Jammin January '07 Bandsters

[Sula 0]

Tonya, I remember a comment you made here long ago..when you DH grabbed your leg and found solid muscle. I know how hard you have worked and worked out. So, you'll be back in the swing of things in no time. You have had your setbacks....sheesh!!

I have not been able to eat a solid thing today..for no reason. I had a Protein Drink for breakfast...was going for a salad with some chicken and egg on top...got stuck and PB's eventually. Decided to try hot Cereal with some Protein Powder and cranberries, nuts in it...vomited. So, I don't get it. Not how I wanted my day to go but at least I was trying to eat right. Oh, I did have a second Protein drink for a late lunch..gotta have something. And now I'm drinking wine (whine!!). My bad.

[tonya66 13]

Sula, lol. I forgot about that. I am ready to get some muscle back, seems like everything has gone to Jello.< /p>

I've gotten up and hit the gym all week long. Yay! I've eaten right, and at my WW meeting on Monday, I lost 3 lbs! So I've finally down some weight instead of gained. My total loss so far since joining WW is 2.6 lbs. I'll take it. With clothes on I weighed 169 even. Naked the next morning, I was at 165. My goal is to get to 155 to be at a healthy weight for my height. However, I really want to get to 145 for my ultimate goal. Only 10 more lbs to be healthy, and 20 to be my own goal.

Well gotta run............

[Sula 0]

Sunshine, you have been one of the most determined and dedicted people I've met here and if anyone can reash their goals, it will be you.

I'm having the devils own time with eating right now. I feel fine. I just can't keep solid stuff down. I had Soup for lunch yesterday and felt icky and up it came. Had cottage cheese (trying for soft or liquids) and it came up as well. I think it is related to this reflux issue. The prilosec worked wonders last week but not so good this week.

Also, got a call from the PS office...they feel the need to reschedule. I have just resisted calling to tell them I wanted to put it off, so I think it is all going according to the "big" plan. I'm going to work on weigh loss and try to get it done in the fall. That seems to set better in my mind right now. Also DH had surgery three weeks ago and found that he is supposed to behave himself for five weeks (or more) so we can't have both of us convalescing...someone has to do chores!!

I am actually okay with it right now. More frustrated with the eating problem, but might be doing well for weighloss. I'm going to do all liquids today as in Protein Drinks.< /p>

[tonya66 13]

Sula - your too kind with your words. But I appreciate the compliment.

You know, one of the things I notice about my band is its a fickle bitch! I mean, it really is! I never know what the hell its going to do. Sorry for the french, but its so true. I can go for weeks, and not feel much restriction, then all of a sudden, I feel tight? Usually I start thinking I need a fill, then I get tight and it only last a day or so. I'm more lose than tight. I finally decided to give up on fills for awhile. I was scheduled for one in December, but I cancelled because I felt like I had some restriction, now I don't.

Right after my surgery, I was really tight, I loved it. I felt like i had the perfect restriction, now its loose again and has been for a few weeks. Just so weird. Right now, I decided to just focus on eating right and exercising. Instead of running for a fill. I think I will eventually get one, but I decided to hold off for awhile and see what the WW plan and exercising can do for me.

Even though I don't feel like I have the best restriction, its still keeps me from totally over eating. I get full quicker on small amounts of food. I don't think I could do the WW plan if it wasn't for the band. I think I would be hungry all the time, but the band helps the small amount of food you get on WW keep me satisfied.

Anyhow, I was just emphasizing with your issue of being tight. You know, I've heard from other doctor websites that if you PB, you should go on liquids for the rest of the day, or maybe two days. But you would think cottage cheese wouldn't come up. Do you think you could have a bug? Or do think that the band is just being fickle and giving you a hard time?

I made it to the gym last night - and had a really hard gruelling workout! I felt good about it. However, didn't get up this morning, I don't even remember turning the alarm off. But I'm okay with it, I'll just go tonight.

Well, I have an extremely busy day today, I have conference calls all day with multi-million dollar customers that all the executives are involved in. So I better get prepared and act like I know what I'm talking about.

[Sula 0]

Fickle bitch it is!! I haven't had a fill in over a year and it certainly feels like it is tighter now than when I filled last january. I had terrible reflux last night. I guess part of me is afraid to go in a see the Dr. What if it is something?

