ElfiePoo

If it was me, I'd just take 2 dulcolax and call the doc in the morning...if I still needed to. Usually within 6-8 hours, that stuff cleans me out and I'm feeling perky again. .

Well I'm only a week past my last fill but I only had restriction for a few hours. Despite that I've managed to keep motivated and stop eating even when I wasn't full and have managed to lose another 4 pounds. However, I was worried that by the time I got to next week, I would've gained it all back as it became more difficult to 'step away from the plate'. So I called to see if they could slide me in for another fill and I went in this morning for another .5cc. I'm now at 8.5cc and am hoping 'this is the one'. The one that is permanent and not just due to swelling. Even if it is only permanent, at least I'm sitting solidly at 229 and know I won't be yo-yoing upward again because I have restriction again. Oh, I did ask how they were able to squeeze me in so quickly and the receptionist said this is pretty typical this time of year. Apparently, people start thinking of all the goodies they're going to miss out on at their Super Bowl parties and they cancel their fills. .

It may just be a cultural thing. When I was travelling around Europe, it was not uncommon for europeans to comment about me being a 'big girl' and that was when I was only 50 pounds overweight. My mother-in-law is French and, while she's lived in this country long enough to have learned differently, her sisters are very blunt and I know they love me and don't mean to be hurtful. They just have the view that if you are a certain way then either do something about it...or accept yourself. Reading Camryn Manheim's book was a big eye opener for me and it was at that point that I stopped being embarrassed by rude people and accepted that "So what...I'm fat. Don't like it, don't look at me."

I calculated the number of calories I would need to maintain 140 lbs (my goal weight) for my height, age and activity level. Since it's only 250 calories less than I need to maintain my current weight, I've dropped down another 250 calories so I'll get that 2 lb a week weight loss. So I'm trying to stick around 1300 calories per day. When I have restriction, that's not difficult. In fact, I'd have a problem hitting that mark if it weren't for the fact that I pad my diet with about 110 calorie Protein shakes 3 times a day (mid-meals). You can calculate your calorie needs here. I did post a long post "calculating your daily calorie needs" about a week or so ago so you can calculate it manually, but the Mayo Clinic's calc works just as well. .

Even when I was dieting pre-band and had a real job (versus working for myself ), I would tell these thoughtful people 'thank you, but sugar gives me the jitters and makes me cranky...and you wouldn't want me to get cranky, now would you? They laughingly snatched the 'offering' back and said, "No, ma'am!" .

Congrats on the 'feel good' moment. They're better than actually seeing a weight drop on the scale.

My .02...nothing wrong with being a scale whore as long as you don't let it de-motivate you and get you down. On Monday morning, I get up and go to the bathroom and then weigh myself in the same lightweight silk nightie everytime. I have a triple beam balance scale (like the doctors used to have before the digitals) and it weighs me within a half pound of what the doctor's scale says. I may or may not get on it on other mornings, but I don't really 'count' the week long fluctuations as 'official' and so I disregard them. At 3 months postop, I rarely get on them now throughout the week which is so different from when I dieted in the past. I think because I am confident that when the band is working with me (which it has not been up to this point), the weight will come off. Until then I don't stress. I'm just pleased I'm actually losing anything. .

If someone can only eat cottage cheese and protein shakes then they are over filled. This may be a deliberate choice on their part or just a misunderstanding of what restriction means. I'm 3 months post op and very close to my 'sweet spot'. I have 8cc in a 12cc band. Even when I have temporary restriction, I can eat pretty much anything I could pre-band...just less of it. There are a couple foods (chewy breads, eggs, ground meats) that give me a problem no matter how small the bite or how well I chew, but I can still have just about everything else...just less of it. We had a garlic chicken thin crust pizza the other night and I had 2 pieces (they were small). There was a time when I would've eaten half of a pizza...or more. The other night I ate 4 baked chicken wings. In the past I would eat a dozen...or more. For me, when I have restriction, the band is about portion control. Even without restriction, I find I have to eat more slowly than in the past so that has helped limit the amount I eat even when I'm not restricted. .

After you get a fill, what happens to your diet plan? My doctor doesn't have any special diet after a fill. If solids go down, then I can eat solids. If not, then stick to 'slider' foods (soup, Protein shakes, etc.) for a day or so because it's probably just temporary swelling. Is it possible to have this thing and eat comfortably? Yes, even when I had temporary restriction, I could eat comfortably if I remembered to take small bites, chew well and eat slowly...meaning not to shovel another fork full of food in my mouth as soon as I had swallowed the last bite. I generally swallow and then give it about 30 seconds to make sure I'm not going to have difficulty with it. I avoid those foods that I know give me problems (eggs, bread, ground meats) and I don't drink with my meal. Too small of a sip with the meal and you'll just help your food slide through. Too big of a gulp and you'll end up sliming and PB'ing.

I'm actually 3 months postop and it's definitely not gas. How much it hurts seems to have more to do with the position I'm in. When I'm upright (sitting or standing), it doesn't hurt. If I'm lying or half-reclining on my side (either side), it hurts but varies in intensity depending on which side. If I'm lying on my back, it only stops if I stretch my left arm over my head. That's why I'm thinking it has something to do with the tubing rubbing on the diaphragm. I've been out surfing the net and I see quite a number of other people talking about this as well. I'm just wondering what i can do to alleviate the pain. .

Ok, since sometime after surgery (can't pinpoint it exactly), I've been dealing with an ache in my left upper arm. It feels almost like the kind of ache I get when I've overdone it on raking leaves, but not quite. I haven't been doing anything to cause any type of muscle ache but do remember reading awhile back about this not being uncommon and having to do with the tubing rubbing on the diaphragm? I can't seem to find that post and am wondering if anyone can help shed some light on this. I brought it up to the tech doing my fill and she said she'd never heard of that type of complaint. It would help if I could explain more clearly. Anyone else have this problem? .

