juliansmom2003

Christie- LOL! I haven't been called 'hot' in forever, so thanks for the pick me up! Good luck on your fill! Can't wait to hear an update! I too know the feeling of losing a cup size and the need for new bras. It's amazing though what a good one can do for your shape! Bob--Hope your post-op appointment goes well. I know you're an adventerous rebel and all, but give yourself some time to heal! You don't want to risk your recovery by starting on solids too soon. Okay, I'm off my soapbox. Good luck! Amy --Welcome! Glad to have you here! How exciting--one week away! Lots of luck waiting--it will seem like an eternity (it did to me at least!) Glad to be sharing the journey with you! Betsy--whereabouts are you? Only reason I ask is that we too are expecting 60 degree weather (in Philly). Quite a welcome change from the monsoons we've had since Friday :-( Had weigh in last night at group. Weighed in at 174. Need to update my ticker and the Easter Challenge. I have a real shot at hitting 170 by Easter (fingers crossed!!!) Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Bob---you're such a bada$$ getting kicked off facebook! You rebel you! LOL I accepted your friend request--thanks for requesting me! The gig was AWESOME!!! Everybody had a blast and I actually got hit on quite a bit (shocking since I was working with my husband LOL) Elfie--I just friended you on FB Dottie--Happy birthday!! Betsy--Love the new pic. SO pretty! Leigha--OMG, funny you should mention. I have been having a helluva a time eating these past few days. I have never been one to take small bites ever during this experience but I HAVE to now!!!!! It's all I can do to get through this chili--have to go very slow! Thanks for all your help and advice--you're the best, chica :-)! NSV ALERT! Broke down and went shopping just for a few things (most importantly, an outfit to take my hubby out to dinner in on Friday for his bday). Out of habit, I go right to the plus section and they had absolutely nothing for me! I ended up with 3 pair of black pants and a pair of jeans (ALL SIZE 12!!!!!!--they are a little tight, but my 14s are so baggy I have a case of the saggy a$$ LOL) I know the 12s will ease up soon and of course I ended up with 4 or 5 shirts (sizes L and XL)!!!!!!! OMG, in the dressing room, I cried as usual, but these were truly tears of JOY!!!!!!! I am taking a ton of clothes to support group tonight for the clothing exchange, so I felt I deserved to treat myself to a couple of new things. So much for a few things. Everything looked so nice I had to buy it all. I'm not bragging by any stretch but that NEVER happens and I'm beyond excited!! You guys don't realize how big of a part of my life you are. Your support, advice, just listening when I need to whine and be a baby, and friendship are so integral to my successes, it sometimes pushes me to keep going (even on those bad days when I want to give up!) I love you guys! Thank you all for being there!!! xo Karen

I have the gurgling tummy too--makes for fun meetings lol!! Small trade off for all I'm getting back!

Thank you Cocoa--you're so sweet! I was so excited I ran over to my mom's (she lives nest door) and she started crying --she was so happy and proud! Bob-OUCH!! Getting stuck is the worst!! At least you know the band is there (in case you needed a reminder--what a crappy reminder it is!). Cocoa- I'm being nice to you from now on--I don't need you poking my voodoo doll LOL!

I'm at karen.tilton@richardson.com (Karen Ladzenski Tilton)

Yeah Cocoa! Woooohooooo!!! Betsy--glad Mark is home and resting during the wait. You are in my prayers!! Bob--holy wow! 100 lbs!!!! Congrats! What an inspiration!! Illuminationlady--Happy birthday to you!! Leigha-- thanks so much for all your help these past few days!! I feel a lot better and I'm noticing the restriction, now that I'm not expecting to be full after 4 bites! NSV for me today-- bought a dress months ago for gigs (I'm a singer part time) and it had a bit to go before I could zip it (two weeks ago). I have a gig tonight and thought I'd try it on and it fits!!!!! And I didn't need any Crisco on the zipper!!! I posted pics on my fb page for anyone who cares to look :-)!!

