JulieNYC

Molly, Why don't YOU start the new thread! I think a different member should start it every month, when possible. Of course, if you don't log on before noon or so, I'm likely to start it because I can't keep my big "mouth" shut about whatever is going on, but if you log on first, please start it! Julie

Tracy, I want to do a little experiment with you to try and save you some anxt that might be (hopefully isn't, but might be) ahead. You game? You already know everything in this message, but I'm going to say it all in a particular order. OK, here goes. Think about this feeling that you're having right now -- the feeling of being full on just a little bit of food feeling. Think about it really hard and remember it. Now, believe me on what I'm about to tell you. Ready? You are probably going to lose that feeling very soon -- maybe even within a few days. When you lose it, it's going to be scary and you're going to doubt whether you'll ever get that feeling back. Now, comes the good part -- YOU WILL get it back. You will. I promise. You'll just have to wait it out until you get a good fill level, then you'll have it back and it'll carry you through a lot of weight loss. Why is this crazy girl bursting my balloon of low-cal happiness, you ask? Because I want you to have the easiest time possible through "bandster hell" and I hope that if you preempt the feelings of fear and doubt that naturally come when you lose that feeling of easy fullness (by believing you can get them back), that you'll have an easier time. No matter how much we prepare, losing that feeling of easy fullness is always scary and traumatic. I want that to be minimized for you. Believe me -- you'll get it back. Read this post again if you get scared down the road when you lose that feeling, ok? WOOHOO! Go Tracy! You're on the road to recovery. I can't to watch your progress.

OK, here's my big news. I signed up for a HALF-MARATHON on September 9th (Chicago)! Dad says I can start walking again on the treadmill on Thursday and can start running in a couple of weeks if the walking goes smoothly. So May is my month to get back up to running 5 miles comfortably, then June-August I'm going to train! Nothing like running to knock these last 30-40 lbs off me! WOOHOO! I'm so pumped. Can't wait to be able to get back on the exercise bandwagon. Anyone want to join me in September? Boo? Dawn?

Tracy, take care of yourself -- you can be babied for a few more days and not clean the floors again, ok? You're doing great though -- WOOHOO! My advice is to not worry about the calories at this stage, whether low or high. I don't even think you need 500 if you don't feel like eating them. Try to get SOME protein, but don't force anything you don't feel like. A few short days of low cal and low protein isn't going to jeopardize your muscle tone and you (like all of us!) have plenty of energy in storage. If you feel bad though, certainly drink some calories -- like juice or liquid protein. It's not worth feeling bad to save calories at this stage. I'm just saying don't force calories simply because they're low for a few days while healing....

WOOHOO Terri!! That's fabulous! Dancing bananas-with-Elvis-hair for you for completing the April challenge! Rock on! :Banane52:

You look PHENOMENAL, Libra!! Way to go -- what a difference. You're gorgeous!

I ate something yesterday that didn't agree with me. I think it was a jumbo shrimp. I only ate one and I didn't throw up, but something was bouncing around my pouch all last night. So, today it's liquids. I had a tasti-d-lite for breakfast (it's a local fake icecream place -- 60 cals for a small cup and a couple of grams of protein -- not the best choice but I thought it would feel good on my stoma), and a tomato soup with whipped cottage cheese mixed in for lunch. 260 cals and about to repeat the lunch for snack. Yesterday I had an even 1000 cals. I threw away half my SF jello pudding snack to not go over by 30 cals....

Thanks Elisabethsew! Well, today was a big SV day for me. I met my original goal, which was to lose half my body weight. Today I weigh 179 and I've lost 179 lbs. So, I set my final goal, which, for lack of a better reason, I set at 136, which is the highest weight at which I'll have a NORMAL bmi. My plan for getting there (if I can, and if I can't, that's SO FINE too -- whatever my body wants at this point, you know?) is to just live life, keep up my running program, and get to the high 140s. Then around Christmas, I'm going in for the second half of the PS. That'll be a thighplasty and a butt lift. Dad says he'll take 15 lbs off with that because I have so much extra skin on my thighs. I wish I could have it done before then, but with the change in jobs coming up, the first time I can get that much time off is going to be the holidays (where I can use the built in days off to get me from having 2 weeks off to almost 3 weeks off, which is what I need for that surgery). So that's the update!

