Hello! I am trying to figure out this forum and how it all works so bear with me! I was banded Friday, Dec. 3rd and have about 85 lbs. to lose. Diabetes runs in my family and I felt like a time bomb and have never been able to keep the weight off. It just crept up and up. I am very active and want to be able to exercise without the aches and pains. I am 5' 10" and 55 years old. I would like to stay in touch with those of a similar situation.

I had a great experience so far and had my band done as an out pt. procedure. I was out at SAM's the very next morning and haven't had alot of pain. Today I did laundry and walked at the mall. I plan to return towork for awhile on Monday. I was fortunate to also have had it done laproscopically and had a great surgeon, Dr. David Provost. All I can say is so far so good!

I'm gonna have to do something. Maybe go grab some pineapple juice, because, this is day 5 of my forced liquid diet. I just had my worst experience yet. Got some chicken noodle soup and three bites in I got "the feeling". You all know what I'm talking about, the I wanna burp but don't wanna burp feeling, the rumbling gurgling around the pouch. Ugghh, I sipped on some warm water and ran to the bathroom and wretched into the toilet. It's the hardest I've ever thrown up with the band, and now I'm very aggravated. Definitely going to call the doc on Monday and try to get in there asap.

Have you tried the Prilosec? I have had so many stomach issues since getting banded. Once things are irritated the pouch lining is swollen and needs to settle down. I think you're wise to call and see your MD next week.

This morning I weighed in at 224.8 which means I have now lost 100.2 lbs!!! I am so happy and wanted to show all of ya'll a picture of me from this morning "wearing" the jeans that fit when I started this journey. I've posted some before and now pictures on my blog if you're interested.

You look fabulous and I bet you feel fabulous, too! Congratulations! I'll post an updated photo when I reach the 50# mark.

Joan

I'll give the Priolosec a shot tomorrow, couldn't hurt, and I can't schedule an appointment until Monday at the earliest...

Do you take it before meals or just at regular intervals all day

Yay Vicky!!!!!!!!!!!! Give yourself a pat on the back!!

Hello, Everyone. You all are doing an awesome job. I can't belive you've lost so much in 7 - 8 months. Wow!

I finally broke the 30 pound mark. I'm down 31 pounds. I was too excited! I've started losing inches again. I need to purge some more clothes out of my closet, but that requires me to get off my duff, lol. I bought about six suits from the thrift store and that's helping me with my work clothes. Funny, I never shopped at thrift stores prior to the surgery. Now, I love it!

I was exercsing about three times a week, but I had company a couple of weeks ago and that interrupted my schedule. I haven't quite gotten back on track. I did a 5K last weekend. And I have two scheduled for September.

My family reunion is Labor Day weekend and no one has seen me since surgery (other than pic's I posted on FB). So I'm pretty excited. I'll have to go find some new shorts to wear.

Hello, Everyone. You all are doing an awesome job. I can't belive you've lost so much in 7 - 8 months. Wow!

I finally broke the 30 pound mark. I'm down 31 pounds. I was too excited! I've started losing inches again. I need to purge some more clothes out of my closet, but that requires me to get off my duff, lol. I bought about six suits from the thrift store and that's helping me with my work clothes. Funny, I never shopped at thrift stores prior to the surgery. Now, I love it!

I was exercsing about three times a week, but I had company a couple of weeks ago and that interrupted my schedule. I haven't quite gotten back on track. I did a 5K last weekend. And I have two scheduled for September.

My family reunion is Labor Day weekend and no one has seen me since surgery (other than pic's I posted on FB). So I'm pretty excited. I'll have to go find some new shorts to wear.

Way to go, Keia! You're doing it, slow but sure. Good for you! I found the "losing inches, not pounds" thing was frustrating, but I stuck with it, and things eventually started moving downward again. And congratulations on those 5Ks! My knees are shot, so I can't run, but I'd love to be able to try that.

Keep it up! And have fun at that reunion. Kind of scary, but exciting, too!

Dave

Hi all,

Congrats to everyone's success thus far. Keep it up.