Ditto. Restriction doesn't necessarily mean 'stuck'...and vice versa. I don't have restriction but do have problems with certain foods. So we take small bites, chew well, eat slowly and make note of the foods we have difficulty with. If I intended to avoid restriction, I'd just have them remove the band because it serves no purpose. .

I'm sorry to hear about your mom. :thumbup: Personally, I would find another doc if possible. A two month wait for an appointment is ridiculous. I could set my fill for sometime in the next week if needed, although they prefer a 2 week notice if possible. .

You know, they flashed over Nicole Kidman on the Grammy's the other night and I remember thinking, "Wow! She used to be so beautiful." There are a number of other stars in the same boat. They were 'naturally' beautiful and now are freakish looking due to the excess plastic surgery, botox, etc. I've often wondered what they 'see' in the mirror that makes them think they actually look more beautiful after the 'nip/tuck'. .

I can do vegies (except corn)with no problem as long as I remember to chew well. Egg rolls and the rice are a problem. I can usually eat rice, but this is a stickier rice and gives me problems. After a couple of stuck episodes, I've learned chicken has to be in very tiny bites and chewed very well and wait a minute or two before putting anything else in behind it. I read somewhere that chicken is a problem with many people because it's more fibrous. .

The 'moister' the food, the more likely it's a slider food. I can't eat a hamburger because it gets stuck, but I can eat chili and I think it's because the liquid helps slide the pieces on through. I love casseroles, most likely because they're carb loaded, but found they slide on through and I can easily eat to excess with them.

Hi Todd, I have 8cc in my 12 cc band and I'm getting close but no restriction and, yes, I do get stuck despite that if I forget to chew well, take small bites or forget there are some foods (eggs, bread and ground meats) that are no-no's. I'm also never hungry but have to tell you that on the few occasions when I had temporary restriction after a fill, I could go 4-5 hours after a meal without even thinking about food. A feat considering I'm usually planning my next meal while I'm still eating the current one. .

Maybe you could ask for a take out box when you get your meal and just immediately put most of it in the box for another meal?

When we eat out, I just take some of my husband's meal onto another plate and I only take my 1 cup. When we eat at home, I'm careful to dish out only what I can have so there are no 'leftovers' on my plate. I don't have a problem with not eating everything on my plate, but I do have a problem with 'picking' at what's left even if I'm full. I've always had an exceptional sense of smell and I haven't noticed that it has been any more so.

Ummm...actually, based on my experience and the experience of other low carbers I talk with on a regular basis, not all calories are created equal. I lost 70 pounds on Atkins in 5 months, eating nothing but protein, fats and 2 cups of low carb green vegies each day and my calorie count (due to the fat and meats) was roughly 3000 calories per day. I did not exercise at all. Now I'm eating roughly 1200-1500 calories per day, mostly protein and carbs found in vegies, but I have been eating potatoes, rice, etc. as well. My weight loss is averaging around 1 lb. per week and my mother-in-law has been dragging me to aerobics twice a week. Oh yeah...and I have a Wii Fit that I've been playing with every few days for about 30 minutes each time. I am *seriously* tempted to go back on Atkins for the next month because I so badly want to get under 200. Just a side note...I am a diabetic and so are those whose experiences mimic mine with Atkins. When we eat carbs, our body kicks out insulin. If we're insulin resistant (as we all are), then our body wants to turn those 'sugars' into fat instead of burning them off. Without the carbs, our body isn't kicking out the insulin and we're burning those excess calories more efficiently...or so my doctor explained to me. Perhaps the results for non-diabetics would be different? I don't know. .

Keep in mind that doctors, as a general rule, know next to nothing about nutrition. Come to think of it...neither do nutritionists. They're just spouting the same 'ol, same 'ol party line about the food pyramid...whatever it happens to be at the current time. Bottom line...you need to find what works with you and what you can live with. Otherwise you won't stick to it. I was on Atkins for 5 months and lost 70 pounds (from my top weight of 330). I've kept it off for 6+ years. No, I haven't been eating low carb all that time but I'm aware of the carbs and so my diet tends to be lower in carbs these days than it was prior to losing the 70 pounds. I do better on a low carb diet because I'm a diabetic. I eat carbs, my body kicks out insulin which it's unable to use and I end up with these major sugar swings which send me straight to the fridge and more carbs and the vicious cycle continues. .

Bread, eggs (doesn't matter how they're cooked) and ground meat. After this last fill, I'm up to 8cc and still no restriction but these are definite no-no's. I have no problem with Pasta or rice. .

I've lost 31 pounds and am still wearing the same clothes I was pre-band. However, we went to a baby shower on Saturday and I found a pair of black dress pants (2 sizes smaller) in the back of the closet that I bought and was unable to wear and just never got rid of them. I put on one of my newer, smaller tops and the pants and oh my gosh! I'm definitely going to go out and buy a couple pair of new pants and toss these things I've been swimming in. The weight loss is so much more apparent and I looked *good* which in turn has made me more motivated!

After reading a couple of bypass forums, I'll be honest and say that there are worse things than being fat...and in my opinion, having a bypass is one of them. If my band had to come out, I'd seriously consider a gastric sleeve, but never a bypass. According to my doctor, when someone has their band removed, the weight comes back because you're once again dealing with hunger. I also agree with what someone else said...if this guy has put two bands in you and they've both slipped, I'd find another surgeon. .

I had a tech that did the same thing...and she'd press so hard on the port that I'd be sore for days after a fill. I finally requested the other tech and now it's a breeze. I think some people are just a bit more 'inept' at their job. In the case of your doctor, at least he's 'ept' (hehe) at putting in the band. .