Calling all April Bandsters!!!!

[Turler 6]

Hi everybody~

Well, here's the latest update on my situation. No real big news, but I did get a fill today. He put in 1.5 cc. I watched the whole thing and I notice a definite change right away. I had been able to drink Water very quickly (which was kinda nice) and I could eat quite a bit. Right away I noticed a difference in how fast and how much I could drink and dinner was a few bites of cottage cheese and I was done. THANK GOD!

I feel okay so far. No indications that things aren't going to work out with this fill, but I'm gonna take it easy like any other time ya get a fill. I thankful that I was able to be seen so quickly today and that he was able to get the port on the first try!! YAY for me! (My poor belly looks like a cluster of holes at the port site with little tiny scabs from all the pokes)

Thanks for all the hugs and love...I love you guys! You're the BEST!

~Carol

[Turler 6]

Oh...and Leslie, OMG! I'm so sorry...here we both were having a rough time and didn't know it. I really am glad to hear you don't have any blood clots and that they straightened out your meds for you. Whew! Scarey stuff.

It does sound like you're too tight, but hey, what the heck do I know? LOL I don't think it's healthy for you to not be eating nutritous food. PBing mushies doesn't sound good either. Sheesh! I'm so sorry sweetie. I'm glad you are getting back on track.

I am needing a swift kick in the rear too. I have been going to the gym more, but eating like crap. Probably just feeling sorry for myself and since I am able to eat so much, I do. WTH? Have I learned nothing? Oh, and I partied a little this weekend, so I gotta lay off those salty Margaritas. scale is going up. Eeeeks!

~C

[gdf18 2]

I'm gonna try to catch up with everyone:

Brandy- too much alcohol. And NO Water TO COMPENSATE? ONLY 9 POUNDS!!! It will go away fast if you drink GALLONS of Water. Really. Gallons. Do a no salt and lots of water day or two. You'll feel much better.

Carol- YAY. 1.5 is a lot for me so if the same if true for you, you'll have good restriction. At least your doctor is trying to correct the error and take care of you. And getting you in fast is part of that. YAY....I better watch cause you're coming right up behind me. And believe me, my behind is easy to locate- LOL.

As to journaling, this is my best way....to write to you guys. But yes, I do write down the food- that kind of journaling, for the first time in my life. Only skip it when I'm eating in restaurants and can't really figure it out...but I try. I use a pay to play site called www.myfooddiary.com. Yes, I had to add some things in (I keep Kosher, so I had some products not listed) but after a couple of weeks that dropped to almost never. My range for day to day isn't that big. And they do have a LOT prelisted. I add them to my on-line "fridge" and the regulars are just there for me each day. I see Protein, calories, fat,etc and it tracks exercise, weight etc etc. It adjusts calories exercised as you change the weight. The funniest so far was sex. It's listed as an exercise. The first time, I chose low to moderate paced sex (funny,eh) and 10 minutes duration, and it said I'd used 3 CALORIES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hilarious. Instead of low to moderate, they should have said "lays like a lox". But I really like the site so I pay the $9 a month. For now, it's another support system. If money gets too tight I'll deal with it.

As far as what I'm eating.....not much. Protein drinks during the day, I can't eat during the day until weeks after a fill. At night, mostly fish. I buy salmon burgers and dover sole and Tilapia (which I cover with bread crumbs). I dont' eat more than a few ounces, so it's not costly. I buy 2/3 days at a time. I also like dark meat chicken so I make a bunch of thighs and eat them one at a time. I make my own soups- nothing complicated. And I give my husband the chunky version, while I puree mine. I use some canned mandarin oranges in lite Syrup, low calorie soy ice cream for a treat, or a healthy choice fudge bar. Diet hot choc late at night when I'm nudgy, and I try to have a cup of milk everyday. And at least 8 glasses of water. I don't lose if I don't drink.

Leslie- don't hate the new scale anymore. Decided to just go with it. If it's a pound or 2 off, so what? The overall is the answer. Maybe this scale is good and the old one was off. I use the monthly weigh in at the doctor as my official anyway. And now that it's coming off, I feel that it's not about a pound or 2- it's about 120 of them. So as long as the number keeps going down this time, I just refuse to care (until I hit a plateau....then you'll hear my whining again).

Later.

[gdf18 2]

OOOPS. Forgot to ask. I've had hiccups alot since this last tighter fill. Sometimes it's set off by coughing. I finally took a valium to end them last night. Nothing else worked.

Anyone else had this or have any suggestions? I think it's being caused by trying too hard to get food down. What do you think?

