JazzyJude

Yep...me too! So, I am wondering if I am going to get some this year? If so, I am going to cry! I still have (3) one-pound gift certs for See's and (1) two-pound gift cert as well. sigh...!!

Julie - my favorite at Xmas time are the Mint Mallows...oh! and just could die for the Butterscotch Squares that tastes like Penuchi!!! OH, I am so drooling right now...better than PBing or sliming!!! LOL

Carla ~ let me be the first to congrats you and WELCOME to Bandland! YAY! Yes, it is normal after surgery to have these gas and burping. Remember, to SIP, SIP, SIP and WALK, WALK, WALK ~ do several mini walks! Take Gas X strips, 2 at a time is what I did. Also, when drinking don't inhale through the mouth. Close your mouth over the water bottle mouth or straw and just inhale and exhale from your nose. This will elimate excess air in your body, which can cause burping. Move your arms too to jiggle the gas bubbles around and continue walking as much as you can. WTG and keep us posted on your journey!

Hi everyone ~ I saw this plea on the shoutbox from a new person, staged name "Cannon" and by her profile, her name is Colleen. She is new to this forum and she needs input please. I thought I'd help her with this posting, as she may not know how. Here is what she said on the shoutbox: "Today is my first day on this site. I am really looking for some motivation and support. I got banned 4/5/2007 at 239.5 pounds. I now weigh 179. I am so happy that I lost 60 pounds, however there are days that I feel like I have lost NOTHING." First off Colleen, congrats on losing the weight thus far! That is AWESOME! To help us out, what have you been doing so far? How many fills have you have and when was the last one? Can you share for us to give you some feedback?

Hi Pam! Everything is dollars and it helps a lot to have exact. We bring lots of one's and five's. Everyone really speaks English, if not broken English. What we did was show the taxi driver OCC's business card and he knew where to go with no problem. Walking over the and taking a cab is definitely another alternative for sure. I wouldn't advise driving in TJ ~ to hectic and congested and lots of construction going on. They have several roads blocked and if you don't know where you are going, it is NOT going to be a easy ride. My hubby and I are going on Sat, Dec 20 for my 2nd fill and thinking this time to park even closer and park on the street near by a Jack in the Box, and walk the bridge over and then take a taxi to OCC, which they have a constant line of taxis ready for any takers.

That is good! Glad to see it worked and continuing on your weight success!! Good going to 'kick start' yourself. I've started to do just that the first of every month to 'trick' my body...it works for me too! Keep us posted to let us know how you are fairing!

Sweetheart ~ You just made my day! I, too, am a chocaholic and yes, who other than See's, makes the best mouth-watering, scrumpious, decadence! No one in my books! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! You did an amazing thing for yourself. You are so focused on your committment to lose weight and you did it, you surpass the ultimate chocolate test! YAY! WTG!

Awesome Mona...that is great, but by you not eating too much would have me concern. Shouldn't you be on more solid foods to get in the nutrients you need by now? Last I knew you were on liquids due to your Thanksgiving issues and since I don't know what liquids you were doing, I worry for you...

Hi ~ I live in San Diego, 20 minutes from the border. We don't drive IN Tj at all. We find it is MUCH easier time-wise to drive to the border's Park and Ride parking lot and take the red Mexicoach bus ($6 roundtrip ticket, per person) to the bus station and from there take the taxi ($5 one way, for both hubby and I) to OCC. NOTE: At this point, the taxi driver gave us his business card and he said he would come and get us to take us back to the bus station, which we did! AWESOME idea!). After the fill, we called the taxi driver and he was there at OCC within a few minutes and took us to the bus station. We tipped him as he was very respondent. Waited just a few minutes more for the Mexicoach bus to board and off we went to back to the border, dropped us off at the door to Customs to be cleared (used our Passports for quicker service). In the meantime, the Mexicoach cleared through the border and met us on the other side of Customs (US side) and took us back to the Park and Ride parking lot, which we paid $8 for 4 hours (went shopping as well). Hope this helps you!

Are you taking in your proper dose of vitamins, water and protein intake? Someone else had this issued and explained if you don't keep up with the daily requirements of vitamins, supplements and water, your body lacks and suffers...

EVERY PERSON'S BODY IS DIFFERENT...remember this always. If you look at some of the people's signature page, some lose a lot and some don't. It really depends on YOU. How you really stick with the preop and post op program is important. This is by no means an "easy way out" of dieting. How serious are you willing to lose your weight loss? The band is a tool and it helps us to choose wisely on quality foods to eat with our food guideline portions I've mentioned above. So, what's the rush? It took you how long to gain the weight you increased? Give the band a chance. TRUST ME...if you devote and commit your time and energy to this lapband process, you will have a successful weight loss. You are going to have a new lifestyle change for the rest of your life. Think progressive. It's no different in thought pattern as a brand new baby born on day 1 and starts to walk on day 21...not possible, but learning and practicing can teach your quicker to walk. This is the same principal to your weight loss. Take the time to retrain your body and mind about good choices of food and habits about food, exercises and goals. You are all going to have an amazing ride on YOUR journey ~ and all different too! Good Luck!

