7/1 [227.4]
I had some reflux last night, mild.  Today I started with one hot cup of tea, followed by 3oz tofu w/ teriyaki sauce. Tofu going down ok, no esophagus issues, i have to eat slooowly, peasized bites, and stop between bites. Then I ate 3/4 of a chicken breast patty burger w/mayo and tomato, I had some pressure, no stuck though.  Some avocado. drank 1.5cups of water in 5 minutes then experienced some mild reflux.  Very little reflux at night, but had es. spasms on off thru night.
7/2 [225.8]
1 bite grilled chz sndwch, 4 bites hawai pizza, 8 oz tofu, some esophspasms, minor. no pb, pressure. 1 shake 16gCrb,42gProt(nostuck);.5slWhlGrnBrd(smlstuck);1/10limepie320C(nost); 4bitSpnshRice(stuck,ate2fast,2much,some esophspsms);8ozChzRavioli(ateslow,small stuck); DrankwaterimmedQmeal, no reflux. h2030-35qmealnoreflx; reflux 15minq drink water. No night reflux (pasta right before bed 1.5hrs).
Exercise:24minStatBike:4.5mi,130Cal;10minHandBike:2.2mi,80Cal) Definite esophag spasms during exercise.
7/3 [225.4=48.8%]
Sip 1.5c water in am slowly, no reflux.  NoNoticbl esoph issue during exercz. No issues w/ 2cup water. 1/4sirloinburgrw/bread, slight stuck when ate too big bite, too fast.  5oz chz ravioli, need to go slow.
7/4 [225.4=48.4%]
1/2c.Protcereal,stuck hard!(ate2much,2fast). I drank H20 1hr after and it was slooowly going down. Restriction! I guess I swelled up! A few hours after I ate one egg and 1 sl. whlgrnbread with egg salad and went ok.  July4th party, I ate 2 mici, 1/2cup mashed potato, 35chips w/salsa all slid down like a dream!! No reflux.
7/5 [226.8=49%]
Well all the meat I ate last night is still in my body, so I gained weight.  Made the huge mistake of trying a choc donut, ate fast, ate big got massively stuck for at least 40 minutes.  1cup cream soup went down ok. Water going down very slow 1 hr later.  Plenty of esoph spasms.  Tried chips and avocado like yesterday, they went down, but with esoph spasm feeling.  Tried tofu and meat, no go. Choc brwni went fine. lol  I was craving choc like crazy i guess without realizing it.  I'll have to go buy some 83%coco squares. No reflux.
7/7 [227.5]doc office
I went to get an unfill, and guess what? I had 8cc's in there!!!  I was only supposed to have 6cc's! NO WONDER I've been having so many issues!  I was able to eat normally the rest of the day.  I can't believe how great it is not to be scared to eat.  Not to wonder if I should just have soup.  I ate one crab cake, some mashed potatoes, and clam chowder and was full.  Comfortably satiated.  It is soooo wonderful!
7/9 [226.8=49.5%]
30minbike,10minhandbike,15minelliptical
I can eat again.  Glory be!  I'll start logging into FitDay and see if I can start losing weight.  Planning on going to the gym daily, woohoooo!
7/10 [228=48%]
I need to work on drinking water.  I can't believe I gained yesterday after eating so cleanly and exercising.  I logged it into Fitday.
7/11 [227.4=48.6%]
7/12[226.4=47.3%]  Ate one scrambled egg fast, no stuck, but did feel some pressure.  Trying to eat one cup of cottage cheese, but I felt too full so I only ate 2/3 of it.
7/13 [229gym] 20minHandBike/20minElliptical:  I'm definitely overeating, but it feels sooooo good to be able to eat!!!  I'll wait until after my next period to get a fill.  I'll have to start watching what I eat.7/18 [228?/47.4%?] I'm going to LA WeightLoss to see what I have on account there.  They owe me a bunch of items and services, so I might as well use them.
7/22 [225.8LaWeightloss(lost 4? in first two days)]
I was overfilled for two months, and PB'd and got stuck constantly.  Had one unfill and it wasn't enough, at TOM I get so tight I should do only liquids.  Had another unfill.  This time he told me I had 3cc over what I was charted to have had after the unfill.  My weight went down at the rate of 1.5 pounds a week while I was too tight.  I can't do that for the rest of my life! So he gave me an unfill of .5cc.  Now I have no restriction, and can finally eat scrambled eggs, salmon, and chicken again!  Woohoo! On the other hand I can eat about 1.5-2cups of food.  4-5oz protein, a cup of veggies, and small bit of carbs. 
Compared to how I was eating before I feel like I'm overeating.  I still want to lose weight, but am afraid of being afraid to eat again. I didn't even realize I was getting scared to eat.  I feel so good now, no PB's, very rare stuckage, but do eat more than 1/2cup.
I rejoined LA Weightloss and all the food they're having me eat is crazy!  I have to eat like 6 small meals to fit it all in.  I have no idea how I can lose weight eating so much!  But!  I'm L O V I N G being able to eat a small meal, feel satisfied, and feel happy. I never thought I'd be so happy to eat salad!  Am I doing the right thing or should I tighten up the band and have the benefits of restriction as well as more PB's, and stuckages? I'll find out if I end up gaining weight.
7/31[224.4la]
Doing very well following the LA plan.  It's hard to eat all the food, especially since I start eating only about 11-12pm.  Very minor heartburn if I eat too much, I'm still trying to figure out portion sizes.

