ElfiePoo

I honestly don't know...and I'm not sure I'd want the sleeve. I'm working this band extra hard right now, hoping that dropping another 20 pounds will make it go away...although I hear from some people at maintenance that they still have the pain. :rolleyes2: Melody .

Ok...now have an appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday about this arm pain. Hopefully we can find a solution because pain patches don't work at all and aspirin is not working either. I ended up taking NyQuil last night because it knocks me out so I did get about a couple hours of uninterrupted sleep before the pain was able to make its way through the NyQuil drugged sleep.:rolleyes2: .

Congratulations...and 30 lbs is not slow! That's 10 pounds a month. Way to go! .

We hardly ever eat out anymore because I never know how my band is going to behave...even with foods that previously had given me no trouble. When I'm out with others, I just order what I know I can eat and I don't bother with explanations. I mean, think about it...if a skinny person orders a salad with grilled chicken, hold the croutons and refused the bread, nobody would ask why they didn't get the croutons or bread. Ok, polite people wouldn't ask even if they might wonder in their heads. Yet if an obese person passes on dessert, croutons, bread, etc., people think they have the right to an explanation. Uh...don't think so. If someone is rude enough to ask, "why aren't you eating bread", I usually respond with, "Why didn't you order an appetizer?" (or something similar). Their response would most likely because they didn't want it. Well, duh. Sorry for the rant. .

Yep, Atkins talks about carbohydrate intolerance. Many obese people have it. Sugar, by the way, is carb. Everyone has their own tolerance limit. If I want to have any weight loss at all, I have to stay under 30 carbs. If I want to just *not gain*, I have to stay under 45gm. For serious weight loss I have to drop it under 20. Everybody is different. I am an insulin resistant diabetic and found that carbs aren't the only thing that stall my weight loss. So does *excess* Protein which can cause the same effect as carbs. .

So, not such a good day yesterday...sort of. My husband put the coffee beans in the pot the night before, so when I got up I poured myself a cup of coffee with a bit of half and half. Normally I'll eat breakfast an hour later but (yeah, go ahead and smack me), I didn't. Finally around noon, my body started reminding me I needed to eat. I fixed my lunch, ate and within 30 minutes I had a major sugar episode. Had no clue whether it was swinging up or down because I used my last meter strip that morning and hadn't been to the store yet (yeah, another stupid I should be smacked for). So I just waited it out. Safe to do because I knew the swing wasn't high or low enough to knock me out...just enough to make me miserable. For almost 2 hours I had to deal with the consequences of this swing...shaky, cold sweats, etc....and the intense craving to stuff whatever carbs in my mouth that I could reach. I knew I'd feel better almost instantly...but also knew I'd feel even more miserable afterwards. So I ate a couple ounces of cheese and just waited it out. I even headed to the kitchen a couple times before doing a turn around, telling myself 'nononononono'...but I made it! Oh...and it wasn't just waiting to eat that did it. Oh no...I discovered that my husband had used regular caffeine coffee (which I *never* touch) in the pot. He forgot what caffeine does to me. I reminded him when he came home and I was now in the pounding headache, major bitchy and complete fatigue stage of the sugar swing. Bet it'll be awhile before he forgets again...particularly since I tossed his caffeine coffee beans in the trash. I must've looked as wiped as I felt because he was dutifully contrite and agreed that he has no problem drinking decaf at home as well. :rolleyes2: So, the 'sort of' is that while I felt horrible yesterday, I did not go off plan with my eating. I'll take it. Melody

Congratulations! While the scale victories are nice...these NSV moments are even better! .

I put my before picture at 330 lbs and my current pic at 225 lbs. on the refrigerator and the pantry doors. I even printed off a small copy of each to tuck into the face of my wallet (it's a little see through pocket meant for the driver's license). Everytime I go into either of these areas, I'm reminded of how far I come...and the reward for getting that far...and wanting to keep going. Everytime I pull out my wallet, I see that pic and it's a reminder not to get junk at a drive through. .

My chili isn't a slider for me because it's quite thick. It amazes me that in the past I wouldn't chew it, but now because of the band, I have to. I love soups and will usually have it several times a week through the fall and winter. Yes, most soups are sliders and eating soup is a bit like drinking while eating, but what I do is drink most of the broth first. Then I eat the soup contents. There's a bit of broth in each spoonful, but not much. Works well. I do use fitday.com to calculate the Protein, fats and carbs that go into the whole pot. Then I weigh the contents and then I weigh my portion. It's not exact but it gives me some idea of what I'm eating. . .

