Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[Apples2 19]

I am glad this holiday and all it's food are over with. I hope nobody feels the need to bring me any Christmas goodies.

I don't want to start the new year with a weight gain but it's going to take a lot of willpower to say no to all the stuff people keep trying to get me to eat.

Hey Denise...have been meaning to ask you if your unfill completely took care of your acid reflux problem. Also, have you had any fills after? I have been away and not keeping up with my threads, so if I missed it, sorry. Just concerned on how you are doing.:thumbup:

[Apples2 19]

Hey everyone - Thanksgiving is over and I am so thankful. I was so nervous about this first big holiday being banded, but I was able to eat normally. It was great not feeling stuffed, not pb'ing and not beating myself up for overeating. And, several people complimented me on my progress. It felt so good.

How did everyone else do?

Been missing you girls. Away for a couple of days and have not caught up on everything on this thread.

Boos...Thanksgiving did not throw me for a loop. I know why...I am around the equivalent of Thanksgiving meals every day since I cook for my farm gang. Baking, cooking, canning, etc. I do know what you girls are talking about though with the temptations. It was a huge adjustment for me in the beginning to quit sampling my wares!!!!!!

We had a great TG with friends. Stayed over night, shopped the next day. Stayed clear of any malls or huge stores like Walmart. Hit main street and all the exclusive little shops. Was great. Didn't buy any Christmas gifts but purchased the rest of the serving dishes for my Sorrento dinnerware. Didn't break the bank but have been putting off buying them cuz they are a little spendy. Just bit the bullet and got it done. They were 30% off so a good time to do it.

Snowing here...huge flakes. My guys are still working in the fields. Out in the wind, snow and cold. Finishing up repairing tile intakes. Today should be their last day. I finally get my DH back after months of workaholism! :thumbup:

[Ms.Mel 2]

Hi I thought I'd check in to see what the 50's gang was up to. The new makeover of this website looks good. I haven't posted in quite awhile but I have been lurking for several months. This one post caught my eye and I just have to comment....

I read on another forum that with the band you are hungry but can not do anything about it due to vomitting

Vomiting right after surgery is dangerous to your healing stomach. You have a band that has been stitched to your stomach and vomiting could dislodge it.

Banding is supposed to keep you from feeling hunger. However, it isn't always instantaneous. For many true hunger is felt a day or so after surgery. For others, true hunger isn't felt for a couple of weeks. As your stomach heals and the swelling goes down, you may begin to feel hunger more often. As you get your adjustments (fills), the hunger feeling isn't as strong and may even dissipate.

As for being hungry and eating causing vomiting ....???..... This kind of confuses me as to where you may have received this information. Right after surgery many Drs. expect their patients to follow a very rigorous liquid then mushy diet. During that time, one may get hungry--actually you may get VERY hungry. But, you can ease the hunger by drinking--during the liquid diet--or by eating mushy food during the mushy phase. However, you are strongly discouraged to not eat any solid food, during those healing phases. Eating solid foods will cause your stomach to work hard (and could dislodge the band) as it tries to digest the food you have eaten. While you have the band you don't want to vomit.

Don't confuse vomiting with PBs (aka as productive burps or spitting up--just like a baby).

I will be banded on the 9th of december after two other cancelations and I am worried

What exactly are you worried about... the hunger or the vomiting or the possibility of another cancellation???

Your best bet is to take time to read, Read, READ all the valuable information that the internet has to offer regarding the lapband. This forum as well as many others, is the best place to start. Keep asking questions...

Edited November 29, 2008 by Ms.Mel

[mimi 22 0]

YeeeeHawwwww!

With my daughter's help, I think I now have a ticker. She gets very frustrated with me, because I just cannot understand how to do things on this computer. When I worked, I used a computer all the time and all day. I just did what I had to do to get my work done. I think I may take a beginners course in computer:blush:.

Thank You,Indio girl for the guide to the instructions to Tickerfactory.com.

Ok, I am fixing to post this---Sure hope the ticker is there--:thumbup:

[mimi 22 0]

YES! it worked!:thumbup:

[deedee16117 0]

Dee

I was banded on 8/25. I wish my weight loss was a little more like yours but it's not - what are you eating and how much exercise can you get in? Are you able to eat a lot of food. I can eat way more than I think I should be able to. I feel , as you do, this is the best thing that I could have done but I guess I need to come up with a way to get it moving just a little quicker. I must be eating the wrong things.

You say you are not feeling hunger that often - I was starving in the recovery room. Today I still get very hungry. I have had two fills and they really don't seem to have helped much. I have the Realize band and I have read in other places that most people need to get that band to an almost full state before they are at their sweet spot. Anyway keep up the good work you are doing great!

