TerriDoodle

You can look in the complications forum, but I think if your band had slipped you'd be having some pretty severe symptoms....like not even being able to get water down. If you aren't having any major problems, you're probably just fine!

Mine was $12,900 (a bargain!) I didn't require any pre-op testing, otherwise that would have been out-of-pocket as well. It did include surgeon's fees, hospital, anesthesia, and 1 year of fills and follow up.

You might be interested to see this poll I posted a few months ago: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/would-you-do-again-30418/

Well, it's interesting really.... you miss food now, but pretty soon it won't become so important to you (hopefully)...i've heard lots of people make the same observation. And it's terribly convenient to be able to get by with smaller meals. If you're in a hurry a 'meal' might be as simple as a Protein bar or 2 scrambled eggs. Pretty cool if you ask me. Saving tons of money not eating out, that's for sure!...it's a waste now. Best of luck to you!

Hope that helps!

The bold numbers in my signature reflect my status. 215 = beginning weight 190 = current weight 150 = goal weight cool, eh?? 25# gone forever!!!

So how did you like the Zumba class? Crazy, huh? Everytime someone starts to exercise an angel gets her wings.....or something like that. It just does my heart so good to see folks ramping up their exercise even just a little bit at a time. Just remember that the scale is not necessarily your friend anymore! For example, yesterday I wore some pants that I forgot I had...I bought them in early June for a trip we took. I weighed 7# more than I do today. 7 measley pounds. I put them on yesterday and they were absolutely falling off of me...at least a size and a half too big. The scale is NOT reflecting my progress accurately! MSJEN - You remember that too! Sara -- why in the world did I think it was your SON who was injured??? I'm so sorry I misunderstood -- it's your husband!! I probably would have just broke down and cried if my FIL said that to me....I'm SO sensitive about that subject!! One thing I've noticed about my aging mother is that suddenly she has become downright RUDE sometimes and that is SO unlike her...she's always been so gracious it's like I don't even know her! I know it's hurtful, but just try to remember that it's a factor of his age....he probably doesn't even remember what you looked like 6 months ago!! DUH! And you are absolutely right about being glad you didn't have restriction while in Mexico....stress most definitely affects your band and it would have been disasterous if you hadn't been able to eat and keep YOUR strength up! OMG that would have been bad. So the angels were watching out for you in that way. Thanks for posting....I've been thinking of you. Pamela -- Your bed is downright LUSCIOUS!! Ya'll did a great job. I had my closet done last summer because it is too small and I also needed a cabinet and drawers for the jewelry I make. I couldn't believe how they actually gave me a cabinet and 5 drawers, a shelf unit for my shoes AND MORE rod space than I had before. It's like a miracle and I'm so glad I had it done! Thanks for the feedback, Kat. I just have to 'pay back' for all the help people like you gave to me when I was new ....and scared! I dont have the patience like you do, but like you said, I just let them know someone is listening...and I shoot from the hip. :woot: Are you still feeling blue about your job...or did that go away along with TOM? LOL :woot: Damn hormones. I've got the day off again today. Going to the gym, bookstore (for a strength training book :eek: ), walmart, the bead store (my favorite place), etc. Oh, NSV last night.... my 17 yr old son wanted to come for a visit (he lives with his dad) and bring his 3 friends. They're all so cute. Anyway, I asked if they were hungry, knowing how the girls eat like birds and probably hadn't had dinner. The two girls are both vegetarian (:eek:) and so I just started hauling out all the snack foods I had....and I was SO PROUD of myself that it was all healthy foods!! Granola, watermelon, cherries, hummus, whole wheat pita chips, cherry tomatoes, apple chips, cheese and lite cranberry juice to drink. They were in heaven! Bad news is now I have to go back to the store today!! LOL

THAT- A-GIRL!!! WOOOO HOOOO!!!

Every single one of us on this board have been thru those pre-op jitters. But you just have to trust that you wouldn't be hearing such enthusiastic ravings about our bands if they weren't WONDERFUL. Just keep reading the posts, look at the Before and After thread 100 times and get yourself a band, girlfriend!

Here are some general terms: Abbreviations and What They Mean - LapBandTalk.com - Lap Band Talk Forum - The largest forum for Lap Band Discussion and Lap Band Support The sweet spot is where your restriction is just right....not too tight so that you can eat almost anything you want but in small portions....but not too loose so that you get hungry between meals, can eat larger portions and you don't lose weight. The sweet spot is a rather elusive thing that comes and goes....requiring adjustments to your band (fills).

