Melissannde

You're not a lost cause or stupid. You made some poor choices is all. Next time, try taking the bun off the fish sandwich. I know the filet is fried (or at least it used to be.. have they changed it?), but getting rid of the bread will help. Even if you just remove the top and eat the bottom half.. that's a step in the right direction. As to the pizza, try blotting the grease off the top with napkins, then only eating the toppings. Eat very little or no crust. Don't beat yourself up for a bad decision or two. If beating ourselves up worked, there would be a lot of bruised skinny folks walking around. Climb back on the bandwagon.. we all fall off from time to time.

Call your doctor's office and ask them. If you can't get through to them a pharmacist will be a good second choice to ask. You do want to make sure that whatever you take doesn't have a NSAID in it (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug) such as Aspirin, Aleve, Ibuprofen, etc. Many banding doctors advise avoiding NSAIDs or if really necessary to take them to take a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) such as Prilosec with them. I also don't know if you have other health issues, so hesitate to make recommendations. In general, if you have taken a medication safely in the past, as long as it doesn't have a NSAID in it, and it's not a HUGE honking pill, it's PROBABLY ok to take it again. Liquid might be a better choice, depending on the tightness of your band. But please call your banding doctor, PCP or pharmacist to be sure. Hope you feel better soon.

When I get fills, we (the NP and I) always discuss the amount, and while I get input, the Nurse always has the final decision on the amount. I think I could probably ask for less than what she thinks I need. :thumbup: Knowing the exact amount isn't really important, what is important is whether or not your appetite is dimmed for 3 to 5 hours after a meal. You can estimate that you have at least 3cc's (the smidge he took out was likely replaced on this fill) and perhaps a little more. I had 3cc's at time of surgery too and had reasonable appetite suppression. As what to eat after a fill, did your doctor or his staff give you guidelines? If they didn't, please call the office and ASK!! In the meantime, what I'm told is to do liquids the day of the fill and soft/mushie foods that evening (love fill days, that's the one day I allow myself mashed potatoes!! :thumbup:). If I tolerate the mushies ok, then back to regular food the next day. If anything causes trouble, to back down and take the progression a little slower. But please call your doctor for his preferred way to eat after a fill. They're all different and you need to adhere to what your doctor wants as much as possible. Congrats on the fill and the impending weight loss.

I go to the support group offered by my doctor from time to time, but not often as it is an hour drive and at night. Don't like driving home in the dark. I've never heard that I would be so restricted as to eat only 8 Tbspns.. and I'm 18 months out from surgery. That's equivalent to 1/2 cup. My NP says 1 cup is standard for lapbanders. I still go by the 3oz Protein and 1/2 cup of veggies. Little or no white carbs. I actually get more and better support from the online groups at yahoo. SmartBandsters, DFWBandsters, SmarterBandsters & GraduateBandsters (for those banded 6 months or more). I think I like them better as I don't have to drive and don't have to wait a month to hear others opinions/advise. ::grin:: Glad you had a good time!!

That's called the "fuzzy chick" look, and yes, it generally means that your hair is coming back. Yeah for you!!

My sister and her husband took ballroom dancing classes for their exercise. I used to LOVE Square Dancing and would do it again, even obese, if I had an interested partner. If I had access to a pool, Water exercises or even just swimming would be my choice. I don't have one and neither does my community.. so that's out. At the beginning I just walked. A little bit further every day. I was eventually walking a mile a day. Then I started using a gym because the rains made it difficult to walk outside. I now take several different classes. I've made friends there at the gym and it's fun to go talk to them all and moan and groan together as we workout. Yoga is another method of exercise that might appeal to you. Just keep trying different things, and try to keep a more positive outlook. If you keep telling yourself you "hate" something, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I tell myself.. I don't like the process (exercise) very much but I LOVE the results. :thumbup: And you may find that as you become more proficient, more graceful, stronger that you don't hate exercise as much as you did. :thumbup:

Your urine can also be dark if you take B complex Vitamins. I drink 64oz of Water daily, plus other things like Powerade zero, tea, fuse, etc. So I am plenty well hydrated, yet in the mornings after I take my vit.s my urine is golden yellow. It's the B-100 Vitamin that I take being metabolized. I have yet to be so tight that I can't drink pretty big swallows. Other times I can feel the liquid trickle through. Everyone is different. I keep a bottle of water by the computer and when I'm playing games.. I take a drink everytime I score a point. :thumbup: And yeah, I try to get my fluids in early so I'm not up all night. Still have 16oz of water to go today.. better get on it.

ya know, I keep a food log on The Daily Plate on LIVESTRONG.COM - Calorie Counter, Weight Loss, Food Calorie Counter, Nutrition Facts | LIVESTRONG.COM and before every appt, I export it to excel and print out the previous 7 to 10 days food journal. I do have to edit it a bit as it provides extremely detailed info, and I don't want to use a whole ream of paper..LOL.. but I find that this information helps my nurses see that I am compliant with band guidelines 95% of the time. I too get the "has your ____insert obesity related problem here____ improved" ROFL.. I ask them if they have read my chart. Which amazes me that they don't read charts. I was taught to read patients charts. Times change I guess.. I dunno, I'm no longer in the nursing field.