Ok, you can find a lot of great information on Dr. Ortiz's site...here's a better explanation of PBing/sliming: A common occurrence for banded patients is regurgitation of non-acidic swallowed food from the upper pouch, commonly known as PB'ing (Productive Burping). This is not to be considered normal. The patient should consider eating less, eating more slowly, or chewing their food more thoroughly. Occasionally, the narrow passage into the larger / lower part of the stomach may become blocked by a large portion of unchewed or unsuitable foodstuff. A single episode of regurgitation can be caused by: • To large of a bite • Swallowing a second bite too soon • Eating too fast • Not chewing thoroughly • Eating too much When regurgitation is frequent or even a daily event: • Your band may be too tight • You may have a swollen stomach due to food dislodged or repetitive vomiting • You may be frequently displaying the behaviors listed above

I am having my 2nd fill on Sat, Dec 20 at 10am...hope to see anyone there!

Hi Christy, PB means "productive burping" and "slime" is when food gets stuck. This happens when you don't cut your food into small bite size (like a dime size) and/or you eat and /or swallow too fast. The key to this is prepare your food ahead of time and take the time to properly portion your foods by using a measuring cup. You should be having 2-3 oz of meat, 1/4 cup veggie/fruit, 1/4 cup of grain, 3 times a day and no more than 1200 calories a day. If you are doing hard core exercises, than up your calories to 1500 calories. Take the time to eat but no more than 20 minutes. Do not eat in front of the TV either. Rather, take a small plate, like a dessert/sandwich size, and place your food according and eat your food according too...ALWAYS proteins first, then veggie/fruit and then grain (rice or potatoes). This way you would for sure get your proteins intake right away. At surgery, your band in empty and therefore you have no restriction. It starts to happen when you get your fills and if you have your surgery at OCC, about 6 weeks out post op. It's a progressive restriction as you go. Every person's body is different. Your first fill may given you some restriction where for another person it may not. Normally you wouldn't start to feel restrictive until your 2nd or 3rd fill. Good Luck!

For the soups, I drank no more than 1/2 cup at a time, as often as I wanted during the creamy soup stage, along with drinking the 8 glasses of water you should be having. Now, I had a hard time drinking all of my water because I was always full and that is ok. Not every person's body is the same. just get it in as much as you can while you are healing and resting. Also, remember, that you have NO fill in your band and therefore have no restriction. You are totally bloated from the surgery. Just get into the practice of no more than 3/4 cup of food/soups at a time when you start on solids. Right now, learn to SIP, SIP, SIP and WALK, WALK, WALK... Hang in there babe...you are going to do just fine!!

I agree with Taz and your portion size should be the following: 2-3 oz of meat, 1/4 cup of veggie/fruit, 1/4 cup grain per sitting, 3 times a day and no more than 1200 calories a day and if you do hard core exercses, increase your calories to 1500. You should not eat more than 3/4 cup of food at your meal times. Hope this helps you...

Hi Kim...no problem babe! It sounds good to me but not sure why you are taking Tylenol?

Alright Kristy - WELCOME to Bandland!!! You made it! So glad for you and you are really in for a great ride from here on out! As MInday says, we're here for you! ((HUGS!))

GREAT!!

Although in my non-medical opinion, as I am not a doctor, you still have gas bubbles in your system. It seems, for you, it will take a few more days before it all goes away. Do some arm stretches and do several mini walks as well...in time, they will disappear. As for the liquid stage, you should be drink broth, not the creamy soups either. I had beef broth and towards the end of my 7 day, I was docking it up with tobasco hot sauce! LOL it was just too bland for me. I also had the broth of mexican tortilla soup, chinese wor wonton or hot and sour, and Miso. But I didn't strained any canned soups at all...didn't want to take the chance of having any 'chunks'. But what you ate so far is ok...just remember runny clear liquids until you reach day 8 for the creamy soups! Also, don't forget, starting day 4, and your surgery day counts as day 1, you can have those wonderful tasting drinkable yogurts!

WELCOME Kim! Take them NOW! I used them before and after surgery and it helps. I have both the chewable Fiber Choice (Weight Managment in Strawberry flavor) and either the chewable Benefiber (Orange Creme flavor) and/or the unflavored Benefiber powder to mix in my liquids. For the gas bubbles in your system right now, I've used Gas X strips and took 2 strips at a time. VERY helpful and WALK, WALK, WALK several mini walks a day. Don't sit for too long a period as well. Hope this helps!

Thanks Lisa for sharing this!

If you are concern, contact the dr. You shouldn't be doing any heavy duty activities at this point but to relax and rest your body and band. You just had major surgery and your body is rebelling with this new change. You NEED to make time to rest and heal properly. Is there a way to work around your physical activities for the short while? You want to progress with getting your strength back and physical activities, as well as eating.

Amanda ~ awesome journal! I was reminicsing while reading through your stories. Thanks for sharing! Job well done and hope you may inspire a few readers out there to may need this opportunity and become bandmates.Glad to see you are doing well...and yes, we are still here and please, keep in touch and let us know how you are doing with your weight loss...WTG and Good Luck!

Congrats to you Courtney and WELCOME! AWESOME JOB and you must share how you've done with your weight loss...inquiring minds wants to know for sure!!! I was banded in Oct 08, and the oldest bandsters I know right now are either KatyG or lisal, which they were banded 2 years ago. I don't think you would feel any different as when you had your fill then and what you will have next week ~ a fill is a fill, as long as your band is fine. At OCC, we have a good guideline to follow: 3 oz of meat, 1/4 cup of veggie/fruit, and 1/4 cup grain per sitting and no more than 1200 calories per day. As long as you follow this with a exercise routine, you should reach your goal in no time. WTG Courtey and Good Luck!