Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

Specil K...sounds like you are doing well with your time off. I'll be praying for you to find a good job soon.

Fenton and Amanda....how are things going?

I just scheduled an appt with my GI guy for next Thursday. I will be starting on the Reglan to help with the delayed gastric emptying. I am supposed to go to the surgeon again on the 16th, but I think I will put it off for a month.

My husband returns for a two week visit home on August first and I know if I start getting fills, again I'll be having a harder time with eating. He's been gone since February and it would be nice to spend time with him without having to do only liquids and other strange stuff that I resort to when I have my quirky band inflated.

We Skyped the other day for the first time in a couple of months and he was really surprised at how much weight I have lost....It's really only 20 pounds since he left, but it really hit him.

Chica...glad tos ee you checking in more often. Means you must be really putting in an effort. Keep it up!

Christine

Special K, it sounds like you've really got it together. When I see your ticker, I think "Wow! This woman has *drive*, and a svelte new figure - both very useful qualities on the job hunt." I hope you land something great soon.

Chica, I think the band gives me enough support - I mean, I'm vast, and yet I'm eating like a ballerina, and I very rarely feel hungry. I know that if I get more of a fill, it'll very much shape what I can and can't eat. I don't want to feel so limited in that way - I like eating lobster, and chicken. I'm going to go forward, watching my intake, journaling, trying to learn to embrace satiety rather than looking for fullness. The thing is, I'm still very aware of the calorie content of my meal, and if I go in to my 220 calorie Soup, I'll eat every last drop of that soup, since I've already budgeted the calories. I have to get better about just stopping when I"m sated.

What I am pleased about is that this time I seem to be able to eat badly, and not go off into a week then a month then months of bingeing.

And it's going well, Christine. I'm doing a good job of staying at around 1500. My goal calorie intake is 1250, but I'm losing quite rapidly on 1500, plus I haven't had any hair loss so far. I think those extra 200 - 250 cals may make a difference.

But I feel good.

I can't believe it -- I have my surgery date to get this band out and get a sleeve done on July23rd! :thumbup: I'm expected to do a 2-week(!!) liquid diet starting Friday when I get my complete unfill to let my tissue relax. UGH. Not looking forward to that part, but at least I know I'll finally see that scale move one way or another...

Oh, you'll be fine! Did you do a liquid diet before your band surgery? I think that was my fastest weight loss time ever.

Things continue pretty well for me. Last night was a bit of a blow-out, but it was demarcated, Dinner-only. I didn't give into the temptation to get some ice cream after my feast, so I felt good about that. And today, though I probably could've fit it in my calorie goal, I skipped the cupcake beckoning me from the platter in the office next door.

I wonder how long this willpower/ambivalence about regime-corrupting treats will last - it would be cool if it were permanent.

Hi All, Glad to see several of you back on here.

Well, I'm glad to report that after having 2 unfills of 2.33 cc's a couple of months ago and a refill of 1.25 cc's about a month ago that I am feeling much better. After going over a year without a fill and getting .5 cc fill a couple of months ago, I would not have dreamed that I would encounter the band tightness that I had, anyway, since the unfill and smaller refill, I am doing much better. I even went on a 4 week vacation right after the refill of 1.25 cc's and only gained 4/10th of a pound, whoohoo, something to Celebrate. :thumbup:

I have another appointment next month to go back for another small fill and hope that I won't have any problems with that fill being too tight.

I need to start eating better again too, I've fallen back into some of my old habits also, the only good thing is, that at least my band has done it's job of keeping me from gaining a bunch of weight. I did gain 10 or 12 lbs while I had my unfill a couple of months ago, but luckily all but about 5 lbs came back off right after my fill, but I still need to get back on the bandwagon and start eating better and start losing weight again. I need a good kick in the butt I think. :confused:

Thanks for hearing me ramble, I think I got that off of my chest.

Welcome back to you, too, Teri. I was just looking at your ticker -- you've done really, really well! Congratulations!! :thumbup:

Nice job skipping the ice cream one day and then a cupcake the next, Fenton! Not sure how well I would've done with that. No drool-inducing description though?