[Brandy~ 2]

Good morning all! Wow so after admitting to my huge salt binge on saturday and my massive Water retention.... I got on the scale this morning and I was finally back to normal. Normal right now is 217 and salt is the devil!

Leslie~ Wow what a scare! I am glad to see you're doing better now... But congrats on lessening yours meds! Anytime we can do that it's a definite NSV :smile:

[Brandy~ 2]

Turler~ So glad to see the fill went well and that you were able to get in so quickly. I hope this means things will turn around a bit for you! You and I learned our lessons with the margaritas and salt eh? Haha

GDF~ I went on a no added salt and lots of Water diet for 2 days and I am back to normal thank god! I really learned a lesson there. I get hiccups a lot. They don’t usually last a long time though. They come when I am trying to get food in, when I should stop eating, and when I am too full.

Yours might be different… But I call mine soft stops.. Meaning it’s a warning sign I have had enough to eat.

OH I REALIZED TODAY IS MY 5 MONTH BAND ANNIVERSARY :smile:

[momof5 0]

Hey guys!

Just checking in. I have been out of the loop for a few days that I had alot to check up on! Glad to see everyone's "scares" and "issues" turned out okay. I know that stress is the last thing needed with the band.

Bea-thanks for the drinking info. I am being stubborn. I think my band is too tight because I BP all the time and have such trouble drinking Water still!!! But I am afraid to have any let out for fear of gaining:(

So, I have decided hot tea for me for the day. The scales did move and I'm down to 192.5 but I know I would be doing better if I weren't dehydrated. Hopefully it will help move the scales in the right direction.

Even though scales aren't moving, I am shrinking. Got my hubby to measure me this weekend and I have lost 78 inches total!!! I couldn't believe it! Plus, my son realized that I had lost one of him!!! He weighs 58lbs. We all thought that was so cool. It was as if I had been carrying him around on my back for all this time!!! Plus, the size 16s I bought just a few weeks ago are now too big:) I can take them off without even unbuttoning them!!! I want to be in a 14 by November and would love to treat myself to 12s for Christmas.

I saw that some of you were talking about the new weight loss threads (ie Halloween, etc...) what are they and how do I find them. I would love to have something to help me reach goals!

[Brandy~ 2]

Thats awesome mom! You're doing great I am sure you will be wearing a 12 come xmas :smile:

[Turler 6]

Mom,

Here are the links to the challenges. They are just a way to stay accountable and keep track of your progress. The Hallow-Lean Challenge is until Halloween, but the other one is until the end of the year. You decide what you want to lose and update as you go. It's really cool to see everyone's numbers change. They are encouraging!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/hallow-lean-challenge-74140/

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/last-2008-weight-loss-challenge-74034/

You are doing awesome in the weight loss department! I'm a little concerned about your eating and drinking though. I know it's so fun to lose weight, but you need to be healthy first! Who knows, you might even lose more if you could eat/drink better. I know you will make the right choice for you, but consider a slight unfill. You may feel better.

~C

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

Hi Everyone! I tried to post earlier this morning but there were server issues (still are) at work.

Turler - it seems like we've both been having a hard time lately. I hope your needle marks are healing - I know exactly how you feel. When my port flipped I felt like a pin cushion they poked me so many times.

Brandy - I like your new avatar - snazzy! :-) I'm glad you have your Water weight under control. I'd gained today - went for my unfill - they told me not to worry about it - as much as I'm swollen (my usual wedding ring is normally fallen off - it is now stuck). When my meds regulate the scales will be more accurate.

Hi Mom! Don't be too stubborn - if you need an unfill get one. I've waited three weeks and I know it's not good for my esophocus and stomach to deal with food constantly coming back up. If you are too full you can cause irreparible damage. Yes the weight loss is good - but you still want to eat. A pound or two isn't worth the risk. I'm done preaching :-)...I'm doing the Halloween challenge - I like short small goals - they are easier for me to attain and the rewards come quicker too :-)

gdf - I had hiccups the past couple of weeks. I think it is related to the tightness of your band (in my uneducated opinion). I actually had them this morning. When my band is too tight I tend to get them more. Do you think you're too full?

We are playing a wait and see right now with my fills. The reason I've been too tight is all of the water retention and swelling from my meds being off. In a couple of weeks I should (slowly) return to normal. As the swelling goes down I may need another fill in a month or so. I know it's been hell. I'll be glad to be able to eat again and to not be so swollen too.

