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About this blog

:thumbup:My journey with the band - On my way to the 2nd part of my life!

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23 mo band anniversary

Consultation with Doc 11/24/06 - 248.9 Surgery Date 1/18/07 - 226 1 mo post op (Feb 18)- 206.8 2 mo post op (March 18) - 198 3 mo post op (April 18th)- 193 4 mo post op (May 18th)- 184.2 5 mo post op (June 18th(- 178 6 mo post op (July 18th)– 174 7 mo post op (Aug 18th)- 178 - went on vacation and ate big (7 day cruise) 8 mo post op (Sept 18th)- 174 9 mo post op (Oct 18th)- 170 10 mo post op (Nov 18th) - 167 11 mo post op (Dec 18th) - 170 - haven’t even been trying 12 mo post op (Jan 18th 2008)- 174 - again, not trying. But finally refocused - exactly where I was at 6 mos post op – so basically no weight loss in the past 6 mos 13 mo post op (Feb 18th) - 183 - Ouch! started taking steroids and made my weight go up, along with not eating right and no exercise! 14 mo post op (March 18th)- 185 - grrrrr 15 mo post op (April 18th)- 180 - weight is finally going down, but inches are actually coming off faster since I've been exercising a lot. 16 mo post op (May 18th)- 178 17 mo post op (June 18th)- 175 18 mo post op (July 18th)- 179- still not focussed:sad: 19 mo post op -(Aug 18th) - 178 - focussed again - This time I am committed to getting to goal and will not stray! I do not ever want to see the 180's again! 20 mo post op (Sept. 18) - 171 - :rolleyes2: 21 mo post op (Oct 18) - 168 22 mo post op (Nov 18) - 169 - I am focussed and doing good, but need to get back to exercising. I want to hit 160 by year end. 23 mo post op (Dec 18) - 166 - only 6 more pounds to get to my goal by year end. I don't think it will happen, but I will continue to try.
tonya66

tonya66

4
 

2/28/10

Well, I started a controversial diet on 2/16 and so far it has been going good. I have read lots of negative stuff about it, mainly from doctors. I am always surprised at the comments from readers which are all positive, they had all done the diet and quite please with it, so I decided to try Dr. Simeons HCG Protocal. I did something similar to it back in the 80's but it wasn't quit the same.   I am down to my last 20 lbs to lose and I'm finding it very hard with just the band. So I decided to do the HCG diet which is pretty strict and so far I have not cheated one time. I've followed it to the T and am down about 13 pounds (This is about the weight that I've gained thru the winter so no need to get too excited)   Day 1 - loading days 178.2 Day 2 - 178.5 (another loading day) Day 3 - First day of VLCD 179.8 Day 4 - 176.2 Day 5 - 175.6 Day 6 - 173.4 Day 7 - 172.4 Day 8 - 171.1 Day 9 - 168.9 Day 10 - 168.9 Day 11 - 168.8 Day 12 - 169.0 Day 13 - 168.2 Day 14 - 167.6 Day 15 - 166.9 (total 12.9 pounds)   I have about 25 more days to go. My goal is to lose a total of 25, but its slowing down, so I will be happy with a loss of 20.   Its amazing how little hunger I have. With the band and the HCG, it seems to control the hunger. I'm proud of my will power too. I have stayed on the protocol and have not strayed at all. I've become creative with my snacking too.   Today I made "apple chips". Sliced a green apple up (peeled it first) and sliced it very thin, sprinkled stevia on the slices and cinnamon and baked in oven and made the apple chips. They are great for snacking and I can have a few thru out the day. I get 2 fruits a day. It also helps with my "sweet tooth".   Well, thats whats been going on in my life lately. I will post more in my journal.   PS - I would appreciate no negative comments, I was reluctant to post this however, I am keeping this blog for my future reference and have kept it updated from the very beginning of my research with Lap band, therefore, I decided to detail the HCG in my blog.   Thanks!
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

2009 goals

I don't believe in resolutions, however, I do believe in setting some goals, writing them down and setting a plan in action to reach those goals. I don't believe you have to only do them in Janaury, however, I usually set goals ever month.   I decided to set a yearly goal, and assess where I am every 2 or 3 months. This way it will keep on track to reaching my goals. I'm only going to list a few of them on this blog, the ones that have to do with my band.   1. Lose my final 30 lbs this year. I will do this in 2009. I need to plan my meals better and get back to the band rules. Proteins first!   2. Exercise will become a big part of my life in 2009. I have a membership, time to start using it more than I do!
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

