Hi Folks,

I just can't believe it's really August. Where did July go? I think the May Band Crew did an AWESOME job in July. Hey, I wonder if it's possible to track the total weight our group has lost? On second thought, it may be misleading since many were banded in different years. What do you all think?

Here's the new thread and we'll leave the other one up for a few days to get everyone switched over.

Here's to a bigger loss in August!!!

Happy August everyone! Can you beileve we are in the 8th month of the year already? I am at exactly 3 months out today and am going in for my third fill this afternoon. Pray for perfect restriction for me!

I hope everyone is doing well and working hards toward thier goals.

Thanks for always being there for me!

Peace.

Hi All,

I did pretty well eating this weekend. I made pretty good choices, chewed well and ate slowly and......I still gained 2 pounds. Oh well!

I have been debating whether or not to schedule another fill and, my weight gain this weekend decided it for me. My doctor is out of the country right now so I am scheduled for Aug. 11. I still have restriction but, I am noticing that I can eat more and definately don't stay full as long. I'm still paranoid about getting too much of a fill and becoming too tight. I like the fact that I can eat just about any food right now just not nearly as much of it as I used to.

I'm thinking about changing my September challenge goal to 250 by my b-day which is 9/15.

By the way, 3Loves, your kids are adorable. I saw the pictures you posted on Amy's thread.

Oh, I almost forgot, welcome the gang Barbara!

Hi All,

I was banded on May 31, 2006. I'm still having issues with the port site. Today, for some reason beyond me, I'm sore in the area around my port. Do you think it's still healing?

I was banded on May 24, 2006, 1st fill of .4cc, 2nd fill .6cc and went for my 3rd fill Monday for a .7cc fill, making a total of 1.7cc in my 4cc band. I am finally feeling restriction and learning how to eat with the new fill. The previous fills did no good for me and I could eat it all, but like you said, I tried to hold the amount down. I am hoping with the new restriction that the scale will start going down. I had the hiccup experience last night for the first time and read about the hiccups today on the boards. You sure get good information here on the boards.

Yep, August already, can you believe? :omg: Christmas will be here before you know it.

Patsy

Chris and Patsy - Welcome!

I get the hiccups on a regular basis. Almost always about 5-10 minutes after I eat. I know if I get them while I am still shoveling food in that I have eaten about 5 minutes worth of food too much. :nervous Sometimes I even get the hiccups when I drink too much Water at once. They only last a couple of minutes at the most and they aren't very bad but, I'm actually glad I get them because they are my STOP SIGN!

Hello Maysters! I'm checking in for this week. And surprise, surprise! I lost 2 lbs this week. It really shocked me since I didn't think I would lose anything after spending a week on the road and then being hungry for some reason this last weekend while I was working nights. I didn't make the greatest food choices, but they must have been small enough portions that they didn't effect my loss.

I think I'm ready for another fill. After reading the "Are you ready for a fill" questions over again, I'm pretty sure it's time. I can eat too fast and except for bread and sometimes chicken, I can eat anything I want. So I better call and schedule me for my second fill.

On another note, it's time for Sturgis! And I'm 40 lbs lighter than last year. I'm still not a "biker babe" in skimpy leathers and a vest, but I feel so much better and know that riding this year isn't going to wear me out like it did last year. My husband is going to an Alice Cooper concert on Saturday (I have to work) then we are going to see The Steve Miller Band and Cheap Trick on Monday. We may go to another concert sometime later in the week but I really didn't see any band I absolutely HAVE to see. The weather is suppose to be nice, not too hot, not too cold, so it sounds like a perfect week to ride the bikes. We are staying at my sister's house in Lead, SD....about 15 miles from Sturgis.....so we will be close but far enough away that we'll actually get some peace and quiet if we want. It should be fun!

Welcome Barbara and everyone else, you all sound like you are doing so well! Keep up the good work!

I will be going for my 1st fill on my 3 month bandiversary...hope it is a good day. we have a drive over 4 hrs one way, ahead of us,so it will be a

very long day. hope all may bandsters are doing okay :biggrin1:

Hola Chicas!

Here I am checking in for my weekly weigh in. Suprisingly I have actually lost 2 pounds this week! It's a freakin' miracle after the week I've had. Some of you may have read my other thread about a possible band leak...but for those who haven't lemme catch you up. I went in for my third fill on Tuesday and the doc couldn't aspirate my previuos fill back into the syringe. My band was empty. This also happened when I got my second fill but we figured it was just a fluke. Now it looks like there might be a leak somewhere. I have my doc trying to figure out how to get flouro covered under my insurance so we can check it out. Until then I am just planning to go back on the 29th for another fill. It sucks but at least I know it's just saline and it wont hurt me if it's leaking! I did pay a lot of money for this damn band though and I want it to work to its potential! I will keep everyone posted as I go !

I hope everyone is doing well! I hope we are all big fat losers! Well maybe not fat...LOL... you get the idea.

Peace out!

