porclndoll

Hey guys! Guess what! I went shopping the other day...(thats not the shocking part) but I got a new pair of jeans!!! Guess what!! They are a size 20! Down from a 24~~~ eeehaaa look at me go! I will try and post pictures here soon!! Talk to you later

pat....im right there with you. i missed mondays meeting too because i totally forgot!! sad isn't it! i have so much going on right now, i don't know which way is up! id like an update on whats going on too!!! thanks everyone.

Heather,,,,you are soo right about this band being our friend. when i think back to how much i could eat prior to being banded it is SCAREY!!!!! now to see the "salad" that i can eat is almost silly sitting next to the salad i use to be able to eat...and all those Pasta dinners, oh my god, i think they would kill me now!!!! your right too, i do need to learn to eat slower. that has always been a downfall.... Christina...I have all ready had a fill. I had it about two weeks ago...I went to my surgeons office and actually gained a pound .. that ontop of i couldn't stay full. i was eatting like every two to three hours... so he gave me a fill...small one, but it is sooo working!! i dont remember the amount that he filled me to. i had to lose 10 pounds prior to surgery....then i have lost about 28 - 29 since surgery...all together 38-39 pounds, i always round up, sorry....i carry a lot of Water weight, so its been that, plus i have joined curves...so i know that extra exercise has been soo helpful. the liquid phase after surgery really kicked my butt....i lost a lot of weight during that time. plus i have a little one to run after if it weren't for him NONE of this would have happened! i probably would be 40 pounds heavier now! he is an awesome kid. dont pout about your weight loss...you are LOOSING and thats the important part. you will find a big difference after your first fill! all righty guys...stupid work is going to start soon. i can't wait till June 24th! i will be sooo done for the summer! thats the good part about working in a high school! summers off. sucks financially, but with careful planning its okay. this summer i am going to florida to see my dad who hasn't seen me since my surgery!! and i am going to niagra falls maybe with my son and husband just because we love it there....AND I AM GOING TO SEE ROB ZOMBIE! Oh my god i can't wait for that! He is playing in this little club in Poughkeepsie NY....He is going to tear this place APART~I can't wait!!!!!!! I got my outfit all planned out all ready...(if it fits me by then) CAN'T WAIT CANT WAIT CANT WAIT...This club is sooo small too that there isn't a bad seat in the place!

Delarla, Holy Moly Girl Where You Going? Every Time I See Your Picture Your Getting Smaller And Smaller And I Dont Think It Has Anything To Do With Pixals...or What Ever The Heck It Is That Makes A Computer Show Pictures Weird...(i Dont Do Computers Well) You Look Awesome! Good For You! I Have Short Short Hair Now After Having It Long My Whole Life. Its A Great Feeling! I Will Never Go Back To Long Hair. Just Wanted To Give Ya The Thumbs Up On Your New Look...your Awesome!! Ttyl

when i did pureed meat i did the devil ham, and they (armored) makes chicken in a can too....a couple of times i pureed my own meat that i cooked...i bought a magic bullet and you can put anything through that! also very fine tuna fish with a little mayo. i even did corn beef hash.....and chilli....with no beans...(i have a very weird hate/hate relationship with beans!)

Cyndel ... I don't know anything about Cigna...but you have it all under your belt so it sounds. I didn't have much pain after surgery, if any. I remember I stayed over night because I had a reaction to the anestesia...then when I got home I had a prescription waiting for me. It was liquid vicodin. I had a little discomfort,,,(honestly have had worse period cramps in my lifetime) and I desided to take a little liquid tylenol...but then I saw how much of it I would have had to take, and said screw it! I took the liquid vicodin twice when I was about two weeks post op....I had a real bad pain in my left side. I saw Dr Kwon about it, and it said it was normal and that I should take liquid Motrin for a couple of days. I took the Motrin once and was feeling much much better. Im sure you will be fine! Dr Kwon is an amazing person and surgeon...He puts us through the hoops to make sure we are safe during the surgery....It is all well worth it. Hang in there with your insurance company! It doesn't sound like your gonna lettem get you down! GOOD FOR YOU! ttyl