Leigha: Can't live with 'em...can't bury 'em in the backyard...interferes with the landscaping. I'm sorry you're going through this with your husband and yeah, stress does not help with the band and proteins are always kind of iffy anyway. Denise: When you stepped on the scale in a hoodie and jammies did you hear the country song, "What was I thinkin'" playing in your head? So sorry about your molar. What a PITA. Don't wait too long if you're planning on an implant as a replacement (much better than destroying the two teeth on either side for a bridge). I did that and the bone receded too much in a year to have the implant as an option. Elcee: I know...and I so miss my vegies but I seem to be so sensitive to carbs and high levels of protein. I'm hoping it's just because I'm so insulin resistant and that eventually, as the weight drops and the insulin resistance resolves that I'll be able to have them again. Hummingbird: One mouse? Maybe I should put a little note on our mice bulletin board (I'm sure they must have one somewhere) that there is a nice 'vacant' vacation home for the winter...close to skiing and everything. :rolleyes2: My sympathies on your shoulder pain returning. I hope yours goes away again because it's a PITA (the 'A' in this case standing for 'arm'). Melody .

Emjay, You are indeed fortunate! At this point in time I can still eat as much as I want. Most days since my last fill I am content, but there are some days when I'm not and have to struggle not to keep on eating. If I get filled to the point where I actually have to stop eating after 1 cup of food, then I'm too tight and almost everything gets stuck. .

Heather, I am sorry for your loss. I know it's hard to put importance on something (our diet) that many people don't think twice about when something truly tragic happens in our lives, but part of this whole grief process is remembering to take care of you. :thumbup: I lost a family member 3 weeks after being banded last Thanksgiving and, like you, had to deal with the influx of food...most of it not on my list of acceptable foods on top of the stress of not only my grief, but those of my family. Fortunately, we were able to send most of the food home with other family members so it wasn't in our house tempting me. But back to your question, how do others deal with stress. Have to admit that I pull open my bible and start reading the praise psalms. I listen to worship music praising God. I know...not helpful responses if that's not your belief system, but it's what I do. My sister-in-law meditates. Another sister-in-law does Yoga. My sister runs. I think they've done studies that show all of these activities raise seratonin levels in the brain, relieving stress in the process. My thoughts will be with you. .

Pharmaceutical ads in general always crack me up because their 'contraindications' generally end in ..."and death". :thumbup: .

4 oz of prime rib is 22gm of fat and 4 oz of boneless skinless chicken is 12gm of fat and that's the white meat. Dark meat is higher. Did you know that the much maligned pork comes in at only 10gm (less than chicken!) if you eat the loin cut? The only point I'm making is that Atkins is not the high fat diet (or rather does not need to be) that the media has convinced people it is. Most days my fat grams come in at around 70gm. I limit cheese to 4 oz of hard cheese a day *max*. I don't slather on the fats and I make sure to vary my protein so that I'm getting fish, chicken, pork and red meat and eat reasonable quantities. .

Hard boiled eggs are more difficult than scrambled for me. I thought soft boiled eggs would go down more easily...nope...and I love eggs! .

I'm at 8cc in a 14cc band and I can eat meat *but* I have to take small bites, chew well and then wait between bites to make sure I don't bottleneck everything up if I do get stuck. You just never know on a day to day basis. I can still eat cheese, although I limit it to 4 oz of hard cheese a day. Can't eat fondue...the gooey cheese just clumps together. Yeah, despite the minimal acceptance that low carb is a healthy way to eat, the mainstream nutrition industry and most doctors still aren't ready to accept it. I finally found a doctor who, while not really accepting it, won't argue with the results. .

This is so true. My stepdad's family is rife with heart disease. The vast majority have never been overweight. His younger brother died at 34 and my dad is considered to be long lived at 76 because all of his family members have died before the age of 64 from heart disease. My stepdad, despite living a very healthy life (exercises daily, eats a balanced healthy diet, etc.) having to take cholesterol meds despite that, has serious cholesterol problems. While my maternal family members are all overweight, love fried foods, junk foods, sweets, etc...live into their 90's and have no heart disease (or related) health problems. Go figure. .

Sounds like you need a fill despite the stuck episodes. Our bands can be tight one day and not the next. We can eat something one day and it will get stuck the next and fine the day after that. Just something we have to deal with. Also, change your expectation of 'full'. Eat your allotted amount of food...then wait. I know few people who can go 4-5 hours without feeling hungry. A more reasonable expectation is to go 2.5 hrs, eat a small 'snack' of Protein (hard boiled egg, Protein Drink, or 1-2 oz of protein), wait another 2.5 hrs and then have your meal. If you can do that, then you're good. If you can't, you might need a fill. .

Do you know what your calories are averaging? I ask because I went on straight liquid Protein for 10 days a year or so ago and discovered that I felt horrible (fatigue and shaky) below 1000 calories, but when I bumped my Protein drinks to get me over that, I felt much better. .

