All good except I have the eats and a bit of heartburn

The title about sums it up.  I am eating and having trouble keeping it to healthy choices. 
I've also been able to have a wine or three - lovely but not good for the waist line as we know.
Still I keep expecting to see the scales go up. However, this morning was the lowest ever 77.3kg. 

I'm claiming it but if I keep going like this it won't last long.  Gym starts tomorrow.

Much improved

What a difference a day makes (as that song goes!).

I slept all night - on a pillow, lying down like a normal person.  There was no reflux, no dramas. Phew!

Today I've eaten and drunk fluids - restriction is there but not tight. That's okay for now. The relief is sweeto.

Food diary (not quite the healthy choices but I was enjoying eating) - cheese on toast (3/4 slice), milk for coffee,  1/3 chocolate brownie slice and 1/3 of coconut slice (!), 3/4 slice of dry bread, handful of peanuts, small serve of lasagne, a few grapes, 11/2 glass of red wine, 2 chocolate wafers.

I'll have to watch the calorie intake from here - and as soon as I'm completely well I'm hitting the gym again. I miss it greatly.

Thought I'd put up some recent snaps - this is me in my Sophia Loren sunhat at Jazz in the Vines in late October:

This is me in my Melbourne Cup outfit - I went to lunch with my mum at her local club:

And here is my mum (72!! and look at those legs!) - she won best hat!

Here is Mr Mel at jazz in the vines:

That's it for now...
Oh except that Mr Mel aka Stephen James sold a painting today through Harris Courtin Gallery in Paddington, Sydney - this is it: http://www.harriscourtingallery.com.au/SJames_15.htm - Yippee we can almost afford Christmas now!

Big update

I've been suffering increasingly from heartburn and reflux over the year and since my last fill, things have been varying from tolerable to awful.  The awful bit has been at night - I haven't been able to sleep flat as I drown in my own fluids if I do.  I think this is at the root cause of my developing pneumonia a fortnight ago.  Since being sick my band has been getting tighter and tighter until yesterday for several hours it blocked completely - no water, not even my own saliva was passing through.  The more it happened the more I vomited which of course just made the band tighter. 

I thought I'd have to go to hospital until my husband suggested immersing myself in our pool.  I was desperate at this stage so did so.  The change in pressure and buoyancy immediately provided relief and within half an hour I could swallow sips of water.

This morning I knew I was dehydrated and frankly I've not been able to eat very much this week. I knew I shouldn't have jumped on the scales this morning but I did - 77.8kg.  Amazing to see that on the scales. However I'm not "claiming it" as I know it was due to being dehydrated and sick.

I saw Dr Crawford at 1pm and we discussed options - all the fluid out or something less radical. He checked my medical notes and located when it was I first complained of any heartburn - it was almost 12 months ago.  He suggested taking the band down to that amount - seeing how it went for a week and if things hadn't improved greatly I would need to have all the fluid out and book in for an endoscopy to check nothing was going on.

I agreed to this approach and I'm back down to around 8ml in an 11ml band.  I was immediately able to down 300 ml of water and water has never tasted so good. I drank another 250 ml the following half hour.  What a relief.  Within the hour I felt hungry so I stopped at Olivers on the freeway and ordered the buttered wholemeal toast - I ate about 3/4 a slice and it was heaven.  I felt really full but I expect that the band area is still swollen so restriction will probably all but vanish in coming days. We'll see.

All in all I feel 200% better. I can drink.  I have no reflux or heartburn so far. I'm planning a small dinner with veges and salad and a little bit of sliced steak. Yum.

Update

All is generally okay although strangely developed pain in left side last week whenever I breathed in. Finally had a chest xray and was told I had lower lobe pneumonia. I was shocked as I hadn't been sick - just sore. Anyway, IV antibiotics were started in the ER and then I was sent home on pain relief and strong antibiotic oral therapy. Things appear to be on the mend but I'm tired a bit queasy from the medication.

My blood test confirmed the presence of infection but also showed some mild anaemia so it's a bit more red meat in coming weeks. It explains my lack of get up and go in recent times.

