July 2006 Band Crew

[Time2live 0]

Maybe it's a 6 month plateau or something. I'm right there with you Sherryjo. I've lost 4 pounds in the last 5 weeks. I still get stuck very often but am not staying satisfied for nearly as long as usual though my appetite isn't huge I can sure notice a difference. I'm scared to get a fill because I'm still experiencing restriction but I'm not quite sure why there isn't a loss happening. I know it will pass as it will for you to....try not to get down....keep yer chin up...only you know if you really need a fill or just need to modify your eating...having to drive all the way back for unfills can't be fun...but maybe you do need a little something....take care though....let us know how it goes.

[Baylor Mom 0]

Hey Sherri I know exactly how you feel. I am the same way. I am hungry but only for junk food and when I try to eat good food I pb. Hey when you go to get a fill what direction do you go? Do you come through or near Fort Worth? If you do you could stop by and visit or even spend the night. I only have a couch to sleep on but it is comfortable. Just a thought. Let me know. I would love to meet you and get a chance to visit with you.

Well guys I have cabin fever. I have been stuck in the house for over a week now. I don't see the weather getting better until next week. I just sleep to help pass the time. My bed and the TV is what keeps me going during this time of the year. I hate being cold although I hate being hot worse. I guess with the weight not coming off very fast and not being able to eat right has got be a little down. I hope to get things back on track soon. I need to go to the doctor but haven't worked out my insurance yet. I hope to get that cleared up soon. I don't know anything else that is going on with me but I will write when I know something new. LOve you guys. HUgs

[ready2bthin 2]

Okay everyone, time to evaluate if we are "working with our bands" to achieve the 1-2 lb. a week weightloss that is expected with the band. Now, I know that some have lost more, especially at first. But, we did not get "the other" surgery and the band is a tool for losing and keeping it off. I like what Barbara (pt. advocate) always says, "The band is not around our heads"....lol!!! Here's a list that I found in my information and I think it would be worth it to go through and be honest with ourselves whether we are eating/drinking like bandsters or going back to old ways (I know that I've been guilty of this over the past month or so)

1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day or the correct amount for YOUR body?

2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber?

3. Are you avoiding all liquid non nourishing calories

a. Soup can be a sign of "soft calorie syndrome"

b. alcohol contains a lot of empty calories...7 per gram (also a stomach irritant and can contribute to erosion)

c. fruit juice is sugar water

4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods?

a. are you avoiding soft foods...can't eat just what's easy (I think I do that sometimes)

b. cheese is glorified fat (Yeah, I like cheese too)

5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of Water a day BETWEEN meals?

6. Are you eating 3 meals a day (with maybe 1-2 snacks)

7. Are you sitting down when you eat?

8. Are you eating consciously? (No distractions like t.v., books, newspapers...pay attention to the food and your companion(s).

9. Are you eating slowly?

a. putting the fork down between bites

b. 20-30 minutes to eat the meal (longer and your pouch may begin emptying)

10. Are you taking small bites? (Okay, I know that I don't at times and have suffered the consequences, along with eating too fast, etc.)

11. Are you chewing well?

12. Are you drinking with your meals? If you are well hydrated from drinking water between meals, you won't be thirsty during the meal.

a. Wait at least 90 minutes after a meal to begin drinking again.

13. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? Sometimes that's just a whisper that you aren't hungry, had enough...do not looked for a "stuffed" feeling or pain.

14. Do not eat between meals...stop grazing (I admit it...I've been grazing)

15. Don't eat when you're not hungry!!

16. Last but not least, do you need an activity adjustment, like exercise or adding more steps into your day, more activity, etc.?

Okay, this is a long post I know, but I hope that it will help those of us who have begun to struggle a bit. WE CAN DO THIS JULY BANDSTERS!! But, for me, it starts with HONEST SELF EVALUATION!!

LOVE AND HUGS BACK TO YOU...SOME OF MY BIGGEST SUPPORTERS!!

[indianlight 2]

Good post Mary!!

And you're right we do have to stop and re evaluate ourselves, especially after the christmas season and all its goodies....it's very easy to slip back into old habits and work 'around' the band not with it... i know I have been, i'm ready for a fill (in fact more than overdue), and am hoping that will get me back on track...

[beachgirl 2]

Hey that would be soooo much fun. I would love to come by and visit with you. I always take the parkway to Etown and then 65 to Louisville and then I think it's I 70 and then I 74 to Cinci. I always stay in Kentucky at Fort something, in fact that is where Dr. Curry lives. I wouldn't even mind going out of the way to meet you. I had to cancel yesterday because I woke up sick and would you believe, it never, ever fails I scheduled my fill and had the worst pb I've ever had last night. I was eating Tbone steak and I guess it was too big a bite and maybe didn't chew well but it didn't stay down. It got stuck and I thought I would die. Boy those can be painful.

That's so sweet of you to offer and I would love to meet you. I'll let you know when they reschedule me Monday. I left Charity a message to call me back on Monday.

It's soooo weird. I have so much trouble with Protein, but let me tell you, chips, crackers, poptarts they go down just fine.