I have been so ravenous all day today. I have been exercising a bit more than usual, but I didn't think I'd be this ravenous! I had fill #2 on 2/25 (.8 ccs, first fill was 3.4ccs). My doc does fills under fluroscopy, so when he first looked, he said that I have restriction. It is true that in the mornings I am tighter, but as the day goes on I loosen up quite a bit and am able to take bigger bites, nothing gets stuck and I am hungrier. After a lot of coaxing on my part, the doc agreed to give me a little more. He put in .8 ccs and when I swallowed the barium, he said the restriction was 'perfect'. So, fast forward to today. I had a 10 ounce lunch, still hungry. Had a cheese stick--still hungry. Had a few mini wheats before forcing myself to STOP. I mean I was so hungry I couldn't stop! Now I know 13-14 ounces is WAY outrageous for any bandster meal, but how could my doc see restriction if I am still capable of eating this way? True, this is the first day I am like this and it could very well be that I need to just throw a snack in between my Breakfast and lunch to keep the hunger at bay (trying to do breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack), but can someone tell me how I can go from being so tight in the morning that I can't even eat breakfast until 11:30 and I just hoovered all of a 13-14 oz lunch??? Yes, all healthy food, but the quantity of it scares me as I am sooo paranoid about stretching my pouch. Could I need another fill already? It will only be 2 weeks on Thursday! Any advice or insight on this would be soooo appreciated. Thanks for your help!!!

I sooo love the 5-day pouch test. It knocked me out of a 3-week plateau, definitely shrunk my pouch and made me curb my cravings. You will definitely feel a difference! I actually had sugar free vanilla pudding, a tbsp of cool whip and a scoop of chocolate Protein powder throughout days 1 and 2. It got me right!! Good luck!

OMG I've seen these infomercials and they scared the bejeeeezus out of me LOL! Please post a review next week--would love to know how intense it is! I am breaking down and buying the Ab Coaster. I am getting a ton of cardio in, but my belly is just ridiculous and the only thing right now keeping me from moving down to the next size..... I was thinking of trying hip hop abs too. It sounds like you recommend it LOL! Wow, 4 inches!!!! Good luck as you embark into Insanity !

Elfie-- congrats on the NSV! 35 pounds since your last visit--that's just awesome!!!!

YAAY, Cocoa!!!!! You go, girl!!! :frown:

YEAH, girl! That part I have figured out LOL, so glad to offer that advice, which makes up for all the eating advice you've been giving me!!! Woohoo!

Great job so far!!! Awesome that he gave you a "mother" of a fill LOL! I definitely would be very cautious going back to regular food when eating. Hope this one is "the one" for you :-)!

Wow, sorry you felt it inside! That's the worst! My doc also does fills under fluro and apparently, I am in the small percentage of people who get the dizziness, nausea and seeing stars too. They just lay me down right away in case I pass out. Apparently, they have had patients in the past with the same reaction that didn't say anything and boom! they just hit the floor.... After both my fills, I had to sit for about 20 minutes to make sure I was okay to drive because my body just has that reaction to the fills.... 6 ccs sounds like a lot for a first fill. My doc usually does 4 for the first. He started with 4 for my first, but it was too much so he took a little out, so my first was actually only 3.4 ccs. Everyone is different (and every doc is different as well in terms of being liberal or conservative with fills)--as long as you're able to keep fluids down with no problem and when you get back to solids, are able to eat (in smaller portions), I'd say you're well on your way to the sweet spot!

Okay, forgive all the questions. I guess I truly am paranoid.... I am having a much less hungry day than yesterday, but I still managed to get about 8 ounces down (took me 45 minutes, but I did it). I know they say 20-30 minutes per meal, but I was still hungry when I hit 30 minutes, so I kept going. I know some docs say not to do this because your body starts digesting after about 20 minutes or so, but I wanted to see how long everyone else is taking to eat their meals?

You are right Leigha. I have lost 39 lbs post op (17 was before surgery). We're all tracking basically the same, proving Leigha's point that we are all doing what works for us! Kudos, chicas;-)!!!