Otherwise it's busy with work and life generally. I've been awarded a Research Fellowship that enables me to concentrate on completing my PhD next year so that's great news.

Band-wise I'm happy with restriction and only get heartburn with alcohol. Reflux through the night is better overall so it's steady as she goes.

Back from Brisbane

All went well but oh so cold and wet - where did Spring go?
Hair cut again by the same great guy in Brisbane at Heaven on Adelaide - Gary. What a lovely salon - so groovy! Take a look at the webpage - is this the salon you dream of http://www.heavenonadelaide.com/ ?
Weight stable.
No alcohol = little or no heartburn and reflux.  Lesson is a long time coming eh?
Swamped with work but otherwise ok.
Have a great week.

Not dead, just busy

Things are fine in the main.  Heartburn was back with a vengeance but knocking off all alcohol has helped a lot. Should also help some weight loss I imagine too! Gym twice this week but that will be it for a while as I'm off to Bris-vegas for the weekend.

Lowest ever

Ok, it's 78.8 for two mornings running. this is good. Heartburn fine as long as I sleep with an extra pillow or two! Gym once this week. Eating good but today seem to have the hungers - bloody chocolate fundraiser box at work is proving too tempting - indulged two days running! Otherwise all good.

Interesting I noted on the tracker that I've dropped exactly 10 whatevers on the BMI scale 38.9 to 28.9 - I think that's good.

Fizzy drink/soda.soft drink poll results

A while back, I posted a poll on this blog as I felt there was some confusion regarding the "rules" re this issues. 

63 people answered the question "Do you drink fizzy drinks/soft drinks/soda since you were banded?" - Here are the results

• No never - I was warned by medical staff not to 20 (31%)
• No, I don't like them 2 (3%)
• No, they give me gas 0 (0%)
• Yes, I have no problems with this 22 (34%)
• Yes, but I experience side effects (gas/pain/etc) 7 (11%)
• Sometimes but I'm unsure what is the right thing to do 12 (19%)

I think our dieticians need to get some better guidelines together.

Click image to view other cartoons.

Still plateauing

Not much movement in the weight area. Frustrating. Still having the old reflux issues and will be back to specialist in coming weeks. Need to get back to gym to get some weight moving.

Week so far

Very challenging in some ways (non-band) and in other ways going ok. Overall things band-wise have settled. Hormonal this week so no weighing until the weekend.

Only gym once this week but planning for tomorrow.

Story on ABC's Lateline tonight critical of the way lapbands are being marketed ato vulnerable overweight people too slickly. I tend to agree - it's just a tool isn't it.

Went for a lovely lunch to Esca on Monday with a dear friend Leebee. It's year since we last went! Here's the pic from last year on this blog:

I have one from Monday  - I can see there's quite a difference! (Like 18kg)

We didn't buy funny hats this year but did buy a new dress - in the end gave it to my daughter.

I'm living in the 70s! Whoa

So firstly, an update on my fill.  Things had settled down a lot earlier in the week and so I didn't go to the doctors and didn't go for the unfill. I was pleased this happened as the level of restriction since the last fill has felt perfect. And this morning, for the first time I dropped below 80kg (well for the first time since 1992!!). Here's the proof!

Look at those sexy feet!! Remind me to get a pedicure done before I take another shot like that one!

So for the moment I'm playing it by ear. But with heartburn under control and weight loss occurring I'm a happy woman.

Also I've joined the rest of Eastern Australia and posted online my best picture of yesterday morning's orange dust storm - this is taken driving to work - amazingly eerie.

 

Lowest ever

80.0kg this morning - love the restriction and wish I didn't have to have it all removed on Tuesday.

Last night's online conference in the USA went well.

Going for the Un-Fill

Two nights of sleeping (or not sleeping) upright. Gravity is my friend and anything less than close to 90 degrees results in reflux and heartburn big time.  Last night was dreadful - I ate quite late as I worked late and at 11pm still felt like I'd swallowed a brick.  To cut a long story short I ended up sleeping in the rumpus room in a recliner chair.  I think I'll be there tonight as well.

I've booked for the total unfill on Tuesday next (thank heavens I have a doctor who I can get in to see within a week).  Thanks Lacey and Diz for the supportive comments - I know I'll do okay too.