I am very proud of my wife and wanted to check in and let all of you fellow Dec2010 bandsters know her progress. She is down 130 lbs now. I believe she has about another 45 to her original goal, and if possible, take it another 20lbs past that for her new revised goal. SO proud of her. Take care all.

Hi all,

Congrats to everyone's success thus far. Keep it up.

I am very proud of my wife and wanted to check in and let all of you fellow Dec2010 bandsters know her progress. She is down 130 lbs now. I believe she has about another 45 to her original goal, and if possible, take it another 20lbs past that for her new revised goal. SO proud of her. Take care all.

130??? That's AMAZING! Congrats to her for all that work!

Dave

I'll give the Priolosec a shot tomorrow, couldn't hurt, and I can't schedule an appointment until Monday at the earliest...

Do you take it before meals or just at regular intervals all day

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

Wow Dec bandsters you're really knocking it out of the park here! I'm in a maintaining mode right now. After a complete unfill, then dealing with a slipped band while overseas, then coming home and having surgery end of May to correct it...to going through the fill process all over again. It's tough!

I like my red wine but have recently had a tough love talk with myself. I didn't get this $16K tool to mess it up, so I'm sucking it up, following the rules and trying to get this going again. I've had my 2nd fill, and am 4.4 in a 10cc band...which really means nothing at all...it's just my numbers. I do think I will need another fill in Sept as I'm not at the satisfied for 4-5 hours mark...more around the every 3 hours.

I've recently been making sure I'm eating the dense Proteins and eating my veggies or fruit. If I want a bread...then I have some...otherwise I don't.

Let's see how this goes for me over thenext couple of weeks. I think another small fill is needed to get me to where I need to be.

Everyone keep up the great work and positive support!! <3

Just checking in Weight loss has been slower these last few months. My hair is growing back YAY!! I feel so much better. I am off all of my BP meds. I visit the gym regularly, and I am hoping to reach my goal by my Surgiversary date, but if I don't I will eventually! It's great to see all my December 2010 Bandsters doing so well!!

Grrr.. So frusterated. I've been flip flopping anywhere between 189.6-191.6 for the last 3 weeks. The last weight I actually logged was 190.8,(I only record on Thursdays and I refuse to record higher numbers), I'm eating basically the same as I was. I'm exercising about the same. I just rejoined a gym in hopes that my body i just getting to used to kickboxing and I need to switch it up. Though, I can't seem to get my HR as high as I want it on the elliptical/bike. I'm getting so annoyed, I'd been doing so well. I guess I could get a fill, but I don't really want one, and I don't see how it will make me lose weight. I just ordered a body media fit off Amazon, and it should be here in 5 days. I hope that will help me some. I have been using a polar HR monitor, but it's like 6 years old and has been saying my HR is 00 to much lately, so I don't trust it anymore.

I did do one day of proton shakes (3) and just a Fiber one bar, and string cheese. But once I ate again my weight went back to where it was. Any advice I'd appreciate it. I have been eating a bit to much carbs lately, so maybe that may be it. Try to cut that out. I usually had been staying below 100g. Also I think my Protein has been lacking some since I basically stopped eating Breakfast. For some reason even though I barely have any fill, eating a normal breakfast in the am makes me feel crappy for a couple hours and then I'm hungry. And that is even if its just a Protein Drink. So it's hard to do because I do my workouts in the morning, so going to workout feeling crappy, makes me feel, well crappier.

Any advice I'd appreciate it. I have been eating a bit to much carbs lately, so maybe that may be it. Try to cut that out. I usually had been staying below 100g. Also I think my Protein has been lacking some since I basically stopped eating breakfast. For some reason even though I barely have any fill, eating a normal breakfast in the am makes me feel crappy for a couple hours and then I'm hungry. And that is even if its just a protein drink. So it's hard to do because I do my workouts in the morning, so going to workout feeling crappy, makes me feel, well crappier.

I think this is the crux of the problem. Carbs are not your friend. And if I read it right, 100g of carbs daily is waaaay too much, in my opinion. You don't say how much you're eating every day, so you may want to look at your daily calories, and what they're made from. I know if I eat too many carbs, my weight loss stalls, and sometimes even stops. If I drop the carbs, the weight also drops.