Let me clarify for Beachgirl, since I have the larger band. If you were banded in the US and not through a clinical trial, you should have an Inamed band (Inamed is now owned by Allergan). Inamed bands come in three sizes, referenced by the diameter of the band as well as the amount of saline each holds. The smallest is the 9.75 cm band (diameter), which holds 4 cc's of saline. The middle size is the 10 cm band (diameter), which also holds 4 cc's of saline. It should be noted that most doctors will fill above 4 cc's on either of those bands if the patient needs it. They will actually hold much more than 4 cc's before bursting. I've heard of people having 6 cc's or more in either of these bands. THEN, there's the "VG" or "Vanguard" band. It is 11 cm (diameter) and holds 10 cc's of saline. Like the smaller band, this band can be filled beyond Inamed's recommended capacity (perhaps even to 20 cc's, though I've never heard of anyone needing more than 14 or so). The VG is also a little different in design, as rather than having a smooth ring that holds the saline, it has more of a quilted, or "pillow" design, which was designed to minimize pressure on the stomach and avoid slippage, erosion, etc. If there is an even larger band by Inamed (or if you were banded outside of the US, in which case there are numerous other bands that hold larger amounts), I can't find it detailed on their website yet. I've heard (on this forum) that there is a brand new band, but I haven't heard much about it yet or now it's different. Find out from your doctor exactly what you have. You'll find that the idiosynchracies of your band experience may line up more with those who have your same band, so it's useful to know. For example, I find that those with the VG have fewer problems with textures of foods (there's no food I can't eat at least a little bit of), but more problems getting to the perfect fill level.

Oh Kat, I am sending you my strongest virtual hugs. Rick's depression is so understandable and there's probably nothing you can do other than love him and hold his hand until you both see how this stabilizes. Please keep us posted. The hospital is a scary place and my thoughts are prayers are with you for bringing him home soon. Big hug. Molly, you're going to do great managing your new fill level. As you experience this unfill, would you share a lot of detail on the difference between 10 and 9? I'm considering backing off my fill just a little and my fear (obviously) is losing the dampening of the head hunger by just a tiny unfill. Keep me posted on how much more, if any (and I hope for you that it's not any!), you have to fight yourself with just a little bit less fill. Dawn, I reached my goal of losing half my body weight this morning, which means it was time for the new goal. I decided to go for the honest-to-goodness goal, which would have to be a normal BMI. For me that's 136. If I get to a higher weight and it fits, there's no way I will feel like a failure. I will have still lost 200 lbs, right? So, 136 it is. It's just a number (I'm convincing myself). If I ever hit it, it'll probably be after my thighplasty (which I'm planning to do in December). Dad says he can take a FOOT of skin off each of my thighs. That's probably 15 lbs right there.

You look GORGEOUS! I mean, absolutely stunning, happy and healthy. Way to go, Lianna. WOOHOO!

