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

Good morning everyone. Hope all are doing OK. Going to Port Arthur Tx (2 hours away) for funeral of my friend. I won't be on this weekend so everyone be good. First road trip since banding so a little apprehensive. I will be with friends, but most don't know. I've not eaten out with others since banding. I'm packing my water and some protein drinks so I can keep up with my liquids.

Have a great weekend!

:update:

For the week of 8/3 - 8/9 we have the following results for the H20 Challenge:

Leila 7 (still a perfect score)

Pinkylee 7

Barbara4 1

Barbara12 1

Chaka Lady 5

PAB 3 (welcome!--hope it went well)

Poodles 1

Cindy 1

If I missed your 8/3 week, please let me know and I'll update. I'm late posting. Busy time of year for me!

If I missed you totally, please excuse me and send a pm and I will update.

This has been a tough week for me H20 wise. I'm longing for my tea when I'm drinking my water.

Please clear your blue smiley's and we'll start again for week of 8/17 - 8/23.

I am going to really try harder with the water this week- hopefully I will get to the magic 7.

I hopped on the scale today- 8lbs until onderland- YAHOO!! almost under 200 I am so happy.

All the post about antibiotics really came in handy this week, I have been on them all week. Some of my blisters from the walk got infected and its pretty serious to have an infection in your feet. Really explains the tired rundown feeling I have.

On the eating side- I am still a mess, I have to eat candy everyday, I think its something I will always need to do. Of course I am not eating anywhere the amounts that I use to eat. But I still need to commit to eating protein first - which I have to say I am not the best at.

the other thing I have noticed is that I now love chips, they tastes so much better post banding. I wonder why? I am a candy hound not a chip carb person.. Things that may you go hummmm!!

Have a great day and a good weekend Junebugs!!

Well the scale is still not moving for me and I still feel no restriction at all, but I am continuing on. :faint: I feel like my clothes are fitting differently and people tell me that they notice a difference, but the scale isnt moving:confused: . I don't go back for my second fill til the 24th but until then I will me pushing on. I am trying to get in all of my protein every day and drinking my water. I have made a few bad choices here and there but nothing major. This is most definitely by far been the hardest DIET I have been on. No real structure, no Plan so to speak. But each day is a new adventure.

We will do this. One day at a time.:clap2: :clap2:

Kim -I don't view this as a DIET - I view it as a tool to help me learn a permanent new way of eating that will #1 help me lose wieght and #2 help me keep it off forever.

Sue - I think losing 20 lbs in 8 weeks is a good thing - I can't think your doctor would not be pleased. If I understand the lapband correctly it will help us lose 1 1/2 - 2 lbs per week. You are averaging 2.5 lbs per week. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Lucy--

Thanks for the reminder. I lost 8 pounds the first week post op. I've lost 7 pounds since my last fill 6 weeks ago. Most of my friends and family are pleased, but I can tell are somewhat disappointed that I've slowed down.

I'm learning how to ignore disappointed or pitying looks. It's hard to accept that this process will take at least a year and probably longer, but it took 25 years to accumulate all these extra pounds. I'll wait.

I had my first fill on July 25th. Dr had trouble finding my port and had to fill standing up. Since he had such trouble, we agreed to a big fill. He said my stomach pouch was about the size of a golfball, and to do liquids for 3 weeks. That didn't happen. After the 2nd week I had to try soft foods. Some worked, some didn't. I'm taking it slow and gradually eating more variety. I too am on antibiotics now. PCP has me on those huge capsules, hard to do, but I get them down, cellulytis in my legs again.

For 3 weeks I didn't see a drop on the scales, but while that was going on, my clothes got bigger. Last week I lost 5 lbs. I've been told to hold the calories to 900-1000 per day. That's what I was eating when I was at my ideal weight........ages ago. My best 'food' so far is not a good choice, but I'm able to do flour chips and salsa, filling from enchiladas if it's beans and cheese. (I have never cared for a lot of Mexican) Mashed potatoes and gravy too. I have trouble with ground beef, but soft chicken works. The rest is pudding, ice cream, soft mushy, soup. I need to remember to chew, chew, chew, when I do food. So different.

After reading some posts, I think most of us are on the same wave, and it makes me feel that I'm having the same experiences as most of you are.

I have noticed that if I do more water, I loose more. And have given up weighing daily. Have a weekly chart that I post on. At my age, I can't remember everything!

