Greetings: Mimin, Ghost, BJean and I (Kareyquilts) are all September 2006 bandsters. We are all around 20 pounds to goal and we want to get there as close to our 2nd band anniversary as possible! Thus, the new thread. We are putting out to the universerve and you that we want to lose that last little bit that has been tripping all of us up for a while now! We would love your support, suggestions and help. I believe that all of us (not sure about BJean) have had some plastic surgery to get rid of excess skin, etc. We are of various ages and stages, but through it all we have supported one another. In fact, of all the September bandsters that started with us, in our thread, we are the last ones to keep up the chatter. I guess we will all state how we're going to try and lose the last 20 pounds. The challenge starts on July 1st. Hope you'll join us for the ride!

Karey...I need you to come kick some people's butts for me. There are two ladies who are very tight on my normal thread and asked people what they thought they should do. I of course used your story (though I didn't mention your name) and told them how DANGEROUS it was to only be able to get down liquids. They still think they should just stick it out. One lady said it was "okay to just be able to get Water down." AHHHHHHHH it drives me freaking crazy.

I hope the nausea goes away for you. Being lightheaded is terrible too though. I am just finally getting over mine. The meds are finally exiting my system.

Just had to vent!

Salsa: Point your friends to my thread or have them pm me.

Ghost: Congratulations on your .4 loss! I would be really upset if my husband was in my face about what I eat. I would feel very rebellious and probably undermine myself. Maybe you need to have a heart to heart with him, when your both feeling calm. Support is good but I hate it when people make negative comments about how much or how little I eat. Anyway, glad you lost some.

I have been thinking about why my band slipped and have a little theory that I posted on my plastic's thread. Check it out and tell me if you think I'm on the right or wrong track. Kareyquilts TT, BL, Lipo & BA - Page 21 Thanks!

It sounds possible that changing out the port during your TT aggrevated the issue. My PS wouldn't touch or even lipo near the port. However, it also could have been a reaction to internall swelling caused by the HCG hormone treatment you were trying. I'm not sure there is a way to really be sure what caused it. We are all just glad you are on the mend now.

And on the topic of my DH. Don't get me started. We've been married 15 years and the entire marriage one major theme of discord has been the fact that he can't get it through his thick skull that I (and most women) do not respond well to the mean football coach (or drill sargent) personality that berets you about your inability to fix something until you decide to do it yourself and prove them wrong. I keep telling him to either butt out or act more like a supportive cheerleader with the "I know you can do it" attitude.

Diane: I went to my lapband doc today to get a check up and asked her about other reasons my band would have slipped and she said that it was possible that during ps something happened, or the HCG could have added to the mix or it could have been a combination of things. I guess it doesn't matter. Inquiring minds just want to know (me)! At any rate, I'm healing well and that's what matters at this point. I guess they put a new band in called the APL. There hasn't been a recorded slip with this band yet. It's the largest band-14 ml and the first fill is 4 mls. Wow! Huh?! I guess when you have a slip and get sick your stomach really swells. I'm just glad I have any band at all!

About the DH. Stay strong. That's all I can say!

karey you're sounding stronger. Great! You have a fantastic support team - that's why we have kids I guess! You've done such a great job of loving and nurturing them and now they're anxious to take care of you.

I'm very happy with my support team too, but I'll bet my daughter wishes I'd had a couple more kids. :biggrin: I'm sure she's pretty tired of having to do her jobs and mine too. She's been amazing. Sure helped my DH to have her support as well.

I am glad that you were able to get a new band. When my stuff first started happening and I learned the kind of surgery I was facing, I figured I should have it taken out. But my LB doc was my surgeon for this too and he assured me that there was no reason for him to remove the band. Whew! It's been 3 weeks since the surgery and now I'm looking forward to getting a small fill. I hadn't realized how much I depend on my band and the way it keeps me in check. I've been eating bread, and had one muffin, none of which I had been able to eat for over a year. I realize now that I really didn't miss them and was doing just fine without that stuff.

