seahawks

Hi Gwenn - I'm here!! Back from the land of flu hell, well mostly back. Still feeling pretty weak. The flu bug attacked late Tuesday night and I've been down and out since then. You're such an encouragement. It's fun to see your weight loss ticker edging closer to 100 pounds lost. I can hardly wait to sign in and see that! Bea - Holy buckets!!! I made my way back through the past weeks posts and I didn't recognize your photo. I thought to myself, "wow, she's pretty. I'm glad she's joining our group." Then I read your post and realized it was you. You look fantastic!! I hope you're doing well with your 30# goal. Mom - How's the tightness? Is the reflux letting up? Carol - I'm sorry you're disappointed right now. I think you're stuck in Bandster Hell again - something we all assumed we would only go through once. You can do it!!! Hang it there, the fills will come over time and your band will start working with you again. It was so warm here a few weeks ago (low 80's for a few days), but this week is low 50's all week. I'm so upset. I really missed my twice daily walks, because it got me out of the house and away from the food when I started to slip during the fill process. I hope you have a wonderful week, with lots of SV and NSV! I hope everyone is doing well. I'm not on Facebook, but it seems like I may join just to chat with all of you! You're such an encouragement for me, I really appreciate it. Have a great week - let's make this next year beyond our wildest dreams.

Hi Irene. Thanks for being open and honest with the issues you're facing right now. I think you're doing a great job. Regarding chips - they are also my downfall. I drank 64 - 96 oz of Pepsi a day before the surgery. Two weeks before I had the surgery, I stopped drinking soda. After 1 week of horrible headaches, I knew I was on the mend. I haven't had a soda since March 31, 2008. All that being said, to let you know I had to "trick" myself regarding the chips. I know I cannot drink soda because of the band (granted some people do, but I don't even want to try it). I "tricked" myself in to believing I could not have chips because they are physically bad for the band. I know it's ridiculous that a 36 year old woman can't seem to control the urges, but that's where I am. Since the self-imposed "if you eat it you will need to have the band removed" phase, I haven't had chips. It's not easy and sometimes I seem to ache with the desire to eat just a few. But, it works for me. I had to have all the saline removed from my band 4 weeks ago. I gained 5 pounds in 2 weeks. Since then I've lost 2 of those pounds. Since I'm near my goal weight, I'm trying to find the spot where I have the least amount of saline to maintain the weight. It's almost as frustrating as finding the sweet spot in order to lose the weight in the first place. With all that being said, I still know this is the best health decision I've ever made. I guess I didn't take in to account that I would try to sabotage myself from time to time. You've done a great job so far and I know you'll continue to lose weight on your journey. One quick word of advice regarding stairs. I looooovvvve to walk up stairs, it gets my heart rate up and helps keep my butt from sagging to my knees (currently a position tied up by my boobs:rolleyes:)! However, walking downstairs hurts my knee and ankle - old softball injuries. I've found that if I only walk up the stairs I do a lot more and don't feel the pain afterwards. I'm sure you're like me and you're not afraid to feel the burn in your muscles - you just don't want pain in your joints. As silly as it sounds, maybe you could ride the elevator down a few flights and walk back up. Over time, I bet you can get more flights in if you don't have to think about your arthritis. Hope this helps - it made a big difference for me. Thanks again for your postings. They really help me a lot.

Tambo - Congrats on reaching the 160's. You've had a fantastic year. I'm with you - just starting to work on weight lifting again. The good news is I see results in just a week or so because there's not so much fat covering up my muscles. Keep us posted with your successes at the gym. I love to hear what somebody is enjoying or if something is working well for somebody. It helps me change up my workout so I don't get bored. I haven't done the pouch test, but here is the website with the details. If you have any questions about the test, there are quite a few threads with people who had success with it. Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test Good luck with your surgery and weight loss journey. What a blessing to be able to support each other. Hi Gwenn - It sounds like you're really working with your band right now. It has to be frustrating to have changes on a day to day basis, but you're doing a great job. It's easier for me to be disciplined when the weight is coming off. Congrats on another pound gone forever!

