LisaA

Hi there papoose, this is an older thread- I haven't been on this one in years, most of us shifted to a post surgery thread, and really there are very few of us on there very often. I love talking to folks having success. I have had success but not as much as you. you are rocking. I am stuck right now at 217. but that is over 70 lbs from where I started so I am very happy. I recently in march had a fill and 2 weeks out I got this terrible heartburn and was spitting up at night, I was even snoring again- I had a cold- anyway I got a cc taken out. I always wonder if I should have waited longer. the weight was rolling off because I coudln't eat anything. which seemed unhealthy- and it all came back in like a week after the unfill. I didn't go above where I was, but I'm still there. Now I've put .5 cc back in and trying to decide if I will try for more. I m where I was when I got the .5 fill - and I feel like I agitated my band, not that I was necessarily too tight. I don't know. hearing your story makes me wish I would have toughed it out a little more. Anyway you are doing great - it's wonderfful to make contact.

wow pooky, I'm so sorry, you've been through so much with your thyroid etc, and now this. 70 lbs, that's great! congrats. I had an issue recently, I got a blind fill- .5, I felt tight, which is often the case, and i wasn't eating much, but I was getting down solids - just had to be careful, then about two weeks later I was puking, and had really super intense heart burn, through this episode I lost like 10 lbs in a week, I went in and they took out 1cc, I am fine now, but I put on that 10 lbs real quick. I might go back and get .5 cc in - He said I was probably just fine, but then I irritated things, we'll see, I always have a naggin idea that I might have slipped or something. I hope things go ok and you don't have to have a total unfill. Good idea getting a second opinion. I'll be thinking of you.

how are ya all doing!! it's been a while. I am still very slowly losing, I am a solid size 16 now, which I am just so excited about. My loss may be slow but it's always in the right direction, I feel and look great, and that is so great. I'm just keep on chugging along. how are you all. It helps me to stay in touch with folks.

Yeah I keep hearing just dance 3 is great that's my next one. I like the ea sports, this is my first week, I'm soar. I have a tread mill but get boared, I have zumba wii too and love it. I know what you mean by keeping the body guessing. My dad just started a 3rd shift job, it sounds hard to me, I'm glad you are getting to move.

well I got a new wii work out thing, it's called EA sports active, pretty decent, it's short, but active and varied. which I need ! anyway, I'm curious, how many of you use protein shakes regularly? and do you have a favorite brand. I've been liking the metabolic reset by natures made or something like that. it has a lot of other nutrients not just the protein., I figure I should get them where I can

Hi there, My plateaues are always very long, I lose like 5 lbs, then stay the same for months, - my main solace is that I"m not gaining, which before I steadily no matter what put on a minimum of 10 lbs a year. LOL I got a fill before the holiday and shed like 8 lbs right away, but I fear that during the holiday I ate too much crap and now the weight loss has stopped. I'm still eating some residual crap, but it's all out of my house, and all out of my office. although girl scout season is soon upon us. UG. I know I need to focus for sure- I have been excercising some 5 days a week, 30 mins some times an hour others. my calories seem very low, but I feel like there is something in tracking, it makes the food so much more consious- whenever I slide into unconcious eating, even if it seems like my calories aren't going up, it's like I'm phsyching my body out by paying attention. Anyway the main thing is to keep the faith, and keep chugging along, and congratulate yourself for you achievements. Tiffany I know in the past I wouldn't have even caught that I had gained 12 lbs or whatever. That is the big thing. being aware and working on it. I swear before I would go for like years without getting on a scale, LOL>

gosh you are really doing well, it is so crushing when you feel like you a e doing it right. I do think some plateau's are naturals you are doing awesome!!! keep the faith, really that's part of what helps me about the websites. i don't live close enough to go to a support group. but keeping talking and focusing on stuff helps me through the tough times. Our bodies are all so different, but still hearing all the experiences help to keep me motivated.

Oh Erin, I am so happy that things worked out this way and you are feeling better- yeah!!! Those plateaue's are killers, I get them all the time, but when you said you were gaining I thought man that is the only thing that keeps me hanging on is that I'm not really gaining- although I'm still weighing myself twice a week. Anyway I am so happy!! and I'm glad you are still around. Nice new pic too!

