StephC

Gerbera - I got 2 cc my first fill. I have good restriction but not too much. If they are doing in under fluro (xray) they will time how fast it goes through and get it right. But my dr did say some people have up to 4 cc. My dr does all his fills under fluro but then we are in a medical center and have access to the xray dept. Kay - you may be needing a fill sweetie - I know you wanted to put it off as long as possible but if you need it get it. I love my fill. I haven't had the aftersupper snacks since I got on regular food with this fill. Last night I ate kfc too - but I ate the mashed potatoes, which are 1/2 cup and then 2 strips of chicken - I was STUFFED - I should've only ate 1 strip but I was hungry hungry when I finally got a chance to eat. Still only ate about 730 calories all day. My supper was only 380 which isn't so bad. http://www.yum.com/nutrition/menu this is the KFC website that will calculate whats on your tray. Kinda cool if you're a chicken lover. And of that 730 calories in I exercised and burned 150 calories off so thats only 580 calories. If I do have a snack after supper its a popcicle. I'm trying not to weigh myself until I call the dr next week. They do a check 2 weeks after the fill, just a phone call to see how its going and if I've lost any weight. It'll just be one week tomorrow. Let me know if you do a Dec in Feb thread.

Love the banana on skis! Too cute!

I didn't ski today. I didn't have time this morning cuz I had to go to work. And besides my hips ache. I like the hair cut too, the bangs that long might drive me crazy but otherwise I like it and I especially like that ring! There is no way I would get on a pair of roller blades - I'd kill myself falling. B-man wow you look nice, have you lost weight? Kay ya know what the difference about those other diets and the band is? YOU CAN GET A FILL AND START FRESH!!! Just when we think this isn't working for me, all we have to do is call dr dreamy and say fill me up buddy! You'll get past this mark and on down and down and down. I've given up on the scale but I took my measurements the other day and since I started measuring which was about 3 weeks postop, I've lost 4 inches around my waist!!! My boobs actually stick out farther then my belly! Kirsten wasn't it you who said your friend gave you that compliment? My niece said the same thing yesterday to me, and get this I had bought a sweater on clearence last spring but it never fit, I put it on yesterday and had a ton of compliments - B-man - I said thank you its good to hear because I've really been working at it. Ok who started the V-day challenge? Or goal? I want to lose 10 lbs by then. Really I'd like to lose 40 by then but I guess thats not very realistic so I'll go with 10.

fugger always cracks me up! so yesterday I decide to push my self on the skis. I live in a valley - a big old dip n the earth and no matter which direction I go I have a hill to climb. So I get my butt moving and I decide rather then take the big hill first , I'll go the small hill, flat, small hill, flat ... so I get to where the 1/2 mile mark is and I look at the time, it only took me 10 min. so I think ok I'll push it up that hill and then it should be easy. I went up the hill and coming down the slight little hill I started losing control. I fell. So I dust myself off and decided to go through the trail in the woods so no one can see me if I fall. I got through that obstacle course and out to my road again and theres this HUGE hill - the kind a downhill skiier would love. I start down and I'm thinking omg I'll break my other knee. I stopped took my skis off and walked down the hill, when I got to the bottom I put them back on and skied on into the driveway. LOL I was sweating like a pig! It's 2 miles the whole way around the loop - I've decided not to do it again. I think its best to go the small hills to my half mile mark turn around and come back. I might take the skis with me to the golf course and try it there. But its so much fun and when its fun its alot easier to sweat then when its not. Everyone sounds like they are doing good. Nat I'd like a copy of some of those exercises too. Maybe I'll dig my bands out and try it. Nat - why would it make you happy to see the ex? Just cuz you're friends? Sweetie there must be a reason he's an EX! My oldest daughter, the one in college, dated a guy for 3 yrs in hs and when she decided to go to college she broke up with him. He was a great kid, but she knew he wasn't the one. It was really hard because my son sided with him and it was just a mess but through it all I've kept telling my son and her that we all deserve the best and we shouldn't settle. She deserves someone who will love her completely for who she is and adore the ground she walks on, and you do too Nat. He's out there you just have to be patient and don't settle for someone who isn't good enough for you. My daughter took it to the point where she decided she wouldn't even date someone unless she knew him well enough in advance to know if he would even be husband material. Well she just went out with a guy and the funny thing about it is - they were friends for about 4 months before they went out and she just thought the world of him and would tell me all about him and I said oh he sounds like husband material and she said oh he would make such a good husband but not for me. I said why not you? she said he's too good looking? LOL I said so is he conceited and she said NO its just that he's better looking then me. I said this is not the girl I raised who has strong self worth. But then I thought this is good because its humbling to her - its good to be humbled. So she thought he was out of her league and here he was crazy about her. So I'm just the mom but I think he's the one. thought for today You are all beautiful intelligent fun women and you deserve the best.