Way to go!! Size 12 is awesome. I was in the same boat as you as far as trying to get enough calories. I added in one Protein Shake in the evenings if I was more than 100 calories under my daily needs. If seemed to work well, though it took me about 30 minutes to get it down. I figured that was better for me than eating later, so I didn't wake up PBing or sliming. I think it's good to keep your goals open for your vacation weight. With the way you've been lately, I think you can get down a few pounds. If not, 161 is fantastic! Hi Lizalee. You've had a great year. Nearly 100 pounds is amazing. It's okay to fall off the wagon from time to time. Now you're ready to dust yourself off and hop on it again. 40 pounds is a great goal - I tend to do better when I have something dangling in front of me. Sign on when you have time and let us know how you're doing. Way to go Don. You have been a great source of inspiration. Keep up the good work, and keep us posted on the next 17 pounds.

Hi 2FG. Congrats on your weight loss so far. That's awesome! I started with 150 as my goal. When I hit 155 and was still averaging 2 pound loss per week, I realized my body wasn't finished yet. I changed my goal to 135 and have hit it. I'm going to try to get down to 130 and see what happens when I start maintaining. If I gain back the 5 pounds, and can easily maintain 135 with my new exercise and eating regime I've learned over the past year, I'm just fine with that. I'm not quite 5'1", so am wearing size 6 or 8 pants depending on the brand. I don't expect to get smaller than that. Over the next few years, I'd like to maintain 130 - 135. It seems reasonable and gives me enough calories per day to maintain and not feel hungry. Good luck with your continued journey - whether it's continuing to lose weight or to switch over and maintain for now.

Happy late Bandiversary!! I'm just getting caught up on our thread. You've done great this year, despite and maybe because of some set backs! Way to keep on track and keep moving forward!!!! Carol - I'm also struggling with the hunger pains since I don't have a fill yet. I think it's worse for me now, because I haven't felt hungry since July. I forgot what it was like!! I hope the next fill you get hits the sweet spot, or at least gets you closer. Hang in there! Dawn - Congrats on hitting your goal. Keep us posted on the maintaining. We're all creeping closer to our maintenance weight and I'm sure could use some advice. One more day for your bandiversary:smile: Hi GDF - The extra Multi Vitamin and Vitamin D seems to have done the trick. I can't believe how much more energy I have now. I know part of that is due to me getting back in the gym, which wasn't possible without the extra vitamins. Hi again! Has your restriction lightened up yet? There seems to be such a fine line getting to the sweet spot that it can be very discouraging. Do you have reflux problems since your fill? Depending on how miserable you are, you may want to schedule an appointment with your doctor for a few days out. That way if it miraculously loosens up a bit you can cancel it, and if not you don't have to wait extra days for an appointment. I stayed tight for a really long time (approx 6 months), but ended up with esophugus issues and now a complete unfill for at least one more week (4 weeks total:frown:). Hi Nena. Congrats on getting a surgery date. Hopefully you'll relax as the day nears. Everything worked out great with my surgery. Yours should be the same! Congrats Colorado! It's exciting to see everyone's progress, both on the scale and off. Brandy - That's so awesome. 90 pounds is incredible. I've said it before, but it blows me away! I remember you were stuck in the 190's for a bit, so you should hit the 170's with the same gusto as the 180's. Of course that's all theory, but it makes perfect sense to me!! My bandiversary is two days away. I've stayed at the three pound gain from last week, so I feel pretty good about that. I'm adding muscle mass again (I realize I didn't add three pounds of muscle that quickly, but that's a great thought!). I've been working triceps and biceps quite a bit to get rid of the "waddle" when I wave my arm. My husband mentioned my tricep muscle was "jumping out" when I changed my shirt the other day!! I don't know why, but non-scale victories seem to motivate me more than the numbers coming down. I hope everybody enjoys a wonderful Easter. Oh, has anybody heard from Leslie? I don't mean to be nosy, I'd just like to know she's okay. She's on my weekly prayer list and will stay there for now.

