January Surgery Bandsters Group

[this sucks 557]

Rk- thanks for the feedback. I am defiantly cutting back this next week on calories! I completely get your point about not punishing myself. But for me it is more of a cleanse. Once I get sugar in my system I keep craving it. So the liquids is to give myself a fresh start' date=' but I guess I can play it a day at a time!![/quote']

Gotcha! I think you will be fine if you plan.

[JustDoIt130 369]

Sigh, well I think we all know what happened at the doctor- up 11 lbs. Yep. The ice cream. Big shocker, I know, LOL. She did give me a little fill, I"m at around 11.25 cc's in my 14 cc band. The PA said this was not unusual, and that I need to not have ice cream in the house. She's right, and I've known she was right-and Nicole too- from the beginning but just didn't have my head in the game and, you know, just wanted to eat a lot of ice cream! So lesson learned, and now if I want ice cream I have to go out and eat it at an ice cream place, not go to the grocery store and buy it to eat the whole carton at home!!

Good news is that I"m still doing well and still on the exercise wagon. And ready to commit to the band again. So back to logging, being honest, getting back on the bandwagon. That is not to say I'm going to not eat a Christmas cookie or Thanksgiving pie, but I won't eat like I have been eating, and not a ton of slider foods!

NJ2NC- I do think you should go to the appointment, still good to follow up even if you decide you don't need a fill. I haven't had the band tighten/loosen like that, but I do think it happens- stress, ttotm, etc. And yay on your loss!

Otaknam- how are you?? It's not good to not even keep down water! Let us know!!

rkimom- are you new? If so, glad to have you? If not, please excuse my faulty memory- too much sugar lately, LOL. I think that's what we all need to strive for, eating what we want (except no ice cream for me, it's an extreme trigger food), just in moderation. Like "thin" people do.

Nicole- yah, it's the sugar that makes me crave more sugar, then more and more until here I am with 11 pounds more on me. But that's life and now I'll get those off with a lot more of their friends!!! I'm back to logging, for sure, I'm not as successful without it.

Amica- glad you got some fill out! Hope the reflux resides. Good for your loss, but you don't want to lose cause you can't keep anything down!

Well, I am glad I kept my appointment even though I knew it would be "bad." Oh well, I'm human, I knew I couldn't be eating like I was without gaining, and now I can go back. Like my PA said, the band is still there and will still work if I do my part.

Nicki

[amica813 28]

Doc took out 1.2 cc yesterday and I am able to eat (yay, but also boo!). He said we had 2 choices, remove enough to level off the pressure or take all of the Fluid out. He went with letting the pressure equalize. I'll go back next Wednesday when my stomach is nice and calm and have him put fluid back in. I had trouble at 5.4 so maybe we'll shoot for 5.2. I lost 3 pounds between Monday and Wednesday; wonder how much of that will stay off...

[this sucks 557]

Sigh' date=' well I think we all know what happened at the doctor- up 11 lbs. Yep. The ice cream. Big shocker, I know, LOL. She did give me a little fill, I"m at around 11.25 cc's in my 14 cc band. The PA said this was not unusual, and that I need to not have ice cream in the house. She's right, and I've known she was right-and Nicole too- from the beginning but just didn't have my head in the game and, you know, just wanted to eat a lot of ice cream! So lesson learned, and now if I want ice cream I have to go out and eat it at an ice cream place, not go to the grocery store and buy it to eat the whole carton at home!!

Good news is that I"m still doing well and still on the exercise wagon. And ready to commit to the band again. So back to logging, being honest, getting back on the bandwagon. That is not to say I'm going to not eat a Christmas cookie or Thanksgiving pie, but I won't eat like I have been eating, and not a ton of slider foods!

NJ2NC- I do think you should go to the appointment, still good to follow up even if you decide you don't need a fill. I haven't had the band tighten/loosen like that, but I do think it happens- stress, ttotm, etc. And yay on your loss!