eheheh, thanks for listening kathy! i was having a moment. i just got done with dinner and i don't feel nearly as stuffed as i did after lunch. i feel full, which is where i think i wanna be...dont wanna be at the point of stuffed.... i also remembered reading something that when most women have their periods their restriction goes through the roof...well, guess what! it didnt dawn on me after lunch.......there ya go...this is why my restriction probably went hay wire there for lunch. i know i know, i got the band so i would eat less....but there are days ya know!!! the other day i went out shopping and my ritual use to be to stop for lunch at taco bell, and get two beef chalupias and an apple caramel empanada and a large raspberry ice tea! i would eat it and not feel full. just the thought of one chalupia really made me sick...soo i tuffed it out and got on the interstate and came home for a salad. there are days realizing that "you wont shrivle up and blow away" is a hard concept to grab!! this is such a different life style man! it blows my mind!!!!!! i love it...and i have lost almost 40 pounds....but man ohhh man...talk about head trips!!! thanks again kathy.. ttyl

I just ate lunch and man o man am I FULL!! 3oz chicken breast, one cup of salad.... not much, but I think it was the ice tea before lunch that got me! Or was it the two chocolates that I shouldn't have eatten! I dunno, but man oh man, I AM FULL! I DON'T LIKE THIS FEELING. There is a difference between being comfortably full and uncomfortable, i am UNCOMFORTABLE and I did it to myself...How do I avoid this...DUH I know, stop eatting......But what should I be aiming for as far as a meal? One cup???? 3 ounce protein, 4 ounce veggies??? I think I may be eatting too fast too........geeez louise......just to be able to eat without having to think ya know? Does anyone else feel abnormal?? I feel like I can't go out to eat, can't do this cant do that...and its fustrating. I love my band and I love the weight loss that I have been experiencing but yoooo simidy sam!!! Okay, thanks for listening! LATER

Cyndel...I too had surgery with Dr Kwon! He is awesome! Very good hands. The office staff is great too! I haven't seen anyone except Dr Kwon since my surgery, but I have met them all thru my journey! I had my surgery on May 5 2005...and so far I have lost..38 pounds. I had to lose 10 pounds preop....sooo its 28 since surgery....six weeks ago! I feel great...it is a huge adjustment though.... As far as your insurance, who is it, if you don't mind me asking? I had GHI HMO and they were wonderful! Maybe its a company one of us are familur with...maybe we can offer some insight on how to win an appeal.... Well, it was nice meeting you! Talk to you soon!

Gotta have the coffee!! I put in reg sugar and fat free creamer...I think I have given up enough to be able to enjoy coffee the way I like it. May be a bad attitude, but the weight is still coming off...........

Hey all....I am going thru the need for crunchie stuff...chips, tortillas and salsa....i am craving anything carb related...bread,oatmeal,toast..i think it may be *hormonal* or just that i am missing these things. I haven't had a piece of bread or pasta in seven weeks! thats torture to an itallian!!!! what does everyone else do when that need for crunch comes into play? that is a hard one for me to over come, and carrots and celery sticks just don't do it!!! i try really really really hard to fight the cravings. i have been doing pretty good...but if I break, i would appreciate some suggestions on what someone else would do in this situation. I appreciate any input at all! ive done sooo far...ice cold water...nope doesn't really curb it.......a walk, does it a little bit but the craving comes right back....i have found these cheddar cheese flavored protein crisp things that are like rice cakes...they sell them in Super Walmart, (right next to the pudding oddly) and they are pretty good... however, I don't always do my food shopping in Walmart....and other stores around here dont carry them. I am scared to Death of trying toast. I fear the "getting stuck" situation...oh no no no...doesn't sound fun. Even more so, I FEAR the PB'ing affect......Sounds like a movie...NOW PLAYING AT A THEATER NEAR YOU...... THE PB AFFECT, Starting Tom Cruise.....I think im delerious without carbs .... I did however had my FIRST alcoholic drink last night! I am a Toasted Almond girl! I love em! I get into trouble when I drink too many of them...I played it smart, had only one! It tasted sooooo good! I can tell though I could get into trouble now only after two of em! I felt some affect with just having the one. I sipped very slowly, it went down really good and thankfully we got to the bar just a little before closing, sooooo we didn't really have time for a second round. PHEW Saved by LAST CALL! Okay..Im babbling....ANY SUGGESTIONS ON THE CRUNCHIES WOULD BE APPRECIATED...THANK YOU! ttyl

