finallyncontrol

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 welcome to this site!! There is a ton of support here! Sorry about your family not supporting you...maybe when they see all the weight falling off of you they will change their minds!! Always remember there are not any dumb questions here as well as always remember to follow your doctors directives! You will see really quickly here that every doctor does things a little bit differently but all with good intentions! Take care and I wish you the very best on your journey!

Can you share your recipe? It sound great right now!

Thanks

pizza Soup

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes with Italian Seasonings, undrained

2 cups of beef broth

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon Tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

1/2 lb of Italian Sausage, casing removed (I use Johnsonville Italian sausage)

Shredded Mossarella cheese

1. Combine tomatoes with juice, broth, mushrooms, onion, tomato paste, salt and pepper in a 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 quart Crock Pot.

2. Shape sausage into marble size balls. Gently stir into soup mixture. Cover; cook on low 6-7 hours. Adjust salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve with cheese.< /p>

Makes 4 servings!

Calories 240

Fat 7.1 g

Potassium 792.7mg

Total Carbs 28.6g

Dietary Fiber 5.9g

Sugars 13.8g

Protein 19.3g

Thank you Elfie!! My mom met with a surgeon today that 80% of his patients are diabetics!! She is really sold on the band. I am so happy for her. I didn't mention to her what you said in your message until after the meeting. I totally agree with you on the healing. Thank you so so much!!

I started from day one..well as soon as I was allowed food after surgery we all ate the same food. I never thought of this as a diet...it is a lifestyle change. I didn't want to think of this as a diet or eat only certain foods because if I ate that way that once I hit my goal and started eating other foods I would gain the weight back. Plus I feel that we all need to be eating healthy. Since being banded I cook 95% of all of our meals. We enjoy family time so much more now. We vote on the meals to see if we want to make them again or never again or maybe once in a great while. We still have fast food night every so often...Wendy's works...I can order chili and they can get whatever they want...we also do Taco Bell. I have found deserts to make that has no calories that are very good. As I said me doing this has helped us in so many ways...much better homemade meals...I may eat less than they do but we all eat the same thing. I hope you can do the same...it would make your life so much easier. Good luck!!!

I also agree with the salad part..well at least the lettuce. I changed my whole outlook on life once I was banded. I didn't go on a diet I had a lifestyle change. I started being more creative in my thinking on how I cooked (yep, started cooking instead of eating out or eating take out) and what I actually ate. Everyone thinks that well know we "can't" eat this or never eat that...well my goal was to make sure I never felt like I was lacking or craving something. I am one of those eaters that does feel totally satisfied on 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup max on most meals..it does depend on what it is...soups are generally 3/4-1 cup but most other things are 1/2 to 3/4 cup. I do eat 5 times a day.

To me I think most of us used to eat large salads thinking how healthy it was but in reality it really didn't give us much but a lot of lettuce (for the most part). Now a salad to me is tomatoes and cucumbers with Ken's greek Salad Dressing. Sometimes I don't eat this during either lunch or dinner..I eat it as a snack.< /p>

I still have a pizza craving..well I don't eat bread..not that it gets stuck..it just fills me up too fast and I can't get enough Protein in. Well I found a fabulous recipe for Pizza Soup. It is fabulous, made in a crock pot. I have even found another recipe that uses mashed potatoes as a base..I haven't tried it so I can't say what It tastes like but you make it like a pizza..so it is next on the list to try. So if I eat one slice..I will be full.

A normal chicken plate for me...chicken cordon blue, mashed potatoes and green beans...2 oz of chicken, 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes and 2 tablespoons of green Beans.< /p>

Another thing is to stop eating when you feel satisfied not when you feel full..that might help. It is an adjustment. I guess I lucked out due to I get the hickups and that identifies that I am full.

I wish you the very best!!

Another thing to do is go to www.sparkrecipe.com you will find a ton of recipes on there. I crock pot all the time. We also started voting on dishes...it had to healthy, easy to make and taste good to a 3 yr old all the way to his grand parents (70 yr old).

Take care!!

Elfie are you a type I or type II diabetic?? My mom is just starting this process and she is type I...her primary is pushing her to do gastric with a different surgeon than I used. My surgeon is pushing her to have the band. I am trying to get the most information.

anewbeckiboo just have a positive attitude..it really helps a lot..at least it did for me!! I swear on any day that I felt a little down it would cause that scale it either not budge or go up!! Usually it takes 3-4 fills before you hit your sweet spot but once you do it feels so great! So have a little patience...I know it is hard but it is oh so worth it. I wish you the very best on your journey! Take care!

My question to you is are you giving yourself shots or are you on the pump? Are you drinking sugar free Protein drinks..are they premixed or are you mixing them yourself? I am assuming you started with a 10cc band and now have a 14cc band...how much are you looking to lose? I personally am not diabetic but my mom is. I have a 10cc band with 4cc's of saline in it. I was banded 11/23/09 and lost 130 lbs without any problems. My mom is just now starting the band process now.

