I just found out my surgery will be in July (granted my pre-op testing goes okay) SOOOOOOOOO

Here's a thread for everyone getting banded in July 07!

Does anyone have any good ideas for a neat name we could call ourselves?

Karla--you've lost weight in the last 1 1/2 months--right? So when you loose weight the fat cells EVERYWHEE shrink, including the ones in you stomach, which means that the opening in banded area actually gets bigger. That's why you need to get fills periodically while you're losing weight. If you feel like you need more restriction, it's time to get a fill. Even as little as 0.1 ml fill can make a difference.

wow where are all the posts today???

Everyone must be having a SUNNY Saturday!!! YEAH

Cool here today, 21 degrees celcius.. not exactly our REAL summer weather.... its been a strange year!

Hopefully next week the weather will cooperate and we'll have SUN and FUN!

Got all the beds made up and hubby was asking me "what kind of meals are you going to prepare for your friends?"

So now I have to start menu planning, I know Sat night we are definetly doing a BBQ here... and I think we'll probably be out and about during the days and probably have lunch out somewhere... lots to choose from

I was thinking of making CASSOLET, from France... I had it over there and it was delicious... plus its one of those things that you can prepare ahead of time...hummmm

O.k. I am a dumb Canuk, but what the Heck is KETTLE CORN?

I take it that it must be some kind of junk food????

HUH?

Oh Candice, Kettle Korn in the food of the Gods. It is a salty Sweet popcorn, to die for. I love the stuff, I was so glad Steph didn't get her equipment while I was there, I couldn't have resisted. Steph will make a killing, the stuff sells for about $4 a bag.

Linda, THANK YOU for the info, I just couldn't figure out what was going on. So I WILL make a fill appointment. I figure I will take a food journal since it will be the first time I have gone to a real doctor since my banding. I should be able to get in this week. I am going to work on changing my meals. Meat has never been my favorite food, that is why I like the chicken salad. But even though I have healthified it with only 1 tble of light miracle whip per serving, if it is a slider food, it isn't the best choice. I am going to try some eggs, with a little cheese and salsa. Regular eggs gag me. Lunch I will aim to cook extra meat at night for the next day. I have no problem keeping dinner nonslider. More veggies I guess.

It was 100 today at work. After sitting in the shade for 2 hours dead heading petunias, my least favorite job. I finally asked the boss if I could go home since it was so slow. NO ONE is interested in plants when it is that hot. So was able to leave at 4 instead of 5. Came home and took a shower and then a nap. My girls are in charge of dinner, they are getting subs, I will eliminate a good portion of the bread and eat the meat and veggies.

Steph, I hope today's sales were as productive as yesterday. How did the Kettle Korn go? Damn I love that stuff.

Steph, I'm so sorry about the boohoo's. I was hoping that IF it happened I'd be there. But it is the grieving process AND you are tired. Naturally you are going to cry when you sell your dad's stuff. I am glad that I was able to buy some stuff. I know that each of the items I bought were special.

Janet, Restriction, what the hell is that? I can eat non stop. What is full? Can't figure that out either. So the reality is that I either stretched my pouch or my band has a leak. Yesterday for lunch we stopped at a restraunt. I chose what I thought was the best food selection, a 1/2 of sandwich with loads of pistrami, lettuce, tomatoe, onion. I ate the whole damn thing. This was no whimpy sandwich. It was on a slice of whole wheat bread, not a bun and no dressing. But did I feel any restriction. NO. Right now, I don't feel like I even have a band. I don't even have trouble with things sticking. I know the band is a tool, but I don't feel any different than when I was pre-band. The amount of food that I 'can' eat is huge.

So the question is: How can I need a fill, when 1 1/2 months ago I was tight. Last night I was trying to find some food ideas on the internet and ran across a booklet that a lapband doc gives his patients. It said no straws. I always use a straw. But it said that using straws will stretch out the pouch. Do any of you know about using straws? I guess I will need to go get a fill.

DD#4 does help out with the household budget as much as she can. She pays the cell phone bill and buys part of the groceries. But she has some medical bills that she has to pay. My house payment takes 1/2 my salary and then I have medical bills that take up about 1/4 of my salary. in 2004, I had to go to Duke Medical Center to have reconstructive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. It was my 3rd surgery in as many years. So I am still paying on that.

My confusion about sliders vs non sliders is...what makes a slider. If it is based upon texture, I would think that eggs, any casserole, lunch meat would be sliders. If salad is a slider then shouldn't most veggies be sliders?