The PA who does my fills says to try and get 10% of daily calories as protein grams. So if I'm eating 1200 calories a day, I shoot for 120g of protein. Carbs should be 50-60% of that. (So if it's 120g of protein, I try for 60-72g of carbs.)

And as for you not eating breakfast, maybe try eating a more protein-based breakfast long enough before your workout that it has time to digest some. My morning routine is to have a cup of coffee while I'm getting ready for work. Then I drink a ready-to-drink Protein shake (Premiere Nutrition brand - 30g protein) in the car on the way to work. About an hour later I eat half of a "naked" breakfast sandwich. (That's a fried egg, a slice of breakfast sausage, and a slice of cheese, but no bread.) Then I'm good till lunch.

My point is that by eating like this, I get about 40g of protein and only about 5g of carbs, and all before 9 AM.

Hope this helps a bit!

Dave

Yesterday I met with my new Dr. He is with Sibley Hospital. I still havent lost weight from Dec 2010. It is very frustrating.. I started a new job and changed insurances... so I hope this one works out. He is having me do a GI exam first before beginning fills.

I am hoping this will work for me. I have 6ccs currently and feel ZERO restrictions. Sigh

I think this is the crux of the problem. Carbs are not your friend. And if I read it right, 100g of carbs daily is waaaay too much, in my opinion. You don't say how much you're eating every day, so you may want to look at your daily calories, and what they're made from. I know if I eat too many carbs, my weight loss stalls, and sometimes even stops. If I drop the carbs, the weight also drops.

The PA who does my fills says to try and get 10% of daily calories as Protein grams. So if I'm eating 1200 calories a day, I shoot for 120g of protein. Carbs should be 50-60% of that. (So if it's 120g of protein, I try for 60-72g of carbs.)

And as for you not eating breakfast, maybe try eating a more protein-based breakfast long enough before your

workout that it has time to digest some. My morning routine is to have a cup of coffee while I'm getting ready for work. Then I drink a ready-to-drink protein shake (Premiere Nutrition brand - 30g protein) in the car on the way to work. About an hour later I eat half of a "naked"

breakfast sandwich. (That's a fried egg, a slice of breakfast sausage, and a slice of cheese, but no bread.) Then I'm good till lunch.

My point is that by eating like this, I get about 40g of protein and only about 5g of carbs, and all before 9 AM.

Hope this helps a bit!

Dave

I'm going to try dropping my carbs for a few days. Though honestly I don't feel that low low carb is sustainable for me in the long term. And since I am looking long term I didn't want to go to low. But I'm going to try. As for the protein drink, is the premeir shake good? The only one I was able to stomach so far is unjury, but it's 28g protein when made with milk. I'd rather do rtd if possible. Where'd u buy it? Ad for calories I do about 1200 calories. Recently my protein like I said is low at sometimes like around 60g. I work out 5-6 days a week, for one or more hours. Usually burning like 450-550 per hour session more if it's longer. Like I said it's my polar monitor that I'm not trusting. My bodymedia should be here soon. Thanks for the advice Dave I appreciate it, I know how well you've been doing.

vickyd- girl! you look so fabulous!!!!! what amazing pics.

great to hear what all the other December Divas (that includes you, Dave) are up to. As for me, I think I'm coming to the end of my journey....although its gotten *very* slow here at the end. Right now, I at 162lbs (5'8") and have been in the 160s for 2months. I'm somewhere between a size 10 & 8 and medium tops.

My original goal was 145lbs but I'm not sure thats the right endpoint for me. I've decided to shoot for 153-155lbs. I should be a solid size 8 at that point & then I can decide what the right next step is. Another 10lbs or plastics?

I know why its slow....too many carbs & sweets have crept back into my daily diet. Also, my work travel has jumped up a lot in the last 3 months and I struggle on the road. I'm better when I'm home & on a routine. On the positive side, I don't expect to travel for the next 4-6 weeks which means I can plan my meals, cook at home & hit the gym often. Also, I started doing a lot of cycling & really love it so I signed up for my first big race. Its in 2 weeks and its 67-miles. eek! Going out for a training ride tonight....

cheers,

chloe