GO GO GO!!! JUMP STARBRIGHT!!!!! THAT BAND IN YOUR BELLY WILL BE LIKE A BUNGIE CORD!!! JUST BEFORE YOU HIT THE BOTTOM, IT WILL SNAP YOU RIGHT BACK TO THE TOP!!!! YOU WILL BE BACK INTO SHAPE, YOU WILL HAVE MORE ENERGY, YOUR MOODS WILL ENHANCE! YOU WILL LOOK/FEEL SEXIER THAN YOU EVER DID IN YOUR LIFE....IT WILL HELP YOU LIVE SOOO MUCH HEALTHIER......YOU CAN GO AND BUY A WHOLE NEW WARDROBE (yes it all does revolve around a shopping trip for me)....YOU WILL ADD YEARS TO YOUR LIFE...AND ABOVE ALL...YOU ARE FINALLY DOING SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS STAR!!!!!!!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

My dr said that the gurgles in the bottom of your stomach isn't hunger its digestion....you only "feel" hungry at the top of your stomach, thats where all the sensors are to trigger your brain that your either full or hungry.....I don't think the fill will stop the gurgles from happening....the fill should help you feel fuller longer...

I think the wildest ride I had on a diet was when I did Meridia weight loss pills... I was taking them in the morning and washing them down with two cups of coffee...(maybe three if it was a hard morning). I didn't realize that the Meridia was a stimulant and then the caffine in the coffee would compound it. I would start SWEATING PROFUSELY.....it would just pour right off me....Then the heart would start racing...my blood pressure was up....and then I use to have to either walk around the building at 100 miles an hour, or HOLD ONTO MY DESK ... cause it was blast off time! If I couldn't get away from my desk, I would shake and jitter....Oh my God, I was tweekin!!! It was horriable! I lost 30 pounds in three months...but damn near killed myself with my blood preassure going nuts!!!! Then within 3 months of being off the Meridia, I gainned back 60 pounds!!! Pretty bad experience, but NOTHING like Delarlas camp from hell!! TTYL

Thanks Kathy and Heather! At least I know Im not alone in this struggle! And lemme tell ya, it is a STRUGGLE...No one said it was gonna be easy though. Gotta keep our eyes on the prize I guess when we get crazy with our snacking....I said to my sister last night, its old habits repeating them selves...and I don't like it...Soooo I gotta try harder at stopping it. I will try the bigger lunch in the after noon. Now that school is almost over I will be home a lot more...I hope that doesnt trigger another need to feed if ya know what I mean. I work at a haunted house...and this year I have a GORGIOUS costume picked out...(its a dress and it is awesome!!) Its called Bride of Satan...comes with a crown, and a veil, and the dress is unreal! I am aiming for that in a much smaller size.....I know I probably am dalusional when I think I can fit into a size 14 by October, but I don't want to have to order a size 24 either!!! I have the picture of the dress hanging on my computer...maybe I should put it on the fridge! I am also going to see Rob Zombie in July...and I wanna be able to wear something a little ris-kay.....I am a Goth Girl at heart....however, I can't fit into a lot of the clothes!! And that just sucks!!!! SOOOOOO If I wanna be able to be who I really am, I need to just step away from the SNACKS and go out for a WALK!! Or something.... Oh well guys!!! I gotta go get ready for stupid work. Its almost over, its almost over its almost over. I will talk to you again soon ,and I will check out that website later today! TTYL

