TexasMama

Hi girls--well, as you know I have had my fair share of issues with the band--had trouble keeping food down, wasn't losing any weight in spite of working out with a trainer twice a week and going to the gym on my own on two other days. I bought a Polar RS300 Wear Link to track my heart rate and calories burned and that has helped quite a bit--I recommend it to everyone. I have lost 3 lbs since my last post, what was that...two weeks ago? Three weeks ago? It's been a struggle but I am doing it. My caloric intake is about 1200 calories a day, with most of that from Protein. The food is finally going down easier. I went to a brand new endocrinologist who has taught me quite a bit about how my pituitary gland and adrenal glands work with my thyroid and why removing Cytomel from my meds, eating within an hour of waking and switching my synthroid to nighttime will help me. So I feel like I am on the road to losing more. I had no idea how much all of that was affecting my weight loss. So I am down to 270--22 lbs total loss. All I can say is, it is better than where I would be WITHOUT the band, and I love what the band is doing so far. And I knew this was going to be a slow process for me, it's just hard to see people in my support group dropping 2-3 lbs a week not being even close to perfect and I am working sooo hard just to get a tiny result. I'll get there, though.

I have the slowest thyroid on the planet, but I have still managed to lose 21 lbs, never would have been able to without the Lap-Band and working out!

...and I'm down an extra 3 lbs! I am so excited, I've lost a total of 20 lbs! Yay!

Thanks everyone! My doc asked me if I could take in liquids and I said yes. He then said he thinks I must be still swollen, and I am wondering if he (and you, fluffytofabulous) isn't right on--because yesterday and today I have had NO PBs and have been able to eat real food. I think this is just going to be such a huge experiment for me, and I'm not going to be able to eat everything, but I do think if I make the right choices I will be okay. I went to Cracker Barrel today and had their Shrimp and Grits (BTW, delicious!) and I cut my shrimp up really small and chewed it well, and had no problem! I had about 4 shrimp, two spoonfuls of grits, and two bites of sliced, grilled, yellow squash. I was even able to have a small bite of cornbread! It was about 200 calories total, I am guessing from looking at calories in shrimp, accounting for the oil, grits, bacon fat LOL. Just delicious! I am also back down to 275, so almost all my Water weight I gained is gone. Maybe I am on the right track now. Thanks again for your support. So frustrating.

wow, 114 views and nada...

I'm right there with ya! My trainer kicked my butt last Friday and I really didn't know if I was going to make it back today. Not only did I make it back today, I finished my workout with bells on! I am super duper proud of myself!! So YAY US!

I am trying to eat very small bites and chew thoroughly, but I'm having problems with PBs with EVERYTHING except grits, oatmeal, yogurt, and soup. Anyone else? I am really, really frustrated. Especially because I am up 4 lbs. WTH??!

No hearburn, thank goodness. In fact, I haven't had heartburn since before my surgery! They repaired my hernia and I never had to pop a pepcid again. I think it's a matter of me really learning how to cut my food even tinier than I have been doing, taking a bite at a time, and eating slowly. I thought I was doing that, but maybe I was wrong. Last night I made a lovely pork tenderloin with roasted brussel sprouts and baked potatoes, and I managed to eat (and keep down) two slices of pork, almost the entire baked potato, and two small brussel sprouts. I cut them sooooo small and ate them a piece at a time. I felt pretty awesome! So that was a good thing. I also found out why I am up 5 (as of this morning) pounds: I have a personal trainer and he really killed me on Friday. Someone on a workout forum suggested my body is holding on to fluids right now because it is simply not used to this (and probably thinks it is a big joke, LOL). I was pretty well incapacitated this weekend...could hardly walk I was in so much pain from doing squats. So hopefully, I will lose all that Water eventually.

Hey JPT, I am glad to hear your mom is okay. That is always scary! As for the fill, I got one last week, and am feeling much more restricted than I was before, but I hear that is different for everyone. However, I did get a shot of lidocaine before my fill. I was super happy about that, LOL, as I was quite sore from overextending myself. I hope it was okay for you!

I now have 5cc worth of saline in my band and I am a happy camper! I'm on liquids until tomorrow morning, and I can move to soft foods like yogurt and cream soups. Friday I can start to resume a regular diet again...or at least, as regular as I have been. If you haven't had a fill yet, it's really not that bad. I think I was pretty anxious about it for nothing. She felt around for my port, and when she found it, gave me some lidocaine first via a tiny injection that I didn't even feel. However, because I was pretty sore from overextending myself the other day, it didn't numb me as well as it could have. When the needle for the fill went in, I didn't feel it at first, but then I could tell it was there. It just felt sore, not a sharp pain or anything. I am entirely convinced if my muscle wasn't so sore it would have been absolutely effortless. I can TOTALLY already tell the difference in restriction. My protein shake went down a LOT slower! Heading to the gym tomorrow morning to work out with my trainer. I have hired him for two months, twice a week, to get me in a routine. Best money I ever spent, besides the cost of the band!

