This has been such a rough week.  I don't know how much to attribute to the band how much to chalk up to the extreme stress I am feeling right now.  I am still having heartburn, that usually starts up around 2pm and is pretty constant the rest of the evening.  Tums will ease it for about 30 minutes or so.  I am not having the choking acid reflux at night anymore, which is great.  I think I would feel better with a SMIDGE of saline taken out, but damn.........that's a very long drive for that.  I could turn to Fill Centers USA for that, but that's too damn expensive.  I still might do that.  I guess it's best to call Dr. Acosta's office and talk with them first though.  I sometimes start thinking I know best......I am the expert, because I read all of the posts on OH.  LOL 

I was so afraid to get this fill, for this very reason.  I don't want Dr. Acosta to think he can never give me a fill without it being too much.  I am just very frustrated with the whole thing and still very confused.  My weight has stalled, even with this.    My body and metabolism is just freaking crazy.  I am still at 169 even though one morning the scale did say 168.  I amnot eating much.  I am only having 2 cups of coffee instead of an entire pot of coffee, I have had mainly soup for lunch and then some soup for dinner.  I did have some chocolate candy during the week.  (Aunt Flo) That's it.  Nothing else.  Anyone else would have lost weight like crazy, not me.  LOL  I am going to get some more protein drinks today...and really push the protein without counting calories.  We'll see if that makes a difference weight wise.  

I don't think my personal stress will ease up anytime soon, unfortunately.  Soooo, just please continue with the positive thoughts and prayers.  I need to figure out how to best take care of ME and my band.  

I have been babying my band and I THINK things are getting better.  Last night I only threw up after FIRST falling asleep....and that was just the water in my pouch from the drink I took 10 minutes or so before going to bed.  I know some bandsters report that they can't drink or eat for some time before going to bed......I have never had that issue until now. Could it be that my band is just tight like some others have their restriction?  I think most of the swelling from the irritation is down, and that's why things have eased.  I am still getting heart burn at times, so I am keeping a close eye on this.  I don't want to live with a too tight band, and I also don't want to rush down to El Paso if I don't need to go.  
I was actually feeling quite a bit better today, then I got some horrible news, and just like old faithful, my band decided to tighten up with the stress.  UGH.  It's still not as bad as it was.  Thank goodness!!  I am down to 169 pounds though!  LOL  YEAH!!  Love seeing a different number on the scale FINALLY.  Keep sending your good t houghts, it's working!! 

  I am having band troubles.  After my fill, I seemed to be doing great.  Monday I ate real solid food and did just fine with it.  Tuesday, DH and I hit the road for Vegas.  We stopped at Flagstaff to grab lunch.  I had 3/4 of an egg roll and some of DH's salad.  I didn't feel the need to PB afterwards...and wasn't in any pain, but when we got on the road I could certainly feel the food sitting in my pouch, heavy.  I just thought to myself, the food will go down eventually, it didn't feel stuck and I didn't have the urge to PB.  Looking back, I should have tried to force it back out I guess.  

I have been miserable ever since.  The same thing happened when I went to Sedona at Christmas time.  Soooooo, I am praying that my irritated band will heal itself again.  I have been staying on liquids, and some days, that's not much at all.  I was able to get some soup down yesterday and more water than before.  However, last night I was throwing up gastric acids most of the night.    NOT a pleasant thing at all!  Most of my vacation was like this.  Other than being in pain, being exhausted and weak, I had a great time in Vegas.  Seeing my family was great and seeing the THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER was awesome!!!     OMG, those guys are GORGEOUS!!  YUMMY!!!  I have my picture with them and will scan it in and post it later.  

With not being able to eat, etc...I am down to 170 now!!  LOL   I would have loved to see the 160's after all of my pain and suffering, but I won't complain.  Just pray with me that my band is okay, it just needs to heal from the swelling.  I really don't think it was the fill that did it.  I know some fills kick in later....but this ONLY happened after I ate.   It wasn't feeling too tight earlier that day at all.   Pray with me!! 

I went for my fill yesterday.  I didn't realize that Dr. Acosta brought his entire office staff with him the once a month he does a clinic here in ABQ!!  How wonderful is that?   So, nothing is different except I don't have the long drive there and back!   I met with the nurse, Deborah, who thought losing 14 lbs since last seeing her was great!  (that was 7 months ago, so in my mind not too wonderful)  I also met with the nutritionist who promptly told me that I should stop drinking so much caffeine and need to increase my protein intake .    I will increase my protein intake, with either shakes or concentrating on eating a very high protein diet....but I can't give up my coffee.  I have already given up smoking and Diet Cokes....I really want to hang on to this vice.  LOL 

Dr. Acosta was GORGEOUS as always!    He was very nice also, and listened to me.  He gave me between a .20 and .25 of a fill.  He let me know that if I felt over-filled that evening he would just need to call and he would come down to the clinic and take some out.  He is doing a seminar this morning, so he would already be in town.  He is a great man.....to me, it really shows that he cares about his patients the way he does such a thorough exam each time!  He is great!!  He said that I was one of the few former patients of Dr. Frezza that had an easy port to find.  He has had to replace A LOT of Frezza's ports!!   I told him that I did feel like I got lucky *knock on wood* because I don't seem to have any problems with my band, and I have heard or nightmarish situations in his other patients.  He said, "Believe me, I have had fix and work with those nightmares!"  I hope Frezza loses his medical license!! 

I am down to 174 this morning!  and Dr. Acosta said that my goal of getting down to 150 was very attainable and that I should get there.  Even his fancy scale said that same thing!  LMAO!!  I will know tomorrow how much more restriction I have, or I might wait until Monday to try eating real food.  I am off to Vegas Tuesday morning and very excited about it!! 

I weighed in at 176 this morning. Not too bad considering I didn't manage to exercise this week and wasn't the best at controlling my eating either.  I am pretty confident that I do need a small fill.  It's scheduled for Friday   I have noticed that the hunger is with me, and I KNOW it's not PMS this week....and I can eat much more than I could the past few months.  I will need to stay on liquids for a few days with this upcoming fill I am sure.  I have come to the conclusion that my stoma is very sensitive to fills and PB's.  Dr. Acosta usually draws the entire fill out before putting more back in which in turn will irritate my stoma and cause more swelling.  My biggest hope is that he will listen and only give me a SMALL fill, .10 or .20 CC's .   IF by chance I am wrong and my band ends up being overfilled he will probably never want to give me another fill.  LOL  I feel very fortunate that my fills seem to last a long time.  

DH and I are going to Vegas a week from Tuesday!!  We are going to meet up with my cousin, her husband and my aunt and uncle.  I don't have a whole lot of family, so this will be VERY nice!!  DH lived in Vegas for 18 years, so I know he is excited about going "home" for a couple of days.  This trip will be only a four days after my fill, so I really hope the fill turns out well.  I won't be participating in any buffets, that's for sure!!! However, a few margaritas will go down just fine!  LMAO!!