Hi everyone--I thought I'd listen to some advice from one of the other monthly groups and start one master thread in which we have an ongoing discussion/updates. I don't know about you all but I certainly spend most of my time on these boards on the pre-op forum and the general forum, not here. It would be nice to have just one thread to go to once in this forum.

We can maybe start out with introductions?

As for me, I'm going the "online privacy" route for now (paranoid that people I haven't told about this will somehow stumble across me on this site I guess, which is crazy, I know) but I can give you the big picture:

You can call me Penny, I'm 27, single and live in the Washington, DC area. I have a background in politics (which is why I live in DC) but now I'm a librarian which is much cooler and way more fun (trust me on that). Oh, and there's no "Marion the Librarian" thing with me either. One of the things I hear most frequently (besides the cliche "you have such a pretty face") is "but you don't LOOK like a librarian", which is another one of those bizarre backhanded compliments that you never really know how to take.

Personality wise, I'm kind of dorky, big into public radio and books and popular science. Oh, I'm also a little on the paranoid side (as you may be able to tell from earlier in this post). Beyond that I'm just kind of silly and friendly, VERY much so into traveling and I'm an aspiring "green" domestic diva (but that's not going so well).

Thanks. It went up a long time ago but I didn't really want to record that. I don't know how long it will last, but I really have restriction today, in the good sense. I had some leftover beet and cabbage soup so I pureed it with some cottage cheese and thinned it to drinkable consistency. It was still thick but would psss the straw test, if you know what I mean. I had to drink it in two sittings, and boy, am I full. This is so cool! I could kiss Dr. Tran. :-D

Hi everyone, like Orea I have about 6cc in my 10cc band, after 3 fills. I have good restriction on protein and can barely eat 2 oz at a time, but like everyone else those slider foods go right on down and are so easy to eat and less time consuming. That's what makes them so tempting to me, plus so fear of pbing.

Today though I hit the 50lb weight loss marker and that is a great motivator to keep doing things the right way. Also, I put on my winter coat my DH bought me last Christmas and it wrapped twice around me. Yeah, this band thing is working and is worth all the trouble. I feel so much better, can bend and move and walk, and fit into booths again!

Hang in there everyone and congratulations on all your milestones!

Congrats, that's great 51lbs you go girl! And shrinknme, 3 more lbs that's great also I sure would like to see that this week

Ok so here is my update. So, the last 2 weeks or so I have not been doing my walking due to cold weather (not cold for me, but for my 2 year old) Still losing about 1lb a week and not eating to healthy although with some restriction I have been eating less say 1.5 cups. I really need to learn how to eat slower or chew better, cause I get stuck often! Very uncomfortable! That and I need to stop and make sure the bite I just swallowed is gonna make it down before I take another one. With 2 kids it's hard to concenterate on myself. So, work in progress just thought I would share with my peeps! Who understand me LOL! BTW, I have had 2 fills with now 3cc in a 10cc band.

Michele

Today though I hit the 50lb weight loss marker and that is a great motivator to keep doing things the right way. Also, I put on my winter coat my DH bought me last Christmas and it wrapped twice around me. Yeah, this band thing is working and is worth all the trouble. I feel so much better, can bend and move and walk, and fit into booths again!

WTG!!! That's so awesome! I can't wait until I can say I hit the 50 lb mark.

So, work in progress just thought I would share with my peeps! Who understand me LOL!

Michele, you've passed the 50lb mark too! Congrats!

Question for everyone: does your port ever feel sore in the morning after laying on it all night?

Yes, quite often. I've been trying to avoid sleeping on my stomach but I must flip over during my sleep.

Hi everyone,

So I have a total of 5cc in my 10cc band. It has been really hard to deal with. I have had several very bad pb episodes basically throwing up. My mom who has bypass 8 years ago says i am eating to fast. Also I have a customer service job on the phone so i can't really eat at my desk for fear the phone will ring and i swallow something pratically whole. So I eat breakfast before work around 9am then lunch at 4pm then dinner at 8:30 or 9pm. My hours are 11-8. So any suggestions on slowing down whould be great. I go back to the doctor on the 25th of this month. I have lost 3 pounds since my fill though. Which is good because last month I just stayed the same.

YAY KIMLAY! Congrats on the fabulous weight loss! I'm almost to Onederland myself...only 13 more pounds! can't wait :rolleyes2:

even though i don't always post on here, i just want you all to know that reading your stories gives me so much hope and keeps me so inspired. i went back recently to my college reunion and people couldn't believe how much weight i'd lost.

so thanks for that- couldn't have done it without my July Butterflies!!!!

Thanks, Not to shabby yourself. I can't seem to hit onderland for nothing. Up a lb then down a lb then back up a lb, it's starting to really upset me. I feel like tossing that stupid scale out the window and then stomping it to peices. poor scale, I guess it's easeir to blame the scale. I just don't know what else to do , I think I have good restriction. Maybe I'm just getting close to that TOM or something. Anyway my emotions are getting the best of me this morning so i'll sign off until I'm in a better mood

I had my band checked for a leak today and everything is good! There were no immediate leaks so I will go in next week and will probably try a little fill.

That's good news!

How has everyone been doing with food? Especially with these upcoming holidays?

I have pretty minimal restriction, but I've definitely found that certainly things just don't go down the way they used to anymore. It took me a really long time to even get to that place! I was having no restriction for the longest time! :thumbup:

But now I notice that with dry meat, certain types of rice, and even doughy bread- things are definitely not as smooth! Never thought I would be HAPPY for that! haha

Anyone have any special food ideas for the holidays? I think I'm going to plan on dunking the turkey in lots of cranberry sauce (not the best, but better than gravy!)

Hi everyone,

So I have a total of 5cc in my 10cc band. It has been really hard to deal with. I have had several very bad pb episodes basically throwing up. My mom who has bypass 8 years ago says i am eating to fast. Also I have a customer service job on the phone so i can't really eat at my desk for fear the phone will ring and i swallow something pratically whole. So I eat breakfast before work around 9am then lunch at 4pm then dinner at 8:30 or 9pm. My hours are 11-8. So any suggestions on slowing down whould be great. I go back to the doctor on the 25th of this month. I have lost 3 pounds since my fill though. Which is good because last month I just stayed the same.

I am a teacher, so I really don't have time to eat. Every day I just eat one "soup at hand" by Campbells. It has very little calories, but it keeps me for 3-4 hours. If I tried to eat food in the small amount of time I have, I would certainly get sick daily.

How has everyone been doing with food?

I started the 5 day pouch diet today. It's supposed to renew the pouch and help you get that "newbie" feeling back. It wasn't too bad.

Donna -

I'm doing the 5 day pouch test too. I have had no restriction since being banded in July. My weight loss has stalled and I have a hard time with portions. I'm hoping this will get me back into it.

I'm just back from a business trip. It's great to get caught up on the posts!

Boos, have you had any fills? I've had 4 and had a 5th one scheduled for today but I canceled it because I do have some restriction and I'm scared of being overrestricted. The first couple of days after my 4th fill, I had the most restriction but for me that meant I couldn't eat more than a couple of bites of solid food before discomfort and pain but the hunger still remained. It was very tempting to do slider foods so I decided that I'd rather be too loose than even slightly too tight. If after I complete my 5 Day Pouch Test, I feel I'm still too loose, then I'll get a 5th fill.

I've had 2 fills. I'm scheduled to see the doc on Thursday. I hope to get in for another then.