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Hi everyone, Are you guys going to the Red Robin on the 16th? I will be in town for my surgery. I have my pre-op scheduled for 3:00 on that day. My daughter and I would love to meet everyone. My daughter, Kacie, is 15 years old and I am excited that she can be with me. I am staying at TownPlace suites at the Denver Tech Center. I hope this is a nice area. On the map, it says that the hotel is only 14 minutes away from the hospital. I was wondering if Dr. K would let me leave with my daughter or do I need an adult. If so, maybe, one of you could pick us up and take us back to the hotel? Well, let me know. Mini: I hope everything goes ok with your surgery. I will be thinking about you. Tied: I can't believe men can be so evil. I can only hope that a woman he meets online does the same to him (even worse) so that he might know how it feels. I am sooooo sad for a lady I work with. She lost her son 2 days ago. He was drinking at a friends house and choked on his own vomit and died in his sleep. This was her only child and he was only 19. She was working two jobs to help him through college. He was really smart and had scholarships and graduated with honors. I guess he had a drug and alcohol problem. He was partying at a friends house and MY daughter was there for a short time. She was friends with him and told me she hugged him and was sitting with him that night but he was "so messed up". She is soo upset. I have lost some very important people in my life but I can't imagine losing a child. I have to go to the funeral home tomorrow. I am dreading it. I don't do well at funeral homes (does anyone).

:hippie:Yep - I'm back from the land of sun,:sun: surf and mosquitoes. I had a fabulous time, forgot all the sh_t around here, and just kicked back. I didn't eat awful, but drinking :beer:is another story. I promise myself not to weigh for a week, because I will be disappointed, and I am not a number.:violin: I walked at least two miles everyday in the sandy beach, went snorkeling, shopping and in general really enjoyed being "just me". I had several PB's when I'd forget about the choke collar around the neck and the "whatever" didn't go down. Torilla chips were something that I really had to chew. I can relate to the restaurant thing and Pb'ing. It is really uncomfortable, b:mad:ut what the f_ck, I doubt if anyone is really listening. However, third world bathrooms are a great deterent. I haven't figured out what to do when I am really hungry,:hungry: because I'm so used to shoveling it in to satisfy hunger, that I do and am sorry quickly. Thank God for alcohol. But I don't do that at home. :eyebrows: Sorry, no cabana boys, but this gorgeous gentleman came up and asked me if we had met before. I said no, but maybe I had a double and he said, "what a lucky world we live in, if that were true.":bounce: I about fell off my chair. Then he walked back to his wife. So, I think RR is a great idea when Lap is here. You guys figure out the date. I am subbing for the next two and a half weeks.:faint: Hugs, Michelle

Are you kidding? An alcohol shot? Wow, totally keep us up to date on this. I have it in both feet and I would be soooo happy if something like that would work. BTW, I CERTAINLY hope that you're not implying that I am somewhat off kilter. I view myself as a staid and serious academic professional who always behaves with great decorum. I'm sure you must have been referring to OTHER members of the group.

OK people, I'm not doing so well this week. No weight loss. I'm eating badly and can't really fathom why -- why would I stop at McDonalds and get a $1 sausage biscuit for Breakfast? There's nothing healthy about it, I was doing so well, etc. I'm having a hard time motivating myself to exercise as much. I started immediately thinking...OMG I need a fill right now! But my fill doc wanted me to wait 3 months after my last fill, which would put it at mid-August. He said it was fine to come back earlier but if I'm losing weight & doing everything I'm supposed to be doing, then I should not need one. So I started thinking. Someone gave me this link (I will copy & paste some of it here): How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of soft food syndrome b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories -- 7 calories per gram (1) It is also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You cant just eat what's easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But dont avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (1) 3 ounces the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you dont need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who dont 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If youre not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You wont be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes its a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as good and bad e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. And I realized...I don't need a band adjustment. I need an eating, behavior, activity & attitude adjustment. I am eating unhealthy stuff, not tracking every day, not eating consciously. I am not exercising as much or for as long. I am obsessing, eating because others are, & weighing myself daily. So...I am going to spend the next two weeks getting back on track. I forgot for a bit that I have to work with the band, it can't do it all. If I am certain that I have everything in place & I am still not losing, then and only then do I need a fill! I am so glad that AdorKable & Brandy posted -- we were worried about you guys!