So now I am one of those needy patients.

Karla - We were all told no straws - reason I think is air but not sure - my doc gave me a pt drink after last fill to drink it had a straw... I do drink ice out of a straw if I am out an order one or a mocha frapaccino (lite) - I don't think they are a biggie..

Like Linda says you have lost fat from around your stomach so band needs adjusting..

Salad isn't a slider in fact alot of pple can't do salad - Karri got bad stuck from a spinach salad.. - sliders are slipper food for the most part - Ice cream - liquids - and for me cookies - chips etc crispy foods too - I would say cooked zuchine or crooked neck squash are sliders - I cook my veggies to death - so they are mushies - but again I have gotten stuck on butternut squash which is like mashed potatoes..

think of a hole the size of a quarter - that's the size of the hole between your pouch and old stomach - when you chew meats it balls up and sorta plugs the whole up - so it plugs up the hole and you eat some more and have the full pouch feeling - were if you are just eating ice creams - it's a liquid and will slip right on thru..

OMG girl - what do you know about your band - I know you went to mexico - but didn't they show you what the band does and how it works???

Yes you need to call that new doc and go in and get a fill if you can eat a sandwich like that.. Then you can talk to him an get a better understanding of your band..

For me eating 1 to 1.5 cups per meal is good restriction (feeling pouch full) Lunch today was salad - I would say 2 cups cuz I am eating it out of a regular bowl and not one of my 1 cup bowls - I are around 2:30 I am full right now and don't want to eat..

Karla--you've lost weight in the last 1 1/2 months--right? So when you loose weight the fat cells EVERYWHEE shrink, including the ones in you stomach, which means that the opening in banded area actually gets bigger. That's why you need to get fills periodically while you're losing weight. If you feel like you need more restriction, it's time to get a fill. Even as little as 0.1 ml fill can make a difference.

Hey girl are you ready !!! Are you packed :0) is Mel looking forward to the trip - He's met me & phyl and candice - so I guess he won't feel too strange - it's not like we talk to him on a daily basis..

Gosh remember when we all met last summer - how cool it was - it was like we have know each other for years !!!

wow where are all the posts today???

Everyone must be having a SUNNY Saturday!!! YEAH

Cool here today, 21 degrees celcius.. not exactly our REAL summer weather.... its been a strange year!

Hopefully next week the weather will cooperate and we'll have SUN and FUN!

Got all the beds made up and hubby was asking me "what kind of meals are you going to prepare for your friends?"

So now I have to start menu planning, I know Sat night we are definetly doing a BBQ here... and I think we'll probably be out and about during the days and probably have lunch out somewhere... lots to choose from

I was thinking of making CASSOLET, from France... I had it over there and it was delicious... plus its one of those things that you can prepare ahead of time...hummmm

O.k. I am a dumb Canuk, but what the Heck is KETTLE CORN?

I take it that it must be some kind of junk food???? YES

HUH?

Candice

I had hair appt this morning - nails & toes :0) then did a little shopping - got a lite hoodie and yoga pants and a couple of tops for my trip - I have the clothes I'm taking put to the side to pack on Wed nite

Kettle corn is a sweet popcorn - not coated like carmel corn but think of it being popped with sugar instead of salt.. That's not exactly it - really don't know how it's made cuz I don't care for it bought some by accident once - and threw it out - but I know it's sweet.. Since Steph has a machine - she can tell you :0)

118 was what my car said when I got home this afternoon !!! The wind is coming up so it's like a frickin furnance out there - so 21 = 75 (I think) Will be nice - but like I told my hair dresser this morning - 75 is winter weather for me - and it's hard to think about packing long pants & sweaters when its 118 here.

I am bringing sandals - and I guess I can change clothes on my return trip in Denver since I have carry on luggage - cuz my plane leaves like at 8:30 Monday and it will be cool there and planes can be cold too - but when I get home it will be 110 or so - so I may just change in to capris and sandles in Denver..

Who gives a hoot if the weather cooperates or not - we will all be together - chatting drinking and eating - and that's what is the most important part..

Well, we have thrus - friday - sat & sunday -

We are going to bbq sat nite - your cassarole sounds good so that's 2 nites - so we have Thrus - Sunday left

I don't know I thought it would be nice to cook for you - we don't want you do to all the work - So I sorta figured we could go to the store and get something and make it for you too..