Thanks for the tip - we're going to give it a try on Sunday! I'm glad the reflux symptoms have decreased:smile:

Kalipso - So glad to hear you're happy about the 40 pounds, just wishing it could be more. I understand that completely. I don't think it's selfish to want more, or better things for yourself. I struggle with keeping things in perspective, but it seems you're in the right mind frame to continue doing well on your journey. Hopefully this extremely long slow down will pass, and you'll be on to the next phase soon.

Hi Tyme! I'm sorry - I missed your post when I did my mile long response to everybody yesterday:frown: Congrats on your awesome year! You've done a great job. I love your photo, by the way.

Hi Kalipso! I'm sorry you're going through a rough time. 40 pounds is awesome! While it may not be where you envisioned yourself in one years time, it's still an incredible feat. I hate to see you say "throw in the towel." You should be proud of your accomplishment. I know it's easier said than done, just trying to cheer you up!! I noticed your BMI is coming down closer to the normal range. I just hate the word normal - I wish they would use typical - but I digress:smile: Do you know what your excess weight percentage was when you started? I wonder if 40 pounds is close to 50% of your excess weight. A lot of doctor's say that is a reasonable amount of weight to lose. Of course, we all hope for more. I think the weight will continue to come off for you, it just may slow down quite a bit. When I discouraged, I try to to hit myself emotionally instead of logically. If one year from now, on your 2nd bandiversary, you were closer to your ultimate goal weight, would you be satisfied with that? Again, easier said than done, but worth thinking about. Hopefully if you do have a hernia, your weight loss will pick up after you get it fixed. No fun making that long journey, I'm sure. I hope you feel better soon, both physically and emotionally. Your journey hasn't been easy, but you've kept after it. That's something to be proud of!

Thanks Tammy - that sounds like a great recipe. I'll make it tomorrow night. We're having steaks tonight. I'll let you know how I did :smile2: Carol - Sorry to hear you've been frustrated. Being hungry is the worst for me at this point. I think it's been a year - why am I going through this again? But, I remember I've lost 82 pounds. Even though my energy is getting better, it's still lower than it usually is. It's frustrating, but we're all improving. Even if we take a few steps backward from time to time, we eventually get turned back around and headed in the right direction. Hang in there! Restriction is coming!!! My date is April 11. Just a few days away. I've gained two pounds, but the doctor said it would be closer to five pounds before he gives me a fill. Darn these low levels of necessary nutrition!

I'm a few weeks from my "bandiversary." My husband is the only one who knows. We have two teenagers and I didn't tell them. I did this for me, for all the struggles I've had in my life. I didn't want to have to answer the questions as I made my way through this journey. I'm a private person, so people aren't so surprised to learn I started losing weight and didn't let them know. The only person I've had a hard time not being completely honest with is my mom. She's always 100% supportive of me and I feel horrible deceiving her. However, I think it would put her in an awkward position for me to ask her to keep it from my dad. I would never expect her to do that, so I keep it between me and my husband. Between him and this website, I get the motivation I need. Others in my life help me, but assume it's through all the lifestyle changes I've made that they can see. Good luck to you!!

Thanks for the advice Brandy. I'm allergic to Seafood, so haven't eat a lot of fish in my life. Mostly stick to tuna in a can. I know there's a ton of good stuff in fish, but don't know where to start. I picked up some salmon over the weekend, but really have no idea how to prepare it. Any ideas from anyone? I figure I'd check out a few recipe websites, but tried and true are always better!

