Hi November bandsters!

Let's keep this going to support our efforts though out the wonderful we are soon to begin. Let's start with the date we are being banded and where?

Our weight and goal weight...

My date will be November 7

Dr. Aceves

I weighed myself this morning and I have gained!!! :faint:

Starting weight 225 (highest ever!!! )

Goal 150

10/26 Jdru (Jessica) 215/215/125 Dr. Hansen (Honorary Nov Bandster)

11/1 melany72 Dr. Hargroder

11/2 DeniseC (Denise) 226/219/130 Dr. Carbonell

11/2 prbrooksie 252/252/150 Dr. Malley

11/2 Kym828 (Kim) 278/278/175 Dr. Ortiz

11/2 pebbles4388 249/249/150

11/3 Jess333 (Jessica ("Lil" Red)) Dr. Ortiz

11/7 AngelaT (Angela) 225/225/150 Dr. Aceves

11/7 Jackye 225/225/150-45 Dr. Rumbaut

11/8 L8BloomR (Karen) goal: -105 Dr. Francis

11/8 dpingl goal: -92 Dr. Hoehn

11/8 niecyrenee goal: -232, down 8 Dr. Pitt

11/9 Keekahari (Kee) 280/245/175 Dr. Moazzez

11/10 FullofGRACE Dr. Curry

11/10 alix_1 (Alix) 222/222/140 Dr. Garza

11/13 swilborn (Sherrie) Size 22/???/140 Dr. Rodriquez

11/14 ahaizlip (Amy) goal: -129 Dr. Liu

11/17 Asmallerchick (Kelly) goal: -200 Dr. Aceves

11/20 Diana_G 234/234/145 Dr. Huacuz

11/20 Veggestyle 275/?/150 Dr. M

11/20 Laurba

11/21 Jess02 (Jess) Dr. Rumbaut

11/24 aussie_bandit 153kg/153kg/75kg

11/30 Inner_me (Chris) 350/350/200 Dr. Cahill

Hi Inner me,

Thanks for the stats...WOW! You did miss me... I am at 208. Slowly but surely.... NSV yesterday....as I was traveling from Dallas to SFO...the seat belt had alot more left over around my waist!!!!!!!! Also I seem to be getting more help from men with my luggage than before..... I guess 18 lbs on someone 5'3" is noticable! I did have a little slip at the airport...I wanted someting to eat on the plane, but was afraid to eat anything that might not go down well so I ordered a non-fat, fat-free yogurt chocolate malt....which before would have been icecream, sugar and with full fat if I indulged.... Well at least I am being a bit more conscious. I am not sure yet when to get my first fill....December or January...... so much to do!

Help !!!

How are you guys doing with the holidays? I am stressed out and eating more than usual. I am down 20 pounds over six weeks, so I'm doing ok. But I am just eating so much. I already had a fill, and it does work. But I keep eating my way through and then just feel pain afterwards, particularly in the back.

I am working on this issue with my therapist, but was hoping to get some support here, too.

Help !!!

How are you guys doing with the holidays? I am stressed out and eating more than usual. I am down 20 pounds over six weeks, so I'm doing ok. But I am just eating so much. I already had a fill, and it does work. But I keep eating my way through and then just feel pain afterwards, particularly in the back.

I am working on this issue with my therapist, but was hoping to get some support here, too.

keep busy, also find low cal low sugar goodies to help you when you feel like cheating...the Jello sugar free puddings are awwesome especially chocolate, caramel, and dulce de leche! Only 60 calories and no guilt! Sugar free!

I can't do sugar free unless it's stevia. They raise blood sugar just like regular sugar, and make me crave stuff!

I can't do sugar free unless it's stevia. They raise blood sugar just like regular sugar, and make me crave stuff!

I use stevia for everything else...but the occassional pudding to prevent you from eating a bowl of fattenign ice cream or pie really helps. Most people on these boards do Not use stevia...I have posted info on stevia before, but they still use others. Splenda is the latest, and I do not consider it natural.. but it might be a tiny bit better than aspartame or saccaharin.

For those of you who have not tried stevia as a sweetner it is really yummy...depending on the brand. It comes in lquid or powder and you can cook with it. On occassion some brands especially the liquid ones might taste a little bitter, but most are good. Do not get the one qith the dissolved in glycerin, and a few have a tiny bit of alcohol...the Water based ones are best.

Stevialalso is good for stabalizing blood sugar and helps lower cholesterol and high blood pressure if youhave it. My pre-op labs where perfect...I think in part stevia is one of the causes and diet. My cholesterol normal. Tryglycerides VERY normal 71 only which is the lower end of normal, blood pressure perfect, fasting blood sugar perfect!!! I was a bit surprised since the pre-op diet was low-carb, really low carb so I thought my cholesterol would have gone up...it only went up a bout 4 points and still within normal range.:clap2:

Hi everyone!

I posted a thread for the frist Nov/06 bandsters challenge. Check it out!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Where did everyone go?????? I know it's the holidays, but it is too quiet here in Nov. bandster world. Did you go look at our Nov. challenge thread? I might have to post it here in a bit so you can see it.

Karen...are you back yet??? Miss you lots! Not the same without LtBloomer around.

LAst night party, tonight party! OMG so challenging! But at least I did have water....and my cals barely got to 1000 cals for the whole day!! It would have been about 3000 before the band! It's amazing...just tiny little bites of several foods and i was satisfied.... I did have 3 tablespoons of a very healthy vegan fudge made with almonds and macadamia nuts and cashews and pure raw cocoa...healthy but high in calories...3 tablespoons about 300 cals! :faint: That is what brought the numbers up...well, my heart health is happy with all the good fats

Enjoy today!

