missjoany

You go girl! I met mine too! I keep looking ahead to that cruise in August. Darn! I'm probably gonna need a new wardrobe, awwhhhh!!

Wonderful suggestions I will get right on them. I also just got Olay body bar, and that helps a bit too. I noted a suggestion for nioxin products for hair loss. It just so happens my hairdresser carries them and gonna ask her about them tomorrow. My lotion is St. Ives with vitamin E, and I just got the Hoof and Mane cream which is nice too. Something with shea butter or olive oil sounds great. I think that would be better. Off to the drug store I go.

Oh Brenda, I am so sorry. You are hanging in there, and we are here for you as well. I too have not had a fill, and do feel restriction and have lost 41 pounds, and should drink more water. You have alot to recover from but you seem to be on the right track. Take it one day at a time, and again we are here if you need to chat, or vent, or whatever.

Ok, it looks good for my name anyhow. I copied my stats, just in case I need them to complete the challenge. Yea I no longer gained 72 pounds.

WOW that gives me encouragement. I do get some restriction from the band, and if I forget and eat too fast, it does get stuck! But I am sort of *anal* about my food diary. I am always thinking about food, however. But i plan my meals out and move things around to get some variety, but mostly I eat the same things every day. My f/u with surgeon to ensure my infection is gone is next week, I might ask about a fill while there. I got brave and put down a deposit on that cruise. So I am committed. I'm terrified I won't be able to eat anything, or will eat everthing. I will (hopefully) need a new wardrobe by then. Today I am at the 41 pound mark. I sill can't believe it.

Hi all! A few weeks out from surgery I felt as though I was starving!! My nutritionist recommended I increase my calories with Protein and to ensure I was getting the proper amount of protein in. Once I did that, all of a sudden I was not starving any longer. I had surgery in Sept, and have not had a fill yet, I get twinges of hunger. Before surgery I was always hungry, dizzy and lightheaded. The dr. keeps telling me I am doing well on my own. My biggest problem right now is wanting to snack with everyone on holiday food. I have a batch of Cookies to take to work tomorrow, and I really want to eat them, but I can't, because I used to be able to eat them all, I know now they will probably get stuck and we know what happens next....... So not even one cookie for me!

Hmm, my name is still on there twice. Once(the good one) and the other one that says I gained 72 lbs!

Yikes, I am in there twice and have gained 72 lbs since last week!! Don't know how to fix it.

I had a lot of difficulty getting it coordinated. The program finally started on day 2, so I missed the intro and all what was needed. I did not have any of the tools, like keto sticks, to do the program. I still get the daily hints and suggestios, but other than that, have not done the program. For about two weeks, I was extremely hungry, then my nutritionist suggested I up my calories a bit, and all of a sudden I was no longer really hungry. Let me know how it goes if you try it.

Hi all! It looks like everyone is doing great! For a few weeks there we were in the 70s but it now feels like Christmas, we had our first snow, and the coldest temps ever, and more snow on the way for Thur. My infection at the port site seems to have subsided, I can now pick up my kitties!! And start to exercise again. I have not exercised in about a month. I do think about food all the time though, but the challenge is helping. I journal everything. I have not had a fill yet, the doctor wanted to ensure my infection goes away. I have appt with the surgeon to check my infection on 12/29, I wonder if I can talk him into a little fill while I am there. I have a bunch of cheese/sausage gifts in my refrigerator for mailman, vet, lawn guy,etc. and they are really calling out to me! Can't wait to give them out of my house.

I have to write down absolutely everything I eat and calcuate calories and protein. It does help, cause I forget later in the day what I've eaten if I don't. I also journal on the same page: my feelings, how hungry I am, or if I am really hungry or just bored or lonely, etc. I've gone through 4 notebooks siince surgery in Sep. I also found a web site, Calorieking.com that tracks everything for you. I'm sure there are other web sites too, I jus got this one from my nutritionist. I see her once a month, and can send email to her with my concerns. Good luck to you, it's definitely a process.

Congrats!! Yo Rock!

Oh Yikes that is where my infection was. I was told the port could be removed but the band could stay in to offer some type of restriction. Let us know if we can help in any way. I will definitely keep a close eye and if any pain returns will head back to the dr. asap.

Me again. Just adding some thoughts to the questions I just answered. I see the weight coming off, and I am a bit flabby. But the most intersting thing is the change in my skin. I used to have oily skin, now it's so dry I feel like lizard lady. After I get out of the shower I must put on lotion all over or I am itchy and you can even see the wrinkles on my hands. ( It sorta looks like my 80 year old neighbor). Loverly! I'm looking for some products to cleanse my face with if anyone has any recommendations. Also I am so grateful I can bend over now, as we had a snow event, and another one coming, and I was able to put my socks on. I am grateful for the little things. Well if I don't pick up kitty in the next 30 seconds, he is gonna delete this. Have a good weekend all.

