chriper

thanks ladies, check out my recent post. a great read.

The past week I have consumed so much sugar its scary. I actually felt my body reacting to it as if I was in a trance or something. I mentioned it to my WLS therapist as I know my sugar consumption was sabatoging my efforts. With Easter approaching, I said I was going to go back on the liquid diet for a week prior to rid myself of the toxins and to get back to starting point. She felt I may not need to go back to liquids but that I should try a fast of refined sugars. I know, I know, I shouldn't have been eating them to begin with, but if I am going to do better, i have to be honest and I can honestly say I slipped back into my old habits with sugar. So today's my last hurrah. No I won't be binging but I consumed so much sugar that I cannot just stop otherwise I'll have a migraine like I did last weekend. So wish me luck. I will no doubt be blogging through this process as I know it will be a struggle.

So if you've read my last post I mentioned that I thought I had an addiction to sugar. Well I spoke with my weight loss therapist and she suggested I read the book Potatoes not Prozac! After getting about halfway through it, I knew it was right for me. Don't worry it follows the same eating plan as the band but it gives perspective to why we do the things we do and why even when we try all we can we don't lose weight. Check it out, I think you'll like it.

Hello Everyone i haven't been around much lately but I've still been keeping on. I had a follow up visit today with my surgeon who said I didn't need a fill, that I made good progress (no weight agined) but that I'd only lost 1lb since my last visit in November. I think that they're correct. I have been making horrible food choices. Chips, cookies and even soda when I want it. Yesterday I watched TLC's my 600lb life and i had a wakeup call. I don't want to be like that and I didn't have surgery to lose only 40lbs! I've still been active but I have to be more diligent about what I eat. I work out too hard not to receive the benefits! I feel like a failure even though they tell me I'm not. Its time to get back to work. Whose in it with me?!

Sounds like you need to find a good doctor/program in your area. Use this site to find a doctor in your area that will take new patients who were banded elsewhere. Support and guidance is all that's needed. I also have them check out your restriction. Who knows if the nurse gave you the right amount?

So I decided to put myself out of misery and followed up with my surgeon today. Turns out that his nurse practioner had given me a .5 fill on last week. It was simply too much. I'm right around my sweet spot and that took me over the edge. He took out .25 and I felt immeditately better. I can now drink and eat without it coming back up. If you ever experience a time where nothing will go down, not soft foods, liquids, or even protein drinks, then go to the doctor...its too tight and you'll do more harm than good keeping it that way....lesson learned!

Congratulations! Hopefully I will be joining you. I've had similar experiences coming down in sizes. It took a while for me to realize I don't wear a 3x anymore and yes some XL fits better than a 2X. I had a pair of jeans my brother bought me for Christmas a few years ago that I could never wear (too small). Well a few weeks after surgery and I could. This weekend I went home and forgot my belt and my sister commented they're too big now and falling down. Its amazing. Like you I can't afford to buy new clothes every size down so I will probably wait until Christmas to shop then again for my birthday in March. The best advice: TRY EVERYTHING ON BEORE YOU BUY!

It really depends on you and your doctor. Mine had me go in every four weeks beginning a month post op (to make sure the swelling was down). We thought I was at my sweet spot back in May and I hadn't had a fill in months but time proved I wasn't quite there yet I received a fill last week that proved to be too much so they just took a little out. I now have 7.25cc's and I will probably hold here for a while. Even still my doctor wants me to follow up in 4 to 6 weeks to be sure I'm still on track.

So the relief was shor lived. I thought i was fine but wasn't able to keep anything down all weekend. I came back to the website and searched what else it could be and found a post on women who experience extreeme tightening around their menstrual cycle. I'd never experiencd this before but given I just had an adjustment I figure I may now be at my sweet spot and this could be the culprit. Finally on yesterday i was able to keep food down but I emailed my doctor anyway to see what they say. It has not been fun. I got on the scale and I'm down 5lbs in 5 days. I know some would say that's good, but rapid loss like that could also mean something's wrong so I want to be safe; I'll let you know how it goes.

Hello fellow Bandsters Well let's see I haven't been around because life's been a whirlwind lately (see previous post) but I had to post about my worse day yet. After playing yo-yo with the same five pounds over the last five months, I went in and got a fill on Tuesday. I tried to stay on the liquid diet for the three days but with my active lifestyle it was very difficult so i ate a light dinner each night. Wed night I had catfish, no problems, and last night I had chicken and I didnt think there was a problem either. But then I woke up in the middle of the night for a bathroom run and while up I took a swig of juice and laid back down. Something was wrong the juice wasn't going down. I got up and made it to the bathroom before the juice came up. Being exhaused I just climed back into bed and continued sleeping. Well today has been aweful! Everything that I've tried to eat/drink has come back up. I tried hot tea, came up. Cold tea, came up. A swig of Coca Cola, it came back up. Breakfast came up, lunch came up, snacks came up. So i hit up the site to see what suggestions were out there. I'd walked to work and on lunch and it wasn't helping. I tried jumping up and down and still no relief. Now mind you I'm not in pain but anything that goes down comes back up. I saw the post on women who experience tighter restriction during their menstrual periods, considered that to be the culprit but refused to continue to endure like this and didn't want to have any fluid taken out. Then i saw it. The post about papaya pills and pineapple juice (both enzymes). Off to the nearest store, a Walmart Express. To my relief they had pineapple juice. I started drinking as I walked back from the store and won't you believe it, it works! it works! it works! So if you ever experience the "stuck sensation" grab a bottle of Dole pineapple juice. 6oz is only 100 calories and its worth it!

I'm surprised you're just hearing about this. My doctors office checked my gall bladder pre surgery and the insurance approved for it to be removed if there was a problem with it. So far, so good, but you're doctor should have warned you.

water retention is tricky. I suffer from the same problem. If i don't take my daily water pill, I'll gain 8lbs in 3 days easy. continue to work with your doctor to determine what the best treatment is for you. Since you're new to this, take care to read labels, many salt substitutes are not to be used in conjunction with a water pill. Try Mrs Dash, she has great sesonings and marinades and they're all salt free!

Hang in there. Try and explain to your daughter that the two of you are on different roads to the same location, good health & happiness. If her route is working for then great, but graciously explain yours is working for you and you have no intent on merging into her lane. Let her do her, and you do you. :-)

Good Morning All I haven't been around lately because life has been moving really fast. I've done things in the last few months that I never thought I'd do prior to being banded. The "new me" was finally confident enough to leaev my job of 13 years for a better job with more opportunity at a new company. The change granted me a promotion, financial increase, and a whole new outlook on life. I also moved out of the suburbs into the city to further enhance my social life. Wish me luck as I am now a city girl open for new friends! I had my year out appointment and was disappointed by the numbers. the doctor said I'm good, but not great. At this rate it will take me 3 years to hit my goal instead of 2 and he said I've been at a plateau for the last 6 months so now I'm really watching my intake in attempts to break through the cycle. He said i probably could go for a fill but woudn't do it then becuase there was so much going on in my life that he didn't think it was a good idea. So now I'm back in the gym 4-5 days a week and walking on the weekends outside. I must say I enjoy walking on the lakefront so it doesn't seem like exercise. While all that is good I relly want to talk today about heart health. 2 weeks ago today my mother went to the doctor to follow up on bronchitis. While there the doctors realized that her blood pressure was extremely high 225/160 even though she was medicated. The doctor couldn't get it down with a shot or pills so they took her to the hospital where it took three days to get her pressure to a normal range, then the test began. Thankfully the hospital wouldn't give up on figuring out what was causing her high readings. After several test they found she had a leaking heart valve and surgery was necessary to complete it. Once they were inside they found that a 2nd valve was 25% damaged as well. My mom's not a heavy woman and she doesn't drink, smoke or anything like that but the doctors said this occurred as a result of her having Rhuematc fever as a child. I'm sharing all this to say listen to your heart! When we reviewed my mom's symptoms the only thing we could say is she was often out of breathe after climbing stairs but we attributed it to the bronchitis. I thank God that they found it and was able to fix it. She has a long road of recovery before her but I'm certain she will make it. I asked my surgeon if this was heriditary and he said no and the best thing I could do for my heart was to lose the weight. So in this weight loss journey keep moving its a win/win situation. Not only will you have a slimmer physiche but your heart will thank you!

