I'm here to help...

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Morning... I seem to be doing fine today after my re-fill yesterday... Just ate some cream of wheat and that went down fine... Now, if a little restriction will just settle in I'll be very happy... Have to wait til 6-29 to get another fill....

DD was sick yesterday and didn't go to work so I have an extra morning to myself to get a few things done.. Wish I had Apples energy..... maybe someday soon, but not today... Just took the garbage container to the street for the pick-up guys and I'm all out of breath....but I did get it done.. Will do my walking tape today and hope for half a mile....

Talk to you all later on.... Have a nice day... Julie

[Apples2 19]

Morning... I seem to be doing fine today after my re-fill yesterday... Just ate some cream of wheat and that went down fine... Now, if a little restriction will just settle in I'll be very happy... Have to wait til 6-29 to get another fill....

DD was sick yesterday and didn't go to work so I have an extra morning to myself to get a few things done.. Wish I had Apples energy..... maybe someday soon, but not today... Just took the garbage container to the street for the pick-up guys and I'm all out of breath....but I did get it done.. Will do my walking tape today and hope for half a mile....

Talk to you all later on.... Have a nice day... Julie

Julie...that energy will come back. Just try every day to bump up the activities a little more. I know it's tough when the energy is not there but try with some activities that you really enjoy. When I first started to work out, I started with 3lb weight for ankles and upper body. :frown:

[Great2BThin 5]

MRose, CONGRATS!!! on hitting onederland. It is so cool seeing that one in front of your weight isn't it??

Janet, I think you are right about LBT being like support groups. I know I get more out of coming here than I do my meetings. If I wasn't volunteering and possibly being a leader not sure I'd keep goin twice a month. Some meetings are great, some not so great, I'm always afraid I am going to miss the good ones! Plus, knowing that folks are going to ask me about what I am doing to be successful keeps me on track. I started going to my meeting the month before surgery, so they have seen me all the way through this thus far.

Bubba, glad you got so much of your fill back. Hope it helps immensely and soon you will get the rest back.

Peas, that test sounds neat. I'd love to know what mine is.

Well I am off to get my hair cut and colored. It's pouring rain out today so it won't last long!

[Apples2 19]

Rose...sorry I missed your trip into onederland. Congrats!

Long....I got younger last week....eyelashes done, color, cut and highlights. Always feels so good until the grey starts showing up again. I had almost black hair growing up and was almost white at 29 (surgery that went wrong and hair turned white within a month). I have dyed it ever since. Anyway, going lighter helps with not noticing grey so soon and also the highlights help. I was blessed with lots of hair with lots of curls and body. I need to straighten mine with a flat Iron each day or it is very unruley. Good luck and hope it turns out the way you want it!

[Apples2 19]

Not so sure about our LB support group meetings. Our coordinator does a good job but most ppl that come don't share much except for a lot of complaining about wrong food choices, etc.....most of it really negative. I know we all have our struggles and that is what support groups are for but these are ppl that are 3-4 yrs out and have not lost much and really don't know if they ever think about the end result anymore or if they have given up. It just puts a cloud over the room. I almost feel out of place and a little shunned because I am at goal. Sorry....but 1/2 gallon of ice cream per day does not make for great weight loss and continually complaining that you are off to the store every day for that 1/2 gallon gets old month after month.

I am not an unsympathetic person; I am just realistic and some habits need to be thrown out the window. I have considered not going anymore but then I really do go for the advice our coordinator has to offer and consider her a real mentor. Guess I need to just screen the negatives and ignore.

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr <growl>

I am back from my doctor appointment. Don't get me wrong, I love my surgeon. I KNOW he is a BRILLIANT and talented SURGEON... but I swear, you would think he was raised with a pack of wolves! Today he was a little disinterested in hearing about my woes. He actually interrupted me and made a comment something to the fact, "didn't I tell you you should have had gastric bypass? We wouldn't be having this conversation." So after having a battle of wit, (I always find it so much fun to give people like this a taste of their own medicine.), he said to me "what do you want me to do?" I replied, "as my dr, I am asking you what YOU think I should do!?" He said he thinks I am eating TOO much. (I only lost 1 lb since my last fill 2 weeks ago) ok. But then he said I shouldn't be having pain with the first couple bites of Protein, if they are small and chewed well. He said this is really the only thing that is telling him I am too tight. So he wanted to take out 0.2cc, it's such a small amount... but I said, maybe just 0.1cc and he said he wasn't going to argue with me over 20 drops of Water. I told him to do the .2 and we would go from there. He was obviously getting a little agitated with me, although trying to cover it with humor. So now I have 5.8 cc in a 9cc realize band. The whole point is, to have restriction after eating a small amount.. but that it is important to get in solid Protein, so you will be full longer.

