Band_Groupie

Sounds like it's perfect! 8#'s a month is great...I'd take that!! Why a Chemo nurse? More experience with those kinds of needles?

16's!!! Great job! I can hardly wait for the 16's! Keep it up! -BG

I'm 5 mo. out and have good restriction now. The calorie count is usually close to what I need (I'm tracking everything). I'm not a cook, and so I might be missing something, but I'm trying to get into a routine that will be a lifestyle change I can live with. I'm not hungry at all between meals, and I eat about a cup at each, but to get in all the Protein that's pretty much all I eat; I hardly ever get in enough veggies, fruit (hardly ever get ANY fruit in), or dairy. The 3oz. of protein (to get 20+g/meal) is usually 3/4 C right there...and that's if it's just plain meat. Is anyone able to achieve this on a daily basis? How do you get in all the protein AND veggies/fruit/dairy servings without eating more than a cup, or too many calories. My requirements (they don't look very different from most peoples): - *Key to this is that I (and my doc) do not want to drink calories including Protein shakes (I get that works for some of you). - About 60-70g of SOLID protein- that means I have to fit in more than 20g per meal. - Several servings of veggies, fruit, and some dairy per day - About 1C per meal. NUT says up to 1.5C, but no way can I eat that much, and it seems like that much could stretch things- BTW my NUT was NO help, gave me conflicting info. even. - 3 meals a day, no Snacks - 1000-1200 cals. per day I keep reading the posts on what people are eating and either they're drinking protein shakes, they're not eating enough at all (tiny amounts or too few calories), or they're no way coming close to enough protein, let alone veggies, fruit, and dairy. Just looking at the 'what I ate today' posts and most people aren't even coming close to getting the recommended 60g of solid protein. Am I missing something, is this even doable? If I'm not hungry between meals do I even need all that protein- are we eating it for nutrition or to satisfy our hunger longer? Or should I just not worry about the fruit, veggies, dairy? Help!

Coughing at night is a big sign of acid reflux, which can be very dangerous to your esophagus and your pouch. A small unfill may be all you need, but it sounds like you need a hernia repair as well? Best wishes. -BG

OK, I'm a Scale Whore, so I can't help you there (SWA Member), but you need to track your calories for a few days. If you're getting less than about 800 or so, you'll go into 'Starvation Mode'. Your body thinks there's a famine and it slows your metabolism to hang onto every calorie. Keep the calories up to at least 1000 and get in enough SOLID protein and you won't be so hungry. Best wishes -BG

CONGRATULATIONS! *Doing the happy dance with you here* Such a great feeling! -BG

Risky- I know you know you're too tight, but do you realize this could be sabotaging your WL? You may not be getting in enough calories and are now in starvation mode...you may be getting in too many calories by eating the easy 'slider' foods. If you can't eat ANY meat or solid proteins, then your band isn't really able to help you out and keep you from feeling hungry. Call your doc or NUT to discuss what's going on...too tight may be the very thing that's making this harder for you. Best wishes -BG

Hope you feel better soon...can't believe they wanted you back to work that fast!!! Congratulations on your banding! -BG

It's hard to wait, but do what your doc suggests. These 6 weeks are the most important of your whole banded life for healing...don't want to mess up your tool before you even get the help from it!

You look great! Boiled eggs are hard...they don't break down at all in the pouch...like eating a rubber ball...chew, chew, chew.

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

187 today...1 pound at a time. Lingling...where are you? We don't need a spreadsheet...we just miss your company here!

Barbara- I hear you...my DD graduated last spring with a double majors (Marketing/Intl. Bus.) and it was almost impossible for her to find a job (almost all her friends in Bus. went to grad school because they couldn't find a job). DD is in an Advertising job now and makes less than what I did when I moved from teaching to my first job in the business world over 20 years ago...not enough to live on (but we keep telling her the experience is invaluable because advertising is what she wants to do). Tell your son to start looking for an internship with a company that might hire him once he graduates, as soon as he can. Keep the faith...things have got to start looking up...at least a little!

Great idea JayTee, especially as we're about to all hit our 6 month bandiversaries in Oct. I've been wondering if others are still around here that we don't see often. I think these first 5-6 months have been crazy...not losing, losing, Bandster Hell, PB's, Sliming, restriction, no restriction, frustration, elation, doubt, trust... What a rush of emotions and the learning curve on this band changes almost daily! My blog here on LBT and posting have helped me a lot in creating the support system I need...helps you feel like you're not the only one going through all these things! I'm at a good place, I hope, now with good restriction finally. I'm lovin' my band...there's always been some doubt that this would work for me, but I have NO hunger right now between 1C meals...awesome. If you don't have great restriction yet...hang in there! It takes some many fills and some almost at capacity to get there (saw one gal who took a year to get restriction...I give her a lot of credit for sticking with the fills), so don't give up hope! We're here to support you! Can't wait to hear from all the Bunnies!