The reason I have this fear is $$. A friend, who had the bad about two months before me, had a major slip last November and had a emergency removal and reinstall. All on her own dime, because she got her band in Mexico and insurance won't cover any of it. I guess I naively figured that after the fact problems would be covered as medical problems. I don't actually think I have a problem with the band...but maybe just some swelling and might need an unfill.

So,now the dilemma, is that I'm losing weight, should I just tolerate it a bit longer and get somewhere in my loss so I can have some movement. I just need to eat even more properly, or stick with some liquids more often. And that doesn't seem to be against bandster rules.

It is kinda funny, ironic. I am now eating the portion...like 2 oz at a time. A very small portion. And isn't that what we are supposed to do?

[imsusie0929 0]

Hi Sula,

Had the exact same problem you are having, no matter what I ate at night I would pay big time! Had a fluro and my esophagus was enlarged and inflamed. I had an almost complete unfill. Everything is good! I am having Fluid put back in slowly for the next few months. Don't risk your health. An inflamed esophagus is not the way to go. Be careful, talk to your dr. and go from there...

Susie

[tonya66 13]

I agree with Susie, Sula. If you are having extreme reflux, and you tried everything to cure it. Like, not eating 3 hours prior to bed time, etc, I would go in and have a slight unfill.

It is so WEIRD about the band being so darn fickle. I was scheduled for a fill in December but I canceled, and just when I think I need a fill, I get tight again. I made an egg white omlet this morning, and took 2 bites and realized I was having a hard time with it, so I switched to yogurt, and I had to slow down while eating the yogurt. Normally I can eat anything in the mornings, but his morning, my band is being a little fickle.

I'm usually tight only 2 days out of the week, the rest of the time I am normal. I'm not real lose, but looser than I would want to be.

I had a little reflux on Friday night, but haven't had any since.

I know its good that your losing weight, but you don't want to jeapordize your health. So, if you have tried not eating before bed (I have to wait 3 hours), then I would go see the doc. A slight unfill of even .1 cc can make a difference.

[Sula 0]

I have a doc's appointment for friday with my regular doc. I am trying to figure it out before I go to the lapband doc, as it isn't covered by insurance. I'm sort of back thinking hiatal hernia, but the past few days have been pretty tough. I'm down five pounds in a week. Not good.

I am trying to stick to my Protein drinkings and picked up some more higher protein drinks...42 grams per drink for this one, so I can keep that part up. It has taken me some time to drink it as I did try some solids this morning and that messed me up. I am also drinking my Water. Very strange, is all I have to say about this.

I just have to wonder why I'd need an unfill if is has been January 2008 since I got it filled last. But, we do know, fickle!!

But hopefully I have some insight on friday and if I have to schedule an unfill, I can do that as well.

Oh, and I'm pretty careful about eating too late...recently. I'm going to finish off another protein drink before 6 today and be done except for water. But you know what, usually was burps up is liquid. So, some of the solids are making it down.

[tonya66 13]

Sula - Yep, you have a fickle band. I suspect the esophagus could be irriated and it could take a week or so of liquids to calm it down. Seeing a doc is the best way to find out. They probably will do an upper GI. Or Barium swallow test.

If you have a hernia, they will see it on the upper GI. Thats when they found mine.

Okay, went to Weight Watchers meeting last night and down another 1.4 lbs since last weigh in. Since joining WW I am down 4 lbs. 4 lbs in 4 weeks. It is going slow, but at least it is moving downward. I told myself if I could lose just 1 lb a week I would be happy. So I'm averaging that, so I'm not going to complain. I'm going to stick with it another 30 days and see what happens. If I quit losing, I will quit WW.

The thing I like about WW is it gives me specific guidelines to eat, and I have to weigh in every week, it keeps me accountable.

The things I don't like about ww - its so sloooooow. lol. But, I guess its better than what I've been doing because I've lost the same 5 to 10 lbs over the past year. I'm sick of losing hte same 5 or 10 lbs.

Exercising has been going good. Morning routine, not so good. But at least i'm exercising, right? This time change is really thrown me for a loop and I just can't get myself out of bed. I set THREE alarms last night and turned everyone of them off this morning and went back to bed. I barely got up in time to get to work this morning. grrrrrr.

