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

I'm very happy so far. I have been a slacker in the exercise department but {brace yourself, lame excuse approaching} it's been hot as heck outside and I tend to faint if I get overheated. So I do my best to not get overheated. I haven't fainted in years and that's because I'm so careful.

I was last weight on July 11th and had lost 23 lbs total since my banding. I am getting compliments from people who have not seen me in a while, but these are also the same few people who are looking for something to see. They know I was banded. But I can tell a difference in my clothes and when my face is turned just right, I can tell a difference in the mirror. My neck looks smaller.

I'm heading to a friends this weekend with plans to swim, swim, swim, so I'm hoping to get some exercise in!

barb, the corn never came up, it stayed down. just the fish!

eggs this morning and no problems!

Well I did not make the water challenge yesterday....was very upset that I couldnt do it. Usually i can drink way more than 64 ounces. Band had its own mind yesterday because everything i ate came right back up. I think i should go back to liquids and mushies for a couple of days....what do you guys think? Stomach is kinda of sore from not being able to keep anything down. Today i will definitely get my water in!!! Should be pretty easy since i will be doing only liquids and mushies.

Good Luck To All Water Drinkers Today!!! :spit: :spit: :spit:

I am a firm believer if you have a PB or gurgling or burbing that it calls for going back to liquids. I am fearful of doing damage once that syndrome starts. I would go back to liquids Cindy, but more importately can you figure out what caused it? I am beginning to think that there are certain foods that "trigger" the action. For instance, Leila maybe the corn was stuck so the fish couldn't go down, backed up, and came up. The corn was acting like a plug. I may be all wrong, but I'm thinking its those things we need to start tracking for ourselves so we know what our triggers are.

I would love to count the soup, coffee, and boost as part of my liquids, but I don't think that's fair. We had to have pure Water for half of the requirements. I'll just try to do better today. At least I'm making a concentrated effort to get more water down. I might not make the challenge goal, but I'm increasing my daily intake.

I feel really good today, a little tired, but otherwise good. I am going to try some solid food tomorrow and see where I'm at. I rather do that over a weekend so if there is bad results I'll be home. Then DH can deal with it.

I must say my DH has been so helpful in all of this. He has come up with wonderful ideas for mushies and has made me tasty dishes. They may not look good, but they taste divine. He thinks we should start a business of selling mushies. I just laugh, but love his creativity.

Barb

What a good case for journaling!

I see your point on the Water challenge. If we never reach for goals, we attain very little.

Everyone is doing great with the water challenge. I can't speak for myself since I haven't jumped on board yet :think . I do fine with water on the days that I walk because it's so hot outside. But on days I'm not walking I tend to grab other SF beverages like crystal light or something. I am going to go to Sam's club this weekend and buy a case of water. I do much better when I have a bottle I can carry. I hope to jump on next week with the challenge.

Right now, I'm just trying to figure out if I need another fill or not? I am not eating the amount of food I was eating prior to the fill and I've not had a PB episode. I have lost 2 pounds since my fill so I'm on the right track. I think I will wait another week before I schedule a fill. Try to figure out if I need one or not.

Keep up the great work on the water challenge. I hope to jump ship next week!

Melissa Lea

Good for you Melissa. Are you hungry between meals?

I'm having some problems today. My stomach is swollen--my family noticed it yesterday. I feel like I have a stitch in my side. Guess I'm tightening even more today. Called doc and they said it was the fill and I may need to have some removed.

Anyone experience swelling when their fill was new or tightening up?

Right now even liquids are moving slowly and I feel a slight golf ball when I drink.

Barbara....I am doing liquids today...i am too scared to eat anything after yesterday. Yes, I do know what caused it. A cold boiled egg. I have no problem eating them when they just come off the stove. I guess it was the yolk that got me....being it is kinda pasty and hard to get down and was even harder to get back up. Then about 3 hours later i was starving because i hadnt eaten anything so i had 6 almonds and some water well i guess i swallowed way to fast and up they came....well the slime stuff. I was able to keep a piece of chicken down but i cut it up very very small....didnt even taste like anything it was so small....but your right since my stomach feels kinda funny and tight today i am gonna stick to liquids...How long you think i should do that...my do usually says a day and a half. This band does have a mind of its own!! No doubt!!

Hi Gang, the scale is moving again! I'm down 16 lbs since surgery. I had my first fill on Monday. What a relief. It is so good to have some restriction and not have the hunger creep up again. Whoo Hoo!

Hi Gang, the scale is moving again! I'm down 16 lbs since surgery. I had my first fill on Monday. What a relief. It is so good to have some restriction and not have the hunger creep up again. Whoo Hoo!

Pinkylee --

Sorry to hear of your problems today. I hope that it gets better for you.

No, I can't say that I'm getting hungry between meals,. My meals hold me for 4 to 5 hours. Today's lunch: ate the lean cuisine baked fish (did not eat the broccoli in cheese sauce, just the fish) and a 1/2 cup of canned manderine oranges. I'm feeling fine. Is that too much food??

Melissa Lea

I think 1-2 liquids after a PB should do it. If the liquids are not causing you trouble then move to mushies. If they don't give you trouble move to solids. When I had mine I just didn't recover from the PB thus the unfill. Things that are sticky are probably not going to work for us. If you had coated that egg yolk with some hollandise sauce it would have slid right down.

Does anyone else think its funny that we have to coat food for it to go down? Where else do you have permission to eat gravies, sauces, etc.?

I did have swelling before and after my fill. I noticed that after my unfill I also had swelling. I would guess that it is just the nature of working with or effecting the stomach and the port.

I am going to try taco meat tonight. I haven't had solid food since banding in any real sense. Hopefully I will do well this weekend and can start eating a little. I am having a little problem with food not looking like food and having a good presentation. Maybe this problem will help me lose the weight.

Here is my checkin for the day. Eating less, and feeling that rock feeling in my chest when I eat today. This band really is fickle... every day a different story. Ate 3" of a subway sub (toasted, and tore away most of the bread). It was pretty good. Went to Sprouts and bought the most beautiful cherries. Can't wait to try them!!!

As for the liquids. I have had:

12 ounces coffee

50 ounces Water (2 1/2 bottles... working on the rest)

16 ounces Crystal Light lemonade

Another smiley face for me!!!! Hope all of you are smiling too!!!

Hi Carol --

Sorry to hear that your stitches around your port area tore. Did you feel it when it tore?

Am I the only one, but I am so worried about my port flipping. I've have nutured the area where my port is allowing for scar tissue to develop etc. But it seems each day, that area feels a little different :think . Maybe I am just freaking myself out?

Melissa Lea

Hi Melissa,

I was worried about the same thing because it seems like my port 'moves around'. It used to be so thick I thought I could feel it under the incision, but now it seems to the right of the incision. So, today I had my 1st fill and the doctor said that it seems like it moved because the incision is thinning out and not so thick and there is nothing to worry about. I heard a little 'pop' and he said my band was bone dry so gave me a total of 1.5 cc. Made me drink 3 glasses of Water and that was that! I have lost a total of 14 lbs in 3 1/2 weeks. I am so happy!

Oh my gosh, beachee it just seems like yesterday when you were getting banded.