I have to share my good news with my Lab Band friends: My son and dil stopped over last night. They said they wanted to borrow our snow blower but the real reason was to show us a sonogram pic of our 9-weeks-gestation grandchild! I know they've been working on this for the last year, and I am so happy for them (and for me!). I suspected she was pregnant when they were living with us over Christmas and she didn't have any alcohol to drink but I figured they would tell us when they were ready. Last night was the night!

I'm not doing resolutions....I think they are a trap for me and I want to just make a commitment to more exercise. To make it more consistent in my life. I'm also considering doing the coolrunnings training for a 5 k race..not that I'm thinking about running a race..I actually hate to run...but in my history, the only time I've been "thin" was when I've run. I was in a police acadamy in 1989 and ran three miles a day every morning....I weighed 169 (not exactly thin, but I wore a size 12 and thought I looked pretty good) and I was in shape. We also did a bunch of strength training as well. Ahhh, those were the days and I loved it. But I'm more thinking of as a personal challenge. I did get, a few years ago...Bob Greene's book on working out...the Oprah Boot Camp Challenge...sort of the same idea...just an intense workout regime. I am going to quit drinking alcohol for a good while. I'm an occasional drinker now but I can do without. I'm going to really cut out the sugars such as cookies, sweets, etc. And really watch the carbs. I want to sort of clean out my system.

Sean - I followed a nearly liquid diet with some limited cheating and dropped almost 15 #s in two weeks before my surgery. Heck, the day before the surgery I broke every rule and did a pizza buffet with a friend (but severely limited what I ate).. I was afraid that was going to cost me the surgery. It was hard but I cut out all the fun foods - soda, pizza, Panda Express, Pasta, Soups, BEER, alcohol, and marijuana... and even when I traveled, I would still go to Panda Express, but get teriyaki chicken with NO sauce with white rice and drink Water. My doctor had a *very* strict diet, as I guess they get a high failure rate of people who can't lose the weight. But a lot of water, fruits & veggies did the trick for me.

I just want to say upon reading the new posts this morning. That i really appreciate everyone's thoughtful responses... I'm finding this thread to be very eye opening in many ways, Not just because we have different views on why we personally over eat. but because it has really made me think more deeply this week about my own battle.. Today at this moment I feel a bit stronger than I have all week. I had now idea when I started this thread that it would impact me in this way... It was made out of curiosity about differences! So addiction... It is a scary thing and for me it is an addiction. This passage from the post I made above, is me; Their obsession is demonstrated in that they spend excessive amounts of time and thought devoted to food, and secretly plan or fantasize about eating alone. Addiction runs in my family.. My mother has been an alcoholic my entire life, she was a single mom. She was all we had. My brother was an alcoholic and a functioning drug addict he held a high powered job and was a much respected person in his industry. But he was a drug addict... He was just as addicted to his AA program and exercise when he quit.. and that is what scared me it was the same all consuming obsession but put into something healthy. But I found it fanatical. When he fell of the wagon it was gradual with "well when I entertain clients I'm ok to have a social drink" "I can handle a little now" Then he would fall... The last time he went back to AA it was with a vengeance and it worked for him. Side note he was always very judgmental of me and others when he was working his program, I think it was because he was desperately holding on to his recovery (program) for dear life. He fell of the wagon one last time five years ago, And killed himself with an overdose, the day after spending the day with his best friend (sponsor) training for a road biking event. I will never know if it was suicide or accidental. But it impacts me on a daily basis, in to many ways to explain here. He was my only sibling and I was his. we knew each others demons intimately... My mother quit drinking 4 years ago, she called last week and she fell of the wagon for the first time two weeks ago. She's back in her program now though.... When I write on this forum that this surgery is my last hope, it is! I operate daily coming from a place of thankfulness (for this surgery, my husband and children) but I also operate from a place of fear.. My name is Laura. I am a flawed human being.

I'm surprised at the vitamin situation. Id be nervous to not take them. How do you manage alcohol? Do you drink anything carbonated? I have GERD as well and I take meds so thinking RNY might be my best option.

I was told to steer clear of alcohol because it can cause ulcers. Also, your tolerance to alcohol can change. It tends to make you intoxicated faster with the consumption of less. I was also told, if you want to try it, wait at least a year because it dehydrates you. You should avoid carbonation and drinking through straws. They both can introduce too much air into your pouch and it can be painful.