Talk to everyone later.

[Sula 0]

Went to the band doctor and he pulled out all the saline. I almost immediately felt better and was able to drink my Water and Protein drink without problems. I even had some solids for dinner, albeit, softer foods. I slept well without any regergitation. However, I have this pain this morning...I didn't start off with it, but as I've been up for a bit...It is sort of a dull ache. I'll just have to keep track of it and see what it going on.

The Dr. said it might resolve itself (whatever it is) with the unfill...but if not, they would do a CAT scan and see if I have a slip. Then it is back to surgery. And no insurance coverage. SO, I'm freaking. I'm thinking for the cost, I can go back to Mexico three times.

On another note...16 freaking degrees BELOW zero this morning. Can't catch a break!! I am so sick and tired of winter.

[tonya66 13]

Sula, ouch it is cold where your at! We had 80 degrees on Monday, and Tuesday it started getting colder. This morning it was 29, but with winsheild factor, feels like 19 degrees. I'm freezing at this temp, I would really be cold at below zero!!!!!

Regarding your saline being taken out, I don't really think it is a slip, if it was, I've heard severe vomiting all the time. It could be a tiny slip, but usually taking all the Fluid out will correct that.

The pain might be some irritation of the Esophagus. When I had my band completely close up on me, when I couldn't even swallow saliva and ended up in the hospital, they took some of the saline out, and I remember having pain the next day. It was right in my chest area, seems like it lasted a few days. My doc said it was irritated from all the PBing I did.

Try to be calm, and hopefully everything will work out and be just fine.

[Sula 0]

Tonya, you're the best. It is so nice to have band buddies that have been there and done that. This isn't something a lot of people could commiserate with you on!! Thanks for the support.

Anyway, the pain did go away after about a half hour and I've been feeling fine. Now, because I seem to just have to have something to worry about, I'm worrying about not having any restriction and "losing" control!! So, I"m thinking WW for me. I think I'll be okay for a few days because I need to be careful it I'm inflamed inside and all. But, you have done so well and I do think that accountability is so important. I'm thinking along those lines, anyway. Some of it depends on when the meetings are here in my little burg!!

It was 17 below this mornning..but warmed up and snow is melting as I type. Supposed to get to 50 I think tomorrow or Friday. I'm having a belated 50th b-day party by meeting my mom in a "bigger" town and doing some shopping. I'm so excited. We have put it off for two weeks due to blizzards...gotta love MT. I would love a heat wave of 80 degrees, sounds lovely!!

Hey, where are the rest of you guys? How are you doing?

[imsusie0929 0]

Hi all,

Sula I'm so happy you had some saline taken out. As I mentioned before I had the exact same problem. I was severely sleep deprived. Everytime I fell asleep I was sick. I also had some pain after having all the Fluid taken out. It went away fairly quickly though. I had 1cc put back in last month and I'm getting another cc in 2 weeks. So far So good! Although the restriction is pretty much non-existent.

My friend had gastric sleeving done and I kinda wish I had waited and done the sleeve. She hasn't had any problems to date. It's been about nine months. Of course none of us had all these problems early on either right?

Talk again soon,

Susie

[juno610 1]

Hey guys!! It's so interesting to come back here and find you all talking about gastric problems... cuz that's where I've been these last few weeks! I ended up a couple days in the hospital with abdominal pain. After a bunch of testing, I found I have a diseased gallbladder (coming out soon), stomach polyps (removed, benign), ulcers in my esophagus (not Barretts thank God), and mild gastritis. Oh yeah, and two small kidney stones.

All I have to say is this is the wake-up call I've been needing to get my crap together. I've only lost another two pounds. Eep!

I'm glad to see there's still some action here. I feel like I've been away forever.

Maria

[Sula 0]

Hi Suzie,

I had alllll my Fluid taken out. But I'm okay with that. Somewhere on this list, I read (way back when) that this could be another way to jumpstart the process. Anyway, the doc says that if everything seems to be resolved in a few weeks (two) I can start getting filled again.

All this aside, I absolutely am still committed to my band and my choice. I don't have any regrets whatsoever.

Maria, Yikes!! You sound like you need some TLC. Hope you are on the upswing and getting better.