Otaknam- how are you?? It's not good to not even keep down water! Let us know!!

rkimom- are you new? If so, glad to have you? If not, please excuse my faulty memory- too much sugar lately, LOL. I think that's what we all need to strive for, eating what we want (except no ice cream for me, it's an extreme trigger food), just in moderation. Like "thin" people do.

Nicole- yah, it's the sugar that makes me crave more sugar, then more and more until here I am with 11 pounds more on me. But that's life and now I'll get those off with a lot more of their friends!!! I'm back to logging, for sure, I'm not as successful without it.

Amica- glad you got some fill out! Hope the reflux resides. Good for your loss, but you don't want to lose cause you can't keep anything down!

Well, I am glad I kept my appointment even though I knew it would be "bad." Oh well, I'm human, I knew I couldn't be eating like I was without gaining, and now I can go back. Like my PA said, the band is still there and will still work if I do my part.

Nicki[/quote']

I'm not new, I just lurk around the edges. I am actually an old timer who decided she could do this on her own until a few months ago. I was banded in July 2010 and was only moderately successful until some health issues got in the way. Glad to be back on here because I do find a lot of support and motivation and wisdom on LBT.

[nicole1 92]

So like Nicki I am struggling with my food demon-cookies! not just the oreo or in a bag kind, but the big bakery kind. I have been going to Starbucks a lot and no matter how many times I tell myself no cookie this time, once the person says, "Can I get you anything else?" I am dead and I order the damn cookie!!! Also I should be avoiding any stores that have those same big yummy individual Cookies, but I find myself making excuses to go to those stores...alone!! Big no no for me is to shop alone!!! The dumb thing is I am doing circuit training 4 days a week, hurt like hell and still put that crap in my body!! I think it is time I tell my family I need their help again. They have been letting me do the grocery shopping again and I still just do not have the will power, especially with all of the holiday goodies coming out. I appeared to survive holiday #1 Halloween, but I have not done well with the 2 up and coming holidays! Also I need to delete the Starbucks app off my phone!!! Also these cookie moments tend to happen between the end of my work day and on my way home. Maybe I need to pack a healthy snack for on the way home, so my hunger does not drive me to a cookie stop.

Well thanks for listening guys!!

[nicole1 92]

Otaknam- what happened Thursday? Did they do an unfill? Are you able to keep stuff down yet? I'm thinking of you! Hope all is well!!!

NJ2NC-how was your 5K?? and good luck on your fill on 11/19!! I was afraid to get a fill too close to Thanksgiving!!

Chrissy- how did your check up go? I have been having problems with this sites notification too, but I am still glad it is here!!

Amica- I am glad you are doing better!! I hope you still get at least half of your fill back, again the day before Thanksgiving?? You've got some kahunas going on liquids for thanksgiving!!

Nicki-I like the PA's idea of no store bought ice cream. Besides if your going to have ice cream you might as well have the good stuff, and it gives you time to reconsider as you get ready to leave the house to go get some and time for you family to do the tough love and remind you it is not worth it. My daughter did that to me the other night and I was a little irked at her, but later glad she did it! As for the logging, if memory serves me right out of all of us you were always the best at logging, so that should be easy for you to get going again. Good Luck and we are here for you!!

rkimom-welcome to our group! we are a pretty close bunch and have been through a lot together. Can you give us more detail about your process? did you go through this stuck phase like some of us are going through? If so how did you get out of it? How are things for you now?

Here is a call out to all January Bandsters 2012, please post!! This is a difficult time of year and we need each other even if it just to see we are not alone in our struggles, besides we are approaching our LBS anniversary!!

[this sucks 557]

Otaknam- what happened Thursday? Did they do an unfill? Are you able to keep stuff down yet? I'm thinking of you! Hope all is well!!!

NJ2NC-how was your 5K?? and good luck on your fill on 11/19!! I was afraid to get a fill too close to Thanksgiving!!

Chrissy- how did your check up go? I have been having problems with this sites notification too' date=' but I am still glad it is here!!

Amica- I am glad you are doing better!! I hope you still get at least half of your fill back, again the day before Thanksgiving?? You've got some kahunas going on liquids for thanksgiving!!