2/1 [249.8]
***LowerBody/20min bike***I'm feeling this really weird feeling in the back of my throat like there's food there. If I lay down, it feels like I have food coming up. It's really weird. And sometimes I have this weird fluttery feeling between my chest and my throat. I wonder if it's stress? or esophageal spasms? It's very disconcerting.
2/2
***Cardio 45min***Well when I finally went to bed to try to sleep, I found out that if I laid on my right I could barely feel the problem. I think I overate? yesterday? I decided my one cheat of the week would be chocolate, so I had a handful of raisinets. Maybe they clogged something up? I dunno, so I'm going to do a couple days of liquids to see if the problem clears up.
2/3 [248]
I did almost all liquids all day yesterday, the problem was a bit better until I had two peices of pork and some bbq sauce. I'm doing all liquids again today to see if it will get better. I haven't felt the free fall feeling quite as much and the lump in the throat feeling is like I wrote above. On the plus side I weighed 247? this morning.
2/4
***Upperbody/35min elliptical*** Well I went to bed last night with the same problem, but it has not happened this morning. I was able to eat eggs and toast and drink water without a problem.
2/6 [247.4]
***Lowerbody/60min elliptical***The feeling is slowly going away, I can eat 6 egg whites at a time scrambled with no problems. I don't have an appetite yet though, maybe it's a little bit of restriction kicking in from my last fill? I sure hope so!
2/7
***30min bike***Uggghhh! Why do I do this to myself. I forgot to watch portions and ate twice the carbs I usually do. I felt so miserable, I went to the gym and really felt nauseous and all tingly in the face but managed to do 30min of the bike :( I couldn't lay down cause it felt like my food was coming up, so I stayed up til 2am :(
2/8
***Upperbody/45min(3mi,600cal)elliptical***Well, now I know that if I overeat, I get the frog in my throat feeling for a whole day if not more. I've got to work on getting portion control working again. My right shoulder is hurting like crazy so I could only do chest and triceps. I felt awesome after the hard cardio session!
2/9 [246.4]
I find myself feeling pretty guilty if I miss my time at the gym, I never thought I'd see the day again! My knees still hurt, especially the left one. My weight was awesome today, wooohooo! I think it's because after the cardio session yesterday, I didn't eat chocolate or something like that, I ate 1oz cheese instead. GO ME!
2/10 [247.0]
***60min (4.25mi,715Cal)elliptical***The gym wasn't open after church yesterday so I went this morning first thing. It was a good workout.
2/11 [247]
**LowerBody/30min elliptical w/arms**** Throat feeling gone. Hunger back.
2/13 [245.4doc] ***Fill TWO***
Met a new doc today. He was so nice! The nurse did the novacaine thing which didn't hurt at ALL! She says she's way more gentle than the doc, and boy is that the truth! The new doc spent a long time explaining everything I already know from this site. I have a total of 5cc's in my band now. I asked him to put 3cc's in and then I felt this really weird pressure and water started coming up, so he put in only 2cc's and that sees perfect. I can swallow liquids ok, it seems like I should just go a bit slower than usual. Woohoo, I'm so ready to see what this fill will do. I know it probably won't do much, but I'm still excited. :)
2/14 [245.4]
We are doing the Valentines thing tomorrow. The second fill feels fine. I'll be doing liquids until 1, then on regular food. I might do mushies.
HOLY TOLEDO, restriction. I just PB'd a mushy spinach and artichoke dip. I had half a sandwich and almost PB'd, I was able to keep it in though. Wow, I have to learn how to eat now!!
2/18 [247]
***Upperbody(UB)15min/spinclass60min***... still PBing some. Hot liquids right before a meal makes a world of difference. I can eat anything, I just have to chew it well. I can't tell quantity-wise if I feel any difference. Haven't been back to the gym yet, I will go today, PROMISE myself.
2/19 [245]
***60minstatbike11.35mi***... On liquids mostly today except for some lemon chicken w/ veggies dinner. Spin class was crazy yesterday, my butt hurts so bad!
2/20 [244.2]
***60minute BootCamp class/plus Lower Body *** Mostly liquids, will try some chicken fajitas tonight. Chicken fajitas were da bomb, I was able to eat! Hurrrah
2/21 [244.4]
***DAY OFF***
2/22 [244.4]
***UB35min/Ellipt60min(4.3mi,730cal)***When I was on the elliptical today, I had about 20 minutes where my heartrate was at 161-165 and my breathing was effortless, and I was not tired at all, I felt like I was floating on a cloud. It was the best feeling ever, I was pedaling away not feeling what I was doing or that I was even breathing. It was SO COOL! l I'm able to eat without getting stuck as much now, but I think the TOM is over also.
2/25 [244.8]
***Ellipt60min(4mi,725cal)***I fit into OLD NAVY size 16 stretch jeans and non-stretch 18's. :)
2/26 [242.6]
***UB35min/Bike60min(10.25mi,429cal,lev10)***Pretty good workout!TOM finally here. Been browning for 3 days!
2/27 ***Day OFF*** cheat food at seminar
2/28 [244.6]
***LB30min/bike60min(12mi,430cal,lev10)***My fill is getting way better, or I'm learning how to eat better. I had scrambled eggs again this am and they're going down fine. Lasagna and bread no prob yesterday, on cheat day.

