Hello Junbies ......

I haven't seen a June Band Crew thread yet so thought I would start it .

I'll be banded on June 9th in Texas. I'm getting very excited about it. I know that the band is just a "tool" to aid in my weight loss journey and it will take a lot of hard work on my part to make it successful. I've been overweight my whole life with the earliest memories being around age 4. Although no one else in my family is overweight, I am extremely fortunate to have full family support in my decision. I know that there are many people who's family doesn't offer the support they need. I would love to meet other pre-bandsters being banded in June to walk with me to the banded side of life and offer each other support.

I wish you all the best.

Melissa Lea :hippie:

Pre-bandster 240 lbs

June 9, 2006

Spivak

self-pay

It is weird you guys are talking about this port thing just when it is on my mind. The only lump I feel is my port itself. But it seems to poke out more when I am full. And lately I get a sharp pain like just beneath my port when I take a deep breath. I see my surgeon on Monday. I am just wondering if I may have pulled the muscle that the port is sewn to or what. I remember in December complaining of port pain and he said it felt fine. I think I have said before that I havent had a flouro or any kind of visual test of my band since the morning after surgery. My port sits on the left side right under my rib cage and I have always has discomfort there since surgery, especially if I sit too long. He told me that it does go away eventually. But this sharp pain is very different.

hola junebies! i've been lurking this week, but just haven't slowed down until tonight to post. it sounds like we've all had an eventful week, and everyone seems to be doing so well on water! I can claim success on the exercise route only. i've eaten and drank everything under the sun...i have a suggestion for the chips. it's more expensive, but it does help me...i buy single serving chips. pringles, cheetos, etc. so i might eat one serving versus the whole damn bag (why is it that chips and m&m's go down soooo well?)

best wishes for a wonderful and relaxing weekend to everyone

poodles I was joking about the fill! Was just trying to give you an excuse to drink more wine!!!LOL

I've gotten a terrible sweet tooth. Mainly because hard candy doesn't interefer with drinking my water or tea or eating the next meal. It's at about 300 calories per day and I really do need to stop!

This little habit has gotten out of control. :faint: I feel like an addict. I need to add a no candy clause to my eating plan.

I keep reading in the post about people eating icecream and chips and even candy and I question this!

I was given a booklet pre-op and post-op of the foods to eat as a Lapband patient and none of these were on the approved list. If they were ever mentioned they were mentioned as foods to totally avoid!

Aren't these the foods that caused us to gain weight and seek out LapBand Surgery in the first place?

I was told post-op to NEVER EAT SUGAR AGAIN! (Iam down 55 pounds from 290 to 235 banded on Jun 13th with only one fill of 1cc in October.)

So when I want icecream or something sweet I go the sugar-free way such as: Sugar free Icepops, and sugar free-chocolate pudding. Also sugar free and fat-free Hot Chocolate. I drink a Designer Whey Chocolate flavor protein shake.( I also like the Vanilla and other flavors of this shake) I use sugar free all natural peanut butter in my shake when I use the chocolate flavor one.( It taste like Reeses to me !-lol)

If I want candy its always a protein bar, I just look to make sure its sugar free or has the lowest possible sugar count that my dietican will approve for me to eat.( Atkins and Kashi have some good ones!)

Its not very hard to find sugar free items and I get most of them at health food stores or online at the Susan Maria Leach- Bariatric Eating Site.

I am not trying to criticize anyone here, its just an observation that I have noticed in the post.

Believe me I cannot afford to criticize anyone since we are all in the same boat : LAPBAND JUNE BANDSTERS!

LOVE AND HUGS TO ALL,

LISA

I keep reading in the post about people eating icecream and chips and even candy and I question this!

Well, Lisa, we question it too! (laughing)

The band did not address all food demons for me. I still deal with the same behaviors that got me in the boat I'm in today. But the point of this thread is support I believe, so I feel comfortable in expressing when I fall off the wagon here because others may also not have taken care of their food demons. It's not lack of knowledge, believe me - I could probably be a nutritionist at this point. It's the same demons. I come here to throw things out here and ask for support and suggestions because I assume others are still dealing with the same thing.

