I'm here to help...

[bochs 0]

Hi to all tonight on the 4th of July. Janet, I gotta tell you that I haven't weighed for two days. Am trying to wait until Wednesday. THis morning I had cup of Decaf coffee, cup of oatmeal and a bullet for Breakfast. Went and worked in my garden most of the day. Moved some plants and planted about 10 new ones. then I went to Lowes and looked for carpet. Came home, had a strawberry Unjury (not my fav) with skim milk. Drank Water before and after supper. I had a half cut of Tomato Soup with a few crackers in it and I am full. Am going to eat some applesauce before bed time but I am beat today. Worked hard today in the yard. I had to reschedule my post op appt to next week. I really don't know if I am restricted or not. I know I'm not all that hungry but it seems like I can eat fairly well. Its really wierd. I sure hope this band works for me as I am concentrating very hard on this program. Man Janet, I don't know if I will ever be able to exercise like you. I am pretty active but you have really pumped it up. Good for you. Talk to you tomorrow.

Beckyo:tt1::thumbup:

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hi to all tonight on the 4th of July. Janet, I gotta tell you that I haven't weighed for two days. Am trying to wait until Wednesday. THis morning I had cup of Decaf coffee, cup of oatmeal and a bullet for breakfast. Went and worked in my garden most of the day. Moved some plants and planted about 10 new ones. then I went to Lowes and looked for carpet. Came home, had a strawberry unjury (not my fav) with skim milk. Drank Water before and after supper. I had a half cut of Tomato Soup with a few crackers in it and I am full. Am going to eat some applesauce before bed time but I am beat today. Worked hard today in the yard. I had to reschedule my post op appt to next week. I really don't know if I am restricted or not. I know I'm not all that hungry but it seems like I can eat fairly well. Its really wierd. I sure hope this band works for me as I am concentrating very hard on this program. Man Janet, I don't know if I will ever be able to exercise like you. I am pretty active but you have really pumped it up. Good for you. Talk to you tomorrow.

Beckyo:tt1::thumbup:

Hey Beckyo

Happy 4th !!! I am proud of you for not getting on that scale - I know it's hard - some weeks I get on it during the week - but really try not to it's too depressing - too much up and downs -

I cranked the exercise cuz I gained 2 lbs while in vegas - wine 2 nites & cheese crackers at the airport since no more food on planes.. Plus I am retaining some Water - my eyes are puffy - need to drink more water..

I think I could use a tweak in my fill - but don't go till the end of July - am thinking about calling an moving it up.

You really sound like you have restriction - if you are full on 1/2 c to 1 cup of liquid you are doing good - How much longer til you move to mushies??

Take the word hope and and replace with WILL - and the band does some of the work - but imho a lot is up to you and your food choices and phyiscal activity... and you are doing great in both those categories..

Ya I don't like stawberry Unjury either - choc (you can add banana &/ or Peanut Butter ) or vanilla or unflavored add dannon light & fit yogurt and any kind fruit for great smoothies - try adding some real strawberries or banana to your strawberry unjurty - mix in blender with ice - it will be alot better.. You really gotta use your imagination to come up with taste Protein drinks - good to the food thread and see if you find anything there and also the unjury website.

What part of the country do you live in to be outside so much - heck one of my lucky #7 is in montana and she said it was 100 there today..

[alice150 0]

Hi Janet and all you other LBT'ers,

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Well I haven't posted in awhile because I have been making some major changes in my life (for the coming year anyway).

I moved 300 miles away from my husband and 24 year old son who is high functioning autistc and still lives at home. My office in S. Florida is in the process of closing due to centralizing operations and I will be living in the St. Pete area for the next year. I've been with the company for 19 years and I really couldn't take the severance package with the closing because 20 years of service brings lots of benefit perks for early retirees. I'm not at that point yet and will not be for several years, but I would have to wait to collect my pension until I am 65, if I did not make 20 years. This way I will get my 20 years in next year and be able to collect on my retirement anytime after I turn 55 (two years from now).

I feel very weird. Very out of place by myself. I moved into my one bedroom apartment on Wednesday and my husband and son left to go back to S. Florida today. With the price of gas, we decided it would be best to travel home for the weekend once every three weeks. I'm a little anxious, but I realize this is an opportunity for me as well. This coming year is about me! My food shopping was geared only to me today and I will only have food in the house on my food plan, no one else's. I also hope to meet a fellow LBTer in the area soon.

Anyway, I just wanted to check in. I hope everyone is doing well and feeling good about their new lives.

Hugs to all!

