GoingforGoal

Yes, some woman do experience fluctuations in restriction during their TOM. Best to keep it simple with soups etc. Keep a journal and track to see if it does correlate with your TOM and, if so, how long any tightness lasts for so you can plan ahead in the future

haha That's funny. And yes, it's new, but it looks like my old one lol

I got an arm lift as well Loretta. I was surprised by how immediate the results were. Very little swelling. I was able to use my arms immediately. I had wrongly envisioned that my arms would be weakened or in pain if I moved them, but that's not the case. The incision is sensitive, as it is for the breasts and the tummy. My doc did an incredible job w/ the incision line. I've seen some really poor arm jobs and so my #1 fear was my arms. To my relief they came out perfect. None of my work was covered by insurance, but you would have to look up what your plan covers as it may differ.

You had to wait 10 weeks? OMG. Just be careful when introducing any new foods to include foods in different states (ie larger bites opposed to being grounded). Slowly test your band for tolerance by eating one bite at a time thoroughly. This is when you really take the band for a ride and can get negative feedback that differed from previous food stages. This is also true after each fill, what you could eat before the fill may not be true after the fill. So slow and steady. Congrats on holding out SO long...10 weeks???? geesh

You may feel a tad sensitive at the port site with all the pinching, however, nothing that should stop you from normal activity of any kind. As for eating, you need to stick to liquids and slowly transition into solids again. Despite whether you feel restriction or not, this transition is crucial to not agitate an already inflammed stoma (consequence of being tightened by the fill). I will add that once you get closer to green, I feel nauseous with fills. Especially if doc wants to pull all my Fluid out for a volume check and reinsert it. My stomach flips. The nausea usually lasts for a few hours which may/may not be a deterrent to eat. Stay hydrated. Remember that your band can be finnicky. So day 1 can be great than day 2 too tight. Just keep a watchful eye on it, report any major changes (ie can't drink or eat at all, reflux), and don't hesitate EVER to get an unfill if you experience any of these symptoms (despite wanting to get to green in a hurry).

Tara is right. When burning fat, there is no way to isolate a target area to lose from first. The only thing you can do is a get in a good cardio workout. 30 mins is sufficient as long as your heart rate is elevated and you maintain your Target Heart Rate (THR). Here is a link to a THR calculator if you don't know what yours should be: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/target-heart-rate/SM00083 Additionally, circuit training (weight lifting) is optimal for maximum fat burn and overall body toning. Many people confuse weight lifting resulting in huge manly muscles, when in reality that's far more difficult to achieve (due to nutritional demands and heavy lifting opposed to # reps). Circuit training should be viewed as muscle strengthening ordinarily. Most gyms, for safety reasons, require all members to undergo a machine orientation where they teach you how to use the machine appropriately. See if this is offered by your gym. Sure it may be boring for them, but who gives a ****, they signed up for the job. In reality, it's your safety. Some of these machines may look easy, but they actually require specific postures or specific angles of compression etc for optimal results. Otherwise you won't get the results you are looking for. Additionally, pick up any SELF magazine, or go online for some workout regimens. Let those guide you if you are unsure of how many reps to do, what your target weights should be. Unfortunately exercise is not a wing it task, it needs to be done correctly.

Depends on your insurance. If you have the typical insurance that requires some tests before being approved it takes approx. 3-4 months total to complete all the classes/tests and get approval from your insurance company. My recommendation is to be proactive and do as many of those tests on the same day as possible to knock them out. Unfortunately some things like the nutrition classes can be only once a month and that's what prolongs the wait.

Christina, Have you heard of papaya enzyme? It's a natural enzyme you can buy over the counter that bariatric surgeons recommend to help break down food if it gets stuck. That's an option. Also, once inflammation starts at the stoma, it may continue to feel tight as if you are stuck, but in reality your stoma is just irritated and swollen. You definitely want to lay low and keep to fluids until the swelling subsides. Further irritation puts you at risk for total occlusion in which nothing will pass because your stoma is so swollen.

I remember my first fill was not until the 6 week mark as well. Your doc is being safe/conservative to ensure your success. As crummy as that may feel, it's actually better for you long term. Hang in there. The worse part is over.

You'll get there and hopefully before 4 years. I had setbacks (pregnancy and a car accident/rehab incident). Definitely set aside some $ for CS and get numerous quotes before committing. My husband went in for 2 consults one was literally twice the cost of the other doc. You WILL get there and than you can show off those mahvalous abs of yours too

You won't like me after that heheeeh... (blowing her whistle..yelling "Now give me 10") ahhaha j/k

cottage cheese, quinoa, spread cheese, bonne belle cheese, milk, chili, meatballs, eggs, turkey bacon and turkey hot dogs, nuts, beans, high protein veggies/fruits like spinach, broccoli, peaches and avocado, canned meats to make salads, tofu, and even some soups.

