notateechanow

Good challenge! So far so good. Had yogurt for dinner and some mashed potatoes. No issues. The dates were definitely the same week on the flyer posted at the Faulkner today. If anyone is headed in, check them out. I've tried to call, but never get a straight answer!!! Seems to be ok AND am already PMS'ing so it won't get tighter....

Jay, Sorry I missed you at the office today. Wasn't able to get there early as I hoped. The support group meetings are both the same week this month--the 14th and 15th. Which one do you guys intend to go to? I know it's two weeks off, but I like to have my life all planned. :rolleyes2: I had a fill today and already feel better than the last time I had a fill---except he had a hard time accessing my port today. (I knew the port has felt funky during my ab workouts! He said something about it being "tilted" today and he's never said that before. I thought it should be pretty much staying where it should be after this much time has passed?!) So I was pushy with him and wouldn't let him give me more than a .5CC fill after the last nightmare. I told him I'd rather come back in 4 weeks than come back again this week because I'm overfilled again. I had a shake when I got home and already notice the difference, but not uncomfortably as I did last time. I love that funky feeling you get when you hear it finally passing through---that bottom of the tub draining kind of thing! I finally have it again!!! I also asked him about taking Ibuprofen because I have something wrong with my knee. He told me it's ok as long as it's not part of my regular routine---that I should split it and take it with food to be sure it passes ok. Such an interesting appointment. He wasn't any more personable, but certainly more interested in my "excess skin" again. I can't help but wonder if maybe he gets a cut of the money from the PS if he refers me. (ha, ha, ha--pun intended!) He once again confirmed that insurance won't cover it---like suddenly I had more?!---and that it might not really be something I will need. We'll see. In the meantime, I started my summer camp again and am saving my nickels just in case.... Hope everyone is well. Tiny, I still owe you a birthday drink or 2!!!!

Great job, Heidi! One day at a time.....you can do this!!

GO TO THE GYM! As far as "biting the bullet" and being over-filled---there's a difference between adjusting to being tighter and having to have mostly liquids/soft foods versus having really bad reflux and being really sick. Look at the rest of what you're doing if you're not losing. Are you eating the right foods? Are you drinking enough water? Are you regularly moving? Are you measuring what you eat? Good luck, Heidi. Check in with your surgeon, even if you don't get a fill!

Ok, so July is nearly here. Is anyone intending to go to the support group meetings? If so, which one? I have some flexibility this month, so I can do either one......I just don't want to go alone! Enjoy the sun while it's out!:thumbdown:

Mine is even later....at 2:45. :blushing: Singing, I appreciate your confidence about not getting a fill unless you need it---but many of us, far ahead of you in our process, have been without weight loss in a very long time. Some of us have gone 5+ months without losing weight. Not sure if we need a fill or not, but it's not an exact science, so you never know until you try it.....keep an open mind. You never know what you'll do until you're in the situation.

I've never noticed, either, and I used to work as an Editor!! I'm in there for a fill on the 29th, too.....let me know what time!!! WE should have a big meal together prior to the fills.

It's funny you ask that....because I wanted to ask that last time, too! Dr. Robinson's PA used to do that, depending on how over-filled I was....AND she did small fills when I requested, like .5CC or even less. Dr. Robinson threw in an entire CC after not having a fill in like 12 months and it was horrible. I even questioned his actions 2 or 3 times, but he was insistent. Needless to say, I'll be pushier next time. Maybe he took out the entire fill because I was so horribly sick.......and needed the swelling to just go down. All I know is that I'm still in desperate need of a fill and haven't dared to get one yet because of my last experience....... Good luck with your fill! The nervousness is far worse than the experience!!