Feeling completely whacked from not having enough sleep night after night - lots on at present and disrupted sleep is the last thing I need. In the next three days I am conducting a wedding, making revisions to a journal article which has been accepted for publication and needs to be resubmitted on Monday, marking assignments, finalising lectures for Monday, preparing a presentation for a conference I've been invited to speak at @ the University of Georgia - I'm talking in the USA via Skype video link - love that technology. That's happening at 10.30pm Saturday night but it's 8.30am in Athens, Georgia.   Busy busy but wouldn't have it any other way I suppose - just wish I could get a good night's sleep...bring on Tuesday.

Report from Doctor's visit and life in general

The visit to Dr Crawford's went well and I had a tiny fill 0.3ml. The situation with my heartburn is this - the small fill might help but will probably make it worse. The medication is working but only just. So in two weeks if no improvement I am to return to the specialist and have most of the fill removed for a period of 3-6 weeks to let everything settle. Yeeks that's scary - life without restriction!! The specialist said to expect to go back up to 90kg in that time. No way I said. Anyway, we'll deal with it if it has to happen.

Dr Crawford did say that this approach has worked in the majority of cases. Take all the fill out and recommence the gradual filling process until the desired level of restriction is obtained. I really hope this doesn't have to happen but as the doctor said this is a long term journey and a minor set back won't overly concern me in the long run. But still, to put on all that weight etc and not have restriction is just a scary thought.

I'd certainly try and avoid weight gain to that extent if it has to happen but let's see what happens.

Life is busy at present - weddings and uni work both full on for a few weeks.

Turned right

Yes, I didn't feel like like going to gym but I turned right instead of driving past and I did it. It's funny the games I play with my own head - I didn't feel like gym but knew I needed to go. So I told myself I could take it easy if I wanted to, I didn't have to work too hard etc etc. Of course once I was there I was into it and felt great.

Food diary: (not exemplary!) I slice of toast with small amount of cheese 150 cals; 2 chicken and salad ribbon sandwiches ?350 cals; 2 x portugese tarts 300 cals; spaghetti bolognese 300 cals; wine 250 cals; milk 100 cals - total 1450 cals!

Focusing in 79.9

That's what I've been doing when I go to gym - keeping my focus on seeing 79.9 on the scales. Yesterday and today I was 80.5kg - that's the lowest so far so at least it is moving in the right direction.

I've been plateauing since June so I figured upping the gym was the way to go - it's working but very slowly. I've got an appointment with Dr Crawford, my lap band surgeon, on 15th Sept - I'll discuss options re maybe getting a tiny fill and also the heart burn medication.

Blah blah bah

It's hormonal I know - at 47 i should be rejoicing at having regular cycles and no menopause etc I suppose. After decades of Polycystic ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and having only a couple of periods each year, having a regular monthly cycle is still a wonder to me. It started in March 2003 the month I started strict Atkins lo-carb. From that month onwards it's been regular and monthly. Even when I strayed from Atkins after a year or two I still ate more lo-carb than not and never got back up the 110 kg I was in March 2003.

So given I was supposed to have twelve cycles a year say, from age 30 and I'm now 47, and from 30 to age 41ish I only had a couple of periods a year, does that mean I've "saved up" lots of cycles in the bank? Does it mean I won't stop menstruating until I'm 65? I doubt it. Anyway, that explains the blahs and the no weight loss.

This Saturday's weigh in better show some progress! Gym was out of the question today but I went last night with my daughter and worked at about 80% of capacity - the blah was setting in but at least I did it. Didn't sleep well and felt like crap all day. About to hit the sack now. Hoping to hit the gym tomorrow.

Spring walk

What a great walk - Spring afternoon and dog looking wistfully at me so off we went.

5.3km North Rothbury walk done - spectacular watermelon colour sunset, horses running across the paddocks, kangaroos bounding over fences and the smell of flowers in the air.

Undid most of the good work by having a few nice sherries but probably would have had those anyway.

Weighed in this morning - don't ask. Don't really care. Life is good.