Ok let's turn this into positives first... #1 Congrats on the baby I too got pregnant with my third son while banded and I hope that this was a happy surprise #2 Congrats on the great weight loss so far... 62 (with a high of 80ish) is outstanding and shows this will work for you #3 Congrats on not gaining excessively with the pregnancy. I only gained 20 as well and breastfeeding helped knock that away shortly thereafter #4 Welcome back. When I was ready to start losing again I threw myself back at the LBT community for a daily mental reminder that I'm committed to this and the support/ideas is what helped me along. Now let's clarify... 1) Did you have to take any Fluid out when you got pregnant? If so, getting back to green will need to be a goal 2) What is your plan for breastfeeding..6 months, a year, 5 years <snicker. If you are sustaining yourself and baby, that will require more calories than normal. Give us an idea of how many cals you are eating? or what an average day of food looks like for you? This will help us tweek your diet by adding or subtracting calories where needed. Protein shakes may become a new best friend again if you are unable to eat large volumes in order to get sufficient and nutritious calories without eating too much or continuously. 3) Stress releases cortisol which is a nasty hormone that readily allows the body to store fat and makes it near impossible to burn it. Sounds like life got stressful there for a moment and just wanted to know if things have settled down any. If not, it'll be equally important to learn to balance and cope as to not allow stress to negatively thwart your goals. 4) Exercise.. I've had 3 c/sections and I just came out of cosm. surgery (including tummy tuck). So I know the word exercise is not the most appealing. However, perhaps somethign as simple as a mommy & me yoga or similar workout is just whats in order. It's more like playtime. If you find parenthood is draining you, you'd be amazed how daily exercise can reenergize you and create some bonding time w/ baby Food choices are probably the most critical part here. So developing a strong high protein hungar-diverting menu is what's in order. Best part is, these are ideal food choices for a breastfeeding mom AND great intro foods for baby when he transitions into mushies and solids himself. Staple foods: milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, meats (keep them moist, or use canned meats which are super low cal lunch alternatives), get quick and easy low at meats like turkey bacon and hot dogs to sub out all beef versions, oatmeal is great for a burst of carb energy laced with walnuts and dried fruit for a yummy protein rich flavor for Breakfast, eggs if you can manage it- try egg salad if not, be sure to get some veggies and fruit in there as well but go for high protein versions like brocolli and spinach or avocado and peaches. Proteins the key for keeping hunger at bay. As for hubby...oh well...I have one of those too. He is also banded, however, that doesn't mean we are always on the same note. Just like the ol' days, when I was good on my diet he would not be. That just resulted in my sabotaging my own diet and kicking myself afterwards. As the weight dropped I became very protective of my new weight and to this day my wl is independent of my husband's diet and/or motivation levels. I know it's easier to have a partner etc, but in reality, this all lies on your shoulders. Sounds like a burden, but it's actually empowering to free yourself of other's behaviors, attitudes, ambivalence, etc etc. Trust me, a happy wife makes a happier husband..he just doesn't know it yet. Best of luck hon. You can always email if you need more info/ideas

Most docs lol...Yeah, the accredited and licensed ones. No doctor is going to risk putting your or your band in jeopardy. Most docs are either conservative or aggressive in their approach to fills, but that's usually with the volume they are willing to give you with each fill opposed to frequency of fills. You do not want to do a back to back fill because you have not had sufficient time to evaluate the effect of that fill. You can easily leave a fill filling tight and by end of the week it loosens. AND vice versa. 2 weeks is a bare minimum. 4-6 weeks is the norm.

Thanks guys. And thanks to all my friends who kept me motivated and gave it to me straight. xoxo Love you xoxo

OMG it worked hahaha

Post already HAHAHHA

and Take 3...

Take two and abs/body

Top shot of implants (trying to be discreet here) lol

Sorry guys, LBT is being tempermental w/ pics. Going to upload one at a time

Hi 5

I just want to make a correction. I don't think MOST of us suffer from constipation as a given. I've been banded for 4 years and can't remember being constipated until I had 8 hours of cosmetic surgery in October. If you are undergoing anything (like surgery, or being on pain meds etc) that will cause constipation, try a stool softener. Laxatives can make things uncomfortable AND are not designed for continual or long term use because it causes a) dependency in order to stool and a wicked constipation/diarrhea cycle. To avoid constipation, keep fluids up, minimum 64 oz per day. Eat Fiber items or natural laxatives like prunes.

If you are not vegan, milk, cheese, yogurt etc are must haves If you are, look for soy/rice versions. Than invest in Quinoa- excellent Protein, legumes, tofu, vegetarian versions of meat (like vegan dogs/burgers), nuts, and making hummus. Start tuning into the nutrition labels and you'll be surprised to see a portion of peas can be as much as 8g of protein and brocolli is 6g. Add those kind of veggies to something like tofu and you got yourself a meal! Protein shakes and/or additives are also helpful when you are starting out and getting your barrings on how to concoct a protein packed veggie meal.

I did not have any Fluid in my band and was one of the fortunate ones who did not get hungry until the end of week 3. However, take that factoid away, hungar did eventually find it's way in. I find that days I managed to get optimal Protein intake in, I was much more satiated with my 3 meals than days I did not. That is because it takes the body longer to break down protein and keeps is a longer acting energy source than say carbs. Could you give us an example menu you have planned and perhaps we can add to it to help you make optimal choices Protein shakes were critical at this stage as well