November Bandsters!

sandiegokj · January 15, 2007

Hello fellow November Bandsters!

Reading about all your succeses makes me feel proud of you guys!

CONGRATS!

Ok now I need to tell you that I have the beginning of a major problem and I haven't read about it here before.

First of all I am stuck on this weight and the more I don't lose the worse my problem gets.

I'm not eating-

at least not enough. I haven't had over 400-600 calories a day since Christmas-

At first I struggled to keep my stomach small, so I wouldn't get hungry, now I literally have to force myself to eat. When I do manage to eat, I eat healthy choices, just not very much of them/ I swear I am not hungry EVER- If I didn't weigh so much I would think I was anorexic!

I buy books on Protein, Carbohydrates, Nutrition and The Glycemic index (which by the way is a treasure trove of information) Its like the rule book we've all been looking for our entire life!! (for me anyway)

I know that I HAVE to eat to lose weight, I am so aware of the things I need to put in my body so that I can be healthy and successful losing this weight. I just have lost all desire to eat.

I'm pretty sure this all started because losing weight at 48 and being in menapause, (not to mention that I am bipolar), is not even on the same planet compared to losing weight when I was in my 30's.

Back when I was 30 and I had been on a 400 calorie diet for 3+ weeks, I would have loast 20 lbs EASY- Today at 48 I don't lose anything!?!

JEEZ LOUISE

I need some help guys

Betsyjane · January 15, 2007

Tom: I hate prednisone! I gain more weight on that drug! I have Lupus. I guess for me I've resigned my self to some weight gain when I'm on it, and then back to losing. I'm trying to think of is as a little blip in the game plan and then right back at it. And it sounds to me like you know all the right moves in the meantime....getting to work for distraction purposes, getting back to the gym even if, like me, it's harder to do it when you feel yucky. I too know about that stack of dishes....and you know it's a temporary thing. Maybe if you're off work again today, you can think of somewhere to go for part of the day to break the grazing...movie? library? My thoughts are with you. It's just temporary.....

Betsyjane · January 15, 2007

Sandie-Maybe you need a little of your fill out? I frankly think you need more calories to lose weight...If you lose now, you might be losing muscle mass anyway.... Call your Dr. for an opinion.....

Oberhasli · January 15, 2007

Tom: I hate prednisone! I gain more weight on that drug! I have Lupus. I guess for me I've resigned my self to some weight gain when I'm on it, and then back to losing. I'm trying to think of is as a little blip in the game plan and then right back at it. And it sounds to me like you know all the right moves in the meantime....getting to work for distraction purposes, getting back to the gym even if, like me, it's harder to do it when you feel yucky. I too know about that stack of dishes....and you know it's a temporary thing. Maybe if you're off work again today, you can think of somewhere to go for part of the day to break the grazing...movie? library? My thoughts are with you. It's just temporary.....

Thanks, Betsyjane. My bigger fear is retriggering the diabetes. I lost weight when I was on the larger doses, and gained it back when I went off. Of course, on it, I could physically function and off of it, I hurt so didn't move nearly as much.

I took just the pain pill this morning and I'm off to work. (And, because it's a holiday, not only do I get holiday pay, but time-and-a-half also!) I'll come home after work and let the dogs out and then going to a friend's for the evening.

I'm not thrilled that my rheumatologist's attitude is to take prednisone and pain pills. Really wish there was something else to take or do.

Tom

Betsyjane · January 15, 2007

I know the feeling. Has your pain changed when you eat well? I've been really interested in how different foods affect me. Seems like when I'm in a flare-up, nothing but meds will do. When I'm not, I can go without meds, but exercise and diet fluctuations make a big difference for me. Carbs just kill me emotionally and physically, and so does lack of exercise, although I will probably always hate it. Before the surgery, my lap Dr. hooked me up with another Lupus/prednisone patient who is banded. She basically said that overall, the lap band is fabulous, but there will be periods of illness and prednisone, and you just do your best. She also had diabetes, as do I, and she talked about retriggering it during prednisone binges and then it settling back down later. She really didn't have any quick fixes, just to know it's a temporary glitch.

For me with Lupus, taking placquenil seems to hold me so I have fewer times of taking prednisone, and placquenil doesn't seem to affect my appetite or weaken my bones. No idea if it works with RA.....

katalin.e. · January 15, 2007

(...) this all started because losing weight at 48 and being in menapause, (not to mention that I am bipolar), is not even on the same planet compared to losing weight when I was in my 30's.

I am 48 also, I'm going through menopause (5 yrs. now), bipolar also ...

I am stuck on my weight also, for the last 2 weeks.

I am eating though.

I did not have a fill yet, but this coming wednesday.

