AngieB2009

I was 238 this Friday. Thanksgiving was great! Yummy food!

Hmmm 239.6....

Have a check up today. My next fill apt is Dec 7th. Seems so far away.....

I'm down 3lbs since my last post on 10/30. Coming in at 168lbs, 13lbs more lbs to go to be at goal.

I give thanks everyday that I was blessed with a great family and the BAND.

That is so awesome! Congrats! I can only imagine how good you feel right now! Go you!

Angie, I am scheduled for a fill on Tuesday :wink: It's been six weeks this time since my last fill and I'm ready for it.

Today I reached the 50lb mark! I have been waiting for this for about 3 weeks. This no sweet thing is doing it I also have been trying to hit the Water hard.

Bg, I can do an hour after eating to drink. Is it 30 or 60 minutes before the meal on drinking?

Andrea! Congrats! Way to Go!

I am 239 this week.....

Happy Friday everyone!

Angie you and I have similar starting and current weights! Kinda fun :drool:

We do! That is awesome! I will say that it's cool to see someone with similar numbers as you have. You are doing great!

Have you scheduled another fill? I have mine scheduled for Dec 7th. That was the soonest I could get in. This will be # 5 for me. I love the band and am so glad I made the decison to get banded. Fill have been harder to wrap my head around, but I am focused on the positive. (I've said this now with each fill I have received....I think this one will be the "sweet spot." :thumbup:) LOL

I hope for both of us we reach our green zone/sweet spot soon! Go us! Go all bunnies!

Who's to say 9 or 9.5 is crazy?! We've all got different anatomy and only you know what you need...some need their bands almost completely full. QUOTE]

I agree with B_G we all have different levels. I am working on figuring mine out.

Oh and B_G thanks for linking the sweet spot blog in your reply. I agree the sweet spot is a personal choice. I am glad you reached yours quickly! Mine is with in reach! I love living with the band!

Hey LilMissDiva - Great reply. I do still eat fruits and veggies, but have to admit I pry focus to much attention on Protein. I've had a good amount of hair loss, which had me REALLY paying attention to Protein. Since I've found out why I've lost so much hair. I've also had my blood work done as I have passed the 6 months of being banded. All my Vitamin levels came back great. Protein included. I can see more now, where I have really been more controlling the bandster rules so to speak. Being new I have wanted to do things right and I think now, with a bit of time under my belt, I will begin to relax more. Settle in if you will. It took me a while to first get a decent fill, then to become accustom to restriction. What my soft stops were and ya know the general making friends with the band.

I don't have a problem with fruits really, other than apples I peel now. Most everything goes down well. I think my issues with fresh veggies is more of a chewing issue. Anyway, thanks for bringing up a healthy well rounded diet. I really needed to hear that. Now, I need to put some fruits and veggies back in to the mix on a regular basis. Which I am looking forward too.

Glad to hear I am not the only big drinker too. I drink Vitamin Water every day and get in 60 oz on a normal day. I guess it startled me this morning when I couldn't drink like I normally do. Within an hours time, I was back to the normal me drinks. Weird huh....

Finding the right level of restriction is interesting. I've had 4 fills, most of which have been small in comparision to others fills. That is what my body said okay to that day. I love that my body has adjusted nicely to each fill, but have also felt the sting of practicing patients. I am in this journey for the long haul, obviously, and I have to remind myself at times that I am not in a race with my fellow bandsters! It's hard sometimes not to compair myself to others, but I stay focused on me and what I need. Which always brings me back to a happy place. :tongue2:

Long winded.....

Hi Angie,

Good question. I was really tight for a long time and ended up causing me problems with my band. I ended up with bad nite coughs and reflux. My doctor removed some Fluid twice. Now too much has been removed and we are working on finding a happy medium.

I might mention though how very important eating fruits, veggies and whole grains are. They are just as important to maintaining a healthy digestive system as is protein is for creating the building blocks of our cells. If you are so tight you cannot eat these nutritious foods, then I would think about having some Fluid removed.

You can still lose weight by being and eating as healthy as you possibly can. The band was not designed to put us on an all liquid all protein diet. That isn’t really the most healthy way of anything really.

