kathyinca

Hi Denise, Did not answer you last week. I got a bit busy. Had some good days and bad days this week....but woke up and dropped 2 pounds! So, I'm officially now under 200 lb. So, even though it is slow, this band is still working. About Japan.......moved here for work. It is for a "short" time.....just a couple of years. It was one of those things that just was right for us at the time....so we jumped at the opportunity. We are at the right time of our lives that this was relatively easy right now for us. So far, we are happy we made the move. There are a lot of Americans and other foreigners here. It has not been too hard to get settled.....just the normal stress of a move, I guess. Eating is just interesting here.....I've had to learn all over again in some cases as I eat things I never ate or even encountered at home.

Denise, Don't stress about those cookies....you've probably got some water weight or something. I've been the same weight for a week even though I'm walking like crazy and eating a lot smaller portions....nothing. I really do think you feel it first before you see it show up on the scale. Then, my body will not lose a half pound or a pound....I'll just drop 2 pounds when I finally do. So, hang in there. Eventually your body will just realize it doesn't need the weight. Babygotback, I found that Udon noodles in soup go down....unfortunately, they defeated much of the purpose of the band because I can eat quite a bit of them and it is all carbs. Two or three hours I"m hungry again. They taste fantastic though. I have not been brave enough to eat them without soup. My biggest problem here is that I'm not a big fish eater. I just don't like things that are fishy and I grew up far far away from the ocean......so we just did not eat fresh fish. I need to experiment with some fresh fish here that will probably be fine for me. Everything is so much fresher here and I'm sure there are fish I can find that I will enjoy. Also, when I can cook at home it is a lot easier (as for all of us, I'm sure) to control my diet. Back home, I never went to dinner with the folks I worked with -- and lunch was a very predictable cafeteria. Now, because I'm new and because of the culture I have a lot of lunch and dinner invitations where other folks pick the restaurants. I'm doing my best to just chew chew chew chew. Funny because I'm sitting next to these teeny women and I get all the "you don't like the food?" comments because I'm sure they can't imagine why I'd be eating less than them. On several occasions the waiters asked me if everything was okay -- I just hate standing out so much. So, even when I can eat the food, I just feel so odd. The upside of living here is that I walk to/from a train station every day and get some exercise just by living. I never had to walk anywhere but my driveway back home. I probably walk 30-40 minutes a day just going to/from work and home. So, that is a nice boost in activity that I hope starts showing up on the scale once I actually watch what I'm eating. Anyway, good to be back.

Hi Mominlambert, We are also in Shibuya-ku in Tokyo as well! We are in the Shoto area and will be here 2-3 years. It was an opportunity we could not pass up. I think it will be a great experience. I'm looking forward to learning what Japanese food works well with this band!

Hi baby got back, I just started logging in again last night. Funny you should ask where everyone went....because I disappeared for a few months now. I took a job in Japan and have been busy packing up my house and family and moving here. Unfortunately, the last thing I've focused on is my band....which is why I'm back here online now that we are settled in here overseas. I haven't gained weight over the last several months, just haven't lost what I probably should have by now. I still think that in the past, without the band, my weight would have shot up because of the stress of the job change and move.....I usually ate to deal with that stress. I did (or tried to) with the band as well.....but the band did stop me. It has been difficult to learn how to eat different foods with the band and I have not been doing a great job. Rice, which was something I never ate at home because I had such problems with it and my band, is everywhere here. Noodles as well. There are a lot of things that give my band problems over here and I haven't quite figured out what works the best for me at this point. I had gotten into such a routine at home and now everything is very different. Also, there is so much social eating (and drinking) here. I never really drank that much at home....I still do not, but do have the occasional drink here which I never really had at home. Socially, going out to eat is really hard because I never know if I'm going to have to excuse myself to go and PB because something I tried did not work. I need to get back on track. We are really pretty settled here now and I have time to focus once again. I'm going to try to do liquids for a couple of days just to see how I feel after that -- whether or not I feel restriction once I go back to solid food. I have not felt much restriction lately. Perhaps I need a fill, but since my weight is not a lot different than during the last fill I had, I'm not so sure and am wondering if I've just stretched my pouch or forgotten how it feels to actually feel hungry. I know a lot of my eating is head hunger. Speaking of fills, I have not figured out where to do that here in Japan and it may not be possible until we vacation in the USA. So, I'm going to have to learn how to manage my appetite if it is restriction that I'm missing. Considering I still have times where I PB, I think I'm still restricted. Good to be back.