Hope your having a great day and Thanks again.

[hippmom 2]

i have a question

do any of you have a pain on the port side that is almost always there sometimes more noticable the best way to describe it is remember the pain you get it your side when you run kinda of a catch it not something that stops you from doing anything you want but it is always there i thought after i healed it would go away but it hasn't and today it is much worse than usual but still not a spot what your doing kinda of pain.

hope this is making sense and that is why i never ask about this because it a vague hard to describe pain. i guess i am just trying to find someone that can relate to this

[ready2bthin 2]

Susan: Although I don't have this (my port is more in the middle...above belly button), I have read about people experiencing this. Not sure if it's on this site or on dfwbandsters (yahoo group). You could do a search on here or go to yahoo and join the dfwbandster group (we have people from all over on this group). Then do a search there. If you don't find anything, post. That group is very helpful and has some longerterm bandsters (7 years maybe). Let us know when you get some info. May help others.

[hippmom 2]

ready2bthin

i thought i had read about port pain but i guess i had not researched enough and it does sound like port pain months later is not that uncommon

thanks for your response

susan

[deckedout 0]

Hi all!

How is everyone doing on the Valentine's Challenge? I don't think I'm going to make my goal. I guess I set it too high, but I was down another pound today so at least I'm going in the right direction.

I have been stuck at home for two weeks with a cold first and then snow storms, so I have not been able to exercise much. Yesterday was my first time swimming since Tuesday the 9th!

I have been really tight for the past few days, I don't know if my TOM is coming early this month (it has only been 21 days) or if my cold is making me tight. Does anyone get tight with a cold? My family has also been sick with the flu, my older son came down with it 2 day after he went back to college, nothing like being sick sitting in the dorm!

Mysherrijo, I'm glad to see you are back, I was wondering were you have been. I know what you mean about the PBing and wondering about a fill, I put my last fill off about 5 weeks longer than I should have because I would PB at lunch. I finally figured out that broccoli is no good, and if I stay with softer food at lunch when I have hardly any time to eat, then I do much better. I was trying to eat much too fast because I really only have a 15 minute lunch by the time I cook my food. Now I drink a Soup at hand and eat some cottage cheese, it fills me up and I don't get stuck. I also eat yogurt.

Hope everyone is doing well.

[Baylor Mom 0]

Sherri I thought you got your fills in Mexico. I live in Texas so I think that I am way out of your way to your fill. Oh well, maybe someday you can take a trip to Texas ans come and visit me.

Yes Susan I have some pain sometimes in my port. I don't know what it is but it usually goes away.

I am still trying to eat the right things. I think I need to sit down and make a list of the things that I should be eating and try to make a plan to eat by. I am just eating junk food. It goes down so easy and I sure hate puking. Thanks for the reinforments on why I got this band and what I should be doing to lose weight.

Question to anyone who wants to answer. Why is diet soda so bad for us?

Good night all!! I hope you all have a great Sunday. HUgs

[edieparks 2]

Lets hear it for July 06 banders. Im starting a cheerleading squad for July 06. I love my band. She is truly my friend. I need to be a good friend to her too.

edie

[findingme2 0]

:hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry:

:faint: :faint: :faint: :faint: :faint: :faint: :faint:

HELLLLLLLLOOOO everyone:

I'm back too.

First, it's so nice to read your posts. I have been eating junk and feeling thud-ie so I knew the place to go to get going again was here.

Stephanie (my personal l-b hero- 90 lbs...wowowowowowow) Janu-weary brings on the funks I do believe. Be strong!!!! Look at you and what you have done!!!! Amazing!!!!

Port pain- my surgeon says it's the sutters(stitches) pulling and is normal. I have the pain too and it can even hurt so much that it wakes me up when I am sleeping on that side. Just rub it and sleep on other side for a bit. He said sutters would take a while to be flexible.

Carb drinks supposedly stretch the pouch. Makes sense but is it true??? Who knows. I have had sips here and there of diet coke and have been fine but will NOT return to my old habit of a 6-can a day habit!!! Soda can dehyrdate.

Love you guys and have a personal challenge to lose 11 pounds by the 27th of February. So VD challenge is kinda sorta in there too!!!

Ruthie:bandit (somewhere in here is a svelte woman waiting to spring out!)

[ready2bthin 2]

Edie: Wow!! You've done amazing...keep it up!! Glad to see you post.

Ruthie: Glad to see you post and your new challenge for yourself.

I got my 2nd fill last week and I'm a bit nervous about it, as the technique used was different than Dr. Rod. He put in 1.0 cc added to my .7 cc for a total of 1.7 cc (I think). Hopefully, this will help me get restarted in weightloss and reach my goal for V-Day!! Well, have a great week everyone!! Keep posting!

[Time2live 0]

Where's Stephanie these days?

I finally had a loss this week after a very disappointing month so I feel re motivated.

Hope everyone has a good week.

[Paulax 8]

I too need to reboot. I have too many temptations in the house, 'for the kids'.

So must act mature around them.

So I too need to refocus myself and work with my band.

EXCELLENT post Mary....thanks