They did the ReeVue metabolism thing. Only after I was done did I read the instructions. No exercising 6 hours prior to the test. (no eating 6 hours prior to the test either). They did tell me about the eating, but not about the exercise. So it gave me a FALSE high resting metabolic rate! It said I should eat 1563-2232 calories a day to lose weight!!! I started laughing. The nurse relooked at the paper and said something is wrong. Then maybe my workout clothes, sweat stains and running shoes on gave something away. DUH!? I should have known better. I felt like a doofus, but hey, it's not MY job to know about that test!!! So, it was pointless. I will repeat it at my next appt scheduled in two weeks. He thinks by then we may go back up .1cc. I THEN about flipped... wasn't that the same 0.1 cc we were just arguing about?! I laughed and left the office.

Oh, my dr said.... that we should only have 2 Fluid oz of protein. Meaning... measuring chicken by volume only, but never by weight. He said he doesn't care about how much it weighs, but that he cares about it fitting into a 60cc/2 oz cup. Which is completely the opposite of what the RD told me! I left more confused than ever about what amount and what calories I am supposed to get in.

<~~~frustrated

Time to pick up DS from school. I will check back later.

[Meredith2424 0]

Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement.

Today I went to the Dietitian. She gave me my pre-op and post-op diet plans. Mine starts on the 12th. This is how it is supposed to go:

Breakfast:

Boost High Protein

Lunch:

Boost High Protein

Snack:

Light Yogurt

Dinner:

Boost High Protein

Light Yogurt

Snack:

Boost High Protein

I'm ready. I understand that this is a life style change and I am so excited and after the meeting, I was pumped. It made me feel even better that it was a group style meeting. There were 4 others there getting the band and there were 2 that are getting the sleeve.

It wasn't until I got out of the meeting until I got upset. My dad has been iffy about this whole idea of me having surgery since the beginning. So he called me to tell me that he talked to his best friend (I call him uncle) and he told my dad that his buddy had the lap band done and died a few weeks later. Oh great! Just what he needed to hear before his first born child goes under the knife!

I am so upset now because he called me and told me about this and said that he doesn't want me to get it at all! Great. Then I got so angry and just furious and hung up on him! I don't need to hear this at all. I just need to try to keep positive. I know that he is just nervous, but geez, he needs to keep this to himself!

Sorry about my venting. I'm just upset. Thanks for reading.

~Meredith

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Merideth.... OMG I'm so sorry this has happened to you... The truth is that these sort of tragedies happen all the time with almost anything.... Tonsilectomy even!!!! That's why they always have to tell us the risks before we go into surgery. Your father must be very nervous about this for you... Does he have any real information to help him see how many of us are doing well? Sometimes the more informed a person is the more at ease you get... I don't know what I would do... Try not to let it get to you... We're here for you, so hang in there... Julie

[Charlene K 1]

Janet............checking in. Not weighing...still walking. DH got a surgery date.....June 17th. So, he starts pre-op shakes tomorrow. I am going to do shakes in the evening so he isn't tempted to eat. I believe I will have better weight loss when he is on the same eating plan.

Okay, LBT peeps, I'll try to be better at posting. I have been doing FARM TOWN on Facebook and kinda got sidetracked.

Apples........wish I had a cup of your energy

Long..........WTG ON THE WEIGHTLOSS!

Bubba........Hang in there!

Joann.....wow, three lbs! woohoo!

Meredith......vent away.......we all were told horror stories. Surgery of any kind is a risk, but a lifetime of obesity is riskier.