I know Linda & I are coming Thursday - When's Phyl coming and when's kari coming... Didn't you say it's like a hour or so drive from the airport to your house - so we won't be getting in till late - so may eating out on thursday nite - I know that I will be hungry cuz they don't feed you on planes and the foods they have aren't things I really eat..

You need to let us go to the store and buy food and cook for you one nite (sunday) we can all chip in and do the work and let you chill...

The only thing I require is caffine in the morning :0)....

Well, I need to give Angel a bath - I put clean sheets on the bed and since she sleeps w/me - she needs to be cleaned too :0)..

Will cbl - Hugs - 5 more sleeps til CANADA !!!!

Janet, the only things I know about my band is the general information and the stuff I got from LBT & Steph. I never knew about straws, heck I didn't know about ibuprophen. So I'm an idiot. That's why I ask so many questions.

Karla--I'm glad you're here--the band is a fussy thing. Just keep asking away! Everyone's experience is different, but we're here to help! Are you going to a Fill Center for fills, or did you find a band doctor to do them? Hopefully you have some source for sound medical adivice. BTW, I don't worry about straws. I've never had a problem. Ibuprofen is in a group of medicines caled NSAID's (Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs) which tend to cause more GI bleeding than acetaminophen (Tylenol). We need to avoid things that are damaging to the lining of the esophagus and/or stomach. Again, everyone is different as to what they can tolerate, but the general rule is to avoid NSAIDs whenever possible.

Yep, the doc I will go to is a lap band doctor. I have chatted with him via email and he seems knowledgeble & nice. He can't give me any advise until I officially become his patient, meaning having an appointment.

Janet, the only things I know about my band is the general information and the stuff I got from LBT & Steph. I never knew about straws, heck I didn't know about ibuprophen. So I'm an idiot. That's why I ask so many questions.

Darling I didn't mean to infer that you were silly girl - I know that you went to mexico so it's not like you had a doc here to explain it all... That's why you are here is to ask these questions - what I was refering to is that my doc has a stomach display with the band that shows how it works

Heck I have a binder full of info - I had to do homework on a food plan and menu to get all my protein grams

But again I have the benefit of a local doctor and gotta say that even pple here who have local doc's don't have as much info as I had..

The way you explained the new doc - I think he would be a great doc - You need to set up an appointment - I want you to call on monday..

Plus it's easier to explain things in live speech than it is typing - at least for me it is.

You aren't an idoit - I would never call you that... You just didn't have the benefit of a local doc that's all

Okay, so what do you all eat for lunch. Since I seem to be eating sliders, That's why I am no losing like I should this last month. So TELL ME WHAT TO EAT, please answer ASAP so I can plan food.

Yes Janet, I age the bun, I know!!! slap, slap.

Just got home from a quilt show sale about 2 hours away. Was okay, I really didn't have fun. Strange. I feel like I am starting to 'out-grow' some of my quilting ladies. I just don't seem to enjoy listening to their petty problems. They have problems? Try being a single parent and your house-hold budget just dropped by $1000 a month. Maybe i just am on people overload?

Karla - when I was in a losing mode, I ate pretty much the same stuff every day. Find something that works and wear it out. I usually had oatmeal for breakfast and I would make an omelet for lunch using egg beaters ( 2 eggs worth) and two pieces of fat free cheese.

Then, for dinner I had a lean cousine and once or twice a week, I'd cook something and shqre it with DH. Plus exersizing. I was loosing 8-10 lbs a month which m fill doctor says is the norm. And, it took me ten months of fills to finally get restriction.

Okay, so what do you all eat for lunch. Since I seem to be eating sliders, That's why I am no losing like I should this last month. So TELL ME WHAT TO EAT, please answer ASAP so I can plan food.

Yes Janet, I age the bun, I know!!! slap, slap.

Just got home from a quilt show sale about 2 hours away. Was okay, I really didn't have fun. Strange. I feel like I am starting to 'out-grow' some of my quilting ladies. I just don't seem to enjoy listening to their petty problems. They have problems? Try being a single parent and your house-hold budget just dropped by $1000 a month. Maybe i just am on people overload?

Karla - when I was in a losing mode, I ate pretty much the same stuff every day. Find something that works and wear it out. I usually had oatmeal for breakfast and I would make an omelet for lunch using egg beaters ( 2 eggs worth) and two pieces of fat free cheese.