Hi! I'm enjoying reading where everyone is so I will check in too -- I had surgery on 5/20 so I'm about 7.5 weeks out. The worst part about this for me has been no caffeine. I'm really looking forward to being cleared for step 4 which includes caffeine allowed at my appointment in about a week. I'm also really missing wine but I think I need to stay away from alcohol for as long as possible. I'm 50 lbs down overall (355 to 305ish -- I lost a LOT during the 3 week liver-shrink) and about 25 of that is post-surgery. I'm definitely noticing that it's easier to move around and my clothes are looking different on me, which has been great. In terms of taste, shredded cheese tastes a little weird to me, milk is disgusting, and butter tastes a little... off. I'm really interested to know if I'll dump/if I can ever have sugar again, but I'm not going to mess with trying something until I hit the step 4 diet. I'm REALLY stressed out about the hair loss that people say starts at around 4 months. But the only way out is through..... and it'll be worth it. I'm just worried I'll have bald spots!!!!! 😧

We're almost twins! I was 245 at surgery and am at 178 today. No exercise. I am discouraged and mad at myself for not taking full advantage of the honeymoon phase, which I fear is over. I've let some bad habits creep back in - sugar, alcohol, carbs. Still losing but only 1-2 lbs per month. I'm recommitting this week...getting rid of the bad stuff and trying to get to goal once and for all!

HW 243 SW 228 12/3/13 CW 186 Total loss 57 pounds Lost 3 pounds last week even though I was on vacation at an all-inclusive resort! That is more than I usually lose per week at this stage. I ate what I wanted, but no rice, pasta or fried foods - I did have a tiny bit of bread 2 or 3 times. I completely skipped all the free alcohol, but I had 1-2 bites of desert with dinner. I took protein powder packets with me and the staff was willing to blend them for me with a little juice or milk. I had them add a little fruit and ice. I was also very careful to stay hydrated since it was about 85 degrees each day. One big change was the amount of exercise. My work is sedentary and it is a good day if my Fitbit records 3,500-4,000 steps. However, this resort is so large that they run a golf cart shuttle to help you get around. I walked everywhere instead, so I was over 10,000 steps every day and went as high as 13,000! I have not exercised hardly at all since my surgery and now I see why others weight loss is much faster than mine. I know what I need to do...

My surgeon doesnt want me to have alcohol of any kind for at least 1Year, and advises to never have anything carbonated ever again. Sent from my SCH-R960 using the BariatricPal App

Okay Everyone - Lap is coming to town, which night gets us the most people to Red Robin - April 9 (Wed) or April 10 (Thursday)?????? She promises to spend time with us this visit. So let's post and figure this thing out. Dee, Woofay, Mal, Brandy, John, Bookender, put in your two cents!!!! I am with you Lap, my stomach isn't telling when it's full any more. There is really a shift. I have a fill scheduled in a few weeks, and it is what I need. I have never felt full before my band. I was constantly in a state of hungry, would overeat to a point of sick to my stomach. It is wonderful that the band has helped me get in touch with something that most people think is normal. I agree that it might be a gene, I think it is emotional/behavioral too. Just having the feedback gives me some peace of mind, maybe like that stuff they give alcoholics so they will get really sick if they drink. I am waiting for the day, and I feel it is coming where I can say, you know food just isn't THAT important. Anyway, have a great night. Michelle

Hello my friends and welcome to the new friends! Yeah, baby, on the steel oats! Can't live without 'em! I am IN on the BFL!! Just hope I can complete the whole 12 weeks~~ still reading the book. What type of tracking system do you personally use? I'm getting my plan together now! When is our start date? Who all is down for the BFL? Mini & Marcy-- Confession time: Hello, my name is ShelbiCallie and I get yeast in my belly button. It is stinky and gross. There I said it for all of the interwebs. I put alcohol in there, but I'm going to try Marcy's suggestion! Hey homey, I saw on the news where your area had 5" of rain and some power outages. Hope you're ok. We only got some minor wind and rain -- nothing major. Looks like Ike is taking the Andrew route this time, lucky us, but I'm worried for our FL peeps. Were you around for the Floyd/Fran double whammy a few years back? My Barkley became homeless (we think) during that time and was a stray for about a year in the Rocky Mount area that was hit so hard with floods. He was rescued and then fostered by the NC Lab Rescue until we were approved for his adoption. I wish he could tell me what happened to him. The only mental scar I can see is that he is afraid of riding in a boat. Strange for a lab, eh? my fellow lab folks?? Hope you're feeling better, Denver! I thought I had a 10cc band, too! What's up with that? Mini & Hotmomma -- I'm there with ya. The bad stuff is so easy. The "good for ya" stuff is time consuming! Hotmomma, keep working on those protein shakes ~~ sounds like you need the protein AND the fluids if you're thirsty. Joining in on the crushing meds discussion -- I crush everything that's not chewable, except my Pristiq because it's an extended release and small. Dr. K never told me to, but I learned from Dee and she's my hero, so I follow her advice. (I am serious about this Dee!) Need a Munchkin update! Need a Deb/Tucker update! Happy Saturday peeps, I'm scraping 3 layers of wallpaper today! (I removed crappy paneling and a dropped ceiling yesterday)Care to join me?? My motivation is the beautiful original wood I found underneath!!