Laura......I still have first bite syndrome from time to time. I started taking pepcid again and it has helped. I think my stomach is full of acid and gas when I eat.....then the gas gets trapped and I feel stuck. If you will just take a couple of bites then wait a few minutes till you burp, that feeling will go away. I had an unfill, now I eat too much. If I eat over 1200 calories a day I gain. That is me........very slow loser.

[Great2BThin 5]

So, Apples, what do you have done to your eye lashes? I got my cut, color and eye brows done (I tend to have a unibrow if I don't have them waxed). It always feels good to have that done.

Meredith, how upsetting that has to be for you. for some reason, many around us when they hear we are having weight loss surgery, have to tell us about all their horror stories they've heard that happened to a friend of a friend of a friend of someone. Like has already been posted, these things can and do happen but it is the exception and not the norm. You've been informed of all the risks, am sure you've even seen your surgeons stats as far as complications, been prescreened etc. I made the mistake before surgery of reading the 'complication' board here on LBT, yes I wanted to know about them, but it wasn't something to dwell on a week before surgery. I didn't balance it and read only that, and not the positives. Congrats on having your date.

Laura, that is the exact way I was told to measure my Protein too, by volume and not by weight. Makes sense since it is the small space of our pouch we are filling up. Here I thought that dr's or members of their family had it easier when it came to dealing wtih dr's. You've dispelled that myth for me. But good for you in bantering back with him.

Arlene, congrats to hubby in getting his date! That will be so nice for you to have him eating the same as you etc.

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Meredith~

OMG... I am so sorry that exchange happened between you and your dad! He is just worried for you. But yes, you don't need that now. He will be ok. Isn't it nice having your pre-op plan and knowing it's around the corner?! Good luck with that!

I had a similar exchange with my Dad today (and I had surgery March 2!) My sister had her Roux en y bypass today! She did great! The surgery only lasted 1.5 hrs. She is having a LOT of pain though. She will have to stay in the hospital 2 days according to her dr. Anyway, my Dad made a comment, "Ok, the race is officially on between the two of you!" I told him there is NO RACE. My sister is 259 today... only 2 lbs more than me. She had bypass and will FLY by me with the weight loss. My Dad thinks that this will motivate me to lose faster. He just doesn't get it. I didn't let him know that his comment and laughter about it was causing me to tear up & almost cry on the phone. I told him I had to go. Sometimes our family has the best intentions in things they say and do, but it just comes out wrong and comes across wrong. But it doesn't mean they don't love us or care.

OK guys, I will check in later.

[Apples2 19]

Good Evening to all you LB chicks!

Meredith......hang in there, girl. This is your decision and not anyone elses. I am sure after hearing what your father did from you "uncle" he was worried. I agree with Julie. Maybe he needs to be more informed about facts about the LB. Put him busy reading. Not long now and you will be in LB world! Hope your liquid diet is tolerable. It's all worth it. There's a reason your doc wants you to do it...it will make his job easier.

Laura...what a day you had. Your doc sounds like he is doing the power play in saying he told you so. You know what they are like....they never like it when someone does the self-diagnosis thing. I switched docs one time for that very reason. I was right...he was wrong and he could never get over it.

Happy to hear your sister came through surgery fine. And, NO, it shouldn't be a race between the two of you. Heck, it shouldn't even be a race of any kind between us LB ppl, let alone a LB racing against a bypass. Again....like in Meredith's case...time to educate your father on the difference. You're doing great and cannot compare your accomplishments with anyone else.

Charlene....sounds to me that with all that "farming" you are doing on FB, you've got what it takes and found your own cup of energy! Thinking of your DH and make sure to keep us informed on how things are going for him and with you in all of this. What a nice wife to drink shakes with him in evenings.

Long....last summer I got eyelash extensions and permenent eyeliner as a mini-goal gift to myself. I go in every 2-3 weeks for touch-ups on the lashes. I actually fall asleep during my one hour appts. Just something selfish I did for myself after years of being the "farm servant", the mom, the run down farm wife and at everyone's beckon call for 30 years. It's ME time every once in awhile.

Joanne......I've been terrible lately and not at all caught up with acknowledging everyone on this thread. If I forgot the congrats on your scale moving...sorry. Hope it continues for you. Sounds like you are eating right. How exciting that the kids are coming home!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hey Gang - I thought I posted this morning - I know I read ...