Besides our bodies only process no more than 25g of protein per serving. The rest just turns into fat. Our bodies need more than just protein to survive.

Best of wishes to you!

PS, I drink my Water fast too. It’s the only way to get my minimum in between meals. J

Drinking Water – big ol’ drinks! Questions…

Okay so I had something unexpected happen this morning. I took a big-o-drink of water. More like three consecutive drinks. Swallow, swallow, swallow….you get what I am saying. I actually felt the water being held up. Like not super drastic, but I felt it in my stoma and throat. I felt a mild alert over the situation. Um, never had that happen before! Wow! Until this happened this morning I have been able to chug-a-lug my water at a good rate, any time of day. I know, some don’t understand why people like me drink so fast, but we are all different. I am a fish! Ha! Just kidding but I have a habit of drinking a couple of swallows each drink. Not all the time now as I am working on slowing down….but I am a drinker.

I have been reading on this board for a while now, so there have been many subjects covered. Which I love, by the way, because it feels good to have working knowledge of the band, even if it is not my own working knowledge. : ) So, thank you all for sharing your band experiences! You are appreciated! That being said, I’ve thought it is strange when people talk about having a hard time getting there liquids in. Sipping through out the day….sucking on ice cubes, ect. I’ve read many posts about not being able to tolerate food in the mornings. Even some posts about not being able to eat anything solid until evening.

That being said, I know our bands are fickle. Each person can have there band affected differently. Some talk about weather, flying, stress, their monthly visitor, a bad PB episode, drinking cold liquids, and much more, and how it can affect the bands tightness. What I would really like to know is how tight you prefer to keep your bands’? Do you keep your band snug enough to feel water back up if you drink a big ol’ drink? Are you a sipper? Can you eat in the mornings, or afternoons? Do you have to wait on your band to loosen up before a meal? Can you put into words what band restriction means to you?

I am curious on what the “norm” is and if is varies a great deal from person to person. I am working on getting to my sweet spot or being in the green zone. For me, I can enjoy Breakfast everyday. Depending on the food, I can eat a cup to ¾ cup of food at a meal. I focus mainly on Protein and often feel like I leave out veggies and fruits almost completely. I seem to have better success when I eat steamed veggies vs. fresh veggies using broccoli and carrots as a good example of this. My band tolerates muffins and cake well, wish came as a surprise to me. We had treats at work and I tried these yummies and had no issues. I have no idea if I can eat bread, because I have cut it completely out of my diet. I no longer eat a sandwich or anything like that. I stick to the guts, the insides of a sandwich. Protein, protein, protein…

I am planning on posting this in the forum as well as a blog entry. Please reply and share how you like your band, and what works best for you. Last monthish there were some great posts about a few gals feeling there bands were too tight. I know from your posts that being to tight does not equal weight loss or a safe way to keep your band. So all experience is valuable! I am scheduled for an up coming fill in December and I have been on and off the fence about it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and if you don’t feel comfortable posting, please PM me. You guys are the best!

Okay bunnies - I have a question for you all....Please help by sharing. Pretty Please!

Drinking Water – big ol’ drinks! Questions…

Okay so I had something unexpected happen this morning. I took a big-o-drink of water. More like three consecutive drinks. Swallow, swallow, swallow….you get what I am saying. I actually felt the water being held up. Like not super drastic, but I felt it in my stoma and throat. I felt a mild alert over the situation. Um, never had that happen before! Wow! Until this happened this morning I have been able to chug-a-lug my water at a good rate, any time of day. I know, some don’t understand why people like me drink so fast, but we are all different. I am a fish! Ha! Just kidding but I have a habit of drinking a couple of swallows each drink. Not all the time now as I am working on slowing down….but I am a drinker.

I have been reading on this board for a while now, so there have been many subjects covered. Which I love, by the way, because it feels good to have working knowledge of the band, even if it is not my own working knowledge. : ) So, thank you all for sharing your band experiences! You are appreciated! That being said, I’ve thought it is strange when people talk about having a hard time getting there liquids in. Sipping through out the day….sucking on ice cubes, ect. I’ve read many posts about not being able to tolerate food in the mornings. Even some posts about not being able to eat anything solid until evening.

