JoannMarie

YAY Phyll! Diana's post came through as DianaG - I guess it worked. I saw that heading, too, but thought it was just for the blog. Good for you.

Eva - congratulations on your brand new band, and welcome to this thread. It sounds like you have your early band days well mapped out. I also have not told a lot of people, but as you might have guessed I am a stay at home wife these days, so it really has not been an issue with me. It amazes me, though, that when I attend meetings and get-togethers these days, no one has commented on a 46 pound weight loss! That does seem a little strange.

Glad you have joined it in our journey.

Hi Liz, I appreciate the concern about hijacking the thread. I sometimes digress a bit, but people have been patient with me. In some ways I think it is very good to have a feel for other posters' lives aside from banding. It all fits together for us - and it is a pleasant surprise to see how much we are different - and how much we are alike. Feel free to pm me, as well.

Diana, I went to CP User and looked at the page again. I didn't see a place to change that either!!! Sorry for giving you incorrect information and dashing your hopes... Just keep signing your notes with your REAL name and people will use it.

Hugs anyway.

Cheri, thanks for that information about the Water aerobics. My gym offers a class each weekday, and I would not mind sticking around after each class to walk in the Water a bit. In 2002 I had 2 surgeries on the left knee - arthroscopic in March, and replacement that December. The doctor prescribed water therapy after the arthroscopic, but not after the replacement. I never did figure that one out - I loved the water therapy and I think it would have been great the second time around, too. We did a lot of water walking in that therapy - forward, backward, side-to-side - arm movements - the whole package - as well as specific exercises to strengthen the knee.

Also interesting information about your sister's improvement of rheumatoid arthritis. Mine is not that terrible, aggressive form of the disease, for which I am thankful. I know dietary choices affect us in many different ways. I will give her remedy some serious thought.

You and LJV have given me a lot to think about this morning. I've missed the morning water aerobics class, but I think I will give it a go tomorrow and the rest of the week. I have a recumbant bike here at home (and time for that today!), have no pain with the elliptical at the gym. My orthopedist recommends both machines as long as I don't have pain while using them. I have to say most days are so much better since I have lost some of this weight. I have fibromyalgia also, but that has been much better these last few months, too. Losing the weight - it's all good!

Julie - take care of yourself. I hope this pain subsides and goes away forever! Please be good to yourself.

1 Day - I generally eat between 1/2 and 1 cup at a meal. I have an occasional late afternoon snack IF I am hungry. Usually I am not, but sometimes dinner will be postponed by lifestuff, and I may have a Protein snack if that happens. I like the South Beach bars that are 10 gms Protein and 140 cal. They don't totally destroy the calorie count for the day and they do have good protein amount. I also take along turkey Jerky if I'm going to be out all afternoon. An oz or so in a baggie will get me through. I don't always snack in the evening, again - if I do it is something Calcium rich or protein. Sometimes I put walnuts in my pudding - calcium AND protein... I like to make every bite count for something good.

I really need to be doing the time at the gym that you are, Linda. DH and I went walking yesterday, but my knee just won't do much of that. The WiiFit really helps me get moving, but I need more... Maybe I should take a page from Phyll and go ahead and schedule the knee surgery. Get past the rehab and it will be so much better. I will ponder that option.

PJ - I don't know of a rule about eating or drinking before bedtime, but I have heard other people talk about having that problem. I have had a couple of instances of the sensation Water was on it's way back up when I have had something to drink right before laying down. I don't do that anymore. I have one pill I'm supposed to take at bedtime - I take just a sip of Water with it and wait a while before laying down. Most of my water drinking ends around 8 or 9pm.

Hope your air conditioning is fixed soon. We've had a week of beautiful cooler weather and lower humidities, but only a day or two more of this nice stuff before the heat is with us again. Air conditioning going out during one of those heat waves would be a very bad thing. Hugs.

Cheri - what an idea! A guilt guild! Sometimes I think my quilt guild is just that - esp at Show and Tell time when other quilters have so many beautiful pieces they have finished and I don't... some of my quilting friends are very prolific and get something done every month! I'm a homebody! and I don't know how they do it!! Brings on the guilt... It's all around us - we must fight back! Banded People Against Guilt!

bring on the purple ribbons...

1Day - here are a couple of the criteria my doc uses:

Are you eating more than 1 1/2 cups of food per meal?

Are you hungry between meals?

Have you stopped losing weight?

