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Welcome to the challenge! You know the part of everyone's posts that I enjoy reading the most? The personal goals we each set for the month. For so long many of us have put ourselves last and everyone else first. I just sit and smile while I read these goals! I hope this is a great month for each of us! Joan

Name, real or screen~ Joan Age~ 50 Weight on September 1st~ 185.4 Goal Weight for September 29th~ 179 Exercise Goal for September~ Gym 3X a week Dietary Goal for September~ More fruits and vegetables Personal Goal for September~ Go to 2 movies at the theatre Date Banded~ 12/2/2010 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 41#

Have you had success with allergy shots? I have been thinking about pursuing them but the people I know who have had them have not had great success. Joan

I have had a lot of problems from seasonal allergies. My spring allergies were absolutely awful and even taking 3 different allergy meds per day I got stuck too often and needed a few deflates. This fall they started up to a lesser extent and at my last appointment I found out my band has slipped so I am totally deflated now. I don't know if the slip was from vomiting or the horrendous barking cough I had. Things have settled down now. Drinking hot drinks or just hot water several times a day can help cut the mucous. Good luck and proceed with caution! Joan

Please join us for the September challenge, "The Harvest Moon Challenge". I posted the new page today. First weigh in is tomorrow. Joan

Welcome to The Harvest Moon Challenge! This is a fun, motivating, stress free way to set personal goals for the month. If you'd like to join us, please complete the template below then weigh- in each Thursday in September: 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. Larry wiil do our stats. THANKS Larry! I hope you join us! Joan Copy and Paste this template: Name, real or screen~ Age~ Weight on September 1st~ Goal Weight for September 29th~ Exercise Goal for September~ Dietary Goal for September~ Personal Goal for September~ Date Banded~ Total Weight Loss Since Banding~

Hello, Joan checking in at 184.4, I exceeded my goal of 188! This is so unlike me, lol! Larry~ I think if you're willing to do the stats then you should get to name the challenges, LOL! So, "The Harvest Moon Challenge" it is! Thanks again. Are you playing at the music festival this weekend? Congratulations to all the losers and maintainers this month and to all those who met non- weight loss related goals! Some months are better than others, but if we all just keep heading in the right direction we'll get there! I hope to see you at The Harvest Moon Challenge which will start on September 1st! Joan

Thanks Larry, you are awesome! Are you up to the task again for September? Any suggestions for the name of our September challenge? The challenge will start September 1st. Tomorrow is our last weigh in for August. I hope this was a successful month for all! Joan

What great news! I am so happy that your band went back into place!!! I am hoping mine will behave and go back into place too. Do you never eat with your hand?! OMG, I eat some foods by hand, was never told not to. Or was it that you were eating way too fast? My band is slipped and I think it's from my many stuck/vomiting episodes. I am glad your band is back in place and you're doing well. : ) How was the repair recovery compared to the original lap band surgery recovery? Joan

Yikes! I am glad you'll see your primary today. They should be able/willing to order a barium swallow x-ray. Let me know what you find out. Joan

I have had many stuck/vomiting episodes. The slipped band was observed under fluoroscopy during a routine lap band appt. When you were at the ER did they x-ray your band? When I have had a bad vomiting episode it has been advised and has helped to take prilosec daily for a week and to back down to liquids, mushies only. The vomiting causes the stomach to swell and the band prevents it from swelling out so it can only swell in. Joan

Yeah, Jess! I am glad you're losing again. The NP didn't say why my band could have slipped and I think I was too shocked and depressed to ask at the moment. I imagine it slipped from vomiting when I was too tight and had horrible allergies. My allergies are bad now but not as bad as they were in the spring. The extra drainage causes stomach issues for me, tightness, vomiting... Right now I have wicked coughing fits from post nasal drip, I wonder if the coughing could have slipped it? Joan

Speaking from experience, and currently trying to heal a slipped band, I suggest you tell your Doctor everything you told us and that you will need a deflate. Like somenoe earlier said being too tight causes swelling and potential damage. Joan

Thank you in advance for your slipped band stories! I am currently deflated with the hope my slipped band will go back in place. Joan

I wasn't aware my band had slipped. I have had off and on problems for months with being too tight and vomiting then needing a deflate. Crazy since I hadn't vomited since 1988, LOL! I never overeat but have vomited from drinking too fast, not chewing well, wrong food that has been OK before. I wonder how many slips go back on their own VS needing surgery? I am trying to eat only liquids and mushie foods. If I hadn't had a fluoroscopy exam I wouldn't have known I slipped. Thanks again for being part of our group and keeping our stats! Joan