Pooping problems? Shredded wheat - healthy start to your morning.

BK - you could ski - its so much fun - I'm on my way out now. Hubster is a sleeper and so I don't like waking him just to do the treadmill so this is working for me. BUT the backs of my knees hurt this morning. I supose I'm using a muscle I didn't know was there before. Went to a wrestling tourny yesterday - all day. I did pretty good - other then 2 glasses of wine. They had pizza or subway, so I picked subway and took half the bun off. I was pretty scared but I took my time and chewed and it was fine. For supper we went for wings, I ate 5 and 2-3 orings and a glass of wine. Afterward I had another glass of wine and when we got home I ate 3 crackers. There's a few of us who's boys have graduated so when we go to a tourney its more a social thing. But I know I can do it. Nat the restriction for me is about 2/3 cup. That will last me 4 hours easily. I think once you go to solids you'll feel sated longer. My doc goes on the fill by how long you are sated. If you are eating liquids or mushies you aren't going to feel sated as long. SB party? We are having the kids over. Hubby is getting crabs and shrimp. Yummy! I make the buffalo chicken dip, its good. I don't know about lowfat tho, its made with cream cheese. You could use FF I guess. Oh I have this great taco ring. You use the poppin fresh croisants arrange them in a circle and fill with seasoned burger and cheese, fold 'em up and bake 'em. Serve with all the toppings. YUMMY! I'm out to ski again. LOVE IT!

Did the cross country skiing this morning - love love loved it! I did 45 minutes and it just flew by. I was sweating like a hog by the time I was done.

Carol - pooping your way to weight loss! too darn funny! LMAO wtg on the weight loss! Nat - will I use the bands? No - want me to see if I can find them and send them to you? I think I even have a dvd to go with it, one of those walking videos. PM me your address and I'll see if I can round one up, I'm pretty sure I know what drawer I stuck it in. These are the long elastic bands that are for resistance, right? Hey I got the skis! So my friend comes over (she's actually a member at the golf club where I work so not really a "friend") her and her hubby have this huge box they bring in full of the ski shoes, and they proceed to fit me, hubbster and daughter all up - skis, poles, shoes - the works! So I'm really anxious to get started.. I think I might even go now this morning since hubby is still sleeping and the treadmill is in the bedroom. Pray I don't break anything. bk - I love the tape measurer too! And I also just got my hair done. My niece is great at her job, like the best around and when I'm ready for a change I tell her just do something different. This time she did the back lower layer dark brown, and then put highlights and lowlights all over, and cut it. I was a little :omg: cuz it was shorter then I was expecting but now I love it. My youngest daughter is also going to cosmotolgy - she goes to vo-tech during school and when she graduates high school she'll have her license - shes not ready do to my hair yet. But does all the guys. Rather then go to college she wants to open her own shop right away. Nat I didn't feel the restriction the first night when I was on fluids but then the next day with mushies I did. Yesterday I ate about 1/2 cup 4 times. Mostly Proteins but had the shredded wheat (I don't like being irregular) and then at lunch I had tuna with a salad. I didn't have a problem with any of it. Supper I had chicken and raviolis - but again about 1/2 - 3/4 of a cup total - before bed I finished the tuna and other half of my chicken fillet. I was totally satisfied and wasn't digging around for a sweet. I'm outa here, I'm gonna try my skis out before the world can see me. Have good day ladies!

