June 2007 Bandsters

[bigbaby 4]

GO FOR IT STEF!!

If your work-out techniques are half as good as your encouraging techniques--YOU WILL BE OUTSTANDING!!!

I started week 2 of the couch to 5k. I went well. I actually made it through the runs (90 seconds) with 2 minute walking intervals pretty easy. ... I was surprised.

I don't know if it's because I thought that I looked exceptionally cute in my workout outfit (from wal-mart)...or if the Extra-chewing gum was giving me engery....

Suzzie--how are you doing on the challenge??? You posted mighty big numbers---I can't seem to get into the ones...I would be overjoyed to wake up and see 199.99 Oh to begin with a 1....someday!!!!!

[Suzzzie. 3]

BigBaby - For now I'm still thrilled with being in the 200's!! Lol. Though I've been toying in the 290's for a month now... maybe longer. I'm really struggling with the 'soft' foods... you know, chocolate and that frozen creamy stuff that Stef doesn't like me to talk about. Haha. TODAY is the day that I will eat solid foods all day. Lol. I have GREAT restriction, so, like yesterday, I got totally satisfied (near full) off of ONE meatball from a Pasta dish. I didn't eat anything else for about 2 hours when all of a sudden M&Ms sounded good. Lol. So yeah. I WILL break out of the 290's by the end of next week!!

[ja9va 0]

Hello everyone

It has been a few days, well maybe over a week, since I posted. Stef, Suzzzie, Wombat and Rhonda, you all rock keeping the thread going.

I have been struggling a bit. I seem to be stuck at 196 and can't move the needle. I know it is due to some choices I have made, like Dan, I can eat bad stuff, but when I try to eat a good thing, it gets stuck! I need a jump start! I keep telling you all I need to exercise and still have not done it. I know I have season depression. I hate the winter, and it is not even that cold in virginia! I need to just do it!!

I don't know how you could eat a cheeseburger. Is that the bread too? I have tried to eat a wrap and it is a no go. I can eat a quesadia, crisp, if I eat it slow. But I have not tried bread since surgery. I do not miss that much, once in a while a nice sandwich would be good, but it is not a craving.

Dan, you got good advice on asking the girl out. Maybe you would want to ask her if she had a minute to walk you out to your car when you leave to ask her? if that would be easier to whisper, but I know how open the layout of an orthodonist is, and the traffic of both patients and techs, depending on how busy your office is. but that may be difficult for her to leave for a second. Either way, ask her!!!! If she turns you down, her loss!!

Any hints to your great success, let me know!

[wombat712 2]

Stef - you would be an AWESOME personal trainer!!! Feel free to use me as a guinea pig anytime!!

Bigbaby - you will get there!! The 1's are just around the corner!

Ja9va - welcome back!! My DH used to have seasonal depression too - every winter like clockwork. I know it's hard to keep eating solid foods that get stuck when you just want to eat something!! Even if it isn't the greatest. {{hugs}}

Do any of y'all like shrimp and clam chowder? I have a fabulous recipe from a lap-band book that is to die for! It tastes like clam chowder but is made w/ shrimp. If you puree it then it's like a bisque - and ... the best part is, is that it's super healthy!

[TexasFire 84]

Okay, there are a few DFW folks on here.

I know who you are, so don't make me call you out! LOL

I'm starting a cycling group to ride together a couple times a month...the more the better, actually. Here's a link to the thread, which still isn't seeing enough traffic, but these things take time.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f81/dallas-ft-worth-bicycling-52850/

ANYWHO! I know a few folks on here who should come join us! I want to meet y'all and it would be fun! And if you are thinking, "Oh hell no, I'm not getting on a bike!" Then you are thinking all wrong! It is low impact and is one the VERY best exercises you can get!

Come on, folks! I have a couple extra bikes that are brand new that I don't ride. If yours needs a tune up, we can do it together...I've got the tools, and what I don't have I will get! The trails are great!

[wombat712 2]

I hear ya!!

My issues is that I have no way of transporting my bike. I have a cruiser (yep - old lady bike) because of my arthritis. Bending forward and leaning on my hands doesn't work well for me.

It does sound like fun though!

wombat

[wombat712 2]

oh - and wouldn't a helmet mess up my hair? lol

[beckiet 0]

ja9va, great to hear from you!! I know what you mean about winter...while I don't have seasonal depression, I completely understand it. We've had so much snow here and ice and it just makes me long for spring and early summer when I can walk outside with ease.