If you can answer yes to those questions they would consider you might need a fill, and probably would have a few more questions for you.

It sounds to me like you are not eating more than 1 1/2 c per meal. It sounds like you are just eating 3 meals, so no Snacks? Not hungry between meals? Are you losing weight? If you are scheduled to see your doctor I would go ahead and see him/her - and ask him/her if you need a fill. I am scheduled in late August - I'll keep the appointment, but I don't know if I will have a fill. I'm still within the first year, tho, and they like to check me every 2-3 months at this point. Consider getting a small notebook and a calorie book that also counts Protein, carbs, fats, etc. I just write in the food & approx amount, calories and Protein. It only takes a few minutes, and I know on those days I don't lose I am still on track. I know lots of ppl like the tracking websites, but I'm trying NOT to be on the computer 24/7, so the notebook works best for me.

Meredith, I would not worry about the 8 oz of Boost as that is still just one cup. It's a liquid, and as a liquid, it's not going to be held in the pouch, but will go on through to your tummy so it's not going to stretch the pouch. I also don't think the rules about liquids after a meal actually take effect until after you are on soft foods and mushies. Sip, sip, sip on that Water all day. Keep to the guideline you have been given about 800 calories a day. You will be fine. (In fact, you ARE fine, girlfriend!)

Don - Love the new picture! You are a handsome dawg, ya know! I am happy that you are doing so well. You waited such a long time and were so patient. You deserve the best!

This is an interesting read to me-I'm scheduled for 8/31/09 banding-the oly band my surgeon uses is the Realize band. I haven't got my "code" so that I can log into the support web site.

Welcome pvgrl. Check with your doctor's office for the pre-surgery code. It lets you into the website for the pre-surgery stuff (obviously!). When you receive your band they should give you the number of the band you received to use as your code. The hospital was supposed to give me mine on a card at my discharge. Someone forgot, but I called the doctor's office and they were able to get me in. There are pre-surgery tips, and rah-rah! stuff in the area you can reach and it's worth checking out. I don't know about you, but I was devouring every bit of information I could find pre-surgery! Glad I did, too. It answered a lot of questions for me and made the post-surgery period a lot easier.

I love my Realize band. I can eat just about anything - even foods some of my band buddies can't tolerate. I love salads and have not had any difficulty with them. Some bandsters have trouble with chicken, some with beef, many can't eat bread or rice. I have to be careful with bread, but I am not inclined to eat much of it anyway, as I follow a more high Protein, carb limited plan. I do eat rice on occasion with no problem. While I say I can eat anything, my band does provide a lot of restriction. It was the 3rd fill before I really felt good restriction, and my 4th very small fill has put me exactly where I need to be. So be patient. My doctor said she could go ahead and give me 6cc - but I would be throwing everything up! yuck. She started me with 3cc, next month 2cc, 3rd month 1cc. In June I had another .5cc, and I am very well restricted. While you are waiting for all that to kick in, just be sure to follow the food plan your doctor suggests, and keep your portions small. That is a great time to learn what "full" really means. As fat chicks, we don't always know what that feels like. Knowing that will help you immeasurably as you go on.

I wish you the best! Come back and keep us posted.

Dottie, it sounds like you have thought things through pretty well. Have you started back to school yet, or is that on the agenda for fall? That will certainly keep you busy. If it were me, I would probably hold off on the part time job till I could figure out what kind of time commitment would be necessary for school. I found when I went back to school (seems like back in the dark ages now!) I became very grade-driven. I was surprised at how important it was to me. Many of my classmates at the time were getting back into school after being in the workforce for some time. It seemed that all of us were more grade-driven than we expected! Something about being an adult, I guess. It was a good lesson for my pre-teen and teenage son, though. They certainly saw how hard I was willing to work for an A! My degree was in interior design, and I worked in that field for several years. My career path took a different direction toward clinical research administration later on, but I know the skills I learned in college (not just design skills) helped me in many ways. Today - as a retired person - I am using the design skills again and doing the art work I really love. Not so much money in it right now, unfortunately, but a lot of satisfaction.

I wish you the best.

1 Day - I'm so glad to hear you are so upbeat these days. You have had your share of down days and it's so good to see things going right for you. I've been enjoying your notes on Facebook. I can't wait to see the new picture. Keep looking up!