Alice

Banded April 8, 2008

271/242/150

[bochs 0]

Hi to everyone tonight. Janet, I live in Springfield, Illinois. Normally this time of year it is sweltering hot but we have had a pretty mild summer with alot of rain and that is why my garden is so beautiful, (the rain.) Anyway I go out in the morning after breakfast and usually I forget to come back in until late afternoon unless it is too hot. then I go swimming. Today I went over to the park and walked 1.2 mile. My d went 3 miles but I can only do one right now. She made us a smoothie in the bullet for breakfast (consisting of one yogurt, half banana, 5 strawberries, half peach and scoop of strawberry Unjury with some ice.) It was pretty good. At lunch I had half can of Tomato Soup and a bullet. Tonight I had half cup of cottage cheese, applesauce. I am on mushies but I can't really figure out what to have. I have had cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes. Thats all I can think of thats mushie. Today is beginning second week on mushies. I will look on food thread and see what they eat. By the way, where do I paste my ticker at? Thanks Beckyo:lol::thumbup:

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hi Janet and all you other LBT'ers,

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Well I haven't posted in awhile because I have been making some major changes in my life (for the coming year anyway).

I moved 300 miles away from my husband and 24 year old son who is high functioning autistc and still lives at home. My office in S. Florida is in the process of closing due to centralizing operations and I will be living in the St. Pete area for the next year. I've been with the company for 19 years and I really couldn't take the severance package with the closing because 20 years of service brings lots of benefit perks for early retirees. I'm not at that point yet and will not be for several years, but I would have to wait to collect my pension until I am 65, if I did not make 20 years. This way I will get my 20 years in next year and be able to collect on my retirement anytime after I turn 55 (two years from now).

I feel very weird. Very out of place by myself. I moved into my one bedroom apartment on Wednesday and my husband and son left to go back to S. Florida today. With the price of gas, we decided it would be best to travel home for the weekend once every three weeks. I'm a little anxious, but I realize this is an opportunity for me as well. This coming year is about me! My food shopping was geared only to me today and I will only have food in the house on my food plan, no one else's. I also hope to meet a fellow LBTer in the area soon.

Anyway, I just wanted to check in. I hope everyone is doing well and feeling good about their new lives.

Hugs to all!

Alice

Banded April 8, 2008

271/242/150

Alice - I love that you are taking lemons and making lemonaide (sf of course ) With this mindset you will do good.. Are you close to Tampa - I met a girl in Vegas who is from Tampa area and she is banded - I don't know south florida from north florida :0) - Ck out and see if there is a florida thread heres the link Florida Local Lap-Band Support - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum- you maybe able to hook up with some florida pple.

Hi to everyone tonight. Janet, I live in Springfield, Illinois. Normally this time of year it is sweltering hot but we have had a pretty mild summer with alot of rain and that is why my garden is so beautiful, (the rain.) Anyway I go out in the morning after breakfast and usually I forget to come back in until late afternoon unless it is too hot. then I go swimming. Today I went over to the park and walked 1.2 mile. My d went 3 miles but I can only do one right now. She made us a smoothie in the bullet for breakfast (consisting of one yogurt, half banana, 5 strawberries, half peach and scoop of strawberry unjury with some ice.) It was pretty good. At lunch I had half can of Tomato Soup and a bullet. Tonight I had half cup of cottage cheese, applesauce. I am on mushies but I can't really figure out what to have. I have had cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes. Thats all I can think of thats mushie. Today is beginning second week on mushies. I will look on food thread and see what they eat. By the way, where do I paste my ticker at? Thanks Beckyo:lol:

Becky

Heres link http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/

go to edit signature on the right side and in the box...

Mushies - refried Beans - tuna - and yes the food thread will have foods for you..

You are doing great on your exercise...

[bochs 0]

Hi to all, Janet just a quick note to see if I got the ticker or not on here. Talk with you all later. Gdks came over.

Beckyo

[bochs 0]

Hi tonight, I can't believe I finally got my ticker on here.:wink2: Tomorrow is my weigh day so we will see. Don't have too much new to report for the last few days except I am still on mushies. Today I had oatmeal and coffee for Breakfast and a bullet. For lunch I had half cup cottage cheese and supper I had two egg salad with a teaspoon of miracle whip and mustard. Then later I had a chocolate unjury with skim milk plus plenty of Water. I did not exercise today since it was stormy. I hope I lost some this week. It has slowed down for me during this phase but I am still very happy with what I have lost so far. Hope everyone has a good night.

