Bunny Bandsters - April '09, MASTER THREAD #1

[hopeful41411 0]

Well that's what I was wondering because I don't go very much. I just feel like all I eat is Protein and no other good for me things. I bought the Benefiber chewables. Hopefully they will help me! Thanks again for your help.

I gave up sweets today until Thanksgiving. Some of you might be already great about this, but ice cream still gets me because it's easy to go down. So I am hoping the weight will come off a bit quicker this next two and a half weeks. This also includes my yummy Starbucks coffee.< /p>

[paxie 0]

Hugs. Jersey sorry to hear the news. :tongue2:

JT - best wishes on a smooth recovery.

things are going well - except with halloween chocolates surrounding me, lol..

[AngieB2009 0]

Well that's what I was wondering because I don't go very much. I just feel like all I eat is Protein and no other good for me things. I bought the Benefiber chewables. Hopefully they will help me! Thanks again for your help.

I gave up sweets today until Thanksgiving. Some of you might be already great about this, but ice cream still gets me because it's easy to go down. So I am hoping the weight will come off a bit quicker this next two and a half weeks. This also includes my yummy Starbucks coffee.< /p>

Good for you! I have to confess that, I was with you all the way until you said including starbucks.....then the voice in my head said, " The horror!" LOL But seriously you go girl! Work it!

[AngieB2009 0]

Okay bunnies - I have a question for you all....Please help by sharing. Pretty Please!

Drinking Water – big ol’ drinks! Questions…

Okay so I had something unexpected happen this morning. I took a big-o-drink of water. More like three consecutive drinks. Swallow, swallow, swallow….you get what I am saying. I actually felt the water being held up. Like not super drastic, but I felt it in my stoma and throat. I felt a mild alert over the situation. Um, never had that happen before! Wow! Until this happened this morning I have been able to chug-a-lug my water at a good rate, any time of day. I know, some don’t understand why people like me drink so fast, but we are all different. I am a fish! Ha! Just kidding but I have a habit of drinking a couple of swallows each drink. Not all the time now as I am working on slowing down….but I am a drinker.

I have been reading on this board for a while now, so there have been many subjects covered. Which I love, by the way, because it feels good to have working knowledge of the band, even if it is not my own working knowledge. : ) So, thank you all for sharing your band experiences! You are appreciated! That being said, I’ve thought it is strange when people talk about having a hard time getting there liquids in. Sipping through out the day….sucking on ice cubes, ect. I’ve read many posts about not being able to tolerate food in the mornings. Even some posts about not being able to eat anything solid until evening.

That being said, I know our bands are fickle. Each person can have there band affected differently. Some talk about weather, flying, stress, their monthly visitor, a bad PB episode, drinking cold liquids, and much more, and how it can affect the bands tightness. What I would really like to know is how tight you prefer to keep your bands’? Do you keep your band snug enough to feel water back up if you drink a big ol’ drink? Are you a sipper? Can you eat in the mornings, or afternoons? Do you have to wait on your band to loosen up before a meal? Can you put into words what band restriction means to you?

I am curious on what the “norm” is and if is varies a great deal from person to person. I am working on getting to my sweet spot or being in the green zone. For me, I can enjoy Breakfast everyday. Depending on the food, I can eat a cup to ¾ cup of food at a meal. I focus mainly on Protein and often feel like I leave out veggies and fruits almost completely. I seem to have better success when I eat steamed veggies vs. fresh veggies using broccoli and carrots as a good example of this. My band tolerates muffins and cake well, wish came as a surprise to me. We had treats at work and I tried these yummies and had no issues. I have no idea if I can eat bread, because I have cut it completely out of my diet. I no longer eat a sandwich or anything like that. I stick to the guts, the insides of a sandwich. Protein, protein, protein…

I am planning on posting this in the forum as well as a blog entry. Please reply and share how you like your band, and what works best for you. Last monthish there were some great posts about a few gals feeling there bands were too tight. I know from your posts that being to tight does not equal weight loss or a safe way to keep your band. So all experience is valuable! I am scheduled for an up coming fill in December and I have been on and off the fence about it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and if you don’t feel comfortable posting, please PM me. You guys are the best!

