I'm here to help...

[IndioGirl55 32]

So, here I am again. I have survived since my fill on Monday and the killer pill I took Monday night. Now I just am afraid to eat and when I do, it hurts. Not for long, but it is like in the middle of my chest. I stayed on Soups and mushies like you said. Lastnight I had a piece of bacon with my mushies and that was fine. This morning I was trying scrambled egg and a really thin piece of ham, eating very small bite, chew, chew, chewing, and ouch, there was that pain. I remember someone saying they are tighter in the morning. Is that normal? Usually for morning I just have a Protein shake but I was out of milk this morning and did not want to drive to town then back home and then to work again. So I bought a Breakfast burrito knowing I would not eat the burrito and most all of the insides. So I have had two bites of egg and some ham and WHY DOES IT HURT? Can anyone relate to this? Thanks.

Yes alot of pple are tighter in the morning - eggs can be hard for some - you may be too tight - or you may be eating too fast too- if you can't eat hard Proteins without pain - I would say you are too tight and may need some taken out.

[lapbandbarb 0]

Yes alot of pple are tighter in the morning - eggs can be hard for some - you may be too tight - or you may be eating too fast too- if you can't eat hard Proteins without pain - I would say you are too tight and may need some taken out.

Hi all-

Hope everyone is having a good day!

I am one of those people who cannot eat in the morning. I have had to eliminate scrambled eggs from my diet. Something about the consistency. I can not handle egg drop Soup either which I know is a favorite among lots of banded people. I can do very soft egg whites and whenever I make egg salad for the family, I take out some egg whites before I add the mayo. It especially agrees with me if the eggs are not too cold. Right out of the Water and cooled under Water, otherwise it could be a problem. Funny how you just know what to do after a while.

I agree with you Janet, biklab, you might be a tad tight but it is up to you how tight you can handle. I mean you are keeping your food down. It is a matter of if you are able to give up certain things and adjust your eating for the band. I had to because when I am not at this level of restriction, my hunger comes back and I know I will not be able to maintain my 120lb loss. I don't have the option to burn more calories because of my arthritis so I choose to live tight and sacrifice certain foods. I have learned what I can handle and when. There are times when my band has a mind of its own though and then I have to adjust the next couple of meals accordingly. I don't mind the shakes. They actually give me more energy than food. So far, so good!

Charlene- I am glad you are feeling better! Where on your body did you have the cortisone shot? I ask because I might get some in my knees to help prevent a pain flare. I want to wear cute sandals and it could be a disaster for me. I wonder if a shot in the knees could possibly change my band restriction??? Have to think of everything before hand! Thanks!

Have a beautiful day! I will check in later.

[blklab70 1]

Thanks all! I am able to eat later in the day, if eating 1/2 cup is eating!!! LOL I am not hungry, so I can not complain about that. I think I will watch how it goes for another few days then if it still hurts to eat I will call the doctor. I am lossing again, so I am very happy about that. Losing about 1/2 pound a day, but wasn't losing well before at all.

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

TGIF GANG !!!

Laura - Glad you are doing well - it's good to get your fills a little at a time especially since you can go back in 2 weeks...

This is why I say don't get on the scales every day - it flucuates too much and that can be discouraging..

Well gotta get in gear - will cbl - have a good day

I know... I know... I KNOW I shouldn't weigh every day... but I just cannot help it. I am an "all or nothing" gal. (something I am trying to change about myself). The not weighing is how I let myself gain close to 75 lbs last year! I was in complete denial and actually put my scales in the garage! And last year (beginning of 08) when I went to the dr I REFUSED to be weighed. (yes, as crazy as that sounds... I just didn't want it documented! I was convinced that once I set my mind to it, I would get this weight off by myself ONCE AND FOR ALL). I had 3 dr's tell me I should STRONGLY consider some sort of WLS. The first two got holy heck from me! How dare YOU... accuse ME... of not being able to lose weight on my own!!! (denial issue again). It was only when my sister was starting to research it that I decided to "look" into it for her. Then I went for my annual physical. I knew how much I weighed, but again refused to be weighed. I told my dr my TRUE weight, but asked him not to document it. I have been waiting to get life insurance and somehow in my warped mind, I thought if it wasn't written... then I could lose and then get qualified. So silly and funny as I think about it now.

