Just checking... haha!

To start off this lovely Friday (well, not so lovely because I have to work), I will tell you of my latest NSV -- my old scrubs fit again! And they are loose!

I also had a stress test (more on that later) on Wednesday, and I did pretty good! Better than I did a few years ago.

Hope everyone has a good start to their weekend!

Maria

I have been pbing everyday.

Did my fill decide to kick in after 6 months or something?

I feel so tight. I can't eat in the morning, can eat at lunch and dinner but if I eat one more bite than I should, I get stuck, slime and pb.

Has this happened to anyone else?

I have so much restriction ALL OF THE TIME, and I haven't had a fill since March of last year. I can not drink anything in the mornings for about an hour and a half after I get up. I am not necessarily PBing, but I get stuck a lot, and voluntarily sick because I have food "pooled up" in my little stomach. Sounds gross but I don't know how to explain it. It is like food that may have already been broken down but regurgitated. I have no idea...it's gross and I could do without it. I would prefer to know exactly what it was though instead of me trying to diagnose myself...lol. I just called my doctor...surprise surprise...he is STILL out sick. Yawn.

ooooh, ps - Angyl, you look GREAT!

Mommi-hammi - how is the tummy tuck going? I can't wait to see some pics of the new body you have!

Thanks Tonya, I feel great...kinda

Angyl, you do look terrific and I second the comment about that happy smile. What a wonderful journey you have done with a lot of hard work too boot! I commend you. I'm amazed that you've done this with the least amount of fills, it seems. My DH was looking over my shoulder and said you looked great!

I'm doing better this week, my mind is more on what it is supposed to be paying attention to. I just feel emotionally better..guess a few days away from work revivied me, but I do have some busy weeks ahead. It might also be daylights savings...I get home from work and it is LIGHT OUT...gives me more energy. More spirit.

Angyl, Congrades on your success. Your picture looks great but small, is there a way I can enlarge it? JohnC

Angyl, Congrades on your success. Your picture looks great but small, is there a way I can enlarge it? JohnC

John, I posted bigger pics in post #549. It's on the previous page. You can check them out there.

Thank you everyone for the compliments and continued support!!!

Hello everyone - eating has been great all week. I'm so happy. It's weird, but I might not even need a fill? I was starving last night about midnight, so I decided I would make me 1/2 sandwhich with turkey and whole wheat bread and no mayo. Well, I could only eat 1/2 of it and was stuffed.

I can eat whatever I want but just small amounts of it - seems I've gotten tighter. If I do get a fill, I'm going to ask the doc just to add .1 cc in it. He always takes all my fill out, then adds more, but I wish he would just leave my current fill in, and just add a little. Does everyone elses doc continually take the fills out?

Everyone says - or maybe not everyone, but a lot of people say if you can eat bread your not tight enough, wonder if that is true? I can certainly eat bread, steak, I had a little apple today, no problems with PBing at all.

Angyl, what is the amount you have in your band? What size? I'm interested in how you've managed to go a year without a fill and of course, I know you've worked hard to lose the weight.

I'm so confused sometimes about how I'm supposed to feel with the right restriction. What does that feel like? Do I have enough of a fill or should I keep pushing until I'm really limited in what I can eat for some time till I lose my weight? AARrggg...so confused.

Tonya, I rarely eat bread..but this past weekend, had a waffle two days in a row. I don't have problems I guess, just a mental block that I should steer clear..which I'm glad to have. Soft tortillas give me problems... nearly always. Somedays I feel like I'm restricted where I need to be (actually some days isn't quite accurate...it should be some periods of time during a day) I'll have several days in a row where eating is difficult (egg rolls are now off my list) but then there are days when I can eat a large salad or things like that.

I am finally going down on the scales - being off the prednisone (steroids) makes a huge difference I think. Maybe getting back to the gym makes a difference too!:grouphug:

Shawn - I feel the same way as you. I really don't know if I have restriction or not. I do eat less, a lot less, but I can eat anything? I'm going to talk to my doctor about it.

I am finally going down on the scales - being off the prednisone (steroids) makes a huge difference I think. Maybe getting back to the gym makes a difference too!:banghead:

:thumbup: YEA!!! You must be so happy! Congrats!

Shawn - I feel the same way as you. I really don't know if I have restriction or not. I do eat less, a lot less, but I can eat anything? I'm going to talk to my doctor about it.

I have wondered this same thing at times. Seems to vary almost meal to meal (how much I can eat, and types of food). But I will say, with this tight fill, it is so much less volume-wise than 2 months ago, and the "wide-open" days are few and far between. Even tortilla chips (my personal dragons) are starting to give me grief after a handful. Breads? no way. Even nuts, which I am prone to eat a handful of for quick protein, are really starting to bother me. They just turn to paste, sit there, and make me uncomfortable.

