Oregondaisy

Audree, how much splenda are you using to make these? I definitely need some new ideas. I can feel myself wanting to blow it because I am not losing and I am tired of eating the same things all the time. I need help! I guess I need to go and look for a SB cook book!

HI everyone! I am glad to see this thread moving again. Us older bandsters need to stick together. I know it's harder to lose the older you get. I don't have a clue if my surgeon fixed my hernia while he was in there. I watched the video and that was amazing to see. It's hard to believe they can do all of that from the outside of the body. On the video, the surgeon does say if there is a hernia in there, it must be fixed. Maybe he fixed mine and didn't tell me. Today was the first day in a long while that something didn't get stuck. I still haven't ever thrown up at all, but I hate it when it's stuck because it hurts until it moves down. I am learning to chew my food in my mouth until it's completely liquid. It's hard to remember but I am reminded quickly when I don't. I have to stop and just sit there and wait to get unstuck. I am not sure if I will get another fill. I get three with the price of the surgery so I would rather spread them out as I lose more weight. I have only lost 2 lbs since moving off liquids. It's better than not losing anything, but I hope I start losing more consistantly instead of watching the needle on the scale just stay in the same place. I need to not weigh as often because I get so discouraged and want to eat things I shouldn't because I get to thinking I might as well eat what I want because I am not losing anyway. I hope everyone keeps this thread going. It's harder to relate to the younger girls. When you're young, you can lose weight a lot easier!

You are pretty close to me. I am 5'2" and weigh 192. I was around 215 the day of surgery. I lost all but 2 or 3 lbs on the liquid stage. There are people that have lost over a hundred lbs with their bands, so I have high hopes that I will be successful. I know it's a lot slower for people that are older, and I am 54. It's been maddening that I haven't lost much in the last couple of weeks, but I am hoping the scale will move soon. It's hard not to want to eat junk when you don't see the scale move. I know that would just sabatoge my efforts though. Before you decide if you want the band, read and read and read. There have been complications with some people that get banded, but if you follow the rules there is a very slim chance of that happening. There are several boards besides this one too that you can get information from. I lost a lot of weight on Atkins down from 240- down to 160 but I knew if I hadn't gotten the band, I would have gained all the rest of it back. I was well on my way.

I know exactly how you feel. We were banded almost the same time. I was banded 12-29 and I have lost 20 . All but 2 of those were lost while I was on the liquid stage. I have to be careful today. I am in that mood of "oh well I am not losing, so I might as well eat ( something I am not supposed to have) I have to remember that a lot of people have said that we get stuck at the same weight for awhile and all of a sudden the scale will jump down again. I hope it's soon. It's very frustrating.

I think I am at a good fill right now. I had lunch at 12noon and it's almost 5:00 and I still feel really full. I worked out this morning. I always feel so much better through out the day after a work out. I really hope I start losing. They say the older you are the harder it is to lose and that really scares me.

Audree, have you posted the ricotta cheese cake recipe? I would like to have it. Thanks!

Hello all, As for drinking with the liquid stage, I didn't do it. It just makes you get hungrier faster. I was a self pay and it was $10,000 here in Oregon. That includes 3 fills. I am going to try to spread them out, rather than being too anxious to get filled too soon. I am still having a lot of trouble with food getting stuck. I hate it. I have a lot of questions for my dr. when I see him at the end of the month. I am really tired of the scale not moving. It's my own fault though. I hope to drop a few more lbs now that I can start exercising again. I have weighed the same weight since I went off liquids. I gained 3 lbs on vacation and got them off again but I want to see something new, the next time Iget on the scale. Audree, I am really sorry to hear about your grandmother. I have a good friend of mine whose father has ALS. It's really hard to see someone you love go through that.:think Glad to hear all the new bandsters are doing well. Good luck Tea time. Soon you'll be in bandland!

I've been doing South Beach and enjoying it. Since I live alone, and hate to cook for myself, I have been eating at the hospital. They have healthy food, and I can just buy meat and veggies without ordering more than I can eat. It's worked out great! I have lost the 3 lbs I gained during my trip to Arizona, and I hope to be on the way to losing more. It's exactly 2 months since I got banded and I am still at 20 lbs lost total. I need to make sure to exercise.

Tea Time and Biker Girl, Best wishes for a surgery as simple as mine. I never had one second of pain. I know all will go well for both of you and we will support you during the liquid stage. One of the things that helped me when I felt deprived was getting egg flower soup from the Chinese Restaraunt. I felt like it was more of a treat for some reason than any other soup. Can't wait to hear how your're doing.

I agree. I have food getting stuck regularly so I am not going to get another fill when I have my next appointment. I don't want to PB. Maybe my esophagus is swelled too. I don't know why food gets stuck. I don't get it because I didn't think the food went through the band until the digestion process. If food is getting stuck that means it isn't making it through the band while I am eating. I thought it stayed in the new smaller stomach before the band. I have a lot of quesitons for my dr. I can give you some suggestions for lunches but I don't know what you're already eating. Things I eat for lunch are tuna with low fat mayo, ( no bread or crackers) egg salad, lunch meat rolled up with low fat cream cheese, sometimes I have an Atkins protein bar, or lean cuisine or ww meals that have protein and veggies. I don't eat any that have rice or noodles or anything like that.

