ElfiePoo

I *expect* my husband to be supportive, loving, caring and compassionate...and if he can't be, then he can hit the door because a spouse who is none of those things is just a stranger living in my home. I *expect* nothing more from my spouse than I am willing to give. Perhaps that's why I didn't marry until I was 34 and why we've been married for 20 years. Asking your spouse not to bring wings into the house is not asking him to eat nasty food. A husband who brings wings into the home when he knows it bothers his wife is a selfish and inconsiderate person because there is absolutely no reason he can't eat them where he bought them. Nobody is asking their family to drink Protein shakes or eat nasty food. This isn't about 'poor me, I can't have it so you can't'. This isn't about 'why should they be punished because you screwed up.' This is about consideration from our family members. If your husband had to go on a strict fat-free diet because of heart disease, would you bring wings into your home and eat them in front of him, knowing they were his favorite food...knowing you were most likely sabotaging his attempts to get healthy (either consciously or subconsciously)...knowing you were contributing to what will most certainly be an early death if he doesn't control his diet and thus his health? Let's not make light of what we're doing here. We're in the same boat. If we do not lose this weight, our health will (if it hasn't already) suffer to the point of putting us at risk of an early death. By the way, my husband does not have a weight problem either but he eats the way I do...just larger portions. In the end, he'll be healthier for it as well since even skinny men can die of heart attacks from clogged arteries. Oh and neither of us eats bland or nasty food. It puzzles me why you would be. I have restriction and all of my food is just as tasty as it was preband. .

I also have a Realize band and I was told that they usually don't see restriction until somewhere between 8 and 9 cc's. Hang in there. I have 8.5cc and that did the trick for me.

What she said...and the post above her. Genetics, age, how long you've been overweight and how far overweight affect how much skin sag we'll have. Sadly, the only thing going for me is my genetics and I just don't think that's going to help much with being more than 100 pounds overweight for 30+ years and now trying to lose it post 50. :sad: .

The edges of mine kept curling up and I just took my tiny sewing scissors and snipped off the curling ends, per my doc's instructions. I left the rest alone and let it come off naturally. Finally at 8 weeks, he said that I could use by shower brush to 'lightly' wash the rest of the glue off if it wasn't off by then. .

Depends on what I'm eating. It's not only important to learn what foods we can't tolerate, but we need to learn what foods are 'sliders' for us. I made some fried rice tonight with napa cabbage, ground pork, Water chestnuts, onions, egg and various seasonings. I ate one cup...then I ate another cup. Yeah...I overdid it tonight. So I've discovered that rice, when done in this fashion, is a slider food for me. If I had eaten a 3 oz baked fish fillet and 1/2 cup of broccoli, the 2-3 Tbs of rice would not have been a slider food. In fact, I most likely would not have been able to eat the rice at all because, based on experience, I usually am 'full' by the time I finish the rice and broccoli. I do have restriction, by the way. .

HB, I think that's great...if it works for you. However, the OP was stating it was not ok. It was a problem for her to have to smell the wings. In which case, a *considerate* spouse (once he/she has been informed that it's a problem) will refrain. If the doctor had told him his wife was going to die young of complications related to high blood pressure, diabetes, etc, would that spouse help...or continue to fulfill their own desires...cuz let's face it, wings aren't a 'need'...and most of us were banded for health reasons, not because we wanted to go strolling down the beach in a bikini. Sometimes our SO's are clueless. They really don't know what we struggle with in regards to food. They can't be faulted if we don't talk with them. However, if someone goes to their SO and tells them that having wings in the house is a serious problem for them and the SO says 'tough' and/or continues to bring wings in the house, then (and sorry if this offends some), but that is one inconsiderate SO and I'd wonder whether there is any basis for a relationship with someone so self-centered. To the OP...note that I am not accusing your husband of any such thing, but I think you should probably let him know how much it bothers you. A good marriage is built on communication. So communicate :sad: . .

I saw my surgeon at the seminar 6 weeks prior to surgery and then half an hour before the knocked me out on the day of surgery. The office called 3 times in the 2 weeks postop and I went home from surgery with a 2 week followup appointment. That appointment was with the surgeon so he could check my incisions, etc. I haven't seen or heard a peep from him since, although I was told that if I really needed to, that wouldn't be a problem. I haven't needed to. .

Ditto. My husband is always asking me "how can I help?" and wouldn't even think of bringing something into the house that he knows will torture me and make what I'm doing even harder. No, the world shouldn't have to change the way they eat, but my home is my castle and I shouldn't have to deal with the day to day temptations *inside* my castle when they can easily be left outside of it. If my husband's doctor told him that he had to give up certain foods because he had high cholesterol and was in danger of a heart attack, what kind of wife would I be if I brought home KFC and chowed down on it while he ate his salad...particularly if I know he loves KFC. I expect the same loving consideration from my husband. .

I didn't check any because I never had any gas pain. Actually, I never had any pain...just a bit of discomfort if I moved too quickly the first few days after surgery. What a waste of money that pain med was. :sad:

About 2-1/2" to 3" below my rib cage on the right side of my body. .

