TerriDoodle

Mdrai!!! You're doing so good!!! I can't believe youtyped all those keystrokes coherently! I remember when I got home and checked in here, I was seeing double and couldn't type worth a HOOT! We'll 'see' you tomorrow, eh?

This is so me. It has to be the very strangest phenomenon of this weight loss journey. Just goes to show you that that primal instinct part of your brain is hard at work 24/7 at trying to 'ensure your survival', eh?

Hi Teach! We missed you!!! Yeah, I was wondering what the heck ya'll were doing going on vacation right after surgery! But I thought maybe ya'll had a nice quiet cabin on a lake or something...not shopping and dining! How in the world did your DH do it?! Poor baby! I'm sure you took very good care of him and the walking actually did him good. I'm glad your home too! Give our best to DH and tell him we're thinking of him. I notice your ticker says ***200***!!!! :cheer2: :cheer2: You've almost caught up to me and that makes me REAL jealous! But, then again, you ARE the Violet Mascot!! When are we gonna see some B&A (progress) shots of you??? You must be noticing huge changes in the mirror! MDRAI - We're pulling for you today!! Can't wait to see you on the other side!!!!!! Oh, this is so exciting!! Almost as exciting as when TracyK got banded! I've got SO much to do today! We're leaving for a mini-vacation in 2 days. Going to the beautiful Guadalupe River to meet up with lots of our friends for a long weekend. The kids have a blast and the old folks get to kick back and enjoy all means of debauchery. Well, we do a lot of cooking and cleaning, too! I have to go to the gym and get a leg workout and cardio. Come home and finish packing up my fat clothes to give to my friend who lives in Galveston...then drive down there to deliver them to her...come home after dinner and try to relax a bit with some beading. In between I've got about 4 loads of laundry to do. Ya'll have a great day! XOXOXOXO

What Jachut said.

Best of luck to you!! It''s all good!

Pamela - I vote for getting the fill, too. You won't feel any different immediately after...but please do be careful on your Knotts trip. If you do decide to wait, that's good too....but like HH said, you can do a lot of 'damage' between now and then! Mdrai - Lots of good post-op advice here! One I read about today for the shoulder pain is to put a heating pad on your diaphragm! ...that the pain in your shoulder is referred from your diaphragm (?) ...so that's another thing you can try. Do the breathing exercises, take the Gas-X 4x a day and move whenever possible. DO NOT overdo it. Take it easy for 3-4 days!

Michelle - that sounds like a great way to keep your mind busy. we will all be thinking of you...check in when you can!

About my PB... We were at my sister-in-law's new house helping her clean. I had been snacking on canteloupe but was still building quite a hunger. Somebody brought in some hot fried chicken and it was all over! I thought I'd just eat some of the breast meat ....but it turned out it was just too dry. And I must have taken bites that were too big and too fast. (sound familiar? gawd, when will I learn??) I was about 4 bites into it when the pain gripped my chest. I stopped eating but it was clear that this wasn't just a golf ball. I tried relaxing, going about my business, etc. but it just kept getting worse. Then the sliming began and there wasn't room in my esophagus for all that slime. Fortunately everyone was busy around the house and didn't notice that I went to the bathroom for several minutes. It all came up and I felt much better...but for those 15 minutes that I tried to keep it all down were miserable!!!!! Then, of course I was still very hungry. Yes, this second fill is totally different now. I really have to be careful. Tiny bites and going slow are the major factors...along with not allowing yourself to get too hungry. I think it was Jenn who said that she isi fine for hours then all of a sudden feels like she could eat everything in the house...that's me too....and is what gets me into trouble every time. Lunasa - Congrats on being such a good girl at the wedding! I'll bet you had a blast! Dynamo - I've been feeling stuck with my weight too. I was however down another pound today which puts me at a 3# loss so far this month. Less than a pound a week. We've heard it a million times though...when you're working out STOP paying so much attention to the friggin' scale! It's hard though, isn't it? I haven't taken measurements yet this month, but I know my inches are down...I can just feel it everywhere. How about you? [edit: I went back and checked...I actually have lost 5# this month! better than I thought! Yea me!] TracyK & Laura - I think you're just having another mini-"farewell to food tour", don't you? I went thru that too when I wasn't restricted. That's what the band is all about....to force you to behave....and you will. You're doing fine in trying your best to get back on track and to make healthier choices. What else can you do? My doctor's philosophy about the post op diet is to NOT diet. To eat the foods you normally enjoy, just less of them. (I LOVE my doctor!) So that's what I do. I may lose more slowly but don't feel so deprived. I also keep pretty good track of my calories at thedailyplate.com so i don't get too out of control. I'm off to take my mother shopping today then coming home to clean out my closets -- what a painful experience that is. Ya'll have a wonderful day!

