to wait 3 weeks and that last week played the mind game of--eat what you can cuz one more fill you wont be able to--so I gained 10 lbs! Fourth fill (3 weeks later)--I now know why we have to chew chew chew and sip sip sip! I think I have permanently bruised my esophagus! I have not pb'd or thrown up or even had an episode of getting things stuck for a long period of time BUT I have swallowed many times feeling like a sharp pointy rock is going down my throat and hangs out in my chest for a few minutes! Even my banana at breakfast did that to me this morning! It's just been a few days and I can't say I'm on the "band wagon" yet but I have lost a few lbs and I actually got on here so that's a start--pray for me please!