Beckyo:redface:

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hi tonight, I can't believe I finally got my ticker on here. Tomorrow is my weigh day so we will see. Don't have too much new to report for the last few days except I am still on mushies. Today I had oatmeal and coffee for breakfast and a bullet. For lunch I had half cup cottage cheese and supper I had two egg salad with a teaspoon of miracle whip and mustard. Then later I had a chocolate unjury with skim milk plus plenty of Water. I did not exercise today since it was stormy. I hope I lost some this week. It has slowed down for me during this phase but I am still very happy with what I have lost so far. Hope everyone has a good night.

Beckyo:redface:

Hey Becky

Yep sometimes it takes awhile to figure the whole ticker thingie out - it's not simple :wink2:

Sounds like you are doing good on your eating - and yes your weight loss is going to slow - you may lose only 1/2 a pound one week then the next week 1 - just average it - that's what I have done - and there may be a week that you don't lose - but just keep plugging along and it will come.

We want it to happen overnight - but we didn't get obese over night - so just do the work and it will come off...

I am glad you are moving to weighing in only once a week - that's good for your sanity...

Keep up the good work:thumbup: - I am proud of you for the changes that you are making in your life...:wink:

Well, my 2 little fur babies want to be fed and I am a bit peckish (english term for being hungry :thumbup:) so am off to see what I can fix for dinner - have some ground turkey just gotta figure out what to make with it :tongue2:

So will ck back later

My food for the day - high Fiber oatmeal 160 c - lunch ground turkey w/cabbage bell pepper onion (one pot wonder) 200 c - snack 10 wasabe almonds 125 c- dinner ??? but it should be around 300 - 400 calories and dessert another 200 calories max. 3 miles on the treadmill at the gym..

[Great2BThin 5]

It's almost that time......time for my first fill!! I get it at 10am on Monday. I am getting nervous. it's more fear of the unknown. What can I expect? How do they determine how much of a fill to give me? Will it hurt bad? She told me at my post op check that the first fill can hurt as you are still swollen inside from surgery. How soon do I book an appt for the next one? And any other tidbits you can share about fills, thanks so much.

[luvliwon 0]

I need a band mentor. I don't want all the negativity from people close to me, but I know I will. And I have already.I'm Just as you were before your surgery .5'5 245. I want to enjoy life and stop thinking about how fat I look, and getting discouraged about going shopping, cause nothing looks right.

[IndioGirl55 32]

It's almost that time......time for my first fill!! I get it at 10am on Monday. I am getting nervous. it's more fear of the unknown. What can I expect? How do they determine how much of a fill to give me? Will it hurt bad? She told me at my post op check that the first fill can hurt as you are still swollen inside from surgery. How soon do I book an appt for the next one? And any other tidbits you can share about fills, thanks so much.

Yep we all wonder what that 1st fill will be like -:wink2: Just like we want to know what slime or bp feels like too:lol:

Does your doc do fills under fluro (xray) or blind (you just drink Water as he inserts the saline into your band)

My doc does blind fills - he gives me a numming shot first around my port and the 1st time it took a bit of poking for him to find the soft center - but because I was numb -it wasn't a biggie - he then insert the saline into your band as you drink Water or barium (not sure of the exact name since I don't have the fluro fills but with them they can see how the Fluid goes thru the band on the xray machine) I drink water and he ask how it is going thru the band - if the band is too tight it does go down - he take some out and has you drink some more - I ususally drink 2 cup of water during a fill - the 1st fill I felt right away but it only lasted a couple of weeks then went for my 2nd fill and got to my sweet spot (that one took a week to totally settle in)

No it didn't hurt at all you don't feel the band inside you.. After a fill my doc wants you to go back on the post op diet stages (liquids/mushie/soft/reg) for 7 days each stage - I did it on my 1st fill now I do a couple days liquids - then soft/mushie then regular.

Do you still have restriction?? How much are you eating per meal - you may not even need a fill if you have restriction - pple can go 6 months and not need a fill - the band in place gives them enough restriction.

When I went in Dec the doc wouldn't give me a fill cuz I had lost 17 lbs in 2 months - when back in January for a tweak was too tight and he had to take out most of what he had added - ended up with a .01 cc being added - I have 5 in my band now - don't know if its a 10 or 14 just know that its a large new AP band

I wasn't one who cared how much they put in - all I cared about is if it worked or not - the only reason I know is that when I went in January he put in 1 whole cc and took out .09 and told me I had 5 cc

Me personally if your doc doesn't give the numbing shot I would ask for it - but some don't and they don't have a problem - after the first fill they mark your chart as to where your soft spot in your port is..

