barbara465

Well in past years I put up about 6 trees. I had one in every room, themed, and every inch of the house was decorated. I would throw an open house for about 100 people. In recent years I haven't done as much. DH and I are going on a Christmas cruise this year. I'll still decorate, but not as much. I am going to put up 2 trees, my 10 ft. tree in the formal room with Radko ornaments, and my 6 ft red and white themed tree in the family room. I hope to have lost 60 lbs by then. I really want to wear a new bathing suit on the cruise and some new clothes.

Jude, Take a deep breath. It is slow going at first. Please don't get discouraged. You know that once you aren't eating as much as before, you have to lose weight. You are probably just retaining right now. Be careful with the fill. You should be on liquids for a couple of days and give your stomach a chance to adjust. I was very hungry after my fill and felt I had no restriction. Three days later, whammy. Some people take up to two weeks before their fill kicks in. If after that time you don't feel restriction you might see about getting another small fill. You have to sneak up to the sweet spot. I went to hungry to over restricted in 3 days. Give it time.

When I experimented with pretzels and a few tortillia chips I was able to chew them to mush. I think they are easier to get to a liquid stage than a piece of rubbery chicken. If you chew them to liquids they can't get bigger like bread does. That's my theory.

EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG :faint: EGG YOU HAVE BEEN EGGED BY THE JUNE BANDSTERS! Hope all of you are doing well.

I called and they will work me in tomorrow at 3:45. I could have gone in today, but I work downtown and didn't drive. I almost did, but then thought I was just being a baby. Glad I called and I think I will feel better with a slight unfill. At the time of the fill they told me they usually put in 1cc. However, they ended up giving me 1.5 with .5 already being in there. When they did the fluro the first time with 1cc I was still pretty wide open. I guess my stomach has a delayed reaction to fills. That's good to know and should warn others who are feeling no restriction from their fill. Wait a while to see if you do get some. I have been on liquids since July 12th and getting tired of them. I'll take care of the July group. Hope everyone is doing well.

Yes I did, but when I tried to post it it went on as an attachment. I had to delete it. I think we will have to do the words like they did. Maybe I should welcome them to fill land, where you are opened to the unknowns of the PBs, burps, no restriction, too much restriction, plain happy, plain sad, etc. This sucks big time. I hate to do it, but I'm calling for an unfill.

You probably didn't slip. This is not a pleasant experience to be sure. I think now I'm too tight. I took a sip of water last night and got the golfball and again this morning on a sip of coffee. I'm going to wait a few hours and if I don't loosen up I'm calling for a unfill.

I now think I have the opposite effect on my fill - too much restriction. I had that PB episode on Saturday and haven't recovered yet. I have had nothing but liquids and very little of that. Yesterday I did fairly well and then last night I had a sip of water and wham - golf ball. I finally took my aciphex and within 25 minutes the pain had subsided. This morning I was able to take my meds - crushed with a little liquid on a spoon, and a few sips of coffee. I felt tight, but OK. Took one more sip of coffee and WHAM - golfball. On the way to work I was finally able to burb and starting feeling a little better. Still have sorness in my esphogus. I am trying to get a bottle of Ensure down and it is slow going. I am thinking I'm going to have to call for a slight unfill. I don't want to do damage this early in the game. I'll wait a few hours and see if things get looser. I sure want to lose weight, but I don't think golfballs is the way to do it.

It wasn't big at all. It was a tiny chunk about the size of my pinky fingertip. All I can think of is that the piece was floating in the soup and the soup acted like a liquid and made it "swell". Thank goodness I had read so much online that I wasn't scared - just damn uncomfortable!

Look at the June chat group. There were several around that time. Also the July group has a few in early July.

I definitely thinking an egging is in order. We need to find some colorful egg graphics like easter eggs. Umm let's starting looking.

Today I had something interesting happen. I was waiting for others to show up for a meeting and one guy walked in. He asked how my weekend was. I told him part of it was good, but the second half wasn't. I said I had acid reflux (had a major PB experience) and it was really bad. He told me he used to have that until he gave up carbs. I said mine was due to my stomach surgery. He said, oh did you have bariatric bypass. I said yes, but the lapband not the bypass. That was all that was said. I just couldn't lie and the fact that he said it so quick made me pause. We'll see if that was a bad decision or not.

You can have sugar free jello, broth. You can have thicker liquids like creamed soups. You will be on mushies on Wednesday and then you can have mashed potatoes, thicker soups, yogurt, soft cheeses, soft boiled eggs, etc.

Christa, Thank goodness I read all the posts for months so wasn't surprised when it happened. I was taken back by the intensity of the situation and how long it lasted. After all, I was doing what I was allowed to do and it happened. That was what really shocked me. I will learn never to take a bite for granted and always allow it to have my full attention. That was definitely no fun.

Christa, Keep doing what you are doing. Err on the side of caution. You will work the band correctly. I have heard of a few that get fills at the time of surgery, but it is still rare. You are right to be very cautious as you have had restriction and swelling from surgery from the beginning. Most of us haven't. For those of us that didn't swell much we have been hungry for a long time. I'm not sure yet if my first fill has given me restriction, but since my PB I won't be testing the waters much. Continue doing whatever works for you.

I think the June crew has been wrapped by the July crew! Your days are coming July. We're just a little ahead of you guys. We're paving the way.