Cheri - I've been enjoying your posts on another thread and also your blog. I highly recommend to those on this thread that you check out Cheri's blog. She is a very smart lady and has an uplifting message. We are all about uplifting here because we deserve it! I am so glad you are joining this thread, as we all try to learn from each other and support each other. You are proof it does not take a lot of lapband experience to teach and support another person. Most of this work is in our brains and hearts, not our stomachs, and you have the ability to reach brains and hearts. Thank you.

Bandfriend - I am so sorry for your frustration. I can see where the doctor is coming from if you have had difficulty following the surgery and fill. All of us have some swelling after a fill, but they should try to get you scheduled a little sooner in order to help you through this. It sounds like you are coping as well as you can at this point. Good idea to keep track of everything to show the doctor. They should understand how hard you are trying to make this work.

Good luck to you. Come back and keep us posted.

I just read your blog - PURPLE RIBBONS! It's a great idea. I'm ready to wear one 24/7 - and working toward that first 5K!

I love your blog. Very positive and very enlightening. You are giving me a lot to think about. Thank you.

:sad:I had the Realize Band in Nov 08 and have only lost 8lbs. I have had 4fills -the first 2 fills was up to 8cc in a 9cc band. The third fill was filled to 9cc and I ended up in the Hospital BC I could not hold anything down and I was in a lot of pain. They ended up taking all the liquid out of my band for two weeks due to swelling of the esophagus & stomach. I gained three lbs. back. I got 5.5cc put in three weeks ago and have lost 4lbs. So I am back to where I started. I can still eat a good bit and I feel hungry. I really thought I would have lost more by now and I want to find some people who had the realize band and finally started losing after several fills. I want to not give up hoping this will be a success. I am also working out 2-3 times a week -30min. Thanks for your help.

I'm so sorry to hear you are having a tough time. It has to be very frustrating.

I've not had your exact experience, but I am a slow loser. I am coming to terms with that since it is at least going in the right direction. I've averaged about a pound a week since March. The people at my surgeon's office say that is within the range recommended by Realize, and I should not worry about it. So I don't. I am happy for every pound.

You didn't say what you are eating. Did your doctor give you some guidelines? Since you have lost 4 pounds since your re-fill, maybe you will have better results this time around. If you have a nutritionist it might be a good time to talk with him/her about what you should be eating, how much at a meal, etc. We can share what our docs have recommended, but it would be helpful for you to know what your doc has to say about the subject.

The Realize website has been helpful to me. You need to be a "member" in order to take advantage of all their tips for success, etc. If you are not yet doing that, maybe it would be helpful for you. There are "diet" and exercise recommendations on the website. Your doctor can supply the number you need in order to become a member. I used the journaling option for a while, but I find it is more helpful to me to just keep a small notebook for my food tracking. That got me started tracking, though, so it was helpful. I think tracking your food intake is very important.

Some ppl have found the "5 day pouch test" to be helpful. It basically recommends you go through the original food process you went through following surgery for a jumpstart. For the details, google 5 day pouch test and see what you come up with.

Come back and keep us posted on your progress.

Hi All,

Diana, if you go to the User CP section at the top of the page you can go in and change your user name, add an avatar and/or picture, set up a signature, etc. Give it a try. Welcome to the site. I had a week of liquids, starting the day after Thanksgiving. Had a great Thanksgiving! but I was worried about the liquid diet period. It was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be - I started to feel better, more energy, etc., within a couple of days. I think your excitement level is so high and you are so determined to do everything right - it helps you emotionally to have that kind of structure to follow. Not to mention the reduction in the size of your liver which makes the surgery process much easier for your surgeon. I'm all in favor of making everything easy for the surgeon!

Don, you are doing great. I hope your wife makes the right decision for herself. We are all a little biased toward the band, I guess, but it has sure been a blessing for me. Something to keep in mind - the health plan being discussed in Congress will have significant impact on Medicare - they are talking about $$$$billion in coverage eliminated in order to pay for the overall plan. If she wants this surgery she should be ready to make the commitment as soon as she turns 65 - hopefully it will take some time to follow through on all these cuts. I know if this goes through, my next call will be to my ortho surgeon to schedule the knee replacement I need. Had hoped to wait till winter, but I need it, and I'm not willing to take a chance on coverage.

Moochie - GOOD FOR YOU! I love your spunk, girl - and your attitude! You will do this your own way - just as everybody has to. We are all proud of you and cheering for you. Come back every day - we just love a winner (loser!)!

Linda - you have lost 77 pounds according to your ticker! I think that also has a lot to do with the difference in your "temptation level." You know this works and you know how to make it work. You know you can turn away from those foods, and that's just what you do!

