January 27

[ljv52 2]

I think you're right, Pen. I stopped Protein Drinks altogether and the gas has pretty much subsided. My doc doesn't really want us on Protein Shakes (prefers we eat real food), it isn't a problem. I'm doing well, have been exercising a lot -- Going three times a week, Mon., Wednes and Friday -- doing recumbant bike 30 mins., then circuit training and then doing a 45 mins. Water aerobics class -- I'm tired out after that but it's worth it -- I've been losing about 2 pounds a week since I've been doing that. I struggled and didn't lose any weight one week and then only lost like a partial pound the next. That's when I decided I better get to exercising and it does help. Wish we'd hear from Carolina Mom and Ms Kelly -- come on you guys, let us know you're doing okay. I've been doing pretty good with the eating -- trying to limit my fat intake -- that's a diet that always works well for me. I decided I want to diet until I lose the majority of my weight and then after that, just try to use the band to limit my intake of food. I have a goal -- I'm not telling my family that I did the band and we are all meeting in Vegas for my sister's 50th birthday party on August 9, so I want to surprise them all with the "new me" -- won't they be surprised? It should be fun. Pen, I actually tried a piece of toast the other day and it was okay. I just put some jelly on it. Also, when I went to my support group meeting, I heard about PB2 -- it's a powdered Peanut Butter that you mix with water. 1 tablespoon only has 1.8 grams of fat and a lot less calories than regular peanut butter. It's a good source of Protein -- I had it on a graham cracker with some jelly for Breakfast and it was heaven. I stopped eating peanut butter a long time ago cause it was so fattening, so it was a nice treat. Hope to hear from you and some others soon.

Linda

[ljv52 2]

Pen, are you in Vegas? I lived in Reno for 15 years -- from 1979 to 1991. Let me know where you live in NV. I miss it so much. I left there and moved to So. Ca (Long Beach) and then we moved to Iowa 4 years ago (to live near my son and daughter in law). Guess what? He got promoted and moved to Vegas last Oct. But it's all good, I like it here, except the winters are a pain (too cold). But I'll survive. Linda

[ms.kelley-rn 0]

Hey everyone!

I know I haven't posted in awhile. I went back to work last week and have been super busy since I went back. I'm doing so much better now. I thought I would never get to a point where I wasn't in pain. I've been exercising 4-5 times a week and that's really helping with the weight loss. I go for my first fill next Tuesday so I'm a little anxious about that. The gas pains are long gone but I've noticed I burp alot more than pre-band. Is anyone on regular solid foods yet? How's that going? Any episodes of getting something stuck? I'm still on soft solids for at least another week. I have gotten scrambled eggs get stuck once and that was no fun. Anyway, things are going great now and I couldn't be more happier with my decision. I'm even thinking about going out with my friends this weekend to meet up with old classmates. I usually try to come up with some excuse so I don't have to go out 'cause I'm too embarrassed to be seen, but now after losing 25 lbs I feel like I have more confidence and self esteem. There's so much I want to do now and I can't wait for this summer! I'm ready to show off the new me!

[Carolina Mom 0]

Ok, I am still living sorry for not postin. I felt really bad this week. I do not know what I am doing wrong. I am still having some left side pain which has eased alot over night. I hope it is gone. I am find myself ready to go get this crazy thing removed. I have arthritis and I am scared my body is rejecting it. I am not following the rules either, slack with my Vitamins and Water just don't want to eat. I think that is why I feel so bad. Yesterday I had fever again of 101. Took my meds and went to bed. I am home today to medicate myself and rest. Please prayer that this will pass. I do feel better this morning. I don't feel well enough to exercise. I move live a snail. Help!!!!!

[Embrace 11]

Pen, are you in Vegas? I lived in Reno for 15 years -- from 1979 to 1991. Let me know where you live in NV. I miss it so much. I left there and moved to So. Ca (Long Beach) and then we moved to Iowa 4 years ago (to live near my son and daughter in law). Guess what? He got promoted and moved to Vegas last Oct. But it's all good, I like it here, except the winters are a pain (too cold). But I'll survive. Linda

Hi Linda,

I'm in Sparks - LV is too hot for me (:biggrin:at least between March and November!) I like living in Nevada too but work has dried up here and it's getting tougher to hold onto a job. I guess that's true every place these days.

