chicamam1

i have drank wine but i dont believe my body can tolerate it anymore i get buzzed to quick and the next day i felt dizzy. ( dont know if related or not) i love it but im going to stay away from it. i dont like the reaction my body has to it now.

congrats on your success! i truly feel its about Portion Control too and exercise. i cannot wait to be out of the plus size area and into reg sizes. you are an inspiration. im hoping to hit my goal by next summer. i have over 80 to go but i can do it. and stories like you help keep me going. thank you

its normal without restriction that you wouldnt feel Water go down or feel full. at this stage liquids usually pass right through you

in coos bay oregon i only have three fills included in a 12.5k price, after that i pay out of pocket. that might be when i go to fill center :laugh: ive always wondered how those work.

since my first fill, ( they had to manually flip my port in place again it was flipped sideways) I have had major pain when sneezing coughing, bending over, and moving the wrong way. I havent been able to exercise and even sitting and then moving wrong hurts so bad. i already took one leave through work for my surgery which was approved for a non fmla leave and to find out i would have to apply for another one which i dont think would be approved so im probably going to lose my job sadly. but what can i do?? I think they will probably have to surgically correct the port, since it was loose and now it seems to be sideways again and the pain im experiencing is such a burning pain the lower part of my stomach below my port. i love my band so much and well jobs come and go i just want to ensure im healthy and my band is good. i call today to see when they want me to come in for a consult on the situation. they told me to wait over the weekend to see if it would resolve. i slept like hell last night because turning feels like im tearing so bad and im 2 months out from surgery. :thumbup:

restriction for me is just havin the ability to get full quickly. I dont have issues with getting food stuck.

Well it depends how you define "whatever you want". If you want to eat Mcdonalds for every meal, then there really isnt much point in band surgery, I agree.

But if you want a healthy non diet lifestyle there is. America and Australia do the post band lifestyle VERY differently. In Australia we dont generally do the Protein first thing, and low carbing is not the craze here that it is there. Australian bandsters are encouraged to eat from all food groups and we're still sort of more towards the low fat high carb diet although the importance of a bit less carbs and a bit more Protein is well accepted. But bread, Pasta and rice (good quality wholegrain ones, not supermarket rubbish) are staples of my diet - to many here, that would qualify as "eating whatever I want" and many would say "if you're gong to eat carbs like that why even get banded?". But truth is, a diet that contains a variety of healthy foods and lowish calories will allow most people to lose weight, carbs included.

A good healthy diet, low in calories backed up by exercise certainly leaves room for the occasional treat. Occasional being the operate word.

I look at my band as a tool to help me live my life better, and I choose to exercise a lot to help that along. I do NOT look at it like an enforced diet for the rest of my life. How miserable. Balance and moderation are the key, not swapping one dysfunctional eating style for another.

BRAVO BRAVO(whistling) Great post!!! this is exactly what im learning

i too stayed away from bread but a funny thing for me happened. i notice when i have more variety in my diet, i drop weight faster. i eat very small quantities tho. i bought low carb bread and tortillas and i still intend to stay under 30-40 carbs a day. like for lunch i had chicken fajitas home made with half low carb tortilla . this morning i had half a peice of toast of my low carb bread. I dont have any issues eating anything has of yet. but i do get full fast so im eating about 3-4 oz and sometimes i feel too full eating that amount. i had 4 cc put in my 10 ap band last week. i however do stay away from white starch carbs but i do have potatoes once in awhile. i plan on making french fries out of half of a potato seasoning and then baking them to get the crispy salty taste ive been craving. my husband as been really working with me on this. everything in moderation but one thing i havent gone for is any sweets. wont do it... nope. lol

Ok, what is your hint? What tells you that you had better not take another bite? I had my first PB the other day, but I don't know if I missed my hint. I didn't feel overly full or stuffed or anything. I was trying to eat slow. I just don't know. Help me figure this out?

thank goodness i havent had an episode but i am learning to just stop eating when im not hungry because if i wait until im full to stop, then 10 min later im uncomfortable. not sure about pbing. but there have been times i could feel food try to come up in my throast kinda like a hiccup and im like yep i ate too much i better stop

Is DDR hard to get the hang of if you have never played it? I love dancing but I am worried that I wouldn't understand how the game works and get frustrated. Let me know your thoughts!!!!

the ddr has a beg stage that really helps you adapt to the steps, then you move forward as you get more comfortable and coordinated. its really fun. my whole family loves it.

