AngieB2009

NSV - Shopping - Walker Tracker Challenge! Posted by AngieB, Today, 09:57 AM Admin/Owner Options Make This Entry A Draft

Andrea! Congrats! Way to Go!

I am 239 this week..... Happy Friday everyone!

Great blog and way to lay your feelings out on paper! Keep it up. I do a blog too and it has helped me a lot! Hang in there! I am a self pay too. I went to Dr. Ortiz at the OCC and saved a bundle! I'll be reading your blog! You are worth it and we can do it together!

We do! That is awesome! I will say that it's cool to see someone with similar numbers as you have. You are doing great! Have you scheduled another fill? I have mine scheduled for Dec 7th. That was the soonest I could get in. This will be # 5 for me. I love the band and am so glad I made the decison to get banded. Fill have been harder to wrap my head around, but I am focused on the positive. (I've said this now with each fill I have received....I think this one will be the "sweet spot." :thumbup:) LOL I hope for both of us we reach our green zone/sweet spot soon! Go us! Go all bunnies!

B_G I as always appreciate you. Thanks for taking time this year to make yourself the "project." I love your blogs and look forward to reading what you have on your mind. We are bunnies so it's really nice to go through much of the same "stuff" together. I am a fellow blogger as well. I'd like it if I had the time you have taken to blog! Way to go for putting your life in the center of your attention! ((HUGS))

Drinking water – big ol’ drinks! Questions… Okay so I had something unexpected happen this morning. I took a big-o-drink of water. More like three consecutive drinks. Swallow, swallow, swallow….you get what I am saying. I actually felt the water being held up. Like not super drastic, but I felt it in my stoma and throat. I felt a mild alert over the situation. Um, never had that happen before! Wow! Until this happened this morning I have been able to chug-a-lug my water at a good rate, any time of day. I know, some don’t understand why people like me drink so fast, but we are all different. I am a fish! Ha! Just kidding but I have a habit of drinking a couple of swallows each drink. Not all the time now as I am working on slowing down….but I am a drinker. I have been reading on this board for a while now, so there have been many subjects covered. Which I love, by the way, because it feels good to have working knowledge of the band, even if it is not my own working knowledge. : ) So, thank you all for sharing your band experiences! You are appreciated! That being said, I’ve thought it is strange when people talk about having a hard time getting there liquids in. Sipping through out the day….sucking on ice cubes, ect. I’ve read many posts about not being able to tolerate food in the mornings. Even some posts about not being able to eat anything solid until evening. That being said, I know our bands are fickle. Each person can have there band affected differently. Some talk about weather, flying, stress, their monthly visitor, a bad PB episode, drinking cold liquids, and much more, and how it can affect the bands tightness. What I would really like to know is how tight you prefer to keep your bands’? Do you keep your band snug enough to feel water back up if you drink a big ol’ drink? Are you a sipper? Can you eat in the mornings, or afternoons? Do you have to wait on your band to loosen up before a meal? Can you put into words what band restriction means to you? I am curious on what the “norm” is and if is varies a great deal from person to person. I am working on getting to my sweet spot or being in the green zone. For me, I can enjoy breakfast everyday. Depending on the food, I can eat a cup to ¾ cup of food at a meal. I focus mainly on protein and often feel like I leave out veggies and fruits almost completely. I seem to have better success when I eat steamed veggies vs. fresh veggies using broccoli and carrots as a good example of this. My band tolerates muffins and cake well, wish came as a surprise to me. We had treats at work and I tried these yummies and had no issues. I have no idea if I can eat bread, because I have cut it completely out of my diet. I no longer eat a sandwich or anything like that. I stick to the guts, the insides of a sandwich. Protein, protein, protein… I am planning on posting this in the forum as well as a blog entry. Please reply and share how you like your band, and what works best for you. Last monthish there were some great posts about a few gals feeling there bands were too tight. I know from your posts that being to tight does not equal weight loss or a safe way to keep your band. So all experience is valuable! I am scheduled for an up coming fill in December and I have been on and off the fence about it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and if you don’t feel comfortable posting, please PM me. You guys are the best!