Muscle Milk LIGHT in the RTD boxes.. either vanilla or strawberry creme. The chocolate tastes fake. EasAdvantageCarbcontrol are ok, but I have to add some s/f torani or daVinci to make them taste better. unjury (UNJURY is Medical Quality Whey Protein Isolate. Best Tasting Whey Protein Powder. Most Trusted Whey Protein Powder Supplement. Taste the difference) is decent too. Syntrax nectar 23g protein, 90 calories, great flavors

Spinning is stationary bikes. I do a class called RPM which is very similar to spin. You can find RPM classes at Les Mills

That depends on your doctor's protocols. By MY doctor's guidelines, by 10 days you would be on full liquids, which is anything that you can draw through a straw (but he says NOT to use a straw to avoid getting air and causing gas issues). You can't strictly go by what others have experienced, just as a guideline or general rule. Every doctor is different in their recommendations or orders, just as every patient is different. Congrats on your date. You'll do fine. (personally, I'd do the breakfast casserole type thing where you can make it up the night before and in the morning all someone would have to do is put it in the oven and turn it on. You might even consider making it up ahead of time and putting it in the freezer in case you are one of the few who take longer to feel better after surgery. I was one of those.. took me 2 weeks to feel normal again. )

ewww with sugar?? no, no, no. you eat them with butter & a pinch of salt. Or maybe some cheese or red-eye gravy. To the Aussie: do you have Polenta down-under? It's the same thing. As another poster said, do take it easy with grits, they're not weight loss friendly, they're ground corn and corn is a high glycemic food (ie, it tends to spike your blood sugar and then when the bld sugar levels drop.. you get hungry again faster). In general, grits are not high protein. However, if you add some cheese (preferably 2% or even lower fat), then you will get some protein. Pre-banding I LOVED my grits. Nothing better with eggs & sausage in the morning..or with fried catfish at night. Now I rarely eat them. They are a treat rather than an everyday food. Here's some info on a brand I sometimes buy. If I'm gonna indulge, I want the good stuff. :thumbup: With cool weather coming on, it might be time to have a little. I think it's been 6 months or more since I had any. Corn Grits Polenta - Organic - Bob's Red Mill

I've had them with no problems at all. I buy the ones at Shirataki MiracleNoodle Shop!

carrots or any other small crunchy veggie. can't or don't want to eat bread? at a good fill, I can still eat pita chips.

I only get that from one person, and if I didn't know better, I'd say it was a catty remark. But I know this lady and she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. I just think she's always known me as an obese woman and just can't picture me normal sized. And I'm way away from my first goal, on the order of about 55 lbs.. and even then it won't put me at a normal BMI. I've been obese so long that I'll have too much extra skin and I'm not sure I'm going for plastics..

not really. There's tons of things. Just about anything you can mash with a fork will work. Cottage cheese, tuna salad, chicken salad, meatloaf (mash it first), spaghetti sauce. Many Soups will qualify for mushy. Egg salad. go to BariatricEating.com - BE, Inc. The number one bariatric website for Protein, Vitamins, and success. and look at their recipes.

Since you are now dry heaving, you need to call the doctor's office again. I would've gone back in once I started heaving instead of going home. That's a game changer versus just feeling nauseated. They can either take some Fluid out or they can give you something for nausea. You really need to not be throwing up right now. And yes, some doctors do place the band with a small amount of fill. I had nearly 3cc's in mine from the time of placement. Non-medical treatment of nausea, send someone to find some candied ginger and when you get some, suck on it. Peppermint also sometimes helps. Warm tea, sipped very slowly. But the best thing is to call your doc and inform him/her of the change in your status.