I just found out today that my band has slipped. The NP removed all the fluid and told me to stick to a liquid diet to help things heal. I said for how long? She said as long as you can. I will have my next appt. in 3 weeks to see if it has slipped back. Were you instructed to follow a liquid diet? Why do you think the slip was your fault? I think mine slipped from the vomiting I have had when I have been too tight. I am really bummed about the slip. : ( Keep me updated on your progress. Joan

My band has slipped! I am so bummed! I went for a routine appt. today and the fluoroscopy showed it has slipped. I was deflated and instructed to stay on liquids as best I can until my appt. 3 weeks from now. The hope is that the band will slip back into place. I vomited a couple times this last week and have been struggling with fall allergies which make me produce more mucous and cough a lot. I am taking 3 different allergy meds daily. Joan

I was not aware of the slip myself, it was noticed by fluoroscopy during a routine follow up appointment. Joan

I went to my monthly appointment today, and under fluoroscopy they could tell that my band has slipped. I was then fully deflated and instructed to take in liquids only for as long as I can until my next appointment. My next visit is in 3 weeks. The hope is that the band will slip back into place. If you have had a slipped band tell me if it went back into place by itself, what you did to help it go back in place, and if you eventually needed surgery to reposition it. I am SO bummed that this happened! Joan

Joan weighing in at 187.4, a loss of 2.4. That's the good news. The bad news is I had an appointment for my monthly check up and my band has slipped. I am SO bummed. The plan is for me to drink liquids only for the next 3 weeks, as much as I can tolerate, and then they'll reassess the bands position. I am thinking positive thoughts and prayers that it slips back down where it belongs without requiring surgery. Congratulations to all the "losers" this week! Keep your eye on the prize! Is your little one small enough for a stroller? You could trot along behind the bike riding kids pushing the stroller. We went all terrain with our son in a stroller after he out grew the back pack. A bike seat for the back of your bike is MUCH cheaper than a trailer. Our son rode in one from about 7 months on up. Have fun, Joan

I am the queen of night coughs and relux! What it means for me is that I am too tight and need a small deflate. Also, prilosec might help settle the stomach acid down. In fact, I am heading in for a small deflate tomorrow, lol. When my allergies flair up the cough and reflux also occur, this happened in the spring and is now again happening with my fall allergies. All I can say is that I am thankful my lap band surgeon is in the same town as me! Joan

Hello, Larry~ The weight chart looks amazing, thank you!!! Kelly~ I hope your mom will be better soon and back home! I agree that this might be a time to just maintain. Be kind to yourself. Remember to weighin tomorrow! Joan

Hello, Wendys~ I love their chili, it's delicious, nutritious and band friendly. I had some on Friday. Pizza~ I eat the top of a piece of pizza and a small amount of the rolled end of crust. I do well with chicken nuggets. The diner should have soup, try to get one with Protein and not veggies only. I do eat salads w/ meat and cheese, I eat the protein primarily and less of the vegetables. Do you have a Taco Cabana? If so, I get the cabana bowl minus the fried tortilla shell and eat Beans, meat, salad, rice, slasa.... in it. I am OK with one hard taco, one tostada or one enchilada. I had a chicken strip kids meal at Whataburger today. I ate one and a quarter strips and about 1/4 of a small order of fries. Good luck! Joan

Dave~ How are you feeling? The strength of Prilosec that I have is once per 24 hours. Another thing that really helps my stomach is to suck on a regular old peppermint candy, the red and white swirly kind. I also chew a couple TUMS to help my stomach if needed. It's funny how I have had so many stomach issues considering that prior to be being banded I hadn't vomited since 1988 and had a cast Iron stomach! Now I can be filled too much easily, get stuck, stomach lining swellls, get reflux, vomit more... and the whole thing goes to hell in a hand basket, lol. I am cautiously staying right where I am regarding fills. I never want to be too tight again! Whether we have lost 130 or 30 pounds I think we are all winning at this game of life and weight loss/maintenance!! I am proud of everyone!!! Joan

I like the Naturade Total Soy powder from Sam's Club. I buy the chocolate and vanilla and mix my shakes with milk, which brings the Protein total to 23 grams. My surgeon recommends continuing w/ one shake a day since it can be difficult to get all the necessary protein and nutrients in each day plus many peoples bands are too tight to eat much for Breakfast. I have a shake almost every morning. Good luck! Joan