ericsmom

I get my first fill the day after you do...from what I've read on this board in several topics and posts, it will be just fine and more than likely go wonderfully. I am looking forward to this next step in my journey. Good luck to you

My doctor was actually the opposite - he told me if I had my period when surgery was supposed to happen it would have to be rescheduled. I got done 3 days before, thank God. I didn't have to have a catheter either.

Congrats on your exciting NSV!

I was looking for an NSV thread last night, too. My stomach used to buldge over the steering wheel when I drove, and now at just shy of 35 lbs down I can fit my hand in between my stomach and the wheel! That's so cool!! There was a time when DH and I were dating 20 years ago where I could fit inbetween him and the steering wheel when we'd go parking!! Those were the good 'ol days

Congrats to you on your NSVs!!! That's just super! My arthritis is still just as bad in my knees...I usually get cortisone in my knees, but it wears off after about a month. I go back to work on Aug. 28th, so on the 23rd I'm getting shots so I'm ready to go. Maybe it will last a bit longer now that I'm getting a bit lighter. I know I need a new knee, but I have to get through another school year before I can think about whether or not we're scheduling it for next summer or not. You are doing great!! Keep up the good work and keep us posted!

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, Kari. You're right...I just needed to hear it from someone else. Thursday's fill day and it will be a whole new chapter in this journey

Congrats on your great NSV!!! What a great feeling!

I'm feeling like I'm at the 5th week stand still...but I'm trying not to get down about it. I get my first fill next Thursday and it's that time of the month, so that is never a good time to weigh yourself anyways. The first four weeks I lost over 4 lbs each week and this past week it was only 1.8 and this morning I was up a lb (which I'm blaming on the aforementioned time of the month). My official weighing days are Wednesdays. I just feel like I shouldn't be able to eat as much as I can right now, but yet it's not like I'm stuffing my face. I had one boneless skinless chicken breast for dinner with BBQ sauce on it and I ate the whole thing and was full when I was done. I'm assuming when I have my fill next week that I'll only be able to eat 1/2 of one. I guess I'm just wanting to hear that it's going to keep coming off. You know how the doubting thoughts can creep in. I have also been riding my recumbant bike every day for 30 minutes. I can see a difference in my face and my stomach and my clothes are hanging different on me. It's hard to not want instant results. Sorry for the rant...just thinking through my fingers as I type...

I tried a new smoothie last night and I thought I'd share it... My girlfriend makes this all the time. I'm not a yogurt lover at all, but I couldn't taste it in this drink, so it is a way to get some yogurt in me. In a blender put a little over a cup of milk add one container of plain vanilla yogurt add a couple dollops of peanut butter add 1/3 cup of dry oatmeal add 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (or chocolate powder would taste good, too) add a large mug of ice and blend until smooth Boy, was it tasty!! She doesn't like oatmeal, but because it's really good for you it is her way of making sure she has some. Just thought I'd share

Congrats and welcome to band land!

I was all excited about eating pizza about a month after my surgery and it totally didn't agree with me...it's the only time I've had heartburn since the surgery, so I guess that's something I won't have that often. I only ate the toppings, not the crust...it was probably the tomatoe sauce. Good luck to you when you finally get to have it

I totally agree with everything you have said, especially "It's best to educate children..." I have made sure to raise my son to be a polite and tolerant person, and especially because I have been heavy his entire 14 years on this earth, he sees what I physically go through and knows that it is a hard life. We speak openly about my struggles and I encourge him to learn from me. You make extremely good points about not approaching others with disabilities in the same manner that people do with those who are obese.

You are a braver woman than I will ever be...I'm so proud of you for speaking up, and putting her in her place. Way to go!

I've been one to hide wrappers, containers, bags...pretty much anything. I would even throw candy wrappers in my recycle bin at work because they would get covered up with paper and disappear from view (another first admission here). Congrats on making the confession - I'm sure you'll inspire a lot of others here to do the same.

Baylor Mom - I wouldn't say you're "weird"...everyone is different. I definitely feel hunger and although I do feel full, I know that once I get my restriction next week that could change. I pretty much wait until my stomach is growling before I go eat anything and even though I don't have a fill yet, I'm trying to eat as if I do so as not to stretch my pouch. My friend who has had gastric said to think of it this way - try and think of it as eating until you are satisfied, not until you are full. There is a difference. That made a lot of sense to me. PaulaX - I can't believe you have to be on liquids for so long post-op. I know every doctor is different, but it just seems like such a long time. I give you applause and kudos for sticking with it!

I'm down another 1.8 this week. It was a shock as it's always been 4 or more the last month since my surgery. I am only 2.2 lbs away from never having to say the word "three hundred" again and it seems like it's taking forever (even though it's really not)!! I have to keep telling myself it didn't come on in a month, it's not going to come off that fast either. I get my first fill next week and then I hope to see the lbs melt off! Congrats T on your milestone!!! WTG!

When I was in recovery and coming to, I could hear nurses saying "Stephanie, take a deep breath..." and I could hear beeping noises. When I was on just oxygen I was going into apnea. When I got into my room they brought me a CPAP machine (I had my own mask and tubing) and then I was totally fine. I had it on all the time unless I was wide awake. It's always better to error on the side of caution and call your doctor. The least they could say is everything is fine

My MMPI and the other two tests I took confirmed that I've had depression issues and that I should continue to monitor the depression before, during and after the surgery. It also gave my psych doc a game plan on what to work on with me. Just because it found I had a few issues didn't mean I wasn't a candidate. It just helped us both to understand where I was coming from and where to direct our efforts toward my counseling. I thought the questions were kind of strange sometimes, but all in all it was a good thing to do.

I am like Dody, no problems with the burping or flatulating...however, I get my first fill next week and all that could change!!

Okay - so we're all obsessed with the actual act of weighing, but how many of you step on the scale 2 - 3 - even 4 times until it says what you want it to say???? I have a digital WW scale and I seem to have a habit of doing this. Once I get the same weight twice, I quit and take it for what it says. Do you do this, too?

JMO - congrats on the 20lbs!!!

I go for my first fill next Thursday...thanks for sharing the pics.

I am trying very hard to only weigh myself twice a week as I've been one to weigh every day when I'm dieting. I got on it three times this week and told myself to not do it again. My sister, on the other hand, weighs in the morning, when she gets home from work and before bed! I thought I was obsessive! I'm only recording my Wednesday weigh-ins as they coincide with the Gone for Good Club here and I had surgery on a Wednesday and so it's a week by week thing.

My weigh-in for the week - not as much as past weeks, but I think female issues have something to do with that... H 337/ S 322.5/ C 302.2/ CBMI 51.9 (-34.8 lbs total, -1.8 this week) I REALLY don't want to EVER say the word "three hundred" after next week!!!!

The day I went home from my surgery my doctor told me to introduce soft foods as tolerated when I felt I was ready. That was about 1.5 weeks out from surgery. When I had my post-op appt. two weeks after surgery the doctor told me to eat normal food and get at least 60g of protein per day. It wasn't until I was eating regular food that they would be able to tell if I was losing on just the restriction of the band alone. I don't get a fill until next week on the 17th, but have been controlling my portion size so as not to over eat. I feel like it takes too much for me to feel full - although it's much less than I ever ate before. If you do try regular foods, just chew them really well and I wouldn't think you'd have any problems. Good luck to you!