1 Sept goal unlikely

Mmm, it's not for lack of trying this week - did big work outs at gym for the last 4 days running - maybe it will magically have an effect when I jump on the scales on Tuesday morning (1 Sept - first day of Spring in Australia - even though we all know it really shouldn't start until equinox - 22 Sept - apparently the winter uniforms of the British soldiers were getting too hot in convict days so they shifted the Spring date forward so they could change into their summer clothes!)

I am feeling good and am back into the groove with gym - I know it will pay off eventually and I'm not getting hung up on dates.

Had a non-scale victory yesterday. At the uni open day yesterday I was one of the staff talking to prospective students. All staff from our area have to wear bright lime polo shirts. Last year it was only a few weeks post lapband and I was in 2 XL men's size (previous year had been 3xl so I remember thinking woo-hoo). However, this year I selected the ladies size 16. It fitted. It was a snug kind of fit but it was the right size - I'm just not used to wearing clothes that actually fit close to my body. I felt good but self conscious and my colleague has to reassure me that it looked ok. When I arrived home, Mr Mel declared I looked "hot"!

Yesterday I also looked at motorbikes and have planned to go and get my "L" plates for a motorbike - is this a mid-life crisis? It's kind of fun to have these kind of options - love my lapband.

Did it

Gym tonight - yeah me!
600 cals burnt.

Food diary:
Toast and peanut butter - 150 cals
Toast and baked beans - 250 cals
Milk for coffee - 150 cals
Biscuit - 100 cals
Chicken and veg - 300 cals
Wine 200 cals

Total1150 cals

Hit the gym - 1 Sept goal

Ok, it's 25th August so can I do it in a week? 79.9? Probably not but I'll give it a kick along. Last night did a big workout at the gym - not the biggest as the energy levels were a little low but according to the machines about 600 cals burnt in 55 mins.

Only one wine, only one cream biscuit, only one small slither of walnut cake - funny how when my weight was plummeting last year none of these things would have passed my lips!! Now what does that say, Mel?

Going to gym tonight.

Food diary yesterday:

Scrambled egg and toast (200 cals), pumpkin soup and crackers 350 (cals), biscuit (80cals), sausage (1) and veges (300 cals), wine 100 cals, milk for coffee 100 cals, cake 150 cals. Total 1280 cals - not bad.

Sydney on a spring morning

Gee it might be global warming but it's a beautiful spring morning in Sydney even though it is only 23 August! I'm down for my dad's birthday - we had a nice evening last night and he seemed really happy which was great to see.

Today we're off to Parklea Markets - I'm after a pair of flat shoes that are stylish and comfy (always a challenge) that I can wear with jeans etc and also a new pair of jeans. I'm walking out of some of my shoes and it's becoming a bit dangerous, especially on stairs etc. Funny how feet lose weight too. Jeans-wise I bought some cheapies a little while back and while they fit, they are not the right cut and are not real comfy. I haven't been to Parklea for years and apparently it's even bigger now so I'm sure to find something.

Haven't weighed in the weekend so the update won't happen until Monday. Not expecting a loss as I only hit the gym once and I'm still eating the odd chocolate, biscuit and nibbly - funny how I don't think I'm really "cured" from unhealthy eating head-wise just restricted on how much crap I can eat. I haven't been too bad overall but compared to when I was on the straight and narrow last year, you could see why the weight loss has slowed (not to mention drinking wine!).

Oh well sub-81 is still okay but sub 80 by 1 September seems unlikely.

Wow

Today was wonderful - I went for a motor bike ride with my husband (see above). We've not done this before as we've been kind of scared that if we both got skittled we'd leave the kids orphaned. I don't know what's changed with kids aged 13 and 16 but Steve has been gradually buying up an extra set of bike gear and a few weeks ago there was a sale and I bought a helmet to fit me.

Today was sunny and springtime, even though it's winter, and the countryside was calling. We did it. We rode to Gresford and it was wonderful. Can't wait until next time.

Hey, motorcycle mama or what??

Below 81kg for the first time

Interesting development this morning - dropped below the 81kg mark for the first time. BMI 29.7 (whatever that actually means!!). I knew I was a little thinner from a) people's remarks and b) my watchband.