I finally made my way through last week's thread! Here's some replies, I tried to keep it short but I just really enjoy you guys and wanted to follow up on your journey! Gwenn: I love how you set mini-goals for yourself. I did the same thing and will continue to do so. It helped keep me sane when the scale didn't move, or I got sad over the whole process (why can't I do it on my own - what's wrong with me that I had to have surgery to get control - etc). It's great to see everybody reach their goals and share their successes. It really encourages me to keep moving forward, even though I'm close to my weight goal you gals help me keep other things in view. Number: After my second fill in July, I had acid reflux. I didn't think much of it and I didn't tell my doctor. Two reasons - I was finally losing weight at a quick pace and I was afraid he would take some of the fill out. I'm paying the piper now, as one thing led to another. I didn't connect the bronchitis I developed with the reflux soon enough. My body is clearly ran down at this point, but quickly improving since my unfill. I know others who have acid reflux, take medicine and can either contain it or it disappears. I recommend trying the medicine for 2 weeks or so. If it continues, maybe do one more cycle. If it lasts much more than 1 month phone your doctor. They may tell you to continue the medicine, but at least they know what's going on. Believe me, if it didn't happen to me I would think it's okay to let it go. I'm an extreme case, but had no idea the harm that could have come my way. Luckily just a few low readings in my blood work, but others have major esophagus problems. Good luck, please keep us posted. I need to know what medicines work in the future! Colorado: It's so good to hear from you again! I'm glad you're back - you helped a lot with your postings when I first started lurking on this thread. I never had a chance to say thanks! Congrats on getting back on the horse. I'm glad you're able to move forward from here and you're excited to see the results you know will come. Regarding clothes - I cleaned out my closet, dresser and "rubber-maid" containers in the basement over the weekend. I dropped 3 large leaf bags off at charity this morning on my way to work. I haven't done it for over a year. I had clothes divided in to three sections. Too big, too little, sentimental. I kept all the sentimental. Got rid of all the too big. Most of the too little is now too big so they're gone also. About 25% of the too little fits a big baggy now but they'll work just fine for now. My husband was excited to see all the extra space. That is until I let him know I would be filling it up as stores put spring and summer clothes on sale! He's so excited for me, he keeps telling me to go get a new wardrobe. I'd rather do it a bit at a time. Like when I eat a Milky Way now - it will take me 2 or 3 hours because I realllllllly want to savor it! Brandy: I checked out your blog. Your puppy is just about the cutest thing ever! Way to go losing 90# pounds - that's awesome!! How's the new job? Thanks for the advice on Crystal Light. I love the orange flavor - it's my new addiction. Much fewer calories than my orange sherbert ice cream on a stick!! DSK: Congrats on exceeding your anniversary goal. That is such great news! Jamd1: 80# loss is incredible. I'm running out of adjectives for you guys. Everybody has done so well this past year. Tawanda: Congrats on your surgery date. Mine was April 11, 2008. I hope you'll stay with us and let us know how you're doing. Carol: I'm glad you got a fill, even if you're not quite filling the restriction yet. Hang in there! Mom: You are amazing. I love my mom so much, and I imagine your daughter realizes the treasure she has in you. I'm glad you had a better appointment last week. I know a lot of people have said it, but I think it's important for her to check out a few threads. Even if she just "lurks" around like I did for 4 months, she will come up with a few things to try, make a few adjustments, come up with new questions for her doctor, etc. It sounds like she's not used to rocking the boat, so she may get some confidence for talking with the doc by reading other folks stories. I lost minimal weight for the first 4 months (I can only imagine her agony at 11 months). I'm one of the lucky ones who reached my sweet spot on the second fill. The absolute, number one thing that helped me was to journalize my food. I realized early on I would not keep a journal for longer than 2 weeks at a time. I simply get tired of doing it, so I figure there's no reason to start something I won't follow through with. I kept a journal for nearly two weeks in August. I haven't done it since then. I realized the foods I was eating, the drinks that added calories to my day, and set a menu based on that. If you can help her journal her food and calories for a few weeks, she may be surprised to see she's getting calories in places she wasn't expecting. It's tedious and boring and a pain in the butt, but she should be able to do it for a short period of time. I tried a few websites, but that was even worse for me because I had to add foods when I first started and it seemed like too much trouble. I know others have a lot of success using online journals, because once you set up the food it's really simple. I hope this helps. Please stay with us and let us know how she's doing. We'll try to help her through you while she gains confidence to check stuff out! Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts. I'm back at work this week, so I won't disappear for long periods of time again!