That being said, I know our bands are fickle. Each person can have there band affected differently. Some talk about weather, flying, stress, their monthly visitor, a bad PB episode, drinking cold liquids, and much more, and how it can affect the bands tightness. What I would really like to know is how tight you prefer to keep your bands’? Do you keep your band snug enough to feel water back up if you drink a big ol’ drink? Are you a sipper? Can you eat in the mornings, or afternoons? Do you have to wait on your band to loosen up before a meal? Can you put into words what band restriction means to you?

I am curious on what the “norm” is and if is varies a great deal from person to person. I am working on getting to my sweet spot or being in the green zone. For me, I can enjoy Breakfast everyday. Depending on the food, I can eat a cup to ¾ cup of food at a meal. I focus mainly on Protein and often feel like I leave out veggies and fruits almost completely. I seem to have better success when I eat steamed veggies vs. fresh veggies using broccoli and carrots as a good example of this. My band tolerates muffins and cake well, wish came as a surprise to me. We had treats at work and I tried these yummies and had no issues. I have no idea if I can eat bread, because I have cut it completely out of my diet. I no longer eat a sandwich or anything like that. I stick to the guts, the insides of a sandwich. Protein, protein, protein…

I am planning on posting this in the forum as well as a blog entry. Please reply and share how you like your band, and what works best for you. Last monthish there were some great posts about a few gals feeling there bands were too tight. I know from your posts that being to tight does not equal weight loss or a safe way to keep your band. So all experience is valuable! I am scheduled for an up coming fill in December and I have been on and off the fence about it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and if you don’t feel comfortable posting, please PM me. You guys are the best!

Well that's what I was wondering because I don't go very much. I just feel like all I eat is Protein and no other good for me things. I bought the Benefiber chewables. Hopefully they will help me! Thanks again for your help.

I gave up sweets today until Thanksgiving. Some of you might be already great about this, but ice cream still gets me because it's easy to go down. So I am hoping the weight will come off a bit quicker this next two and a half weeks. This also includes my yummy Starbucks coffee.< /p>

Good for you! I have to confess that, I was with you all the way until you said including starbucks.....then the voice in my head said, " The horror!" LOL But seriously you go girl! Work it!

I was doing an egg everyday till my last fill then eating to early in the morning became difficult for me so I usually have a Protein Shake instead of food. I sometimes have an egg later in the morning though or at dinner....love a egg over easy on top of a blackbean burger with a bit of lowfat cheese and some salsa......:smile2:

JayTee - I eat a Chipotle Black Bean Burger from Morningstar...yummo! I bet an egg would taste good with it, never thought about that! Gonna put it on my list to try. Glad you are on the mend!

I'd be intrested in hearing about other foods that give him issues. Thanks JT

p.s. Can we take a fiber supplement like Metamucil?

I put benefiber powder in my morning coffee. I am sure I could use another dose of fiber, I may buy the tablets. I could call it a afternoon snack. LOL A bit of bandster humor.

I just add the powder to my oatmeal every morning...it dissolves completely so you wouldn't even notice it even in a drink (DH drinks that orange Metamucil every morning...it's like a glass of slime yuck!).

I tried it in my oatmeal, I think it changes the texture to much.....Do you take fiber once a day or more often?

I love ya bunnies!

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the forum. I was banded a year ago and so far have lost 25 lbs, but I still have 45 lbs to go. Posting my weight every friday sounds like a good way to stay motivated. Today I weigh 182 lbs. (I've gained 4 pounds in the past 3 weeks).

The more the better! Glad you can join us! I like checking in every Friday to see how everyone is and to report my weight. Welcome to the group!

Morning all. First of all I want to wish JT well today and to thank everyone for their condolences.

Although it's been a rough couple of weeks for us, with driving back and forth to NJ, road food and the stress of losing my DMIL, I managed to lose 5 pounds. My weight this morning is 244.

Sorry for your grief....my thoughts are with you and yours. It's hard to loose our loved ones, but it's nice to know they are free and live on.

Congrats on the weight loss.....

JayTee - good thoughts to you! Congrats on your weightloss!

