finallyncontrol

The biggest thing that I had to learn was the difference of being full and being satisfied. I also get the hiccups when I am "done eating". As soon as I hiccup that is my sign of being full. Also, we need to learn to eat 1 cup or so at each setting or meal (I eat 5 times a day). Each meal needs to keep you full or satisfied for 4 hours at least along with your fluids. If you are starving within 4 hours then you would consider a fill..however if you are too tight in the mornings I would not consider it. Also, I have heard that a lot of people try a warm drink in the morning will help them be able to get thru breakfast! I am not a breakfast "eater" I still absolutely love the shakes so I have a shake in the morning first thing and then a few hours later I have my 2nd meal but as I mentioned I eat 5 times a day. I have a 10 cc band and never had more than 5 ccs in it in order to lose 130 lbs. in 10 months BUT each person is different. I think losing 50 lbs in 6 months is fabulous! A lot of people would trade with you in a heart beat!!! You do not want to overfill nor do you want to convince your band that it is not satisfied..it is our heads/minds that is trying to convince us that we want more when we really do not need more. I know for a fact I eat less than my 4 yr old does and I am very healthy. If I was still carrying the additional 130 lbs..I wouldn't even have a chance to keep up with my son...now everyday I know I not only kept up with him I wasn't even winded!<br>Take care of yourself and stay positive! A positive attitude is key to your success!!<br>

I haven't been online for awhile and I have so missed all of you!!!! Saraboo I am sooo sooo sorry to hear what you are going thru!! but I am so happy to hear what an awesome surgeon you have! You hear the opposite when the Dr doesn't want to work with you..yours really does! That is so awesome!! Skinnygirl..you have got your hands full..fighting off the kidney stones and being overfilled!! I tell you people out there think getting banded is taking the easy way out..they are out of their minds..they have no idea what we go thru..even on a good/normal day! Laurita..keep hanging in there!! No this isn't easy! Everyone is different and you should not compare yourself to how others have done (not saying that you have)...if you have a positive attitude, take it day by day..don't beat yourself up by something you might of done yesterday (that is the past not your future), understand your band (everyone's is different..me I eat a cup of food 5 times a day..others eat less some eat more. Get fills when you need them and be true to yourself..you will reach your goal!! As you mentioned you haven't had a fill in a year...once again everyone is different..I lost all of my weight in 11 months (130 lbs) and hit my sweet spot in the 4th month..I didn't have another adjustment until my grandmother passed away 9 months later (I had already met my goal and then some). I had 1cc removed. Now it has been 7 months since then. Keep in mind every person is different..that is just my story. I wish you the very best and I really believe attitude is your biggest key to success!

Stress does amazing things to us!! Give it a little more time. You will look back and figure out it was just all of the stress you were going thru!! Yeah the weather is bad out. I am a swimmer and have my own pool..but can't use it now obviously (I do live in Florida so it won't be long). Try going to the mall or somewhere it is indoor and you can walk. Walking is one of the best ways of getting exercise!! You don't really hit your sweet spot until the 3 or 4th fill and that is when you really feel restriction. Keep you head held high, try to stay as positive as you can and keep focused on the big picture. You can do this and it will pay off in the long run!!

Well I know you have some not so nice weather outside right now but you do have a mall..how about walking the mall on the weekends..3 days a week would be fantastic!! Then soon the weather should be changing you should be able to walk outside (and any day now that it is feasible) walk!! That can be your alone time!! I lost all of my weight (130 lbs) in my pool. I started out walking but soon got shin splints and ended up in my pool..now I cant wait till I am back in the pool. Since I am in Florida that shouldn't be much longer...I can't wait!! Another thought..is there a door on the room you referred to? If so lock it!

Amy are you sure you got .3 or 3ccs? I am only questioning because .3 seems really a small amount for your first fill?? Make sure you keep eating small bites and chewing..your restriction can be there when you least expect it!! take care!!

welcome to the fun times!! If you cook for yourself it may be easier then if you are eating pre-packaged foods?? Also it depends how often you are eating...it is a fun game and making substitutes here and there. If you eat no more than 25-30 carbs per meal..so 75-90 carbs a day that is a good goal. Then you need to see how many carbs are in your snacks if you have up to 2 snacks a day...so that can add another 5-20 carbs per snack..so you need to be careful. A lot of people eat/drink large fruit smoothies but you have to remember fruit is nothing but carbs. I have fruit smoothies on days when I know the rest of my meals that day have lower carbs. I cook 99% of my meals so I know how my day is going to play out. Also, Amy has a very good point..tomorrow is a new day and new start! Do not beat yourself up!! This is such a huge thing that we are all doing! It will get easier and you will be like..ah ha I got it and then you will learn something else. You constantly learn with a band regardless if you were banded yesterday or a year ago or longer (I guess and hope to keep learning!!)