[Band_Groupie 3]

What I would really like to know is how tight you prefer to keep your bands’? Do you keep your band snug enough to feel Water back up if you drink a big ol’ drink? Are you a sipper? Can you eat in the mornings, or afternoons? Do you have to wait on your band to loosen up before a meal? Can you put into words what band restriction means to you?

I tried to tackle this description when I got to what I considered my Sweet Spot (blog HERE). My preference is to have my band tight enough that I can still eat everything, but I'm not hungry between meals of about 1C (sometimes 3/4, sometimes 1.5C). I COULD eat 1.5 C at each meal, maybe more, but I don't need to in order to be satisfied. If I got another fill right now, even a little bit, I know I'd be PBing a lot, or would be resorting to sliders...not what I want, so...I'm in the zone.

I DO have the morning tightness and sometimes it lasts until the afternoon if I'm drinking something cold (exactly as you described...it 'backs up' and I can feel it gurgling slowly through...my doc makes us drink a cup of water after each fill and that's always my restriction test-the last two I've gotten more slow down and gurgling with the water). I drink hot coffee first in the morning and it helps so I can get my oatmeal down as long as I eat slowly. I generally don't have any problem with later meals and can usually chug at night, although probably not as fast as I could pre-band. I do have a problem getting in all my liquids, but I just need to work harder at it.

Like I said, I can eat anything including bread (which I try to avoid, but have had some). There's nothing on my can't eat list. I've always said if I get so tight that I can't eat things or have to drink my Protein that I'm too tight (my doc's philosophy too), but I know some like having that control of only being able to drink some meals. I have had my stuck episodes, but it's operator error and not chewing or eating too fast and it doesn't happen often.

I've had problems getting in all the fruit and vegetables too and don't often make the nutritional requirements, but I'm working that back in and I probably need to track things more often than I do.

I'll be interested to see what you find out...the sweet spot is certainly a personal decision for everyone. Great question!

[hopeful41411 0]

Day two of no sweets and I'm doing well. The weekend will be the toughest. We're doing a Biggest Loser at school and I am hoping my team will win the money! That's helping motivate me too.

I thought I was getting closer to my sweet spot, but then this week things have changed. Now again I am starving in the morning and around 3. So I am thinking I will definitely be getting half a cc next Tuesday. This will put me at 9 or 9.5cc. Is that crazy? I am still experiencing hunger. Bg, I know you said you're at your sweet spot. Are you ever hungry? I have someone I've been talking to who said at their sweet spot they have to remind themselves to eat because they never truly feel hunger. Is that normal? Right now I'm afraid it's just never going to work like it should for me.

[Band_Groupie 3]

I thought I was getting closer to my sweet spot, but then this week things have changed. Now again I am starving in the morning and around 3. So I am thinking I will definitely be getting half a cc next Tuesday. This will put me at 9 or 9.5cc. Is that crazy? I am still experiencing hunger. Bg, I know you said you're at your sweet spot. Are you ever hungry? I have someone I've been talking to who said at their sweet spot they have to remind themselves to eat because they never truly feel hunger. Is that normal? Right now I'm afraid it's just never going to work like it should for me.

Who's to say 9 or 9.5 is crazy?! We've all got different anatomy and only you know what you need...some need their bands almost completely full.

I'm a little hungry in the mornings, but you should be hungry for breakfast. Sometimes if I go longer than normal between meals I get hungry, but you should be hungry if it's been a long time. As long as I follow the bander rules and eat enough Protein I'm NOT hungry between meals (and yes, I've accidently found myself hungry and realized I'd missed lunch). Do I struggle with head hunger...yep...Do I snack sometimes in the evenings...yep (last night I had almonds). If I drink with/too soon after that really effects hunger for me. Hope that helps!