Hey LilMissDiva - Great reply. I do still eat fruits and veggies, but have to admit I pry focus to much attention on Protein. I've had a good amount of hair loss, which had me REALLY paying attention to protein. Since I've found out why I've lost so much hair. I've also had my blood work done as I have passed the 6 months of being banded. All my Vitamin levels came back great. Protein included. I can see more now, where I have really been more controlling the bandster rules so to speak. Being new I have wanted to do things right and I think now, with a bit of time under my belt, I will begin to relax more. Settle in if you will. It took me a while to first get a decent fill, then to become accustom to restriction. What my soft stops were and ya know the general making friends with the band. I don't have a problem with fruits really, other than apples I peel now. Most everything goes down well. I think my issues with fresh veggies is more of a chewing issue. Anyway, thanks for bringing up a healthy well rounded diet. I really needed to hear that. Now, I need to put some fruits and veggies back in to the mix on a regular basis. Which I am looking forward too. Glad to hear I am not the only big drinker too. I drink vitamin Water every day and get in 60 oz on a normal day. I guess it startled me this morning when I couldn't drink like I normally do. Within an hours time, I was back to the normal me drinks. Weird huh.... Finding the right level of restriction is interesting. I've had 4 fills, most of which have been small in comparision to others fills. That is what my body said okay to that day. I love that my body has adjusted nicely to each fill, but have also felt the sting of practicing patients. I am in this journey for the long haul, obviously, and I have to remind myself at times that I am not in a race with my fellow bandsters! It's hard sometimes not to compair myself to others, but I stay focused on me and what I need. Which always brings me back to a happy place. :tongue2: Long winded.....

Okay bunnies - I have a question for you all....Please help by sharing. Pretty Please! Drinking water – big ol’ drinks! Questions… Okay so I had something unexpected happen this morning. I took a big-o-drink of water. More like three consecutive drinks. Swallow, swallow, swallow….you get what I am saying. I actually felt the water being held up. Like not super drastic, but I felt it in my stoma and throat. I felt a mild alert over the situation. Um, never had that happen before! Wow! Until this happened this morning I have been able to chug-a-lug my water at a good rate, any time of day. I know, some don’t understand why people like me drink so fast, but we are all different. I am a fish! Ha! Just kidding but I have a habit of drinking a couple of swallows each drink. Not all the time now as I am working on slowing down….but I am a drinker. I have been reading on this board for a while now, so there have been many subjects covered. Which I love, by the way, because it feels good to have working knowledge of the band, even if it is not my own working knowledge. : ) So, thank you all for sharing your band experiences! You are appreciated! That being said, I’ve thought it is strange when people talk about having a hard time getting there liquids in. Sipping through out the day….sucking on ice cubes, ect. I’ve read many posts about not being able to tolerate food in the mornings. Even some posts about not being able to eat anything solid until evening. That being said, I know our bands are fickle. Each person can have there band affected differently. Some talk about weather, flying, stress, their monthly visitor, a bad PB episode, drinking cold liquids, and much more, and how it can affect the bands tightness. What I would really like to know is how tight you prefer to keep your bands’? Do you keep your band snug enough to feel water back up if you drink a big ol’ drink? Are you a sipper? Can you eat in the mornings, or afternoons? Do you have to wait on your band to loosen up before a meal? Can you put into words what band restriction means to you? I am curious on what the “norm” is and if is varies a great deal from person to person. I am working on getting to my sweet spot or being in the green zone. For me, I can enjoy breakfast everyday. Depending on the food, I can eat a cup to ¾ cup of food at a meal. I focus mainly on protein and often feel like I leave out veggies and fruits almost completely. I seem to have better success when I eat steamed veggies vs. fresh veggies using broccoli and carrots as a good example of this. My band tolerates muffins and cake well, wish came as a surprise to me. We had treats at work and I tried these yummies and had no issues. I have no idea if I can eat bread, because I have cut it completely out of my diet. I no longer eat a sandwich or anything like that. I stick to the guts, the insides of a sandwich. Protein, protein, protein… I am planning on posting this in the forum as well as a blog entry. Please reply and share how you like your band, and what works best for you. Last monthish there were some great posts about a few gals feeling there bands were too tight. I know from your posts that being to tight does not equal weight loss or a safe way to keep your band. So all experience is valuable! I am scheduled for an up coming fill in December and I have been on and off the fence about it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and if you don’t feel comfortable posting, please PM me. You guys are the best!

Good for you! I have to confess that, I was with you all the way until you said including starbucks.....then the voice in my head said, " The horror!" LOL But seriously you go girl! Work it!

