cheri52

Janet, I wish I could remember just how I did the ticker, I know it took me about 3 tries and I was never sure ! I know you click on someone elses to take you to the site. when you are done creating it you cut and paste the code at the end, (not sure which one it was, I think that is what took the many tries) when you have the code highlighted you do the cut and paste thing on the "edit your signature" page . I know it's frustrating, but once you get it you never have to redo that part again. you can make changes and it just does it. Also I found that the changes don't take place till you post another message. I remember I was suprized when it showed up cuz I didn't think it took. Sorry, if I were a little more "smart:cool2:" I could teach you better:rolleyes2: it was more dumb luck that got mine done! Sue, so if I added right , you are doing about 2 hours of walking a day?! My nurse,pt would Just LOVE you! I'm sure that plays a big part in your success. I really don't have that kind of time but I have started to go down now that I am adding days to my curves workout AND going line dancing every Friday night. we'll see......

:wink2: No wonder! that says it all, I have a 4cc band too with 2.5cc fill, and I would be starving if that was all I ate! I go for another fill on Monday, and maybe it will allow me to be full longer, but I think it will still take more than just an egg to do lunch! I wonder if the different surgons leave various size pouches?? sometimes I think that mine holds way more than some. thanks for the schedule, you really are workin' it !!

WOW Sue :eek:, you're my hero! you got banded after me and you are SOoooo... way ahead of me. That's great!!! If you got a minute I'd love to know what your typical day might be like as to food and exercise, also, how many fills did it take to get there? I have just recently "stepped" it up a bit but would love some insight from one who has done so well. Do you get a lot of the nasty side affects that keep you from eating? or are you the poster child for the band:smile:?!

Hi Kimberly, You CAN do this and it IS worth it!!! Just think back at your history and how "well" you've done in the past, Sure, like me probably not so good, which is how you, we, ended up here. I can't speak for the preop diet , my dr. did not require it of me. I think it is an individual thing so as to get you in the best possible shape for the surgery. I carry most of my wt. below the waist which makes for an easier time. I did have the post liquid diet for a week , I didn't find it too bad. your stomach is swollen so you really aren't very hungry. it goes by quick! Like Ted, wish it had been an option when I was your age. Good luck and keep us posted.

Yes! there is hope for you!!! I had very little if any either after 3 fills, I feel some now with 4 but am going for 5, I did feel full sooner on much less at 3 but I was still hungry way too soon. now I'm satisfied on about half of what I used to eat. I'm actually not sure if I need the next one or not, but I'm sure I could be losing faster so I'm going on that. What I do find is that it forces me by way of consequences to change how I eat, I think you will find as you get more fill that will happen. But, maybe not, I tend to "test" the rules:unsure::party:. I find it more of head hunger than real hunger at this point, I'm trying hard to ignore my head!! it's difficult to seperate the two sometimes. the band only helps with the ''real" without the consequences I mentioned, it's the head hunger that gets me into trouble! When you get the pbing, slimming, and all that wonderfull stuff , that is what I think of as restriction, it's like it's telling you to knock it off with the food, or I'll make your life miserable. I don't know, maybe it's just the rate at which it goes through the stomach by "restricting " the flow and thus keeping the full feeling longer, but the other works for me! anyone know the true meaning:confused: good luck with the fill

Wow! Sherry, mega info, thanks!! I'm afraid Taunton is just as much a problem as Boston. I'm on the vineyard. Pork is NOT my friend either, although I keep trying. same with ham, I made a baked ham over the weekend and just can't get it down as a "piece" so tonight I put it in the chopper and made ham salad! that works:biggrin: I cut the mayo by adding some juice from sugar free can peaches I had,but pickel juice would have been good. I found the trick is to make it nice and moist. Janet, I always have Pam for my fills, and I got to say some are better that others. I had one difficult one and was dreading the next, and it went like a charm. there is just no way to know. I'm not "tipped" that I know of. But I was supprized at the hard one cuz my port is very easy to feel. I'm bottom heavy so the post has always been near the surface. Oh, if you haven't mentioned popcorn to Karen, DON'T! for some reason, that is a BIG NO NO. I got hell! I don't know Deb. I was more concerned with the added chest pressure that you may be having heart problems, but I guess the ulcer could be causing the pain. Are you far from Boston? I go for my next fill 2/11. (shopping day:lol:) I think the most important thing that I keep forgetting is that this is JUST a tool! the rest is just as hard as always. :frown: calories in /calories out, chips go down good! could have chose the bypass where eating junk comes back, trading easy and a little more sure thing for risking my life!!!OR this....this is a piece of work but I'm still sure it was the right choice:wink2:.