Maggs that is beautiful picture!! First off you do not need a fill you need a slight unfill!! There is nothing wrong with you but stress!! Our bands do crazy things and stress can cause our bands to do the most craziest things. I hit my sweet spot for 7 months and was loving life...lost 60+ lbs with no problems..then in December I started having my period every two weeks for some odd reason and then my grandma passed away..and then BAM my band tightened like it never has..I couldn't eat two bites and I was starving. I only had 5ccs in a 10cc band and had to take 1cc out...so I lost a total of 130 lbs on 5ccs. Now with 4ccs in my band I am pretty wide open now that my stress level is back down. So I am so sorry to hear that Mark is going thru this!! I will be praying for him for a quicker recovery and his green card..you two need to be together!! Get a little taken out and your life will be so much better!!! Make better food choices and have them fill you up and then it might be not so tempting to eat the bad foods. I know when I am full then I am not so tempted. Take care and prayers are being sent your way!!!

YEAH YOU!!! You sound wonderful!!! You sound more like my recovery!! I had surgery on Monday 11/23/09 (spending the night at the hospital) and then Thursday 11/26 I had 40 people at my house for Thanksgiving and no one could tell I even had surgery. Since then it has been really pretty good. I had one bad time and that was caused by one of my meds that made my potassium level to total bottom out and no one caught it until it was pretty much too late (had to stay in the hospital for 6 days) but the only way it was band related is that we need potassium or it will feel like you are having a heart attack and sometimes with the band you can be vitamin deficient. So you stay as positive as you are today and keep feeling amazing!!!!!

Did your dr put you on a special diet after the fill? Mine always did 2 days liquid, 2 days protein shakes, 2 days puree, 2 days soft foods and then regular foods after EACH fill so it took a total of 7 days to adjust or allow the swelling to go down after each and every fill. Sometimes you know as soon as the fill is done that you cannot tolerate liquids and then you need some taken out. Every dr works differently but that is how my dr works so I knew when I hit my sweet spot and then didn't get any more fills actually until I hit my goal..only once did I get too much and had to have some taken out..that was when I knew the previous amount really was my sweet spot and should not have gotten any more put in. Yes, it is hard to figure all of this out and everyone is so different so you cannot compare everyone because what worked exactly for me may not work for you. I wish you the very best!!

That is so awesome!! and as you said it your bean is the highest priority right now!!!! So many people are too afraid to gain weight but you really don't have to gain a ton! Keep using the tools you have already learned...it will be better for both of you and just think of the smoother delivery/recovery. Then as you said it breastfeeding does allow you to lose weight quicker!!! Very cool news!!!!

It is your mind testing you and playing tricks on you!! This is a huge mental adventure that we have to go thru during the pre-op and then again once you are banded...most everyone says "why did I just do this to myself" right after surgery..it is your mind. You need to stay positive and keep focused on why started this process to begin with. Yes, I weighed myself each and every day (and still do). I got a huge high off watching that scale go down and it motivated me to continue that pre-op diet without cheating with no problems. I also was determined so shrink my liver to ensure that there would be no problems for the surgeon. I wanted to make sure that I was paving the best road possible for my recovery. The other thought I kept telling myself that if I cheated now that I was cheating myself out of a lifetime of being healthy, happy and able to do things I haven't been able to do in years. Coming on this site is perfect for what you did..we all are either where you are or already been there...so vent away!! I wish you the very best!

That is fantastic!! At least someone is enjoying the snow!!! keep up the awesome work, you are doing fabulous!!