I ditto Hummingbird...double check how much you actually have in your band. I have a 10cc band and only have 5ccs in it..I can barely eat 1/2 cup per meal. I also lost 127 lbs in 11 months with no problems. I attacked it as a lifestyle change. I am not a vegan that is for sure so I can't help in that aspect. I cook 95% of all of our meals..I eat almost everything..light on the pasta..no breads (only because they fill me up too fast and I don't get enough protein). I do eat what I want so I satisfy the craving before it takes control of me. Maybe logging your foods may be good for you..sometimes that paints a picture that you can see until you write it out. I get a ton of recipes on www.sparkrecipes.com My form of exercise is swimming. My doctor believes walking or swimming is the best form of exercise...it really worked for me. I went from a 3X to a size 5 and loving life. I wish you the very best. Oh, finally the most important aspect..a positive attitude..couldn't have done it without that!! Anytime during this past year if I felt negative..that dirty little scale would go the other way..so I made a deal with myself and said NO NEGATIVITY and it actually worked!! Take care, take it one day at a time!!

Yes, please go get liquid Tylenol and or pain pills. I know for a fact you can liquid pain pills I take it on a regular basis for chronic back aches for a non band related issue. I am so sorry you are in so much pain. I know this is going to sound wierd but I honestly think that the best thing I could advise you to do is to walk as much as possible and get in as much liquids. I would play around with the liquids..see if you did better with warm ones or cold ones and then stick with which ever felt best. As for the walking...When they did the surgery they put in a ton of gas in your stomach to blow it up..I think you are still full of gas and you need to release it. Walking helps so much, actually more than one would believe until you do it. If your surgeon will not order you the liquid pain meds call your primary doctor and explain the poor treatment that your surgeon gave you. I would request 10-14 days worth and see how you feel then. I hope this helps. Take care of yourself!

I am on of those who agrees with Bob...walking and swimming in my pool is my game. I like to check out what is happening in my neighborhood and then I work out in our pool. Once the work out is done then I can relax in the pool but not until I work out. My doctor also agrees..you do not need a gym membership..we live in Florida there is so much sunshine and outside areas to see! I firmly believe you do need a positive attitude and believe in yourself and see yourself succeeding. Once you picture yourself succeeding then you need to follow your dreams one day at a time achieve all those mini goals on your way! I wish you the very best!!

Another thing that I do is if it is a planned event I will check out the menu before I go. Some will list the nutritional values of each dish so then I can make up my mind as to what to order. Some restaurants don't and then I just do the Soup and salad. I also do the take home the leftovers. I am very lucky that I get the hiccups when I am full so as soon as I get my first hiccup I am done and ask for a to go box.

Yes, you can claim all of your medical expenses for the year on your taxes..in your case you can only claim the 2500 since you were reimbursed 10k..so 2500 plus any and all other medical bills that you have incurred for this year (prescriptions, office visits and so forth). I am not a tax expert, I just know how my tax accountant did my taxes. You can google taxes and medical bills..you can get the legal definitions or if you use quicken it will ask you all the right questions.

I hope this helps..

I agree with Leigha, don't wait call the Dr and move up your appt. Your brother is not the norm most of us need fills and a few of them until we feel the restriction. Good luck on your journey!

You need to give a full disclosure of everything you are allergic to and then you will have no problems. I carry a list of all my medications and list of things I am allergic to so I don't forget. For example..surgical tape of all things is one them so they have to use special tape on me or I break out. So they document it and then I have no problems. Just don't forget "your list" and you will be fine! Take care and good luck!

You should be very proud and want to shout it out!! Keep up the excellent work!!

Yes, you will slime again..unfortunately you learned very early on what it is all about. I really think the wrap was too much to handle. It would be too gooey to process in my opinion and then followed by the drink..that just makes me cringe but we all have to live and learn. Just check off the box and start tomorrow on a fresh foot!! Take care!

Great job Vicki for going to the doctor!! You should be feeling so much better now and should start seeing some results!!! Stay positive and make your dream come true!

Yeah I am going to have to go with Elcee on this..probably the wrap on the soft taco was too much to handle or process (or too much food as Elcee said). Drinking to quickly after eating = sliming...or if something is stuck you can slime as well. I do eat at Taco Bell but I also waited 2 months..12 days post op may be a little too soon. It may not be the best but I eat the mexican pizza..the middle of it..it is the "mushiest" to me. I hope these responses are helpful and I wish you the best!

Unfortunetaly I still get my salt craving during the ovulation time but while I am actually having my period I could careless if I eat whereas before I would eat every sweet in the house. So for me it is 50/50. At first my cramps were worse as well. So glad you have made the decision to become a bandster..it will be the best decision you will have ever made!! I wish you the very best on your journey!!

Don't wait for the call back..call them. As twilightlover said you need to be headstrong. Take control of YOUR band. Persistence will pay off. Everyone's body does work differently but everyone needs restriction. I found my sweetspot around the 5.5cc area in a 10cc band. To me this is not a diet this a lifestyle change. I eat all types of food..steak, chicken, pork, hamburger..you name it I eat it BUT all in very small portions. I had to learn how to stop eating when I was satisfied not necissarily when I was full..that is a big difference...kind of like what twilightlover said..stop when you should. I actually get the hiccups when I am full so I quit as soon as I hiccup and I am done. This has helped me be very successful!! I wish you the very best on your journey..but please don't wait for your phone to ring..call thiers!!

Oh, I tyipically wait about an hour..that is just me. I believe I was told 30 to 45 minutes.