I hope I answered your questions - I am not super technical in explaining medical stuff - ask my about your auto insurance - or business insurance and I can get all techincal on you cuz that's what I do...

[IndioGirl55 32]

I need a band mentor. I don't want all the negativity from people close to me, but I know I will. And I have already.I'm Just as you were before your surgery .5'5 245. I want to enjoy life and stop thinking about how fat I look, and getting discouraged about going shopping, cause nothing looks right.

Luvliwon

I am here for you... When were you banded - what food stage are you on?

What do you mean about negativity from pple close to you..

Gotta give you for warning - I give tough band love (operative word being love) But I will tell you that you are going to have to do the work if you want to be a successful bander.

They banded your tummy not your brain - the band doesn't make your food choices you do - the band doesn't exercise you do.

The band is a tool to help control your portions only - you gotta do the rest..

You gotta take the word diet out of your vocabulary and replace it with eating healthy - diets don't work cuz when you go off them and go back to eating normal (which is what got us fat in the first place) you gain all your weight back..

This is a lifetime lifestyle change in your eating and physical activity level - this isn't about your look - it's about being healthy and extending your life - yes the secondary part is how we look and how other perceive us but for me first of all it was about improving the quality of my life and extending the number of years I have left.

Let me know what you need help on or what questions you have ...

[Great2BThin 5]

Thanks for the fill info Janet. I have a large AP band as well I believe and I think that is 14cc. I had a 4cc prefill according to what the dr. told my husband right after surgery, the small band was a little too small and the large too big so he gave me a large with a prefill, maybe that makes a medium? LOL

I am losing great, 29 lbs since my consult, I think 21 of that is since the actual surgery date, but am down a total of 39 since I started researching surgery. But I am getting hungry and my volumes are going up to closer to a cup instead of 1/2 cup. I am eating about 800 calories a day, some days higher. I never thought of that they might not give me a fill. Guess I will know on Monday. As long as I lose and am not too hungry I am not too concerned with how much fill. I don't think they do them under fluro. I know they make you drink and wait there for a bit to make sure it goes down okay and you don't vomit. I've seen them in the waiting room, just didn't know what went on behind the door on the other side. LOL Thanks for the info.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Thanks for the fill info Janet. I have a large AP band as well I believe and I think that is 14cc. I had a 4cc prefill according to what the dr. told my husband right after surgery, the small band was a little too small and the large too big so he gave me a large with a prefill, maybe that makes a medium? LOL

I am losing great, 29 lbs since my consult, I think 21 of that is since the actual surgery date, but am down a total of 39 since I started researching surgery. But I am getting hungry and my volumes are going up to closer to a cup instead of 1/2 cup. I am eating about 800 calories a day, some days higher. I never thought of that they might not give me a fill. Guess I will know on Monday. As long as I lose and am not too hungry I am not too concerned with how much fill. I don't think they do them under fluro. I know they make you drink and wait there for a bit to make sure it goes down okay and you don't vomit. I've seen them in the waiting room, just didn't know what went on behind the door on the other side. LOL Thanks for the info.

Yep it sounds like a blind fill - but my doc keeps me in the room with the needle in me until he is sure that I am not to tight - why take it out to have to re-stick you.. But that's not always a guarentee that you won't get to tight after a few days - when I was too tight in January - I drank even had a Protein drink but in a day or 2 got tight.

Me personally I like eating 1 cup of food per meal - mentally I need to eat that much - there are pple here who like to be so tight that they only eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup per meal - being too tight can cause problems too.

And for me I don't find that it really takes away all my hunger - I still have major head hunger issues and even now almost a year out - I know I am full but still want to eat... and sometime I am just plain a$$ hungry..

You are doing super on your weight loss:thumbup: - keep up the great work:thumbup:- hows the exercise going??

[cathychatts 1]

Hi Janet:

I haven't posted on here much lately, I have returned to work and been busy playing with my grandchildren.

I am doing fine with my band, I have had one fill and need a second. I have lost a total of 17 lbs since my pre-op 6 weeks ago. I gained 2 lbs back before my 1st fill, but have lost them again.

I have been working on my eating plan. I discovered that I was still trying to depend on the slider foods, ie: liquids and mushies, too much. Now I am trying to avoid them and eat whole foods again. That really helps with the full feeling.

I have been walking about 30 minutes per day 3 days per week and I have been riding my bike 2-3 days per week. I have a gym membership and will return there when the weather gets bad again.

I appreciate all your advice, even when I don't post I always read all you write to others, especially Long2bthin (she is a fellow Junebug!) Thanks!