Curious to know if any of you veterans that have reached goal... have attempted to get life insurance now that you are no longer obese?

I drank a muscle milk this morning (20gm protein/160 cal). It took me MUCH longer to drink it than normal, however no restriction per se that I could feel. I had a great workout by myself. (my trainer has dissed me for another client who wanted my time slot. She pays her cash and she makes 2 x the amount.) huh, kinda glad this free wellness thing fell into my lap when it did.

For lunch I had 4 small california roll pieces. The container said 33 cal each. Probably wasn't the best choice for my first food after fill, but it went down fine. The rice however has made me hungrier... or I just didn't get enough Protein. I will have a Protein rich snack in a bit.

I know a few of you were complaining about your DH bugging you while eating.. "do you feel anything yet?" My DH has been so supportive. It's funny actually... when we went for the initial consult he joked with the dr about whether he should have it. DH is 5'10" and 279 lbs. My doc said... just one of you get it and see what happens. He was right. As of today he is 248! I am not sure if he is afraid for me to get HOT without him.. or if it's because I don't hardly cook anymore, and I definitely don't buy junk. Also, we stopped eating out! He is feeling a LOT better. I have tried to encourage him to exercise and he just won't have any part of it. One of his strategies is replacing Breakfast with a Protein Bar. Then eating two healthy meals. He used to be a bread junky and now hardly eats any.

My sister has 4 days until her 2 week pre-op liquid diet for gastric bypass. I was telling her to get a few last hoorahs in.

ok gals.... TGIF! peasout!

[ljv52 2]

Hi everyone and happy Friday. Laura, my hubby has lost about 30 lbs. as well -- again, cause I'm not cooking for him and because we no longer have junk in the house. It's amazing how fast these men can lose weight without exercising (and without really trying in my hubby's case - -he eats whatever he wants darn him anyway!). Blklab, I too occasionally get that same kind of pain in my chest -- it's only been since my last fill. If it happens when I first start to eat, I think it's cause I ate too quickly or didn't chew well enough. Once I take a break for a few mins., it usually goes away and I can continue to eat but have to slow down and chew better. Other times I get that toward the end of my meal and I take it as my signal that I'm full, so I stop eating right then. I've been staying full on each meal for 5 to 6 hours, so I do think that I'm at a great restriction right now. It's rainy and cold here today but next week is supposed to be sunny and beautiful all week. Looking forward to that. Have a great weekend everyone. Linda

[blklab70 1]

Linda, thanks so much for that. It is so nice to know someone else is going through that. I will try to remember to slow down. Right now I am staying full on very little food cause I am so darn afraid to eat! That is an awesome diet being afraid of food! LOL

[Charlene K 1]

Good Evening! Janet, I am still having symptoms of diverticulitis so I started on antibiotics today. I just don't want to get ill over the weekend. That coupled with the unfill is helping. Last time I got this feeling I had a ct scan and the dr said it was adhesions. So, it could be that again.

Yes, I do think getting a lap band made my husband want to get WLS. He has already had his knees replaced, and his back is in bad shape. We should hear something next week. It will be so nice to be on the same page when it comes to food choices. And when we go out to eat, we can share a plate. Our grocery bill will be cut in half.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Morning Gang

Sorry I wasn't on last night came home sat down and fell asleep -well ate soom popcorn cuz I was starving too - napped on the couch for a while til about 8 - ate dinner which wasn't the best dinner - no Protein - 1 cup mashed potatoes with spray butter- it's a good thing I don't have sweets in the house cuz I would have loved to mainline some last night - I wish I had sleeping pills and could knock out.

