JudiM

I live in the Phoenix area - bought here last year but originally from Oregon. All I can say is where the houses are the cheapest, it probably means it isn't the best area. There are great buy everywhere, but you pay a little more for the better areas. I live east of town in Gold Canyon. The traffic isn't so bad here, but on the west side - look out. Any of the suburbs have good and bad areas. The best thing to do is drive around. It isn't usually hard to see the bad areas and the real estate people should be able to direct you to the better parts. Good luck and welcome on Arizona. Judi

Did you all get the email about Monday's online presentation with Dr. Ortiz? This sound so interesting and of course just might answer some of my questions about my restriction. I think it is restricted to Dr. Ortiz patients only but not sure. And Dr. Miranda will be doing a session on Thursday about "no dieting" - just what I want! I just hope they have many more of these. Maybe I will "see" you there. Judi

I was banded Dec, 8th, 2008 so my 1 year bandiversary is almost here! I have had 2 fills and have not restriction - had to reschedule my 3rd fill to December 2nd. Hopefully I will have some restriction after that. It is a struggle to not overeat. And lately I can even eat bread and that is NOT good! Judi

No drinking with meals. You need to wait 45 minutes to an hour before any liquid. That is the hardest part for me, so I will suck on a piece of hard candy during this time and that helps. Judi

Fairs are bad for me too. I would make sure I drank plenty of protein before I left so you won't be hungry - even thou the smells with try to lure you in. Then I would take some hard candy with me and suck on them. Also, since you are in the creaming food stage, and if you feel like you need to get something, I would try for a milkshake. I had a couple of them during the last part of my liquid stage and they tasted so good. Hang in there and enjoy the sights and sounds of the fair. Judi

I have the same problem - but I don't PB. I have just learned to take one very, very small bite, then wait a while - maybe 5 minutes or so, then take my second bite and wait the same. After that I am ok. That is why I hardly eat out. When we do, I always ask for a carry out container and when my food arrives, I put most of it away and maybe end up eating just a couple of bites over the next half hour. Then when I get home, I can eat. If I don't wait, then I am sitting there hurting. I have had just 2 fills, but I still think I need the 3rd (scheduled for the end of next month) because once I do start to eat, I have to control how much I eat - I never feel full. It has been this way since I was banded and my 2 fills were in TJ under floro and nothing wrong has showed up. Judi

I have only burped ONCE since the surgery. Sometimes I wish I could. But the doctor told me that the air has to go one way or the other. So for me, it is the other - gas - lots of gas. judi

My sign that I have had enough is hiccuping. When that happens after only a bite or two, I stop and wait - sometimes as long as an 1/2 hour, then finish my eating. If it comes after I am almost thru, I stop and don't eat any more. Also, if I get a "lump" in my chest - one that is not hurting, but I can feel it, I DON'T take another bite or it will hurt like hell. Those are my two signs. I go in for a 3rd fill the end of October and hopefully I will get a "full" sign from that. Right now, I rely on my will power to stop. Judi

I used my card at a Chinese Buffet. When I showed the server my card, she took it to the manager who approved. Hopefully they weren't back there laughing at me - oh well, I did get the children's price. Judi

Thanks - guess I will "allow" myself a sip or two if I have a very small snack. Love the story of the your nephews - that seemed to always happen to me when I was dieting - any thing I would put in my mouth - my niece and nephew would ask me if it was ok for me to eat. Sheesh - even when I was eating the right things LOL. Judi

I know we are to wait 45 - 60 minutes after we eat to drink, but do you still have to wait if you have a snack like maybe 2 crackers, or some yogurt or maybe a cookie (only 1!!). I try to wait at least 15 minutes, but not sure if that is long enough. Thanks for any help, Judi

CONGRATS!!!! =D> Keep up the good work. I know I need a fill, but will have to use more will power until the end of October. Judi

One way I keep motivated is to read Dr. Ortiz's book - Lapband for life. I usually read a page or two every day - I think I have have been thru that book a bunch of times, but it does keep me motivated. I found the book on Amazon. Keep up the good work!!! Judi

Thanks for the input. I haven't been losing any weight - not gaining, but not losing. The only time I hurt is when I try something like bread that gets stuck. Now I am so careful of what I do eat. But I don't feel full after a cup of food and I do sometimes get hungry before I should. So I guess I need a fill to get more restriction. I used the Southwest Sale they had last week and bought a ticket to San Diego, but not until the end of October. Until then I will just keep at my cup of food and watch what I am eating. Thanks for your answers - they did help me understand more. Judi

I was banded last December and have had 2 fills - all at OCC. I have to eat very very slowly to keep from the food getting stuck - at least I assume that is what the pain is all about. Only once have I PB'd and I don't want that to happen again, so I am very careful. But do I have restriction? I don't know - unless it is the same as being stuck. I measure out my food and only eat that amount but most of the time I don't feel full. I don't want to eat more, but then I would really like to feel some "restriction" - at least I think I want that if you know what I mean. What does restriction feel like? Will I know the difference from being "stuck" to having a restriction? Thanks for any help! Judi