I always knew that if I could have been just a little taller, that I would have been the perfect weight. I kept asking for 4 inches every year, but Santa got confused and gave them to me in width instead of height! Well I have been on my Atkins phase for 24 hours now, and I remember how much I actually like it. I had to cut out my protein bar for the next 2 weeks until I get my fill, but that is fine because I just replace it with low cal string cheese. Cheese is my FAVORITE food in the entire world, so it doesn't bug me much. The only HUGE difference between Atkins before and Atkins now is that I am eating low fat and low cal and not doing the Taliban version of it. For those of you who need explanation, the Taliban version of Atkins consists of less than 10 grams of carbs per day, including sugar alcohols so I pretty much eat meat. Now I have relaxed that a little and allow 20 grams of carbs. Still not much, but it allows me to get in some vegetables. I also talked to our nutrition teacher at the high school and she suggested that I go to 1200 calories and eat like this BREAKFAST, SNACK, LUNCH, SNACK, DINNER, SNACK. Well I know me and if I eat a snack after dinner, the flood gates will open so I am not going to follow her advice on that one. Well I have to get back to working on school stuff. the new trimester started today, so LOTS O' PAPERWORK!

I am not going to be running on my foot at all this week. I am going to work on leg endurance using the eliptical (no foot pounding) and the bike. Today I am going to do the bike...that is if I don't go home and drowned myself in about 3 bottles of strong alcohol. Okay...so i wouldn't actually do that because I don't like alcohol, too many liquid calories, I don't like alcohol, I would have a raging headache after 3 sips, and did I mention that I don't like alcohol. So here is the story... When my students don't turn in their work on time they have a three day grace period...once that time is up they have to come in during lunch and work on that project/assignment until it is finished. Today I had 78 FREAKING KIDS IN MY ROOM!. That is right...78 out of my 140 students hadn't turned work in. How ridiculous is that?!?! I am here EVERYDAY before school by 6AM at the latest, at lunch, and afterschool for at least 30 minutes. Also I give them class time to work on it. These are the days when I would rather dig ditches. At least then I would get a workout in as well. I told another teacher that this frustrates the CRAP out of me...who needs laxatives when I have my job! As for postponing the half-marathon...I can't. 4 days after the 1/2 I have surgery so it is this one or nothing. I haven't signed up for it yet and I will see how my foot is feeling after Sunday's run. If it still hurts I will go to the doctor and see what it feels like. I think it is just sprained. I promise I will not do anything that will hurt it permanently. As soon as I realized I couldn't run I came up with another plan. This is where I am so different from before. In the past I would have just said..."well I can't run so I might as well just give up." Then I would follow that up by binging. Now I just find alternatives. That is what life has to be about. You have to find alternatives to food and make modifications to exercise when necessary. Well I have a CRAP ton of work to grade so I had best get it done. This is the first time since 6AM that I have not had students in my classroom. I have been at school since 4:30AM...for the second time this week. And yes if you are keeping track...it is only Tuesday.

Good Morning Everyone, Naaa, I'm joking, I've been up since 12:30. I am very sore today, guess I over did it yesterday. I drove myself to the mall, went to Dillards, got a pair of shoes, a purse, and a bathing suit. I just couldn't stay home one more day. Also went to dance lessons last night. I missed last week. Couple danced for about 30 minutes. I'm paying for this today. Not bad, but sore. DH had to change my tape last night. The PS puts this sticky brown tape on all my insisions and says change it every 2 days. Why, why, why do I have to put tape on cuts and then pull it off, why. I cried just a little, and felt very nauseous and light headed. Nauseouse is a work, I CAN'T SPEElee O.K., about pain meds. They have been the worse part of this whole ordeal. I hate them. How do people get addicted to that horrid shit. Anyway, I have learned that most of the pain meds we have all taken are already mixed with acetometaphin. So, do not take Tylenol with pain meds. Taking even a smigeon too much of acetometaphin is dangerous, DANGEROUS. Vicodin, Loritab, Percocet all have aceto..... in them. O.K. that's another word I can't spellllele. You know if alcohol worked as pain meds. it would be better to take, the side effects are much less. This medical advice is 4 dollars, please send cash or money order to me. Thank you, you may also send qvc money