Bell, When you have proper restriction with the band, it is impossible to 'stuff your face' without immediate, painful feedback. When I've taken one bite too many, I'm 'uncomfortable' but not in pain for probably 10 minutes until a bit moves from my pouch to my stomach. I've learned to stop before that point but then aversion therapy works well for me. There is no pain with restriction as long as you remember to take small bites, chew well, don't drink with meals, put your fork down between bites and eat slowly...and pay attention to those foods that do give you a problem. The band is about portion control but it's still up to us to make good food choices and follow the guidelines. Even those who've only lost 25 pounds in a year will admit that it's because they didn't follow the rules...or didn't go get their fills. It isn't magic. We still have control over what we put in our mouths. The band, with restriction, just controls the portions. .

If all you're having is 3 shakes a day, then you'll find your weight loss will be slower than if you had 5 shakes per day...because you've dropped your calories below 1000 per day. Research has proven that women who eat 1200 calories per day lose faster than those eating 1000 or less. Has to do with the starvation factor and our bodies lowering our metabolism to become more energy efficient. They say our bands aren't designed for shakes (and they're right), but I usually have nothing but shakes for breakfast, mid-morning, lunch and mid-afternoon meals. Then I eat a regular dinner and another protein shake in mid-evening. All told I'm eating about 1200 calories per day. .

I'm sure there are some who have *never* messed up...but most of us aren't quite that perfect. :thumbdown: Forgive yourself and move on. /

Until recently I thought I was addicted to food because I would be thinking of lunch when I was still eating Breakfast, obsessing about my choices. One of anything was never enough. I have to say, though, that since reaching real restriction with this band (about 3 weeks now), I am not constantly thinking of food. I don't obsess about my next meal. If I go to my mother-in-law's and she offers something I absolutely love (like her chocolate chip cookies), I am able to take one and leave it at that without continually thinking about the other Cookies on the plate. Even better, I'm usually passing them up completely. So I think I am not one of those addicted to food. It's just that until restriction, I was just never full or 'content'. Now I am. .

It's been awhile but I think I had restriction for about 2 weeks after surgery. .

Sounds like you need a fill. .

LOL...I was thinking the same thing. Personally, I have a problem with ground meats, eggs and bread...or really any kind of 'doughy' food. So potpies are out, as is regular crust pizza (but I can do thin crust), burritos, etc. I can eat just about anything else and I have restriction. .

Tiredness could be caused by any number of things. If you're getting your 64 oz of Water a day, all your Protein requirements and your calories are above 1200, then I'd start looking at other causes. However, sounds like you've been very active with the remodeling and if you aren't getting enough water, protein or calories for the energy you're expending, that may be the simple reason. I read somewhere that most women don't have enough Iron and this won't show up on the usual range of blood work. It's only when you go to an endocrinologist who generally orders more in-depth bloodwork that this is found. My iron levels always came back normal until my endo did extensive blood work and found that no they weren't normal. I've been taking a Vitamin supplement with iron since that time and it, along with drinking enough water, has made a significant difference in my energy levels. .

I can tell you that in the last 3 weeks since I've had restriction, I've been eating far less carbs (Pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.) because I'm pretty full after eating my Protein and vegies. I think I've lost something on the order of 10 or 12 pounds in that time...the last 6 in the last week when I had the best restriction. I'm eating about 1200-1400 calories per day so carbs are the key to fast weight loss. Six years ago I lost 70 pounds in 5 months doing Atkins. The only carbs I ate were the minimal amounts found in green vegies. It's not a way I'd care to eat the rest of my life, but it works for fast weight loss. .

I had/have this problem as well occasionally. I finally figured out that it's because I am sitting/holding myself differently as I lose weight. I'm trying to make a conscious effort, when sitting or standing, to hold in my abdominal muscles. This causes me to sit or stand more erect...and less muscle pain across my middle back. I'm finding that as the days go by, I have less of this pain and I think it's because my abdominal muscles are learning to do their job. .

ROFL...congratulations on finding a lost body part! I was sitting in bed reading the other day and excitedly told my husband, "Look, honey! Knees!" .

Mgirl, Loss or gain has to do with calories in vs calories out. If you aren't losing anything, it means you are eating as many calories as your body needs. If you go here, you can enter your stats and calculate how many calories you need per day to maintain your goal weight based on your exercise level. Then Journal everything you put in your mouth, even a tic tac. Journal your movement through the day. You may find you're eating more than you thought in terms of calories or not moving as much as you thought. .

Are you at goal? Are you gaining weight? If I was at goal and not gaining weight, then I wouldn't worry about 2 slices of pizza or a cup of rice or Pasta. If I wasn't at goal and/or was putting on a few pounds, then I'd probably try and eat less at a meal first because this isn't about what you *can* eat, but whether or not you're hungry. For example, now that the swelling from my last fill has gone down, I *can* eat more than 1 cup of food. However, I stop at 1 cup and find I'm more than satisifed and able to go for 4 hours or so until my next meal. If you are able to eat to excess (meaning you are gaining weight because you're eating too much) and hungry, go for the fill.

Call and see if you can get a fill. No reason you can't have one since you're a month out. I got a fill at 4 weeks postop and then every 2 weeks until I had restriction. .

No. Not even when I discover that a favorite food of mine is now off limits because I get stuck. Not even when I do get stuck because usually it's because *I've* done something stupid like not chewing well enough. I just wish I could've been banded 35 years ago. .