[insubordination 0]

I have to say that I've also been suffering from depression, though not from the season. I have recently had surgery, quit a stressful job, moved house and started a new job. All this upheaval had me crying regularly for no reason, not wanting to go out and generally sulking at home. It got so bad that I was having dark thoughts. Normally I snap out of a depression after about 6 weeks but I did not snap out of this one.

I finally realised I needed to see a doctor and, with great reluctance, I agreed to take some anti-depressants. They seem to be working so far (haven't been crying, sleeping better) but I don't want to take them long term. Does anyone have experience with this kind of thing?

[Suzzzie. 3]

Hello everyone

I don't know how you could eat a cheeseburger. Is that the bread too? I have tried to eat a wrap and it is a no go. I can eat a quesadia, crisp, if I eat it slow. But I have not tried bread since surgery. I do not miss that much, once in a while a nice sandwich would be good, but it is not a craving.

I can eat bread. As I've whined about before, I can eat bread fine and cannot eat more than 2 bites of salad! Ugh!! I am limited on bread though, can't eat a whole sandwich, but I can get about 1/2 of it without getting stuck. Oh joy. Sitting here now eating Kashi crackers and Hummus. Lol. 4 or 5 of the crackers and I"m done!

Come on, folks! I have a couple extra bikes that are brand new that I don't ride. If yours needs a tune up, we can do it together...I've got the tools, and what I don't have I will get! The trails are great!

Stef, send one of those spare bikes up to KC for me?!?! I'm so poor... thinking about tinkering around the thrift stores for a 'starter' bike. Ugh!!

ja9va, great to hear from you!! I know what you mean about winter...while I don't have seasonal depression, I completely understand it. We've had so much snow here and ice and it just makes me long for spring and early summer when I can walk outside with ease.

Beckie - Stefs little local bike ride got me thinking... you live nearish me! We should like walk or jog or bike or go eat ice cream together. Haha. Seriously though. What days/times would be good? Even if we could meet once a week or so just to walk a few miles?!

I have to say that I've also been suffering from depression, though not from the season. I have recently had surgery, quit a stressful job, moved house and started a new job. All this upheaval had me crying regularly for no reason, not wanting to go out and generally sulking at home. It got so bad that I was having dark thoughts. Normally I snap out of a depression after about 6 weeks but I did not snap out of this one.

I finally realised I needed to see a doctor and, with great reluctance, I agreed to take some anti-depressants. They seem to be working so far (haven't been crying, sleeping better) but I don't want to take them long term. Does anyone have experience with this kind of thing?

Insub - I'd say to stay on the anti-depressants for a few months, and then talk to your doc about weening off of them. I know that you know this, but you should never just 'quit' taking them because that would cause major mood swings and can cause suicidal ideation. So, ween slowly. Glad you got what you needed to get you through your rough patch!!

[o2bthin 0]

At the point I can eat bread and rice, I think I am due for a fill. That time has come in the last week or two. At 7.4 cc in a 10 cc band, I am nervously apprehensive of being overfilled and having my third overfill. I hear talk of being "full" on two or three bites, and think that 1/4-1/2 cup per meal (protein-veg-carb) would be perfect. After eight months of my Quest, I am starting to question if this will ever be possible for me. After seven fills, you would think I would have achieved restriction.

Looking back on my fill/weight records, I have been at this weight since September. I toyed with restriction, lost the battle and had two unfills, and it took me three months to recover some semblance of band control. Yes, the discipline is on me, and I'm not working out......but am I going to be spinning my wheels 'til my one-year anniversary in June and be right in the same place?

You'd think with head *and* physical hunger for the past three weeks, the scales would have budged some.......WTH?

[Suzzzie. 3]

Rhonda, I understand the frustration with staying the same weight (been toying with the same 10 pounds for a couple months!) But if you look at ppl who are full on 2-3 bites... what kind of nutrition are their bodies getting? SURE I get FULL on about 2 bites of salad (3-4 bites get me stuck and then I PB) but does that mean I should eat a couple bites of salad everyday and call it done? That is NOT enough food or the proper nutrition for me (or anyone!) I really don't see how 1/2 cup food 3 or 4 times a day is enough either? Of course... if you are eating 1/2 cup of fresh raw fruits/veggies you'll lose weight like crazy, whereas if you eat 1/2 cup ice cream (but who can stop there?!) you'll likey lose some weight - but not like we should.

Sigh. I don't think I'm making my point.

I just don't want ANYONE to get frustrated with their bands!! I can promise that it isn't the bands' fault that we aren't losing like we want - but that we are defeating ourselves. It's like... back in high school or college and you have a test coming up... you had to study or you'd fail. If owning the books and pens and note cards were enough to pass the test thats all we would have done. But nope, you actually have to put in the work... MUCH TO MY DISMAY!