Annie - glad your fill went well. Kirsten I'm hoping my fill lasts longer then a week! But they did tell me I can come back in 2 weeks for another if I need to. So far so good. I'm just eating my meals. siyah - I'm sure the program you used for your taxes worked everything out for you. Whats the point of using a program if you have to do all the work? I know what you mean about portion sizes. I have switched to using a small plate for my meals.

travelbug - I use my treadmill everyday. I can't say I LOVE it but it works for me. I had broke my knee cap just a month before my surgery so I wasn't able to start right away after the band, I had to wait about a month to get the release from the bone doc. So I started slow, the first week I did 10 minutes, the 2nd I did 15, 3rd 20 and now I'm almost done with my 4th week at 25 minutes. I watch tv while I walk. Then I do my version of pilates, mainly just toning, and crunches for about 10 minutes. I also just started walking 2 nights a week at the school, on an indoor track. I'm very proud of myself for keeping this up for 4 weeks since my exercise history isn't something to be proud of. I also am buying a set of xcountry skiis - so I'm going to add that. One of my ultimate goals is to waterski. We have a speed boat and every year i'm the "watcher" - I tried about 5 years ago and couldn't get my fat butt out of the Water so I'm hoping if I'm 70 lbs lighter I'll be able to do it. My main goal for the band is not only to lose the weight but to become healthier all around and to be able to do fun things like ride a bike and waterski. I'm not out to run a marathon but I do want to have fun.

Nat - I got those bands - I never used them. But it was like every other exercise attempt - start and stop - I'm on week 4 of using my treadmill, I've never kept up with exercise as well as I'm doing now. In fact Dr. Phil's on so I better go walk with Phil.

Nat I didn't realize they had put so much in your band to start with. No wonder you had such will power! Makes sense why they didn't do the fluro. LOL My dr is in a medical center so we just had to go down and register for xray. But they made the appt 2 weeks in advance. I wish I could see you sniveling on tv - is it national? Child care is a big issue - have you watched Oprah lately? The whole issue of stay at home moms vs working moms - it was interesting. I've been on both sides of the coin so I know its not easy. I was fortunate enough to only had worked 1 year (to get us out of debt) when my 3rd was 3 years old and she was at gramma's house that year - which made it so much easier on ALL of us. How do you feel since your fill? Feeling restriction? Jill - I'm 5'3". It is discouraging to see everyone down 30-40 lbs and here I am struggling to lose a freaking pound! Sweethot it sounds like you had a better experience this time with the midevil drs. I'm alittle learey about them not knowing how much they put in. Doesn't sound Kosher to me. My dr had his reading glasses on so he could see the cc's on the syringe. But he was also watching the screen too. B-man I'm working my butt of too and tracking on fitday - I'm like Kirsten and was really struggling to eat under 1400 calories but at the same time knew I was eating 1/2 of what I could've been eating. But when reading one of the threads about what you wished you'd done differently since banding alot of people said they wished they had exercised from the start, so that keeps me motivated. I feel so much better about myself too. Patty I've felt my port since day one. When I do crunches I can really feel it. But not the tubing. It doesn't bother me but I'm aware of it when I roll onto my belly to sleep. :clap2: for me. I didn't snack after supper. I ate around 6 and was full until I went to bed. This fill is really doing it for me. I hope it lasts! If it doesn't I'm going back for more. I'm not sure if I'm charged or not. I guess for the xray but I guess not for dr cause when we went to leave to go down to xray I said don't I need to pay my co-pay? and they said no. This is very typical of me, don't ask questions about money but ask if I'll have more restriction during my period.

wow is it ever! My sister actually lived in Andover until they bought the new house. I guess I've been in your neighborhood! What church do you go to? They go to an Assembly of God. I'm thinking that it might be in Anoka tho.

I also only got 2 cc in a 10 cc band. It seems to be working today.

Nat - I'm assuming they didnt' do it under fluro? I think you're a big baby (kidding) I didn't think it was so bad, I must have a higher pain tolerence - of course I couldn't look at the needle. My fill is working. Today for bk I had 1 egg and 1 egg white scrambled - I measured it and it was almost 1/2 cup. That was at 8am then I went to work and forgot about eating. It was 1:30 when I realized I was hungry so I ate my cheese stick. Then I got home and my neice, who is also my stylist, called and said she could do my hair so I said let me grab something to eat first and so it was close to 2 when I ate another scrambled egg. I just couldn't think of a mushie, later I thought I could've had tuna or something like that! So then I started supper at 5 and although I wasn't really hungry I was putting some fruit away and I noticed the peaches were at the perfect stage so I ate one- a small one. I just ate supper - hamburger helper. LOL I think its a mushie. It went down ok and then I weighed out 2 oz of meat. I think it was more like a cup of food instead of a 1/2 cup but I feel ok. I mean I feel full but not sick. I'm hoping that I will be able to get pass the snacks. So I've had about 700 calories today. I have felt VERY satisfied and if I can resist evening snacks I think I should be on my way to losing some weight. Bk - I use Fitday for tracking, Kay recommended it. I love it. I don't think you can stretch the pouch out. I watched the fluro and it it actually backs up into the esphogus. I think it would take alot to stretch it.