Stick to your pre-op plan...mine was 3 shakes a day and nothing else!! So keep yourself busy doing anything and everything you can possibly think of that will take your mind off of food...clean out a closet, clean out your pantry...keeping only the good stuff, go grocery shopping for post op foods, stay online, WALK...walking is an excellent way to lose weight..walk the mall or your neighborhood (depending on where you live..you might be snowed in at the moment), stay focused on the big picture and remember that the more you shrink your liver the easier the surgery will be on the surgeon so the equates an easier recovery for you!!!

I don't think you are doing anything to your band however soda does stretch it so I would stay away from that. As you know with the band it tightens and loosens due to many reasons...like your monthly cycle, stress and other things in our lives. We also know that taking and adding a minimal amount can change our band significantly...maybe you really only needed .15 taken out vs .25. I know I was doing fine after I hit my sweet spot at 5.0 in a 10cc band 4 months after being banded...hit my goal 7 months later (total of 130 lbs) and then 2 months later I started having my period every 2 weeks and my grandma passed away..I was little too tight and I really never quit losing since I hit my goal of losing 125 so my dr took out 1cc. So things do happen. I think maybe you should get .1 or .15 put back in..it doesn't sound like much but I know my band is very sensitive and maybe you are too? I wish you the very best!!! Take care!!

That is a fantastic attitude!! Love it!! Just think after your fill it will come off even faster!! but keep in mind your philosophy is so correct..fast or slow..it is not going up!!! Always remember that!! And just as sapphire said mini goals are awesome...I lost my 130 lbs in 25 increments (well 4 25s and 1 30). If it is going slower than have your goals smaller...whatever it takes to make it rewarding.

So happy everything went well for you!! The next six weeks can be up and down..just stay positive and you will be fine....this is time for you to focus on your healing and paving the road for your success. I wish you the very best on your journey!!

Good luck with everything!! Also never say never!! Once you master this..you will learn moderation and portion control!!! I swear the only things I do not eat is ice cream and bread...ice cream doesn't like me and bread fills me up too much...but everything else I can eat but a couple of bites and I am done..so don't say never!! Make sure you walk as much as you can...keep on stylin..

That does sound yummy and fun to make!!! I am sure my 3 yr old will love to help me!! Thank you!!!

Hopefully this positive trend is contagious!! Keep it up!!

You are doing fabulous!! Pork is one of the harder ones to process especially for me!! It all depends on how it is cooked... for me it has to be perfectly cooked and extremely juicy. I do eat a lot of mashed potatoes so I will take a piece of the meat with a little bit of the potatoe at the same time..some times that helps it go down easier. Also, cooking it in a crock pot helps keep it moist as well. Keep up the excellent work!!

I think everyone has pre-op jitters!! Just re-lax and everything will be fine! Think back to things that make you and your husband happy..plan some of those things..if it is movies great!! It could be that you take long walks together. I live near the beach so that is one of things we do, we also live near a really beautiful park so we walk thru there..a botanical garden..I think you are catching on..just beautiful things for us to do together outside. Then we have a beautiful (handsome) 3 yr old son who I can finally chase all day..so now I we spend all day outside in the yard playing, swimming or just doing anything we can think of. I know what you mean about date nights and meeting up with friends usually used to be "for dinner"...it is hard but you can be creative as well as even though you get banded that doesn't mean you don't eat again...you just chose more wisely!! Clothes fitting..well once I found the right size which I was shocked to find out I was actually a size 6..never thought I would get that small but I am and never felt better!! Anyway, once I found the right size..all my clothes fit great!! As I losing weight some things fit and some didn't but none were ever too tight anymore!! The chances of not surviving are so slim it is incredible!! Believe in your surgeon and have faith...with faith all with be right!! take care!

Another thing to try is to have a protein shake in the mornings...I am not a breakfast person either but I know that protein is very important so I have a shake every morning knowing that I am starting my day off right. It does also sound like you are a little tight as well..taking a little out can do wonders!! I wish you the very best! Also you have done an amazing job losing the 130 lbs that is not an easy thing to do. Whatever motivated you to get there..whatever steps you took to do that..write them back down and take those steps again. Sometimes we have to start at the beginning again to see where we are missing those hidden calories or carbs or why are not able to eat. Good luck!

Yeah you can find her under the search section on the top right part of the screen..if you search under the "blog" search for "the sweet spot" if you search under her name search for band_groupie She is fantastic!!! She has a posting today..

Hey I just sent you an email..before reading your blog!!! You are awesome!!!