Notes to myself

Rules of the Road What you need to know about living with the band By Robin McCoy When you begin the decision-making process to have Weight Loss Surgery (WLS), and specifically LapBand® Surgery, it is vital that you fully understand the changes you must make in your lifestyle. WLS is not a magic pill. Weight loss is something that you must work at to be successful. There are several rules and circumstances that someone who has undergone LapBand® Surgery, a “Bandster,” must follow and understand to see success and have a high quality banded life. Drinking Before and After Meals Not drinking during meals is, by far, one of the most important things to learn and is vital to your weight loss success. It is also one of the most challenging. Stop drinking all liquids at least 30 minutes before your meal. This allows all that is in your pouch to drain through to the lower stomach. Therefore your pouch is empty when you eat allowing the food to fill you up properly. Forgo all beverages during your meals. Drinking during a meal flushes the food through your band and the band is unable to function properly. Most people will have 2, 3 or even 4 glasses of liquid with meals. Servers in restaurants, trained to keep customers happy, will keep beverage glasses full throughout the meal. This is unhealthy for bandsters and sabotages their success. State firmly and clearly that you do not want a beverage. From personal experience, I know the often bewildered looks that follow the statement: “nothing to drink for me,” but diligence is the key. Like most changes required after the LapBand® procedure, not drinking with meals gets much easier with time. Having now lost over 100 pounds, I no longer have difficulty asking my server not to bring me a beverage! Do not drink for an hour after a meal. The main reason is the same as drinking during your meal. Liquids wash the food through the band defeating its purpose. Another reason not to drink after a meal is if your pouch is full the beverage might not have anywhere to go…except backwards resulting in a spit-up. Suffice it to say that food and liquids making a return visit is not satisfying. By starting this practice immediately, at the next meal, you will be well on your way to a successful banding experience. Smaller Bites. More Chewing. Slower Eating. Begin to recognize and understand what a Bandster Bite is. At your next meal look at your bite size. Look at the amount of food on your fork and remember it. Now, cut that bite in half. This is the Bandster bite size after surgery. Now, cut that bite in half. This is the size of a Bandster bite after the first fill or adjustment. After each fill the bite size will get smaller until the bandster is eating toddler-sized bites. The reason for this is so the bite can be chewed completely to a liquid before swallowing. The next point is chewing. It is very important that food is completely chewed. Before swallowing ensure the food is a liquid. As the weight loss progresses the opening from the pouch to the lower stomach will be getting smaller. Therefore the food needs to be chewed more thoroughly. If a piece of food is too big to go through the stoma, or opening, it will get "stuck". This can be very painful. Slower eating becomes inevitable. Eating too fast encourages bigger bites. The bigger bite means the food isn’t chewed properly and it can get stuck. As a Bandster with over 18 months in, I still find myself falling into this trap. I get excited, chatting with friends and just forget to pay attention. A Bandster’s Eating Order Lap-Band patients have a specific order in which to eat their food. It is important that there is enough protein in the diet to keep the bodies moving properly. Therefore, the protein should be eaten first. WLS patients need 40-60 grams of protein every day. This can come in a variety of ways. Protein shakes, cheese, fish, beef, chicken, soy. The challenge comes when only certain foods can be tolerated. Also, it is important that the protein is a “hard” protein (chicken, beef, and fish) if possible. It shouldn’t all come from protein shakes and cheese. The vegetables should be eaten second, and carbohydrates/starches last (if there is room). Proteins last longer in the pouch and take longer to process through the band allowing you to feel full sooner and maintain satiety longer. Hard proteins are the most difficult for a Bandster to consume. The hard proteins need to be more moist, more tender and chewed more completely than any other type of food. Generally speaking, proteins are the foods that get “stuck” most often and cause spit ups. This happens because the bite isn’t small enough and/or, because the protein hasn’t been chewed sufficiently before swallowing. For the record, beef is generally the most difficult food for Bandsters to eat. Beef is one of the most difficult foods for humans to digest. It can take several days for a piece of steak to actually work its way through the digestive track. And that’s on an un-banded person! So, if you eat a piece of steak and it isn’t chewed it up completely, it can sit in the pouch for an extended amount of time. Further, the stomach acids that help an un-banded person process beef are not present in the pouch and therefore are not there to help the body break the beef down. Remember each and every person is different so you will have to test your own waters. Some Bandsters have no trouble with beef whatsoever; others won’t go near it. From personal experience I know that each Bandster will figure out what he or she can or cannot tolerate through trial and error. Trust me when I say that tolerances change; one day ground beef is fine and the next you realize it isn’t any longer. You must be willing and able to adapt to sudden changes in your body’s ability to process certain foods. The Constant Quest for Restriction; Not enough vs. too much Restriction. No one can really describe it but everyone wants it. You have restriction when your band is adjusted to the point where you can eat 3-5 bites of well-chewed food and you are full. When this happens you have what is called good restriction. You are too loose, or open, if you don’t feel full after just a few bites. You are able to eat more on a consistent basis than before. Maybe your weight loss has slowed or stopped. This is when it is time for a fill, or adjustment, in your band. You are too tight when you can eat very little solid food or worse—none at all. If you are so tight that only liquids go through your band or you are spitting up too often this is too tight. If you can’t keep liquids down this is a medical issue and you must get some removed. You run the risk of becoming dehydrated. Being too tight is not a good thing! Not only are you not getting the nutrition your body needs to function properly but it can also bring on a slippage in your band. If this happens you will require minor surgery to repair it. Now that you know a little about what restriction is, let’s get a little deeper. There are three points to learn: 1. The first thing to understand is that every banded person feels restriction differently. So to compare yourself to others is difficult. 2. Also the amount of fluid in the band and the stomach’s reaction, or restriction, to it is a varied as the Bandsters reading this now. Everyone’s stomach is a different size and reacts to the band differently. It is fine to compare fluid levels but don’t get too caught up in “I have this and they have that”. 