I think I need to go have more surgery.....To get a band placed around my mouth! I have such a hard time at night with eatting and snacking....i dunno what to do with myself!! Granted I am making healthier snack choices...but I don't think I should be eatting like this...well at least snacking like this. Does anyone else seem to fly off the routine at night time? Does anyone know anything to do for this? I think its just left over from my old behaviours....One of the bad ones I can't get past!! I have tried drinking cold water...ice water...coffee....I have done more protein, like a slice of cheese or a yogurt, or cottage cheese... Just to give you a hint....I do great all day! Then I come home and eat dinenr around 5pm which may be like a 1/2 cup of veggies or a small salad and a small chicken breast, maybe three ounces....Then I could follow that with a yogurt. Then I may have another yogurt or a FF pudding about an hour later. Then i will have some No Sugar added ice cream, then I will go looking for something else.......This is insane. And I am getting at least 64 ounces of fluid in a day!!! Is it possible that the effects from the first fill is all ready done? Is it possible I may need another fill? I am six weeks post op... I am getting more exercise in and I am chalking it up to my metabolizim getting woken up and I need more calories than I was I was taking in?? I dont know any of my values cause I haven't been tracking my food... I dunno...I just dunno. I don't go back to my doctor until ohh July something - 8th i believe....three weeks from now.......I lost 5 pounds since I started working out at Curves...so maybe it is the metabolizm theroy??? I dunno...ANY input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time! TTYL

i work in a high school. i have a kitchen area that i can keep a cooler bag in a fridge. i found these GREAT precooked chicken breasts at Walmart...no skin and 98% fat free. I will throw one of the cutlets into a sandwich baggie and nuke that...comes out good and juicy, not brick hard...and I will pack a small salad with dressing on the side. or i do the soups that were suggested....i try not to do so many soups cause they can be high in sodium and fat....but i love my tomatoe soup!!!! yum! um i did tuna salad one day....did a protein shake a couple of times, only for lack of ideas as to what to bring. i sometimes also throw some sandwich meat in a zip lock and bring that to eat. I usually eat it plain or wrap it up in a few lettus leafs, like a sandwhich wrap...sometimes i will throw a piece of cheese in there.......that I enjoy. i don't eat sandwiches with bread anymore. i don't miss bread as much as i thought i would. i like the cottage cheese singles too..with the fruit to mix in on the side....they are good for a snack, or fat free jello with fruit in it......or fat free pudding..but more so the cottage cheese.......it does take some thinking!!! i hope these suggestions have been helpful! TTYL

Holy Moly talk about bouncing back! GOOD FOR YOU HEATHER! Congratulations on your new job!

tammy throw the cigs out and hand the starbucks coffee over to me, and no one will get hurt! just jokin. i have been doing okay..eatting with my eyes....and my stomach has been wanting to poke my eyes out for a few days. i don't think that im over eatting on junk, but i can still eat like a 3 ounce chicken breast, a cup of veggies and tonight i had a yogurt, then a cup of ice cream...Sugar free ice cream, but none the less, ice cream. i had a fill ohhh two weeks ago...i don't know if its time for another or what, but i am good alllll day long while im working then at night, the red eye food demon starts to stir.....and then lashes out at things...not bad things, yogurt is okay, but i feel like i am able to eat too much. I do feel the restriction....I have not pb'ed or anything, had one mini half stuck.......I am exercising......and the weight is coming off....but I hope Im not doing something to slow down the loss progress....I should keep a diary of my food...but like many other things in my life, i start it and then flub it. I found a great site, dont know if it has been posted here..... www.fitday.com and they have an awesome program that you can enter in your food intake....I should start using it huh???? All righty, thanks for listening.. TTYL

