IrishRN

Hey Kim,

I'm a total sugar/carb addict and used it to help mask things - finally realized that what I was doing was creating a downward spiral. I was a binge eater and used the sugar and carbs to mask things and make me feel better - and they were like a drug - I kept needing more and more to stabilize.

Here's some good information:

http://www.coping-with-binge-eating.com/blood-sugar.html

I did a lot of self education and finally went through a program that really helped me understand what to eat. I had to go for 30 days without sugar, carbs, coffee (caffeine), flour, milk - only organic meat, fruits, veggies. No juice - those drugs addicts on the MTV show had nothing on me - I went through ugly withdraws. I couldn’t sleep, felt horrible and ill. I can’t believe I made it through. After the 30 days I slowly added back in organic milk, sugars (small amount) flour etc. I stay pretty true, I do still have my sweets but they are my treats and are manageable. In other words I don’t need them to make me feel better, I actually use exercise now (endorphins are my friends). It pretty much takes 90 days to truly make a difference – it helps your mental attitude as well as your physical form. But I’m not going to lie – its hard as hell. If you truly want to change – you might try this – prepare your mind as well as your cupboards and warn your loved ones and friends alike. (Enemies are open game….)

Anyhow, I’m not sure – but you sound a lot like me – and it took something this drastic for me to make a true change. I couldn’t have done it without my band – however as we all know its just a tool and we own with how we make it work for us.

Good luck!

Lisa

Great article!!!

So So true. After a year of being too tight. I'm starting to lose after working with the triggers that make me want to eat the wrong foods and too much of them. I've had my band unfilled which has helped and now can eat more but I'm working with the band... not against it. I'm using food as fuel and being much more active.

I love my band

Ive made it a goal to get more active this year which is definately helping. I'm also journaling. Huge help as well. The last

year I wasnt doing any of these and I can see a difference already.

Since my last fill in Jan. I've been doing 1000-1200 cals/day. Journaling is doing it for me too. 500 cals/day does seem very low.

I just discovered these fiber gummies and they help keep me full!

I eat Fiber Gummies every day - 3 of them. They are chewy and tasty and keep me from getting constipated (they even have them at Costco for a great price).

I do still lurk around and read posts but thought I'd give an update on where I'm at. My weight loss stalled for about 6 months

starting in January. I got tight and I was hanging around 180 for a while. I was pbing often. I finally in June went in to the OCC to have things checked and had 1 cc removed to 2.0cc. He said my pouch was a little stretched but to come back in 6 weeks and have things looked at again.

Hoping it would go back. I did liquids as ordered for 4 days and 6 weeks later ( and 4 pounds heavier at 184 ) I had the band checked and it looked great. He put in .6 and I now am at 2.6 I'm finally losing. I'm at 175 and have not pb'd once since June! Granted when I started watching and counting calories, things started to kick in for me. I feel this is key. Small meals and dont test the band. I'm still able to eat some bread as long as its toasted and I do eat thin crust pizza! I feel I can eat a better variety than I did when I initially lost the 23 pounds last year and I feel great.

I feel this is how the band is supposed to work. Eat the same... just less.

I'M NEVER KEPT THE BAND SO TIGHT THAT IT COULDN'T RESTRICT ANY FOODS. BUT ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH BREAD, PASTA, RICE ETC. SINCE YOUR HAVING PROBLEM WHEN EATING THOSE TWO IDEAS, JUST MAKE SURE YOU TAKE IT SLOW AND EASY UNTIL YOU KNOW FOR SURE YOUR NOT JUST HAVING ISSUES WITH THOSE OR TOO TIGHT

I agree. I am just starting to wrap my brain around restriction. I love that I can eat a much smaller portion of what I ate before and not be hungry for 4..5..hours. I'm so glad I can still eat bread.

Sorry to hear this but so glad you are working on getting back to working with your band. I too had a similar story. I was probably a little too

tight but was losing. Then the stress hit and I tightened up alot!! I finally went to have the band checked out at OCC and they took out 1cc. I was

also a little stretched as well. I was to be on 5 days liquid and back for a check up after 6 weeks

They thought it would be worse from what I was describing. I was pb'ing almost everyday. Horrible. I just hated not being able to

eat food and missed it. I was glad to get an unfill. I did gain 3 pounds but I was okay with that. So I went back 1 week ago and things looked much better. I got a fill to 2.6 and love that I am restricted and can still eat some bread! I'm finally starting to lose again.

Question... Carbonated drinks. I thought that was only during the first 6 months after surgery?

Hi Pammie,

I remember you back when I had my band put in! Crazy how years later we can experience things that the newbies go through, isn't it?

Anywho, there was a question you were asking and I was waiting for someone to give you an answer, to no avail, you're still waiting on it. In regards to why all of a sudden your band can become too tight after a period of time, especially years post band, I have two theories for you.

Here they are:

1. As you're losing weight, your stoma shrinks. Therefore it doesn't take as much of a fill to tighten your stoma to the point of perfect restriction as it used to. Which means your fill becomes super tight.

2. You could have been too tight all along, but you've dealt with it with your band knowledge to the point where it never bothered you before. Then slowly but surely, the inflammation started which causes the acid reflux, and voila, you were inflammed to the point where your band closed.

These are just my theories, but I thought maybe one of them might make sense to you.

I have actually had an episode myself while I was at 3cc in a 4cc band for over a year. I ended up in the hospital for 3 days and the end result was a complete unfill. What would happen was my upper pouch had stretched to the point where I would never feel restriction. All the food I ate just sat right above the band. Not until the food tried to go down was when I was in unbearable pain.

To make a long story short, I am starting all over again. The scary part is, I have 1.2cc back in my band not only do I NOT get restriction, I don't get full.