Hmmm...as a non-healthcare worker, I don't think I'd buy the supplies to even be tempted. Needles/blood/discomfort wouldn't bother me a bit. Puncturing my port or tubing...too much of a risk for me. I'd go to the ER at my doc's hospital. Interesting subject though. "Fill parties"?!! Seriously?!!

I'm finding even 20g at every meal eating a cup or less is now hard for me to do, but I'm working on it! Let us know how you're getting 30g in! Poor puppy!

Keep some high protein bars, or something similar around (in your car, purse, etc.) for these emergencies. You can eat them on-the-go.

Congratulations to both of you! -BG

"On September 24th and 25th, the world's financial representatives and leaders will come together to discuss economic policies and address the global financial crisis in Pittsburgh." The G-20 Summit begins tomorrow and the delegates are arriving (our President arrives today). President Obama will chair this meeting of 20 leaders from countries around the world that represent 85 percent of the world’s economy. Pittsburgh was chosen in May by the White House (the last summit was held in London in April). The reason for Pittsburgh? "The reason, according to the White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, was that Pittsburgh today serves as a model for economic and environmental transformation in the United States and abroad. The city has reinvented itself by building a balanced, innovation-driven economy based on its strengths in advanced manufacturing, financial services, information and communications technologies, health care and life sciences, education and research, and energy and environmental solutions." Pittsburgh has the first green convention center (where the Summit is being held) in the nation and the former steel mill town is now known for its higher education and health care and technology innovation. They've been preparing for the Summit for months now here. Streets have been repaved (although many roads are closed) and many local businesses and schools are closed. Downtown looks like a police state (police officers from every suburb are working this event; there was a lot of violence at the London summit that they are trying to avoid here) and hordes of protestors have come to town as well to draw attention to their issues (8 Greenpeace activists were arrested yesterday hanging off one of the city's bridges). No matter what your political or global views, I think we can all agree to have hope that the mission of this Summit is successful (to evaluate measures taken since the London summit and to implement new policies that will stimulate the global economy). We should all keep hope in our hearts that our economy will improve!

loulou- I agree with the above. You need to at least call and talk to your doc or a nurse there. That said, when I was researching where I wanted my port I ran into several people who's ports had moved. This can happen from one or more stitches (or clamps if you have a Realize) coming undone. The other thing that is common is that people think their port has moved, but really it's your layer above that moves as you lose weight (the port is attached to the abdominal wall and as you lose weight your scar above it may be in a different place as your stomach shrinks). I've bumped my port twice now and made it sore (well, once was boogie boarding for a week on it at the beach). But if you haven't done anything you can remember, then I would call. You don't want to find out you port has come undone or flipped and now it's had 4 weeks for more scar tissue to form around it. Best wishes -BG

I eat so little now that I don't worry quite as much about the cost of different foods than I used to...I figure I get a lot more servings out of them then the average person, but I'm always looking for a deal LOL. When I'm tight I always have some greek yogurt in the fridge (Oikos is lower cost than others I've found) and way higher in Protein than other yogurt. I bought some inexpensive SF preserves (at Wal-Mart) and I'll put a little ontop, or sprinkle some high Fiber cereal like Kashi go lean ontop (or even fruit). I also always have low fat cottage cheese in the fridge and you can put some lite or fresh fruit ontop. If you're not allergic to soy-then try some roasted edamame (they sell them at costco in big containers). I can't eat a lot as they aren't the best tasting things to me (not awful, but not as good as nuts), but really high protein and it satisfies me when I need a snack that's crunchy. I love berries for a snack...even frozen...pop in some frozen blueberries...yummm. I also like cheese (I want to try the laughing cow ones). When I really need a sweet snack I love the Russell Stover bags of SF chocolates and they have them now in dark chocolate...all kinds of insides; Peanut Butter, carmel, truffle, toffee, etc. I never have more than one a day though. I get them at Target.

Great post! So uplifting and encouraging! Congratulations on ONEDERLAND!!!! Enjoy the new you! Thanks for the info. on LB pants...I'm tall too and am always looking for Talls (almost 5'9", but I have really long legs) and didn't realize they have 'colors' at all LOL. Good info. Keep up the great work...you'll know it when you're 'there'. -BG

Good luck tomorrow...you'll do great! -BG

There's no food that's off-limits for me, but amazingly I don't crave huge amounts of things like chocolate like I used to. I really don't feel the 'deprevation' like I have on other diets because I'm not on a diet! I'm a huge chocoholic and now I'll have a SF Russel Stovers, or just a bite of something and be satisfied. I have battles with head hunger sometimes, but not often. Best wishes! -BG

Hope you feel better...at least you'll be getting lots of rest post-op! I know what you mean "it won't be a big surprise when I start to drop some weight"...that's the good part of being a seasoned yo-yoer...no one has questioned my 60 lb. WL! Good luck tomorrow and keep us posted! -BG