Hi Sherry, I've seen you around on the threads before, I was just trying to help out countrygirl(Janet) , please feel free to jump in with any advise! That isn't quite true, I do chew well, but on occasion if I'm in a hurry, I forget and have eaten a little too fast and ended up in trouble. But it's not usually a big problem, just a "reminder" , nothing has even gotten "stuck" but it might come up! or, my throat might get what I call a spasam , usually though it is WHAT I eat rather than HOW I ate it that is the problem. It's a learning process! Mtnihi, sounds familiar, I remember the port area hurting for awhile. it takes some time, probably hurts more in the morning from sleeping on it or moving in the night. I wouldn't be too concerned, but if the pain gets really bad i would double check that with the Dr. AND........:tt1: welcome!

:tt1: Oh my, hair falling out isn't good. Yes I had mine at Lahey, Do you remember them telling us that we needed 60 grams of Protein? are you getting them? My understanding is that a lack of enough protein is a major cause of hair loss, and other things, that is why they stress having that first, in the event you run out of room. Although that is rarely a problem with me! sometimes I think they left my pouch too big! I can always eat more that a cup:frown:. I'm still working on the "do i need more fill" myself. I'm due for another 2/11. I think it has to do with how long you go before you are hungry on the recomended amt. of food. If you are hungry all day or soon after you eat, AND are doing the proper things (ie:No drinks before or after, no Soup, etc.) than I would say you do. But, they will tell you that. Did you have Dr. Bram? The ache in you chest, heart burn? I would definately get checked out!!! that may have nothing to do with the band. you need to call them ASAP. It may only be stress, but it could be something more serious. PLEASE:target::frown:(got your attention?) go get checked out!!!

Yes you do ! waiting to get to inspired!!! (pictures?)

Janet, wouldn't that be nice! eat whatever! probably not ever, that is what got us here in the first place. restriction only works with solid foods. picture an egg timer as the hour glass with the sand running out. solid foods stay put in the top and make us feel full. We eat slowly to make sure that it is small enough to eventually go through and also to give our brain long enough to get the message that we are full. chewing takes time! things that I would want if I were not in "diet" mode , such as icecream , shakes, chocolate,cream soups, etc, (you get the idea) go right through so those calories go unchecked and we don't get or stay full for long, thus, we eat again. it will still always be about calories in , calories out. if we don't burn them we'll wear them. actually I can swallow ok if I don't chew well (or is it slow:confused: I'm never sure) , it's when it gets futher down and some weird thing happens and my gut rejects the whole idea. early with the fills I was having trouble swallowing just the 1st bite, how strange is that!!! my throat would close up like a spasum, that seems to have gone, now it seems to be a speed or stress thing. I swear I have never been a nurotic person before, eating or otherwise. took me by complete suprize :cursing: but all the side effects I think are designed to make us slow down ! the body is trying hard to get me the message, I just need to pay attention:wink2:

hay there countrygirl, there is nothing "wrong" with you , the folks at Lahey like to take it slow with the fills. I've had 5 and am just starting to feel some restriction, but I did have some of the bad sides when I eat too fast. unfortunately that doen't stop me, only delays what I eat and thus, I end up eating too much ...........hang in there, I'm a hard core foodaholic so it's taking me longer to "get it" I'm sure you will do better!!!! I find that I am needing to still think of this as a diet cuz when I don't I make poor choices, so when they say this in not a diet, yah! bull....this is harder that it would seem.

what are "OPM regs"? mine are done by the assistant and I told the insurance person that and she said nothing about that. actually my insurance would benifit from this also because we both get slammed the way it goes down now!

Welcome 'home' Eddie, we've missed your wonderful self! Glad you and the family had a great time. When my kids were little we went to a place called Steel Creek, somewhere in the N.C. mountains , I forget the town. camped and hiked. Really pretty up there:photo:

Welcome Penney, I think more people tend to talk about bad experiences than the good. and I think the band has come a long way since the beginning. problems like you discribe I think happened more in the past when it was still a bit more experimental. They have found ways to perfect both the band and the procedure and many of the past problems have been resolved with time and testing. AND having a good , experienced doctor in a good hospital. there may still be some quacks out there illegally doing this. DO your research!!!Go to a place with a good record, and DO what the Dr. says and you should be very fine! that being said, I never needed the pain pill once I left the hospital, the next day, but did find rapid blast liquid Tylenol to be helpful for the first few days. It was sore around the port site, never felt anything anywhere else. Good luck. Keep us posted!