Heidi, Good to see you're back with us! I'm in the exact same situation as you. I went in for a fill in early May and couldn't keep anything down, not even water. After taking the entire fill back out, it was like Thanksgiving every day. Thankfully, after a week of pigging out, I was able to get refocused and get back on track. I haven't really lost more than 2-3 pounds since then and I'm working really hard. In fact, I have only lost about 10-12 pounds since January......despite working my tail off! Good news is that I've lost it and haven't found any of it! I'm going in for a fill next week. Next time, smaller fill....... Get back to the basics and watch your portion size. That's the first thing that creeps up on me. Good luck! Paige

Thanks! I will run, rain or shine. I'm running in memory of a close friend who succumbed to ALS/Lou Gehrig's disease in 2005. There is a group of us running in his honor, so even if I'm slow...I have to do it. :sad:

Singing, For whatever reason, I am also very sensitive to the sodium in EVERYTHING. To counteract, I make sure I drink plenty of water to keep it flushing out and work out. The more I keep my system moving, the better it seems to work! I've also started really looking at all ingredients, even when making my own food. Canned tomatoes, broth, even frozen meals are all high in sodium! Also, low fat salad dressings and different seasonings can be high. Hope you're all doing well. I have a fill scheduled for the 29th...this time AFTER tomorrow's 5K. I won't make the mistake of being filled before a race EVER again! I've been able to eat everything in sight---oh, and I pretty much have. Thank goodness for exercise as I'm able to stay within the range of where I want to be. Now if I can just drop this stupid 10 pounds I've struggled with for the past 5 months..... :sad::smile::smile::smile::wink2::smile:

Oh, Jaymie---I know how frustrating it is, but don't get over filled!!! I was overfilled for 4 days and thought I was going to die. I couldn't sleep at night because of the reflux. I was so miserable....try going back to the basics for a few days and see if that helps. I've been about 30 pounds from goal for over 5-6 months now. I am really frustrated, but know that eventually, the weight will come off........ Keep up the good work! :wink2: Paige

Susan, I'm so pleased to hear you were able to work things out. I think sometimes, as Kat mentioned earlier, we get so caught up in ourselves in this process and fail to consider our significant others and how our changes affect them. More importantly, you were able to communicate. This experience only highlighted the differences my ex and I had. We were very relatively early into the relationship (only 3 year...) and didn't have a successful foundation to revert to as you did. Good luck with your impending move. Maybe this will be a great opportunity to re-discover the strength of your relationship and your appreciation for one another.

Glad to hear it! Seems like it's been a while.....he's kind of clueless, even if he is really bright! When the time is right, it will happen. :eek: Good luck!

OH, Chris...that's not comfortable at all. I had a few days with that horribly at night, so much so that Tums didn't relieve it. I had an unfill 3 days later and lost 6 pounds. I couldn't even drink Water by the time I had the fill removed! It's just miserable. Cerrin, I'm so glad to hear you've gotten a fill. Sometimes that's all we need to get us back on track. My surgeon doesn't allow anything but liquids for day 1 and soft foods on day 2. Be careful and go slowly...it's strange to have restriction again when it's been a while since you've had it! Good luck! :cursing:

Will anyone be at the Faulkner support group tonight? I don't want to go for a one on one with Phyllis, people..... :thumbup: Jay, you in??

Cerrin, That's probably exactly what you need. Start slowly back at the gym and take it one workout at a time. Get the fill and get back on track. As Chris said, the tool is there for you for whenever you're ready to use it. When you're able to focus on yourself, it'll be there. May today be just the new beginning you need! Good luck! :thumbup: Paige

I'm sorry to hear you're all having such difficulty finding the pain meds. I never even used mine....though I didn't have an issue getting it. Glad to hear you're home and resting, though. Enjoy this time. It's the only time you get a free pass to do nothing. I have to admit that I milked it a bit after surgery. Despite going straight back to work, I "couldn't" carry laundry up the stairs OR scrape the snow off of my SUV for the first month or so. :thumbup: I'm suffering from withdrawal and headed to the beach. No, not to run it or even walk it today---to simply LIE on it! I'm meeting up with my trainer this afternoon so I have to get in a few hours of reading at the beach before hand! Hope some of you might make it to tomorrow's meeting at the Faulkner. Enjoy the beautiful day! :thumbup: Paige

I think I might be ready for a fill...just chowed down on a huge bowl of arroz con frijoles rojos. I shouldn't be able to eat rice, right? Let alone the entire 4 serving bowl.....bad choice, but oh, it was so nice to eat my old foods!!! I have to get back on track......

