AngieB

Shelby - restriction is so touchy. A bit to much you can get into trouble, not enough and you can see what is just beyond your restriction level. That is why I want to have an open line of communication this time if/when I go in for a fill. I don't want to get all I can get, this one will be more like....let's dial it in. A little bit will do ya! Is the lady who gave you your last fill the normal gal you see when you have your fills? Or do they rotate people. At the hospital I go to between the surgeons and the PA's you don't know who you will have. Each person has there own eye on the barium so to speak. Anyway, do you think you will schedule your self for an additional fill...? I know you were quick to act when you had super duper stress over you brothers accident. So you know all to well how being to tight can feel. Speaking of...how is that brother of yours? Back to 100% or close? I can only imagine how good it must be to have him back! When I first felt the tightning during the first couple of days with my TOM it was really an eye opener. I had always heard talk of the tighter feeling, but had not experienced it myself. I got use to it quickly and then poof it was gone again. I have not had an over filled experience, and hope I don't. Anyway, it's nice in a not nice way to know I am not in this boat alone!

Okay I am a slight gain this week.....229.9 eeeeck. LOL I have not been walking or eating the greatest so ya get what ya give!

My go to breakfast items. 1. Protein shake made with water, 1/2 banana, and frozen berries - I add my flax seed oil to this. 2. Oatmeal 3. Protein bar 4. greek yogurt with berries. 5. a slice of deli ham rolled up. Hope this helps. These are super simple for me.

Awesome news! I am doing a happy dance for her. I love my band and love my life! I am sure she will too! Yippee!

Hi Sabrina. I have scheduled my 6th fill for the first part of April. I think I may have fillitous.....you know the fill illness. Ha! Right now, I have good restriction. My portions are reasonable and life is good. With my last fill, the adjustment was harsh for me. Ya know the new reality of what your new portions are. It took me a hard minute to adjust and even considered a slight de-fill. After a 1 1/2 months I slipped into my new reality. The hardest part for me with the last fill was I got it inbetween the holidays of Thanksgiving & Christmas. So it really limited me on the holiday foods. So I was full statified, but not mentally satisfied....hump! I am such a hard nut. It was a real eye opener for me to see how mentally dissappointed I was.....there are so many foods for the holiday and I had a snitch of each. Was not able to over eat what so ever. A taste of each food was wonderful, but a tease as well.... So back to what I was saying, my thinking is this.....even though my portions are in check. I'd like to go in for a fill bump of maybe .1 or .2 cc's. I know it is a small fill, but a titch is what I want now cuz I am already at a good restriction. I can eat all 3 meals. Ultimately, where I would like to see myself is drinking my breakfast. Right now I have thick oatmeal, yogurt, granola, protein bar or a shake. When I had just had my 5th fill in December, I remember feeling the TOM snugness and that was an eye opener too. I actually thought it was nice to have a couple days where I could feel the restriction with drinking first thing in the morning. I also miss that restriction if or when I got up in the middle of the night to snack....that I was not able to. (forced behavior modification) Now, that is gone as well. I don't night eat nearly like I use to but on occassion I still find the pantry....know what I mean? I know everyone has a level of fill they like to operate with. To some, I am sure I sound certifiable when they read this, to others they may be shaking there heads in agreement. We are all different. I do have some concerns about getting to tight, as it is a reality. After all this fill talk, I mostly want to say thank you for being so open about your fill level and eating ups and downs. It really helps to lay out what restriction can be. I love my band! Love it! It has been an awesome partnership. I am glad the band can not fire me, cuz let me tell ya, sometimes, I think it does more work that I do....sad....I am learning and working out the bugs so to speak with my eating habits and thoughts. Getting the band was easy, changing the inside is HARD for this chicky! Oh, I was gonna say I know how it is to go back and forth...it's like I have a good angel ba(n)d angel on my shoulders. Some days I feel like leave the fill alone and live life. Don't gamble and risk being to tight. Other days I lean the opposite. I can eat anything....nuts, broccoli, bread, ect. All in a reasonable portion but I have a small list of NO NO foods. Which re-heated shrimp left overs is one.....no go. Over all I have a great selection of foods I can eat. I am not a gambler, so this decision has been a flip flop for me which SUCKS!!!! I guess that is why I made my fill apt for a month away....

I spoke to Mrs. Carrie this morning. She is doing really well and sounds good too! She is at home and resting. Tony is taking good care of her and has been wonderful. Oh and she is glad to have a pain pump! Yay! Carrie!!!

