i'm finally losing again, but...

I need some advice here.  A little background review for those of you who might be new to my blog:

My last 2 fills have been really tight.  So, tight that I've had to go back in for un-fills because I got to the point where I couldn't even drink water.  And...I wasn't losing.  The un-fills were always just .5cc (less than the original fill) and the subsequent fills were always more than .5cc which means that the total amount in my band keeps going up--just in a very see-saw-y way.  

The doctor explained to me that my stomach is just probably more sensitive to the fills and that I'm experiencing more swelling than is customary.  With my last fill (last Friday) he asked me to baby the band for a while and try to "work through" the swelling to see if it would go down.  Well, I've been doing that, but it just seems to be getting worse.  Last night, I wound up PB'ing my prescriptions (small pills...Lexapro & Lunesta).  This morning, I'm having trouble drinking my coffee.

But...I'm finally losing (unlike the other two times I was too tight when I didn't lose an ounce).  I'm almost 10 months out from surgery and as of last week had only lost 32 pounds.  Since September, I'm averaging a loss of 1 lb per month!  Since this fill, I've lost 3 lbs in one week!  

I'm not hungry, so that's not a problem.  But, I would like to drink more water & take my medicine, which is a problem.  So, do I call today for an un-fill (the doc usually gets me in same day) or do I wait it out over the weekend and see what happens on monday?

Help!

Tight fills and Dr. Oz...

If that girl on Dr. Oz keeps her band as tight as mine is right now, I can totally understand why she only eats a few Tbsp of pudding & soup every day.  LOL!

I'm not going to worry just yet.  My Dr. told me that some people are more sensitive to fills and tend to swell just a bit right after.  So, I'm just going to baby it for a couple of weeks and see what happens.

After all, I'm not really hungry...I just miss chewing.

Cheers!

7.65...

...if I have done my math correctly, that is how much I now have in my band.  Got .8 added today.  Keepin' my fingers crossed that this is my Sweet Spot.

By the way, have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE my new doctor?  My appointment today was @ 2pm.  I arrived @ 1:50 and was pulling out of the parking lot @ 2:15.

(*updated*) hoping for the sweet spot...

I'm scheduled for a fill in about an hour.  I think I've gained about 5 lbs since my last fill (damn you, ice cream!).  Keep your fingers crossed that this one does the trick!  At 10 months after surgery, I'm more than ready to find my sweet spot.

*update*
Bah!  Fill on Friday...not today.  Also, doc says no more ice cream.  ;)

product endorsement...rice crackers!

I'm a dipper.  Since surgery, I have developed a love affair with pimento-cheese spread, chicken salad, tuna salad, smoked-salmon spread, spinach & artichoke dip and a host of other spreadable goodies (in moderation, of course).  It's a good way to get in some protein and has the moisture content necessary to avoid "stuck-ness."  Pre-surgery, I would have spread some of this goodness on a cracker.  But, my favorite crackers don't agree with me much anymore.  Just like bread, they tend to swell and I am guaranteed a good 30-minutes of burping, sliming, spitting & PB'ing afterward.

Enter, the rice cracker!  I first discovered these at Sam's Club and have since bought various brands from Kroger, Publix & Whole Foods.  Usually, they are labeled as simply "rice crackers."  Although they also go by "rice crisps," "rice snaps," and other such names.  The one's from Sam's don't even say "rice" on the package--they are labeled as "multi-grain cracker."

Any-whoozle, my point is that these don't produce, for me, the same effects as regular crackers.  They are drier & crispier and don't swell once they go down.  I still have to make sure that I chew, chew, chew in order to avoid the "stuckies"--but still, a wonderful alternative to traditional crackers for those of us who like to dip.

I get these at Sam's Club.

These are from Whole Foods.

This brand is sold @ Kroger.