Band_Groupie

No red meat...EVER? I don't think I've seen anyone else have that rule. Is the eating every 2-4 hours forever? I'm only allowed 3 meals, no Snacks. This is all so interesting.

I was moving cars into the garage this morning to make room for the mountain of mulch (8 cubic yards...my back hurts just thinking about it) that will be arriving any minute and was reminded I keep forgetting to tell you that DD bought her first car. She could have had this: Or this lovely ‘green’ car: But Instead she bought a Toyota Corolla. It’s used, but is in pristine, mint condition, has very low mileage and gets over 40 mpg. It was honestly owned by a ‘little old lady” (my brother is in the Automotive industry). Before she saw it she was a little disappointed in the color (same as the one in the pic), but then it was love at first sight. I was reminded of my first car…my hatchback Plymouth Arrow…When I found the ad in the paper my first question on the phone was “What color is it?”. It was red and I thought I had the sexiest car around…I had to keep jumper cables next to me on the front seat at all times, but I loved that car. DH bought his first car in HS. It was a Mustang and he still talks about that car. First cars are like other important 'firsts' in your life; you never forget them. First cars are a rite of passage into the adult world. They give you the independence and freedom to go where you want, when you want, and they signal to the world that you’re now old enough...to have your own debt!

Oh you poor thing...I'm SO glad everything turned out all right! We've had a few similar scares over the past few years and I swear it's just to make you appreciate your life and health even more. Happy pre-op diet beginning! You're on your way! -BG

Thanks for sharing this! What is the ABC when you get stuck? -BG

The puppy breath and tongue are due to Ketosis (low carb diet)...your body is burning fat...it's a good thing.

Wow...great info.! I feel gypped...my Psych eval. was 20 min. and about half the time it was silence while he wrote things down. It sounds like you'll have a great doc to rely on if you need help along the way. We all have food issues and most of us have emotions tied to food...let me know if you find the holy grail!

Hey Jewels! That's great weight loss! I'm a hystersister graduate...had mine almost 4 years ago. Hope you feel better soon!

Holy freeholy JT! Now you've got me scared...I never asked anyone about the diet following fills! OK, I had the strictest post-op diet of anyone I could find in our April group...3 weeks of Clear Liquids and skim milk, 400-450 cals/day. I'm guessing I won't be eating again after fills! Was your post-op diet pretty strict? I've never seen anyone have such an elaborate post-fill diet plan. 8 week plan...and 'no carbs' after week 6...like EVER again??!! Did you even have an 8 week plan post op?!!! Sorry, but I just can't get over this! The good news is he offered you 4cc's, and even the 3 that you got is a big first fill! Here's hoping your restriction stays. Thanks for the warning...I'm going to call and ask!

Thanks gals...too much fun!!! LOL, it's not next Tues., in my excitement I heard 'May' (I've got oldtimers)...not until June 23...that's OK...more time to plan my outfit and tailgate party...Woot! Pickly, backstage passes, too cool! DH's ex-boss knew the sax player Amy (long curly red hair), so we always got signed CD's for the customers. A backstage pass would be so fun! Jazzy- Words of Wisdom...yep, don't do what I do (testing the band...bad, very bad). I'm back to tracking everything on Fitday and concentrating mainly on getting in the solid proteins and the water right now. I am following the liquid timing rules, but I forget to drink enough between meals...I'm always short on water and by the time I've waited an hour after meals I get busy and forget to start drinking (oldtimers, I'm telling you). I've lost 1.5 pounds so far this week (for our Friday weigh-ins), so I know even though I've had my slips, I'm still not getting a ton of calories like I would have normally. I'm not hungry at all during the day...night is going to be my battle. I think a good stiff solid protein and NOT chewing all that well (haven't gotten stuck yet so the bigger the pieces the longer it stays above the wide open funnel) is going to be key for me until I get some restriction (had 4oz. of the pork tenderloin for lunch and I'm stuffed). Can't wait for a few fills...first one 6/2 (can't believe many in our April group have already had 3 fills!!).