Kim, Don't get fooled by that first fill. You might have restriction at any time. Read my post from Sunday. I didn't feel the fill either and then day 3 whammy. Don't be caught off guard. If it really isn't enough then go for the 2nd fill at your 6 weeks. In the meantime, watch foods that you could eat before the fill. You might not be able to eat them afterwards. I was hungry the whole time, after surgery and after the fill. Since my PB episode I haven't been hungry. Yesterday I barely got enough fluids in me to keep hydrated. Today seems to be a little better. I'm working on my Boost and hopefully will be able to finish it before 9:30. That's my goal. Hang in there and don't get discouraged.

Well I guess I now can say I know how a REAL bandster feels and I don't like it. I had no restriction from my fill on Wednesday. I was just having liquids until Sat. Saturday I could start mushies. I had a scrambled egg in the morning, some chili con queso late afternoon. I had 4 pretzel bits that had Peanut Butter in them. I chewed and chewed and chewed. At 6 I was having some cream of potato soup. I baked a potato and was putting a few of the pieces in the soup. I had two sips and wham. A little piece of potato went down and got caught. So began my journey. I PB and PB and slimed. I hurt and hurt and hurt. I burned and burned and burned. Five hours later still having problems and pain. Slept sitting up and still had pain. This morning I can't get anything down. I tried a little coffee, cool, at a sip at a time. I keep it down, but its a little painful. I finally took my actifex as I couldn't stand it anymore. I'm trying to take little sips of Water to keep hydrated, but this is no fun. I never, never want to repeat this. I hope this is not a sign of things to come. Just glad it happened while I was home. I wouldn't want to have to go through this while at work. Today I'll try to stay hydrated and maybe some broth later. Postivie side effect is no longer hungry. I think you can be good and still get in trouble. You must be aware of each bite you are taking and make sure it is liquid before you swallow. Guess I'll wait for another fill.

You had a PB. The grits clogged your opening and nothing could go down. So they came up, or at least your salivia did. I would take it easy the rest of the day and just have liquids. Try cottage cheese or yogurt and see how they do for you as soft foods. Maybe mashed potatoes. Different people try different things and find that some things don't work for them. Eggs are great for me as a soft food, but others can't eat them.

I have been overweight my entire life. I lost lots of weight when I was 16 and again at 22. After that, it has not been as drastic. I went on every diet, lost and then regained. Although loved as a child, I always knew my parents didn't accept my heaviness. I always felt I had to prove myself in other ways. I married at 25 and divorced at 32. I put myself through college and grad school while working full time and raising my only son. I proved myself at work and for the most part had a good life. I was out to prove that you could have a fulfilling life being fat. I learned to accept myself and found that by doing that, others did too. When I was 58 I found the man that would take me to a new chapter in my life. I fell in love, real love, for the first time. It was so satisfying to know that this man loved me as I was, for who I was. He is a normal sized man who had never been attracted to large sized women. In the safety of this environment I found I didn't have anything else to prove. My health has not been that great since 99. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue, fibrolmalgia, thyroid, and other auto immune issues. To get up each day and exist was a major endeavor. I learned to exist, work, play by conserving my strength whenever I could. There had to be a better way. I went on a few more diets, but always gained the weight back. Lapband surgery seemed to be the way I could extend my life and stay with this man a little longer. I wanted to be able to do things that I couldn't do now and enjoy our golden years together. After much research I decided the band was good for me. My PCP gave me the OK, and away I went. I was banded on June 13th and immediately felt better. Every day is better and I now feel I have some control in my life. Although my journey has just begun, I look forward to the road ahead. (Please have someone who has struggled all their life to play my part. I'm thinking Roseann Barr. )

Angie, The band is a tool. Its also about choices we make. For instance, if we drink milk shakes all day we are going to gain weight. The same is true with the solid food choices you make. Even though you are eating them in smaller quantities if they are high in calories, weight loss will be less. Some of your food choices are on my Never list from the doctor. Pasta, rice, pizza to name some are not good for the band and not good for weight loss. I agree that we shouldn't have to cook all day to get our meals. Just look at the choices. Maybe a baked sweet potatoe instead of rice or pasta. Try fixing just the spaghetti sauce with some cottage cheese and eliminate the pasta. You get the idea. I know they say in the promos we never have to diet again. That's simply not true. With the smaller intake of food we must make good choices. I am struggling with this myself. Good luck to you.

I would ask for another fill. I got my first one on Wednesday and I'm hungry. I'm still on liquids so I'll wait until I get to solid food to make sure I have no restriction. If not, I'll be calling for a fill. I think its good to wait a few weeks to make sure you really don't have restriction.

Yes under fluro. I'm going on to thicker soups. I like the Campbell's select and I'll make some potato soup and mush it up real well. If on Tuesday, when I start solids, I am still hungry and able to eat, I'll call for another fill. I weighed today and lost 3 lbs. I'll see if that continues or was a "false" reading. I have two stiches still in two scars and they are driving me crazy. One in particular hurts and stings when I move a certain way. Hopefully they will drop off soon. I'm ready to get on with this and start dropping some lbs. Have a great weekend everyone.

I've got to say guys I'm hungry. Maybe I made a mistake and should have let her be aggressive with that fill. Two more days on liquids and then mushies. If I don't start getting some restriction on mushies I'm calling for a fill. I need to get restriction. I'm going crazy with real hunger, not head hunger. Liquids are not filling me up.

Mert, Check to see who they approved. This is what got me. I wanted to change at one point because Spiegel went out of network. THey approved me for Spiegel and it was difficult to change. Just check and make sure its for the doctor you selected.