Hi Ladies. Here's a brief (?) summary of last week. I had a follow up appointment on Wednesday to get a fill. Remember - I had a complete unfill about 2 weeks prior to my follow up. The nutritionist talked to the doctor just before my appointment. They were very concerned about 3 areas of my blood work. 1 - my Iron is critically low. This isn't uncommon, I've been borderline anemic most of my life. When I'm sick it can dip pretty low. 2 - Protein levels are low. Primarily because I wasn't able to eat enough food because the band was too tight. 3 - Vitamin D is insanely, critically low. I'm at 12. They said an 80 year old woman should be at 30 minimum. An active woman my age should be closer to 80 minimum. Apparently Vitamin D is what helps you get better if you're sick. That explains why I had bronchitis for 4 months! And why I keep getting every sneeze and sniffle working their way through the office. So, with all that in mind, he decided to put off my fill for at least 3 more weeks. I told him I'm able to work out longer now that I can eat enough to fuel my body. He said he's okay with me gaining 3 - 5 pounds during the next few weeks. He told me to pay attention to what I'm eating, but don't stress out. If I gain a few pounds, we'll work on taking them off in a healthy way. So, that's my tale of woe. I know Carol went through a lot recently and she's been helping me get through this - even though she doesn't know it! I keep telling myself "If she can do it, I can do it!" In addition to a multi-vitamin twice a day, I'm taking Vit. D twice day. So, every 6 hours I'm chewing a delicious :biggrin: vitamin. On a good note - my cholesterol (sp) went from 280 to 188!!! Does anybody else have low levels of anything? I know the protein is already better, and I can manage the iron. Just trying to figure out how to improve Vitamin D so I don't have to stay on the vitamin forever.

Hi Ladies! Sorry for missing last week. I'm going to get caught up with the thread and fill you in on my trials. I'm slammed at work, so will sign on tonight. So good to hear from everybody!

Hi Imagine! Walking is the one thing that helped me the most. Even after a week or so, a steady walk would relieve the discomfort. I also slept with a pillow hugged to my stomach. I don't know why it helped, but it worked like a charm. It didn't matter if I was on my back or on my side. Good luck with your journey

Thanks Brandy!! You've been such a big help to me through this process. When my step-son goes to his moms house, the door barely closes before I'm sitting on the couch naked!! My husband is loving it, but has requested I at least lock the door before commencing the undressing! Thanks Gwenn! I'm not going anywhere, you all help keep my spirits up and keep me reaching for my goal. I agree that setting mini-goals is a huge incententive. For the first month or so, I wrote down all my calories. Now that I eat pretty much the same variations of foods, I don't write it down. I figure if I go a week or two with a plateau or if I gain a pound or two, I'll start writing down the calories again to figure out what I'm doing wrong. You're doing a great job! Dear Darla - You're doing a great job at the gym!! You've motivated me to move my tookus and get back in the gym on a regular basis. If you're looking for some ideas, you might try adding in one more protein drink. The one I use is 300 calories, so that would get you to 1100 or so. Try that for a week and see if the scale starts moving. When I was low on calories for the day, I'd add in a protein drink. That way when the scale moved, I wasn't craving another meal or snack. It was easy for me to take the drink out again and not miss it. I live in Washington and will email you this morning. I'm off tomorrow, so will get the package in Monday's mail. I found two other pair of pants that are in good shape so I'll also throw those in. Number - You're doing great. I know it's not easy to continue to exercise when you're not seeing the results. But, you're doing it! You're a better woman than me:smile: Hi Tyme. I had a complete unfill on March 12. I go back in March 25 to see about starting the fill process again. My pouch is okay, but my esophagus (spelling - sorry - I try a different way each time!) was swollen. I have been eating a bit more than usual. However, I've kept the meal sizes the same as before. I just need a snack after about two hours. Before I didn't snack between meals. I figure by keeping the meal portions the same size, it will be easier for me to get back on board when the fill is done. I know it's only been a week, but I've been able to maintain my weight. One bonus - I can drink more liquid now, so I try that before eating a snack. The liquid and a bit of an increase in exercise has been working well. Keep your eye on the prize - I think it's good that we're "afraid" of gaining back even one or two pounds. I think that helps us make better choices when we're hungry. I also started going to bed at 9. I read until 10:30 or so, but I'm not sitting on the sofa eating an ice cream bar!! Glad to hear everybody is doing well.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Way to go. What a feeling of accomplishment. Keep up the good work:smile2:

Thanks Jodi! I can't believe I'm about to say this - I'm in between size 6 and 8. Who would have thought that would be my problem 11 months after surgery! Size 8 are a bit baggy in the bum, size 6 a bit tight in the upper thighs. Both fit just fine, I just don't want to spend a lot of money if I'm not going to be in that size long. I planned to get 5 - 6 new pairs of Spring time pants over the weekend. Now I'm going to wait a few weeks and see if the 6 fit better. If not, I'm happy to say I wear a size 8!! I bought 2 pair, 1 6 and 1 8 to get me through the next few months. I had been wearing my size 12, but they look ridiculous even with a belt. What a wonderful probem to have. I'll keep checking in on you so I can see when you reach your goal. Way to go!