Exactly...those are all the excuses I would have had to gain back the 50 or so pounds I had just lost on some diet (professional yo-yoer here)...that's why it's inspiring to see you still plugging along through all that 'life' stuff on your journey down. It's something I've never been able to do...keep it up! -BG

I love when you post your weight loss and what was going on at the time...it's helpful to see that it's just a tool and life and other things can effect your weight just like usual. You're doing great! It must feel WONDERFUL! Congrats! -BG

You might recall I turned 50 the same week I got my Band (and DH’s 50th too). The next week we had DD’s college graduation and had both sides of the family in for a small party. DH and I decided we didn’t want to celebrate our 50th’s while the family was here as it would take away from DD’s event and we wanted the weekend to be all about her. We did open a few gifts at discreet times over the weekend. DD has been telling me that she’s been working hard on our gift (from the boys and her) and this weekend they presented it to us. They bought us tickets to the Jimmy Buffet Concert! She also arranged for 3 of our favorite couples/friends to go. We go next week and I can’t wait! When we lived in Columbus, DH was in Sales and we lived within a few miles of the local amphitheater. His boss loved taking customers to this concert, so we hosted customers and went every year. If you’ve never been, it’s a rowdy raucous event…huge tailgate parties with the most outrageous setups you’ve ever seen; tiki bars, swimming pools, palm trees, shark and fins ontop of cars, with limbo, hula hoop contests and giant twister games; people dressed in beach gear, Captain hats, pirate outfits, coconut bras and grass skirts. Beach balls and inflatable sharks fly all through the concert, and everyone (all ages, seriously) dancing and having fun. We had one couple have to cancel one year at the last minute, so I took my parents. I made my Dad (loves attention) a baseball cap with a parrot attached (fans are called ‘Parrot Heads’) and a sign on the front that said ‘Virgin Parrot Head’. I got them dressed in Hawaiian shirts and leis. He was delighted at all the attention he got…Parrot Heads love old people at the concert, and a virgin is even better! We haven’t been since the move (9 years) as the amphitheatre here is an hour away and tickets sell out within minutes. DD finally snagged some from a ticket broker and we’re all set…I’ll have to get some new hats ready for our friends! It's on a Tuesday night; how much trouble can I get into...we'll see! Fins up! Random Fan Photos:

You might recall I turned 50 the same week I got my Band (and DH’s 50th too). The next week we had DD’s college graduation and had both sides of the family in for a small party. DH and I decided we didn’t want to celebrate our 50th’s while the family was here as it would take away from DD’s event and we wanted the weekend to be all about her. We did open a few gifts at discreet times over the weekend. You might recall I turned 50 the same week I got my Band (and DH's 50th too). The next week we had DD's college graduation and had both sides of the family in for a small party. DH and I decided we didn't want to celebrate our 50th's while the family was here as it would take away from DD's event and we wanted the weekend to be all about her. We did open a few gifts at discreet times over the weekend. DD has been telling me that she's been working hard on our gift (from the boys and her) and this weekend they presented it to us. They bought us tickets to the Jimmy Buffet Concert! She also arranged for 3 of our favorite couples/friends to go. We go next week and I can't wait! When we lived in Columbus, DH was in Sales and we lived within a few miles of the local amphitheater. His boss loved taking customers to this concert, so we hosted customers and went every year. If you've never been, it's a rowdy raucous event…huge tailgate parties with the most outrageous setups you've ever seen; tiki bars, swimming pools, palm trees, shark and fins ontop of cars, with limbo, hula hoop contests and giant twister games; people dressed in beach gear, Captain hats, pirate outfits, coconut bras and grass skirts. Beach balls and inflatable sharks fly all through the concert, and everyone (all ages, seriously) dancing and having fun. We had one couple have to cancel one year at the last minute, so I took my parents. I made my Dad (loves attention) a baseball cap with a parrot attached (fans are called 'Parrot Heads') and a sign on the front that said 'Virgin Parrot Head'. I got them dressed in Hawaiian shirts and leis. He was delighted at all the attention he got…Parrot Heads love old people at the concert, and a virgin is even better! We haven't been since the move (9 years) as the amphitheatre here is an hour away and tickets sell out within minutes. DD finally snagged some from a ticket broker and we're all set…I'll have to get some new hats ready for our friends! It's on a Tuesday night; how much trouble can I get into...we'll see! Fins up! Random Fan Photos:

JT- LOL...OK, needles and blood don't bother me too much, but looking down and seeing blood dripping down your hand and a big puddle on the floor...I would have freaked a little!

That's so cool! Take that day and revel in it! Congratulations!

What a great idea! What a great way to remember your journey and some favorite clothes from the past! I've just started DS1's graduation quilt...I make them out of the kids sports/organizations/work T-shirts that I've collected since they were little (w/white rails between that people write messages on/sign at the party), but I machine quilt them.

JT- I said "spill the BEANS", not "the BLOOD"! Wow, and I thought giving all those tiny vials was bad! Thanks for the story!

It moved 4 inches! Holy cow! I've heard the placement feels different as you lose weight and your abdominal muscles tighten up, but if it's sutured to the abdominal wall how can it move 4 inches?! I guess I'll have to wait to see what happens. I don't carry most of my weight in the abdomen so I can feel the port now easily, and I'm almost 5'9" and not short waisted...like you said, if it moves, I'll just have to deal.

Holy Cow! I'm so jealous of some of you on your third fill already...with restriction...YAY! I don't get my first fill until June 2 and have 0 in my 10cc band now. I can eat anything and don't have to chew any differently than normal...Bandster Hell...oh well, I knew it would come. I should have asked how much he puts in at the first fill...knowing my conservative doc it will probably be less than 3cc which is only enough to fill the port and the tubing...so nothing again in the band. Does your restriction feel just like it did after surgery?

I know this isn't any consulation, but I got to pick my port postion. I asked a lot of people here before chosing my spot (sounds like where yours is...between my ribs and belly line, but far enough down that my ribs can't really catch it, and I have to sleep on my right side so placement was important). I drew a porthole on my tummy to mark the spot for surgery (read HERE). I've noticed while gardening and bending a lot this week that my port is still sore, and I hurt it a few times bending so far...so maybe yours won't bother you once it heals completely. I'd ask your surgeon if this will continue to be a problem as I've heard things tighten up as you lose weight and tissue forms around the port sutures, so maybe it will get better. It could be worse...there are many here who told me they woke up to a 'third boob' on their breastbone! (Read HERE. Or if your a man LOOK there LOL.).

I had a choice between the LB and the Realize band. I chose the LB. As said, the doc either picks the APS (Standard) or the APL (Large) depending on your anatomy during the surgery...I got the APS. Realize recently came out with a new band; the Realize "C", but some docs are still using the old version. The new one is supposed to make it more comparible with the LB. I still would have picked the LB (I liked the non-crease wedge sections) although the results are similar with all of them.

Exactly, you can eat around any WLS, some more easily than others (the Band), so it's important to come to grips with my food issues as I go along. I'm sure there'll be many more slips along the way...even if I reach goal. My goal is to have food become a more normal part of my life and that doesn't mean never eating another bad food/sweet...skinny people eat sweets too...just in tiny infrequent amounts. Wish I had a locking pantry!