I got stuck on a plateau. I keep losing and gaining the same 2 pounds. My eating habits are to blame. It just dawned on me that I'm not keeping a food journal or eating Protein first at every meal. Work has been nuts so I haven't been walking either.

The first thing my doc said after surgery was that I'd do fine if 'I followed the rules.' Sure enough. I'm getting myself back on track by following the liquid diet for about a week and then following the rules to the letter.

This band is my best friend. I need to remember to treat it that way!

[Embrace 11]

Ok, I am still living sorry for not postin. I felt really bad this week. I do not know what I am doing wrong. I am still having some left side pain which has eased alot over night. I hope it is gone. I am find myself ready to go get this crazy thing removed. I have arthritis and I am scared my body is rejecting it. I am not following the rules either, slack with my Vitamins and Water just don't want to eat. I think that is why I feel so bad. Yesterday I had fever again of 101. Took my meds and went to bed. I am home today to medicate myself and rest. Please prayer that this will pass. I do feel better this morning. I don't feel well enough to exercise. I move live a snail. Help!!!!!

Carolina Mom,

I'm so sorry that you're struggling. I guess only your doctor will know if your body doesn't like the band but I suspect that some of the problem is not following the rules. Don't get me wrong. I haven't been following them either. Keep losing (and gaining) the same 2 pounds. I'm not walking.

I've been thinking about all the reasons I needed the surgery and what I want for my future. So, I'm committed to getting back on track. I'm starting today on the pre-surgery liquid diet for one week to jumpstart my weight loss.

You pick one thing to do too and we'll support each other. Let's touch base again tomorrow and see how we're doing, okay?

[Embrace 11]

Hey everyone!

I know I haven't posted in awhile. I went back to work last week and have been super busy since I went back. I'm doing so much better now. I thought I would never get to a point where I wasn't in pain. I've been exercising 4-5 times a week and that's really helping with the weight loss. I go for my first fill next Tuesday so I'm a little anxious about that. The gas pains are long gone but I've noticed I burp alot more than pre-band. Is anyone on regular solid foods yet? How's that going? Any episodes of getting something stuck? I'm still on soft solids for at least another week. I have gotten scrambled eggs get stuck once and that was no fun. Anyway, things are going great now and I couldn't be more happier with my decision. I'm even thinking about going out with my friends this weekend to meet up with old classmates. I usually try to come up with some excuse so I don't have to go out 'cause I'm too embarrassed to be seen, but now after losing 25 lbs I feel like I have more confidence and self esteem. There's so much I want to do now and I can't wait for this summer! I'm ready to show off the new me!

I burp and hiccup too usually after I overeat. I guess that's the band's way of saying 'whoa, girlfriend.' Also, I get gassy, which I rarely -and I mean rarely- did before.

Your exercising inspires me. I'll get to the gym to walk on the treadmill TODAY!

[txmurphy 0]

I haven't posted in a while either; guess it means I am feeling better. Really, February was very busy and hectic for us. My dad left on the 15th, so I am back to caring for myself and my family, so it has been slow but constant. I can tell I am feeling much better because I do not have any more gas pain or heartburn that I had previously when I eat. I am now hungry a lot. I am down about 20-25 pounds but did not lose any last week when we had friends visit from out of town. I ate a lot. Not as much as before, but more than usual. Believe me, I felt full and miserable later. I didn't lose any weight but I was surprised that I did not gain any. I go for my first fill on the 5th of March. I am truly excited about this fill. I think I have healed enough that I need it to get some restriction. I hope everyone is doing well. Believe me there were times, I just wanted the band out, but now I don't hurt at all and I am feeling fine. I used the Gas-X strips for the gas pain and I used Prilosec OTC 1 x daily for the heartburn. I still have the occasional hiccup burps, but nothing painful. Good luck!

[ljv52 2]

Hi TX, thanks for checking in. I have my fill on 3-11 and I can't wait. I've been so hungry and although I've been making good food choices, I'm doing some bad things -- like eating way too fast, not chewing that well, etc. I never really feel full ever -- that's been going on for over 2 weeks and so I'm more than ready to get a fill. Let me know how yours is on the 5th. Good luck! Linda

[txmurphy 0]

Okay; just had my first fill about an hour ago. It was not bad at all. Took less than 5 minutes. The surgeon came in with his nurse; used their mobile ultrasound to locate my port; wiped my incision down with iodine and stuck the needle in (it did not hurt at all). He talked to me the entire time which helped, so I knew what was going on. He took any air out of the band and then put in 3 cc's of saline. I had a few sips of Water to make sure I could swallow and then I was done. Of course they told me to call if I have any complications, especially vomiting. I stick with Clear Liquids today, then soft liquids tomorrow and then back to food on Saturday. If there are no problems then I go back in a month. Good luck to all! Stay strong!

