Friday 14 May 2010

PB versus Sweet Point: help please?

I have a 10cc band and 10cc worth of saline in it – though there’s room for a little more, so I’m told. I feel quite restricted at times, in that my lunchtime sandwich takes the best part of an hour to eat, and often doesn’t get finished.   Today our stationer brought doughnuts - the non-ring variety with jam in the middle - my faves in the past; I was pleased to note that as a previously '3-doughnuts-down-without-drawing-breath' sort of person, I struggled through one and didn’t feel life was cruel when looking at the ones still in the packet.  In addition, scrambled egg is only possible in moderation, so are sardines on toast (the cats benefit richly from this).  These days I rarely have PB issues.
“Sounds OK to me” you say.  Well, not really.  I’m losing weight, but really slowly – sometimes it takes about two weeks to lose a pound, and I think that’s too slow by anyone’s standard. 
I don’t want to live on bread, buns and egg.  The real acid test of the band, surely, is how it helps you when you have a normal meal – as in a selection of proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, etc, served hot on a plate.  I long to experience what most of you talk about, the full feeling after a few mouthfuls. 
But if the food goes down fairly easily – such as (for me) minced beef, rice, mashed potatoes, sausages without their skins, chicken breast, prawns, spaghetti, lasagne - then a normal plateful is easily finished in about 20 minutes or so.  My willpower is weak here, so using a small plate just brings out the old me (“Wot’s that when it’s at home?  Take it away and bring me a normal helping please...”) and that’s exactly why I have a band.  Take scrambled egg for example:  I give John and myself half each, then have to stop shortly afterwards and give the rest to John – much easier than giving myself very little in the first place...
But when I cook normal meals of the ‘meat and two veg’ variety, the band doesn’t help me at all (or barely).  I can cope during the first half of the day (during the working week anyway) where bread is the food, but evenings and weekends are often a problem.
So why haven’t I yet
experienced the sweet point?
My next visit to Taunton is next Wednesday (NOT with Numty, see last but one post), and I wonder if I should ask for another 0.25 cc, but then - will I PB every two minutes?  Because if I do, I get so fed up with feeling hungry and uncomfortable that I snack unwisely and don't lose any weight anyway.
I continue to swim once or twice a week and I’m pleased that I manage 20 lengths each time.  It makes me feel fitter, no doubt about it, but I’m not surprised that it has no other visible effect.  The gym continues to be my preferred charity:  I ‘donate’ money to it every month by direct debit but rarely go.  So I’m a bit of a numty myself.
Have any of you read the extremely popular blog Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit?  He’s got 1210 followers, probably because he’s very good at motivation, and funny to boot.  Last week he asked readers to submit to him photos of index cards where we had printed why we wanted to be slim/do more exercise, etc.  I sent him mine the other day, which I hope he’ll publish some time (it sounds as though he’s been deluged by entries).  This is what mine said:

It’s that simple.
-oOo-

Photo Finish:
From Lonicera's non-digital archive
Visit of Chinese circus to Bristol

I queued for a couple of hours beforehand to ensure I was able to sit in the front row so I could take pictures.  They were happy for me to do this, as long as I didn't use flash - which suited me because I'm no good with flash...  To compensate for this I used very high speed film.  And that, M'ludd, is the case for the defence as to why the pictures are so grainy!



















I remember winning a competition with one from this series, but I just can't find it - it'll have to follow one fine day when I come across it as I work my way through the slides I'm scanning...

-oOo-

9 comments:

THE DASH! said...

Jeez, Caroline, I'm not sure whats going on there. Could you possibly be overfilled (but without the reflux?) I did hear of a lady who was having similar problems with food but was still a touch hungry who had .25 taken out and then life was a bit easier. I would talk all this through with your doc. Must be frustrating as hell.

Lonicera said...

Thanks Cara - I must admit it hasn't crossed my mihd that I could be OVERfilled... I'll talk it over with them next week. Reflux has never been a problem (excuse me while I reach up ot the bookshelf to touch wood!)
Caroline

Sandy said...

Have you ever had one of those barium swallows to see how the pouch and band restriction looks. My doc doesn't do them but a lot of the girls in the states have them when they get a fill. It might let them see if there are any problems with the band placement. No other advice to offer other than to see your doc (and not that mean nurse).

Nola said...

I agree with Cara also. I have heard that some have had a tiny bit out and then off they go!! I am not sure...I feel the same. I still feel "not full" each time I eat and then I end up eating all the wrong things trying to get that full feeling through out the day!! I have never had reflux problems either. I am losing less than you a fortnight lately and it is starting to get on my nerves too! I think you should have it drawn out and checked it is that amount in the band still....just for peace of mind. You may have a slow leak or something.

Tina said...

Well as scary as this sounds I think you need more saline. The reason is that you are able to clean your plate with the protein and vegetables. You might have quite a bit of room in your pouch..so that could be part of the thing.

Now as far as the pbing with any more saline-exactly what are you pb'ing on? is it the bread? most people give up bread all together. I can eat it very carefully and usually only toasted. With really good restriction I cannot eat more than a bite of doughnut. I am loose now and can eat one over a period of 20 minutes.

Finally-my doc said to me once that anyone can eat super slowly and get food in. He felt it was important that we eat for no more than 1/2 an hour. If we cannot finish what we have in that time get rid of it and be done. The hour at lunch over your sandwich might mean you should be putting the other half away or only make a half.

I have the Kalia Ali book about her lapband journey for you. Email me your address and I will pop it in the mail for you.

Tina

Girl Bandit said...

Sorry I don't have much to offer...will love to hear what the solution is???

oozyxena said...

Remember why we have the band in the first place, let's get back to basics, and yes there could be many reasons why it's not working... Overfill, underfill, leaking, and even the fact that you may have stretched your pouch. But please think back to why you had the band fitted or let me speak for myself as we are all different, my brain has NO on of button for hunger and food, the band helps but doesn't solve the on/off problem we HAVE to retrain our brains. Try eating little and often, we have to try to be a litte more sensative and listen to our bodies. I have not had a loss in a month or so. Maybe I am eating the wrong stuff!! . Glad you have an appointment coming up, hopefully you will get it all sorted.
xxxx Hugs to you Caroline xxxx

Theresa said...

I wish that I could lend some wisdom to the situation. I hope you get this resolved. I haven't even had my first fill. Good luck though.

Lonicera said...

I've carefully noted the different suggestions, and will discuss them with the surgeon on Wednesday, thanks sooo much for them, I really appreciate your taking the trouble to comment on this.
Caroline

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