Poodles

I have not been back to see Dr. B. I just go to the fill center now. Figure I will go back to see him when I lose more weight. I am enjoying my new found freedom from band punishment, and have actually stayed low carb with no cheats since 12/26 (see my sig!). I think that being a little loose is way better than being too tight. Mushies are the devil, and carbs are often mushies, so I just stay away from them all. Protein, Protein, Protein!!!

In reply to my post, I found this article: http://www.dorlastan.com/96/Fashion_Trends_2007.htm Which basically says what I was thinking... I think...

I decided that I want to wear the items of clothes that I feel comfortable in. I honestly look good in that early 90's style of vests over white big shirts and black pants. I look nice in Rayon dresses and feel comfortable in them. When looking for items on the internet, they are kind of hard to find. The pretty "Boho" look items on ebay, are totally my style, but my sister says that they are not "in style". Does it really matter? Everyone wears what they want to now a-days, seems to me. From leather clad people, to lacey dressy people. What do you think?

Oh now Regina, are you sure you want to quit??? My property taxes depend on smokers paying that extra buck a pack.:smow: No really it is a good time to quit. My mother, father, and step father all smoked, and all passed away before 60, so something to think about. Those cancer sticks are not worth it. I try to think of fudge brownie sundaes as my cancer sundae. They are up to almost four bucks each too. Hope everyone is doing well. I am doing great since my unfill. No cheats since 12/26. I can eat meat, and I am loving it!!!:hungry: I need to find my scale (it is still packed somewhere) and see what it is doing. If it is going down, you will be the first to know it! Good day all!!

My new favorite is SF/Decaf Chai tea (David Rio Pink Flamingo vanilla sugar free Instant Chai) mixed with soy milk in the blender with ice. If I work it right it has the consistency of shaved ice and it is goooood... The only place I have found it is World Market, but it is well worth a trip. SF Jello with SF cool whip works on my sweet tooth too.

My doctor has recommended that I chew or crush regular pills and to open up capsules, but I was wondering if anyone has tried capsules with the band? I am wanting to take some Vitamins without taking them out of their "shell". ie: b-complex/milk thistle/vitamin e/evening primrose oil. I know solid pills would have issues, but don't capsules just turn into a jelly like substance? I know these things come in liquids, and have tried them, but man are they gross!!! Thanks for the advice...

I now have phenegren on hand. Both pills and suppositories. Figure, one way or the other it should help. I caught the nastiest bug a few weeks ago and threw up multiple times (and I was overfilled), but when the checked my pouch/band last week, it was fine.

That seems to be the question of the ages around here. Search for portion sizes and you will see a variety of different answers. I have recently inquired myself. From my research 1 cup is the MAX you should eat at one sitting. I myself, have been on mushies for quite some time now due to an overfill, and have found that you can eat more than a cup at a time, but don't do it, because you will stretch your pouch... like I did. :girl_hug: Right now, after my unfill, I have started to measure everything. No more than one cup of solids at a time. liquids I still drink a 16 oz tea with no problems. Tomorrow, I am going to try for 3/4 cup at a meal to see if that will shrink my pouch, without leaving me hungry. If I had to do it over again, I would measure from day one. Start at 1/2 cup and see how that feels, if I am still truly hungry, move up in 1/4 cup increments. That is the best advice I can give. Hindsight is 20/20 you know...

I had been on Atkins for 3 years. Lost from 318 down to 268 and held that for 9 months straight. No matter what I did I could not lose. My husband said, "you know, I would understand if you wanted to do surgery like soandso did". So I started looking into it. When I was approved, I went off the deep end in carb land and gained back to 300lbs. Now, I don't know what I am, because I can't find my scale...

Betty Grable here. We all have winning smiles!!!

If you are not on pain meds, try a little liquid tylenol. That helped me. I loved the feeling right after surgery. I was not hungry, and 1/2 ounce would fill me up. Wish I still felt that way!! Good luck!

Diva, you know compulsive eating no matter which way it swings is hurtful. Being too thin, or the binge purge cycle. With the band, you can NOT binge purge anymore. If you do you will cause major issues. As a recovering "compulsive eater" myself, I have found that my head issues pop up more now that I can not binge/purge. You have to work on those issues. Eating disorders are more about control that food, in my opinion. You must be ready to control what you eat. The best way to do that with any eating disorder is to get off the insulin roller coaster so that you can focus on what is really bothering you. I read a book called "Its not what your eating, its whats eating you." The title says it all really. I am on day 6 no carbs. The pull has minimized, but I am eating way too much sugar free jello. But guess that is ok this early in the game. :love: Good luck to everyone in the new year. Be good to yourself.