Thanks girls!! Elle, I go back on April 26. So, basically a month from my fill. I've already lost 2 lbs since my fill on Tuesday. The next few weeks will certainly be interesting!! I might actually meet my first mini-goal of 40 lbs down by June 22 (when we go on vacay) since I am already 16 lbs down (I need to update my ticker!) so only 24 lbs more to go. Wow. I think it's doable if I have no more challenges....we'll see. I'm not going to beat myself up over it if I don't....it's just a goal... I just want my sister to at least be able to notice I've lost some weight and on me, it's hard to tell now that I am so big! Ya know?

at this point, anything and everything (okay, not really, but close). I am VERY hungry--and actually it is so weird, I am hungrier than I was before my surgery, with OBNOXIOUS stomach growlings. It SUCKS, I feel like a complete failure! The only thing I'm not doing is eating a bunch of bad crap (no junk food/sugar)...but I'm definitely suckin' down 1500-`1800 cals with NO problems. I can eat a fajita, a BIG bowl of broccoli, and be so hungry for more that I eat the rest of the broccoli. I cannot WAIT to get some restriction. This is beyond crazy to me. My only saving grace is I joined Lifetime Fitness! My fill is next week. Can't come soon enough.

JPT--you and your Mom are in my prayers! That is so very sad. I lost my mom almost 10 years ago, and though it doesn't sting nearly as much, there are times I am so very lonely for her. I hope she makes a full recovery!!

Oh Tom, I am so sorry. I don't know what sliming is, thank goodness, but I know what it is like getting stuck. It has happened to me twice now, and it was HORRIBLE. The first time I was here at the house and it wasn't so bad, but the last time was at Kona Grill, on a piece of chicken that I KNEW as it was going down I didn't chew it enough (too focused on the kiddos). I go to get my fill on the 29th. I sure hope I start losing after that. I've been sitting at only 14 lbs lost the first two weeks, and NONE for the past two weeks and it's sucking wind. I'm starving all the time!

I've read just about everything you could find on the topic and it's one extreme or the other. The site of my I.V. was my wrist, basically on the side of it. Flawlessly done and I have no bruising. However (and I realize this is normal) I do have site pain, as if it were bruised....but the odd thing is that I noticed a lump near the site this morning. It is about 1" wide, and is raised above the skin by about 1/6". I read a bit about it and it didn't seem like it was that big of a deal, but of course I am going to be paranoid and a lot more conscious of it. Well, I was cleaning my daughter's room and I look down at my wrist and notice that now, I have ANOTHER lump, just under thr I.V. site. So I thought, well, I better read more about it, and naturally I found evil Google had every horrible article on the topic up for my perusal. Am I just crazy? Has anyone else dealt with this? I am hoping it is just normal and not sepsis or anything. I find it odd that two weeks later I am dealing with this and it never came up before.

SMOKEY!?! Wherefore art thou?

He said they were normal "in most cases". I am to go to the ER if they get larger suddenly or I develop a fever. Thanks for asking! They are both still there.

Well, folks, I've joined the club. I've not lost one pound, in fact, I've gained one instead. It is a bummer but I know why. I guess we all just have to wait until our fills. My doc calls it the "green light" phase, where you're losing and eating with no problems. My first fill is not until March 29. Should be interesting! Oh, and I finally got my new Asics, in the right size, so I have been walking! Now I am off to order the new sports bra. Enell.com here I come! LOL

I have been flawless since day 1 (am now Day 5 if you count the day of surgery since I had it at 8AM!), but I have to admit, I am getting itchy for SOMETHING else besides broth, Jello, and popsicles. We went with my in-laws today to Olive Garden, and although it didn't bother me in the least that I wasn't getting salad or Tour of Italy or dessert--truly--what I REALLY wanted was to have a nibble of a bean in my minestrone. Alas no, I was a good girl and only had the broth which was quite tasty. It was the first time I'd been out to eat and it was nice to know I really didn't care about the other stuff. I really hope that my doctor will allow me to have something different after my appointment with him. I asked hubby if I could have tomato Soup and he patently refused (but with a kiss and smile), so I am afraid I am stuck. My doc's appt isn't until Thursday! Ugh! What are you eating? Have you diverted at all? It is really much harder when you get off the opiates...LOL

My fill isn't scheduled until 3/29. I am still pretty scabby though on my port incision. I hope that isn't still there by then or I doubt he'll do it.

My next appointment with my doctor isn't until 3/29. I'm weighing in daily, realizing there are fluctuations. I have to go get labwork done on the 16th. How about you?

How are you feeling? Sledgehammer to the gut? Hope you are up and about and that your surgery was a success!!

Miralax, baby! Miralax! It's the best! It's very typical to be constipated at this stage. Try the Miralax, you will be pleasantly surprised, but not too surprised if you know what I mean.

You know, I am glad you brought that to my attention--the salt part. I did actually cut down the salt from the original recipe, because I added the chicken broth. And yes, I would eliminate the 1 tsp of salt if you are using full-sodium chicken broth. If you are using low sodium chicken broth you can keep it. Your other option is to not use the added salt at all; just adding a bit of flake salt to taste upon serving. It just got better as it simmered. I gotta say, it was darned tasty. I didn't even taste the spinach, in fact, this just tasted like split pea soup. The bright green color dims a bit the longer you simmer it; we had it on the stove about 2 hours in the end and it began to take on the usual pea-green of familiarity. LOL It's darned tasty. Now, in the event you do make it and you over salt it, the best remedy is to create more puree (you can use just peas if you wish) and dump it in, thinning with Water, a 1/2 cup at a time.