H there South Dakota Girl, I about about with you in terms of lost 70, just getting to that mark. I also have had big periods of plateaue, some if it might be natural. but I think my plateaues go on too long- perhaps due to lazyness. I recently got a jump start by getting a fill- how many cc's do you have? - I have a 14cc band and have 9 in it now. Also other things you could try is changing things in your diet. Eat at different times, raise your daily calories a couple times a week, and then lower and then have an average- so your system can't weigh lay you. Increase or change the excercise you are doing, or the time of day, change that. really tracking your carbs might reveal something too, try making sure your carbs stay below what they are- well unless they are already below say 40- but like if you are at 70 try to get them below 60, if they are at 60 try to get them below 50 but I wouldn't' go below 40 personally, that is very low indeed. also if you start tracking making sure you are getting like 65+ protein grams a day. your body needs this and will go into self preservation mode. there is also something called a - um band test that involves basically doing a diet regime similar to if you got a fill- like liquid - then full liquid then soft protein etc. google it. that didn't help me but it slowed my hunger. these are just some ideas, but keep the faith, and also congratulate yourself on not gaining which is a big deal.

so this makes me so sad, does this mean no one is left of this group. not one singe person. what a bummer.

Hello everyone, how are you all! Happy New Year, we are all on the other side of the holidays, yeah. I actually did not gain any weight at all during the holidays, and lost 5 lbs from the beginning of November. Is anyone out there? how did you all cope? I'm dying to know how you guys are doing? I have had a question on my mind and am wondering if any of you have heard anything or have any thoughts on it. I am wondering - do you all plan to have the band in forever- and is it your impression that it stays filled more or less forever. Or lets say you are to your desired weight, or at least a weight you are willing to accept - at some point to people get an un fill? and or have it removed. I know that odds of once over weight people gaining the weight back is high, I am just wondering. I was reading some stuff on like people with +5-6 year bands develping some sort of esophogus blister/ cancer type thing - although the band is used to treat gerd- which can cause this same type of cancer- the theory is the ascid in the esophogus or to much tightness can cause this type of irritation. I'm just wondering - what people do when they are at their weight- if you have a plan- or have heard anything about this I'm interested.

HI everyone, I just got a fill, now I have 9ccs- I was thinking about everyone's fill levels and wondering or should I say worrying about how much I have, but then I remembered, because I was banded in Mexico my band has a possible 14ccs in in it- I bet lots of you have smaller bands, at least 12ccs - and some even smaller maybe. interesting. Hows everyone doing with the holidays- I lost 10lbs since my last fill in August- so that's something- my doc said something interesting. I thought I'd share, the doc was saying like statistaclly- people with the band 50% lose 50% or their excess weight- and excess weight is whatever you would be for you bmi to not be over weight- so for me- I"m 5'6 that would be 160. so I started on surgery date at 180, so that is 120 lbs excess weight- 50% of that is 60lbs, which would put me at 220. He said statistically that is a good goal. course I still would love to see 160 even 190 which would take me out of the 'obese' bmi. but it was an interesting way of looking at it. Really I haven't been 190 since college. Course I thought I was big as cow then. LOL

hi all, extraonne, I can't remember - why do you have no fill? and what ever the reason was, how is the thing going that caused the fill. how many cc's did you have your picture looks really great! wow. Cathy, OMG it's been a while, good to hear from you, gald you are happy with your band. My loss isn't where many are either but I am also so glad. its funny my bmi is still squaely in the obese catagory but people are like so impressed and say so are you done, you don't look like you need to lose more- I say oh I'm about half way LOL. but it is such a huge difference. I plateaued for many months and am on a losing streak now, even with thanksgiving. hope it keeps up. how many ccs do you have Hope yo all are doing great for the holidays. wearing some new clothes and feeling good about your selves for all your hard work. I can say that I no longer snore, wow, so exciting for my husband. my knees, and ankles and back hurt less, my cardio vascular seems more healthy, and my blood pressure is lower. all very great things. Plus I"m wearing 6 numbers smaller in my clothes. Love all that.

Hey everyone, happy holidays!! tomorrow's the bid day. I already had a gaint turkey day feast on Saturday, and one tomorrow- yikes but I've still lost weight this week, lost 3 lbs since last friday. woo hoo so does anyone have any favorite recipes they are trying, I was asked to make mashed potatoes- gag so I am going to do this, cauliflower is way lower carbs then potatoes. http://newhope360.com/recipes/mashed-potatoes-cauliflower-and-roasted-garlic last year I also made crustless pumpkin pie, that a slice with the fat free real dairy canned whipped cream was very yummy and only like 140 calories- even with real eggs and real sugar, I'll probably do that again too. it's easy, and it's online if you google crustless pumpkin pie. Hope you all are doing well.