I havent been sleeping well lately - wakeing up 3-4 times a night and my siatic (sp) was hurting yesterday - I have never slept thru the night - but lately been waking up more than normal - I wish I could get a solid 8 hrs without interruption and I have been waking up with my lower back kiling me - but once i get up it's fine. I don't know why this is happening - maybe cuz I flipped my matterss and I need to flip it back - who knows..

Well enough of my complaining... I have gym this morning at 8 - my trainer missed monday so today will be make up session - legs..

Laura - I got a what are they called - omg I can't think of the name - but a policy that will take care of me if I need home health care... My brain isn't working this morning - I know where the policy is but don't feel like pulling it out.. I had to give all my medical info - about my surgery and weight now.. My life ins is thru my job and at my age and cuz I'm still a smoker - I don't think I want to pay the premiums for a separate policy - I have a policy that my dad bought for me when I was a baby and it was paid up when I turned 21 - it's now worth 17k so it's enough to bury me - and I have the one at work - but can't take that with me if I leave or retire - but I really don't need one

I gained 6lbs between my consultation and my pre-op :0)

Barb

I applaud your 120 loss that's fantastic.:scared2:.. And glad that you are happy and satisfied with what you can and can't eat and know that sometime we can eat things that we couldn't last week - I;m glad that I can exercise - cuz I still struggle with my eating sometimes - am glad that I can work off those calories if need be..

Blklab - 1/2 c you have restriction !!!!

Charlene so anitbiotic help that ?? I thought it was aggrevated by the foods you ate and stress.. My Aunt has major colon problems - she was in the hospital back in the 70's for a month - I think she had surgery - but now she has major pain and has problems in that area..

Ya it will be great when your DH and you are on this journey together - and all that $$$ saved will be fantastic.

[Charlene K 1]

Charlene so anitbiotic help that ?? I thought it was aggrevated by the foods you ate and stress.. My Aunt has major colon problems - she was in the hospital back in the 70's for a month - I think she had surgery - but now she has major pain and has problems in that area..

Ya it will be great when your DH and you are on this journey together - and all that $$$ saved will be fantastic.

__________________

Yes, antibiotics help if there is infection. There must be infection because I am feeling better. Also, I think it was caused by those wonderful chocolate dusted almonds I was eating everyday for a snack. I thought I was chewing them good, but evidentally not that good. They are on my no no list now.

Barb, I had an epidural cortisone injection near the spine. It usually lasts for a year. Beats back surgery, but I know one day they will quit working. Hopefully, by then I will have reached my weight loss goal. Beware, if you get a cortisone shot it does slow down weight loss.

I thought staying tight can harm your esophagus. Can it cause reflux?

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Morning..... It's a fresh 26 degrees here this morning.. Would appreciate that more if it were March instead of May!!! But we are to be on a warming trend now, so 63 for a high today and 75 for tomorrow.. This I can handle!!!

I went to Water aerobics yesterday.. Took it very easy and did quite well... Was able to pull myself up and out, but I can feel the strain in my left side this morning.. Will go very easy on myself today... Otherwise I seem to be holding at 293-294 as the doctor asked... Can't wait till June 1st when I can get my band going again.. I feel myself slipping into that lazy stage of eating whatever I want... Don't want to go there again...

Janet, I used to sleep like you said you are.... We finally had to get a new mattress and that has really helped.... Of course some of that waking up I think is just from the age we are......

I know there are two different views on weighing often.. Janet believes strongly in once a week... I, on the other hand, like to weigh almost daily... I was talking to my nurse at an appointment recently about just that.. She asked if I journal my food intake..... I don't...... I hate doing that and I really just know how much I'm getting without doing it... But the weighing is my way of being aware.. I keep in mind that the body fluctuates with many variables, but this keeps me on track much better than journaling.. I guess we each have to find what works for us and keep doing it... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!", my dad would always say.. So, I weigh most mornings, naked, before eating and after a BM..... Works for me......