Hi Guys!

The weight has been creeping off the last coupld of weeks which is frustrating when I am working so hard! Oh well, creeping off is better than creeping on.

Here is my September challenge update:

S 276 / C 265 / G 255 (-1 this week, -11 total)

Only 10 mor pounds to go!

Greetings!

Just checking in, I am back from Monterrey for a week now. My 1st fill is 2.9cc, I've been reading alot on fills and so far haven't found anyone with a first fill of 2.9cc. I know it sounds like alot for my 5cc Inamed but I can still eat everything, just very little of it. I feel restriction finally!

Dr. filled my band to 2.5, nothing, 2.7 still nothing but went to the hotel to rest and sip water/juice. Next morning I drank 2 cups of herbal tea and ate a fruit and cereal bar for breakfast, when Dr. heard this my fill was tweaked to 2.9cc and thank God I felt a pause when I swallowed. :nervous

So I frothed a couple of days but kept down all liquid diet and complied with the 5-day after-fill order.

Feeling tired and do NOT see the scale moving. :paranoid I think I need a new one or maybe I'll just stay off it for a couple of weeks. Could need a synthroid adjustment I guess.

I do not eat bread, pasta, potato anything, even gave up my chocolate! I'm lucky to get in just the meat and a veggie. My crime is the rare light ice cream and a tootsie roll pop (they make these with spenda now but they are tiny).

Congrats to so many of you w/your Sept challenge success :clap2:keep up the good work!

Hi May Bandsters,

I just had my 2<SUP>nd</SUP> fill on 8/1 and I think my restriction is better this time. It’s hard to tell right now because I am on clear liquids. I can tell when I eat jell-o though. I am adding some more to my workout routine this month so hopefully this fill in combination with me exercising 5 days a week will pay off and help me be 199 by 9/4/06! Good luck to all of you this month!

Hi there fellow May bandsters.....sorry I haven't been on much lately. I kinda have some serious health issues going on at the moment.

I did lose approx 20 lbs from surgery till now (had one fill of 1.4cc) but unfortuneately, they have increased my steroids (prednesone) and doubled it last week. Boy that threw a monkey wrench in the mix! My appetite has been absolutely ravinous...when it was sooooo in control "before" the steroids. I have regained about 5 of those 20 I originally lost. Boo hoo : (

Hopefully, I will win this....as I am a stubborn one....and I was already starting to look somewhat "thin".....now I really don't what to slide backwards due to the doc slipping in those darn steroids!

Nice to see you all again and I'm happy to see you are all doing well and heading towards your goals! Kudos to you all.

wish me luck counter-balancing the steroids.....hugs.....diane : )

Wow, Diane!

You have been through the ringer. I did a quick google search on Moyamoya since I had never heard of it before. The little I read was pretty scary. With your arteries 85% blocked are you going to have surgery?

I applaud you for still fighting the weight issue with the rest of what is going on in your life. I have never been on steroids but I know they can wreck havoc with a person's appetite and weight. Not to mention the stress of everything else that's going on.

You and your family will definately be in my prayers!

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'm posting two in a row.

I just got back from seeing my nutritionist. I know most of my banded friends don't continue to see a nutritionist once they are banded but I feel like it is $40 well spent every 3 months.

Today is a good example of that money well spent. I am following my band doc's orders and getting in 60 - 80 grams of Protein a day and, guess what? According to the tests my nutritionist ran, I have started losing muscle! Not very much yet, but, I was still shocked! I have been doing deep Water aerobics 5 days a week since the middle of May and I expected to not only have lost fat but to have gained some muscle.

My nutritionist suggested that I up my protein intake to at least 90 grams a day (she understands my limited intake), but said 100 - 120g would be ideal. She also suggested that I up my calorie intake to at least 1400 per day. I usually get in between 1200-1400. That should be easy enough since I have to increase my protein intake. Now I am reconsidering getting another fill next week.

If not for her monitoring me, I would have continued to exercise at the same rate, take in less protein than my body needs (but what my doctor advised), would have contunued to lose muscle mass, and would soon look and feel less healthy than I could/should.

The good news is that my BMR (metabolic rate) has actually increased which is good but unusual with weight loss. I have lost about 50 pounds of fat (woohoo) and she is very pleased with my progress!

AND CONGRATS AT YOUR GREAT SUCCESS! You go girl...that's sooo encouraging! And you are doing it will the nutritionalist...a smart move!

I will need to have surgery, as there is no cure for moyamoya....it will only progress and get worse. Surgery is a treatment and the only option.

We are directly involved with the doctors now and getting second and third opinions and the various different surgeries suggested (direct and indirect bypass) each carries risks...but the risk of not doing anything is much more ominous.

I am not quite believing all that is happening.....I joke constantly....what else can you do? Oh boya boya!

But I do feel that God is watching over and this will all be settled in a positive health down the line.

Thanks for all your support.....and I'll keep you posted.

big hugs....diane : )