Busy at work then had dr appointment at 10:30 didn't get back to the office til after 12 - Now I remember why I don't go to the doctors - I hate sitting in the waiting room for 45 minutes - then the back room for another 15/20...

Just a regular ck up & pap... Got to go make appointment for blood test -

Meredith - Like Julie said - pple die from getting any type of surgery - I can't quote the #'s but it's very very very low with lap band and you have youth on your side..

Laura - glad your sis is ok - and your sis is going to drop fast at first - but I bet you both end up at the same place when all is said and done - You both are going to be a hell of a lot thinner and healthier no matter which way you go there..

Ya your doc sounds a little like he doesn't like the band - I will tell you .01 does make a diff - that's how much my last fill was - and it's been almost 1.5 yrs ago..

Charlene I have a gf back east who's having surgery on the 17th too. I bet your dh having surgery is going to boost your weight loss... Ya farming - between that and lbt - I have no time for anything else - I am pooped tonite - so this is going to be quick - I farmed - just harvested my crops - don't feel like planting tonite :0)

Apple - I agree with you 100% it's time for YOU..

Well gang like I said Im pooped - I am going to bed early but right now going to go eat and watch some tv..

See you in the morning... Hugs

Oh Julie - Hi !!! don't me to forget you - :0)

Long - I would strave to death - if I ate only 2 oz of meat measured in a little medicne cup...

[Meredith2424 0]

Thank you all for your support. I spoke with my dad again and cried (of course). I explained to him that this is my decision and that I am happy and confident with my surgeon, hospital, and all that goes along with this. I also reminded him that I am younger than the man that he heard about that died. He felt bad. We are really close and he didn't mean to hurt my feelings. Sometimes men don't get it and need to keep their mouths shut he told me. At least he gets it! Now that all of that is cleared up, I can look forward to my big day!

Laura- I totally understand where you are coming from. I think that some people think that if they point out the obvious that it will make you more inclined to do something about it. My favorite example is house work. I remember being a young girl and my mom telling me to clean my room. The more she told me, the less I wanted to do it. The same thing happened with me and my weight, the more someone reminded me how big I am, the more I wanted to eat. So, I get it. Sometimes dads have the best intentions, but they are still men. You know. They can't help it! LOL. Good luck to your sister. I'm glad that everything worked out well for her.

Charlene- Congrats on your husbands date! June 17th will be an exciting day for both of you! Also, thank you for reassuring me that this is the place to vent our fears and problems. I needed that.

Julie- I keep reminding myself that people have complications all of the time. Before I had my date, I wasn't scared at all, now, I'm more nervous and I wish that everyone outside of the LB world did not feel the need to put their 2 cents in. I am glad that I explained clearly to those that I am closest to that they need to support me only and keep the side bar comments to themselves.

Apples- Oh, he is reading alright! I gave him every single piece of information that I have ever gotten about the LB. By tomorrow he will be schooled!

Once again, thank you everyone for all of your support. No one else would ever understand like all of you. That means a lot. Thanks!

~Meredith

Edited June 3, 2009 by Meredith2424

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Good morning gang~

For the first time in a while slept REALLY good last night! Woke up appropriately sore from my workout yesterday (I always like that... you feel your muscles hurt, but not so much that you can't move!) I was on liquids yesterday d/t unfill... had 1100 calories. (Ok Janet, don't read this next line), weighed 2 lbs heavier today!!! Just about threw my scale in the swimming pool. I KNOW it is Water weight or whatever, it just pisses me off. I am post-TOM, the time when water weight is usually down. The good news is, I am feeling a good bit of restriction, but without the pain this morning. Perhaps I am closer to my sweet spot?! I only had one of those Healthwise Bariatric Protein Cheerio type cereals (90 cal/15 grms protein) and 1/2 cup 1% milk. So, we shall see what the rest of the day has in store. Skipping the gym this morning for a mani and pedi! I will get cardio in this afternoon. We are going to NC this weekend to see my sis and then off to Charleston for a week! My first vacation since being banded! (I typed branded at first!LOL)

ok guys... have a great day!!!

peasout~