Lisa

I couldn't agree with you more! I started with the sugar (big time) during Christmas holidays and the habit grows worse. I count calories and my sugar habit is cutting in to the amount of calories I have left for a healthy snack. Sugar will limit or stop weight loss. My surgeon is quite clear on that as well.

It's time to give it up. I know you understand depression. I have it too, but meds (after two years of trying everything) didn't work. St John's wart worked well for many years, but I developed irritable bowl syndrom and had to quit. Exercise took it's place. A minor injury and limited exercise in November and you guessed it - sugar became my new "fix". I can now exercise and I have no excuse.

I have been in a quandry about whether to share this. I wouldn't want anyone else to try this - but my "candy" is actually sugar. Sugar in my tea and sugar shells made from licking a spoon and putting it in the sugar bowl. The sugar shells have about l/2 teaspoon of sugar (10 calories), so a few of those a day I didn't think hurt. I figured they weren't as bad as m&m's. I'm up to about 300 calories in sugar these past few days and I'm feeling yucky.

Those of us who have been morbidly obese, know the psychological triggers that helped to get us there. Barbara4 has mentioned emotional eating. For most of us, those issues are ongoing. The only real cure to emotional eating is to replace it with a healthy habit. Exercise is one, but it's not carrying me through the day. Bottom line is we need emotional health too. It's time to "get a life". Thanks Lisa for reminding me that I'm not allowed to build it around food.

Replacing this habit with sugarfree stuff will set me up for future failure. Sweets for me need to be in the form of fruits and limited artificial sweetners for my tea. Sugarfree ice cream and candy leave me with an aftertaste and wanting the real thing.

I'm hearing you all. I've been hanging around the cafe and r&r threads because I've been so discouraged about what's been happening (or actually NOT happening) with me that I couldn't face posting here. I've been at such a standstill and thought I was actually gaining, however, when I got the courage to step on the scale, I found I hadn't. So that was some relief.

Our demons and addictions. Holy smokes.

So what I've been doing is listening to a Silvan Mind CD about not doing things that sabotage my higher good. It seems to be working. The last two evenings I've been able to easily avoid the night time prowl I usually do and stick to water or herb tea.

Pinkylee, I know sugar sub items can be unsatisfying, but I've found that sucking on a Werther's sugar free candy can do it for me. They're small, last a long time, have no aspartame and are damned close to the real thing.

Lisa

I couldn't agree with you more! I started with the sugar (big time) during Christmas holidays and the habit grows worse. I count calories and my sugar habit is cutting in to the amount of calories I have left for a healthy snack. Sugar will limit or stop weight loss. My surgeon is quite clear on that as well.

It's time to give it up. I know you understand depression. I have it too, but meds (after two years of trying everything) didn't work.

I have been in a quandry about whether to share this.I wouldn't want anyone else to try this - but my "candy" is actually sugar. Sugar in my tea and sugar shells made from licking a spoon and putting it in the sugar bowl. The sugar shells have about l/2 teaspoon of sugar (10 calories), so a few of those a day I didn't think hurt. I figured they weren't as bad as m&m's. I'm up to about 300 calories in sugar these past few days and I'm feeling yucky.

Those of us who have been morbidly obese, know the psychological triggers that helped to get us there. Barbara4 has mentioned emotional eating. For most of us, those issues are ongoing. The only real cure to emotional eating is to replace it with a healthy habit. Exercise is one, but it's not carrying me through the day. Bottom line is we need emotional health too. It's time to "get a life". Thanks Lisa for reminding me that I'm not allowed to build it around food.

Replacing this habit with sugarfree stuff will set me up for future failure. Sweets for me need to be in the form of fruits and limited artificial sweetners for my tea. Sugarfree ice cream and candy leave me with an aftertaste and wanting the real thing.

Pinky and To All :

I have always been an Emotional Eater- Complusive Overeater and was in OA on and off since 1992 before I had my LapBand surgery.

Frankly speakly it has been a BIT** to give my old best friend MRS. SUGAR! She was and still is my comfort when Iam emotional.(Now I go the sugar-free route!) I have Bipolar so its extra hard for me with my mood swings.

I totally got Pinky's post about sugar and thank you for admitting and being honest about what you did.