I am not Telly but I can tell you what my trainer at the gym told me. It's better to do intervals. You can mix up your routine on the treadmill to get maximum results. walk, then faster, then jog for maybe a minute,then slow it down but move up the incline for a bit, then go back to walking slower, etc. I will be curious to hear what Telly says. I think even if you are pooped out and on the treadmill, walking but walking slower, it's still better than sitting on the couch.

I am here Audree!! I have to post every day. You guys are my lifeline. I don't understand why I have so many problems with food getting stuck. It doesn't seem to matter what kind of food it is. I am really afraid to get any more fill. I will probably wait since I get 3 with the cost of the surgery. I have read the more you lose, the more you will need another fill. Since I haven't lost anything since the liquid stage, I think I need to wait until I lose some more to get filled again. I am really tired of food getting stuck. It must mean I am tight enough. I am happy though that even though it gets stuck, eventually it moves and I have never pbed.

Oh and one more thing I highly recommend is Benefiber. I put it in everything because (icky subject) the constipation really got to be a problem.

>>>>>>>>>>.Is there anything you wish you had that you didn't? I really enjoyed the sugar free popsicles and practically lived on low carb slim fast. Also, I wouldn't have made it without that mini blender.

Sorry to hear you're stressed. Sounds like you are opposite from me. I eat more when I am stressed. That's when I really want to go for the junk food. I can't start exercising until Wed. I am not good about going after work. Maybe I'll get motivated and get my butt to the gym after work tomorrow. I haven't exercised in a long time. I got really sick before my trip to Arizona and then I didn't want to start and stop again when I knew I was leaving. poor excuse. Hey I watched the lap band live video. that is really something to see!

I am back on the Beach! For breakfast I had a can of low carb slim fast. For lunch I had two slices of ham with low fat cream chease spread on for a little more flavor. For dinner I had some shredded chicken with enchilada sauce and melted cheese on top. I have already had over 64 oz of water and it's only 7:30. I usually stop drinking at 9pm since I am a night owl and stay up until around 1am. Insomnia is a horrible thing!

Hello all, I can't tell you how good it feels not to have to eat what my dad wants. It was really hard to be with someone for a week who knows nothing about the band. Audree I have heard from several people that it does take a couple of weeks for the fill to kick in. I have no idea how that is possible. I know for me, if I try to eat anything dry, it gets stuck. I don't know why I have never pbed because when it's stuck, it really hurts. I have read that it's time to stop when you start hiccuping, and that's exactly what happens when it's stuck. I start hiccuping like crazy. I am glad to be home where I can eat band friendly foods again. Has everyone else told everyone they know that they are banded? I know that I would have had to listen to a lecture every day if I had told my dad. I haven't lost anything since I started back on solids so I am excited to be home where I can start exercising and eating properly.

I don't know Audree. I don't think at this point I want to have any more put in there because I have been having a lot of trouble with food getting stuck. From what I have heard and read from others, it's better to spread the fills out than to get too tight. It really hurts when the food gets stuck. Don't they say the way to tell if you need a fill is if you get hungry again pretty quickly? I actually am thinking about doing a few days on liquids because I am tired of food getting stuck.

I live on the Oregon Coast, in the Coos Bay-North Bend area. It seems like this has been the coldest winter since I moved here from the midwest 30 years ago. I'd still rather have rain than snow though. I saw all that snow they were getting a couple of weeks ago and once again I was very glad I moved here. I love Oregon.

Thanks Jane. I am really happy to be back in Oregon. Even if it is warmer in Arizona, I really miss the Pacific NW where it's green everywhere. I don't like seeing rocks and gravel instead of grass for front lawns. It will be a lot easier now to follow the rules now that I don't have to worry about eating with an 88 year old very stubborn father that wants to eat dinner out every night. You and your husband have both done very well with losing. It's great that you are able to do this together!

:waytogo:Telly, Your pictures look great!! I hope I can do well. Unfortunately, it gets harder as we get older but I am going to give it my best effort. I already have the exercise habit from the past 3 years of going to the gym before I got banded. Now that I am banded, I hope to see some results!

Audree, How are you doing? Do you feel like you have a lot more restriction now?

Jane, Do you know how you know if you have stretched out your pouch? When I was on my liquid stage, I was only supposed to drink 3 oz but I had more than that., because on the 3 oz I was still hungry all the time. Plus this past week right after I had my fill, I went to visit my dad and he didn't know I had the surgery. It was very hard to eat around him and I probably ate more than I should have this past week. My doctor said I only had to be on liquids for one day after the fill. It was a week before I left to see my dad and I was doing really well with only eating tiny portions. But while I was gone, I am sure I over ate. Do you think I stretched out my pouch? How would I know? Thanks, Denise

De. Tersigni banded my on 12-29. I live in the Coos Bay North Bend area and go to all of his support groups. If you have any questions at all, feel free to send me a private message. Where do you live? I have been getting together with a girl from Bend and another from Portland who were banded by him on the same day as me. I think you have made the right decision. Going to Mexico is not much cheaper than his price, and he is extremely supportive and usually comes to all the support group meetings to answer our questions. Robin's husband has been banded by him for a long time and she is very helpful too. You will be banded almost exactly 2 months after me, which in the long run, is nothing!! We can lose weight together!!

Congratulations! that is wonderful news! I hope everything goes as well for you as it did for me. I have had cavities filled that were more painful than geting banded. We will all be here to support you while you're on your liquid diet after you're banded. AGAiN Congratualtions!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: