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Hey Larry! I am glad you surfaced, I wqas wondering where you were! I don't think you could be any nicer but you can try if you want to, lol. I ate out a lot this weekend while out of town and was able to find lap appropriate foods at each restaurant. Hope everyone is having a great week! Joan

Hang in there, it really does get easier! I blended soups in my blender until they were liquid, sounds gross but was delicious and nutritous! Keep drinking your protein shakes. I was allowed thin cream of wheat which was satisfying. I'd also blend cottage cheese with fruit until it was liquidy. I am thankful for my band and I have had more problems than most. My band has slipped, I am completely deflated and we're hoping it'll slip back into place. I was out of town all weekend. I ate in restaurants a lot of the time as was always able to find something that was yummy and band appropriate. No, I don't eat several pieces of pizza any more, but I can eat a small piece of thin crust pizza or I eat the top off the pizza. I was on the train for lunch today and had a small salad, small bowl of soup and a hard roll. Usually I don't eat bread but the roll was hard and crusty and I was able to eat it comfortably. Yes, I would have preferred the pasta main dish but I REALLY prefer looking and feeling like a different person than I did last summer. Last night for dinner I had a small amount of lean steak, corn on the cob and baked beans. It was delicious and I eat about 1/4 to 1/2 of what I would have preband. Can you call your nutritionist and talk about menu ideas? Joan

Speaking from experience, you need a deflate tomorrow. Have liquids in tiny sips until then. Allergies can make the reflux worse, and your band tighter due to post nasal drip, so if you think you're also having allergies, take your allergy meds, too. Until your deflate, sleep sitting up and take TUMS, and/ or other over the counter acid reducer like pepcid, zantac, prilosec. My band has slipped and is hopefully slipping back into place after being totally deflated. Being too tight is serious and can cause damage. Joan

When I have had enough to eat I don't feel full like pre-band, I feel satisfied, just done eating. Like I don't want and shouldn't eat anymore. Joan

Welcome to the challenge! You know the part of everyone's posts that I enjoy reading the most? The personal goals we each set for the month. For so long many of us have put ourselves last and everyone else first. I just sit and smile while I read these goals! I hope this is a great month for each of us! Joan

Name, real or screen~ Joan Age~ 50 Weight on September 1st~ 185.4 Goal Weight for September 29th~ 179 Exercise Goal for September~ Gym 3X a week Dietary Goal for September~ More fruits and vegetables Personal Goal for September~ Go to 2 movies at the theatre Date Banded~ 12/2/2010 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 41#

Have you had success with allergy shots? I have been thinking about pursuing them but the people I know who have had them have not had great success. Joan

I have had a lot of problems from seasonal allergies. My spring allergies were absolutely awful and even taking 3 different allergy meds per day I got stuck too often and needed a few deflates. This fall they started up to a lesser extent and at my last appointment I found out my band has slipped so I am totally deflated now. I don't know if the slip was from vomiting or the horrendous barking cough I had. Things have settled down now. Drinking hot drinks or just hot water several times a day can help cut the mucous. Good luck and proceed with caution! Joan

Welcome to The End of Summer Challenge! This is a fun, motivating, stress free way to set personal goals for the month. If you'd like to join us, please complete the template below then weigh- in each Monday, August 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th. Larry wiil do our stats. THANKS Larry! I hope you join us! Joan Copy and Paste this template: Name, real or screen~ Age~ Weight on August 1st~ Goal Weight for August 29th~ Exercise Goal for August~ Dietary Goal for August~ Personal Goal for August~ Date Banded~ Total Weight Loss Since Banding~

Please join us for the September challenge, "The Harvest Moon Challenge". I posted the new page today. First weigh in is tomorrow. Joan

Hello, Joan checking in at 184.4, I exceeded my goal of 188! This is so unlike me, lol! Larry~ I think if you're willing to do the stats then you should get to name the challenges, LOL! So, "The Harvest Moon Challenge" it is! Thanks again. Are you playing at the music festival this weekend? Congratulations to all the losers and maintainers this month and to all those who met non- weight loss related goals! Some months are better than others, but if we all just keep heading in the right direction we'll get there! I hope to see you at The Harvest Moon Challenge which will start on September 1st! Joan

Thanks Larry, you are awesome! Are you up to the task again for September? Any suggestions for the name of our September challenge? The challenge will start September 1st. Tomorrow is our last weigh in for August. I hope this was a successful month for all! Joan

What great news! I am so happy that your band went back into place!!! I am hoping mine will behave and go back into place too. Do you never eat with your hand?! OMG, I eat some foods by hand, was never told not to. Or was it that you were eating way too fast? My band is slipped and I think it's from my many stuck/vomiting episodes. I am glad your band is back in place and you're doing well. : ) How was the repair recovery compared to the original lap band surgery recovery? Joan