I HAVE TO ALSO ADMIT WHEN I WAS OFF THE BAND WAGON I DID THE FOLLOWING:

1.MADE MY SON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES AND ATE SOME OF THE RAW COOKIE DOUGH.

2. WHEN AT A DINER WITH MY HUBBY HAD A SCOOP OF HIS ICECREAM SUNDAE.

3. HAD SOME POTATO CHIPS OUT OF MY SONS'S SNACK BAG.

My post was sort of a reminder to us all that even when we go off the band wagon, we have to realize that we really need to start over and re-read the guidelines that our surgeons and dieticans gave us.

AS I ONCE READ SOMEWHERE: WE ARE NOT PERFECT BUT PROGRESSING ! ( I think it was in OA).

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SLOGAN FOR US ALL TO FOLLOW- WHAT DO ALL THINK?

LOVE, SUPPORT AND LOTS OF HUGS,

LISA

I totally had a NIGHTMARE last night. Well it was just a dream, but a nightmare to me. I am so crabby from not eating for three weeks. This time is so different from the first surgery. The first time I wasn't hungry at all during the first few weeks after, but I am so hungry now. I had a dream that I was at a party and I was totally scarfing down a bunch of croquettes. Don't ask me why it was croquettes-that part is totally random! I never eat those or crave those! But while I was eating them, I kept thinking, I don't care if it hurts or if I barf...I WANT FOOD! I woke up freaked out. Anyway, as usual thanks for listening to my rant! I am a total food addict and emotional eater and the lap band just put a big exclamation point on it for me. I have been off antidepressants since my surgery, so maybe I need to get back into counseling. I heard on the news the other day that binge eating is now the #1 eating disorder. Oh well...happy weekend to you all. Beware of Super Bowl snacks!!!

Told DS about my sugar habit and she didn't seem to think it was the big deal that I do. She also hasn't made the huge commitment we have by being banded. There is no doubt we metabolize differently after being banded, so healthy eating is vital to success. Devana, I'm going to try some of those Werthers. My Mom never leaves home without hers!

Socalgal when are you back to mushies? Mushies are almost fun. You can do it!

Superbowl snacks? I'm going to stick to the shrimp and lean meats and try to eat even slower than I normally do. A piece of shrimp or meat on a toothpick makes a good substitute for that chip. A few tablespoons of dip and we're all set. I also like to peal cherry tomatoes before I eat them and the tips of brocolli and caulflower seem safe enough.

Ok, I have a confession... but I don't want to count it as a cheat. If I confess can I still keep my cheat free sign on my signature?

Here goes: Today is my birthday. I had a field trip today with one of my clubs and they bought me a cake. I thought it would be rude to refuse to eat any of it, so I had a small piece. They sang to me and everything... does that count as a cheat????

You can keep your cheat free card Poodles. Free passes are always given for Birthdays!

I've made it through the month so far and no ice cream. I've done pretty good, but did have some animal crackers last night. I like plain cookies. It's harder for me on the weekends because I don't have the structure of the workday. I got my water in, but really had to work at it.

It has been suggested that we go to Vegas the second weekend in June so we can seel Celine. She is not there when we are scheduled. Give me your feedback. Should we keep the date we have or change? I don't think there is a problem getting the suite for that weekend.

Poodles

:happybday2: :confused:

I hope you had a wonderful day and enjoyed every crumb of that birthday cake!

I'm up for Vegas either date. Thanks Barbara (I'm the guilty bird that would like to see Celine - but more than anything I'd like to meet more Junebies!)

Go Bears!

Thank you all. Unfortunately, the Walmart cake was not worth it. If I were to obsess and plan a cheat it would be Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk. Not that I think about eating a whole carton or two or anything...:confused:

Guess what I got for my birthday! Tonsilitis!!! Yes, my one tonsil that grew back (they apparently can do that) is all nice and white this morning. My ear hurts and I can hardly swallow. (Must have been some sick kid that infected me at school. :tired ) Luckily, I have some antibiotics that I could not take before because they are horse pills. I crushed one and took it in a shake this morning. Thank God for that Unfill. Figure I will be better for work tomorrow after a few doses of medicine. *** deep sigh***

Other than that the day went well. I am going to hold up today and watch the SuperBowl later. I hope someone wins... don't really give a flip who.

Everyone have a great day!