My quilt guild had the summer "picnic" last week. It was a very interesting experience for me. The only Protein on the table was deviled eggs and some pieces of salami and cheese on toothpicks. There were a few salads, but mostly with lots of mayo. LOTS of Desserts. I had one deviled egg (2 halves), a little spinach salad with strawberries to which I added very small amount of balsamic viniagret (wow-sp!), 3 crackers and 2 of the toothpicks, each with 1 cheese cube & 1 chunk of salami. I was SHOCKED at how much food was on the plates of everyone else! and the fact that everyone went back for a second, equally loaded, plate of food, and then a plate filled with a sample of each dessert! I had dessert - tiny sliver of pound cake - sweetened fruit was on the table for the pound cake. I just did the cake because I knew that would satisfy me. I left cake on my plate. Point of all this - I would have eaten the two overflowing plates of food and a plate of Desserts before banding. In fact, I'm sure I did just that last year at the same function. The feeling of control was SOOOO wonderful. Esp since the control did not feel like control. I ate exactly what I wanted. The old saying - "nothing tastes as good as being thin feels" is only part of the equation. Nothing feels as good as being in control of your appetite and your consumption of food - and your LIFE! It does not matter one whit what other people say about "the easy way out" - or other criticisms of your decision to be banded. It is your life and you deserve to be in control.

I love my band...

Dottie, I am retired and staying at home. I retired early almost 5 years ago (Aug 2004), hubby retired about 2 years later, but he had a hard time adjusting and wanted to add some income. He went to work full time at BassPro when they opened a store here about 18 months ago. After a work life of sales and primarily sales management, the retail environment has been a tough adjustment for him. He is firearms specialist for the store - and they could not have a better one. I tell him the job description was written for him! He loves most of the job, but really does not like some of it. Like any job, I guess.

At any rate, I am home with my dog most days so Jack and I have frequent conversations. I am an art quilter and enjoy having the time to work in the studio. Oddly though, I find many distractions, family obligations, multiple quilt & knitting group obligations, friendships, etc. None of these are bad things in any way, but take me out of the studio. I have decided it's best to just go with the flow and enjoy everything I can... The hardest thing about retirement for me has been STRUCTURE! No commute, no office, everything is up to me. After a lot of years with structure being decided by others it has been a constant struggle to structure my own time!

It's so good to hear your thoughts about maintenance. I have read in a couple of books that our bodies seem to find the right weight as we approach that "normal" status, and we tend to maintain that weight naturally as long as we continue active lives and the exercise we have established. Our food intake does not necessarily change a whole lot, according to those authors. Some of the participants in this thread have had a somewhat different experience. I sure understand that we must always be aware and ready to deal with any weight gain, no matter how small. A soldier on guard!!

Please feel free to p.m. me...

Good information, Karen. Thank you!

Thank you, Clempier. Those words speak to me.

Hi Dridlen,

I think all of us are wondering how maintenance will be... Looking forward to it, though! I am such a slow loser I don't know if it will seem all that strange to me - not seeing the scale go down a little every day. I have yet to see that! Up, down, up, down, up, down, down - then the process starts again. I am grateful for the extra "down" in there - that's what keeps me going!

Welcome - and come back to share your experience and knowledge!

Laura, I don't know what is going on with me, but I have not had a problem with that awful feeling of deprivation lately. I had my 4th fill in early June, only .5cc, but from that day on I have had a completely different feeling about the food around me. I have no idea if that fill has something to do with it, or if it was just the right time for a paradigm shift. Is that the change that comes with the "sweet spot?" I don't know. I do know I have been able to be a little more adventurous, attending some of the food activities of summer, occasionally trying some things I had stayed away from, and able to keep everything under control much more easily than I've ever done before - and w/o feeling deprived. I think that's the reason I tried the ice cream. Also the reason it was easy to throw it away when it was obvious even the small serving/day was sabotaging me. I wonder if you will find it easier to branch out a little after you have been banded a bit longer.

I do think we need to have a treat occasionally - and learn to make it just OCCASIONALLY. I remember Long talking about the chicken strips once a week. She found out she was satisfied with just 2 rather than 5 - but the key was once a week.