actually , this is a hot topic for me right now! so the surgery went well and most all was covered for me $ 150. co-pay was all. nothing was said about the fill co-pay in the Dr. office, just the office visit co-pay. Later I get a bill for $48 and they say that it is an "out patient surgery" for which my co would be $150, but they pro-rated it because the procedure would be LESS than that if I didn't have the insurance. that being the case I accepted that , reluctantly. SO..... that was the case the next 3 fills. NOW :angry they are billing me the $150 for the last!!! I've talked to them and the insurance people, both pass the buck and say it is the others fault and I must contact them. I finally got a simpathic insurance person who when to bat for me and finally said the hospital claims it is correct and I must pay it. I have a very long and costly trip to just get there, I just can't beleive the whole mess. I still owe the 150 , not sure when they will get it, but damm sure I won't have another fill if that is the way it will be!!! I am feeling restriction now, just keeping my fingers crossed. If anyone has any luck resolving this I would be gratefull to learn how.

Katie, I know exactly where you are coming from, same here. I didn't even tell my kids!!! they all are noticing but I joined Curves and they all know I am trying real hard. It also helps that I'm not losing fast! there is a plus to everything. I just tell them it's the "small plate diet!" I just use a small bread plate and sm. bowl and only eat what fits and no seconds. and I throw in that I "try to make better choices" and I'm exercising my ass off. Drinks? tell them too many calories, rather chew what I can have. no drink with the meal? I get that one a lot, I just tell them that I find I eat less in the long run if I don't fill up on drinks, that they make me hungry later. All true! no need to lie, just no need to tell them more than necessary. so far it's worked great for me. not to worry, you'll get to be a pro. you can also expand the time line a little also if you need to and just say you started a while ago ....thanks for noticing! you know people never notice the first 20 lbs anyway.

Ackmayi, sometimes you need LOTS of grease! Did they give you an emergercy number to call? They should have someone to cover the Dr. who could okay a change, It may not sound like an emergency but I'd like to see them follow the liquid diet ! We don't have fast food places over here on the Vineyard either, but I still got into a lot of trouble. How long have you been there? I'm told it's grown a lot since I visited (before you were born :rolleyes ) still no word from Eddie????? hope he is OK !? HI Raynae, welcome, sounds like you are doing great! Just a side note, I was down on myself that I went so long without any progress, when this morning I finally figured out that even though I'm only down 40 "now" I am actually down 83 from my all time high , so I guess I need to let up on myself. It's been a process for a lot longer that this! what's cool is that I've been bumping into people that haven't seen me since the 83 lbs. It's a good boost.

Oh! have you checked out the "mushies stage receipes" forum?? some good stuff in there.

I hope you DO at least call him or even his nurse. I can't believe he would expect you to stay on liquids through christmas just because they are closed! My Dr./ asst. sent me home with instructions to start the muchies before my post op. apt. I should think that if all feels well you should be able to start SLOWLY before you see him. BUT Do call his office! Good Luck and have a good holiday regardless.

what is a WII ? Am I showing my age?

I just realized that it's been some time since I've seen a post, you OK? or just having too much real time life to be smoozing around here? I hope that is the case! In the event you are "checking in" , and are just TOO busy, hope you have a great Christmas and New Year! , and that goes out to the rest of the "family" too Cheers!

welcome, I hear your pain! I've been a bit on the slow side too. after my 4th fill , granted it was all around Halloween and Thanksgiving, but that is not really an excuse, I went in for my 5th thinking I was the same, and actually gained a couple! :faint: My 5th though seems promising, lost that plus a couple more. not ready to put it on the ticker though, need to make sure it will stick! I like Curves, how are you in ladies sweats? :biggrin1: I hope everyone has a great holliday:angel:, and may we all be merry :party:and "lucky";) how bout ....:confused:

:rambo oh ya, now that's a goal....Xena , love strong sexy women. I am strong..........the rest is a work in progress welcome Anthony!!

Oh my, we all sound so serious .Actually, I only thought of the scale as a fun thing! never gave the "ramifications" a moments thought. I got too many other serious things in my life to be worried about that. but, so long as we are on the subject, I was officially a "late life lesbian" ( I guess) but was "getting busy" with women (gay or bi) when you were in diapers. Currently, now that I am married to a women in a state where it is legal, we are very much in love and here for the long term. My interest is zero in other women, but my appreciation for all women is still very much there!:whoo: It's all a very odd thing, our attractions to people. My niece was very gay from day one. had serious relationships with women, even bought a house with one. then one day ( in her mid 30's) she decided to move in with her best male friend and has apparently been happy everafter. Go figure!! arn't stright women who get "busy" with other women Bi? I think that should disquallify them from being stright! lol....just having fun now so please don't anyone get your panties in a twist.

Sorry, I should have forwarded where I was back trackin so far. I'm soooo.......bad.