3. Finally, your level of restriction can change day to day. It can change meal to meal in some cases. You are now asking, “How in the heck do I deal with that?” My answer is trial and error and learning about your band. Let us go back to the beginning. Immediately after surgery you will feel restriction. The surgeon usually doesn’t put any fluid in your band during the surgery. The restriction you feel is the swelling of your stomach and it’s adjustment to the band that has suddenly been wrapped around it. You won’t get your first fill until 4-6 weeks after surgery. You will be on clear liquids and they will fill you up quickly for the first few days. Then they will stop filling you up you will begin to feel hungry. About this time you will be allowed to eat mushy foods like mashed potatoes, creamy soups, etc. You will find that you eat just a few bites and you are full. This is great! Who knew a ¼ can of soup would be enough? This is going to be a piece of cake. It isn’t going to last. Shortly this won’t satisfy and you will be moving on to solid food. That feeling of restriction comes back. A slice of turkey and you are stuffed! This doesn’t last either. At about 4 weeks, sometimes earlier, you will start to feel hunger again. You feel like you are eating everything. Your weight loss has slowed or stopped. You start to freak out. “Where is my restriction?!” you cry. This is a difficult time but one that every Bandster gets through. Just be patient and let yourself finish the healing process. Watch what you eat and know that you are not eating anywhere near what you were pre-band. The unfilled band supplies a certain amount of restriction and you won’t hurt your progress. Your first fill will bring you back to the restriction point right after surgery. You will eat a few bites and feel full. You will start losing weight pretty quickly. You want to make sure you are eating your protein first, vegetables second and any starches last. This will ensure satiety. This fill will usually last several weeks. Then it starts to loosen up. Your second fill is the one that usually kicks a Bandster in the butt. This is where they learn what not chewing thoroughly and taking bites that are too large can do. And so it goes. Some Bandsters need one fill others need more. I had 4 over the course of the first year. I heard of one woman that lost 80 pounds on her first fill. This is why I stress not comparing yourself to your banded friends. It brings on frustration and we have spent enough time in our lives comparing ourselves to others. Now is the time to stop. One of the largest environmental factors that make our band feel tighter is stress. I never truly understood what Bandsters were talking about when they said stress was tightening their band. That is until I started the process of buying a house. The stress of the pending inspection and what they might find had my band so tight I was barely eating. My band was so tight I cancelled my fill appointment. Let me say right now that I learned from this experience and you need to make sure you are getting the right vitamins in to ensure your health. I wasn’t in any danger but I was very tired and was bruising like crazy! Well, the inspection went well. I got my house and my band opened back up. Food started going through more smoothly and I started eating better. Other environmental factors can be tiredness, excitement, sadness, or just the fact that it is morning. Many Bandsters find they can’t eat until after 11 AM every day. I don’t know if this satisfies your curiosity of what restriction is or what you are to do with it. I do hope you understand that everyone is different and it is a learning process. You will learn what it feels like for you to have good restriction and when your band is talking to you. Being “stuck” and “spitting up” As WLS patients we have a few fun words we use. Some are nice and some are not. You will hear “PB” which means “Productive Burp”. I prefer the simple term “spit up”. What does “stuck” mean? Stuck means that what you have eaten won’t go through the opening between your pouch and lower stomach. This is called your “stoma”. The bite is too big to go through (meaning you didn’t chew it enough), it isn’t something that moves smoothly through the band (lettuce), or you just ate too darn much. When a bite of food goes through your esophagus and hits your pouch it has one of two places to go…through the band or back. If all is well it will go through with no problem either now or later. If it can’t make it to the pouch or through the stoma it will result in a spit up. Understand that this is something that will happen to you and to every bandster out there. Call it a side-effect or whatever you like but it will happen. The questions are what causes a spit-up, what it feels like, what to do when it happens, and how to avoid them. Remember, things can change day-to-day, heck even meal to meal. This is the nature of the beast. Frustrating? Yes. Small price to pay? I think so. What causes a spit up is easy. The bite it too big, you took one or two too many bites, you didn’t chew properly, or it is simply a food that you can’t tolerate right now. It is up to you to determine which of the above it true. Trust me… you will learn to determine this. What does if feel like? You will know. The best way I can find to describe the feeling is when you drink a big gulp of water and it goes down with air. You get this pain in your chest that makes you feel like something is going to bust out. That is what it feels like when something is stuck. It can be minor or it can hurt like a son-of-a-gun. Some bandsters say their bodies tell them when they are finished eating and need to stop. Some Bandsters start to salivate which is their body’s way of washing the food through. Some, me included, get a heavy sigh or exhale; this tells us we are full. Don’t worry; you too will learn to read what your body is telling you…even if you don’t now. What should you do when it happens? Stop eating is the first thing. It doesn’t matter if it is your first bite or your fifth. A spit up is your body’s way of telling you that you are full. This is your band in full-alert. It is telling you that you are done and to put the fork down. Many times you can stop eating and just wait it out. Until you are used to it you might get the “deer in the headlight” look. Soon you will just adjust. If it doesn’t go away then you need to deal with it. Dealing with it means excusing yourself and heading to the bathroom. A spit up is just that. I compare it to a baby spit up. It should never be what you classify as vomiting. This is hazardous for a Bandster and should be avoided as it can cause slippage. There is a very large difference in spit ups and vomiting. How to avoid them? Well, that comes with experience and a willingness to acknowledge when your “food police” tells you to stop. Very quickly you should learn when your band tells you to stop. I found that after my 2nd fill my band was at attention and told me when I was full. This is when I experienced my first spit ups and found foods that I could no longer tolerate. One of the most difficult things to get your mind around is just how little you will be eating. Your band tells you that you are full but your brain engages and says, “You haven’t eaten nearly enough!” So you take that extra bite or two. Then there it is…the feeling in your chest…your eyes get big…and saliva fills your mouth. The biggest point I want to get across to you is that, while normal, spitting up is not necessarily a good thing. You don’t want to be doing it every day and certainly not every meal. If this is happening you need to take a good look at what you are eating, how big your bites are, how much you are eating and to what level you are chewing. Be aware at the beginning and it will become more of a habit soon enough. Surgery Is Not a Magic Pill Surgery is not the magic pill we have all been waiting for. You will not wake up thin. You must be willing to meet the band half way. You will lose weight at a different pace than your friends. You must change your behavior for this to work. It is a tool—and nothing more. An electric mixer is easier than mixing by hand but you still have to follow the recipe for the cake to taste good. Right now you should be asking yourself one question—“Am I ready to go the distance?” It can be a joyful journey with the highest of highs. Moments that are so thrilling and uplifting that you don’t think you will ever come down. It is also a frightening journey as we venture into unfamiliar territory of who we are and where we are going. You are not going down this path alone. There are many Bandsters ahead of you on this path that are ready to help you along the way and take you with them to the next level. So I ask, “Are you ready to go the distance?”
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

1/21/09

Just swinging by to update my journal. I had my hysterectomy on 1/14/09 and I'm hoping it will cure the pain I was having.   Already, the horrible back pain is GONE.   I will post my 2 year band report when I recoup from the hysterectomy. I still hurt to sit, but for the most part I am feeling pretty good.   The Doctor has ordered me to do absolutely nothing for 2 weeks, and I have done nothing so far, but going a little stir crazy. But trying to follow the docs orders :tt1:.   I've been eating pretty good, hardly have an appetite and the band seems to have gotten a little tighter, it actually is perfect restriction right now, and I love it. Hopefully it will stay like this and I can lose some weight. :thumbup:   Well, gotta go, starting to hurt and I don't want that :cursing:
tonya66

tonya66

5
 

10/14/09 - Teenagers, can we shoot them?

Drama, drama, drama......story of my life these days with two teenagers in the house.   My 16 year old got grounded, so I took her phone away from her, well, she thinks she is smarter than me so she sneaks around and buys herself a "trackphone" or "pay as you go phone" so I wouldn't know about it.   I'm not stupid, everytime in the past I have taken her phone, she beggs me for it back, does extra chores etc. This time, she didn't say a word, I could tell it didn't even bother her so I figured she snuck around and got her a phone. Last night I found it hidden under her pillow. SCORE 1 for me! Well, being the concerned mother, I find a lot of text to this one boy that we have forbid her to see, and let me tell you, IT WAS NOT PRETTY AT OUR HOUSE LAST NIGHT! I don't think my daughter will be leaving the house until she is about 20 years old now. I've pretty much grounded her for the rest of her teenage years.   Needless to say, with all this drama, I didn't make it to the gym tonight which even made me more mad! Tonight we are having a meeting with our daughter and our Elders from church to finish up our little discussion, so I doubt I will make it tonight, but I might.....depends on how long it last and how emotionally drained I am afterwards.   Kids are wonderful, but teenagers........can we shoot them? lol.   Wt - 164.8   Menu: Bfast Weight Watchers Mexican Meatloaf - (I know, but I was hungry and this sounded good)   Lunch Weight Watchers Mexican Meatloaf - (I can't help it, I love it....and I made it last night so I have leftovers......yum yum)   Snack yogurt granola     Dinner Weight Watchers Mexican Meatloaf green beans   Below is the recipe for my Weight Watchers Mexican Meatloaf: Weight Watchers Mexican Meatloaf – 4 pts per serving   1/2 lb raw extra lean ground beef
1/2 lb raw lean ground turkey breast
2 large egg whites
2 ounces cornbread stuffing mix (about 1 cup) You could also substitute with oatmeal too – I usually do half stuffing and half oatmeal
1 medium onion
½ diced bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
4 ounces canned green chili peppers, diced
8 ounces red enchilada sauce
Directions   Preheat oven to 375 Spray broiler pan with fat free cooking spray. In large bowl, mix all ingredients except 4 oz of the enchilada sauce. Form into a loaf shape with your hands Place on broiler pan. Cook 1 hour Top with the rest of the enchilada sauce. Cook 5 minutes longer Slice and serve. Serving Size 1 (171g) Recipe makes 6 servings Calories 185 Calories from Fat 56 (30%) Amount Per Serving %DV Total Fat 6.3g 9% Saturated Fat 1.9g 9% Monounsaturated Fat 2.4g Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4g Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 53mg 17% Sodium 301mg 12% Potassium 458mg 13% Total Carbohydrate 13.7g 4% Dietary Fiber 2.4g 9% Sugars 2.5g           I will for sure get my protein in for today!
tonya66

tonya66

9
 

Anniversary Weigh In - Not that great

Highest weight - November - 2007 248 Banded 1/18/07 1 mo post op (Feb 18)- 206.8 2 mo post op (March 18) - 198 3 mo post op (April 18th)- 193 4 mo post op (May 18th)- 184.2 5 mo post op (June 18th(- 178 6 mo post op (July 18th)– 174 7 mo post op (Aug 18th)- 178 - went on vacation and ate big (7 day cruise) 8 mo post op (Sept 18th)- 174 9 mo post op (Oct 18th)- 170 10 mo post op (Nov 18th) - 167 11 mo post op (Dec 18th) - 170 - haven’t even been trying 12 mo post op (Jan 18th 2008)- 174 - again, not trying. But finally refocused - exactly where I was at 6 mos post op – so basically no weight loss in the past 6 mos 13 mo post op (Feb 18th) - 183 - Ouch! started taking steroids and made my weight go up, along with not eating right and no exercise! 14 mo post op (March 18th)- 185 - grrrrr 15 mo post op (April 18th)- 180 - weight is finally going down, but inches are actually coming off faster since I've been exercising a lot. 16 mo post op (May 18th)- 178 17 mo post op (June 18th)- 175 18 mo post op (July 18th)- 179- still not focussed:sad: 19 mo post op -(Aug 18th) - 178 - focussed again - This time I am committed to getting to goal and will not stray! I do not ever want to see the 180's again!  
tonya66

tonya66

4
 

6/09/10

Todays menu:   Bfast coffee & cream - wasn't hungry and didn't eat bfast   Lunch meatloaf english cucumber salad   snack orange   Dinner talapia salad strawberry crumble   Wt 147.2
tonya66

tonya66

0
 

Unfill #4 update

Fill #1 - 3/6/07 - 2.2cc's   Fill #2 - 4/17/07 - 3.0cc's   Fill #3 - 7/6/07 - 3.5 cc's (I think it was only 2.5cc's because when I went back for fill #4, he could only w/draw 1.8 cc's)   Fill #4 - 7/20/07 - filled me back to 3.0 ccs - He should have filled me more!   Fill #5 - 8/17/07 - 3.4cc's   Fill #6 - 10/08/07 - filled me to 3.8cc's - the best restriction I've ever had,but still could eat big bites of food, so I figured I needed to be tighter.   Fill #7 - 11/21/07 filled to 4.0 cc's. By the evening could not hold anything down, not even my saliva. PBing all night - horrilble experieince   UNFILL #1 - 11/23/07 - unfilled to somewhere between 2.5 to 3.0 cc's - NO RESTRICTIONS AGAIN :eek:   Fill #8 - 1/18/08 Went in and the doc filled me back up to just right under 4.0, according to Flouro, it was perfect. Well, by next morning, could not hold down saliva again, ended up back in hospital   UNFILL #2 - 1/19/08 - Doctor had to unfill me to 3.0 again because of the swelling from all the PBing for being too tight. Again, NO RESTRICTION -   Fill #9 - 2/12/08 - 3.5 cc's - was tight for about a week, now feel lose again. grrrr, still have "some" restriction, just not quite enough! Next fill scheduled for 4/7/08 - I hate that it takes sooooooo long to get in to see the fill doc.   FILL #10 - 4/7/08 The doc just added .4cc's, making me at 3.9cc's. I think this might be the one!   FILL #11 - Was scheduled on 6/25/08 - but the doc did not fill me up, I was leaving for a cruise on 6/27 so he didn't want to risk me being too tight, so did not get a fill.   FILL #11 - 8/5/08 Went for a fill, this time the doc took all my fill out and all he could get out was 2.4 cc's. Filled me up to 4.0 cc's, I left, had to go right back because I could not drink, he took out a little over .2 cc's, he said I'm somewhere between 3.5 to 3.7 cc's. - I had great restriction for 2 weeks, but It has now loosened some. I feel I might need a tad more. I'm worried I have a very slow leak.   UNFILL #3 - 8/5/08 - Took a little over .2 cc's out, had pretty good restriction, but still a tad too lose.   FILL #12 - 9/17/08 - Added just 1/10th of a cc - I think I'm somewhere between 3.8 to 3.9 cc in a 4cc band. I am hoping and praying this is the fill that I stop with! I do not have another appointment for another fill, will wait this one out and see.   Fill #13 - 10/06/08 - Doc added about 2/10's of a cc. He took everything out and put it all back in and said I was about 3.7 to 3.8cc's. - which is where he said I was last time.   FILL #14 - 11/10/08 - Doc took everything out and I had about 3.6cc's, which is pretty good. He then filled me up to just under 4.0cc's I believe I'm about 3.9cc's. I ate some canned peaches and set around the office for a bit, made sure none came back up. Seems to be doing good so far. I hope this is my last fill!   FILL #15 - 08/10/09 - Added about 1/10th of a cc. I think I'm right at 4.0 cc. Wt on the morning of my fill was at 165. But was very bloated from steroids I was on for the previous week.   FILL #16 - 8/31/09 - My last fill lasted 2 weeks then I felt wide open. Went in for another fill, this time he did not take any out and just added 2/10th's of a cc. I think I'm just a little more than 4.1 cc's in a 4.0 cc band. I feel great restriction so far. I'm hoping this last. I'm sick of fills. lol. - I could tell my fill was wide open, I was starving all the time, wt at the time of fill was 170! grrrrrrr   FILL #17 - 10/30/09 - completely drained me, checked for a leak - no leak YAY - added 4.6 cc's - I feel like he didn't add anything, feel wide open! Hungry all the time   FILL #18 - 11/09/09 Doc did barium swallow test - I think he thought I was full of it. He saw what I was talking about and agreed I was way too loose. He added 2.5cc's. I feel restriction again, but not a real tight restriction. I have no idea where I'm at these days and I really don't care anymore how much CC's I have, I just want RESTRICTION!!!!!!   Fill #19 - 11/23/09 - I had a some restriction, but not enough, the doc added 3/10ths of a cc. I feel pretty good, not too tight, which means it probably will get looser. I will ride this fill out and see what happens. Very discouraged at this point.   FILL #20 - 12/28/09 - did not take any fluid out, just added 4/10th's of a cc. Still feel lose, but on the fluro it showed I was tight, so we'll see how it goes.........   FILL #21 - 02/01/10 - Doc did not take any fluid out, added 1/2 a mil then I told him it was still too loose, so he added another 1/10th of a cc. Feel really good right now - but as always we will have to wait and see.   FILL #22 - 5/17/10 - Decided to get just a little tweak, my last fill is still pretty good, but wanted to go just a tad tighter. Doc added just a little, probably 2/10th of a mil.   Unfill #4 - 6/7/10 - Fill #22 has been perfect, except my acid reflux has flaired up. Decided to get a slight unfill to see if that helps with it. doc took out 1/10th of a cc. We'll know tonight if this is going to work, fingers and toes are crossed.
tonya66

tonya66

0
 

7/28/09

Wow, its been a month since I posted? I should be ashamed of myself.   Whats new, well, shoulder is still not healed, and really struggling these days to even get any exercise in. Well, to be honest, I haven't exercised in awhile, and I finally made it back to the gym last night. I am not lifting weight since I have an injury but I am doing cardio.   Eating has been on and off. We went on vacation July 4th week and that started me down the bad path. It took 3 weeks for me to quit eating bad and get back on track.   I am finally back on track and trying to get back to exercising.   I guess I just a break from everything, eating right, exercising and blogging. I'm refocussed again and will start blogging again. It holds me accountable.   Bfast - protein shake Lunch - FF tuna salad with 4 crackers Snack - grapes (red seedless) Dinner - roasted chicken and fresh tomatoes snack - Skinny Cow ice cream bar   Exercise - 30 min on elliptical machine.   wt - this morning 162.9 grrrrrrr
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

22 month anniversary

Consultation with Doc 11/24/06 - 248.9 Surgery Date 1/18/07 - 226 1 mo post op (Feb 18)- 206.8 2 mo post op (March 18) - 198 3 mo post op (April 18th)- 193 4 mo post op (May 18th)- 184.2 5 mo post op (June 18th(- 178 6 mo post op (July 18th)– 174 7 mo post op (Aug 18th)- 178 - went on vacation and ate big (7 day cruise) 8 mo post op (Sept 18th)- 174 9 mo post op (Oct 18th)- 170 10 mo post op (Nov 18th) - 167 11 mo post op (Dec 18th) - 170 - haven’t even been trying 12 mo post op (Jan 18th 2008)- 174 - again, not trying. But finally refocused - exactly where I was at 6 mos post op – so basically no weight loss in the past 6 mos 13 mo post op (Feb 18th) - 183 - Ouch! started taking steroids and made my weight go up, along with not eating right and no exercise! 14 mo post op (March 18th)- 185 - grrrrr 15 mo post op (April 18th)- 180 - weight is finally going down, but inches are actually coming off faster since I've been exercising a lot. 16 mo post op (May 18th)- 178 17 mo post op (June 18th)- 175 18 mo post op (July 18th)- 179- still not focussed:sad: 19 mo post op -(Aug 18th) - 178 - focussed again - This time I am committed to getting to goal and will not stray! I do not ever want to see the 180's again! 20 mo post op (Sept. 18) - 171 - :willy_nilly: 21 mo post op (Oct 18) - 168 22 mo post op (Nov 18) - 169 - I am focussed and doing good, but need to get back to exercising. I want to hit 160 by year end.
tonya66