My port flips too -- well it's more accurate to say it turns to the side. The problematic part for me is that the port pokes out when its sideways. I can flip it though. I can actually turn it back and forth without any pain -- just a weird feeling. My surgeon has done hundreds of lap-bands and he says I'm unique in having a port I can manually flip. One of my stitches came out I guess. It's still held in pace on one side though.

My surgeon told me today that it's harmless, but that he can go in again and sew it in place so that it doesn't poke out oddly. I'm in no rush to get surgery again, but I think I'll get it fixed someday --especially if I ever want to wear a bikini.

yes this is what happened... however now im having really bad pulling pains in the bottom part of my stomach where the port is. the nurse said if it doesnt get better by monday ill need to go get looked at to see what options. i am so worried about losing my job because going means missing work and ive used all my pto for the surgery and an emergency yesterday. ( boys and girls club gave us one days notice they were shutting down after school care) if i miss work i lose my job blah.. but my health and the band are more important to me. i can find a job at some other time but still it sucks. im hoping it resolved over the weekend.

im in too. today i played dance dance revolution three times. once in the morning and twice in the afternoon. probably about 15-20 min each time. tomorrow going to the gym to cycle and do the ecliptic.ill share my times tomorrow night

i plan on eating the turkey dinner, probably some turkey, potatoes, sweet potato pie etc but taking a very small portion. I dont plan on eating any sweets, but i dont feel a sliver of pie would hurt me either. for me its all about moderation. Just like ive doing awesome my dd had a bday part at a pizza joint yesterday.. i didnt have cake but i had two deep fried buffalo wings and two french fries and it didnt hurt me at all and weight still fell off the next day. My thing is learning to stop when im not hungry not when i feel full because the full thing is uncomfortable. I only eat about 3 oz at a time, but still i end up feeling fulllll.. i get full from drinking too tho. it doesnt last long tho but it staves off hunger lol

Just thought Id put this out there. I was curious to see how many sizes others have went down in connection with their weight loss.

I personally as of post have lost (after many ups and downs lol) 56 pounds.......and I'll be damned I aint changed a pant size yet.....or maybe I have I just dont realize or something. I definately know that pants that were a tad big on me before I totally cant wear, but the ones that actually fit, still fit. I havent tried a smaller size yet for fear that I might get upset.....lol.

My shirts I guess have gone down. But are still generally the same, just arent as tight as before.....dont think Ive come across anything yet that I totally cant wear......

Ive listed my sizes below

CURRENT WEIGHT:193

PANT SIZE:16

SHIRT SIZE 14/16 PRIOR SHIRT SIZE: 2X OR 18/20

i started at a 24 pant and a 26 shirt although i could fit into some 22 shirts too. ive lost 42 pounds and the 24 pants arent falling off me yet but are really baggy and obviously too big. Im not going to buy new pants until they literally fall off of me lol. I did however buy a 22 jean which fits so ive lost a pant size with all that weight..booo.... and a shirt size. i wear a 22 comfortably and could probably wear some 20s my underwear are huge now and my bras are too loose. kinda disappointing to lose 42 pounds and know im still fat enough to wear a 24. wahhhh.. but the weight will come off and im sure the lower i go the more sizes i will drop and faster. here is to hoping.

omg Im so glad im not alone in this!! wow it sounds like alot of us go through the same thing. I too have been craving popcorn and probably eat more than i should like today i had a mini bag 100 calories around 12 and was still really full until like 7. I guess i need to eat more protien items but man its so good. one more thing I crave and its just awesome is i cannot believe its not butter spray. no calories no fat no carbs all chems yes but it does taste like butter!!!!

i am curious and interested in others opinions. I previously very craving spicy hot foods. this may be very weird but lately ive been craving just straight mustard. ok so ive loved mustard since i was a kid. mustard sammiches etc.. anyway i love it. even tho its 0 calories im still concerned that its replacing my binge eating because i will eat it between meals. man i promise im not pregnant. lol. anyway does this happen to anyone else?

should try Dance Dance revolution. that game is fun and kicks your butt you may be huffin and puffin but youll still get on it because its so addicting.

i just bought dance dance revolution on the wii for my daugher, and i worked out to it today. IT was pretty awesome. It has a workout mode and i burned 100 calories ( so it said ) lol doing about 20 minutes worth of dancing. Has anyone used this before. Its sure alot of fun and seems to give me a good workout since im using my arms and legs. jumping and etc. Id definatly like to hear comments.

i just got 4 cc in my 1o cc band. i dont feel restriction such as not being able to eat certain foods. everything goes down ok for me. I dont get full after 3-4 tiny bits, i tend to get full around 3 oz i had a taco salad for lunch and right now am just starting to get hungry again so i would say that is good. Is this the restriction others have? I dunno. i believe i have it because when i drink Water it sits in the bottom of my throast for a bit and then it feels like a funnel effect. my doc also said i wont hit my sweet spot until around three fills. I feel good tho now. IM glad i dont have any sliming with certain foods. i do take small bites of everything.