I swear it is the stitches girls. I can feel them pull sometimes if I bend the wrong way (Don't have to clean the bath tub anymore, cause that hurts.) DH takes care of that now. They had to "anchor" the port into place with stitches. Once the tissue grows around them it will be better, but for now just pray the stitches don't break or your port will flip. That is my theory anyway...

I can eat eggs!!!! I ate a piece of quiche and LOVED IT!!!! I am so happy! I feel like a kid in a candy store, only its meat/eggs that I can eat! So Wonderful!!! Happy New Years Everyone! Hope everyone has a wonderful year!

I was wondering when this topic would show up. In my opinion, we did this the wrong way. As a teacher, I can not go up to a student two years later and go: "Hey, you remember when you were chewing gum in my class? Well, here is your detention." You must give the punishment when the offense occurs. (Now, I am in no way saying that killing people is equal to chewing gum... it is just an example.) We should have handled Saddam back when, not wait 20 years until he was old and we had taken away all his weapons. (No weapons of mass destruction found, another Bush OOPS!) He was defenseless. Now, Osama should have been delt with. If we could find Saddam hiding in a hole, we could find Osama. But, of course, Osamas family has ties high up in our country. So, I figure "we" focused on Saddam to divert attention away from Osama. Now with Saddam dead, I would like to see Osamas head on a platter. My friends in other countries hate Bush. The "white cowboy hat" thing does not go over well. We push our ideas on others like bullies, and have become the bullies of the world, not the heroes. When other countries get away with killing one another and we look away, calling it a "civil war", we don't get involved, but if they had oil (like green pointed out)... well... stand back 'cause we will blow you up. Bush does what serves Bush best. He does what will bring himself and his family/friends the most money. Screw the rest of the world, including those in the good 'ol U.S.A. I know the horror that Saddam created in his lifetime, and he surely deserved to die, but it should have been done a long time ago. Bush SR, should have handled that, Bush JR, should have left us out of Iraq and fighting daddy's war, and went after Osama.

I wanted to bump this up to see if anyone knows the "correct" portions we are suppose to eat as bandsters. I remember something about 1 cup total, but want to see what others have been told.

When I went for an unfill, they said that even Water can cause dialation of the pouch if you are too full. Now I have a bulge and am wondering what is a "small portion" does anyone have ideal portion sizes? Should I go with the standard 4 oz Protein, 1/2 cup cooked veg, 1 cup raw veg? I want my pouch to shrink!!!!!!

Well, I am not a doctor, but I have survived a "lower abdominal, midline, incisional hernia" Basically it was a hernia where my c-section scar was. I did not know it was there until I had my appendix out, then they waited for me to heal from that surgery, and cut me open again for the hernia repair. (then I had the lapband surgery a month later, 3 surgeries in 3 months). Now, although I did not feel any pain for the hernia, I picked up a microwave recently and my port started to hurt. I picked it up and rested it on my tummy while moving it from a chair to a table. Then I noticed a weird "zing" of pain. I figure I pulled a stitch on my port. After a while (about a month), it went away. Some people with hernias see it protruding from the outside. Some people have pain, and others don't. But I bet they would have to do a laproscapy (sp?) to find something. Good luck hun, hope you feel better in the new year!!!

Barbara honey, I feel your pain. I felt like a total failure going in knowing full well I was too tight. It seems like a step back to have stuff taken out, but then again, they don't know how it feels. I have actually eaten properly the past few days. No trying to sneak in "easy" food. I have had meatloaf, and pork loin, salad, and NO PAIN!!! I have stuck to the Atkins plan and feel great (although I would kill or die for something sweet). The water weight loss has come off and I feel lighter. Have not been on the scale, I figure I need to work on head issues and relearn my band. That is my main focus. Please do take things slowly, I tried an egg and it did not work, but what the hay, I can eat MEAT!!! Poor ME, I have to have tenderloin for the rest of my life !!! Tomorrow, I am going to try chicken! Slowly, of course. You know the only one that can determine what is right for you is you. You can always get more put back in, or more taken out. That is the beauty of the band. Now for a question: Do you guys/gals measure your food before you eat? If so, what should you measure out? I have just been eating until full, but with a stretched pouch I wonder if I should do that. Thanks for the help!