Oh my goodness you do give me a good chuckle! I was so hopeful my first fill would do the trick. What it did was give me a taste, with in a week.....it was gone. It was the start of my touring with the band. My second fill much the same way, high hopes, then reality. Again, I was learning. I felt restriction and bathed in the glory for a minute...okay another week. My third fill.....a bit of a tease, but this time, it lasted a week longer! Two weeks of bliss! Whaa-hoo! Okay so 4th fill....restriction that stayed! Then faded back but still I was restrcited!!! Oh baby! Then 5th fill comes along....wapped me up side the head with a two by four....but you already knew that cuz we chat. Ha! For everyone else, I got the restriction I was yearning for only to find it was a lot more than I had bargained for.....Reality is different once you are given what you desire. So this was the heavy learning curve....I SERIOUSLY contimplated a small unfill.....Was I to tight you ask.....for me....yes. No, I was not to tight for healths sake, no ill side affects....it was me having a hard time with my new portions. Now I say I think I have fill illness......what I mean is I am thinking I am ready to gamble. Gamble with my fill level. Why.....I've adjusted and would like to take it to the next level. Where do I want to be.....let me share with you.....I'd like to be so restricted that I drink my breakfast, have a small lunch, and a decent dinner. Will I get what I am hoping for....??? This is the question. Who knows. There is not a fill science. No perfect fill level. Each of us are so different. Will I risk being a titch to tight.....YES....Why.....simple fill greed or illness. It is a fine balance and once you have a good level of restriction, which I do. It only takes a tiny bit to make or break the fill. So, I have made a fill apt for myself in April. I hope to get what I want, and hessitate to think I may find I GOT IT AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. Okay, so now that I have written a novel.....I will close with I am with ya, fills and restriction are hard to wrap your head around. ((HUGS)) Angie So....what my lesson has been with all my fills is this. I love my body and my band. Waiting is the hardest part, for sure. My body seems to be a bit more sensitive...why....for petes sake, I have no idea. All I know is this, looking back.....hind sight being 20/20 I can see how my body has learned it's new rules. Hard set habits and behaviors broken....

I spoke with Carrie yesterday, and she was so busy wrapping "things" up at work that she had no nerves yet! Blessing....I think so! Ha! She thought she would be out of surgery by 1:30 is and in recovery for a few hours. Thought I would get you all a time line! I can not wait to hear from her!

Awesome!!! I am so excited for you Debbie!

I use raw shea butter. I love it. But it is not for most people. It is pretty greasy and takes a while to soak in. But that is what I have used all winter and have not had any dry skin that comes with the winter.

Hello everyone! I have had a go with depression this week....so I comforted myself with FOOD. I am the same weight as last week and will keep on plugging on. 229.8

I am happy to hear that the recordings will be available on line. I am in the central time zone and often our day begins at 5 am. So we are early to bed peeps and I couldn't say up late to make it.....(does that offically make me old...? Ha!)

b - coffee with FF creamer smoothie Greek yogurt water 52 oz L - 1/2 black bean patty greek yogurt water 20 oz

We are all different, but this is what I do. When I go in for a fill, I do not eat that day. If I do I have a shake. I drink as much as I want, which is alot because I drink over 70 oz a day easy. I cut off my water intake about an hour before my apt so I don't have to pee. LOL Cuz girl when you drink that much water....ya gotta go like a pregnant lady! If you are dehydrated for your fill, chances are you will get a tighter fill rather that a looser fill. IMHO. Your cells hold water, so when they are hydrated your tissue is bigger. Dehydrated....the tissue is smaller or shrunk. That is how I understand it anyway. Kinda kidding and kinda not, I wish I had not drank at all before my first fill.....ha!

Debbie you look AMAZING!!! I am soo thrilled for you and it has been awesome watching you along the way! Congrats on your success! It looks fantastic on you!!!!

Cindy!! That is so exciting! When I see your posts, I take note of your baby date too! LOL Having lots of fun trying! Oh and I sent you a ton of baby dust!

Okay here is my opinion. Keep you fill apt. Sounds like you may need to focus on chewing and slowing down when you are eating your meal. Cut your food into small pieces, this helps me. Also put your fork or spoon down. Chew chew chew. Get use to chewing. I think you are intune with your body, so when you say you don't think you are chewing enough, I think you are hitting the nail on the head. Here are a few questions I would have. Are you eating a cup of food before you are full? If you are eating more than a cup, I say filler her up. Get some restriction. The chest pain is most likely a stuck piece of food. When you get that stuck feeling are you slimming? (having spit well up in your mouth?) Congrats on being a bandster!!!!! YAY!

Hi Kim - Sounds tight to me. BUT we are all different. It really depends on you. If you are able to mentally adjust and wrap your mind around the new restriction reality then cool. If not, be careful. You may start eating slider foods and what not. Personally I believe if you are productive burping daily, you need an unfill. That being said, I beleive in an adjustment time after a fill. What I mean is personally I think it is alright to PB for a weekish after a fill. You know, getting use to it and all. Now, it sounds to me like you need to focus on your chewing. I cut my food into small pieces. When I say small, if it is beef I would say no larger than the tip of my finger, not past the nail....if that makes sense. So small pieces to begin with. Chew chew chew darlin! Let us know what you decide to do. Oh and I would also be interested to know how tight you are in the morning....can you eat or drink anything in the morning? Where I am at now, I can eat B,L & D. Good to see you post Kim.

Hey Jill! Yeah - I guess I talk about the strangest stuff! LOL Including the stinky! I really think it's cuz I have one still in diapers. Poop is a subject of converstation Ha! I have not been constipated until better restrcition. Less food = less poop. Then it went from less to HARD!! Constipation is no joke. It was so so very uncomfortable. My lower back hurt, and my lower belly was tender, and bloated. Something had to give so I went large! ha! So glad I did. Now I am reading and learning about colon health. Boy oh boy is it ever interesting! I just may become a colon educated gal yet! Ha! Beware....I may be sharing the love by sharing the info!!! I think you are swell to Jill. I really dig the peeps on this forum. ((HUGS))

Diana - ya I am tell all say most all dork. Hee hee!

Oh....I wanted to mention that the day after the colonic, I was gassy. Not terrible like I was not tooting all the time. But I will say they were smelly.....ha!