Hey People!! I can finally bend over to put on my sneakers and pick up the kitties. Yeee Haww!! Now I gotta start exercising again. If I feel any kinda of pain again, I will go right back to the surgeon, no waiting around this time. 1. how many cc's you have in your band - I have not had any fills yet due to my infection but I do get some restriction. If I eat too fast, sometimes it gets stuck, have puked 3 times since surgery on 09/11. 2. do you feel you have restriction- what does that mean for you? I feel a bit of restriction, don't know what it would feel like to have more. Maybe in a few weeks I can get my first fill and eat a bit less. 3. are your calories tending to stay below like 1600 (or what are your calories generally.) My nutirionist has me on 1200, so I stay around there. 4. what is your weight loss like. I lost 35 pounds. The first month or so I was at 1400 calories and losing a steady one lb a week, then nutritionist suggested I try 1200 cal. I was skeptical thinking I could not possibly go that low, but it has been manageabe. 5. are you hungry between meals. Sometimes I feel hunger, but not ravenous like before, no shakes, or dizziness (like before surgery). I am finding it more difficult to manage my emotional hunger when I am home. Like today, I am home, it's freezing rain out, and I have a bunch of cheese and candy gifts for folks. I really want to eat some! 6. are you exercising, and how much. I stopped exercising late Oct due to the pain I was having, but I think I could try to start back up today. I only have an occasional pinch and have my new slip on sneakers too. 7. how much water are you drinking? I know I could drink more. I have one cup of coffee, and mostly drink tea the rest of the day.

Oh WOW sorry to hear abour your experience. I hope you continue in your weight loss efforts. I too had an infection, but the doc said it was under my port, bending over was REALLY painful. I have been on 20 days of antibiotics and NSAIDS. I am keeping an eye on it, because if it does not get better, doc will remove the port. How did you know you had an infection, did you have pain? I too don't wish to return for more surgery. Let us know how you are doing, we are here for support.

Hi all. Kittykat56 - waiting to see what happens with you. Rambunctious- yes, today I was able to get the sheets off the bed, and even get down and clean the refrigerator. Keeping a watch out, if the pain starts to get bad again, will ask for another course of antibiotics. I went through a few weeks of being really hungry, then all of a sudden it went away!! Isn't that so cool. I did have a few days of feeling bummed because of the pain, and drank 3 cups of coffee with creamer in it, but getting ready to throw it away and get back to the business of staying healthy. It was scary how easy it was to fall back into old habits.

Hi, I wonder what causes the band to slip. I am 10 weeks post op and for the past month I have been in pain. After tests they determined I had an infection right under my port, no slippage, thank goodness. But I could not bend over at all. I have been on 10 days of antibiotics and starting to feel better. I guess, if we feel something is not right, we should call the doctor right away. I waited a week to see if I got better, only to get worse. My friends talked me into calling the doctor right away instead of waiting for my regular appt. So glad that I did. I was able to bend over and put socks on today!! What an accomplishment. Is there something we can do to prevent the band from slipping? Is it working out too hard (I wish)!!!

Hi. I am 10 weeks post op, and the pain around my port started getting really bad, so I could not even lean over. I have an infection too, and on 10 days of antibiotics, and it is starting to feel better. Today was the first time in weeks I could bend over to put my socks on. If it does not get better, I may have to have the port removed. But it does feel better, but not 100 % yet. I am not sure if it's unusual or not to have an infection but is kinda strange you didn't have any pain. I was miserable. If you had waited till you had pain, it probably would have been much worse. Glad it was caught, and good luck with the drug therapy.

Oh no! I will think good throughts for you. At least you are not in pain. Isn't it neat how our ideas of how we interact with food have changed? Maybe because of all the tests, and pain we went through, it's not work it to go back to our old way of eating. Let us know what happens.

Hey all!! Just back from Doc visit. It looks like the infection is clearing up at bit. Next f/u in one month, unless the pain gets worse. Ok here is the scoop, if it does not heal, Doc would remove the port, let that all heal up, and then if I wanted a new port he would put that in after a few months of healing. I would definitely have to consider all this. Waiting to see if more of the pain goes away. If not, will get the port removed, and see how I do with just the restriction from the band. I have not had a fill yet and have lost 32 lbs, so it IS working (for now). I had too many splurges before the surgery. Once a week at the grocery store, I would buy myself a treat and eat it when I got home. I have not done that at all since taking this journey. I am afraid to try something like the cheetoes, as it might set off my taste buds and I would eat the whole bag. My nutritionist turned me on to rotisserie chicken and my grocery store gave out free ones, so I am cutting it up and weighing out 3 oz portions. It's really good! She told me I could get turkey as well. I have been eating turkey meatballs every night for almost 6 weeks now. I am so jealous you all have someone to look out for you. I have some work friends, but none that special that I would want to share this with. NE way, big storms coming this way, so I will sign off, I am cooking veggies to mix with my chicken and macaroni and fire roasted tomatoes- will make 5 meals. You guys are the ones I share with!!

I am having the same problem. But it pinched when I bent over from day one and never got better, just worse. Doc told me I had an infection and gave me 10 days of antibiotics. Today is day 7 and only minimally better. Doc said if it does not get better, port will have to be removed. But I agree, it felt like I did something, and the port moved, and now hurts to bend over. I can see the port, but then I could see it from day one as well. My appt is tomorrow, will let you know. Please tell us what happens with you as well.

Thanks for the good thoughts!! I am wondering though, Doc said he might have to take the port out, I wonder if that means the band can stay in?? I have not had any fills yet, but am losing weight comfortably. Maybe it can stay and I can keep on the program? Of course going through surgery again would be yucky, but I am still waiting to be able to lean over and tie my sneakers. I did get some clog type sneakers yesterday so I am good there! You sound like you passed (survived) the Thanksgiving challenge, Good for you!! I'm sorta glad for those noisy kids on Thanksgiving, I didn't eat much!! hahaha. What happened in the middle of the night? Did you get sick? I had an eggroll on Friday and almost forgot to chew chew chew, so I can only imagine. Sometimes you wonder what the relatives are thinking, but you were your own advocate.. Be proud !!!!

Wonderful!! It's a shame we have to watch everything, or we will pay for stuff we are not supposed to, and unlikely anyone would give us a refund. Have a great rest of the holiday, and I see ya smiling...