Thanks for working through it with me. I've just checked the calendar and Aunt Flo is due next week, so that'll probably count for the cookie craving. I may have an attack for the next few days until she arrives, so I need to keep myself busy. I've got a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle here somewhere, that should keep me out of the cupboards for a little bit. And there's always my books. I have plenty of SF gum in the cupboard, so maybe I should just chew on some of that to get me through when the cravings are really bad. I'm just thankful I didn't have any Cookies in the cupboard. The sensible me is the only one that's allowed to go shopping these days and won't buy them. I've gotten those 100 calorie packs a few times, but noticed I tended to reach for an extra pack or two when the demons pay a visit. So I stopped buying those. Sometimes I feel like a junkie. Not that I've ever had a problem with alcohol or drugs, but it's like I have this need and it SHOUTS at me to be satisfied. At least when you give up those addictions you stay completely away from them. Our addiction is food and we still have to eat. :huh2:

So, I had a friend's wedding last night, and let me just say I had a blast. I did have a glass of wine with dinner, but then I had 3 drinks at the bar afterwards. I have not been out that late in a long time. It was also great because I'm here in Omaha without my hubby and saw some friends from high school. One of them was a guy friend who told me that he had never looked at my a$$ so much. It was a great compliment. Now I just need to work the 3 white russians off that I had. I can tell you though that I haven't had any alcohol for about 8 months, so needless to say, it hit me pretty hard!! But, I had a GREAT TIME. On Friday, the bride-to-be and I went shopping because I needed a new pair of dress pants for the wedding as mine were so big that they looked horrible. We went to Dress Barn and they had their holiday dresses out. I decided to try on a couple and picked up an 18 & 20 to try on. The 20 was way too big, and the 18 fit well, but a little big in a couple areas. My friend told me to hold on and she went to the rack and grabbed a 16 and it fit. I was so surprised, and almost bought it, but I couldn't justify spending that kind of money on a dress I wouldn't be able to wear at home. I was super excited though because it's been over 11 years (since the start of my senior year) that I was able to fit into a 16. Jeans are still another story, but that will come with time, I just couldn't believe it. So, talking about mini goals, I think I'm doing well on the Thanksgiving challenge. Before I left, I was down to 230 (5 pounds for the challenge), which I might add is the same weight as my hubby, so sometime in the next two weeks I should weigh less than him for the first time ever. My other mini goal (since I can see it now) is to get to onderland. I'd love to be there by my b-day on Jan 25th, and now I really do think I'll be able to hit that goal. So, put me down for another 10 pounds between Thanksgiving & Christmas. I'm so glad I have you guys as you truly do understand what I'm feeling and how excited I am with the little things!! I hope you all had great weekends, and I'll check back soon. ~Nichole

I get my fill on Dec 21. It is good and bad to get it at that time. I WANT to be restricted, but I never get to see my family and that will be the only time that we can Celebrate Christmas and I will be on liquids. Oh well, I have the rest of the year to eat food, and I desperately need a fill. So I emailed my dad and said that we could go out to dinner at this Mexican restaurant in my hometown (my doc is close to there and it is ~6 hours from me AND across a mountain pass) and I would just have a non-alcoholic Margarita. I don't drink alcohol because it gives me a headache so I will substitute it with sugar, my drug of choice.