Congratulations on your first walk - the stroller probably made a good balance and something to lean on a little if you got tired. Thank goodness you were already in such good shape! That should really help you bounce back quicker.

Good job of keeping the faith in the band. You're doing great, karey!

BJean: Sounds like your doing better also! YEAH! These ups and downs of life can really be something! I'm glad your doing better. Your DD will get blessed in heaven, as will we all, for our good deeds. I know that muffin didn't hurt you any, but it is amazing how we depend on our bands. I know from my unfill after ps when I enjoyed several rueben sandwiches and a hamburger that old cycles can actually start quite easily! This liquid diet is getting rather old, after only 1 week (3 more to go). The good news is that I have lost another 4 pounds. However, I wouldn't recommend this as a new diet faze! I bet you feel the same way about your recent weight loss! LOL!

It's funny how weight loss for me starts at the top and works its way down, whereas gaining is just the opposite. When I gain, it shows in my upper thighs and butt first and it takes a long time for it to effect my face and boobs and upper body. Now that I'm losing again, my face is getting very lean and bras are looser and the buns still look big as ever. Do you gain and lose that way karey?

How are you doing today? I didn't ask about your perforated stomach and what that meant to your overall health. I was told that if my colon had perforated, it would have undoubtedly killed me. I'm sure your tummy isn't as much of a threat to your overall health though, especially if there's no necrotic tissue dumping into your innards.

I've been guilty of kind of overdoing it the past couple of days. How about you? I know when I'm doing too much because my lower back and kidney area start hurting. At that point I have to sit or lie down until it's better. Do you experience anything like that?

As for the general public here, I gotta say that without any fill I am enjoying drinking more Water. The restriction of drinking 15 minutes before a meal and 2 hours after really slowed my water intake down and I'm enjoying the stuff all the time. Anybody else have that situation or do you go ahead and drink water whenever you want to?

I have to admit that I drink coffee right before and/or right after my morning oatmeal.

I try to wait at least an hour after lunch and dinner before drinking, but it doesn't seem to make any difference to my level of fullness, so I don't really worry about it.

The only time I have trouble with liquids is when I am "stuck", if I try to drink then, it just sits on top of whatever is stuck and I end of "hoarking" up both the Water and the offending food at the same time :tt2:.

My lap band doc said not to eat or drink for 1/2 hour before or after a meal. I still try and follow that rule. If I'm stuck, just like jjsmiles, I can't drink anything or it just makes matters worse. As far as weight loss, BJean, I would say that it works the same for me. DAMN! My new breasts are getting smaller and my thighs seem to be the same! I need the thighs to go down and maybe the upper abs, but everything else could stay the same. My face is looking rather haggard, but that could be because of all I've been through. Hoping so. We went to our cabin for a few days and while it was nice, I'm plum worn out and yes, my back does hurt! Did I mention that I hate this liquid diet. Oh, Salsa, I've tried 2 or your soup recipes and they were very nice. If you have any other great recipes I would love to have them.

How is everyone doing? It's been pretty quite on here. Well, I've gained back 3 pounds! Oh bother! I have had a few milkshakes on this liquid diet, but I don't think that many! I just started back to walking yesterday and was able to go 3 miles today. Not very fast, it took an hour, but at least I'm moving again! I'm frustrated about this last bit of weight and I guess impatient. I think l'll start logging what I eat again. It's just never ending, is it?! Hope everyone will use this thread to help and support one another.

I'm so sorry for your regain Karey, but you need this time for your body to heal. Try not to beat yourself up to badly over it right now.

I seem to have regained the 1/2 pound I lost the previous week. Two more weeks and counting until they will start refilling me again.

I have to say I'm actually shocked I haven't gained more. I feel like I'm eating WAY TOO MUCH! Maybe I just don't know what normal is anymore? Let me rephrase that I KNOW I'm not eating normal. but I don't know if the quantity or calorie level I'm eating is as terrible as it sounds to me.