Deedee

uote=DeeH;1076282]Twirl,

I was banded 10/6/08 I have never vomited nor do I often feel hungry.. this is the best thing I have ever done for myself! I started this journey in Feb with all the doctor's appointments weighing 260 and today the scale says 221. I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Don't second guess yourself JUST DO IT you will never look back

[Katydid 0]

Hi All,

I'm a 64 year old grandmother from down under and was just trying to find the Aussie site and found you. I have had my band for nearly 5 weeks and we are getting on fine. I have not had a PB and I get my first fill in 2 days. I lost 5 kilo on shakes and 1 each week since but I do think it is slowing down. But I do not get hungry so here it is 11.35 am and I haven't had brekkie yet. It will suit me to have just 2 meals today which is OK by my surgeon. I am so pleased to be out of the morbidly obese band now, it it such a terrible term. I have found that spending time posting on threads at the computer is a great therapy too. We have some good Aussie ones and next month I will actually meet a group of girls who live within an hour of here, will be interesting because I find that I have a slim, young image of them in my head. Thanks for the more mature thread.

Regards

Brydie

Hi Brydie,

I'm an Aussie from Perth Western Australia. This is a very interesting thread and I've been made aware of lots of things I hadn't known before. What Aussie site are you normally on. It is hard to find the Aussie one for some reason.

I was banded on the 9th June this year but have had complications with abdominal hernias. I've lost 31 kilos though so I'm still happy I had the banding done.

Best wishes.:thumbup:

[flowers 0]

I'm out of the 220's today!!! scale said 219.9 but it wasn't 220!!!

Whooo hoooo, congrats from me. If you are like me, everytime you cross thru a 0 mark you Celebrate.

Im still having trouble being happy with myself. I think Im going to beat myself up until I hit 150 again where I was in 2007. I cant believe I let myself get over 240 and gained about 90 lbs. Im a little reluctant to say never again, since Im doing this again.

Finally went in for that fill yesterday. I feel unrestricted and she looks and says Im tight. I dont know what to think. I dont feel full or have trouble eating anything. I had to talk to my fill doctor into leaving me at 4.1 cc, she wanted to take out .2 cc.

The only thing I can think of is I get scared and that tightens me up when she looks at the machine. She showed me where the barium was coming down to my stomach in a thin line and again I almost keeled over. I cant look at my innards I guess without fainting. How stupid. I really did need to see what she was seeing so I could know why she wouldnt fill me more. At $200 a whack, Im going to have to not get another fill for a while, maybe when I lose 30 lbs or so Ill get it tweaked.

Maybe being scared is like stress I told the doctor. Some say when they are stressed they get tight, Im getting tight when I get scared. She uses fluoro and barium swallow (I did it at least 4 times before she finally agreed to leave me at 4.1 cc). She started in again that maybe I dont really have a 10 cc band. I said I showed her a letter last time I had the surgeon read that said I did when she questioned it the first time. Its a myster why I cant be filled more.

I finally got my fill, so thats all the help from my band Im going to get, so Im going to try Portion Control. lol we will see how that works. I KNOW Im eating way more than 3 oz of meat at many meals.

[Socialdot 0]

Hi, all 50 gang. I made it through Thanksgiving. I had a little turkey and dressing (my favorite) and some pecan pie and I still lost a pound this week so I am happy. Dot

[Charlene K 1]

Charlene - Stress is a big one for me. Almost anything can get stuck when I eat fast and don't chew well. And, I also can't seem to eat anything solid in the morning so I usually have a Protein shake.

I hope everyone has a happy, less than stressful Thanksgiving!

FINALLY, 50LBS GONE! YIPPEE! I still need to go tomorrow and get an unfill. I Pb'd on a yogurt and fruit on Thanksgiving, and yesterday I pb'd on fish. Each time, the episode lasted over an hour. I feel like a baby that needs to burp and can't. The only way I can burp is to get rid of the food. Does anyone experience this?

[DeeH 0]

Dee

I was banded on 8/25. I wish my weight loss was a little more like yours but it's not - what are you eating and how much exercise can you get in? Are you able to eat a lot of food. I can eat way more than I think I should be able to. I feel , as you do, this is the best thing that I could have done but I guess I need to come up with a way to get it moving just a little quicker. I must be eating the wrong things.

You say you are not feeling hunger that often - I was starving in the recovery room. Today I still get very hungry. I have had two fills and they really don't seem to have helped much. I have the Realize band and I have read in other places that most people need to get that band to an almost full state before they are at their sweet spot. Anyway keep up the good work you are doing great!

Deedee

Hi Deedee

Nice name lol If I am truely honest...my exercise is just walking (and not alot of that). Exercise is not my thing. As for eating, I too can eat way more than I should (and have). I concentrate on my protein..I have turkey sausage for Breakfast, usually tuna or dinner leftovers at lunch) and then chicken or fish with veg at dinner. I do sometimes have potatoes or rice but try to limit. My doc says to see how little I can eat and be satisfied (not full). I start out with 2 oz of meat at a meal. if after I am finished I still am hungry I have a little more but really 2 oz keeps me satisfied for 4 hours! I also have a sugar free fudgicle or some 100 calorie popcorn in the evening for my treat. I haven't had any fills yet and my next appointment is in Jan 09

Remeber though...everyone is different and loses at a different rate....the important thing is we are not gaining the weight back!!!