I am checking in at 237.6! Pretty happy that the scale is moving each week! It was a slow in the beginning but I seem to be making progress now! I've been cleaning out my closet! I love that feeling! Even my underwear draw is empty......I am all smiles!

My next fill is scheduled for Dec 7th! I am nearly at the goal I set! I said I would love to be in the 230's at the end of the year. I am in the 230's but looking to be lower in the 230's! Success feels great and looks good too!

Hope you are all well, can't wait to hear your numbers!

Sad News. My DMIL passed on Sunday night. I'm so glad we got home in time to tell her we loved her and kiss her goodbye. Sitting vigil is not easy. All I know is that she truly is in a better place. The new Toby Keith song "Crying for me" says it all.

(((HUGS))) Sorry for your loss.

Hi Guys

I am very very frustrated and I want to cry. I had my surgery on April 17 and I have only lost 30lbs since then. I have lost a total of 45lbs since pre surgery but I am sososososo frustrated. I have not lost a poun din two months and it seems everytime I am on this site everyone is losing crazy amounts except me. I even took up taek won do a month ago and have been going 3-4 times a week for an hour.

I paid $16,000 only to fail again. I miss real food I feel like I have not had a good meal in months. I have 7 CC in a 10CC band and I am not sure how much more I need. Can someone help? Feeling like a failure right about now. Thanks for listening.

Glad you have posted. Sometimes it does us good to get all the down feelings off our chests. I don't know to many people who would think 45 lbs was not a HUGE success. It is hard not to compare ourselves with other people. Especially when they are doing so good. I have down in the dumps moments too. For the most part, I stay focused on all the victories I have had. Many are the NSV! I've lost 40 lbs since my surgery and feel proud of those lbs. For me, I didn't have the drive to loose the weight on my own this time, so I got the band to help insure that I wouldn't see those lbs again.

Do you have a decent level of restricion? If not go for a fill. I log what I eat daily on a different support board I belong to. I've joined a walker tracker program and am involved in a challege. All of these things are very positive for me.

I could easily focus on the short fall of the band with the expectations I had, instead I choose to look at all the changes and postives that have come out of getting banded.

For me feeling better and getting healthy is the key. I am not in a race. This WLS is known for a 1-2 lbs a week loss. Hang in there. Staying plugged into a good support group is key for me. I've been going in monthly for check ups at my surgeons office. I post and read on the OCC forum and cruise this one.

Think about all the good that has come from being banded, I am sure your list is a long one!

Hi Everyone! I was down and out with a cold on Friday. My son was home as well, so it was a sickly household.

I was 239...gained some I see from Halloween candy.... see ya all next Friday!

I am always worried someone will notice and comment on it. It just embarases me to no end. Mine are not too bad...I cant do it into a bottle...I can into a cup...that is why I keep cups in the car with lids so I can take them to the trash with out anyone noticing it. lol But I am getting ready to stay with my parents for 2 weeks...and I am nervious about them noticing. ugg

I understand what you mean, I had a business lunch the other day and got stuck....fun. We are going home over the holidays and this will be the first time I will see some of my family since being banded....I am a bit nervous as to how they will take my portion size and GOD I hope I don't have to excuse myself to PB. If I do, however I hope I can make it funny!

I will add - when I say "in public" I do get plenty of warning and have always made it to a bathroom, lol. Its just that everyone else in there at the time can get to enjoy it too!

Phew, thank goodness! LOL Just kidding with you a bit. I've been fortunate to have time to make it to the bathroom too. Although when I am at home, I normally use the kitchen sick.....ewwhh I know but it's the truth.

Well, I got to say, I never thought I would be fascinated with a thread such as this but it was instructive, funny and informative. Heck, it took me quite a while ,being new to this site, to figure out just what the heck "pb" meant. My operator errors usually lead to a few pb's not just one, but I do believe one of the commentators is right when they talk about the absence of acid. Thanks for the informative thread.

John.P

Welcome John and glad I we can all be of service. No but seriously it's nice to hear that you didn't leave the thread thinking....OMG....Way TMI!!!!

Lol.

I must say though, I've never had the "I cant remember eating THAT" experience with a PB, like you do with vomiting (where on earth do the carrots come from?).

