Band is working now!

Sorry I've been absent for a while again. Work is nuts and I'm having back pain, so after working on a computer for 8 hrs a day, I've been avoiding it at night. I'll read posts today and try to catch up with everyone.

I had band on 12/15 and it really did almost NOTHING. I could eat anything I wanted UNTIL last Wed. I had my 4th fill and it was the magic one. Now, if I overeat, I get TERRIBLE chest pain, fluid backing up in my mouth. I want to puke, but can't. I have tears streaming down my face. It lasts about 10 min and I have to just stay calm and do deep breaths and then I'm eventually fine. So this is what is SUPPOSED to happen with a band. I'm happy. I've not lost significant weight since surgery, but I'll bet I do now!!!

The only problem is that this reaction is somewhat unpredictable. It would be good if it happened after a certain volume or type of food, but yesterday I hadn't eaten in 4 hrs and went to a restaurant for lunch and ordered scallops, salad and mashed potatoes. It happened on my 6th tiny bite. BUMMER. I was by myself, so I went to the bathroom until the pain was under control and I came back and put the rest of my meal in a container and ate some of it later. So I'm just now learning how to work with my band. I'm feeling hopeful.

I'm still riding the recumbent bike and added some hand weights. PT says to get a big ball and do some sitting exercises on it for my core. I'll order one today.

This journey to health is not an easy one and it's not without setbacks, but I'm not giving up on myself this time. I'll do whatever is the next thing to do until I have success. I'm starting to fit into seatbelts better and walk more easily. Go me. GO US!

We've missed you, Sweetie!

All I can say is try to slow down. Restaurant eating was dicey for me for the first 6 months after my RNY.

Pattie, thanks for the  post about ricotta cheese in a custard cup instead of pasta. I've got to do some serious protein eating now since I can't eat anything and everything. I love how one person's string of posts has answers for the rest of us.

Yes, I need to slow down and eat MINDFULLY.

That ricotta thing is so, so good. I think I'm putting it on the menu for this week.

I tried making it with cottage cheese and it didn't work.

I've been making a crustless quiche with cottage cheese and that is what I am eating for dinner most days because it has a lot of protein and goes down pretty easily. Now I will have to check the ricotta in a custard cup!

I sure have missed you.. I was wondering how you were doing.. I am glad you are back.. come see us more often...even if just to say hi I'm doing good..

Glad to hear the last fill is working.. the reaction you are having may not be the tummy getting full.. it may be that you are not chewing the food fine enough and it is like with us RNY'ers and it is getting stuck trying to pass into the belly.. I would think if it was a signal that you were full then you should be able to find a pattern as to how much to eat.. did they tell you a set amount to eat.. we can only have 2oz to start and then go to 4 oz and I think later that increases again to 6oz but I ma not there yet.. I would also note the type of food you are eating.. keep a journal and write down what you are eating.. you may find a pattern there too.. it may be one or two certain foods that you can't do right now.. but if you cant find a pattern at all you might then want to call your surgeons office and find out if that is normal.. it may be the fill was too much.. yes you will loose weight that way but you need to be able to eat the foods that give you the protein and substance you need..

Glad to hear you are still riding the bike.. and I need to add hand weight too.. I am getting lots of loose skin under the bicep so when I wave to someone it waves too.. lol.. I have one of the big balls and I bought a dvd to work out to with it.. they are nice.. be careful till you get used to it.. when I first got the ball without the workout dvd I didn't do too much on it.. but now I do..

I am sure you are going to do fine.. I am excited for you that you are going to make this work no matter what.. that's determination and that's what you need...


huggs..

Hey, Teresa. The PT told me to use the ball near a chair or table at first so I don't fall off. I have a page of exercises from her that look pretty easy. I'm not sure what I'm doing with the hand weights but I showed her and she didn't fall down laughing or anything.

The post band diet is 2 oz of meat, or other protein, 1 oz of veggies and 1 oz of fruit 3 times a day with no snacks. I called back to ask about milk for calcium and they said you could have it if you really wanted it up to 2 c of skim milk a day. This tiny amount of food has been seeming ridiculous to me prior to Wed because I had very little restriction. They put in 1 cc at a time every 2 weeks and I could eat anything and everything. HOWEVER, all this changed on Wed, so now I'm going to have to follow the recommendations. 

I'm not anti-band. The surgery was easy and so are the fills. I was just surprised that it took 10 wks to get restriction. I went from almost no feeling of restriction to GOOD restriction with one fill.
I've only lost a few lbs since surgery, but at least I didn't gain. I was careful.

You guys are no doubt right about me not chewing properly. I was doing it faithfully at first, but I was able to "cheat" for so long that bad habits crept back in. I'm really pleased this weekend at how little hunger I have. I need to force myself to DRINK as it just seems best to NOT consume anything most of the time.

I'm off to do some chores. House is messier than usual. Glad you guys are still around.

Rhonda  

I started out with the ball up against the couch for a long time.. now I finally have my core muscles so that I can balance out in the middle of the floor but that dont mean I dont crash and burn sometimes doing some of the exercises.. lol...

 It sounds like you are doing everything all right.. I am so happy for you that the restriction is started.. the weight will start to come off now.. Kudos for not gaining when the restriction wasnt there..  CHew CHew CHew.. times of sliding things by seem to be gone.  maybe that is what the pains are..

I am sure you are doing the hand weights ok as long as you dont hurt yourself.. I went to a health spa a few years back and they showed me how to use hand weights.. no big rocket science though.. I sit in the floor and do curls with my arm resting over  the ball..  I put one knee on a chair and get in position like I would be if on all fours. then I lift the weights from a bended elbow to a straight arm backwards.. these two simple things work front and back of arms.. you can also stand and do curls with both arms at the same time as if you were lifting a weight bar.. such easy things to help with toning.. I just really need to start doing them.. I did real good for  about a week then I just let it stop and concentrated on aerobics and such to get the weight off but I need to tone too and get the muscles active in the arms..

make sure you try to get your fluids in.. to prevent dehydration.. it is important. 

well you keep in touch.. so glad you posted.. I care about ya..

huggs..

RubyEllen, I LOVE this:

"This journey to health is not an easy one and it's not without setbacks, but I'm not giving up on myself this time. I'll do whatever is the next thing to do until I have success."

Awesome words!!  Your determination is coming through loud and clear.  I love it! 

I'm glad you've found your restriction... hopefully the details on how to work with the tool the most successfully will become clearer as you go on.  Each day it feels like I learn something new about my tool and I'm over 3 months out now! 

Thanks, Michelle. Hope your week goes well.