I won't be starting my liquid diet too soon... the surgery date is going to be changed at the surgeons' request, and we're not sure when it's going to happen now. Hopefully before summer is over, but I'm not making plans just yet. Either way, I'll survive... but if I'm not on liquids by mid-month, I'm definitely going to be indulging in some serious birthday cake! :thumbup:

Hi Teri - nice to see you! You're doing fantastically! Goal almost in reach...

And thanks, Chica - let's hope I can continue to make the right choices.

Let us know when you get your surgery date; we'll boosterize you through the liquid diet thing. But really, it's not so bad - you must learn the ways of the Official Fenton Shake:

1 can Slipfast Optima French vanilla

1 frozen banana - a little less ripe makes it less sweet, more banana-y

1 large pinch salt

1 scoop Protein powder

2 Tablespoons of PB2 freeze-dried powdered Peanut Butter (http://www.bellplantation.com/)

This is my Breakfast most days. About 400 calories, but delicious, and it holds me most of the day, plus pretty nutritious.

Edited July 8, 201016 yr by Fenton
addition

Wow Chica...so excited for you. I hope you will continue to post here a bit so I can see how you are doing. I am really contemplating making the switch. Can I ask how much the revision is costing you?

I went to the GI guy yesterday and will start Reglan tonight. We are starting with a really small dose just at beditime. I am hoping to not feel any of the neurological effects since I will be sleeping. I have been eating more than I have in months since my unfil, but to be honest it feels good.

This past weekend I did a few things I could never have done at 292 pounds....

I went river rafting in PA with my three kids (9,6 and 4 yrs)

I went on a 10 mile bike ride with the kids along the Lehigh river. (I was able to get in and out of the raft in the river I was so nervous I would get out and not be able to get back in.)

I went bumper boating (the weight limit on the boats was 275 pounds and my 4 yr old, 38 pound daughter was in the boat with me.)

It was an awesome weekend and I really appreciated my new size for the first time in a LONG time.

Amanda how are you? Is everything OK?

Christine

Edited July 9, 201016 yr by nycm00

Wow, Christine, sounds like you're having a really wonderful, active summer with the kids! And it's always great when you get a reminder that being at a healthier weight frees you to do things that you'd love to do!! :cursing:

Yes, I'd love to keep checking in here and post my progress even post-band, thanks. As for the money issue, it's not really been determined clearly yet. The joint decision (mostly my surgeon's) has been that we should move the surgery to a different facility (a Center of Excellence, which has a dedicated bariatric team, not just a random OR team), and the date is up in the air until we can coordinate his schedule along with the assisting surgeon's and the facility's. Unfortunately, that other facility is going to cost a fair bit more, but I think my surgeon will try to discount his fee by the differential. It's a more complicated surgery and risk of complication is significantly higher, so he wants the best options available to ensure a positive outcome just in case... Also, as there's a hernia involved, I'm still hoping to get some insurance coverage for that portion of the surgery. That may just be wishful thinking, but I've gotta hope... :scared2:

Fenton, thanks for the Official recipe for your shake. It sounds really thick and filling. I still start my day with cafe au lait followed by some kind of Protein shake, but I've recently switched the order of those, and believe it or not, starting with the shake first makes a difference in the level of energy and fullness I feel, and by starting with protein within a half hour of waking, it's supposed to jumpstart your metabolism. Now if only the scale would reflect that... :confused:

I love Fenton's shake recipie too. It has helped me through many days where I have only been able to get liquids down. I do it with skim milk and a soop of Vanilla or chocolate unjury Protein. Love it!

I am on the Reglan now and between that and the Carafate and the Omeprazole I have been having little trouble. Last night I got REALLY adventurous and ate a small ( about the size of a half dollar) eggplant meatball. Two hours later I HAD to bring it up. It just would not move. (This is with my band open...it's my delayed gastric emptying thing). So, even though I feel better I do have a issue with my tummy. I have been truely hungry again and feel like I could use a small fill. I have an appointment scheduled for Friday, but I'm thinking about re-scheduling for August.