Then, for dinner I had a lean cousine and once or twice a week, I'd cook something and shqre it with DH. Plus exersizing. I was loosing 8-10 lbs a month which m fill doctor says is the norm. And, it took me ten months of fills to finally get restriction.

Bandeversary date was July 16th. We're hqaving the same weather here that Linda and Candace are having. (well, duh, I'm about halfway between them). I can handle it pretty well. I am getting so excited. Can't wait. I forgot about cell phones and it being Canada. I have Verizon and I can call and have an add on just for the month for international calls. I gotta remember to do that.

Happy anniversery to everyone. Mine is the 24th.

Sounds like ya'll are gonna have a great time on the trip. Kiss Elvis for me. I have an Administrators meeting not next Sun, Mon., and Tues. but the next, then maybe I can find something to do at the end of that week for a small family vacation. DD finishes school that Tues.

DH's father is dying, he is back in the hospital again, they will probably call in Hospice.

DS is wearing out my patience. I told ya'll the sneaking out the house story. That was around the middle of June. About a week ago he stayed up all night and puked in the living room. Thurs. I came home from work and smelled smoke in his room. So yesterday, I got him drug tested. I get results Mon. DD was a breeze, this ones gonna put the gray in my hair. So now I have to watch him like a 2yr old. Can't turn my back on him. I'm thinking about installing a lock on his door, or chaining him to the toilet. I saw that on T.V. :smile:

Happy anniversery to everyone. Mine is the 24th.

Sounds like ya'll are gonna have a great time on the trip. Kiss Elvis for me. I have an Administrators meeting not next Sun, Mon., and Tues. but the next, then maybe I can find something to do at the end of that week for a small family vacation. DD finishes school that Tues.

DH's father is dying, he is back in the hospital again, they will probably call in Hospice.

DS is wearing out my patience. I told ya'll the sneaking out the house story. That was around the middle of June. About a week ago he stayed up all night and puked in the living room. Thurs. I came home from work and smelled smoke in his room. So yesterday, I got him drug tested. I get results Mon. DD was a breeze, this ones gonna put the gray in my hair. So now I have to watch him like a 2yr old. Can't turn my back on him. I'm thinking about installing a lock on his door, or chaining him to the toilet. I saw that on T.V. :smile:

Denise

Pre Happy Band anniversary on the 24th since I'll be in Canada - but Candice does have computer - so we will give you guys a shout out..

Hugs on the DS I know how it is.. Been there done that and heck my DS is 38 and just now going up.

DGS hasn't been too bad - teenager but no like his Dad..

Hugs wish there was something I could tell you - What's your DH opinion of the stituation - is he getting involved or is it up to you..

Denise, hang in there, let's hope the drug test results are negative. There are just some of our children who have to make mistakes and hopefully learn from them. However, it is so hard to watch it happen. If the drug tests are positive, maybe you can use it as an excuse for him to get some therapy? I know it isn't a solution, but maybe it would help him find a solution. My prayers are with you and DS.

I'm jealous, I know I've said it before, but man I would love to meet you all!!! Have fun, I will be thinking of you all.

Well off to work, once I get my butt in gear & get dressed. I will call for a fill appointment on Monday. Hopefully should be able to get in this week. Monday night and Tuesday I am in Helena working on CRT questions for science. Should be interesting. Then back home to make biscotti and shortbread for my quilting week. Hope to get the rest of the deep cleaning done when I get back. I do want to 'play' a little before school starts, only a little over 4 weeks. What happened to summer, I want a redo.

Janet, I'm not upset, just frustrated.

Steph, hope you made some big bucks!!!

Good Morning Gang ...

What can I say HOT HOT HOT I will be looking forward to the cooler weather - going to hate to see my A/C bill next month..

Karla - I understand your frustration.. Hugs - I guess I was just one of those lucky ones after my 2nd fill - I was there (sweet spot)and I had my Ah ha moment and all the yr of previous attempts at dieting the knowledge gained about the whole lifetime lifestyle change - I finally understood what they were talking about..

Have you ever done WW before - Take that knowledge and apply it with the help of the band - That's what I have done

IMHO WW is the most balance way of eating - but I guess I follow southbeach more cuz of the limited carbs - but I really don't know that much about southbeach and I don't count carbs in fruits or veggies - just starches..

Take it one day at a time - that's all you can do - Think before you eat and budget for those times when you know that your head hunger is going to get the best of you..

You have been losing weight - so it's not like you are gaining..

Well, I need to do something - oh ya food shop but not that much since I won't be here after Wed - But need food until then -