riley4183

Sorry Tina but I have to disagree! I have always felt like I was a part of my treatment team - always. I am SO sorry that this is happening to you! I think you have a personality conflict with Robin and they shoulod remove her from your team then you would be fine.

Maria, my fill amounts are in my siggy. At first he just gave me whatever her felt like giving me, not more than 1cc at a time tho - but pretty much he did it by feel - he could tell when the resistance was enough while he did the fill - the band didn't "want" anymore. The last few times he has asked me how much of a fill I wanted (i'm a chicken - I always want little ones), agreed with what I asked for, and given me that amount. I have always lost at least 9 lbs. between fills - if I dont lose, I don't NEED a fill - my band is too tight until I lose some more. Good luck today!!

YES I finally changed my ticker to reflect my weight re-gain. I have to get OUT of denial and get back with the program folks! It is not a failed band; I do not need a fill. I simply need to get back with the program and follow the damed rules! Here are ALL of the rules I am breaking: ~ not enough water - I dont even try ~ I drink coffee & sodas (slowly), & an occasional beer ~ I snack and graze constantly ~ I eat sliders b4 proteins so I can get the belly-full feeling ~ I dont log anything ~ I eat sugar and carbs when I KNOW they are triggers 4 me ~ I eat when I'm not hungry ~ I dont have a weekly support group anymore :-( ~ I eat in my room, on my bed (and blame it on Chris!) I HAVE to break the carb cycle and get rid of this urge to eat eat eat! It will take me 5 days. Wish me luck!

M u s t b r e a k c a r b c y c l e . . . . .

It's true! I went from 20-30, plucking ALL the time, to 2 - TWO!!! Now I consider them friends 'cause they've stuck with me :-)

Thanks for the great post, Pat. Love you!!!

I did good today folks! B - egg beaters & reduced fat cheese L - salad with quorn chicken & no-calorie dressing, sunflower seeds, cucumber S - .25 cup egg beaters with 4 cherry tomatoes D - 2 oz beef patty, 2 slices bacon, 2 tbs. peanut butter I'm done for the day! My fat is real high but I am trying to get rid of the carbs this week - need higher fat to do that. And I did snack aboiut 3:30 - I was physically hungry! But did not get into any sweets or wheats, yay me!! I am back on program for my bandiversary :-) OH and I burned off 600 cals at the gym this AM

Oh yes Maria, I know this one! I used to freak because I could eat like 2-3 cups of lettuce at a time, every day! Turns out I just needed a fill . . some foods WILL go right through the band as long as they are chewed well - esp. crackers, lettuce, and of course sliders. Only dense protein will fill the band the way it is supposed to work . . . and even though I can eat 2 cups of lettuce right now - and I have good restriction - I can only eat 1/4 cup of quorn chicken tenders on top of it. When I asked Robin about it - showing her the huge quantities that I was eating - she said no, you just need a fill. She assured me that unless I was eating soda and cupcakes, I had not stretched my pouch! I dont know why cupcakes (or cake), but that's what she said! Oh and no, I cannot eat cupcakes OR cake OR bread, even toast. YAY BAND!!

I had to quit coffee, and it really helped my pre-op weight loss - it was an appetite stimulant for me. I am now 1 year out, very close to goal, and have just recently been allowing myself a "regular" americano in the AM again. Black. . . . but i have found that if I have that in combo with fruit for breakfast, I am much hungrier all day. A good cup of decaf is great, or a half-caff americano!

OK, so I am totally back with my program! Chris brought over fat-free frozen yogurt last night (he asked first, LOL) and I tasted 1 bite and was done (poor guy had to eat the whole HUGE thing by himself - I am determined!). I want to lose these cravings, which means that I have to cut ALL of the sugar and all of the starchy carbs. I have to quit with the wheat again too; both of my hands are painful & peeling, and I'm having digestive stuff again. So out with flour and sugar, back in with protein. The PROBLEM is that I have now become super sensitive to soy! It causes me smelly gas to no end, and if I have more than 2 servings it's horribly painful gassy stuff. So I have added poultry back in, I had already added fish back in. No wheat and no soy??? No more vegetarian Riley :-( Breakfast: 1/2 cup egg beaters with 1/4 cup reduced-fat cheese & tapatio sauce (150 cals) Tina I will PM you my number so we can do accountability :-)

Candra, you need to get to the bottom of these headaches!!!! If they are at all hormonally triggered, they will be worse while you are losing but better when you get to goal . . whatever the heck they are, you CANNOT function with 4-day-long migraines!!! Can't they send you to UCSF??

Awww, thanks all you guys for your happy b-day wishes!! I miss you all :-( WE NEED AN ACTIVITY (Petaluma or Vallejo) SOON!!!