If it is a continuing concern, do consult your PCP and perhaps a Dermatologist. MOST of the time it's Telogen Effluvium (see below), but it can also be signs of other problems. My thinning hair is not solely weight loss related, as it started well before I was banded, but is also due to post-menopausal changes according to my dermatologist. He has me on Rogaine to prevent further loss. Telogen Effluvium: What Is It? At any given time, about 85% to 90% of the hairs on the average person's head are actively growing (the anagen phase) and the others are resting (the telogen phase). Typically, a hair is in the anagen phase for two to four years, then enters the telogen phase, rests for about two to four months, and then falls out and is replaced by a new, growing hair. The average person naturally loses about 100 hairs a day. In a person with telogen effluvium, some body change or shock pushes more hairs into the telogen phase. Typically in this condition, about 30% of the hairs stop growing and go into the resting phase before falling out. So if you have telogen effluvium, you may lose an average of 300 hairs a day instead of 100. Telogen effluvium can be triggered by a number of different events, including: * Surgery * Major physical trauma * Major psychological stress * High fever or severe infection * Extreme weight loss * Extreme change in diet * Abrupt hormonal changes, including those associated with childbirth and menopause * Iron deficiency * Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism * A new medication Because hairs that enter the telogen phase rest in place for two to four months before falling out, you may not notice any hair loss until two to four months after the event that caused the problem. Telogen effluvium rarely lasts longer than six months, although some cases last longer. Although losing a great number of hairs within a short time can be frightening, the condition is usually temporary. Each hair that is pushed prematurely into the telogen phase is replaced by a new, growing hair, so there is no danger of complete baldness. Because hair on the scalp grows slowly, your hair may feel or look thinner than usual for a time, but fullness will return as the new hairs grow in. Symptoms If you have telogen effluvium, you'll notice more hair than usual accumulating on your pillowcase, on the shower or bathroom floor and in your hairbrush. Your scalp hair may feel or look less dense than usual. Often, though, the hair loss is subtle, and other people may not notice anything different about your hair. Diagnosis Most cases of telogen effluvium can be diagnosed based on medical history and an examination of the scalp and hair. If the hair loss has been occurring for several months, there may be visible thinning Patches, but often the hair loss is not dramatic enough for a doctor to notice. If you have large bald patches, you probably don't have telogen effluvium. If the doctor gently tugs on some hairs on your scalp and four or more hairs come out, you probably have telogen effluvium. Also, the hairs will look like hairs in the telogen phase - they will have a white bulb at the end that was in the scalp, and will not have a gel-like covering around that end of the hair. You may be asked to gather all hairs that fall out of your head over a 24-hour period, and count them to see if the hair loss is truly excessive. Losing fewer than 100 hairs in a day is considered normal. You also may be asked to gather and count lost hairs every one or two weeks to see when the shedding starts to decline. In some rare cases, if there is reason to doubt the diagnosis, a biopsy of the scalp may be done. In this procedure, a small piece of the scalp that includes several hair follicles is removed and examined under a microscope. Your doctor also may do blood tests to check for conditions such as thyroid abnormalities that may be contributing to hair loss. Expected Duration Typically, hair loss begins two to four months after the event that triggered the problem, and lasts approximately six months. New hairs begin growing immediately after the hair falls out, but significant growth may not be noticed for several months. Prevention Nothing can be done to prevent most of the types of physical shock that can start telogen effluvium. Some cases may be caused by a poor diet, and these might be prevented by eating a balanced diet that provides enough Protein, iron and other nutrients. Treatment No treatment for active telogen effluvium has been proven effective. Some causes of the disorder can be corrected. For example, if you have a poor diet, consult a dietitian to help you balance it. If the hair loss began after you started a new medication, talk to your doctor to see if the medication should be discontinued. Many times, however, the cause is a specific event in the past, and you can expect that the hair will grow back. In cases where hair growth has not returned to a satisfactory level, your doctor may prescribe minoxidil (Rogaine), a lotion applied to the scalp that stimulates hair growth in some people. When To Call A Professional See your doctor if you experience excessive hair loss or obvious thinning patches on your scalp. Prognosis The outlook for telogen effluvium is very good. Most cases run their course within six to nine months, and the hair usually grows back. In some cases, the disorder may last longer. In other cases, not all hairs grow back. Additional Info American Academy of Dermatology American Academy of Dermatology Last updated July 14, 2005

I thought this might be of interest to some: SUBJECT: Stages of Banding Discovering the Band Wondering if this is for me Investigation Doing serious research Joining a support group Getting hopeful Finding a doctor Shock at the price Deciding to do it Making the arrangements Wondering if you made the right decision Getting nervous Going ahead with it Waking up and wondering what the hell you did to yourself Post-op discomfort Month of liquids- not being able to strictly adhere Wondering if you've been scammed again Seeing a little success Getting your first fill Changing your eating habits Seeing more success Getting second fill Really losing Seriously changing your eating habits Being totally euphoric about your weight loss Changing your thinking about eating Wanting to tell every fat person you meet about the band Realizing you really can't eat Worrying about nutrition Learning to eat healthy and wise Finding other ways to meet your emotional needs Realizing it takes a long time to lose 100lbs Trudging along My clothes are too big Buying new clothes Oops, I bought too much too soon...now these are too big Buying more clothes Getting near goal Enjoying all the compliments Feeling successful Getting aggressive Not taking crap from anybody Realizing you can be assertive without steamrolling everybody Finding balance Wondering what comes next **There are other stages and everybody does not go through them in the same order or even go through all the stages. Some people might have stages to add....and there is some looping back and forth. But these are common stages that most Bandsters go through. List by Jessie H. Ahroni (ahroni.com) she has a book about banding, this list and much more are in it. Jessie has been banded for over 10 years and works in the bariatric field.