If you had restriction right after surgery, then you know what it feels like. Most people need several fills before getting that restriction back. The sweet spot is where you can follow the lifetime diet/amounts and you're not hungry for about 4 hours following a meal. Many say fills take 7-10 days to 'kick in', I'm not sure why. So some don't have immediate restriction, but do a week or so later. Ask for another fill if you need it and hang in there...we'll get there eventually. -BG

This weekend was all about yard work and more yard work. I can hardly move this morning and my arms look like I ran them over a rake…scratches everywhere. We’re trying to get ready to mulch next weekend. There was so much work to be done…mainly because we were lazy last year and didn’t mulch so the weeds and erosion took over. I have way more landscaping/beds than I’d really want here just because of the hills in Pittsburgh…if it’s too steep to mow then you landscape it. Our yard is mainly flat in the back but it drops off to one side steeply, enough to make a walk-out basement so there’s a huge bed both front and back going down that really we never see or enjoy, but have to weed. Then I have my flower beds and my herb garden around the little pond/waterfall I made. By last night I was exhausted. At 5pm we called it quits and I ran to the shower to hopefully wash off the poison ivy sap that surprised us under one of the bushes. By then I was tired and starving. I made the mistake of eating a slider for lunch…I had a little of Lena’s (voiceomt2002) cream-of-mushroom soup (super yummy BTW) left over from my post-op phase and that’s what I had. DH decided to take a pork tenderloin and cook it on the grill for the first time. This wasn’t just any tenderloin…he bought a 9 pound one! We figured out that it would take about an hour on the grill and that we’d be eating later than usual. DD’s BF was over for the day, so I played the hostess and got out chips and dips…Tostito’s scoops with salsa and some spinach dip. I tried to resist but I decided to test my band (zero fill, and no restriction) with a chip or two. I was actually hoping those hard chips would get stuck, no such luck…they went down fine, then a few more and whether I chewed them well or not they went down. I couldn’t eat the salsa as I’d put hot peppers in it and I don’t do spicy foods. Yep, I went for the creamy calorie rich spinach dip and found that went down with no problem either. I found quickly found myself heading into ‘binge mode’ where I couldn’t stop shoveling them in. If you’ve ever had this feeling it’s like someone else controlling you…I could have eaten my kids at that point (kidding). I took the stuff outside for the guys to eat by the grill and headed inside. When the grilling was almost over I went to fetch the chips and dip to clean up for dinner. By now it was about 7pm and I found myself shoveling in the little bit of spinach dip that was left. I couldn’t eat half my dinner and not because I felt any restriction, but because I ate too much already. I guess the good news is that normally I would have eaten at least twice as many chips/dip and I haven't gained or lost any weight in the last week. I’ve made a conscious decision that I’m not going to beat myself up for any slips I have along the way in this WL journey. I’ve had enough of feeling bad about myself, my body image and my relationship with food. For me this journey is not another diet (I’ve been successful at so many) that I’ll gain the weight back from. It’s about feeling good about the lifestyle changes I do make and learning positive things from my slips along the way. Last night taught me that no restriction for me means it’s not really even like a funnel. I’ve tested my band and I can eat normally. I know all the dangers of slippage and other complications, yet I let the hunger demon win. I’ve learned that I need to not let myself get that hungry and a healthy snack would have helped…how simple would that have been to get out a few low fat peel cheeses. I’ve learned that the ‘binge mode’ is a strong force in me still and I have to find ways to deal with it and stop it when it kicks in. Even though last night wasn’t head hunger, but real hunger, I felt the battle in my head with willpower and I know I have a lot of head work left to do with my relationship with food. Bandster Hell is a hard time indeed, but in a way it’s a good period for us to deal with our food issues before the gift of restriction comes to help us. If we can only start changing our habits and relationship with food at this time of no restriction, then we should be even more successful when the Band is working with us. One of the major reasons I chose the Band is because it’s still all up to us and we have to slowly make the lifestyle changes along the way to be successful with it. I know myself and chosing another WLS that does some of the work for me would have been an invitation for me not to do the real work I need to to make these lifestyle changes. Changing my relationship with food is as important to me as losing the weight is, and the Band forces you to do this. I know these lifestyle changes aren’t going to happen overnight so I’m taking each lesson as it comes.

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book