tonya66

4
 

40 months ago.............5/20/10

40 months ago I got the band. What a roller coaster ride its been. Below are my stats - month by month - as you can see, the longer you have the band and the closer you get to goal, the harder its been for me. Some fly right to their goal, for me, its been hard work - and lots of it! Also, lots of ups and downs, the band helps with controlling eating, but not slider foods (ice cream - chips, etc.)   So emotional eating has been something I continue to deal with. When I'm down, I eat. Its something the band has not been able to fix, and I'm still working on it every day.   Consultation with Doc 11/24/06 - 248.9 Surgery Date 1/18/07 - 226 1 mo post op (Feb 18)- 206.8 2 mo post op (March 18) - 198 3 mo post op (April 18th)- 193 4 mo post op (May 18th)- 184.2 5 mo post op (June 18th(- 178 6 mo post op (July 18th)– 174 7 mo post op (Aug 18th)- 178 - went on vacation and ate big (7 day cruise) 8 mo post op (Sept 18th)- 174 9 mo post op (Oct 18th)- 170 10 mo post op (Nov 18th) - 167 11 mo post op (Dec 18th) - 170 - haven’t even been trying 12 mo post op (Jan 18th 2008)- 174 - again, not trying. But finally refocused - exactly where I was at 6 mos post op – so basically no weight loss in the past 6 mos 13 mo post op (Feb 18th) - 183 - Ouch! started taking steroids and made my weight go up, along with not eating right and no exercise! 14 mo post op (March 18th)- 185 - grrrrr 15 mo post op (April 18th)- 180 - weight is finally going down, but inches are actually coming off faster since I've been exercising a lot. 16 mo post op (May 18th)- 178 17 mo post op (June 18th)- 175 18 mo post op (July 18th)- 179- still not focussed:sad: 19 mo post op -(Aug 18th) - 178 - focussed again - This time I am committed to getting to goal and will not stray! I do not ever want to see the 180's again! 20 mo post op (Sept. 18) - 171 - :rolleyes2: 21 mo post op (Oct 18) - 168 22 mo post op (Nov 18) - 169 - I am focussed and doing good, but need to get back to exercising. I want to hit 160 by year end. 23 mo post op (Dec 18) - 166 - only 6 more pounds to get to my goal by year end. I don't think it will happen, but I will continue to try. 24 mo post op (Jan 18, 2009) - 168 - had hysterectomy and gained from all the fluid due to surgery 25 mo post op (Feb 18) - 168 - not losing, maintaining - joined Weight Watchers to give me some accountability and some structure. 26 mo post op (March 18) - 165 - WW going slow, but finally moving down again 27 mo post op (April 18) - 165 - grrrr - 28 mo post op (May 18) - 160 - FINALLY, almost out of the 160's. The lowest I have been in YEARS! 5 lbs away from being at a healthy weight, and 15 lbs away from my ultimate goal of 145!!! 29 mo post op (June 18 - 2009) - 165 30 mo post op (July 18, 2009) - 163 31 mo post op (Aug 18, 2009) - 163 32 mo post op (Sept 18, 2009) - 160 33 mo post op (Oct 18, 2009) - 164 34 mo post op (Nov 18, 2009) - 163.2 35 mo post op (Dec 18, 2009) - 168.4 - very discouraged and just giving up 36 mo post op (Jan 18, 2010) - 175.6 - depressed that its been 3 years and still not at goal! 37 mo post op (Feb 18, 2010) - 173.4 (decided it was time to take control and started HCG) 38 mo post op (March 18, 2010) - 161 39 mo post op (April 18, 2010) - 158.5 (had a little slip with vacation) 40 mo post op (May 18, 2010) - 150.7   Wt this morning 149.9 - holding strong in the 140's for the past couple of days. I will be glad when I see another drop, the further I get away from the 150's - the happier I will be. :confused:
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

12/1/09

Oh yeah, its on! I was up at 5 am and working out at the gym by 5:20 am this morning. Now, let me tell you, I was sooooo tired and didn't want to get up, after all I was at the gym until after 10:00 pm last night. But I knew that I would not be able to go tonight - so I forced myself up. I'm glad I did it!   First of all, I had a great workout last night, it lasted 2 hours, I did 60 min on elliptical and 60 min with weights, working my lower body.   This morning was pure cardio - did 45 min on the elliptical.   Tomorrow, I'm planning on another 2 hours at the gym, planning on doing 60 min of cardio and 60 min of weights (working the upper body)   Today's menu: 8:00 am - coffee w/cream 2 boiled eggs & 2 slices of thin bacon (290 cal)   11:00 - protein shake made with skim milk (200 cal)   2:00 - Tuna & broccoli (180 cal)   4:30 - yogurt, banana (160 cal)   6:00 - carrots & hummus (100 cal)   9:00 - Weight watchers snack - (140 cal)   As you can see, I'm eating quite often, just small meals. Trying to blast my matabolism by eating every 2 to 3 hours.   I also retook my measurements last night, and I did not weigh this morning. I put the scales up. I am avoiding the scales until 12/14/09. A two week progress check. I will re-measure and weigh at that time to see how I'm doing.   Okay, I'm off to work..............
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

3/25/09

9 FREAKEN pounds and I will be at a healthy weight! 9 freaken pounds - and it is taking me FOREVER to lose them. Its the hardest 9 pounds I have ever tried to lose. Did you guys hear me, 9 FREAKEN POUNDS and I will be at a healthy weight. It feels like a dream to even type those words. I never thought I would be this close to being healthy. Oh, I dreamt it, but its really coming true.   I sometimes focus on how long it is taking me, but if I really stop and think about it. Its taken me less time to lose it then it did to put it on. It took me 20 years to get up to 248 lbs, so I shouldn't be so upset at taking 2+ years to reach my goal weight with the band, right?   I was thinking this morning as I glanced at one of my pictures on my desk with my kids, and made me think how far I've come. To know I will never ever ever be 248 lbs again, thats something to be happy about. So, I'm trying to stay positive, and focus on the weight I've lost and not the weight I need to lose.   Speaking of my picture, my new boss was over at my desk the other day and he asked me if that was my sister, I told him it was me. His jaw dropped down to the floor, he tried not to act so shocked, but I could see it in his face. I said "well, I've lost a few pounds since then" His reply "you think?". lol. I love to see peoples reaction when they see the new me. Its the best reward of all.   Plan today:   Exercise - 10:00 am - 6 min on recumbant bike - 15 min on elliptical   3:00 pm - 20 min on elliptical   6:00 - dinner with some old high school buddies, planning our 25 year reunion -   9:30 - Gym - 40 min on elliptical and upper body training   11:30 - BED   Menu   Breakfast - yogurt mixed with granola - 5 pts   Lunch Fish Taco (Wheat tortilia, WW cheese, Talapia, Cilantro, salsa, fresh squeezed lime) = 4 pts   Snack - 1 orange, string cheese - 2 pts   Dinner 1 chicken taco - 5 pts beans - 3 pts   Few chips and salsa (6 chips only = 1.5 pts)   20 pts total   Wt - 7:30 am naked - 164.6 (up .3 from yesterday)
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