How were they able to mauallly flip it back?

well it came loose from the sutures. so he said its loose. he numbed me with lidocaine, and then used his fingers and the needle to flip it back over. the port is very easily felt through my skin. right by the surface it seems. anyway it took him like 15 minutes of manipulation to get it flipped. he just turned it using his fingers. it was weird!!! anyway. he said he knew it flipped because when i went to put the needle in the soft gel wasnt there. so he worked on it and finally got the soft gel side of the port right so to do my fill. he said now that its corrected, the coming up fills shouldnt be an issue. i asked him. do we have to surgically correct this? he said nope it will be fine. maybe its because the location they put it?? its about 5 inches from my belly button right under the port incision

i went in today for my first fill and my port was flipped i was so nervous bit the doc was able to manually flip it back and said no surgery needed whew they put in 4ccs into my ten cc band for my first time i can tell the diff when i drink Water it gurgles in the bottom of my throat so weird

With every attempt at weight loss in the past, eating had to be planned out and regimented or else the diet would fail.

How does it work with the band? Do you have to plan your meals? Or can you just eat what your family is eating, but less of it?

i really dont plan my meals. yes i go to the store and buy high protien stuff. but what i do day to day is a decision i make really on the fly. i buy foster farms frozen chicken breasts that i can cook frozen. stuff like that. we also eat out alot but not fast food typically and if its on the go ill stop at quiznos and get a small chili or a kids sammich. my favorite is authentic chicken tacos. i dump the hot sauce on and just eat the insides because its shredded chicken cilantro and salsa and bypass the tortilla. taco salads without eating the bowl is one of my faves too. i just improvise. and it seems to be working decent. otherwise i ensure to get asmall portion of grilled meat with veggies etc. i really do think the trick is the portions you eat. combine that with eating healthy 90 percent of the time and i think thats the magic touch. i know its weird but for Breakfast ill usually make meat and veggies. lol. and then take the leftovers with me for lunch.

My first fill is tomorrow and im nervous but scared yet excited. I do hope all goes well. I live 5 hours away from the doc and my biggest concern is the doc not filling aggressively. I of course will discuss the concern with him but im sure knowing the situation, they will give me a decent fill. I am scared the port isnt where it should be etc etc lol. just being a worry wart. Im sure all will go ok. i really hope this will jumpstart my weightloss again. Im losing decently still but I do need some restriction right now. Im noticing i can eat more than i used to, but i try to stick to my portions of 3 to 4 oz. I know my restriction is leaving because last night i was able to eat a kids turkey sandwich from quiznos, but took the upperhalf the bread off. But i ate it with my probs. NoT sayin that lil sandwich was too much but i would like to be able to take maybe 3 or 4 bites and get full now. how nice that would be. i also hope its done under flouroscopy. I just have so many concerns. but im excited to be at the six week mark. woohooo ive made it this far lol.

my calorie intake is 800 and below depending on the day. it is usually around 600 cals a day.

Hi all. My name is Jackie, I am a lurker but have posted as I am in the process of being banded as well.I keep reading post by people who are keeping their surgery a secret? I don't understandy why? I would think people would want the support system of their friends and family? After all from my understand there is nothing to be ashamed of in taking this extra step to help us lose weight to improve our health and overall life?I have told my close friends at work, my personal close friends, and most of my family. I want their support - I would think that would be easier. I don't want to lie to anyone when they ask me how I lost the weight becuase I am sure we will all get that question?Just want to find out why keeping this a secret is a good idea? I mean did I do wrong by telling people in my life?

my whole family knows. ive told almost everyone i could tell. im so proud of my band but i can tell you there are a few people at work that dont really respond that great to me losing weight but hey.. this is my life not theirs. lol. i tend not to talk about it as much with them around because i think its hard for them to see me losing weight and they cant. i have one friend who started a diet and we were eating lunch and she made a comment saying. well im not going to starve myself to lose weight. ( she doesnt understand why i dont eat as much or the same things i used to) however.. im far from starving but there is the mindset of some people. anyhoo. i can see why some people choose to not really talk with others about it.