My latest recipe for a "sweet" high-protein snack: Mix low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese with sugar-free strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry preserves (smuckers, Walden Farms), add a dollup of sour cream and mix. De-lightful!!! High protein, very low carb (I use low-fat cheese and sour cream - less carbs than nonfat) especially if you use the Walden Farms product, which is sugar/calorie/carb free! You can buy them online, or at Raleys or Lucky's

SOOOOO hear you Heather! I have been COMPLETELY off track since my last appointment, which was in mid-December. I could blame it on the boyfriend but that's not fair; I'm the one whose ass isn't getting out of bed in the morning. I did make him take all of his snackies out of my house! And he's done griping when my alarm goes off at 4:30 for the gym. The bad new is that I've gained weight back. The good news is that it's only been 3 lbs. since that last appointment, and since I'm TOTALLY carb-loading right now that 3 should come back off easily. I've gained 8 since my lowest, though :-( although that may well have been dehydration. Tomorrow is my one-year bandiversary!! While I had really hoped to be at my weight goal one year out, I'm chosing to focus on my OTHER goals that I have achieved 1 year out: size (10); fitness; energy; activities; my love life!!! I feel SO GOOD. The lap-band is the best thing that I have ever done, hands down. I used to say that my kids were, but do you know what? I wasn't enjoying them for the years I was heavy even half as much as I enjoy them now. I feel so good about myself - physically AND mentally - that my whole outlook on life is sunnier. No yelling, a lot less frustration, much more faith in myself. I can handle anything! And folks, this is coming from a seasonal depressive - two years ago I would have been home in bed, unable to muster the energy to go to work. 1 year ago this morning I was down 41 lbs and drinking my MOM!!! And today - I'm logging on to say that IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT GETTING THE BAND, GET RID OF THEM! IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!! I miss you all! Congrats to all of the new bandsters!! I hope we have a Petaluma or a Vallejo walk coming up soon :-) Love and best wishes to all :frown: C U @ Facebook!!

I'm here, I'm here!! I was SKIING ladies & John, SKIING! A regular snow bunny!!! I had SO much fun. Hardly even sore, either! Weight at the gym really paid off @ the slopes :-) Heavy-duty Valentines Day stuff with Chris (formerly Bachelor #1) when I got back :-) Its the first time in many years for both of us that we have celebrated this holiday and actually enjoyed it - I love being spoiled, and he loves to spoil me! He was good about not giving me candy (although I gave him some, LOL) but I got flowers and a new Starbucks travel mug and special coffee and a fancy dinner out . . I am SO glad he knows about the ol' band cause I don't have to explain when I'm "done" after 3 bites! I took courses 3 & 4 (and most of #2!) home and was still eating it when he came over the next night, lol! 3 meals . . . . . So this morning we talked about how I'm not getting up and going to the gym in the early AM any more, and that is affecting how well I stay (or dont stay) on plan the rest of the day. He stays over 4 nights a week now, so that's 4 mornings out of 7 that I'm NOT getting up and getting to the gym, which is NOT helping me to move forward! He feels bad yeah, but it's me who has to make the change again . . . . so he's agreed to not gripe when the alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m., and to encourage me to go! Jeez its been over a week. Must get back on plan . . . .l 115 lbs down for me, it was 121 but I've gained a few back :-(

DOH I found it - thanks Ash!!

Can you post it Ash? I'd sure like to see that thing

Monique! You are one short stomach flu from onederland, lol! Seriously, congrats!! You should be there this weekend!!! WOO HOO

Tamra you can only lick it if it's greasy and you crave it! LMAO

OK it's official: I am 5 lbs. MORE than I was at my last fill!!!! Uhmmmmm . . . lesson: this is what happens when you don't FOLLOW THE RULES. I KNOW the rules . . . . they are just such a drag! But Robin and I talked about this: in the past (for the first 47 years of my life), is this the point at which I'd give up and go back to my old bad habits? Answer: Yes. Second part of question: And what happens when you do that now? Answer: my band wont let me! I can try to blow it, but the band'll stop me - AS LONG AS I DONT SNACK. So that's my challenge this week ladies and gent! No movie on Saturday either, since I can't seem to stay out of the friggin' theatre popcorn . . ;.

Congrats girl! Did I tell you I am/was and RDA/CDA in my former lifetime? 30 years ago . . . . All I wanted after surgery was to lick a hamburger patty - i didnt eat meat so who knows what was up with that . . but i would be out with a friend eating a burger, and i would be all like, "i want to lick your patty . . " weird but it doesnt hurt nuthin!!

LOL! I keep reading these posts from you thinking, OMG she sounds just like I did!!! - and it's because - OH!! You are just like I was! And you know what?? I still love this freaking thing! My older son is on an unfrosted cake kick. He bakes cakes and does not frost them, just lets them sit on the stove and the boys them over a day or two. Do you know how many times I have cut myself a square without thinking, taken a bite, and then had to laugh and throw the square in the trash? One bite! SO KEWL :-) Got to read more posts, but life is good I'm back on track with my Kaiser class and exercise - not letting the warm man in my bed keep me from getting up and going to the gym any more!! He's always there when I get back Will read up & catch up later - love yall!!

Tina she's on here!! LapBandTalk.com - LapBand Surgeon Dr. Laura Machado

Gee I have 5.5 cc's . . . . maybe I should oughtta get my butt back in there huh.

Oh and Tamra, the port stings like an SOB for a long, long time!! Nothing to be done for it. Chewable tylenol worked as well for me as that liquid vicodin - YUCK