Did laundry yesterday, but need to go put all the clothes away now and straighten up my basement.. Will work slow so as not to strain anymore... I have lots of planning to do, too.... got put in charge of a Memorial Day program at church next Sunday, and organizing a supper our church will serve to 150 in June, and organizing a homemade ice cream and pie social that will be at my house in June during our town's annual celebration... I told them I can organize but I can't do much of the manual labor this year... Everyone agreed, so I've got lots of thinking to do...

You all have a great weekend... Julie

[IndioGirl55 32]

Morning..... It's a fresh 26 degrees here this morning.. Would appreciate that more if it were March instead of May!!! But we are to be on a warming trend now, so 63 for a high today and 75 for tomorrow.. This I can handle!!!

I went to Water aerobics yesterday.. Took it very easy and did quite well... Was able to pull myself up and out, but I can feel the strain in my left side this morning.. Will go very easy on myself today... Otherwise I seem to be holding at 293-294 as the doctor asked... Can't wait till June 1st when I can get my band going again.. I feel myself slipping into that lazy stage of eating whatever I want... Don't want to go there again...

Janet, I used to sleep like you said you are.... We finally had to get a new mattress and that has really helped.... Of course some of that waking up I think is just from the age we are......

I know there are two different views on weighing often.. Janet believes strongly in once a week... I, on the other hand, like to weigh almost daily... I was talking to my nurse at an appointment recently about just that.. She asked if I journal my food intake..... I don't...... I hate doing that and I really just know how much I'm getting without doing it... But the weighing is my way of being aware.. I keep in mind that the body fluctuates with many variables, but this keeps me on track much better than journaling.. I guess we each have to find what works for us and keep doing it... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!", my dad would always say.. So, I weigh most mornings, naked, before eating and after a BM..... Works for me......

Did laundry yesterday, but need to go put all the clothes away now and straighten up my basement.. Will work slow so as not to strain anymore... I have lots of planning to do, too.... got put in charge of a Memorial Day program at church next Sunday, and organizing a supper our church will serve to 150 in June, and organizing a homemade ice cream and pie social that will be at my house in June during our town's annual celebration... I told them I can organize but I can't do much of the manual labor this year... Everyone agreed, so I've got lots of thinking to do...

You all have a great weekend... Julie

Julie

I agree with you 100% you gotta do want works for you !!

Aren't we funny weighing naked after bm :0) I do that too - don't want the extra poundage (like its poundage any way and we have already absorbed those calories from the food we ate by the time we have bm) but again it's what we all do - those .2 lbs weight diff of the scales makes all the diff to us mentally...

My mattress is only 5 yrs old - and it's been the last week that my back has been hurting - I think I may need an adjustment - I have a gf who has one of those hang upside down machines - I think I will be trying that today !!!

[blklab70 1]

Ok my experenced friends! At a 1/2 cup a meal three times a day, I am losing about 1/2 a pound a day right now. This is only since my fill (or maybe over fill). We had our date night lastnight and went to dinner. I had an egg over easy and a piece of bacon. I just could not eat anything else. I feel fine, no hunger and my energy is up there. What do you think oh much wiser than I friends? Am I losing too fast now? I have lost a total of 46 pounds since I decided to start this short trip on 22 Dec 2008. My surgery was 10 Feb 2009. Thanks!

[lapbandbarb 0]

Biklab-

If you are comfortable with your food intake, and have lots of energy, I'd say you are good to go. The same thing happened to me once I had good restriction. I lost 120 lbs in about a year from pre-band diet till now and I have never felt so good. Don't expect to continue losing 1/2 lb a day, though. Your body will level off and that will slow down. I, like Janet only weigh myself 1-2x per week and I advise that. You can drive yourself crazy otherwise and be let down if you don't lose or a gain shows from Water weight or whatever. Also, once you lose a significant amount, you will need another fill because the band gets loser as your stomach gets smaller. This is when I had a slight problem and was too full, waited too long and had to have 1cc removed. That was when I struggled with the hunger. Now I have slowly put it back and am back to good restriction. It is a learning curve. Congratulations on reaching your sweet spot!:scared2: It is so exciting! Good Luck. I know you will keep us informed and I look forward to hearing about it!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hey gang popping in to see what's going on - I see it's been quite..