I think part of it has to do with looking back over the last several months and seeing how far we have come. It becomes much more important to keep doing the right stuff and moving the process along. I have had several donations out the door to charities, and in going through my closet last night I am preparing to dump almost everything currently in my closet. I am reaching the last 3 pairs of jeans in smaller sizes - tried the 16s on last night and they fit - snug, but they zipped (and I didn't have to lay down on the bed to make them zip!!). Joey's Closet Boutique will be closing soon and I will be at the mercy of the retailers and their sale prices. I'll be visiting the same charities I am now donating to, and spending my money there! I am lucky that hubby works at Bass Pro and I get a discount there on the Bass Pro labels. I like their jeans and tops - and that is what I mostly wear.

TIP: A friend of mine has been shopping at a "charity" shop for years. It is the one to which the members of the Kansas City Junior League donate. Now, much of the clothing there is small sizes (yes, my friend probably weighs 90 pounds dripping wet and with rocks in her pockets), but not everything is, and for those of you who are at or below goal and wearing those small sizes, you might look into that type of thrift store. I am planning to do that when I am closer to the magic number. She has found beautiful Peruvian hand knit sweaters (sell for the $500-$800 range) for $25, gorgeous wool pants and skirts for $5-$8. The pieces are beautifully made and have been worn once or twice.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and a fun Fourth of July. Thank a soldier, police officer, firefighter. My special thanks to to Chief Todd and LTC Jim. I have a special soft spot for them...

Okay Moochie - Janet and Apples are both on vacation this weekend, so it's just us. I'm not quite midpoint in this journey, so I don't have the expertise of Janet or Apples, but I have enough experience to tell you what you may not want to hear. You need to get your head in this, girlfriend. This is not an appetite issue for you, is it? It sounds more like old habits hanging on and getting in your way. Meredith had a good idea and it would be the first thing I would tell you. GET THE JUNK OUT OF YOUR HOUSE. If it's not there you can't eat it. Clean out the cabinets and the refrigerator and throw the stuff out. Go to the grocery and buy the food you are supposed to eat. This does not mean you can't have Snacks - 60 calorie pudding cups, sugar free popsicles and fudgecicles, low fat popcorn, etc. Don't even go down the ice cream aisle. You don't need that, girl, and it is sabotaging you.

Protein first - chicken, fish, shrimp, scallops, turkey, lean beef, lean pork - lots of choices there. Vegies - grean, yellow, and leafy as in spinach, swiss chard, etc. fruit - all those beautiful fresh berries and summer fruits. eggs - cheese (look for low fat) - cottage cheese (low-fat). All of your meals should be Protein first (3-4 oz) then vegies and/or fruit, last of all the high carb foods in very small amounts. 3/4 to 1 cup per meal. If you must snack, make it protein (South Beach bars, the ones that are 140 calories and 10g protein), jerkey, string cheese, etc. Save the pudding cup for the evening if you must have something sweet. WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. It keeps you honest. Try to stay between 800-1100 calories a day, with 60-80 grams of protein. There are websites that help you track everything, but I find it easier to just keep a notebook and a book that counts calories and gms of protein, carbs, fat, etc. I just track the food, calories, and protein. Whatever works for you!

I think your doctor is leveling with you. I was banded on Dec 4th, just a couple of days after you. I have 6.5cc in my band, and I am down 45 pounds, so really close to you. I consider myself a slow loser - since March I have averaged about a pound a week. My pattern is to lose and regain and relose the same 1 or 2 pounds for a week and a half or two - then drop 2 pounds. It is very frustrating, but I know it is Water retention in hot humid weather, swelling from arthritis, blah, blah, blah. I don't really care - I am headed in the right direction. As long as I follow the rules I will be okay.

I bought low fat ice cream last week. It had decent numbers was really good. After 3 days of eating 1 serving a day I had gained 4 pounds (much more than the pattern!), and realized I was retaining Water like crazy. hmmm. I guess I can't do that. I woke up the 4th morning, laying in bed looking at my swollen feet - got up and ran the rest of the ice cream down the garbage disposal. I can't tell you how GOOD that felt! It was absolutely liberating. Since then the water is gone and I have lost those 4 (but not the 2 pounds I am due this week!). I am done with ice cream.

I have a hard time with exercise many days, but I do it anyway some days more strenuous than others. Walk. Swim. Walk in the water. Go shopping in a cool mall. Just get started and it will get easier.

You can do this. As it was said earlier, remember why you did this. Remember how excited you were when you started this journey. You are 38 pounds lighter, and in my book that is pretty good. So it takes us a little longer. We are going to have this tool for a long time. There is no big rush. You will lose it and you will keep it off.