Keep up the good work, hang in there, and it will happen!

ofps

lucyman,

you've lost over 30 pounds since your band?

how? what are you doing?

share your secrets, I need the help!

Randi

I replyed to you privately but maybe someone else would like to hear what I said.

I am following my doctor's rules to the best of my ability

I eat 1 1/2 to 2 ozs of solid food per meal and 3 meals per day - mostly protein and then salad - if I have room 1 or two soda crackers

I consume 90 g of protein per day - 3 30g shakes

I drink a minimum of 64 oz of pure water every day

No Milk and No sugar

I check to make sure what I am eating contains 6 g of sugar (in any form) or less per serving

I walk 2 to 3 miles 4 or 5 times per week and I exercise at Curves 4 -5 times per week (30 minute workouts)

My husband and I hike in the mountains nearly every weekend a minimum of 4 to 6 miles with a minimum elevation gain of 1000 ft.

I take a slew of vitamins, minerals & supplements every day

I stayed at the same weight for 3 weeks and now the scales are finally moving again - thank goodness!

Randi, I forgot to tell you one more thing - my doctor has us do one week of liquids w/o protein right after surgery and then four more weeks of clear liquids w/protein shakes, and then 2 weeks of mushies before moving to solids. I lost the most weight on the 5 weeks of liquids.

He asked me not to cheat and I promised him I wouldn't so I didn't

Lucy

Lucy--

You are one determined lady! Way to go!

I'm dreading the 3 days plus one week of liquids and mushies after my next fill! Can't imagine 5 weeks.

Hey everyone,

I did pretty good on my trip this weekend. Didn't eat much on Friday and then didn't have dinner until 9:00 PM. I knew then I had to stay up for several hours once we got back to the hotel. Didn't want to go to bed with any food in my stomach. I shared what meals I did have with a friend so it worked out quite well. I even managed to get all my water in, but Saturday it was hard. I drank most of it when I got home.

I did all my water last week except for 1 day. I guess I wiped out my smiley faces on Thursday before my week of effort got counted.

I think I may be losing, but I definitely need a fill. The one thing I did notice is that stess makes my esphogus feel like I'm stuck. I went to my friend's funeral and I had that tightening. Today after I was able to get back in my routine when overnight friends left, the tightness started to go away. Now I know what stress will do to my band.

I'm going to try real hard this week to only eat the amount I think I should, even though I may be hungry.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and a good week ahead.

Barbara ---glad to hear that you did well with travel. That seems to have been the "ultimate" test for me. I am down another pound (whopieee!!!). This past week, I have really noticed a difference in my clothes. I'm losing inches. My family who sees me all the time is starting to notice. I've had several people that haven't seen me in quite some time notice as well.

Tomorrow a new day and a new week!! I'm doing much better on my water too. I just haven't put the smiley faces.

Melissa Lea

Barb--

Glad you made it back ok. Congrats on doing well. Sorry I was late posting. Is water consumption getting any easier? You seem to be doing really well.

Re: Stress tightening band

Do you feel like someone's "ratcheting" your band tighter and tighter when stressed? I love to drive the freeways if I'm at the wheel--anyone else (especially DH) and I'm getting tighter every mile. Frightening!

Have a good week.

sorry guys I totally flaked on putting up the vote for where we meet for 2007 bandiversary; too much going on this week;not all bad, just too much! I will work on having that up, along with a recent list of Junebies who want to participate, tomorrow. Love ya guys! Randi L, I have been thinking about you and hoping you're reaching the end of your antibiotics dosage. Hang in there, you're suffering through a temporary set back. Just keep going one day at a time until you get past that. *HUGS*

My scales are moving downward. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I lost another 1 or 2 lbs. My scales are digital and I get a different reading depending on where on the floor I place it. Its getting frustrating. When I went to the doctor, PCP, on Thursday I had lost the 4 lbs gained from the unfill and 1 more. I think I'm down some more from that. Definitely can eat too much though. Calling for a slight fill for next week.

The tightness in my throat has gone away. I definitely think that was stress. I do notice after sleeping for a while that I get a slight feeling like reflux. I need to watch that because I don't want that trouble to start.

The water is much easier now. Once I started drinking and realized that I could drink, I wanted it. You really can gulp it down. I was afraid to at first, but now I'm not.

Hope everyone is doing well. I haven't gotten much response for the Christmas challenge and/or the christmas exchange. Let me know if you want to participate. I only have about 5 names so far.