Edited November 30, 2008 by DeeH

[JoannMarie 0]

Hi All!

I have been busy with lots of stuff going on and have not had time to devote to my daily social activity - my time with my LBTalk friends! I had several pages to catch up on. No excuses - the computer has been sitting here, but busy with the holiday and aftermath.

Thank you all for your messages about Abbie. She is actually doing pretty well, drinking Water, but hardly eating anything (and only when she is hand fed!) Not interested in anything we have offered. She follows me around, waits until I am settled somewhere, then lays down and sleeps by me. She does run and bark in the backyard with Jack, the 2-year old sheltie, but after a couple of rounds, stands in the middle of the yard and barks while he covers the the outlying area at top speed. I think we may have a little time left with her and plan to enjoy it.

Had labs drawn and a visit with the bariatric nurse at the hospital on Wednesday, followed by my last meeting with the surgeon before the big day. Got back to KC with perfect timing - middle of rush hour which started a little early on Wed due to the Thurs holiday. We had a nice TG at DS&DIL's house with our local grandchildren and oldest daughter. We miss the daughter and her family who are in Korea till next summer. Each holiday gets harder without them - my heart goes out to all the families with soldiers overseas and in the war areas. It is very difficult for the soldiers and their families. You all have my heartfelt thanks for your sacrifices.

I started my pre-op on Friday. The first day was the toughest, I was pretty hungry all day, lethargic - and a terrible headache. Yesterday I had a cup of coffee first thing(!) and the headache went away. Doc does not recommend giving up caffeine - she leaves it up to the patient. I'm glad, because I am not giving it up if I don't have to! Yesterday went much better - satisfied with the shakes recommended and I seemed to have a better handle on spacing the foods I am allowed in order to balance everything out better. Today has gone well, too. I've lost 7 pounds. I like that, too! I am sure it's primarily water weight, but it still feels good.

4 days to go.

[Charlene K 1]

I am so happy for you. You will be in my prayers this week. I got real hungry a few times during the pre-op shake phase and so I ate a boiled egg. It cut the hunger. I know you will be successful with the band. You seem like a very diciplined person.

Hugs and prayers coming your way!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Hey Denise...have been meaning to ask you if your unfill completely took care of your acid reflux problem. Also, have you had any fills after? I have been away and not keeping up with my threads, so if I missed it, sorry. Just concerned on how you are doing.:cursing:

Yes, the unfill took care of the problems I was having. The problem I have now is that I do get full on smaller amounts of food, but not a very small amount like before the unfill. That means in about an hour, I am very hungry again . I see the dr. on Wed. and I am going to ask again if I can have at least .25 of saline. I wouldn't think that small amount would bring the problems back.

As far as what it feels like when food is stuck, I wouldn't say it feels like you need to burp. I would say it feels more like you swallowed a golf ball and you can feel it in your esophagus. With the stuck feeling, come great amounts of saliva. That is the body's way to try to produce enoungh liquid to make the stuck food go down. Unfortunately, this does not work, and in fact it makes things work. I usually start spitting it out (when I had the problem that is) rather than swallow it. If you swallow it, you have gobs of thick

mucas on top of the stuck food and nothing will move until it comes up.

[Charlene K 1]

Yes, the unfill took care of the problems I was having. The problem I have now is that I do get full on smaller amounts of food, but not a very small amount like before the unfill. That means in about an hour, I am very hungry again . I see the dr. on Wed. and I am going to ask again if I can have at least .25 of saline. I wouldn't think that small amount would bring the problems back.

As far as what it feels like when food is stuck, I wouldn't say it feels like you need to burp. I would say it feels more like you swallowed a golf ball and you can feel it in your esophagus. With the stuck feeling, come great amounts of saliva. That is the body's way to try to produce enough liquid to make the stuck food go down. Unfortunately, this does not work, and in fact it makes things worse. I usually start spitting it out (when I had the problem that is) rather than swallow it. If you swallow it, you have gobs of thick

mucas on top of the stuck food and nothing will move until it comes up.[/quot

That is exactly the problem I am having. I am calling the doctor in the morning and get some saline taken out. First I get stressed(taking care of my mother across town) then when I eat a couple of bites I get pain in my chest and I feel like I need to burp. The only way I can burp is for the mucas and food to come up. It sometimes takes and hour for that to all come up. Also, I think my reflux is back. I started back on pepcid today, and so far, no pbing. Thanks for sharing.

Edited December 1, 2008 by Oregondaisy