Yikes! I am glad you'll see your primary today. They should be able/willing to order a barium swallow x-ray. Let me know what you find out. Joan

I have had many stuck/vomiting episodes. The slipped band was observed under fluoroscopy during a routine lap band appt. When you were at the ER did they x-ray your band? When I have had a bad vomiting episode it has been advised and has helped to take prilosec daily for a week and to back down to liquids, mushies only. The vomiting causes the stomach to swell and the band prevents it from swelling out so it can only swell in. Joan

Yeah, Jess! I am glad you're losing again. The NP didn't say why my band could have slipped and I think I was too shocked and depressed to ask at the moment. I imagine it slipped from vomiting when I was too tight and had horrible allergies. My allergies are bad now but not as bad as they were in the spring. The extra drainage causes stomach issues for me, tightness, vomiting... Right now I have wicked coughing fits from post nasal drip, I wonder if the coughing could have slipped it? Joan

Speaking from experience, and currently trying to heal a slipped band, I suggest you tell your Doctor everything you told us and that you will need a deflate. Like somenoe earlier said being too tight causes swelling and potential damage. Joan

I wasn't aware my band had slipped. I have had off and on problems for months with being too tight and vomiting then needing a deflate. Crazy since I hadn't vomited since 1988, LOL! I never overeat but have vomited from drinking too fast, not chewing well, wrong food that has been OK before. I wonder how many slips go back on their own VS needing surgery? I am trying to eat only liquids and mushie foods. If I hadn't had a fluoroscopy exam I wouldn't have known I slipped. Thanks again for being part of our group and keeping our stats! Joan

I just found out today that my band has slipped. The NP removed all the fluid and told me to stick to a liquid diet to help things heal. I said for how long? She said as long as you can. I will have my next appt. in 3 weeks to see if it has slipped back. Were you instructed to follow a liquid diet? Why do you think the slip was your fault? I think mine slipped from the vomiting I have had when I have been too tight. I am really bummed about the slip. : ( Keep me updated on your progress. Joan

My band has slipped! I am so bummed! I went for a routine appt. today and the fluoroscopy showed it has slipped. I was deflated and instructed to stay on liquids as best I can until my appt. 3 weeks from now. The hope is that the band will slip back into place. I vomited a couple times this last week and have been struggling with fall allergies which make me produce more mucous and cough a lot. I am taking 3 different allergy meds daily. Joan

I was not aware of the slip myself, it was noticed by fluoroscopy during a routine follow up appointment. Joan

Joan weighing in at 187.4, a loss of 2.4. That's the good news. The bad news is I had an appointment for my monthly check up and my band has slipped. I am SO bummed. The plan is for me to drink liquids only for the next 3 weeks, as much as I can tolerate, and then they'll reassess the bands position. I am thinking positive thoughts and prayers that it slips back down where it belongs without requiring surgery. Congratulations to all the "losers" this week! Keep your eye on the prize! Is your little one small enough for a stroller? You could trot along behind the bike riding kids pushing the stroller. We went all terrain with our son in a stroller after he out grew the back pack. A bike seat for the back of your bike is MUCH cheaper than a trailer. Our son rode in one from about 7 months on up. Have fun, Joan

I am the queen of night coughs and relux! What it means for me is that I am too tight and need a small deflate. Also, prilosec might help settle the stomach acid down. In fact, I am heading in for a small deflate tomorrow, lol. When my allergies flair up the cough and reflux also occur, this happened in the spring and is now again happening with my fall allergies. All I can say is that I am thankful my lap band surgeon is in the same town as me! Joan

Hello, Larry~ The weight chart looks amazing, thank you!!! Kelly~ I hope your mom will be better soon and back home! I agree that this might be a time to just maintain. Be kind to yourself. Remember to weighin tomorrow! Joan

Hello, Wendys~ I love their chili, it's delicious, nutritious and band friendly. I had some on Friday. Pizza~ I eat the top of a piece of pizza and a small amount of the rolled end of crust. I do well with chicken nuggets. The diner should have soup, try to get one with Protein and not veggies only. I do eat salads w/ meat and cheese, I eat the protein primarily and less of the vegetables. Do you have a Taco Cabana? If so, I get the cabana bowl minus the fried tortilla shell and eat Beans, meat, salad, rice, slasa.... in it. I am OK with one hard taco, one tostada or one enchilada. I had a chicken strip kids meal at Whataburger today. I ate one and a quarter strips and about 1/4 of a small order of fries. Good luck! Joan