In case you haven't seen it, CNN is running an article on Corey Harrison of "Pawn Stars" who loss 115lbs in a year after getting the lap band. Check out the article: http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/11/pawn.stars.corey.harrison.ppl/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Good Morning fellow bandsters. I'm beginning to wonder if i'm falling behind the curve? My weight is going down. I'm actually going to schedule an appointment to see the surgeon for a fill. I know they think I'm at my sweet spot but I don't think so anymore. I am able to eat more and I'm able to eat breads again as well. I haven't gone in prior to now becuase so much has been going on. My sister's wedding, the Avon 2 day walk, and two other weddings. So now that things have calmed down we'll check in with the doc and see what he says. I was banded in September and have only lost about 45 pounds. Started off so great and have gone down to a trickle. I have been doing nothing but exercise as I prepared for the 2 day walk. I completed a 5K, did the 2 days (26 miles) amongst other exercises, but no weight loss!!! What's going on?

Hello Fellow September Bandsters I have been feeling a little discouraged with my weight loss as of late but I after reading a few pages from the forum I think I know what i have to do, count calories again. I haven't been counting and I think that's the problem. thanks for the inspiration. I'm hoping to break the 50lb loss mark this month so we'll see!. Oh i finished the Avon 2 day walk here in Chicago over the weekend. You would have thought I'd lose 3lbs from the 26 miles but no such luck. Oh well I won't get discouraged,pressing on!

Hello All Sorry I haven't been online for a while. To say my life has been busy would be an understatement. I'm writing today for suggestions. As many of you know I am gearing up for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in about a month. Tomorrow is a 10 mile training walk which got me to thinking...anyone have suggestions on what I should eat prior and during this walk (and the 39 to come) so I am full on the right foods and make it through? Thanks!

Be cafeful in what you eat. Prednisone is a steroid and it can cause rapid weight gain, but don't panick, when you come off the drug you'll loose the weight. Just know it going in so you don't freak out if the scale goes up.

Some please help me. I suffer from seasonal migraines thanks to swift changes in air pressure (sinus headaches). Prebanding I would take Excedrin MIgraine to get relief, but since being banded I was told to stay away from NSAID's which Excedrin happens to be. I've tried Sudafed, Sudefed PE, Sudafed Tripple action, but nothing is working. I've had a headache going on four days now with little relief, can anyone suggest an alternat medication that won't put me at risk for developing ulcers in my pouch? Thanks

Sister Diva I'm calling you sister becuase I am your sister in faith, race, and as a fellow bandster! I know exactly what you are talking about. I've caught it from my family ( when I talk with my 89yr old grandma all she wants to know how much weight I've lost and if I have a company keeper yet), crazy comments from church (I had a guy tell me I was going to be married within 6 months as if weight was the only reason i wasn't previously married), co-workers now make nasty comments about my clothes being "too big" and all. It's as if I have no solice except for in my house. But then I prayed on it and turned to the book of Psalms for encouragement, and renwal of strength. A few of my favorites are Psalms 36 & Psalms 27, but my favorite when I feel attacked, and hurt is Psalms 1. Turn to Psalms when you have those moments. Find your favorite scripture, or a theme song to encourage yourself with becuase whenever you step out on faith and do something to change your life, satan hates it. He knows he can't change your destiny so he tries to get in the process to get you to stop. Now you may not want to hear this but don't be too upset with your friend pray for her. She may be truly sorry besides, she was used. Used by the enemy to try and discourage you and your efforts. He see's the progress you made, and the work you're doing with the others in the congregation and he's doing what he does best, planting dissemenation to break up the body of Christ and to stop the good work. Keep pushing forward. You know the plans that God has for you, and what He's promised you. When you pray and then activate your faith in your actions, know going in you'll have these stumbling blocks put before you. All you have to do is recognize it for what it is and press on in Jesus name.