Oh I forgot - I had a huge NSV this week. I rode Go-Carts this past weekend. Played minigolf and arcade games. DD brought her grades up 13's-51's (yes 13F) to all 100's/95's. We rewarded her and my youngest DD by taking them to ride Go-Carts. I went four years ago - I couldn't fit - the belt wouldn't reach to buckle. This time I fit with plenty of room and hopped in and out with ease. Last time two grown men had to haul my embarrassed butt out of the car (I got stuck too).

Edited September 23, 2008 by Leslie2Lose
Forgot Go-Carts

[momof5 0]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think I will give the doc a call and plan to go in next week to have things checked on. It is a bummer not being able to eat like I need to. It is then that I make bad choices!!!

L2L - way to go with the go karts! That is such a liberating feeling being able to do things that you once couldn't! Keep it up.

I am going to check out the challenges and see. I think the Hallow-lean one sounds good because it is short and that helps me get through to the next thing. Sometimes I loose motivation with the longer ones.

Everyone seems to be doing so good! Keep up the good work and Happy Bandiversaries to everyone!!!

[Bea1128 1]

Hey Mom! That is so cool! It's good to compare weight loss with something we do or see everyday. I didn't realize how far I'd come until I realized the giant bag of dog food we buy every month is what I've lost. It really takes all I have to put it into the cart and I bet carrying your son around all day isn't an option because he would be too heavy. Just think, you carried that around everywhere, all day every day! What an accomplishment!

And speaking of Water, my nephrologist got onto me today for not drinking enough water. I have to up my meds and he's insisting I drink at least 3 liters per day! Holy crap! I'll be up all night long in the loo. I have 6 months to get my oxalate and Calcium levels under control or he's going to make me take a diruetic. So, bottom line.... I'm being forced to make water a priority. Isn't it a shame that I have to have a medical problem before I'm willing to do something so simple. What a goofball!!

Carol - I'm glad you got to have a fill. I hope you are feeling better.

Happy Bandiversary Brandy! I missed my completely. It was last week, didn't even think about it!

gdf18 - I can tell when I've had one bite too many because I get the hiccups every time! If I gulp water, I get the hiccups. I've never had them like this preband and this is a new symptom since my last fill. They don't last as long as yours though, thankfully they go away after a few minutes.

[Bea1128 1]

Just an interesting tidbit about hiccups: on another thread, many people are talking about having the hiccups now since getting tighter fills. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f13/do-you-burp-more-now-you-banded-non-productive-just-air-49760/index7.html

[momof5 0]

So where is everyone? Did I miss something????

I had to let you guys know about my past two days....Tuesday afternoon I had the most sharp pain in my chest and it radiated to my shoulders. It scared me! I called my Dr, which I never do, so he knew it was something serious. I went to see him (1 & 1/2 hrs away) on Wednesday explaining that for two days I hadn't been able to eat much and drink very little without PBing. He thought it was gall stones but the hospital in Atlanta couldn't fit me in so I planned my tests for the next day back at home. I left with strict instructions to call him if anything changed. Well, change they did! On the way home, we stopped for lunch which I only had about three bites of before starting to PB again. BUT it didn't stop! We headed home and after 30 minutes of not being able to even talk because it was coming so fast, we called the Dr and headed back to Atlanta. He rushed me in to let out my band, taking out everything. He was so afraid something had slipped!!! Luckily, it had not. But he kept me over night because I was so dehydrated and he wanted to run more tests. Now I'm home after running tests all day to rule everything out. Luckily, nothing was wrong except the dehydration and my band being aggrevated.

I was able to eat with no problem and just feel tired but also a little defeated. I had been doing so good. I had actually hit the 60lbs lost (on the Dr's scales) by my 5 month bandiversary on the 29th but I have to wait a month to let things calm down to get another fill. I am back to square one!!! DO NOT want to put on weight but oh so worried that I will!!! Hubby can't understand why I am but he doesn't get it!

On a good note, the Dr was so impressed by my success that he wants me to start speaking at his informational sessions the group has. This should give me the push to keep things on track, I hope.

Sorry to go on and on but had to whine to someone who'd understand. I feel better now!

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

Oh it sounds like you had a horrible couple of days. Were you too tight? Could he tell you what caused it? I'm glad that you are okay and everything appears okay with your band. Try to hang in there...I've ran into quite a few obsticals myself (flipped port and meds off)...while I was empty/delayed on my fills I just ate like I would with a fill. If you quit measuring, measure your food. Log your food to remind yourself not to go over in calories. That may help you stay on track. Hun, I'm so sorry you've had to go through this. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Let us know how you are! I'm with you - where's everybody?