Just when we thought we had this weight/band in the bag, years later we will have our reminders that it's still there!

Good Luck Pammie

2. You could have been too tight all along, but you've dealt with it with your band knowledge to the point where it never bothered you before. Then slowly but surely, the inflammation started which causes the acid reflux, and voila, you were inflammed to the point where your band closed.

I talked to Dr Martinez today about this and he explained this to me that i could have been slightly tight for a while. My band slammed shut in February and got better but then I started to eat slider foods and not losing wt. I went to the OCC today because I had a feeling I had been inflammed for a while. He said I had a slight pouching on one side and it was not so bad. He took out 1cc and I'm on full liquids for 3 days. I think I'll go down in 6-8 weeks and have it rechecked to see if the inflammation has gone down. I'm so glad I went to have fluid removed. I want to start eating again.. the slider foods suck!!!

GUESS WHAT, GUESS WHAT, GUESS WHAT.........

100 POUNDS GONE!!!! WOOHOO

Scale: 138

This is a good and happy week.

Carrie, I saw that you put a turkey burger recipe on here. That looks so good. I plan on making them sometime this weekend, probably Saturday night. Yum..

Hugs,

Kristi

Congrats to all the losers this week!

Wow Kristi!! So so happy for you.. congrats!!!

I weighed today and still have the same loss as Sat which I'm glad. My band was soo tight last week. this week is much better. I'm down 3 pounds. Way to go everyone. Have a great week

Denise you look amazing!

I'm down almost 4 pounds this week. I couldnt weigh in on Wed. I guess its been a little stressful and its "that time of the month" for me but I made sure I could get my protein in first. I can feel the band tightening up pretty quick this week. Today feels much better and its loosening up.

Have a good week.

With the holidays... I was not losing but I was nibbling on everything. My wt was hovering around 179 - 180. at the start of the new year. I dusted off the treadmill and feel great. I'm down to 177.2 today. Love my band!

Thank you All! It is weird now that I am actually liking taking pictures again and liking seeing myself in them as well. For so long I was unhappy with my appearance that I was usually the one taking the pics, not being in them. Although I do love photography and I take a lot of pictures for others, I find myself just as happy being in them again.

Ashley, Looking forward to see a new updated pic of you. With only 17 to go, you are doing great.

Shelby, As soon as you get your little black dress, put up pics, I know you will look amazing.

Wormbutterfly, I am sure you will be sharing photos soon enough. The pic you have up is great. Love the boots.

Debbie, The change in your pics is awesome. Way to go.

Lisa, a few of my friends said that he looked the same. He has been at the gym too working out.

Mamabear, thank you.

Diana, I got my glasses at WalMart a year ago in September. It was the first time I decided to go with more updated fashionable type frames. I usually went with cheap plain ones.

Laura, Looking forward to see your new pics.

Hugs to all,

Kristi

Thanks Kristi... I still am the one taking the pics. Soon though I'll be in them

woooo! awesome. I was just thinking of my experience the other day and remembered how as he counted down all I could think of was needing to scratch my arm that was tied down. Then I was out! Your journey is beginning!!

Congrats and have a safe trip home

laura

I was surprised because I'd never heard this before, but when I had my fill at OCC this week, Dr. SO said now that I'm more than a year out, I can drink up to 5 minutes before eating and ony have to wait half an hour after to drink again. It's going to be a lot easier to get in more water this way.

By the way, my check-up was perfect! The port, band, pouch, it was all perfect! He was very impressed with my results saying that most people lose 50-60% of their excess weight in the first year (if you have 100 to lose, expect 50 or 60) and that my loss was above-average and I should be proud. I don't hear this from anyone outside this forum (hubby is still bitter about the whole thing) so it made me feel really good.

He also kept saying how the band has now done it's job and the rest would be up to me...that I'd need to be more responsible for my choices the rest of my life and not depend on the band so much anymore. That really stuck and I feel like I"m being more accountable these past few days. I also had two plastic surgey consults and will post more on that in the ps forum.

Sabrina:)

Fantastic Sabrina. I love Dr So. I remember asking him about drinking through straws to and if it was a no no.. he said he had never heard of that before. So glad everything is going well and your trip was good. The weather was not so bad either.

Laura

HOT! love it Kristi... work that dress!!

laura

Amen to that!

Great question...

Mine would have to be slight tightness or burping. I know I have to slow down or stop.

laura

Looking awesome! cant wait to hear how your trip to TJ went!

laura

You guys both did and are doing great! I could not wait to leave either. Always when in doubt.. call the OCC.

Have fun!

Laura

Geesh this is a tough month. I'm down .4 but given that its my TOM.. I'm okay with that. Too many yummy slider foods at my house right now... so I gave 1/2 a tray to my husband to take to work. Had to get it out of here.

Have a good week everyone.

my 2 cents... and yes I'm stirring the pot. I dont see any difference in Lindsays way of posting to that of Pammies all caps. I know Pammie means no harm, just as Lindsay but all caps implys shouting. * sorry for stirring *

Laura

The more weight you have to lose, the more you'll drop at the beginning .. it's a major shock to your body - all of a sudden, your caloric intake has been reduced by up to 85%!

As your weight drops, your weight loss will stall. This is very typical.

Your metabolic rate will get sluggish .. your body is trying to level itself out.

At this point, I suggest really changing things up - starting from your diet, continuing to your fitness routine.

Here's a basic, but informative link on 5 ways to break a weight loss plateau

Great link Lindsay.... I love the calculator too.. Keeps the daily burn in perspective.

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2005/12/26/how_to_calculate_your_daily_calorie_needs.php

Nice job everyone!

I'm down another pound again from last week. Now 178.6. Gone 180's!