Good Morning Gang Thought I would post EARLY but see Karla has beat me :0) Ruby as to your struggles - hugs -- You need to get back to the basic - Go back to the beginning - I know it's hard after you have lost your motivation - but I think doing that - Logging calories (you were good at that) and following a healthy eating plan and not allowing so many treats - that's what gets us all the time .... Remember food is our drug of choice - plan and simple - I was talking to a lady last night from back east she's getting banded 6/17 - and I told her clean out your kitchen - get all your trigger foods out of the house - you would not leave a bottle of booze on the kitchen counter if you were an alcoholic so why would you leave a bag of cookies (or whatever) in the pantry. You explain this to your family and they should understand.. We have no control when it comes to food. I know that you get plenty of exercise cuz you walk and don't drive - but are you still doing your gym and karate (or what ever it was like that) Oh ya - Ruby met Karla (cremark) Karla meet Ruby - She is one of our Original #7 - maybe cuz we were talking about how many pple have left she came back - Ruby, Karla is a friend of Steph and was just banded and cuz Steph loves us so much asked her to join us.. Karla - My doc is tough after a fill its 7 days liquids - 7 days mushies - 7 days soft then back to regular food - I pretty much did that the 1st fill but the 2nd fill I didn't - I did like 2 days liquids then mushies then soft then regular.. 1st fill felt right away remember eating yogurt and almost pbing - but that fill seemed to dissappear within 2 weeks so I called and made another appointment - then my 2nd fill took about 2 weeks to finally settle in. Kari - My friend who's getting banded next month has knee issues - I told her that you just biked - she asked what kind of bike do you have regular or recumbent?? I didn't remember.. I think I am going to invite her to join our thread Karri - Did you get some sleep - I saw on FB that you realized that you aren't super human and needed some rest - did you get it?? Denise - How goes the battle.... Phyl - How's the knee doing - how long with DD be gone on vacation - is this the one with the little kids (thomas) so far I remember Tracy has the 2 older ones (Adam & Alisha) Steph - How's the back doing... Candice - When to you leave for France !!! Ok gang it's 5:30 - I can't beleive how fast time goes when you are on the computer !!! Gotta jump in the shower... Talk to you all when I get to work...

So my PCP called me this morning because she has a c-section that she needs to do tomorrow and wanted to know if we could push out my appt. She wanted to know what was going on with the medication and I told her that I was having UNBELIEVABLE food cravings. All I want is simple sugar. I couldn't sleep last night because I was starving and all I wanted was sugar. I tried something with splenda in it because I thought I just wanted something sweet...but that didn't cut it. Well we don't have anything in the house that has sugar in it so I ate 2 tablespoons of pure sugar. Yep...right out of the box. When I told her that she said...you are coming in and we are getting you off that medication. "The next step will probably be alcohol." Those were her exact words. Turns out that these are not just food cravings. It is a severe reaction to the medication but it usualy manifests itself in alcoholism. But since I don't drink alcohol EVER my body craves the simple sugars that alcohol breaks down into. She told me that whatever I do NOT to have any alcohol (including sugar alcohols or cooking alcohol) until we get me off this medication. I cannot explain to you how debilitating these cravings have been. I have been incredibly quiet around here because the food issues have been devastating and I was trying to wrap my head around them. In the last week I have had 3 candy bars and 2 pieces of cake. This is the first time that I am admitting to them. It is the only thing that will make the hunger go away. Imagine going for about 12 hours without eating and think of the hunger that you would feel. That is the hunger that I am feeling constantly. How do I know that it was actual hunger and not head hunger...well...I went for 8 hours without eating yesterday just so that I knew that whatever I felt in my stomach was actual hunger pangs. Then I ate. I was so full that there was a lot of pressure in my pouch and my nose was running like a faucet (sure sign I ate too much). Lo and behold...the feeling in my stomach was EXACTLY the same. When I told the doctor this she just kept apologizing that she put me on it. She said it was a rare side effect but one that is VERY real. I said that when I was put on this medication the last time I had very similiar reactions. I was eating 3-4 candy bars a day and doughnuts by the dozens. I told her that I never said anything to the doctors because I figured I was just a fat slob that didn't know how to control her eating. But now...this is WAY off. I am usually very content with the food that I eat. I love my veggies and proteins and right now I can't hardly stand to eat them because all I want is sugar. So thank you for all of your advice, but it turns out that I have not lost total control over myself like I feel I have. I felt like my world was spiraling out of control and that there was nothing that I could do about it. I now know how a drug addict feels. I am sneaking food again and doing whatever I can to get my next fix. She did say the cravings usually went away pretty quickly after we get off the meds but that it will take about 2 weeks to wean me off. I am not sure what we are going to do but I honestly believe I would rather be uptight, anal, obsessive and throwing chicken sausages across the kitchen then going through what I am right now. Sorry to ramble, but I had to get this out there. Love you all and thanks for the encouragement.

Whats the difference between sugar and sugar alcohol? I dont think I've ever saw that on a label before. Im going to have to check that out. That is a good rule of thumb: 1 gram of protein per every 10 calories.