In Brisbane my watchband was too loose and I had a few more links taken out - the jeweller suggested 3-4 links and I opted for 4. He offered me the removed links but I told him to throw them away as I wasn't going to be needing them.

All good, except within about 10 mins I felt my hand was going to drop off from lack of circulation!! Too late to retrieve the missing links so for several weeks I've been only able to wear the watch for short periods - unti the week. This week I've been wearing it all day without a drama so this is how I knew I was a tad thinner. Good the scales have moved slightly in the downward direction - I feel ready for the sub-80s!! In time for September Springtime I hope.

Looking forward to lunch with fellow traveller Donna on Monday - can't wait to see her (just read she's below the 90kg mark - it's a very journey so far!!) and she's doing very well - http://donnasbypassjourney.blogspot.com/

Maybe shrinking?

Several people have told me a look thinner this week - scales aren't moving still around 81-81kg. Perhaps I'm due for a drop on the scales. I haven't been going to gym very often as there are lots of demands on time of late however the alcohol intake is very modest. Eating reasonably.

Still having the odd issue with heartburn - if I don't have the Tazac and Somac right on the 24 hour mark it comes back. If I eat late at night it's hell to pay in bed. Overall, all is good and I wouldn't change a thing. I had a new photo taken for a work profile and for once I didn't cringe about too many chins (still fretting about crows feet!).

New glasses this week - my first multifocals - I'm coping pretty well with these new lenses and it takes a while to get used to. They're nice thick dark tortoiseshell Elvis Costello specs - not everyone's cup of tea but I love the style. Will post pic soon.

Chocolate

It's been a busy week - heaps of teaching, the passing of a close friend's mother, a child sick and home with flu and me, all hormonal. I've craved chocolate all week and have been indulging a bit.

I figure it's a passing phase. Sometime I think you're better to indulge and then get it out of your system. No weight loss but at this time of the month who can tell what's going on!

Only got to gym once this week so hoping to get there at least once over the weekend. It's a busy one with a wedding, a wedding planning meeting, children taxi service duties and I'm helping my friend with her mum's funeral service booklets.

thanks for the fizzy drink survey results - interesting how we're all somewhere different on this topic!

Please take the fizzy drink poll

Please let me know your answers - if it shows there is lots of confusion perhaps we can approach the dieticians' association and highlight the need for more guidance.
Cheers
Melanie

Question for lapbanders....fizzy drinks

Okay, I've been off soft drink and fizzy stuffy for a year - I've had the odd champagne without too much drama but I do miss my diet cokes etc.

Who drinks soft drinks/soda/fizzy drinks whilst banded?

If so do you have problems?

Is there a medical reason why we are advised not to drink fizzy drinks/ soft drinks/ soda?

from memory I think there was the possibility of the gas causing a) pain and b) stretching the pouch - is this what others have been advised?

thanks all.
Mel

Okay, it' s the bandiversary

It's the bandiversary. It's another day - it's all good.
It's the best decision for me that I've ever made.
It's not always easy but to me it has given me a chance of a life that I thought was lost - for that I am truly grateful.

Thanks Dr Michael Crawford - superb doctor.
Thanks family, especially mum who's been just wonderful.
Thanks friends and colleagues.
Thanks blogging community - what would I have done without you? Probably not had it done!
Thankyou linespeople, thank you ball girls and boys - you know who you are!
Game and set - match still underway...

Plateau

I think this is what I do - certainly have done this year anyway - plateau. But then considering I haven't been exercising as much, as still having pretty well whatever I feel like eating (in lapband restricted amounts) and having a fine time flitting around the country for the last weeks a plateau is pretty good.

I was saying to my mother in law today, in response to her saying I was looking good, that the proof of the pudding of the lapband was whether I kept this 25kg off. That has always been the challenge. I was generally able to lose weight (and had done a zillion times)but it always went back on - I feel so different it seems achievable that I will keep the weight off long terms and that's where the real achievement lies.

Only two days until the bandiversary as was banded on 31 July 2008 and I could get upset about not being at that goal of 80kg but hey, I figure 81kg is pretty bloody wonderful!