DH is coming home from Afghanistan for two weeks arriving Aug 2nd. It would be nice to be able to eat more while he's around, but on the other hand I think that's just and excuse. I really want to get the weight off sooner rather than later. We will see what I decide.

Take care and keep up the good work!

Christine

Yes, *Amanda* - how ARE you doing?

I think your doc's right - always best to have a procedure done at the place that specializes in them - go for the Center of Excellence! Although Chica, you've lost so much weight that your chance of complications is MUCH much smaller than with your band op, I suspect.

Glad to hear that both of you are doing well, and have clear plans for moving forward.

Things are going well for me. I remain in the Zone. Friday was kind of a blowout day for me - conference, so lunch and dinner out with old friends. I find dining out hard because I don't know the calorie count - on Friday I had a great burger (ended up not eating most of the bun), a few fries, a diet Coke for lunch, and then even more of a blowout at dinner - soft shell crab appetizer, then foie gras, AND dessert! I was OK the weekend, and was amused to weigh in today and find I'd lost 3 pounds since my last weigh-in on Thursday. I'm coming up on a month back on the wagon, and have that satisfying first month weight loss - I'm down about 24 pounds so far.

SO things are going in the right direction for me, too.

I'm glad you're here to talk to!

Cedar Point NSV this past weekend but still room to improve! -- I was able to fit on 8 of the 10 roller coasters at Cedar Point and 2 the seatbelt was about 2" too short and I couldn't ride. I am carrying the weight I have left in my stomach area especially so I am planning to take waist and hip measurements monthly until I know I have those last 2 inches gone that would make me roller coaster eligible for any of them! Even so, I am so, so proud of the ones I could proudly fit into after losing what I have. And, a huge NSV for me is that I walked and walked hours around the park and my knees, legs, and ankles, feet were not holding me back! I was tired but I kept up with the rest of the family niece/nephews youngsters (20 somethings) I was with.

I bought a size Medium Tshirt with all the names of the roller coasters on it to remember the day!

Confession time- had a huge ice cream cone that day at the park but walked 14,500 steps that day too!

CONGRATS on your coaster rides!

That is so awesome.....what a wonderful feeling to be able to participate in one of those rites of summer that we've missed before.....good job keeping up with the 'kids'!!!!!

I loved this article and thought I'd share it with you guys.....it's all about learning to treat food for what it is and stop giving it so much power in our lives.....easier said than done, but I liked this a lot!

http://www.healyourlife.com/author-john-parkin/2010/07/lifeshelp/get-healthy/have-that-frickin-chocolate-bar?cache=1

Congratulations on the NSV's! Special K you have done such a good job. You must have felt awesome getting on those rides. When was the last time you were able to do that?

Fenton....WOOOHOOOOOOOO 24 pounds! Wow. when you focus you really can get the weight off. Awesome job!

I have to move my appointment. I have to work tomorrow, so I can't make it. I will reschedule for next month after DH leaves for Afghanistan again. I know it's going to slow my loss AGAIN, but it will be OK.

Amanda....How are you doing?

Chica how goes it? Any date yet?

Christine

My family went to Cedar Point in 2001 and I couldn't ride hardly any rides and I know I was that heavy for at least 4-5 years before that.

I am thinking about calling Monday for a fill - haven't seen my surgeon in forever. I am trying hard to eat healthy but I'm just eating too much of the healthy stuff I am eating and then I'm getting hungry quicker. I thought that adding exercise would stem this but its almost like I'm looking at those calories I burn are "extra" ones I can eat. Totally the wrong mindset. It will probably take a month to get in to see him. In the meantime, I'll just keep plugging along.

This boredom factor of being home so much due to being out of work is a tough one too. I am trying to stay busy but its way to convenient being able to walk into the kitchen for Snacks. I have had a couple phone interviews and 1 in person interview that I came in 3rd on it, and I keep hoping something will work itself out by the end of August at the latest.

I'm doing to get back in touch with my support groups more often as I really did my best when I was getting encouragement from others and giving it back too.

P.S. I'm wearing a "Silly Band" that is a shamrock to remind me visiby to keep on trying.