Some foods are just not tolerable now...and oddly enough, they're the ones that probably aren't 'good' for me anyway!:cursing:

Wish someone could answer all the restriction questions!! I'm with everyone's comments about what a "good" restriction is. THe last Dr. appt. I went to they took all my fill out for the first time. Everything was in that was supposed to be there (4.0 cc). Had me go on liquids for a couple days, that jump started the weight loss, 5 pounds in 5 days! This last fill was definitely a changing moment for me, just took a drink of Crystal Light and it took a bit to go down. Diet Coke, which is a staple drink of mine, doesn't seem to work very often at all now! Was still able to eat about half of a Rueben sandwich but it took a while and I was very careful. WE've all done so well, I think it's just a week to week thing that we'll figure out as we go along.

Also, have to add.....I went roller skating witht the kids and the local 4-H group last night! First time in 25 years that I'd even attempted, loved every minute of it and didn't fall once! The muscles are a little sore this morning and was having small cramps in my legs last night. But with all the soreness it felt sooooooo good to be able to do things with the kids again, things that in just one short year ago I would of never even attempted!

Hope everyone has a good day!

Angyl, what is the amount you have in your band? What size? I'm interested in how you've managed to go a year without a fill and of course, I know you've worked hard to lose the weight.

Well I have a 4cc band, and have gotten 2 fills since banding. I guess in total I had 2 CCs. Not sure what is in there now with evaporation and stuff. Would love to have this conversation with my surgeon but he is quite unreachable. I have an appointment with him next week...impressive! I want to have a slight unfill because I hate that it takes me a few hours before I can drink in the morning. That makes me crazy. I am also supposed to meet with the nutritionist to come up with a new diet plan. She said we are going to increase my calories and change the kind of food I eat because with my band this restricted I have a hard time with certain solids.

Hi all,

Five Jacks you mentioned diet coke, do you actually drink it now? I tried to have a sip of soda about 4 months ago and I thought my stomach was going to blow up! Serious discomfort... I would like to drink soda and use a straw again! I had to have .5ccs taken out of my band three weeks ago. I had a bad cause of acid reflux and vomiting numerous times a day. So we're letting my stomach and esophogus rest for awhile. I go to have some put back in April 10th. Congrats to all of you on some great weightlosses, wow, I'm impressed with all of you.

Lisa, congrats on the roller skating! Sounds like it was fun. I hope to get back on a horse this summer...for the past few years I felt so sorry for any horse that tried to carry me...add my out of shape condition, I just stopped riding. Hope to be back "in the saddle" soon!

Diet Coke? I was so addicted (Coke Zero). Haven't had a carbonated drink of any kind since banding. Was actually easier than I thought.

Susie...great weight loss! Wow!!

Angyl, I'm curious to know what dietary changes they suggest, and their plan to add calories...

Heading for a fill check up tomorrow morning. I can see removing some as well as adding some. Things have been so up and down lately!

I know....if there was a Diet Coke Anonomous I would be the chapter leader! Was so excited when I got the band that it wasn't hard to quit the DC for 6 weeks. Unfortunately my Doctor doesn't have a problem with the carbonation and I was hooked again. My doctors basic theory is, if it works do it, if it doesn't....don't! Diet Coke doesn't taste quite as good and does leave me feeling bloated and uncomfortable since this last fill.....hoping this will be the thing that FINALLY gets me to quit, or at least slow down a bit!

Cindi....good luck on the horse! Last time I was on one of those (had to use a gate to get up on it by the way) it saw the barn and ran....and I do mean ran, all the way back to the barn. At the barn it was where it wanted to go, stopped quickly and I kept going! Haven't been on once since and I'm perfectly fine with that. I hurt so bad the next day I couldn't get out of bed!

angyl...I would also like to know what the nutritionist says, if you don't mind! It's always interesting to see what each doc/specialist has for input.

Hi all,

Been a busy week last week and company all weekend. Now have the house to myself...should be doing chores, but it'll wait a minute.

Diet Coke, haven't had one since banding. Thought it would be killer but it was nothing. I have actually read an article where diet sodas create sugar cravings, so for me, it is probably a good thing to have it out of my life.

Morning time I also have more restriction and usually start my day with a homemade latte (coco and coffee-very low cal and no fat). I will nearly always eat breakfast of a protein drink or hot cereal, sometimes eggs. But have been feeling restricted more of late anyway. But there are times when I can really put food down. I didn't get a chance to get on the scale today but will see what it up tomorrow. My pants do feel tighter in the waist, but wonder if it is just me not doing any exercise at all.

I am pondering yet another fill. I'm scare to get too restricted and really have to limit my eating...isn't that weird? My head games...drive me crazy!!

Horseback riding rocks. I have an avid rider, even when I was 50 pounds heavier...but the horses love it mo betta now. I do have a new mare that is abou 15.3 hands and I have to use the trailer to get on...but the others I can get on by myself now. First time in years.

Angyl...I'm also interested in what your nutritionist says. Please, if you will, share.