Momto3redheads

Have you tried the Herbalife Protein Powder? I toss it in my shakes..I don't notice any flavor/smell like I did with the Unjury unflavored. :-)

Yep, it is way common for us to swap out one addiction for another....if we used food as a coping mechanism and now that is short circuited - we struggle to find another way to cope....sometimes we pick healthy options and others not so much...shopping is definately one of mine. You should consider going to a therapist and talking through your behaviors - and finding another way to deal with the journey you are on. We are right there with you! Hang in there! Kim

And truly....sometimes folks really DON'T notice....I, for one, don't see people for their weight....so if I haven't seen someone in awhile I may or may not notice if they are smaller/bigger, etc...others will comment and I will think "oh really?", but focusing on others weights has never been a priority to me. So instead of thinking them insensitive, uncaring, etc....they truly may be oblivious or unsure of what to say...... Keep up the good work! Kim

I don't plan on taking mine out ever, either! When I had to get unfilled bc of a horrible sinus infection I gained weight...so that is obvious to me that it is still doing it's job. Unless I HAVE to have it removed for some reason I am definately keeping it! There is no easy answer in working the band it is hard work and it is definately different for everyone. I did wonderfully for two years and then when I had to have my band unfilled I slipped up and fell back into old patterns...so now I have to get back on track and that is hard to do - especially at Halloween with all the candy around! Hang in there! Kim

The green zone is also called your sweet spot - it is where you lose the best and are satisfied with just your meals...you will know when you get there, as when I wasn't I found I was getting hungry between meals (which is when you have to choose good Protein Snacks and not slider junk...). You will find that type of reaction from most folks - some think we are just lazy and don't want to diet (believe me, the band is more work than Weight Watchers was!) and others are supportive even if they don't really understand it. I found that I don't give a hoot what other people think/say so it doesn't bother me. It IS hard in the beginning - as the first 6 weeks post op you will be in healing phase and NOT weight loss phase....and folks assume it is like the gastric and you should start dropping weight like crazy....and it just doesn't work that way with bandsters. You want to look at your long term goal - not the "oh no I have only lost 25 lbs in 3 months" -as when you hit a plateau and aren't losing as fast you will quickly get frustrated....until you hit your sweet spot any weight you lose is just a bonus! Once you get there you will do fine - just make good food choices and exercise. And since you are starting to look at things before surgery --- you have even more time to research and prepare yourself! You will do great! We are here for ya! Kim

If you are eating the right portions of the right foods, etc, and you are still hungry - like really hungry and not the I am bored so I wanna snack hungry....then you probably need a fill....as once you hit your "sweet spot" you will find you really aren't hungry between meals -- and even if you get bored and go to snack, you find a few bites satisfies you and you are full again. Hang in there - this is a journey, not a destination! Kim

Thank you!

Just an update - I went in yesterday and my doctor put in 1 2/3 cc --- of the 2 cc's he had taken out. We did it all at once as I cannot afford to take it slowly at $150 a pop as my husband just lost his job. I am anxious to see if this puts me back in my sweet spot - thus far I only drank a shake this morning and am not hungry at all. We will see if it lasts! Kim

I had to get unfilled as I had a sinus infection that took two rounds of antibiotics to kick - I was so tight and miserable I couldn't eat hardly anything....it was the mucus. I notice that when my allergies kick up and I have drainage that it definately affects the band....no fun! Mucinex was the one thing that seemed to help me the most, though. Hang in there! Kim

I had a bad sinus infection that took two rounds of antibiotics to kick - and I had to go get unfilled as I was having so much trouble being able to eat enough to keep my strength up. It was the pits. I am still unfilled as I have to pay $150 every time I get a fill/unfill so I have to save to get it filled again....hang in there, this is just a small bump in our journey!! Kim

No the band shouldn't loosen b/c you have lost weight....but a LOT of things will affect your band and how tight it is, which I think makes it really hard for us to know when we need to unfill! I recently had this problem as all of a sudden I was noticing that I couldn't hardly eat very much at all....well it happened to be at the same time as a HORRIBLE sinus infection I had that took two weeks and two rounds of antibiotics to get rid of....and I did end up going in and having to be unfilled so that I could eat enough to help my poor body battle the illness. It was THE pits as it cost me money....and now I am hungry hungry hungry all of the time, but am stuck waiting until I can afford to refill. Anyway...things that affect the band...sickness....stress....hormones (time of the month -big time!)....weather -as when it is really really hot and humid I am not hungry and can barely eat anything....but also having a slipped band can affect how tight it feels, I have read.... What I did was kinda journal for a week or two and see how it was going --- one day I could eat what seemed like a normal meal for me, but the next I took two bites and felt like I had too much....then I decided it seemed to be getting worse instead of better and that is when I went to the doctor. You have to make sure you are getting in enough Protein so your body can function - and when you are too tight you will resort to those fantabulous "slider foods" that will make you gain weight --- trust me, NOT a good idea!!! Hang in there! Kim

I take Zoloft for depression and Vyvanse for ADD...I have not had any trouble with pills except for one time when I tried to take prescription Allegra-D (before it went over the counter -the pills were HUGE) and it felt like it got stuck. So as far as taking pills go I haven't had any trouble with any antibiotics or OTC things I have taken, either. As far as depression goes...depending on your depression and how you react to it...you may or may not struggle. If when you are depressed you are used to turning to food for comfort or to escape ---- then you will have trouble as you can't just binge or drown your emotions in food anymore....so the good news is that we have to learn to process our feelings and emotions instead of eating them...the bad news is that some people really struggle with that a lot. I would advise that you continue with a counselor if you are already seeing one or start therapy if you aren't. It helps a lot to have an outside person to bounce things off -they see things that we are too close to ourselves to see - and you can keep on top of things better that way. Hope that helps..... Kim

I take the gummy princess vitamins They are yummy. But I do take pills and even when I am at good restriction I haven't had any problem with swallowing them....

I hear ya...I can always tell when it is "that time" as I feel like I need a chocolate IV to keep my sanity! When I am being good I try to stick to fat free fudcicles and pudding...so I feel like I am still getting that craving fulfilled...but other times I do give in and eat whatever isn't nailed down. It's a bummer, for sure! I don't know if there is a surefire fix for that one....other than willpower..... Kim

I probably sound like a broken record...but the first SIX WEEKS post surgery are for healing - your body needs the Protein and calories to heal itself from the trauma of a major surgery, NOT to lose weight. I gained weight in those 6 wks, I forget how much now, but I wasn't worried about it - I focused on getting in as much good protein as I could and trying to stay hydrated as I found I wasn't really very thirsty. THe majority of folks don't start seeing steady weight loss until after a fill, OR TWO...or more....it can be months after surgery before you can see the decline stay steady, so don't get discouraged now! We are in it for the long haul - it is a marathon, not a race. Don't stress over the weight - and DON'T restrict your calories....or you will defeat the journey. You need to let your body heal - make sure to drink lotsa Water, too! Hang in there - you will do fine! Kim