Hi all November Bandsters!!! Hope the Holiday season is treating you well. Since we are new to the band and it is the holidays, our first challenge will be very easy.

Drink as close as possible 64 oz of Water a day at least 4 times a week for the rest of December

Do at least 15 minutes of any cardio exercise including walking, dancing, etc. at least 4 times a week.

Find ways at a party to avoid the food table and then be as healthy as possible when you do go there

There, that is it...easy!

Hi Angela! I got my first fill and notice almost no difference, so anything I'm doing, I'm doing on will power alone. My success at this point is in not GAINING any weight, but I'm not losing any at the moment either. This time of year, I suppose that's a success....

Getting in my Water and my exercise..........

Hello all,

I just posted on the November challenge thread. I'll post here as well.....

On Thursday I was able to eat "real food" for the first time. I chose to eat chicken......bad idea. After chewing and chewing and chewing.....it still got stuck. I learned what "PB" means, I learned what "sliming" means, and then it progressed to about an hour or two of vomiting. At some point I was able to get comfortable again instead of that feeling of being "stuck".

On Friday morning I stuck to liquids. I had a holiday lunch to go to, so I tried to eat lunch that day. Not a good idea.....ran to the restroom a couple of times during those couple of hours.

By the end of lunch on Friday, I could not even keep liquids down. I started to get scared that my band had slipped and that I would continue to have problems, so I called the doctor.

My doctor asked me to avoid eating and drinking for the rest of the day and night. He asked me to stick to liquids all morning on Saturday and give him a call and let him know how I was doing. I did call him on Saturday and told him that I was able to sip liquids (like immediately after surgery). Since I was able to do that, there was no reason for me to visit him. Anyway, he suspects that I am very swollen from getting that chicken stuck on Thursday and wants me on liquids for another week. I thought that 3 weeks of liquids would never end......although after those rough days, I'm willing to do just about anything to make sure it doesn't happen again. What a horrible feeling! Hopefully I have not done any permanent damage to this band.

I have been so impressed with my doctor. I, along with many, had questions about going to a doctor in Mexico. However, the response I got from Dr. Martinez, who works with Dr. Ortiz, has been great. I did feel better knowing that I was only 3 hours away from Tijuana if I really did need to see a doctor. I had his cell phone number and was able to be in touch with him a few times this week/weekend due to this issue. It was really comforting to know he was a phone call away if I needed him.

It sounds like most of you are not feeling restricted. I do feel for you. I thought I would be in your shoes about now. I'm actually feeling pretty full on liquids for now. Let's see how I do when I begin to actually eat in about a week.

Sorry I have not posted much.....I read all your messages and love to hear how everyone is doing.

Kathy

Kathy I am sorry you have had such a rough time this past little while!

I had my first fill today, so I'll see how I go with that!

Hi all,

i am new here and I am getting banded on November 10 by Dr. Javier De La Garza in Monterrey, MX. I am so excited. I weigh 222 lbs now and I want to be 140 lbs. This is my last chance at living.

Alix

rHi Alix, I was banded on nov 10 06 by DeLa Garza in Monterrey Mexico.

The same doctor. I was at OCA Hospital. You Too?

Hi everyone!

I had my first fill last Wednesday (1.25cc). It didn't hurt. I was never told anything about it disappearing into the tube and it feels a little tighter that before. I hope it doesn't disappear because I am not scheduled for another appointment for 4 weeks. I asked how will they know when there is enough in the band and the nurse and doctor told me I need to get down to eating 2 to 3 meals a day and nothing in between. When I get to that point...I'll probably be tight enough.

I am just so tired at this point. I expected to feel energized after losing weight, but I am tired. It's not like I am doing anything more than usual. Maybe after another 10 pounds.

My official weight loss at the doctors was 19 pounds, since 11/2/06.

I'm definitely doing the November challenge. I need something to get me through to my 2nd fill. I only got .5cc put in because I was only 4 weeks post-op. My doc did it because I won't see him again until after the new year. I think i'll need the challenge to motivate me through the holidays. I have no restriction whatsover. Still losing though so I can't complain!

I got my first fill today 1 day short of 6 weeks from surgery. The actual fill was uneventful. The port was easily found and the saline inserted. I have a 10 cm band that holds 4 cc. The doctor fills the band and then removes liquid. Because I mentioned that the last few days the only thing keeping me on track was will power as I was very hungry, even after eating, he left 2 cc's in my band. He had me drink water until I was full. After about 4 ounces, I still felt hungry but could feel the water backing up into my esophagus. After about 30 minutes, the pain increased. I went shopping and walked, and walked and walked. The doctor did tell me to go back to liquids for a day. I managed to get 8 ounces of Boost Glucose Control down over the course of 3.5 hours.

I felt pretty weak by the time I got home and was still in pain. Dug out the percocet and the medicine they gave me for an upset stomach. I got down about 1 cup of cream of mushroom soup over an hour or so. An hour after that, I got down a bit of protein-enchanced pudding but can feel it in the esophagus. I don't feel full but I do feel pain if I eat. Guess that's incentive enough not to eat! Today was, by far, the worst day I've had since I've left the hospital. And, to add insult to injury, even though my clothes are much looser than they were 3 weeks ago (last time at doctor), I'm only down 1 pound in the three weeks. :angry I'm still doing better than 2 pounds per week on average, which is above their expectation, but I've been very good and was hoping for a bit more. I just need to focus on what I have done and not what I didn't!

The doctor did say he might have to take a bit out if I'm too restricted but wanted to give me a couple of days to adapt. I go back in 6 weeks and will likely get another fill unless I can't handle this level of fill and then I go back soner.

Good luck to others that are approaching their first fills. I was worried about the pain of the fill itself but the lidacaine injection to numb the area was the most painful and it was only slightly irratating.

Tom