[AngieB2009 0]

Who's to say 9 or 9.5 is crazy?! We've all got different anatomy and only you know what you need...some need their bands almost completely full. QUOTE]

I agree with B_G we all have different levels. I am working on figuring mine out.

Oh and B_G thanks for linking the sweet spot blog in your reply. I agree the sweet spot is a personal choice. I am glad you reached yours quickly! Mine is with in reach! I love living with the band!

[hopeful41411 0]

Well then I'm not at my spot then! I eat breakfast at 6:45 on my way to work and I'm hungry by 10. Then I eat lunch at 11:30 and I'm starving by 3. This is not normal right? I've been getting at least 90+ g of Protein every day. And this week without eating the sweets I am just beyond myself. I never drink with meals and wait at least 30 minutes before and after. My Water has been low because of this, but this week I am really trying to zone in on getting my 64oz.

I guess I feel like a weirdo since I need so much restriction in my band. It just doesn't feel like this is what people tend to have happen.

[hopeful41411 0]

Angie you and I have similar starting and current weights! Kinda fun :biggrin:

[Band_Groupie 3]

You're not in the zone yet...'starving' is not a word I could even use anymore. Take it as a good thing that you need more fill than some...it means you have a nice thin stoma-less fat around your stoma, right? I'd also suggest you extend the no drinking thing to as close to an hour after meals as you can...I saw a couple of studies they did and even a little Water with or after a meal flushes it through much faster than if you wait an hour (time it stayed in the pouch correlated directly with amount of water and when). Also, I don't eat very many 'soft' foods at all, so the solids stick in the pouch longer. You'll get there...another fill!

[AngieB2009 0]

Angie you and I have similar starting and current weights! Kinda fun :drool:

We do! That is awesome! I will say that it's cool to see someone with similar numbers as you have. You are doing great!

Have you scheduled another fill? I have mine scheduled for Dec 7th. That was the soonest I could get in. This will be # 5 for me. I love the band and am so glad I made the decison to get banded. Fill have been harder to wrap my head around, but I am focused on the positive. (I've said this now with each fill I have received....I think this one will be the "sweet spot." :thumbup:) LOL

I hope for both of us we reach our green zone/sweet spot soon! Go us! Go all bunnies!

[hopeful41411 0]

Angie, I am scheduled for a fill on Tuesday :drool: It's been six weeks this time since my last fill and I'm ready for it.

Today I reached the 50lb mark! I have been waiting for this for about 3 weeks. This no sweet thing is doing it :thumbup: I also have been trying to hit the Water hard.

Bg, I can do an hour after eating to drink. Is it 30 or 60 minutes before the meal on drinking?

[Band_Groupie 3]

Angie, I am scheduled for a fill on Tuesday It's been six weeks this time since my last fill and I'm ready for it.

Today I reached the 50lb mark! I have been waiting for this for about 3 weeks. This no sweet thing is doing it I also have been trying to hit the Water hard.

Bg, I can do an hour after eating to drink. Is it 30 or 60 minutes before the meal on drinking?

Congrats on the 50!!! That's such a milestone, YAY!

Personally, I don't think the 'before' drinking matters much as long as your pouch is empty...it will go right through. Doc says 15 min. before, but I've read lots of Docs here have completely gotten rid of the 'before' rule. I often drink just a few min. before (I'm always behind on water LOL).

Good luck with the fills girls!

[AngieB2009 0]

Angie, I am scheduled for a fill on Tuesday :wink: It's been six weeks this time since my last fill and I'm ready for it.

Today I reached the 50lb mark! I have been waiting for this for about 3 weeks. This no sweet thing is doing it I also have been trying to hit the Water hard.

Bg, I can do an hour after eating to drink. Is it 30 or 60 minutes before the meal on drinking?

Andrea! Congrats! Way to Go!