Pookey, I hope your surgeon can help, good luck.

but you are losing the weight, I wonder about that for myself, especially when I don't lose weight, but I don't think I would feel it persay. I do feel like my body is used to the 1000-1200 and has plateaued. and isn't losing weight, perhaps if I had time to wait I could go up say to 1400 for a couple months then back down to 1000 for a few, and then lose there. I don't know? just get the weight off is how I feel and still get the nutrition. and don't feel starved all day. and be very conscious about the food you eat, always. while tryiing to lose that is.

what is stravation mode, is that question asking if you feel really hungry all the time. or is there something else.

you can prove him wrong, remember bypass doesn't always work either. I'm sorry you are feeling down, 50 is great, I personally had never lost 50 before, and I feel like I'm really keeping the weight off, really if you count the steady 10 lbs I've gained every year in forever, I also lost that right, because I didn't gain. and you too! don't give up hope, try a different eating regiment.

ok, finally 2 lbs off last week, geesh, I am really concentrating again, I think I slipped into the same old same old today however I forgot my lunch and my snacks and there are freaking donuts, I will ignore even though I am straving, luckily there is some little cubes of cheese I can snack on a little to get me to lunch, not much worse then my cheese stick.

that's great, you are really working girl, it's inspirational. thanks for taking the time.

wow ha ha, that is hard core, can you tell me more so first I want to make sure I got the 2 hours- basically it is either an hour of zumba or running a day, plus walking the dogs, and walking on your lunch, that is great, I am wondering if you'd be willing to lay out what a typical day looks like with food/ portiions, 650 - 850 with all the activity is amazing. also if you are willing to share your supplements that you take. I'm just trying to find a way to get there, I am hovering at about11100 a day but I am notlosing, so I'm going for a fill, and i want to start something new. but I can't imagine what that looks like without seriously holding back on nutrition.

oh yeah, sorry to go on and one, but another good trick is the soft stop- I have realized i get an ever so slight nasal drip, just a slight snif, and if I stop then and a minuite or two I will feel completely satiated. if I blow past that and keep eating I will end up too full. I've read the soft stop to be a sigh sometimes too. it's like it takes the brain a minute to register that you are full.

sounds ok, I have trouble with cream soups, and if there is any potatoes wow!!! try something solid, but not starchy, but not too firm, like moist fish, or soft scrambled egg. if it's hard go back to clear liquids for a day, and try again. if you can do those things in a day try something a bit firmer, like moist chicken, even just lunch meat is fine. the rest is just about the side dishes you can get down with out fear. I always can get salad greens and down, so that and protein helps me feel full and makes my plate look full other sides vary depending on my tightness and stress level. potatoes almost never whole grain like quinoa, yes squash even yes beans or cauliflower yes even bread sometimes, if it's toasted really only corn tortillas, no white ones white rice almost kills me, brown rice is ok. just take it slow and you'll figure out what you can and can't do.

Theresa, so when you say 6 days out and it's hard to get soup down, is this broth, or cream soup? are there any chuncks in it? are there things like potatoes or white rice in it. I often have hard time with the above things, so I wouldn't worry too much if that's it even thick cream Soups if you are talking broth I'd worry what about protien shake, is that still hard? are you spitting up at all, reflux at night anything like that? can you drink Water fine with no problem are you getting enough Protein? if the above is not / or is happening then I would be worried. the the above is ok then just take it easy, and wait another week even. if you start spitting up, not able to drink water, having reflux at night go tot he dr. and if you want a test also, try clear fluids again for like a day and see if that helps, sometimes the swelling can take time, sometimes it gets irritated and clear fluids can help letting the swelling go down. but ultimately you should be able to eat solids, so if you can't at some point in the next couple weeks you should consider going in. that's my thought anyway

currently stuck with weight loss, and have been for months, I do know the one time in months that I lost weight was when I was on vacation, when I felt like I ate more, but was also very active at the beach. and weight came off. I keep feeling like if I do the right things the weight will come off, but now you are scaring me. I think I need more exercise. I just want to eat right and lose. and do some exercise, but I think I have to exercise a lot. You gals that have lost like 100 lbs, how much do you exercise and what do you do? just curious.