Fill #11 may be too tight

I just went for fill #11, He took out my previous stuff, and I only had 2.4cc's instead of 3.9, so not sure why I had so much less?   He filled me up to 4.0 cc's, this is where I usually have problems, so I'm trying to stick it out, but I think I am too tight. I PB'd on some liquid and some soft peaches.   I am so tired of trying to get this restriction, I think I will ride it out for the rest of the day and barely sip on liquids and see how that goes.
tonya66

tonya66

4
 

3/24/09 part 2

Well in my previous post, I said I was not going to exercise today, I was taking the day off. I lied. Couldn't stay away from the gym. I only did a quick cardio blast, 30 min on the Elliptical, but hey, at least I did something today, right?   I think I'm becoming a gym addict again, I used to be one, then got hurt and had to have knee surgery and ever since then, I just haven't been into the gym like I used to be.   I'm really noticing a difference in the past week. I'm wearing a Junior size 9 Cruel girl jeans today, and Dang, they look good, and feel good! Even though I'm just a few pounds lighter, the fat is shifting or something because they sure feel and fit better than they did when I bought them!
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

6/17/08

Well tomorrow makes my 17 month Band Anniversary. I am still struggling with my weight, however, I need to stay focussed. I don't know what is wrong with me? I seem to fall off the wagon so easy these days.   Anyhow, I will continue to try and hopefully soon I will win and will get my mind right!   Todays menu   Doing a cleanse so drinking some lemonade /maple syrup - its called the master cleanse.   Exercise - I did go exercise last night, and plan on doing it again tonight!   Wt 178
tonya66

tonya66

5
 

Friday, 6/05/09

Yay, its Friday!!!! I love Fridays! Knowing that I don't work the next day is just a darn good feeling.   I ate terrible last night, didn't eat a lot, but just ate the wrong stuff!   Again, no exercise.........   Menu today   Bfast Fiber One bar Coffee with cream   Lunch 3 oz grilled chicken 1 cup of spinach leaves 1 tbsp ff dressing   Snack WW yogurt   Dinner 4 oz steak hummus taboli - only a bite or two maybe a bite or two of cabbage rolls (we're going to a labanese steak house)   Wt - 160.7 (down .4 from yesterday)
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

20 days until Banding!

Wow, 20 more days! I can't believe it. Next week, I'll be in the teens!   I'm enjoying a diet coke this morning. I know I won't be able to have it after surgery, and I have pretty much given them up. But this morning, I wanted the "last diet coke". I guess you could call it my farewell drink. I am enjoying every sip of this coke. Its a strong, cold drink, I love it! I drink it and my eyes even water. Man, its good this morning.   Eating has been pretty good. Last night we were at my sister in laws for dinner, I did really good, No bread on the meat....EXCEPT, she brings out the dessert.   I ended up having 2 tiny choco chip cookies, then a spoonful of this chocolate pudding dish she made. In the past I would have eaten 5 or 6 cookies, and a big bowl of the pudding. So, I think I did okay.
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

3/2/10 Day 18 of the HCG diet

Day 1 - loading days 178.2 Day 2 - 178.5 (another loading day) Day 3 - First day of VLCD 179.8 Day 4 - 176.2 Day 5 - 175.6 Day 6 - 173.4 Day 7 - 172.4 Day 8 - 171.1 Day 9 - 168.9 Day 10 - 168.9 Day 11 - 168.8 Day 12 - 169.0 Day 13 - 168.2 Day 14 - 167.6 Day 15 - 167.5 Day 16 - 166.9 Day 17 - 165.8 Day 18 - 165.4   Its so nice getting on the scales and seeing them continue to go down. And its nice not experiencing any hunger! Today's menu   Bfast 1/2 grapefruit, 2 cups of green tea   snack melba toast   Lunch Shrimp salad, celery   Dinner HCG approved chili Applie crisp made with stevia - yum   Wt this morning - 165.4
tonya66

tonya66

4
 

3/30/09 - I'm kicking some butt in the exercise dept.

Thats right, I am doing so great in the exercise department. I worked out so hard for 6 days last week. I mean really hard, where sweat is dripping off me and my shirt looks like someone dumped a bucket of water over me. I am so proud of myself for getting back to the gym and making NO EXCUSES!   I almost blew it off last night, I was so tired and I worked all day with my husband in garage, so I was telling myself, I already had a workout. But as the night grew closer, I started feeling guilty, so I headed to the gym and did a gruelling cardio and lower body workout! My face was beat red, I think some of the people around me thought I was going to pass out. LOL. They were all looking at me like "is she okay". One guy even said to me "your serious about this stuff aren't you". uhhhh, hello, Heck yes I'm serious!   So, I jump on the scale this morning and AGAIN, no loss. I've eaten good all week, really I've eaten good for the past two weeks and I've exercised 6 days a week for the past two weeks, you would think the scale would be a little nicer to me. Heck no, the scale likes to treat me like the red headed step child! :biggrin:   Okay, I can't focus on numbers, I just can't. I feel good, I look good, and my clothes are fitting better. So no matter what the scales say to me, I know its working!   Today's menu   Bfast 1/2 cup bran fiber one cereal - 1 pt 1/2 cup skim milk - 1 pt mixed fruit added in (Strawberries & blueberries) - 1 pt   Snack 1 apple and WW cheese - 2 pts   Lunch 3 0z of chicken breast - 3 pts 1 whole wheat, lc tortilia - 1 pt salsa - 0 pts cilantro - 0 pts   snack 1/2 cup cottage cheese, sliced peaches - 3 pts   Dinner   1 cup lean chili - 6 pts ww cheese - 2 pts   20 pts total   Exercise - 30 min elliptical Upper Body workout at gym - 15 min of cool down time on elliptical   Wt - AM naked on scales at home - 164.6 (yesterday was 163.4) grrrrrr:cursing:   NOTES - tonight is my WW meeting and for the past 3 weeks I have weighed exactly the same - 167.6 with my clothes on ofcourse, so we'll see what tonight brings.
tonya66

tonya66

5
 

Fill #22 is perfect but.........