YOu are so funny! I love your profile piccy btw! Very nice! Hard work has paid off! Did you have work done?

good lawd I cant remember if I posted this, lol such a bad memory - but I made it under the 200 mark - I made the nurse reweigh me twice because I couldn't believe it. I don't know how long it's been since I've seen that number. She was new and skinny and gave me a "your crazy lady" look but I didn't care! LOL I think I was in shock for days.

Ha ha! I love it! I would love to get the crazy lady look! Wouldn't trade it for the world! Paxie that is a great accomplishment! keep up the good works! You go girl!!!!!

A pb for me has NEVER been as simple as opening my mouth and simply regurgitating.

I always heave violently and if it has happened in public, you can bet your bottom dollar everyone else within earshot hears it too - its loud and violent exactly like vomiting.

the only difference is I'm not desperately nauseated, panicky, and vomiting entire stomach contents and acid. Its usually a small amount. But it often takes two or three heaves to eject what was bothering me.

Wow! I guess I should consider myself lucky to be able to have an easy PB then huh! Thanks for sharing. I would want to sink into the floor if i had a PB episode in front of peeps. I suppose it is yet to come. I have been able to excuse myself and make it to the restroom or outside.

WTG!!! Glad you have in the zone! You rock!

I am 243.1 this week.

Thank goodness I am at a loss! I am at 242.3, not huge but I will take it! Woo hoo!

How in the world do you throw up into a Water bottle? I can't even imagine.. I'm like the other poster.. a heaving.. wretching mess when I throw up.

Maybe shes just talented.Ive even thrown up in a Wal-Mart sack when I didn have a choice.

Hi Jennifer - I should say now that I think of it I am talented like that! LOL No, but really the "water bottles" are 20 oz wide mouth bottles. So it is not hard to PB into a bottle. Align mouth with bottle and vuala!

Some of my bandster friends keep zip lock baggies in there purse for just such an episode. A zip lock seems harder for me to PB into.....just me.

183.5...3 pounds! I'm definitely at my Sweet Spot!

Love this band!

WTG!!! Glad you have in the zone! You rock!

I am 243.1 this week.

Yep, could be a virus, but when I 'PB' it's just like you described...whatever is left in my pouch coming up with heaves. The other thing I call just sliming...because it's mostly slime (and yes, the PB comes out with LOTS of slime in it). I know what you mean about looking for small bits and not finding anything big...the question is; did you feel stuck right before the PB? Sometimes I think there was something bigger stuck right in my new stoma and the act of heaving dislodged it down into my stomach. ...and no, I've never gotten anything that had already gone through my band awhile before to come back up either. Hope that helps...and you're a smart girl for going right to liquids...I've learned that one the hard way as now you're even tighter/swollen. Feel better soon!

Oh girl! I'm so sorry you went through that. Yuck. Hugs!

I had my fill today I'm now a little over 8.5cc. I've lost 8lbs. this month, so she almost wasn't going to give me a fill. I told her I was starving though in between lunch and dinner and she said, "Oh you said the magic word." ha ha ha She filled me up and sent me on my way!

Fingers crossed this will finally be my sweet spot!

I am so glad you both replied. I tell ya, I've learned so much from putting my "stuff" out there. One really does get some good feed back and pointers.

BG I really didn't feel stuck, and felt like I chewed every bit to bits, but who knows. I do know for sure it was not one of those moments when you know that you swallowed to soon.

So far eating with my band is going well today. Had both scambled egg and greek yogurt for Breakfast. Felt very hungry and my stomach is still gurgling and growling. Something else that is odd....stepped on the scale this morning and gained....Let's hope the scale is good to me for tomorrows weigh in.

Where is Ling Ling! We really need her back!

I would have to add that unless you "felt" the stomach acids when you puked you didnt really puke it was still a PB. You hay have heaved a few times but If you dont have the Puke taste then you only PBed At least this is my experience. I have been ill for a while and have a bunch of swelling and stuff (not band related) and I am totaly insync with puking and pbing. LOL My DR told me as long as it is not a regular thing you should be ok.

Thanks for letting me know. I am a newer bandster so still pretty green. Sorry to hear you are not feeling the best and I hope your health returns to you soon.