Had my 1st PB today :drum: Most unpleasant.

Laura - What is this business about eating pancakes, PBing and then continuing to eat pancakes??? Uh, isn't that a big no-no?? How many times have you PB'd since you got the band? I'm guilty, too....of not taking small bites and eating too fast since my 2nd fill. Things do change quite a bit when you get filled and I'm finding I have to RE-learn all the rules like I did immediately post-surgery when I treated my band like gold. (Hell, it costs a lot more than GOLD!!) Just be careful and use this time before your fill to practice good habits....you'll be glad you did! Christy - That IS good news about your port...I'm glad that they're still able to get to it easily. Are ya'll gonna have to fly to Mexico everytime you need a fill? Or have you found a local dr. to follow up later on?

Idon't know where you live, but the only thiing I would worry about is getting follow up care here in the US if/when you need it. Seems like I've read more than a few posts about having trouble finding local docs to follow-up on Mexican surgeries.

Well, it's just what I've read on this board. That a PB really irritates your pouch and esophagus and you need to give it a rest, otherwise you may have a tendency to PB again...vicious cycle thing. Hey! We thought about doing the same thing! That would have been wild to meet you there! We have to help DH's sister move tomorrow. Fun.

Yes, of course there are risks and you should definitely get educated about those so that you can do everything to prevent them...many are preventable. There is an entire section of this board dedicated to complications and you can do a lot of reading there. HOWEVER!...it is one thing to educate yourself about complications and it is another thing to focus on them. That's kind of a catch-22 about being here....many of us as we approached our surgery dates started freakiing out more and more about the possibility of complications because it seemed as though they are frequent. But they really aren't! It's just that people with compliccations tend to seek out a forum such as this more than the ones who are sailing right through without any problems. Y'know?? So, educate yourself and talk to your surgeon about the statistics....then come here for support if you find yourself getting nervous as the day approaches. Honestly, I don't know how anyone gets through this process without this board. It's wonderful!!!

Ok, so if I eat a 10# wheel of white sharp cheddar from Wisconsin, just sliced and eaten straight from the wheel, preferably at room temperature, I should, in theory, gain only 10#?? Where do I go to purchase a wheel of cheese? How much is a flight from Houston to Wisconsin?

Sure, you should call if you're that uncomfortable but I can tell you that I've been banded since Apr 4th and mine has finally diminshed. It took quite awhile....probably 4 weeks or so. Every day will get a bit better. Just hang in there.

I like cheese.

TracyTx- you know to take it easy the next day or two, right? only mushies or fluids after a PB! Pamela - I'm so jealous! I wish I were doing something fun this weekend! Well, I kinda did already....DH and I went to the spa this evening and I got a mani/pedi, while he got a foot massage (reflexology), facial and a chair massage! We decided we should make this a regular Friday night date once or twice a month -- it was fun! Especially 'cause HE PAID!! TracyKS- I cannot believe how thin your face has gotten!!! You already look like a totally different person! ....and you are so beautiful! Your DBF is one lucky guy. Hope he knows it! What are ya'll doing this weekend? I was a bad girl tonight. Went to the spa instead of the gym and missed a scheduled workout for the 1st time in 5 weeks. I am very naughty and I feel so guilty!!!! Yuck. Well, I have an appt with the trainer tomorrow morning so I'll tell him to crack the whip extra hard (NOT!). I'll have to make it up sometime. Where's Laura? She hit the road too?