That is what I hear a lot of posters indicate. I felt like I had little restriction for much of the week. I also did feel like my port was a little irritated though -- and figured that TOM may be the reason. I may just be chewing and eating slower and having a generally easier time eating with the band.......which leads me to believe I'm less restricted since I can actually eat. It is still so early that it is hard to tell exactly what is going on. Thanks for your message. Kathy

Hi everyone, I'm back after the flu got everyone in our house, except me. I've been getting out of work early to come home and take care of everyone. I've had very little sleep and am sure I will now come down with this bug soon. It has been a rough week. I haven't been watching what I eat at all......and surprisingly, I have not gained any weight. Another wonderful thing about this band of mine. In the past, I would have gone up a pound or two during a week like this. I did not lose weight this week......but that is not a surprise. This band is really fickle though. One day it feels like it is there, the next day it feels like I have no restriction at all. It was that "time of the month"...so maybe that is why it all of the sudden felt like I could eat anything again? I'd love to hear other's experience with this. I typically hear that the band gets tighter during that TOM.......what is your experience? I've only had a fill for about 2 weeks now. I had a 1.7cc fill. It is nice to have the flexibility to eat a lot of different things -- but I eat more than I think is "normal" for the band sometimes and am not able to at other times. I wonder if I'll ever figure this out........ Kathy

I was self conscience about this as well. And then, at a dinner party I needed to go to, the darn waiter asks "Didn't you like your meal, ma'am?" Ugh........that is just what I needed. I also was so annoyed -- I figured he wouldn't go ask some skinny lady that. Anyway, it is good you are telling folks you are dieting. I did the same and while I'm sure that some of my portions invite attention.......oh well. I still refuse to tell them all that I've had surgery. It is none of their business. I also did and do skip lunches with colleagues because I work with a large enough group of people that the don't notice when I'm missing......they just figure I eat earlier than them or later than them. It helped me during the liquid stage b/c I knew someone would wonder what I was up to. Hang in there.......it will get better. Then, before your first fill when you have no restriction (sorry......the day WILL arrive), you'll really confuse folks b/c you'll be able to eat anything!! Make sure you schedule some time with one of your cooking friends or your sister those days! I actually laugh now because I must have some folks REALLY confused. I go from liquids and not eating, to eating normally large portions, to small portions. I figure -- this fill will need to be topped off at some point and I'll go back to bigger portions. At least this surgery will keep them guessing. :clap2: My biggest issue now is just eating slow, chewing enough, and eating the *right* foods so that I don't need to abruptly leave the table and PB. That has been a challenge to get all those things right in my first week of being filled. I don't think I'm too tight since if I do all these things, I'm okay. I also have no issues with liquids. But, man -- this is a real learning experience. Good luck! K

I've had the unfortunate experience of needing to call the doctor after my surgery -- and I also was an Ortiz patient. Actually, Dr. Martinez, in his office, answers most of those calls. You get his cell phone number after surgery as well. He is fantastic and it is amazing how caring he is and the follow up he does. The first time I called I wondered about my port incision. He answered my questions and I felt better. The second time......after the week 4 chicken incident. He actually asked me to call him the next day on his cell phone as well and let me know how I was doing after taking his advice to stop all food/drink for the rest of the day and start liquids the next day......and for the next week. I did follow up with him and actually got the impression that he was waiting for my phone call. The day I had surgery there was another woman there that had some complications (not Dr. Ortiz related.....her own personal health issues). She actually was hospitalized back in her home state and Dr. Martinez joined the doctors in her home state by video conference as they looked at her band. So, in addition to being available, they also clearly must have the technology to see their far away patients when needed. So, people should feel they can call -- even if they are too far away to be seen. At least these doctors know when they can wait it out or if they need to be seen at some ER immediately. Tell your friend to take advantage of the fact that these doctors make themselves available to us. To me, it is part of the cost of the surgery. They would not give out their cell phone numbers if they did not get expect to get the occasional call. That sounds crazy in the USA since most of my doctors would never be available to me after hours........but it is not the same for the staff with Dr. Ortiz. Kathy

