sandiegokj

Hey november bandsters! I don't know if anyone noticed or not not but I've been gone for about 6 months- I'm bi-polar and I suffered through a 4 month mania and then was sick for a month with my gall bladder, and then plummeted into a month long depression:eek: I had my lap band dr. do my gall bladder surgery and all went pretty well ( I was still kinda sick for another half a month even after I got it out:mad: ANYWAY that was the bad news I also have some good news! I've los 63 pounds and I am finally under 200 yay!!!! I thankfully do not look like a ball anymore , I actually have a waist and some decent looking hips!!! Had to get rid of 80% of my clothing as they were way too big to wear anymore!!! DOUBLE yay!!:whoo: I hope some of you remember me I could really use some positive reenforcement from some compadres who really understand!! You know it REALLY is true, you HAVE to eat to lose weight, while I was so sick I stopped eating and low and behold I STOPPED losing weight!!:faint: so that whole gallbladder ordeal was a double bummer!! thats all for now I hope to hear from some of you! karen PS To TOM WOW I am so impressed and proud of you- you always told me " the slower the better" but my gosh, you have done soooo well!!! Congratulations to the nth degree!! also the special K protein drinks I purchased at Walmart for 2 for a dollar!! and the tropical punch is hands down the best flavor!!:clap2:

hi vicki were you talking to me way back in January? I live in the Oceanside / Vista area karen

Hi fellow November Bandsters! Been away for awhile, so happy to see you all are doing so good!! yay! I'm on the treadmill for 30 minutes everyday and I feel reallygreat! I'm finally at the 100 more to go mark!! Lots of NSV too, clothes are fitting great and I know I look better in them:o How could I not?:tired hey I did finally figure out why I wasn't losing weight, get this- I WASN'T EATING ENOUGH!! :faint:Jeez it took me 4 weeks to get that one learned- Gotta eat at least 1200 calories a day! I just started it and I've lost 4 pounds this week!! It's hard though I feel more hungry now than when I was eating only 500-700 calories a day. :mmph: Go figure that one!! Anyhow I am getting my second fill on tuesday the 30th well see how that goes! anyhow glad your all doing well! thought I'd keep in touch karen aka kj

Hello fellow November Bandsters! Reading about all your succeses makes me feel proud of you guys! CONGRATS! Ok now I need to tell you that I have the beginning of a major problem and I haven't read about it here before. First of all I am stuck on this weight and the more I don't lose the worse my problem gets. I'm not eating- at least not enough. I haven't had over 400-600 calories a day since Christmas- At first I struggled to keep my stomach small, so I wouldn't get hungry, now I literally have to force myself to eat. When I do manage to eat, I eat healthy choices, just not very much of them/ I swear I am not hungry EVER- If I didn't weigh so much I would think I was anorexic! I buy books on Protein, Carbohydrates, Nutrition and The Glycemic index (which by the way is a treasure trove of information) Its like the rule book we've all been looking for our entire life!! (for me anyway) I know that I HAVE to eat to lose weight, I am so aware of the things I need to put in my body so that I can be healthy and successful losing this weight. I just have lost all desire to eat. I'm pretty sure this all started because losing weight at 48 and being in menapause, (not to mention that I am bipolar), is not even on the same planet compared to losing weight when I was in my 30's. Back when I was 30 and I had been on a 400 calorie diet for 3+ weeks, I would have loast 20 lbs EASY- Today at 48 I don't lose anything!?! JEEZ LOUISE I need some help guys

Hi Jess~ Listen don't get the fill untill you are ready! This isn't a race and there isn't a time limit! I just got my first fill the other day, and I was excited and ready to have it done! Of course I've never experienced what you have, what with the food getting stuck and the pain. You aren't ready yet for a fill! Get comfortable with your band the way it is, before you go and make it tighter. When I was at my Doctors on Thursday getting my fill there was a woman there getting her first fill and she was banded in July! If you need therapy , get it, theres nothing like it! But please don't do anything your not going to be ready for! good luck kj

Thats too cool! I started at 259 and I am currently at 241! At least we know we are doing it right! That makes me feel better!:clap2: kj

Hey California Bandsters! My name is Karen, but I go by kj. I'm 48, I live in San Diego and I was Banded on 11/29/06 in Long Beach, by Dr. Milton Owens. I absolutely love my band!~ I had my first fill Thursday 12/21 5cc I was a little slow with reducing my carb intake, (I really thought I could lose weight like I used to) Anyway I am really on board with the low carb program, and I feel like I'm slowly but surely figuring out how this will all work for me! Happy to be here- Let me know if theres any of you who are close to San Diego!

My energy level has sucked also!! My Doctor told me today to get more energy I have to be more active!! Don't you just hate it when they tell you to do something you know you have to , but don't want to!! lol

Why aren't you taking your vitamins???