I went to the outlets yesterday - got a Coach bag originally price $328 for $116 - it's a beige bucket shoulder style - the place was PACKED - I MEAN PACKED...

Didn't get home til 8 last night and this moring was out of the house by 9 - my target - grocery - Marshall shopping - then back to winco & home depot - gs going to paint his room

Still gotta finish the house put the sheets on the bed and cook...

Ok my experenced friends! At a 1/2 cup a meal three times a day, I am losing about 1/2 a pound a day right now. This is only since my fill (or maybe over fill). We had our date night lastnight and went to dinner. I had an egg over easy and a piece of bacon. I just could not eat anything else. I feel fine, no hunger and my energy is up there. What do you think oh much wiser than I friends? Am I losing too fast now? I have lost a total of 46 pounds since I decided to start this short trip on 22 Dec 2008. My surgery was 10 Feb 2009. Thanks!

I agree with Barb - If you are fine with the amount of food you are eating - and you feel good - go for it..

My last fill was 1/08 and I havent had once since and don't think I need one now - yesertday at the outlet ate 1/2 of a chicken sauage and was done - dinner 1 chille relleno a bite of Beans and a few chips & salsa..

Yes, antibiotics help if there is infection. There must be infection because I am feeling better. Also, I think it was caused by those wonderful chocolate dusted almonds I was eating everyday for a snack. I thought I was chewing them good, but evidentally not that good. They are on my no no list now.

Barb, I had an epidural cortisone injection near the spine. It usually lasts for a year. Beats back surgery, but I know one day they will quit working. Hopefully, by then I will have reached my weight loss goal. Beware, if you get a cortisone shot it does slow down weight loss.

I thought staying tight can harm your esophagus. Can it cause reflux?

Yes Charlene - OregonDaisy (50 thread use to be Denise :0) she had some esophagus issues and she didn't even know she was too tight - something about the food backing up into the esophgus...

Biklab-

If you are comfortable with your food intake, and have lots of energy, I'd say you are good to go. The same thing happened to me once I had good restriction. I lost 120 lbs in about a year from pre-band diet till now and I have never felt so good. Don't expect to continue losing 1/2 lb a day, though. Your body will level off and that will slow down. I, like Janet only weigh myself 1-2x per week and I advise that. You can drive yourself crazy otherwise and be let down if you don't lose or a gain shows from Water weight or whatever. Also, once you lose a significant amount, you will need another fill because the band gets loser as your stomach gets smaller. This is when I had a slight problem and was too full, waited too long and had to have 1cc removed. That was when I struggled with the hunger. Now I have slowly put it back and am back to good restriction. It is a learning curve. Congratulations on reaching your sweet spot!:laugh: It is so exciting! Good Luck. I know you will keep us informed and I look forward to hearing about it!

Barb - Sometimes I think I could use maybe a tweek - but then again other times I know I don't - it's just that some days I can eat a cow and the next day only half of it :0) kidding but you know what i mean..

Well the dryer went off - gotta put the sheets on

Ck back tomorrow - will try and do it in the morning - but I have jury duty again - so it may not be til tomorrow nite..

Hugs

[lapbandbarb 0]

Barb, I had an epidural cortisone injection near the spine. It usually lasts for a year. Beats back surgery, but I know one day they will quit working. Hopefully, by then I will have reached my weight loss goal. Beware, if you get a cortisone shot it does slow down weight loss.

I thought staying tight can harm your esophagus. Can it cause reflux?

Charlene- thanks for the info. I will keep this in mind if and when I get the shots. I am tight, but not too tight so I am not worried about damage to my stomach. I will be going for my esophogram in a few weeks. I have no symptoms and I am able to eat well. I get myself checked every 6 months. Insurance pays for it and I want my band to be forever. I don't have reflux but when I was overfilled, I did have it at night and it was horrible! Have learned not to go there again!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Happy Monday. Will check in tomorrow. Barb