1. How much loose skin do you have with the lap-band. In my mind I thought that since the band is a longer process that there wouldn't be as much skin, is this true? How much loose skin you have depends on so many factors. How long you've been overweight, how much you have to lose, how fast you lose, age and, more importantly, genetics. Exercise will help tone the muscle under the skin but it won't do anything about the skin. 2. I weigh 267 right now and I was wondering what you think would be a reasonableweight, I'm 5'7 and have a large frame on top of that. I was given a formula (and I don't remember where) that gave a 'rough' way to figure out what you should weigh. Basically take your height in inches and convert to centimeters. Subtract 100 and that would be your ideal weight in kg plus or minus 6kg. Plus for large boned and minus for small boned. That would put you at 127 lb. Keep in mind that's a 'rough' estimate. Factors such as age and muscular structure will affect this by quite a bit. 3. Please tell me of the success you have had, it would really encourage me:thumbup:. I've struggled this last year to get this band to work with me and have had my ups and down. I never gave up and now, after a year, I think we've finally come to terms because the scale is once more going down. *Patience* is key. 4. What's the worst thing you have expierenced as a result of being banded--I just want to be prepare!:thumbup: The constant pain in my left shoulder - phrenic nerve pain. Be aware that it is not uncommon and for some it will go away. For some it doesn't...even after years. In the last couple of weeks mine has gotten quite a bit worse. Only happens when I'm lying down or not able to sit straight up in a chair (car seats put me at the wrong angle). .

Itchy...yeah...mine was sort of an itchy but almost painfully so. Now it just plain hurts like a deep ache. .

Bless me father for I have sinned. I've had a spaghetti squash sitting on the counter for the last few days and last night it's cries to "eat me" were finally heard. I decided to put it out of its (and my) misery. Man...10 carbs for a cup of squash. I know, some of you would be saying that's not bad, but that was my entire daily total right now so it doubled what I should've had yesterday. Oh well...could've been worse. I almost went to the movies and took my big refillable popcorn bucket. :thumbup: So I'm down another 1 1/2 pounds today. Not holding my breath since I know I have massive water weight shifts and could wake up tomorrow 4 lbs heavier but I know my daily carbs have been under 10 and my calories are coming in around 1100-1200 (not that I'm counting them, but it just seems to happen) which means I'm being a very good girl with no 'just a little cheat won't hurt' moments. Blood sugar levels are still running consistently between 110-145...not bad since I was having trouble keeping them below 200. I can only attribute this to the fact that I'm also controlling the protein grams too. Amazing. I have to believe too that the band is helping because in the past I ate much more when I was doing low carb. Now less seems to satisfy me. Now if I could just get rid of this blasted shoulder pain! .

Actually, the two types of diabetes are Type I and Type II. Type I is usually diagnosed in children or young adults and occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels. Type II is more common and occurs because the pancreas isn't producing enough insulin or the cells are ignoring the insulin (insulin resistance). This is what the vast majority of diabetics have and is mostly caused by the bad habits of our carb/sugar laden, sedentary society. Hypoglycemia is not the opposite or a different type than hyperglycemia. It is the precursor to hyperglycemia. Abuse the body enough by ignoring it and most likely it will progress to hyperglycemia. Just wanted to clarify because I've heard people say, with a sigh of relief, that they have hypoglycemia which is so much better than being a diabetic...as if somehow the two are disconnected...and they aren't. :thumbup: .

As someone who was hypoglycemic from around puberty up until sometime in the last 6 years when it progressed to hyperglycemia, I would take these hypoglycemic incidents as a warning from your body. Many people go long hours between meals without hypoglycemic incidents. Sure they're hungry, but they don't get the blood sugar swing. If you do, then pay attention because it means your body is warning you of a potential problem. 40 years ago the doctors and nutritionists were still convinced that a diet high in carbs was the answer to all ills. I learned through trial and error to just ignore them. It's how I discovered Atkins (and that it works) back in the early 70's. Some other things I discovered through trial and error...and that now the diabetic experts have finally come around to... Eat every 3 hours. It helps stabilize the glucose (BG) levels. Mid-morning, mid-afternoon and in the evening, I'll have some type of Protein - a hardboiled egg, 1-2 oz of cheese, 1-2 ounces of chicken/ham, low carb/low cal Protein Drink made with almond milk...something with protein and minimal carbs (minimal as those found in eggs...not flour products). Spread your carbs out through the day. Carb loading at one meal will cause the hypoglycemic incidents. Keep your carbs low. That level varies by individual. When I'm not trying to lose weight, I still can only consume about 45gm of carbs a day. Over that and I start having blood sugar issues. Some people can eat more. You'll just have to log what you eat and pay attention to what gives you problems. Avoid caffeine. It seriously messes with the BG levels. Don't skip meals. Not only does it mess with BG levels but you'll have more of a tendency to grab something on the fly that will mess with you even more. When you are having one of those shaky, dizzy, cold sweat hypoglycemic incidents *do not* reach for candy. It will make you feel better quickly, but it will drop you even further as it works through your system. Cheese seems to work the fastest at relieving my symptoms. I found out only decades later from an endocrinologist that it's because the Proteins in the cheese break down more easily than those found in meats, poultry, etc. Be nice to your endocrine system. I wasn't despite knowing all these things were a solution to my problem so now I get to deal with hyperglycemia. .

Hi Cindy, No, it's definitely related to the band...and it's not uncommon. There are people who have been dealing with this for years. It has to do with some part of the band rubbing against the diaphragm...phrenic nerve pain. I didn't have a problem putting up with it when it was just an irritation, but now it's full fledged pain that interferes with my sleep and is causing frequent headaches as a result of tensing from the pain or sleeping in an odd position to alleviate the pain. .