I was wondering how you all felt about LBT. I don't think anyone from my support group is a part of LBT and wonder if I would have better success following my doctor's orders if I had never found LBT or because of LBT I will have better success? Please feel free to check more then one response.

Kristen the chicken sounded yummy. I use honey mustard alot now because its got such good flavor and low cals. As far as restriction my dr said I can come back in 2 weeks if I need another fill so you might be ready. Siyah - feels good to get the taxes done - hu? I've used turbo tax for the past 2 years so I'll probably stick with it. Its easy. Its cool to have a nice write off like that self-pay. Ibreham - I hope you had a nice birthday. How much longer to you have to be on liquids? Thats tough but you seem to be doing great by it. Keep up the good work! Do any of you or have any of you cross country ski-ed? I'm buying the skiis, poles and boots from a friend - if she has my size boots. She said she has about 20 sets, they are avid skiers and go at least once a day and sometimes 2x. I've never skied, well not since high school but I think it'll be a great way to get out of the house and fun exercise and if its not for me I'm only out $20. I live in the country - 20 miles from a gym - so I really need to get into something like this and I can walk out my back door and go to it. I'm going to keep doing my morning treadmill walk and then hope the skiing steps it up for me.

Jill you and I have almost identical stats. We've both lost 17 lbs. How tall are you? I've been doing great with the exercise part too but I know I was taking in too many calories. Today is a new day with a new fill so I'm anxious to see how I do. Last night I had about 1/2 cup tomato soup - that was fine but then I went walking and must have moved the soup cuz I came home and wanted to eat. So I warmed up another 1/2 cup of soup - then I ate 1/2 cup of ice cream, then I ate 1/2 cup of soup, then I ate a 1/2 cup of pudding! This was in a 3 hour period and after the pudding I felt full. Then I got to thinking maybe the pudding was more like a mushie and sitting in my belly instead of all that soup and ice cream which went on down. I still didn't have over 500 calories all day and I burned 150 off in the morning then went walking again last night and did another 2 miles so I probably burned another 200 off then too. But listen to me trying to justify myself - news flash - my way of eating wasn't working I only lost 1 (one) pound over the past 2 weeks when I thought I was doing so well. Nat - geesh girl I hope you are feeling better today. It must have been the crust. I know you only gave in because you knew today was FILL day so get over it - remember the damn pizza wasn't really that good anyway - climb on the elliptical and blow me out of the water just like you've always done. I don't know what Kay's been smoking but I want some too if thats whats getting her will power up like that - she is down another 2.6 lbs this week - that girl is in the mode! Kay - how's everyone? School? Are you back to your clinicals? You're doing so great with the diet - good for you! So when I was with dr dreamy yesterday I asked him if its true about when you have your period if you get tighter because of fluid retention. He said absolutely not. He said even if you retain alot of fluid the tiny bit that would be in the .. I'm gonna say flesh because I can't think of the word he used .. the tiny bit of fluid that may be in the flesh in the band isn't going to be enough to make a difference. So does anyone have any advice on how to break the after supper munchies? I'm praying this fill will make me fill satisfied and not eat when I'm not hungry. If anyone has advice please give it to me.