Hi Bella. Please don't get discouraged. It was six weeks from my surgery to the first fill - I lost 10 pounds. It was another 8 weeks from the first fill to the second - I lost 8 pounds. The second fill hit my sweet spot and I lost 64 pounds in the next 7 months! I made my goal one month before my bandiversary. All that said to help you keep your eyes on the prize. You can do it. I know it's hard not to compare yourself to others. I was lucky to hit my sweet spot so quickly, I know it takes others 4 - 8 visits. Good luck on your journey!

Congrats Jodi!! I've seen you on a few other threads and it's been fun watching your progress. It's so exciting to be 10 pounds from your goal!! I reached my goal yesterday. I'm going to maintain that for a few weeks before deciding if I'll go for another 5 - 10 pounds. I'm only 5' 3/4", so just barely in the normal BMI range at 135. Stephonee - I didn't lose much weight from April - July (total 18 pounds). When I found my sweet spot, I averaged about 2.5 pounds per week until early January. Since then, I've lost a total of 12 so right around 1 pound per week. I think most people with 100 pounds or less to lose hope to get it done within one year. When the weight started coming off slower, I was worried I wouldn't make my goal before April. I'll probably try to drop down another 5 - 10 pounds, so I won't be at my maintenance weight by my bandiversary. I'm totally okay with that! It's good to have goals and adjust them as your journey continues. Good luck!

From my surgery date to my first fill (6 weeks), I lost a whopping 10 pounds. Man - I was so frustrated. From my first fill to the second fill (8 weeks), I lost 8 pounds. Ok - now I was really ticked off. The second fill hit my sweet spot, I lost 64 pounds in 7 months!!! If somebody told me I would lost 82 pounds in 10 months I would have thought they were off their rocker! When you get frustrated, try to remember it's a lifestyle, not a sprint. Hang in there - you're doing great. I think this phase is known as "Bandster Hell." No fill, only a slight restriction mostly due to swelling. Keep up the great work at the gym, it will make a difference when you start your fills!! Good luck on your journey.

When I get a fill, I spend a few days telling myself what's coming and how we're going to handle it! The 24 hour liquid phase is horrible. I also get really hungry and feel like I'm drinking food all day long. I just remind myself of all the stupid diets I tried over the years. This is the only thing that has worked. If I need to suffer for 24 hours every few months until I get my sweet spot, then I just tell myself to suck it up. Of course, self tells me to just go to bed early so I don't suffer the tummy rumblings! Hang in there, mushies are only a few hours away!!!!

After nearly one year, I'm still not an expert and eat too quickly from time to time. Trust me, you will slow down to avoid this pain when it happens often enough! It sounds like you are eating too quickly. If you question how quickly you're eating or if the bites are too big, then more times than not the answer is YES! Early on when I would get stuck, drinking something only made it worse. The food was still stuck, and the Water was sitting on top of it. One thing that helped me was to take a walk around the block. I don't think it helped the food move quicker, it just got me out of the house and gave me something else to focus on. I think it's good to go a month or two without a fill, because it gave me time to learn the new eating techniques. Trust me - it's easier now without a fill then it is with restriction. Take your time, listen to your body and you'll do well. From April 11 - May 24 (my first fill), I didn't lose 1 single pound. But, I also didn't gain anything. From May 24 - July 20, I lost 10 pounds. I found my sweet spot on the 2nd fill, and lost 82 pounds from July 21 - present (2.5 pounds average per week). My advice is not to worry so much about weight loss right now, focus on preparing yourself for life after a fill! Good luck on your journey.