Nicki-I like the PA's idea of no store bought ice cream. Besides if your going to have ice cream you might as well have the good stuff, and it gives you time to reconsider as you get ready to leave the house to go get some and time for you family to do the tough love and remind you it is not worth it. My daughter did that to me the other night and I was a little irked at her, but later glad she did it! As for the logging, if memory serves me right out of all of us you were always the best at logging, so that should be easy for you to get going again. Good Luck and we are here for you!!

rkimom-welcome to our group! we are a pretty close bunch and have been through a lot together. Can you give us more detail about your process? did you go through this stuck phase like some of us are going through? If so how did you get out of it? How are things for you now?

Here is a call out to all January Bandsters 2012, please post!! This is a difficult time of year and we need each other even if it just to see we are not alone in our struggles, besides we are approaching our LBS anniversary!![/quote']

Thanks for the kind welcome. I have been on LBT on and off for most of the last 28 months. After an encounter today, I am really questioning the motivation of some people on here. I'm just looking for a group of more experienced bandsters to share the journey with. There is a forum for people banded when I was, but there is no activity on there so I'd love to hang with your gang if you will have me.

My journey has been interesting to say the least. I moved along for the first year, getting fills, losing slow and steady. Nothing too exciting...went through a lot of what you guys are going through now. It gets a lot harder when the honeymoon passes.

Your first holiday season is challenging, but most of you are far enough into this to know what you need to do.

I started having a lot of health issues a year ago. I was having episodes that looked like strokes or TIA's and was in the hospital multiple times. They couldn't find any cause but treated me as a stroke patient since no one could explain why the episodes were worsening and increasing in frequency. One time I even lost my ability to speak!

Jump ahead six months later. My band had to be emptied out because I got inflammation from the high doses of aspirin used to prevent another stroke, on multiple other medications, blah,blah, blah. The most frustrating and humbling time of my life...

My bariatric doctor mentioned micronutrient testing and when the results came in a VERY long six weeks later, it was discovered that I had many Vitamin deficiencies. She sent my test results to a doctor in Texas who specializes in vitamin issues in post-bariatric patients and he agreed-most of my symptoms were classic of a B12 deficiency. I started on high doses of vitamins-D, Iron, B12 shots, Zinc, Magnesium. It took about eight weeks to feel the effects, but here I am now,feeling like a new woman.

One of the side effects of one of the meds I was on was weight gain and I put on 10 pounds in about a month. It really scared me because I didn't like seeing the numbers going up. I finally recommitted to using the band the right way in August. I am down 17 pounds since then and looking for some moral support.

So...are you sorry you asked me for my story? I have struggled but I am still glad that I chose to have the band. No more sleep apnea, high blood pressure or pre-diabetes. Currently at the lowest weight that I've been in too many years to remember.

All I do is work the band every day to the best of my ability. I am not perfect and I don't judge anyone else on how they choose to travel their journey. I do journal faithfully-I use MFP-username Rkimom if anyone of you use it. I am trying to live by my new motto. "If I eat it, I own it", no apologies, no excuses.

Sorry for the long post, but this is me!

[this sucks 557]

So like Nicki I am struggling with my food demon-cookies! not just the oreo or in a bag kind' date=' but the big bakery kind. I have been going to Starbucks a lot and no matter how many times I tell myself no cookie this time, once the person says, "Can I get you anything else?" I am dead and I order the damn cookie!!! Also I should be avoiding any stores that have those same big yummy individual Cookies, but I find myself making excuses to go to those stores...alone!! Big no no for me is to shop alone!!! The dumb thing is I am doing circuit training 4 days a week, hurt like hell and still put that crap in my body!! I think it is time I tell my family I need their help again. They have been letting me do the grocery shopping again and I still just do not have the will power, especially with all of the holiday goodies coming out. I appeared to survive holiday #1 Halloween, but I have not done well with the 2 up and coming holidays! Also I need to delete the Starbucks app off my phone!!! Also these cookie moments tend to happen between the end of my work day and on my way home. Maybe I need to pack a healthy snack for on the way home, so my hunger does not drive me to a cookie stop.