At my last appointment the lady explained to me this way: if you are too tight, and eat something that inflames the band, you will become tighter. Then it will heal and loosen up again until you upset it again. Then it becomes a vicious cycle. If you retain Water, you will be more restricted. When I told her my way of eating (coffee in am, little lunch, eat alot at dinner, but always a lot of mushie type stuff) she told me that I was too full. When she looked at my images she decided that removing .4 cc's would be best. Now I feel wide open, but when I eat I feel no pain. Give me a week and it may change, it may change with each thing I try, but at least we can have it adjusted to fit our needs. Fickle, yes. But what works for you (1.6 in 4cc band) may not work for me (.8 in 4cc band). That is the beauty of the thing.

At my last fill, the lady told me that it does not evaporate in everyone, and that if you don't have a leak it will not go away. I have also read on the board that you can go a little over what the band size is to allow for what is in the tube. I also was retold the band rules. I don't know if you eat mushies often, but they are a no no with the band. Solid foods only. No Soup, mashed anything, etc... I told the lady that I wanted to start Atkins again, and she recommended the South Beach approach to go along with the band. (I am going to stick with Atkins, it works for me.) And she also mentioned that devil word (exercise). Now, I in no way claim to be an expert. I am just passing on the information that I have read/heard about. Good Luck!

My resolutions: 1. Spend lots of time with my hubby/son. 2. Re-Learn my band and try to lose weight. 3. Take my meds daily on set schedule instead of when I remember them. (**doh**) Now I would put exercise in here, but I do that every year, so this year I won't put it on the list and see if I get off my butt and do it. Reverse psychology this year. :love:

Oh yes, I would have liked to see more weight off. And I SHOULD have gone back sooner. I just could not tell if it was how the band was suppose to work or not. As I was bawling in the office, I told the lady "if I knew it was going to hurt so badly, I would have never gotten the thing." Then she told me it was not suppose to do that. Stupid me, I should have listened to others before it went this long. Well now I am on day 4 of Atkins, and day 4 with my unfill. Here is what I have had yesterday. Please tell me if this is good/bad/ok. This is the first time in 4 months I have been able to tolerate solids, so I think I am enjoying it way too much. Brunch: 6 swedish meatballs (3 oz total) (around 11 am) Lupper: 3 oz pork tenderloin and 1/2 cup low carb Pasta with sauce (around 3) YUMMY!!! snack: whey shake with SF English Toffee syrup, really craving sweets now Dinner: 1/3 cup guacamole, 1 thick slice roast beef from deli counter (around 7) Snack: Iced coffee Just can't tell you how good it feels to not choke on a whey shake in the am. I could not believe that meatballs went down... and they were good! This morning I had a 1/4 cup of cottage cheese... and it was good too. No pain, and I am full!!!! Six months with the band, and I have to relearn everything. Man, I am slow. :love:

Welcome to the thread Lady! Well day 3 on Atkins, and day 3 with my unfill. I want sweets in the worst way, but have done my best to stay away. Have found sweet iced coffee (with splenda of course) helps. Here is what I have had today. Please tell me if this is good/bad/ok. This is the first time in 4 months I have been able to tolerate solids, so I think I am enjoying it way too much. Brunch: 6 swedish meatballs (3 oz total) (around 11 am) Lupper: 3 oz pork tenderloin and 1/2 cup low carb pasta with sauce (around 3) YUMMY!!! snack: Whey shake with English Toffee syrup, really craving sweets now Dinner: 1/3 cup guacamole, 1 thick slice roast beef from deli counter (around 7) Snack: Iced coffee Now that I look at it, it does not look that bad. I am full, but really wanting something sweet. May have another coffee before bed, decaf of course. Tomorrow I should be home free on Atkins. Just can't tell you how good it feels to not choke on a whey shake in the am. I could not believe that meatballs went down... and they were good!

Oh Barbara ***hugs*** I hope all goes well with everything. My dad was sent home with six months to live, and he showed them. Multiply that six by seven and you get the picture. Doctors just guess, you know. No one knows but the big man himself, and he ain't talkin'. I feel so much better already with .4 cc's removed. My breakfast shake did not "pool" and then go down, so I was very happy with that. I have been on mushies today, still a little sore. Don't know if I will stay with mushies tomorrow or try some solids for breakfast. Will sip some coffee and see how that goes down first. Then cottage cheese here I come! Hope your unfill goes well too. The new year will bring new hope for us all, I am sure.