Well had fill #22 exactly 3 weeks ago and it is the sweet spot I have been searchig for over 3 years! I love the restriction, I love everything about the way I eat, however, I noticed acid reflux at night. Lots and lots of acid reflux lately. grrrrrrrrr. I'm waking up choking and coughing and my lungs are feeling like I'm getting pneumonia, I know I don't have that, but thats the way it feels. I know its time to tweak this fill just a little.   I have Barrets Esophagus from years of acid reflux and its very dangerous to have acid reflux once you are diagnoxed with Barrets Esophagus, so my ENT doctor wants me to get just a slight unfil to see if that eases it up.   I am going back today to have the band doc take just 1/10th of a cc out. He only added 2/10ths with my last fill so I'm think 1/10th of a cc taken out might do the trick.   Weight this morning 147.7. Still would like to get to 145 before my cruise - which I have a feeling I will do it with no problem, my cruise is 5 weeks away. :thumbup:   Menu today:   Bfast Coffee/cream strawberry jam (homemade sf) toast   Lunch mini meatloaf with homemade SF barbque sauce I made and a radish salad   Snack orange and strawberry protein drink   Dinner fish & salad
tonya66

tonya66

0
 

3/19/09 - "Just Do it!"

I'm tired of all my excuses, ....too tire, my knee hurts, blah blah blah. Its time to JUST DO IT! Just get my butt to the gym and exercise. That is how I lost 70 lbs the first year, EXERCISE!   So - last night, I had me a good dinner, turkey and 1/2 cup of stuffing (not so good - but only ate a little), and some green beans. I waiting for about an hour, and then got ready and headed to the gym. I only did about 35 min on the elliptical,   As I was doing the elliptical I concentrated on how great I feel when I exercise, it really makes me feel and look good. So why do I blow it off? Anyhow, thats when I decided, no more, no more excuses, its time to just do it!   Today, at 10, went down to our gym at work and did 15 min on the elliptical, just to get my matabolism going. I'm going to do it again at 3. Then tonight, going to an abs, abs, abs class at 6:15 to 6:30, doing ZUMBA class at 6:30 to 7:30. Its time to fake it until I make it. No more excuses. I want to reach my goal - by gawd, I am going to reach my goal. Its time to dig down deep and pull that determination out!   Menu today   Bfast 1 cup of fiber one ceral with 1 cup of skim milk 1/2 cup of diced peaches on my ceral   3/4 cup of protein shake - 10:30ish   Lunch tossed salad with turkey chopped up, salsa for dressing   Snack - later in afternoon - 1 apple   Dinner 1 chicken taco filled with mixed greens - no cheese   Exercise   1. 10 am - 15 min on elliptical 2. 3pm - 15 min on elliptical 3. 6:15 pm - abs class 4. 6:30 pm - Zumba class - latin dance aerobics.   5 - Maybe some lower body strength training, not sure if I can do with all the other cardio......we'll see.
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

3/5/09

Well, today I did not get out of bed. But I did exercise last night, and I felt like I worked out really hard last night at the gym.   I didn't get into bed until after 11 again, so I knew that getting up at 4:45 was not going to be easy, turns out it was harder than I even thought. I don't even remember turning the alarm off, but I guess I did. :sleep:   I might not be losing a lot of weight according to the scales, but my inches and clothes tell a different story. My workout pants were hanging off me last night, thats when I realized that something is happening to my body, and I like it!   I tried on a size 8 dress yesterday, and it fit! I almost bought it, however, I am trying to hold off for a few months. I am addicted to shopping these days, its not good for my pocket book. Luckily I have zero debt, except my house, so I can afford to shop. However, this is an expensive year for us, my son is graduating and starting college, we have a huge party we are throwing for him, I also need to buy a new car this year. I've had mine for 11 years now and it has 200K miles on it. I need a dependable car for work, so I'm going to have to break down and buy one, so I will have car payments again. yuk.   So, I must stay away from the stores, I'm weak when I see a cute outfit, I tell ya, I'm weak!!!!!   Okay, my plans today -   3:00 - going to the gym at work and doing 20 min on elliptical   8 pm - going to the gym to do lower body workout - then will get on elliptical machine and do an additional 15 min. Its going to be a rough night at the gym tonight! I'm going to work it hard!:biggrin:   Scales this morning showed I was up 2 lbs :w00t: - that is just a normal day in the neighborhood for me. The scales are so cruel to me at times, I used to cry and cry and get so discouraged, now its just a game to me. I like to see what the scales tell me, sometimes I play guessing games before I step on, I'll say "I know your gonna tell me I weigh this - lets see if I'm right", so if I am right, I win. lol. Its a weird head game I play.   Sometimes I just kick the scales and let him know I don't need him today, I like when I do that too, I feel like I win for that day too. Weird? Just my crazy life. I feel like me and the scale have this love hate relationship, sometimes I love him, sometimes I don't.   Today I just didn't care, he told me I was up 2 lbs, I said, who cares you flat bastard! :tt2: YOu might say I'm up, but my pants beg to differ! They are telling me I've lost, so take that!   Well, I better get to work, I have a very very very busy day today, lots of conference calls to be on. grrrrrrr.   Wt (naked in the am) 167.8 -
tonya66

tonya66

3
 

Guess what Fitday told me today?

I logged my weight into fitday.com today and guess what, I'm no longer overweight!!!!! I'm in the "healthy range" and my BMI is 24.94, see below: 24.94 A BMI between 18.5 and 25 is considered healthy. The healthy weight range for your height is between 111.2 lbs and 150.2 lbs. Your weight is within this healthy range. I'm doing a happy dance now.......
tonya66

tonya66

2

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