Well thanks for listening guys!![/quote']

Sorry it's me again, but your healthy snack idea is a good one. I use the 90 calorie Fiber One Brownies and chocolate Chip Cookies to satisfy my sweet tooth, plus they keep me full a little longer due to the fiber. I pack a cooler everyday and once it's empty, I try to stop. Doesn't always work, but it's always worth a try!

Old sales saying-failing to plan is planning to fail.

[chrissylu 153]

Hi everyone and welcome RKIMom! Thank you for sharing your story...wow! Vitamin deficiency...let that be a reminder to us all to take our chewable or liquid multivitamin(s) every day!!

Nicole, my check-up went well. The nutritionist was very pleased with how I've done, and even how I've handled my "bad" days. The NP didn't think I needed the .2cc's back in my band. She felt I was eating fine because, even though I'd had that.2ccs taken out a month ago, I'd still lost 3.5 pounds in that month. Well, I insisted because that 3.5 pounds (to me) should have been a lot more, plus I've felt like I've eaten way too much and I've been much more likely to eat crappy stuff over the last few weeks. I've done well over the past couple of days since I had the fill. I'm now at 94 pounds down...only 6 more to my primary goal. I'm doing a 5k tomorrow (will probably walk most of it). I have slowed down on my exercise the past couple of weeks. The cold air makes me not want to get out of bed at 4 AM to go to the gym. However, I am going to start using the treadmill at work, during my lunchbreak, again. I've got to try to tone up this belly skin too. I really hate that my boobs are flat again. Wish I had the $$ for a lift. LOL. I guess it will be less expensive to go get a good fitting bra at VS.

Has anyone heard from Meredith? Next week is going to be a tough one for all of us, so I'm praying for self-control, no over-indulging, but complete satisfaction with our food choices...for all us. God bless...and in case I'm not able to get back on here...Happy Thanksgiving. I think we all have much to be thankful for this year!

[this sucks 557]

Thanks for the kind welcome! Now, tell me about your group...

How many of you are on here regularly? Tell me a little about yourselves.

Chrissy- your weight loss has been amazing! I sure didn't take advantage of the band in my first year like you have.

I lost about 40% of my total needed. My surgeon was happy with it, but I wasn't. I did some things really well that first year though. I gave up my beloved, and empty calorie loaded, coke. I exercised. I didn't journal though. In looking back, that's probably my biggest regret. I believe that I would have lost more if I wrote it all down.

Also, I used a LOT of Meal Replacement products instead of learning how to eat real food with the band. That lesson has only come in the last six months. It probably caused some of my Vitamin issues too.

So, do you have a plan for dealing with Thanksgiving yet? Just wondering if it scares you or not?

[nicole1 92]

rkimom- you are definitely welcome to join us!! Others have joined us after having a bad experience with either the chat room or other forums. This group has always been caring, supportive and honest. We have about 12-13 followers with some who post weekly like Chrissylu, MeredithMcFee, NJ2NC, Amica, Ladybadito,JustDoIt (aka Nicki), Otaknam, Valann, horsegirl, kymie, and a lot of others!!

I hope the group does not mind me saying, but Nicki, kind of has been our leader. She posts the most and keeps us going. She is always encouraging and responds to everyones posts. She is the Queen of the January Bandsters!!

Our group has really stuck together through eating problems, stuck problems, fill problems, issues with doctors, family problems, vacation issues, etc. Everyone has supportive things to say and great suggestions and sometimes great recipes!! We have posted monthly goal for weight and at a time switched to posting behavioral goals. Now we are posting our monday weights. Also the best part is when everyone post their NSV (no small victory or no scale victory) those are the really special posts to me!!

That reminds me I have a NSV!! My step-daughter (the one who I bump heads with) is coming home from the Peace Corp for the x-mas break and asked if she can borrow some of my clothes since she has gained weight!! I am sharing clothes with my daughter! Woho!!! I am still a size 14 and they will be a little big on her since she is about a 12, but it is pretty cool!! Bad for her, good for me!!