:update: :happybday: Hey did you know its Ibrehams birthday? :happybday2:

Hi ladies! Got my fill today - for the full story go to Steady losers thread - I went into full detail there. It wasn't bad at all. The worst was the poke and it was the ouch that hurt and then it while he was working on getting the right amount it didn't bother me at all. I got 2cc's - it was all done under fluro. He showed me the xray with the barium in it. The pouch is very small and I don't think we can "stretch" it out very easily - instead the food/drink backs up into the esphogus - thus the golf ball in the chest feeling or PBing. It was interesting. I drank a cappicino on the way home and it made me feel a little nauseated. Then I tried to gag down 2 different Protein drinks and gave it up - for supper I had tomato soup and ate about 1/2 a cup. Right now I feel like I need to burp - so I guess I'm pretty full. I only lost 1 pound! Dang I hate the difference in scales! I had that feeling - but the other lady that was there had gained 1 pound so that made me feel slightly better. I had hot wings last night - kinda like the last supper syndrome - go for the pizza but be careful with the crust. I have ate the top but white breads and crusts scare me so I've stayed away. Sounds stupid that I could eat hot wings but not white bread - such is the banded life. Kay - sweetheart - its so good to hear from you again!

So Nat you think I should try that zero carb stuff? Do you just get one drink from each packet? So I had my bid in on ebay for the x country skiis - some sucker kept uping the bid - so I stopped and started looking around again and found a set that are from a local dealer so I wouldn't have shipping but they didn't have the boots so I called my friend (member of the club type friend) and asked her if I need the boots cuz I know she's a big time ski-er - and she says let me check but I'm sure I have your size and how about I sell you the boots, skiis and poles all for $20 - !?! - sure! So hopefully I'll be on my way - over the rocks as hubster would think - losing weight. And while we were on the phone she even invited me to lunch. Go figure.

I can't drink the protein mixes - I tried again tonight and blech! yuko. I wish I could find one that didn't gross me out. The only one thats ok is Boost and its full of calories. Nat you need to jump that co-workers bones! You old horney thing! Flirt it up! Maybe the PA is single... hmmmm?

Forgot to tell you - I only lost 1 pound! I swear my scale sucks! According to my scale I had lost at least 4 pounds and somedays 5 - so i had myself psyched for at least 3! And he said one - I was like WHAT!?!? Then the other lady who had her surgery the same day as me and was also there for a fill today said she went up a pound this time. She had lost 26, she was pretty disgusted too. I just had some tomato soup for supper and poured about a cup and had to stop at about 1/2 of it. I should have measured but figured it would go on through - wrong. I stopped and put it down and then my nose started to run. So I think I was at my limit.

Hello my lovelies! Had my fill today. I was allowed bk and then liquids since they slide on through anyway. So its all done under fluro with nothing to numb it. The only pain was the needle going in and it was an ouch moment. So I'm standing there with Dr Dreamy, Nate and 3 xray techs - they have me pull my shirt up and my man wipes the port area with whatever it is they use - and he's pushing around trying to feel the port, and he says push your belly out - I'm think wtf! and I let the air out since I'm holding my breath and tucking my tummy in (as if that helps!) and he says no suck in - and I pull my ole fat belly in as much as I can and he says no, I mean tighten your muscles - I start to giggle at this point. First of all its freeaking embarrassing to show the fat to a roomfull of strangers, 2nd - you know I'm crushing on him 3rd - do you honestly think I have muscles in my stomach! ROFL!!! Ok so you all know I'm an idiot so I'm going to reinforce that opinion - only to my daughters would I do this but I have a way of bending and rolling my stomach so it looks like a 6 pack - only its like a 6 pack of pillowy fluff! So dr dreamy is got this needle hanging in my belly and he's not really hit the port dead on and I'm giggling. Freaking JELLY BELLY! He says ok now stop the giggling. He found the port and had me take the drink of barium crapola. He put in until it closed completely and then took out and had me drink - we did this a few times until we ended with 2cc. So then he has me look at the xrays and I don't know if any of you looked at yours but if you get a chance take a look. That pouch is NOT very big. If we eat more then 1/2 a cup its up in the esphogus! It kinda scared me into being a good girl and making sure I can feel when I'm full. He also pointed out the wires in my bra - lol - gotta love him! I'll talk more later - tata for now. Oh I drank a cupacinno and had a little nausea - the fill must be holding the liquids pretty good too.

Interesting question since I didn't have anyone tell me what my goal should be. All my doctor said is that I need to be realistic. I'm not quite 5'3" and at 22 I weighed 110 - UNREALISTIC - my 16 y/o daughter is 5'2" and weighs around 120 - so I look at her and think theres no way I will ever be that skinny! I have set my goal at 140 and if I get there and think that I can lose another 5 or 10 lbs then I'll take it from there.