I have really been feelin my band ever since my first fill last week! Holy Moly! Who ever invented this whole process was such a smart person! Who woulda thunk it!!! I have been feeling fuller quicker and longer....I have been satisfied with what I have been eatting and haven't really had any complications thank God, except for this little bit stuck experience.....that I still blame the rice for...ohhhh evil demon rice :devious I couldn't imagin what is going to happen with my next fill...whoa! scarey scarey scarey........all though, interesting and fasinating to see the pounds come off! TALK TO YOU ALL LATER

I dont know if this is possible, but is is possible for something to get a LITTLE stuck? I had Chineese food last night....chicken and broccoli. I also had maybe 1/3 cup of rice mixed in there. About 10 minutes after eatting, I felt the restriction....then there was a little weird pain in the center of my sternum. Felt like there was something possibly stuck and then went way. Maybe I didn't chew a piece of broccoli good enough? Maybe it was the rice? I am blaming the rice.....I have heard a lot of people say they can't do rice. I have been filled....If I remember correctly I am at 2.5...I could be wrong....the humidity in NY has been CRAZY so I may be outta my mind just a little bit. This morning I desided to have a liquid breakfast...nothing is coming up or out, I have had no slime, no hiccups...nothing.....I just want to make sure what ever it was is gone!! I have burped a few good times, maybe the broccoli just gave me gas? I dunno.....so many things that could happen its hard to tell....live and learn as they say

Jorjet... My husband works late every single night..so hes not home for group...If he were home, it would be no problem at all. My mom watches my son when I go out. She has MS, and is having a hard time right now. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, she has helped me out sooo much since my son has been born. But just recently shes sorta in a funk...guess thats the best way to describe it. She doesn't wanna come out of her house.My last day is the 23rd. Then I am going to the graduation ceremony on the 25th. My student is graduating high school! I can't believe it! (I am a 1:1 aide to a student with a disablity!) I can't believe that the time has gone so quickly. This is my second year with him too! Anyway....Im so happy to have had Dr Kwon do my fill. I am feeling it! Thats for sure!!! I should be there next time around. I am working on getting a stand by baby sitter, and I think I have my nephew interested.....waive enough cash infront of a kids face and all kinds of things happen! Naw, he is good with my son! And I would never be farther than a phone call away, so it may work out good! Okay. I hope to be at the next meeting!!! I will pst something if I can't be! TTYL

Christina.. I too am a belly sleeper. I didn't get back on my belly till the staples were out. Till then I proped myself up like the Queen of Sheba! I had an arm pillow....really high back with arm rests on the sides.(Bed, Bath and Beyond $20.00) a full length heating/vibrating massage pad under me....a pillow tucked under my knees....I was riding high lemme tell ya. I was very comfortable and actually got out of bed easier this way! And I had my husband sleep on the couch. Sounds horriable, but he did it on his own, wasn't like I said, get out of bed.....but this way I was able to do what ever I needed to do to be comfy! Couple of nights, I slept on the couch.....same routine though...with the pillows behind and under and around. A body pillow helped too when I transitioned back to my belly.... I hope this has been helpful! You will return to normal soon! :Bunny

Thank you Kristen.... It sucks when I have to miss a meeting! I am working on getting another babysitter, just for back up! We will see how this one works!! Sucks that the dietician didn't show! We all have a lot of questions that I am sure she would be helpful in answering! Your surgery hasn't been scheduled yet right? You have to go for the endo still right? Your very well on your way though! The whole process took me about three months from beginning to end........Not too bad....and the insurance approval came really quick too....soo I was very lucky. I really like having my band! I wish I would have desided on this sooner! Okaydokay..gotta get back to work. I will talk to you later!

Hey guys..finding this thread a little late ... something happened today that I wasn't too familur with....I had a fill on Monday...and today, Thursday, after lunch I got this feeling of tightness through my diaphram area....I thought that this was an indicator of being full, like to the point of where if I ate one more bite I would be in trouble, so I stopped eatting. However, that feeling lasted a long while, at least a few hours. I tend to get the hiccup thing as my soft stop...but today I didn't hiccup. I just got this low, dull ache...nothing major...just very apparent that something was different. Could this have been restriction? Thanks guys your the best! TTYL