Do you remember the week before the surgery how horrible it was for the first 4 days or so? Then it got easier? Well I am taking that concept and eating as small a meals as I can, knowing that as soon as I eat more than I should or eat something that I shouldn't ( like fudge, my mom just made some) That will just kick the door wide open again, and let my hunger loose!! I don't know it works for me!

Thats what I am so happy about, I haven't been real hungry, If I do get hungry I have a boiled egg or a serving of applesauce. Still even though I am eating like this I have only lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks- It's kind of frustrating cause I have been so good, I thought I would have better results. I need to get more active!

Today (it's 1:30 in San Diego) I've had a small can of V8 and a meal replacement drink and lots of water!

Thats cool! My doctor may have just been doing me a favor drive wise, I travel about and hour and a half to see him. He worth it though!

I don't know why I got more, I didn't ask him until he was finished how much he put in, I was happy, happy , happy though!

Hi November Bandsters and Bandsterettes!! Today I had my first fill 5cc! I just love my Doctor! He made me drink water after he filled it, said if I belched, he would have to take some out! Of course I did not belch, (yes I did have to) I really wanted the 5cc fill! I am so okay with being on liquids or mushies for a while! I feel great and there is no pain or discomfort when drinking water, so I am not worried about the rest! Being a part of this group has helped me immeasureably!! What a wealth of information and experience to draw from! Thankyou everyone for sharing !! kj (karen) Dr. Owens banded 11/29 259/244/125 1st Fill 12/21 5cc http://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticker/Images/Purple_banner3.gif

coke can disolve a nail to absolutely nothing in 3 days!! Imagine what it could do to your band!! Don't risk it!! Hope that helps! kj (Karen)

Hi CJ I'm KJ (Karen) If you go to the website www.coastalcenterforobesity.com then click on coastal e store, they sell Bariatric Advantage vitamins and supplements, they taste great and they are priced lower there than anywhere else. anyway good luck

I also hated the liquid, luckily my doctors office sells the Bariatric Advantage line below wholesale (muti-vitamins, iron, calciim and sublingual B, etc), they are all chewable they taste great. If anybody wants the website info to order online just let me know! karen

Hi Carol and welcome! I agree with you about it being mind over matter, until we get our "fills" adjusted to perfection I think we should still "act as if", thats what I've been doing and I'm amazed at the positive results!!

Hi Mary Rose- I was banded 2 weeks ago today, and you would not believe that hassle I had to go through to achieve this! If you are like me I l0ve my Doctor, and I too, was shocked when he reacted negatively to the mere mention of a lap band. I also see a psychiatrist for depression and even he was against it, as was my psychologist!! I felt so frustrated and angry. My Lap Band Doctor told me that NO ONE has the right to tell me what I can and can not do with my body! Same for you, You sound like you are the perfect candidate for Lap Band Surgery! Anyway what worked for me was I just bugged my doctor, and talked about it incessantly, while I was in his office having the necessary tests and blood work for my Lap Band Doctor. He finally relented! He was most of all concerned with my health, and malnutrition. Well I made him a promise to always get enough of what my body needs, and he gave me his blessing finally! (I said to heck with my psychiatrist and psychologist, they can see me in a year!!):clap2: Good Luck to you- I know exactly what you are feeling right now! Karen

Oh my gosh, sounds like we are having the same rollercoaster weight loss- Angela was a great help when she suggested having a healthy BM:D-Also I think I am not drinking as much Water as I should be. In addition to that It might help if we make sure to get at least 800 calories a day. I wasn't doing that, I was getting only about 600, and I think my body was in starvation mode! Anyway I will keep plugging away until I figure out the right formula for my body, I am so dedicated to this being the answer to my prayers!!! How is your energy level? I envisioned mine being a lot better than it is.

That is so the truth!! I was just getting so discouraged as I had gained 4 pounds the previous 2 days! So actually I am only down .5#. But since my surgery 11/29 I am now down 14 # yay!! This roller coster weight loss/gain is driving me crazy! I am still only on shakes and V8, I too, feel like the weight should be pouring off me, ah well it's bound to come off sooner or later!!:rant:Just keep pluggin away!!

Hi Angela and fellow bandsters- You were so right Angela, last night I had a healthy BM and also got rid of a lot of water and today I am 4.5 lbs down!!! Yay!!:clap2: I am going to stop weighing myself everyday!

Hi Yvonne- My name is Karen and I was banded on the 29th of November. Girl I hear you about this being like any other diet, 5 off 4 on what is the deal with that? I have been on liquids, MAYBE 600 calories a day and I put on 3 pounds yesterday!! UGHHH makes me want to scream!! I'm having my first fill on the 21st of December. Why do you have to wait so long? That doesn't seem right!! good luck to you

Hi Vikki, I'm a new Bandster 11/29- and yes I have had a pain go up through my insides, until it reached my left shoulder- Sorry I can't tell you why, I didn't realize anybody else was feeling it too.