Audree, I'm also an Ortiz patient, and like you -- did not have a mushy stage. However, if you'd like to learn from my mistakes -- please do so. One of my first meals on day 22 was chicken. NOT a good idea. I got stuck and did not only PB, but vomited over and over again. I had to get on the phone with Dr. Martinez and he put me on liquids for yet another week. So, I would suggest that when you get to that day 22, that you do mushies for a few days and see how it goes before going right into solids. k

Silry, I also started at a BMI of 39.7 and now am around a BMI of 35. Yes, you are a lower BMI patient. As for surgery, I arrived on a Wednesday and had surgery on a Thursday. I could have departed on Friday -- but the hotel stay was part of the cost, so I stayed another night until Saturday before returning home. I am within driving distance of my surgeon. I could have easily gone home the day after my surgery. However, if I was flying home -- I think I'd stay the extra day to make sure I had no complications before getting on an airplane to go home. Good luck with getting your surgery set up. I'm really happy I did this for me. Kathy

Susan, Sorry that you needed to act. It is better than giving in and eating the steak though. You'd be sorry about that, for sure. I hate lying, but I did not tell people about my band and I would not hesitate to pretend I was sick instead of eating something at a time where it was dangerous to me or my band. Great news that you still feel full. I love that about my band. I also found that at the stage you are in that I started not thinking about food morning, noon, and night. That is still the case now and the biggest change for me mentally since banding. Kathy

Hi ladies........I updated my ticker this morning!! My plateau ended and the scale is moving. Actually, it is moving faster than I expected -- which is a nice surprise I think it is the combination of the fill and also the exercise that I've been doing for the past few weeks. When i updated my ticker I also added my *real* starting weight, which was about 5 pounds heavier than when I started to consider the lapband. It all was work......and I want to remember where I really came from when I get to the other end of that ticker. I realized that I have already lost 1/3 of what I want to lose......when I look at it from that perspective I realize that I can do this. Also - the daily changes in my body are the reward along the way. I know that I have days where my body shape changes even though it doesn't get reflected in the scale. The biggest benefit of this weight loss thus far is my energy levels and my ability to keep up with my toddler son. I did eat some ice cream with my family today -- not a great choice. However, I also ran 3 miles tonight to burn off all those calories. Oh well, I'm not going to beat myself up for a treat once and a while. It was good and it satisfied me as I deal with PMS. All in all, the fill is working pretty well. I still have some tough moments where I wonder if something is going to get stuck or not. Every new food is an adventure! I will never, never, never eat a hard boiled egg ever again with this band. I ate slow, it was chewed in tiny pieces, I started my meal with some sips of hot tea to "open up" the band......and that darn thing still came up. The salad and veggies in the salad were fine.......it was just that egg that did not agree with my band. Sounds like you ladies are doing good. I really like this thread Audree......thanks for starting it. I read this every night even if I don't have anything to add. It is freezing here in California (literally, freezing........cannot imagine what the temps are elsewhere in the country).....so I'm headed to bed, under the covers, early tonight. Have a good evening everyone! Kathy

Supergenius......... The scale finally moved. Down 2 pounds this morning!! Finally! Also, I had a great day where everything I tried to eat went down just fine.....no stuck feelings all day. I'll have to update my ticker soon. Hope I'm getting the hang of this! Goodnight all!