1000 cals
30-40g fat
20 or less carbs
70-80g protein
100-150 oz water

 1/28
 Well, maybe the 6 days of cardio and 3 days of weights are making a difference.  I weighed in at 249.8 today, broke the 250's barrier :)

1/20
    Helen (my RNY sister) forced me to go to the gym today :) I was really tired because we went out bowling last night. I ate a lot yesterday, so I'm really focused on getting in my water and protein today.
    We did upper body weights yesterday, then 30min of cardio. Today, we did 45min of cardio.

1/16
    I've belonged to a ton of gyms, had tapes at home, even had an XBox dance game to keep me motivated. The problem is motivation. I managed to go to the gym yesterday for the first time in over a year? (Been paying the whole time). What was the straw that broke the camel's back? I promised myself that if I go, I would NOT overdo it, I'd take it nice and slow and maaaybe break a sweat if I feel like it. So I went, I got on a stationary bike for 20 minutes, did a nice workout, not intense at all. Then I got on the elliptical (my fav machine) and did another 20 minutes. I did enough to bring my heartrate over 145, but that's it.
    I guess I've been avoiding the gym because every time I go, I exercise to the point of exhaustion, and I hate feeling so tired, and sweaty.Oh, and I'm sure it was water loss, but I weighed 2 pounds less this morning!!! :)

01/02
    Gosh, I haven't written for a while! I've been pretty much been able to eat 2/3 plate of food. I've snacked a LOT during the holiday and was pleasantly surprised to weigh in at 251.4 at the doc's office today.
    MY FIRST FILL was today!!! I was so happy to see that I'd weighed in at my all time low of 251! The Novocaine? shot hurt pretty bad I think, but then the fill didn't hurt at all. The doc tried to give me 4cc's but it didn't work, my water came back up. He then went down to 3cc's. Oh well... He again didn't talk much. Told me my fishing wires would disappear in 3 months. I'll clip them before then, they drive me nuts! They didn't care too much that I wrote down I've been eating 5oz portions, just that I was hungry. They asked twice if I'd ever thrown up PB'd, when I said no, then I get the feeling that's why he wanted to do 4cc's. We'll see what happens from here!

Well Thanksgiving sucked for me :(  I wasn't prepared, so I ended up trying the mashed potatoes, the other sweet potato thing, pumpkin pie, and I don't remember what else.  I tasted them, maybe 4 bites of each.  I wasn't hungry afterwards, but I didn't have a stuffed full feeling either.  I pray I didn't do any lasting damage to the band :(  I can't understand how dumb I'm being about all this.  I mean I didn't think food was THAT important to me! What's going on?? Time for some self-analysis and a plan.

I guess I need to change something about my attitude because I'm not following my surgeons directions to the letter.  I've let soft foods creep into my diet a bite at a time.  I'm so sick of liquids.  I'll start making jello and buying popsicles, maybe there really is a reason for them in this diet.  I'm only down 8 pounds since surgery, and I wonder if it's because I'm not sticking to the diet 100%.  I'll start doing that starting today, and see what happens. I'm very disappointed in myself, but I have to pick up and stick to the diet 100%.

11/17 I'm feeling even better now. I'm doing stuff around the house like normal. The chest pain is GONE!!!!!! Even with water!!! I had actual burps come up today for the first time. So I think that feeling was air getting stuck in there trying to come up. I'm eating a bit more than the required 3oz, and grazing on sauces and stuff when I cook for everyone else, so I have to start logging my intake from now on.