I've been kinda watching my resting heart rate because it's a good measure of how your health is improving (or not!). In the past few years like when I take my BP at home or at the dr's office, I've never noticed a heart rate below about 72. I've measured it the last 3 nights and am getting readings in the high 50's and low 60's!! I suppose it's a result of my recent love affair with exercise....but WOW....so soon and with such good results?? I've only been at it about 6 weeks! Lets see.... 10 beats/min = 600 beats/hr 600 beats/hr = 14,400/day 14,400/day = 5,256,000/year 5,256,000/year x 30 years = 157,680,000 heartbeats saved Hmmm...I think I just added 6 years to my heart's life! :biggrin1: Could that be right??

TracyTx - You absolutely just jump in here whenever you want!! We're so glad to have you! Just keep us up to date on what's going on with you...we're here for you, too! I"m so jealous that you've lost 24#!!! I've only lost 14 since surgery but I keep plugging away! I'm trying to do this without "dieting" per se....eating the foods I think are reasonable that I also enjoy. I don't eat a lot of junk food, never have, so that's not an issue....but I'm talking about things like peanut butter or full fat cottage cheese. I eat carbs but only complex ones and usually under 100/day. I hope you're feeling better tomorrow. I recently had to take a round of liquid antibiotics and that was the most horrible s*** I EVER tasted!!!!!!

Michelle - I feel for ya. I just don't understand why people can't respect others' privacy. That's just so rude. If you find that she has indeed shared it with others, you should confront her. Grrrrrrrrrr!!! Jane - you are lucky that you were numbed first, because I have not been and those sticks hurt....A BUNCH! I would have cried "UNCLE" after about the 4th one, for sure. My first fill the NP got it right off the bat...it was over in 10 seconds. My second fill she had to poke me twice and kinda had to fish around. I dunno....maybe my port moved during those 3 weeks. Shawna - Sorry, Honey What a terrible experience for your 1st fill! I'll pray you do better next time and that it was just a fluke. Did he say your port might be flipped or is that just your guess?

Hi all- I'm doing okay after my second fill. Moved from mushies to solid food for dinner tonight and did alright with meatloaf and a 1/2 c. of chicken veggie soup. I was really nervous about making the move to solids because I was having a hard time getting cottage cheese down this morning, but I've concluded that I'm just 'tighter' in the morning, which I've read about often on this board. (How does anyone get through this process without support like this???) Anyway, I've had a total of about 7-800 calories today and it felt like plenty of food! Ok, so onward with more solids tomorrow. Wish me luck! Nothing special going on this weekend...I am definitely going to clean out my closet though!! Tracy -- Bless you, you are such an angel!...and I am so excited for your new friend, too!

For a fast snack I usually choose Peanut Butter...with banana, wasa crackers, apples, or just by the spoonfull! I also like to have 1/2 of an avocado, sprinkled w/ salt....just spoon it out! So good and cheap this time of year! Very good for you, too. 2 slices of canadian bacon with a slice of low fat cheddar in between (I love Cabot light cheddar)...and eaten like a little sandwich! Hope that helps.

I'm certainly no expert, but from what I've gathered from the many hours I've spent on this message board, being too tight can create a whole host of other problems besides just 'not being able to eat'! ....Can't it? Reflux and a dilated esophagus are the first that come to mind. I wouldn't risk it...but that's just me.

Hi Haydee! I've always wanted to go to Chicago. I have a dear friend that lives in a beautiful house there....don't know why I haven't made the trip yet! I keep saying "someday"! I know that whatever happens with your boyfriend it will be the best for you. You seem like a strong and beautiful woman and you deserve the best life has to offer. Don't ever sell yourself short!! Tracy - Ditto what Kat said. I think she was meant to be in Kansas just so you could be her angel. You are the sweetest thing to help her the way you have. Does she need clothes?? What size? We've got all sizes around here!!

That's a gastric bypass procedure, not associated with the lap band at all. Sweets are not a problem for lap banders....although they aren't recommended either!