[ljv52 2]

Carolina Mom, Somehow when I checked in yesterday, I missed your post. I'm so sorry you're feeling so lousy and having such a rough time. I do hope you start feeling better soon. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers and sending you a big hug right now. Pen, what kind of work do you do? I was a legal secretary and worked at Woodburn, Wedge most of the time I lived in Reno. That whole area has grown so much it's scary -- I was back there in 2005 and I couldn't believe how much it had grown. My son graduated from McQueen H.S. in 1991, and there wasn't much out there at that time except the school and now there's miles and miles and miles of houses beyond that area. Unbelievable. The exercising really really works - I was pleasantly surprised when I got on the scale Tues. for my weekly weigh in -- I had lost 5 lbs. this week, so I was thrilled. I had so much gas after surgery that I stopped drinking Protein Shakes pretty early on. But I ate only very soft foods -- egg beaters, scrambled very soft (with some non fat or low fat cheese melted on them), salmon patties, Boca and Morning Star veggie patties (much softer than real meat), baked fish, and black Beans, pinto beans. I eat a lot of canned green beans. I dice up onion and put the onion in the pan with a tablespoon or so of those real bacon bits (only 1.5 grams of fat per 1 Tablespoon) and cook that until the onion is soft and transluscent. Then I add a couple of cans of green beans and then some pepper and a couple of tablespoons of vinegar and letting that simmer for about 15 mins. I like them this way adn they're very low in fat and they are soft and easy to eat. I like a lot of veggies, but I LOVE butter on them which of course I can't have, so that's why I like these beans. I've only had carbs a couple of times since I started the pre-surgery diet. One time I had a small red potato with non fat ranch dip on it and I've had a couple of bites of rice a couple of times. I've never had any problems with getting anything stuck or PB'ing. In fact, today was the first time I tried salad and real chicken (I had a salad with grilled chicken at Applebee's) and boy did that taste great -- I'd been craving salad but was afraid to eat it (not sure why). I took my own fat free ranch dressing with me. Like I said, I've been so hungry lately and have to be careful when I chew cause sometimes I am eating way too fast. When I get restriction, I'll have to be careful. Can't wait to get that fill next week. Pen, have you had a fill yet? Good luck and let's try to keep in touch. Linda

[ms.kelley-rn 0]

Well I had my first fill this past Tuesday. I must say it wasn't bad at all. The surgeon was very gentle which made all the difference. He first numbed the area with lidocaine. I couldn't even feel the "burn" of the lidocaine because he went really slow. Once I was numb, I didn't feel anything else. The surgeon injected the needle into my port and pulled out the 2cc that was placed during surgery, then put that back plus 2.4cc more. After that, he told me to drink some Water to make sure it would go down and that was it. I really needed this fill, because I felt like could eat much more than I should and I was hungry all the time. Now I feel some restriction which is good. I don't want to undo all the hard work I've put into losing the weight I've lost so far. LJV let us know how your fill experience goes next week.

[ljv52 2]

Hi Ms. Kelly, thanks for the update and info on your fill, I'm starting to feel less worried about it after reading your post. I too am starving and can't wait for my fill - right now I'm very hungry but I won't eat cause I already brushed and flossed my teeth, but I feel ravenous. Linda

[Carolina Mom 0]

I went to my doctor on March 4 NO FILL!!!!!!!!!. He said to wait two weeks and see how things are going. I was wondering if anyone has had a problem with feeling tighter even without a fill? I have had a week of very tight feeling. I really have to be carefully drinking and eating or I am sick. I feel much better today. I have to drink something hot in the morning and be very careful the rest of the day. He said that was normal for morning.

[ljv52 2]

Carolinamom, sorry to hear you're having problems. I'm wide open, can eat anything and experiencing a ton of hunger, so can't imagine that without a fill you are so tight, but they say everyone is different. Do you know if your doctor put saline in at the time of your surgery? Mine does not put any in, and I go for a fill this Wednes. I worry about getting my fill and being too tight, it seems to be the worst of the problems I've read about. Hope you are feeling better, I'll be thinking of you and hoping things will get better. Linda