I do not have an answer to your question, good luck to you!

marys · January 15, 2007

Hey maybe there is something to this 40+ thing because this is true for me too - i have not been successful with the band in losing weight and while I too eat - (and always need to diary my food to keep it 1200 or much less) nothing nothing nothing seems to work.. So now i'm doing metabolic tests and again trying fills, eating even less etc etc. i keep 'giving up' but something always makes me keep going but it's been 14 months post surgery and i'm still as fat as when i started. It is definitely harder to lose weight as you get older - we are proof of that - just don't have the answer to what to do

Betsyjane · January 15, 2007

I'm in my late 50s... Marys, are you exercising? I'm horrible about it, but I find that I plateau when I hide from the gym, and then I get jump started again when I go back. I know it's not that simple, but that's ONE of the things I've found. I also found that I just can't eat carbs or I stall out :-(. or mushy foods. It has to be rough tough Protein mostly and then a few veges. Even had to say goodbye to my dear yummy Muscle Milk Light. But there's another thing... If I am on some of the medicines I have to tak periodically, I will gain weight no matter what....... and then have to take the same weight off again later. Best wishes for you with your testing.

marys · January 15, 2007

Thanks Betsey - yes I do exercise but like with most things I'm not consistent - I'll go gangbusters for months then stop but I am exercising 6 days a week now for at least one hour - in fact, I am just about ready to do my tape - the firm cardio sculpt. You are right that is key and also i have to really watch the starchy or processed carbs and alcohol. I haven't had an alcoholic ddrink in over a month and plan to keep that up until i at least get back to my 'regular weight'. Even when I was super duper fit (lol) i exercised about 4 hours a day and could eat whatever i wanted but i ate pretty well/healthy then too.

And you are also right about the mushy foods - my new fill doc has me on a new plan and I noticed the 'hard stuff' is better (I definitely have first bite syndrome which was leading me to soft or mushy or liquid food and not filling me up and eating more - vicious cyclle. So now I do the hot beverage and wait 10 minutes drinking slowly and my first bite is so small a baby could 'chew it' so i'm getting in a true 'bandster meal' for brunch - small snack at 4:00 and dinner around 6:30 and that is actually working. So we will see.

Hang in there too and try to keep up the gym and good luck to you too!

Betsyjane · January 15, 2007

Don't give up dearie.

What's the first bite syndrome? I suspect the answer will help me!

marys · January 15, 2007

Search for 'first bite' as I know it's been discussed a lot here but as I said - it didn't 'sink in for me' until my doc suggested it and we discussed it.

From what I understand alot of us bandsters have a hard time with the first bite - the stomach is tight, the esophogus is involved and our stomach just doesn't want to accept food. So a warm beverage drunk slowly (or soup) relaxes the muscles and slightly opens us up to accept a meal. Then you even slower take that first bite (and smaller) and for a few bites after that. Literally my bite is almost microscopic it is sooo sad but it seems to work.

After about 4 super small nibbles I can take a regular bandster bite. I also put my fork down, glance at the clock and don't take another bite for almost 1 minute (super duper hard)

Before that - I would prepare my good bandster meal - take one bite and barf - if it was bad i would go on liquids all day -if not so bad I would try again in an hour or so. But i would replace my good meal with liquids or junk that would go down - consequently eating too many liquid calories and never feeling full.

It seems so simple but in one week i've lost almost 5 lbs - i'm not getting excited yet cuz as I said I am back to my starting point but I'm hopeful this might help me lose weight which is everything to us 'failures' .

Take care, mary

prbrooksie · January 15, 2007

Hi all!

I just thought I'd drop you all a line to tell you I made it to a support meeting and what it was like. There was about 15 people there. Four of them lost over a 100 pounds. Three or four of us were newbies. Everyone talked about what was hard for them. I talked about the fact that I had ate 2 pieces of pizza and tons of other junk last week. Everyone said that was normal. Oh...and the leader gave me a spoon and fork...it was tiny! It's to help teach me to eat smaller bites. The meeting lasted 2 hours. It was worth it and I enjoyed it. Very helpful. I am motivated again...LOL.

One suggestion that I liked was that cooking in a crockpot helps make meats more tender, so that it is easier to eat. Some people were worried about not being able to chew their meat. I fixed some beef stew today...yummy!

Another suggesion was that we eat Protein Bars for Breakfast or just some kind of Protein instead of a carb because the carbs will just make you hungrier the rest of the day. Low Low carbs...worked for all these woman the best.

I can't think of anything else, but if I do I will update this.

I went bowling last weekend and this weekend I took my kids to the skating rink. I am trying to exercise, but I hate to exercise, so I am trying to think of something I can do with my kids too. It was fun and they learned a little bit about skating. I didn't even fall.

Hope any of this helps....stay warm!

UPDATE! Another thing they were saying that will sound very weird is that they all have found that their noses run when they are full :speechles

Betsyjane · January 15, 2007

Hey, thanks for the info on the meeting! That was helpful.

Guess I don't have to worry about first bite yet. Not much restriction yet.....

AngelaT · January 16, 2007

I made it to california!!! I am in Orange Countu visiting my son. I drove from Phoenix, Az this morning and got here by noon. I am soooo tired! I guess driving does not burn many calories plus Water gain from travel made my scale go up to 199-200 this morning! I hope it is just Water gain from just sitting and driving!

Anyway...can't wait to start my routine again soon...as soon as I get back up to San Francisco I will concentrate on weight LOSS again.

DaniKLargo · January 16, 2007

I got my fiirst fill last week and after the 2nd day I didn't feel any restriction, so I've gradually gone back to eating normal. Well, I've been sliming since last night, and so miserable! So now I know I have restriction! So I'm going to buy the tiny sppon and fork, and I'm just going to do liquids until the sliming stops. YUCK!!!