A weird thing happened yesterday. I baked rolls for the ladies and I literally could NOT stop myself from chewing one up and spitting it back out. WTH? What is that all about? I think I was pretty hungry or something, I dunno :( If that happens again, I'll post about it on the forum and see what people think. My first reaction was to STUFF it in my face, and I NEVER do that!! So I savored every bite, but still, it was pretty SCARY!

I woke up again, this time at 630am, with nausea and sliming. I ended up retching about six times.  In the end all that came up were two bubbles of air.  It hurt!! I called Robin, she said to stay with warm liquids and that she'd talk to the doc.  A nurse called back and said they'd order some Reglan for me for a few days to calm the stomach juices down.  If I do still end up throwing up again, then they need to see me.  

I figured out that when I'm upset, at least right now, the band gets so freakin' tight I feel like I can't breath from pain.  I wonder if that will remain with me.  I feel pretty tired and dehydrated, I was able to keep down half a bullet w/ some ice, so I will try to drink the rest w/ some Reglan.  I also need to drink some Propel water to keep my electrolytes up.  Truth is right after I had the protein, even though that golfball/refluxing thing kept coming up, I instantly felt better mind-wise.  I was able to think better.  More to follow as the saga continues...

Well, the day I got out of surgery I only had ice chips... ok... then the next day, I had 4 packets of liquids (soups, hot choc, etc) at the doc's office, and a protein bullet.  Before bed I had a few sips of OJ and a can of V8.  And the saga begins... all night I was up with this tight/burn/hurting feeling at the bottom of my breastbone.  Well then it was time to leave back for Portland, so I took some Isopure and water for the road.  I was feeling sooo miserable.  I ended up wretching a couple times and spitting into a cup. Managed to drink a fourth of the Isopure bottle and less than a cup of water.  After we got home, I sipped on a fourth of a cup of broth.  That's it.  Then had the same issues, even though I was sleeping sitting up.  I woke up at 4am this morning actively sliming.  It went on for a couple minutes, but nothing came up except saliva.  I didn't know what to do, I mean how can you slime on saliva? Hours and Hours after only broth.  I was thinking all sorts of wild things which some godsends of OH people helped calm me down.  The nutritionist, Robin, called back about half hour ago.  She said it sounded like my band was tight, and I was pretty swollen.  She said to crush some Ibuprofen up and drink only hot tea and broth until she calls me back in the afternoon.

How could I have done this to myself? I mean was I really that desperate? Yes, nothing else has worked.  For the sake of my future children and my health I'm going through this, and getting through it!  But I still feel just like crying :(

My hubby and I arrived at the clinic.  Signed a bunch of non-disclosures. Went to the pre-op room.  Weighed 266.4 w/ no shoes. Took my bp 143/84? Pretty good for not taking any bp meds in a while. They had me dress in a paper gown, booties, haircap, and lay down in a hospital bed. Liviu was sooo good the entire time, he even teared up a few times.  Kept trying to cheer me up by kissing me, making cute eyes at me, and saying things about how great next summer will be, how much our baby Alexander loves me, and that kind of thing.  I was pretty emotional, cried a bit.  Then Dr. Tersigni came in, asked if I had any questions, I pretty much couldn't talk, I was too emotional.  Then the anesthesist came in, again couldn't talk much, but told him to give me anti-anxiety meds.  Then they were ready to take me so Liviu gave me a final kiss, and they wheeled me out the pre-op room.  Last thing I remember is the double doors opening on our way out.

Slowly waking, I think I heard Liviu trying to talk to me.  Thank God I was ALIVE AND BREATHING! Dr. T said he fixed a small hiatial hernia.  He did end up giving me a video on CD of my operation, that was SOOO awesome of him!! I don't remember thanking him... must do that... then the nurse kept trying to help me up, but i was too dizzy and nauseous, and got white-lipped so I laid back down.  BP was a little low LOL like the first time that's probably ever happened to me!  Nurse kept pushing me to wake up, stand up, etc.  Did that, got dressed and made my slow, dizzy, ungainly way out the back door into our Denali!  The End. 

270 lbs. Well I had my consult today, my nutrition class, and met with the anesthesiologist.  The consult went pretty well, I asked all the questions I needed to.  I found out I'll have to take the gallbladder out at Kaiser because they won't cover him removing it, if I do have gallstones.  He thought maybe bypass would be better for me since i happen to like pasta, but I told him that I'd do that if necessary, but want to give the band a chance.  After all, pasta isn't THAT important.

The anesthesiologist definitely went out of his way to explain the process and I'm much less fearful of that aspect of the surgery.  He has a LOT of experience.  Bad news?? POST-op, I'll have a FOUR WEEK all liquid diet.  :(  It will truly be BANDSTER HELL!!  I'm getting vicodin liquid to manage post-op pain, and an anti-nausea patch the night before.   Surgery is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2007.