I use the overnight method because it's so easy. I think to cook steelcut oats the regular way takes 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how done you like them. I like getting up in the morning and the cooking is already done. Organic Steel Cut Oats - Bob's Red Mill

Congrats on the smaller clothes. Assuming you are back on regular food: try egg in a mug recipes by hungry girl HungryGirl.com I make overnight oatmeal with steelcut oats (only works with steelcut..) 1/4 cup oats & slightly more than 1 cup Water. Place in small cup or bowl that will fit inside of your crockpot. Place in crockpot about 8 hours before you want to have breakfast. put lid on crock & turn on low. Go to bed. In the morning, turn off crockpot and remove lid. Leave for a few minutes to let bowl cool enough to handle (go drink your coffee/tea/water and take your vitamins). Come back, remove bowl and doctor up your oatmeal to your liking. Suggestions: cinnamon, chopped apple or s/f applesauce, nutmeg, allspice, Tbspn of nonfat dry milk or fatfree canned milk, dash of salt, sprinkle of sweetner of your choice. Tbspn chopped walnuts. Very yummy and while it is high carb.. steelcut oats are low glycemic, meaning they won't spike your blood sugar and make you ravenous again in an hour. Soft scrambled eggs with spinach, mushrooms & 1 tbspn bacon bits (I do 1 whole egg with 1/4 cup egg whites.. cuts the cholesterol & calories, but maintains the taste and I get the omega3's from the eggland's best eggs) Leftovers from the night before are a good choice for me. I make meatloaf in muffin tins.. One little meatloaf is about 2oz and just perfect for breakfast. Tennessee pride turkey sausage. 2 patties are 100 calories. Sometimes I'll have one with a scrambled egg & maybe some strawberries or blueberries. Eggface has a blog with lots of recipes. She's RNY, but her stuff should be suitable for bandsters too. Just scour the web for low calorie recipes.. that's what I do. Cookinglight is a good source. Also caloriecount.about.com Have fun!!

I've always measured my food from the get-go and have had excellent weight loss. I'm told 3oz of Protein and 1/2 cup of veggies. To be honest, at first I did 4oz of protein because I was SMO and 3oz just wasn't enough. I did cut back to 3oz as I lost. If I'm somewhere I can't measure, the guidelines I was given for estimation was meat (chicken, fish, beef, whathaveyou) the dimensions of a deck of cards or about the palm of your hand. Veggies should be about the size of a tennis ball. I avoid starchy carbs if at all possible. As to how much other food you can have... I'm told that if I finish my protein & veggies and am still hungry after 20 minutes I can have more veggies (provided they're not covered in some high calorie sauce or drowning in butter). I'm also allowed "healthy" Snacks between meals if I need them. Things like an apple and a cheese stick. Wasa cracker & laughing cow cheese. Cup of yogurt. Something with protein and I try to keep it under 150 calories. I was told not to drink 30 minutes on either side of a meal. I followed those directions for a long time. But as I've learned how my band works for me.. I've gradually gone to drinking right up to the first bite, then stop drinking with my meal. I try to wait an hour after eating to drink. I've asked about sipping Water during meal if I need to and my nurses say that's ok, just not to drink a lot. Or to rinse my mouth and spit it out if I'm somewhere that can be done. If you get a bite of something too spicy, a spoonful of dairy (yogurt comes to mind) will cut the heat better than water. It's a learning process. As time goes on, you will learn what works best for you and your weight loss.

chicken should be OK, but egg salad and cereal are often considered soft (or slider) foods. Try writing down what you're eating.. either on paper or on notepad or on a website (dailyplate.com, fitday.com, calorieking, caloriecount.about.com, fatsecret.com.. there are scores of sites.. find one that you like. Most are free). Keeping track of your intake will help. Even if you can drink right before and after eating, you need to control that. Drinking right before isn't as worrisome, but afterwards can be a problem. Try to really wait at least 30 minutes. An hour would be even better. You probably don't have to go in to your doctor right away.. my doctor has nurses to answer questions over the phone. Call and ask them about your concerns. That's what we paid them the big $$ for.. was for the surgery and support afterwards. More than likely it's that you're working out and that has changed things for you.. but call and get your questions answered.

No, you don't have to be throwing up to be too tight. Any great difficulty eating/drinking could be considered too tight. I agree with the other posters who say to call you doctor on Monday and ask about coming in for a possible unfill. They don't have to take alot out. A fraction will probably do the trick.

I don't have the video's (DVD's), but know someone who does. They like the fact that one of the DVDs is solely devoted to demonstrating the steps. This person likes the classes better, but the DVDs are a good substitute when classes aren't possible for whatever reason.