Okay so I had something unexpected happen this morning. I took a big-o-drink of water. More like three consecutive drinks. Swallow, swallow, swallow….you get what I am saying. I actually felt the water being held up. Like not super drastic, but I felt it in my stoma and throat. I felt a mild alert over the situation. Um, never had that happen before! Wow! Until this happened this morning I have been able to chug-a-lug my water at a good rate, any time of day. I know, some don’t understand why people like me drink so fast, but we are all different. I am a fish! Ha! Just kidding but I have a habit of drinking a couple of swallows each drink. Not all the time now as I am working on slowing down….but I am a drinker. I have been reading on this board for a while now, so there have been many subjects covered. Which I love, by the way, because it feels good to have working knowledge of the band, even if it is not my own working knowledge. : ) So, thank you all for sharing your band experiences! You are appreciated! That being said, I’ve thought it is strange when people talk about having a hard time getting there liquids in. Sipping through out the day….sucking on ice cubes, ect. I’ve read many posts about not being able to tolerate food in the mornings. Even some posts about not being able to eat anything solid until evening. That being said, I know our bands are fickle. Each person can have there band affected differently. Some talk about weather, flying, stress, their monthly visitor, a bad PB episode, drinking cold liquids, and much more, and how it can affect the bands tightness. What I would really like to know is how tight you prefer to keep your bands’? Do you keep your band snug enough to feel water back up if you drink a big ol’ drink? Are you a sipper? Can you eat in the mornings, or afternoons? Do you have to wait on your band to loosen up before a meal? Can you put into words what band restriction means to you? I am curious on what the “norm” is and if is varies a great deal from person to person. I am working on getting to my sweet spot or being in the green zone. For me, I can enjoy breakfast everyday. Depending on the food, I can eat a cup to ¾ cup of food at a meal. I focus mainly on protein and often feel like I leave out veggies and fruits almost completely. I seem to have better success when I eat steamed veggies vs. fresh veggies using broccoli and carrots as a good example of this. My band tolerates muffins and cake well, wish came as a surprise to me. We had treats at work and I tried these yummies and had no issues. I have no idea if I can eat bread, because I have cut it completely out of my diet. I no longer eat a sandwich or anything like that. I stick to the guts, the insides of a sandwich. Protein, protein, protein… I am planning on posting this in the forum as well as a blog entry. Please reply and share how you like your band, and what works best for you. Last monthish there were some great posts about a few gals feeling there bands were too tight. I know from your posts that being to tight does not equal weight loss or a safe way to keep your band. So all experience is valuable! I am scheduled for an up coming fill in December and I have

I put benefiber powder in my morning coffee. I am sure I could use another dose of fiber, I may buy the tablets. I could call it a afternoon snack. LOL A bit of bandster humor. I tried it in my oatmeal, I think it changes the texture to much.....Do you take fiber once a day or more often? I love ya bunnies!

The more the better! Glad you can join us! I like checking in every Friday to see how everyone is and to report my weight. Welcome to the group! Sorry for your grief....my thoughts are with you and yours. It's hard to loose our loved ones, but it's nice to know they are free and live on. Congrats on the weight loss.....

JayTee - good thoughts to you! Congrats on your weightloss! I am checking in at 237.6! Pretty happy that the scale is moving each week! It was a slow in the beginning but I seem to be making progress now! I've been cleaning out my closet! I love that feeling! Even my underwear draw is empty......I am all smiles! My next fill is scheduled for Dec 7th! I am nearly at the goal I set! I said I would love to be in the 230's at the end of the year. I am in the 230's but looking to be lower in the 230's! Success feels great and looks good too! Hope you are all well, can't wait to hear your numbers!

Hang in there and keep going for fills! This is a hard time. Don't give up, vent all you want. Restriction is coming. It took me 4 fills to have a good amount of restriction and to loose some weight. It's a hard time and we are sooo ready to see results! They will come! Trust the process and keep on going in for FILLS!

Thanks BG - I am so happy we are making this band look good! Woo! ready2liveagain and czcnhl - I tend to be more discriptive when I define it so I looked it up. Here ya go... Definition of a PB. The PB is also known as a productive burp. In reality it is not simply a burp or even vomiting but somewhere in between. The PB may consist of bringing up mucus or even the bolus of food. You may experience upper abdominal pain lasting from minutes to hours. Triggers to stop eating: 1. You feel full. 2. You feel like something you’ve eaten is stuck. 3. You PB. 4. You have been eating for 30 minutes. 5. You’ve eaten approximately a half to three quarter cups of food. Reasons that people PB: 1. You didn’t chew enough. 2. You ate too quickly. 3. You ate too much. 4. Your band is too tight. 5. You’ve eaten the wrong type of food or something that doesn’t agree with the band. Remember, there are some things that no matter how much you chew, will not go down. sliming - "Sliming" refers to excess saliva in your mouth caused by a very tight band. You might have something stuck inside your stoma that hasn't yet passed through the tightened banded area.

A New All Time Low! Posted by AngieB, Today, 06:24 AM Admin/Owner Options Make This Entry A Draft

14's never looked so good! You go girl! Woo hoo!

LOOKING GOOD! Great job!

A New All Time Low! Posted by AngieB, Today, 06:24 AM Admin/Owner Options Make This Entry A Draft

(((HUGS))) Sorry for your loss.

Scheduled my 5th Fill - December 7th, 2009 Posted by AngieB, Today, 03:40 PM Admin/Owner Options Make This Entry A Draft