I think that's awesome!!!! Honestly, I have heard many people haven't really changed their eating too drastically, but the band helps them to eat less. I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I know I have been eating more than I should be for lunch and dinners, but it's all protein-rich type stuff (yogurt, Protein Powder in pudding, cheese sticks, LOTS of chicken....) Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the weight loss, but I am worried I'm doing it the wrong way and my pouch is stretching. Or I could just be completely paranoid. Thanks to this whole board for listening to my himming and hawing this week. Going to go home and dance out my frustration on the Wii !

Thanks, Leigha. I'm just so frustrated right now because I'm getting in 90-100 grams of protein every day and still dealing with hunger. It's the worst. I just was so upset that I needed to eat a freaking cheese stick an hour after I had eaten a bowl of chili. Thank God I'm already 64 ounces of water in today :-(

Honestly, I did the 5-day pouch test and it seemed to work for me. I am seriously considering doing it again, as I felt a major difference and better yet, the two pounds I was gaining and losing for 3 weeks were lost forever!! Good luck, mominkansas! :blushing:

Hi there, banded on 10/21/09. Lost 17 pre-op, almost 40 post-op with 25 to go until goal. I have 4.2 ccs in a 14 cc band. Doc says I'm restricted--in the mornings I believe him. At lunch and dinner time, I beg to differ, as I am still starving after 6 to 8 ounces. I can't complain about the weight loss, but most days I am pulling my own weight (no pun intended) in my efforts. Last week I was very optimistic about my restriction level, this week not so much. It truly isn't head hunger either. Wondering what to do. I just ate lunch from 3 to 4 pm and here it is 5:15 and I just had to have a cheese stick. Congrats to both of you on your great weight loss, ladies!!!

The thing you need to remember when you're newly banded is that the first 6 weeks are about healing and not actual weight loss. Believe me, you are both doing great losing anything at all during this time! My surgeon calls any weight loss prior to the 6 week mark a lovely bonus. Believe me, there will be many ups and downs with the scale until you get more settled into your eating/exercise routine and restriction levels as your diets progress. One day you won't lose anything, the next a huge amount, or you'll plateau for 2 weeks and all of a sudden will be down 6 lbs! I wish I could tell you it gets less frustrating, but there are issues throughout the journey that we will need to deal with. You are both doing fabulous. Just hang in there-- it does get easier as you go on :-)!

Melissa, I am in the same boat. I had fill #2 two weeks ago--my doc does them in the radiology dept at the hospital so he can see the restriction level. He is very conservative as well. Before the fill, he told me I already had restriction (3.4 ccs in a 14 cc band) and I told him I was not feeling full on 6 ounces of food, so he agreed to put in a little more. .8 ccs later, I still don't ever feel full on 6 ounces. I do feel it if I eat too fast or my bite is too big, and I am really tight in the morning, but honestly, I don't think I'm "there" like he says I am. I don't even know how that could possibly be, but I am thinking of calling to get another fill soon (if they even give it to me). Hang in there, Melissa. Apparently, even the smallest amount of Fluid in your band can get you just where you need to be. We'll get there!!

I actually was still hungry, which is why I kept eating. I don't know if I'm ever going to get the hang of this. I seemed to eat a lot less last week, now this week I seem to be hungrier, yet in the morning, it was all I could do to get a 6 ounce yogurt down. I am about to just break down and do the 5-day pouch test again because that brought me restriction. I really just don't know what to do....

Hi there, I can relate. My ladies have also taken a sabbatical LOL The flabby underarms, something I used to tease my mom about, are as prominent as ever and my belly? Fuhgeddaboutit! I think resistance training and weights are recommended to help us with this, but honestly, if we have a certain amount of skin flab-wise, wondering if insurance just might cover getting it removed. Until then, and I hate to say it, but crunches are going to be a part of my exercise regimen for quite awhile :-( Hang in there, you're not alone.

I use www.thedailyplate.com . It tracks calories, Protein, fat and all other nutritional content and also allows you to enter your daily exercise (and nets out the calories taken in vs. burned) and Water intake. I love it! After my last journal was full, I figured I'd go environmentally friendly this time :-)!