Let's hope you're heavily medicated...because the link you posted above absolutely shows July, August, and September meetings..... :blushing: I'm planning on going Monday, if for no other reason than it gets me out of going out drinking on a Monday night for a friend's birthday---and let's face it---you can't start off the week going drinking on a Monday!!! I have a track meet the night of the B+W support group meeting, so that's definitely not an option for me. Hope to see you on Monday!

Wow....never thought I'd be someone responding to this, and thankfully I was never married. However, when they talked about this subject at the informational seminar, I sat smugly and happily knowing I'd be with my guy forever. He was the only person who knew about my surgery and supported me in my decision. He waited on me hand and foot during the weeks following my surgery. He was the perfect man who loved me while I was huge and celebrated every success I had, no matter how large or small. I waited for my ring, and I kept waiting. At some point last summer, he started getting annoyed with me. We ate out nearly every meal and he'd get angry with me for being finished eating in just a few minutes. "EAT something, please?!" I realized that he thought he could support me in this, but the reality was that our lives REVOLVED around food---our travels, day trips, vacations, EVERYTHING. We had little else in common. I still love food, but I can't eat much. I left him in November. I realize I wanted more from a relationship and I'd like a chance at having a family. I couldn't keep waiting for him to come around.... So now I'm single. The strangest thing is that when I was fat and single, I at least knew men dated me because they LIKED me. Now, I have to worry that they have other motives. Dating can be fun, but it's a totally different ball game now. I'm far less trusting than I used to be. It wasn't the excitement I hoped for.......sure, men approach me far more now, but for what?! If my ex could have figured out what he had in me, I would have stayed. I needed and still need someone who sees all of my potential and who encourages me to be a better person today than I was yesterday. So, as sad as it is to read this thread...I've lost my smug, bitchy attitude. The "that won't happen to ME" ignorance is gone. I love my new life and wouldn't change my experience for the world, but it's far lonelier than I ever expected.....

Ok...I've looked everywhere online and even called Dr. R.'s office. I got voicemail for Sari, but not for Phyllis. I'm fairly confident that the support group meeting will be on the 2nd Monday of the month, which would be on the 8th. Can anyone confirm that this is accurate??

I've met 2 guys---neither from my state, but both close enough to drive if necessary. One was visiting here on business and we had dinner---our first experience of having dinner with someone else who was banded. The other has become a great friend with possibilities.....it's been a lot of fun to hang out with other people with the band. I don't have to constantly explain myself and my food choices!

Great work! I can't believe you're doing the 3 Day. Would you have imagined that possible a few years ago?! I started running out of desperation to make the scale move again. I found a program online that had intervals of walking and some running that really worked! I had my first 5K in May and--though I swore I'd never do it again, I am signed up for another in 2 weeks. I didn't like the time for my first one, but am so happy to have finished it. I'll be running another one on June 20th, but this time in honor of a close friend who passed of ALS a few years ago. There will be 15 of us running this one. I'm not sure how this will be with the summer weather coming, but hoping to do a little better this time. (The other struggle is not being able to eat Breakfast with all of the races being in the morning! Any suggestions OTHER than Protein shakes?!) Hope you're all well and would love to hear of your progress! :redface: Paige

Congrats, Jay. Hope you'll start to feel a difference! You didn't miss much last night. Mel and I were there, as were like 2-3 other people from our group. The pics were pretty graphic and all I got out of it is that I need to go for a personal consult. Wasn't worth the effort to get there...... I realize I can't make it on the 16th to the support group--our meeting is that night at B+W, right?---if it is, I can't go. Anyone up for the Faulkner on the 8th?