4-3: JenRN - 263/257/223/150 - 40 total 4-3: jenn28 - 282/265/229/165 - 53 total 4-3: Picardy3 - 298/300/257.5/150 - 42.5 total 4-3: tipper - 300/290/259/165 - 41 total 4-4: Sugar1 - 311/289/231/150 - 80 total 4-4: DeltaDawn - 358/184/179 - 174 total 4-4: Dak – 255/251/205/150 – 50 total 4-4: Angels - 264/255/235/? - 29 total 4-4: Harpseal Al - 327/295/220 - 34 total 4-5: Boo - 208/203/165/132 - 43 total 4-5: siestaqh - 180+/177/117/110 - 63 total--NO MORE BAND :-( 4-6: Disneynut - 290/287/260/125 - 27 total 4-7: Guysis - 234/170/134 - 64 total 4-10: JulieNYC - 358/179/136 - 179 total 4-11: Vickie1177 - 320/297/267/137 - 53 total 4-11: tellymelly - 240/235/143.5/140 - 96.5total 4-11: Fel0816 - 307/284/265/to get under 200 - 42 total 4-11: dsrjrr - 231/230/210/130 - 21 total 4-11: truckinmama - 262/234/160 - 28 total 4-11: waterlily1072 - 354/273/150 - 81 total 4-13: Nursekathy2u - 358/356/335/175 - 23 total 4-13: NJgirl - 248/230/188/140 - 60 total 4-13: Miper70 - 217.5/187/145 - 33 total 4-17: Amourette - 22.5 total 4-17: Jeepergurrl - 242/192/140 - 50 total 4-17: MelAnne - 245/207/150 - 38 total 4-18: KAYBEE-284/198/180 -86 total 4-18: Danaclark2 - 270/260.5/259/150 - 11 total 4-20: TrustUfirst - 210/205/177/135 - 32 total 4-20: Omamoon - 220/211.5/179/130 - 41 total 4-20: KimInMD - 288/288/228/156 - 60 total 4-21: Yoda - 273/257/194/150 - 79 total 4-21: kristielynn - 310/302/237/150 - 73 total 4-22: alisonb - 286/270/176 - 16 total 4-24: Eficka - 125/117/95/69 - 27 kgs/66 lbs total 4-24: Ceparano- 255/270.5/201/170 - 69.5 total 4-24: Kat - 289/281/203/165 - 86 total 4-24: hlj25950 - 262/257/200/160 - 62 total 4-25: momof2boys - 270/266/237/145 - 33 total 4-26: Bostongurl - 264/244/184/150 - 80 total 4-27: tinaj - 226/221/210/150 - 15 total 4-27: lookingout - 185/178/165/101 - 20 total 4-27: flowergoddesstn - 214/204/190/130 - 24 total 4-27: Dimples0323 - 284/284/241/145 - 43 total 4-28: Susan4794 - 283/228/150 - 55 total 4-28: bluehill - 333/228/150 - 105 total 4-28: Irish Girl - 225/214/150/135 - 75 total 4-29: Momofsixkids - 238/188/140 - 50 total *today I've lost exactly HALF my body weight!

WOOHOO, scale moved again. One more lb (actually, just 0.2) and I'll have lost half my body weight. I think my next goal will be my final goal. I set a lot of mini-goals throughout this process, but it's almost time for the final goal. I can't decide if the final goal is 158 or 149. I want to set a goal I can meet, but I don't want to under-shoot. 158 would be an even 200 lbs lost. 149 is arbitrary. 136 is what it would take to not be "overweight." I just don't know. Maybe I'll set it at 158 and if I want to go lower later, it's not like a ticker is binding....

For me, it was all the reasons Wheetsin said. Let me expand on the role the band's adjustibility played in my choice as a high BMI patient (68) too. I had serious concerns about regain for me with the RNY. I was a bulk carb eater. I would eat large quantities of nachos, burritos, pizza, etc. and I was very worried that over time I would stretch my RNY pouch and be one of the fairly substantial statistics of RNY regain. For me, the adjustibility of the band gave me security that I could always have it tightened if I was eating too much. Bandsters can lose a lot of weight. Unless you're at immediate risk of death from your weight (in which case some docs recommend the DS for fastest weight loss), there's no reason not to be banded. I lost more than 170 lbs in a single year and am still losing. And I'm FAR from the only one. That said, the RNY can be the right choice for some. It just wasn't for me.

Betty!!!! Overweight!! You skinny little thing! You're in the 60s!! SOOOOO EXCITING. Dancing bananas for you! They're swimming because you look so great in your swimsuit! ;) Boo, congratulations on the scale victory as well, WOOHOO! As for me, I did you all wrong today. I had a HUGE court victory and the clients took me out to lunch. I ordered pretty healthily (lump crab salad -- Betty, I eat fish too, but it's a recent thing, as encouraged by my band doc) but I would have to really estimate my calories for the day -- not what I intended for my personal challenge. I have a feeling I'm under 1000, but not by much and maybe not at all. So, I'll go to Monday instead of ending our mini-challenge on Sunday to make up for it. May the scales be with you.