Chrissy-Congrats on the fill, sometimes we have to push them to listen to us, we know our bodies!! I can't believe you have almost lost 100 lbs!! that is amazing!! I am stuck at 80lbs give or take a few, but after my next fill next week it will be a fresh start for me! Happy Thanksgiving to you too!!

[Ladybandito 516]

Wow, so much to catch up on since Monday, glad I checked the board!

Rkimom, welcome to you and thank you for sharing your story. It will be nice for us to have an experienced voice since we were all banded within weeks of each other.

Nicole you are right on when you say Nicki is our Queen of the page ... And Nicki, glad you tossed out the ice cream. I did too. I know everyone says moderation, but one taste is a slippery slope for me.

My apologies if I don't comment on everyone's posts, I'm on the old IPad and can't see back and forth to previoius posts.

NJ, good week for you!

Chrissylu you're still rockin it girl!

Otakam is the fill going better now?

I got my .2 fill two weeks ago .. 3 in a 10 band ... And it seems good, we'll see tomorrow.

The dreary weather and holiday feasts are upon us. My plan for Thanksgiving is to eat tiny portions of everything. I am actually excited to see how it feels to get full without filling my plate 3 times with stuffing and gravy!

A really good appetizer I'm making ... Tiny tri-color sweet peppers, cut in half lengthwise and fill with soft herbed goat cheese, sprinkle with chives. It's so easy, so pretty on a plate, and so good!

And where is Meredith and Horsegirl?

[Ladybandito 516]

Wow, so much to catch up on since Monday, glad I checked the board!

Rkimom, welcome to you and thank you for sharing your story. It will be nice for us to have an experienced voice since we were all banded within weeks of each other.

Nicole you are right on when you say Nicki is our Queen of the page ... And Nicki, glad you tossed out the ice cream. I did too. I know everyone says moderation, but one taste is a slippery slope for me.

My apologies if I don't comment on everyone's posts, I'm on the old IPad and can't see back and forth to previoius posts.

NJ, good week for you!

Chrissylu you're still rockin it girl!

Otakam is the fill going better now?

I got my .2 fill two weeks ago .. 3 in a 10 band ... And it seems good, we'll see tomorrow.

The dreary weather and holiday feasts are upon us. My plan for Thanksgiving is to eat tiny portions of everything. I am actually excited to see how it feels to get full without filling my plate 3 times with stuffing and gravy!

A really good appetizer I'm making ... Tiny tri-color sweet peppers, cut in half lengthwise and fill with soft herbed goat cheese, sprinkle with chives. It's so easy, so pretty on a plate, and so good!

And where is Meredith and Horsegirl?

[Ladybandito 516]

Sorry for the double post, I went back and was reading and wanted to respond to NJ2NC ... That's EXACTLY what happened to me a couple of months ago! I was having a hard time, super irritated band, and then nothing. Scared me really because I thought it slipped or eroded or something. My husband said he thought I was just more apprehensive about big bites and eating right and I think that must have been it. My doc said it is likely it was irritated and then as I lost the fat pad around the band it felt much looser. He still wants me to stay with conservative fills and I'm good with that. Even if you do't get another fill on the 19th, you should probably keep the appt ... And let us know what your doc says!

[this sucks 557]

Ladybandito, I love your appetizer idea! Pretty and tasty.

I like your plan for Thanksgiving. Every time I deprive myself, I end up more than over compensating by eating other things.

I now let myself have a little bit of what I truly want and I journal it and I move on.

Ladies, keep going for your follow up visits to the doctor. Whether you have a fill or not isn't the issue. Last week I saw my bariatric doctor and she showed me an article that directly matched follow up care with long term success. The statistics were surprising to me. I know that I still see my surgeon every six weeks or so, my bariatric doc every two to three months, the dietitian and exercise physiologist every four months or so. I know, it sounds like a lot, but it keeps me honest and on track.

Please feel free to ask me anything...the only difference between all of you and me is that I've had the band in longer, so i may have experienced something that you haven't yet. I have not had the weight loss success that some of you have had, and I still struggle constantly. I'm here just like you looking for some people who understand this journey.