(I use this example cause I'm 'working' on my RN and have the books but haven't cracked one in weeeeeeeeeeks, maybe months!)

HANG IN THERE!

[bigbaby 4]

Rhonda and Suzzie--

I feel your pain. I have approx 7 ccs in a 10cc band. I'm not sure if I need a fill or not. I'm trying to wait until March 1st and check my weight loss against my weight on Feb. 1st. Right now it looks like I'm only losing about 5lbs a month....working out and trying to eat well...It's still a struggle. I want to lose 10lbs a month like others who are not working out at all!!!

But anywho!!!--I don't want to eat 2-3 bites and get full---Like Suzzie said--I want to be healthy--and get all of the nutrients that I will need. I'm still not sure how much I should be able to eat.

Here's what I had today....

breakfast--trailmix (homemade)with soymilk, blueberries, and raspberries--lots of fiber

lunch--supreme Protein bar

snack--1/2 cornbread muffin

Dinner-3/4 pack of a tuna creation mixed with light mayo and sweet relish and 9-10 whole grain pumpkinseed and cheddar whole wheat crackers

4 24oz bottles of Crystal Light

I just don't know....I keep my head up by looking at my ticker and seeing that I'm a little more than 1/2 way to goal. I know that I am a sabbatoger (sp?)...I'm 4.5 lbs way from 199lbs. It's all that I can do to eat corectly to get there!!! I actually thought about going on liquids for a couple of days---just so the scale would start with a 1...but that's just a psycho trick, so I'm going to stay committed to eating and exercise

I just I'll keep going. I'f I haven't lost any more by March 1st--I'm going for anohter fill.

I think that today I'll start logging my food again on mydaily plate and take it to the fill center with me, if I have to go.

Stef--Don't call me out!!!--YES I'M A DFWer!!! I might join you after I finish the couch to 5K---

Sorry for the long post!!!!

[bigbaby 4]

I just read this on another post and thought I'd share:

The Sweet Spot...from a blog by a Lap Band doc

I read a lot of blogs, and found one by a Texas lap band surgeon. He and his partner only do Lap Band surgery, because they feel the safety profile is the best, and because of its adjustability and removability.

Here's a great post that I saw in there:

In the Lap Band what we consider the 'sweet spot' is the ideal fill. If I had to think about a perfect sweet spot I'd have to tell you about a patient. One of our patients was 66 years old when he had his Lap Band surgery. Over the course of the first 9 months he lost over 90 pounds! But he was confused and every time we saw him he would say "Doc my Lap Band must be broken. I don't feel restriction, I can eat what I want, and I never have food come back up."

That is the perfect sweet spot. The Lap Band was adjusted to the point that he felt control of his hunger and was able to control his eating portion size, but he had no significant restriction preventing him from eating any particular food nor did he ever have any regurgitation of food.

Many people who had lap band surgery find the sweet spot elusive and some people end up with a fill greater than they need because they rely on the Lap Band for restriction rather than hunger control.

If you are having a tough time keeping many foods down or having more than a small number of PBs (productive burps) you might be too tight and need some Fluid taken it.

To summarize, the Lap Band is meant to help you with hunger control. By limiting the amount of food you eat with smaller portions, you can reduce your caloric intake, and lose weight.

I often worry about my possibly less-than-ideal restriction, because so many people can eat a lot less than me and have vomiting/PB/sliming and all the other common lap band experiences. I have not ever had any of these. In fact, I haven't vomited since having surgery, even 1 time. And I can eat a good 2 cups of food if I'm not careful or if I try. But my hunger has been satisfied ever since about my 3rd fill. I do have to be careful about how much I eat--I have to do some of the work too, I can't rely on the band to do it all. And of course this holds true for food choices as well, and grazing, and head hunger/emotional eating...all things the band can't control.

The "work" that the band does is control our hunger...NOT prevent us from eating too much. Do not try to challenge your band and then be surprised that you can "eat too much"--try to learn how to stop before the band "makes" you stop. Feeling full with a band is different than "full" was before being banded--most of us ate until we were stuffed before, but that is way past too much food now. Often the band will let you know if you get to that point, but the trick is to learn NOT to challenge how much your banded stomach can take!

I hope this helps some people out there! Here's the address for the blog if you want to check it out:

Texas Arkansas Lap Band Blog from Texarkana: October 2007

I am not affiliated with this doctor or his website in any way. I just found this out there and thought it might be helpful to others. Best of luck to all.

[insubordination 0]

Thanks BB. Very wise and what I needed to hear.

Suz, thanks for the tips on the anti-Ds.

Stef, you already are a trainer/motivator but don't know it.