Ugh. I got hungry and ate some cheese, so my total is now 970 for the day. Better go to bed....

Juli, I remember exactly -- I told myself I wouldn't run until I was under 250, then only in small amounts. So when I hit 249, I started running light intervals, like 30-60 seconds, then walking 3-4 minutes. If anything ever hurt, I backed off, because I knew I was still way too heavy to really run. When I got to about 220 I could really run with almost no issues. I ran my first race (4 miles) at 215 or so. My second race is what took me to Onederland. I can't wait to get healed and see what running with no pannus is like. It's going to be incredbile, I just know it!!

WOOHOO! Way to go!

Oh Molly, I know how that feels. When the scale goes up and it was a perfect diet day, it's bad enough, but if you ate something you already felt wasn't on your plan and you gain from it, it's so hard emotionally. And it's ridiculous -- like you said, you only ate 1600 cals! That's still well within range to lose weight, not to gain it! The scale's just having problems. I bet it straightens out in a day or two and rewards you with a few lbs to boot. Hang in there. 867 calories for me today and no cheese. I did eat some peanutbutter pretzels (250 cals) that weren't the best choice. I was in a meeting past snack time and was hungry and that was all that was there, so I caved. I still met my caloric and protein goals for the day, so it's fine. It's a good thing I didn't have that morning snack that I wanted.

SillyWilly, I went with the pink one. I have on the green one today though, if that makes you feel better. Kareyquilts, Yeah, I guess in hindsight the surgery wasn't so bad. If I was at goal, I'd be having my thighs done TODAY. The results are so worth the pain. And I want to wear pants! Also, you asked about exercise. I can start working back up to running when 6 weeks are behind me. So, 2 more weeks to go (today is exactly 4 weeks from my surgery). I'm looking forward to it because I'm not sleeping well and I think it's from not exercising -- at least in part.

I'm having a hard morning. I'm HUNGRY and I have 2 hours until lunch! I could go eat a snack, but I feel like I should hold out for lunch to keep my calories where I want them and I know the hunger is temporary. As soon as I have the first bite of lunch I'll be satisfied again (thank you, band). I was hungry last night when I went to bed too. The thing is, I sleep better when I don't eat for about 4 hours before laying down, but if I get the timing wrong and am hungry, that's no good either. I guess I'm just adjusting to dieting again, which is ok too. Betty, the date was a dud. He's a guy I've known for 6 years and always had a crush on, but I guess it's just not meant to be. We always connect so well in terms of wonderful conversation/similar likes and dislikes, but he's just not interested in me (I guess, at least, as he won't elevate it beyond friendship despite me being as fetching as I know how to be - LOL).

Thanks guys. I know there are other fish in the sea. It's my original belly button, just moved several inches up!

Happy belated anniversary!

Tracy, so many Moms with young kids have that fear -- it's completely normal and understandable. You are going to be fine and wake up with no problems at all, we promise. Just think of the gift you're giving your family by taking steps to take off this weight. You're going to feel like doing so much more with them and for them just by being thinner. Hang in there. You're going to do great and you're doing the right thing.

Jenny, Hi band-sis! We're so glad to hear from you and that your surgery went well. Listen, don't worry a bit about the fatigue. I was out of pain within 48 hours, felt completely healed (i.e. not even any port pain) within a week, but it took a full month for me to completely shed the fatigue. I could get through work fine, but then I'd come home and crash. No way I could make it to the gym for at least 3 weeks post-op or so, just due to energy levels. Anyway, you're doing great and I'm so glad you're on the mend. 941 calories for me today. 200 cals in cheese again. It's been my endulgeance as of late. I went to this fancy cheese store with my Step-mom this weekend and we bought three hunks of cheese. At least I'm measuring it and counting it, which I wouldn't be without this mini-challenge.