I'll bread down one ot two of my recent days for you guys to dissect tomorrow but have to rush to second job now.

Hey guys -

You are all doing great!! Given all the trauma's and drama's you have all been through recently, think about what could've happened if you hadn't been on this journey for so long and so successfully!!!

Karey - great that you are able to start with the activity again - 3 miles in an hour is nothing to sneeze at (or wheeze at ).

I know that I haven't been at this nearly as long as you all, but I know one of the most major keys of success for me has been journalling everything I eat. More and more research is showing that people that document their eating, lose more weight and keep it off.

Today I had a disasterous eating day (carrot cake and black forest cake both called my name at a celebration event I was at and I answered the call by eating both :redface:) - but you know what - I am ok with it, I punished myself with tons of exercise and I know I will be right back to eating healthy tonight and tomorrow. I have never been able to say that, EVER, in my life before. It is a great feeling. It hurt alot, but I even documented the cake on the daily plate.

Chin up and take care of yourselves :thumbdown:

Jacquie

Holy crap I have missed a lot! Karey first and foremost, happy belated birthday! I am soooo sorry to hear of your slippage but I am so glad you are ok! How are you feeling? I think reading through all the posts has really given me a reality check; I have been pretty dang tight since my last fill and I am FINALLY losing but its just not worth the risk. I've made an appt for an unfill.

I apologize I've been MIA - I have been working crazy hours and it seems that when I'm at work my head is spinning in every direction I forget to do the things I enjoy, like talking to y'all!

Holey Moley MimIN!!! Your photo is amazing! You are one gorgeous babe! Great job all the way around. Keep knocking them dead... I'm sure you are slaying them wherever you go. Congrats!

karey: I lost another pound this last week. So I am down 11 since we started this thread. Another 9 in order to make the goal I set. I'm motivated more than ever. Today the doc said I shouldn't get any restriction yet. I have another appt. in 12 days. Maybe a small fill then. So far, I haven't really needed it. He also told me I can swim (as long as I don't do any belly busters - isn't he the funny one). I didn't ask him about free weights because I'm not supposed to lift more than 10 pounds for another 2 weeks. So I think I'm gonna go back to 3 lb. weights and it should be all right.

jjsmiles: Today they (doctor & dietician) decided that I am not drinking enough water or eating enough protein. They want me to get 100 grams of protein a day!! Sheesh. Anyway, I agreed to journal everything. Everything I take in, everyday. I know I'll probably find out that I am not getting as much water and protein as I'd been telling myself. Are you journaling online or just on paper?

Don't feel bad about the cake. I did a dumb thing and rewarded myself for the 11 lbs. - which is really dumb if you reward yourself with food, which I did - anyway I shared a hot fudge sundae at the Cheesecake Factory tonight with my DH and interestingly, I feel like crap for the first time in weeks. :biggrin: The good thing is that it has made me more aware of how lousy eating carbs and especially ice cream, makes me feel. :biggrin: Blotation big time. Back on the wagon and back to feeling better! :thumbup:

Hey BJ - sounds like you are doing great - although 100 g of protein a day seems like an awful lot!!!! I think I would have to resort to a protein shake to get that much in (and I avoid them like the plague as I would rather eat my calories).

It's great that you can start doing some physical activity again - I bet that will feel good. You have done great with your weight loss - how is the hunger without a fill, now that you are well on the mend?

You might not know this about me, but I have an obsessive compulsive personality - I started documenting in a little note book (a page a day, including exercise and anything significant - i.e specialist appt, weigh in at clinc, tom) as well as my daily weight. Yes I am one of those that is addicted to my scale :biggrin:. I heard about the daily plate.com and started using it (easy to use, has almost everything I eat in its data base, and it is really easy to add food). I still also document in the note book too (like I said obsessive personality). I am on my second notebook and it just feels really tangible to me to have paper and pen (I think it shows my age as well) :biggrin:

Keep up the good work ladies!!!!!