Yes, I definitely remember feeling full after 1/2 cup of Soup or cream of wheat. I thought, "Oh this is cool!" But it won't last for VERY long...maybe a week or two. As your swelling goes down you'll be able to eat more and more often. Coughing won't hurt your band...but it may not feel so good! I remember once when I sneezed!! :eek: That HURT!!!!!!! Did your doc give you some breathing exercises to do as well? Every hour or two take a few very deep breaths....as deep as you can...that will help your lungs a LOT. Do that for 3-4 days. Congratulations! You're on your way!

Abbreviations and What They Mean - LapBandTalk.com - Lap Band Talk Forum - The largest forum for Lap Band Discussion and Lap Band Support

I am pretty sure that IS a PB!!

Michelle - When my daughter and I went to a guest ranch in Colorado last year, they said you couldn't ride if you were over 215#.....just to give you some idea. I just got stuck BAD on some deli turkey....sliming like crazy for quite a while. It finally went down. Does anyone know....is sliming as bad for you as PB'ing?? We have filets for dinner tonight and I wonder if maybe I should abstain....and go with cottage cheese instead. We 'rescued' two little dogs earlier today. Fortunately one of them was wearing a tag and we called the owner. She was 2 hrs. out of town but said she'd be back in a few hours. So far it's been 5 hours. These dogs are penned up in my kitchen 'cause they have fleas! I guess I should throw them outside but they're so dang cute...and they just sit at the glass back door and look in with pitiful faces. What a sucker I am. We've been VERY lazy today. I've been beading but haven't finished anything... maybe I'll work on my WWJD bracelet instead

Good Morning Everyone! :ranger: First of all, and most importantly I want to congratulate you, Kat!! 100# is an incredible achievement and you should be so very proud of yourself!! All in just over a year, too. Did you really think you'd have come so far in a year? I totally agree with everything Pamela said, too. You are such a sweetheart all the time, you have such great advice for us all and we are SO lucky you adopted the Violets as mentor and friends. I know that I speak for all of us when I say how very happy we are for you and that we appreciate all you do for so many here on LBT!! I hope that since you are now a skinny thang you won't leave us!! We need you at LEAST until April '08!!! We love you!!! :love: Pamela, dear -- listen to Kat. Work the band but enjoy each day. I think that you and I are similar in our approach. I mean I'm not eating LF cottage cheese, turkey slices, brocoolli, and tuna all the time!! I don't WANT to eat diet food....ever again!! But I DO want to eat healthy foods!! I don't want to feel deprived...and eating 1/4 of what everyone else is eating is "deprivation" enough. I do exactly as my doctor said...."Don't diet. Diets have failed you numerous times in the past. Eat what you enjoy, just less of it." I'm 49 and have a notoriously slow metabolism...so I am losing 'slowly'. But how many times have we read that it's better to lose slowly??? So this is a GOOD thing! We are NOT gaining. This is a VERY GOOD thing. We are going to the gym like regular gym rats....and this is probably the VERY BEST thing we can do! So don't go beating yourself up....not for ONE MINUTE. You just keep doing what you're doing and the weight will come off eventually. This isn't a race. This isn't a race. This isn't a race!! XOXOXO Denise - DID YOU MAKE THAT LIST UP YOURSELF?? That is hilarious!!!!!!!! I loved the one about your husband saying "I didn't think you could eat that." It's so true... it's hard for them to keep up because what I can and cannot eat changes almost daily!! LOL Poor guy is very confused. If I added one or two it would be something like... ....if you've learned how to spit like a pro (when nobody is looking, of course!) ....if you find yourself scraping food of your plate into the trashcan and saying to yourself, "Ah, to hell with all those starving children in China" Ya'll have a good morning! Life is GOOD!

Deb - As you see from my post above, in my experience it can take up to 2.5 weeks for the 'real' restriction to show after a fill. Try full fluids for a day or two, then move to mushies for a day or two...then try solids in itty bitty bites. That's my $0.02

Tracy - Oh yes, I definitely am experiencing the changes you are talking about. I just don't like greasy foods at all anymore. I'd rather have granola than a Snickers bar. This morning when I was thinking what I'd like to do today I thought about going to the Farmer's Market and loading up on some great fruit and veggies! That wasn't my idea of fun in my former life! I totally relate to how you are feeling about your job....I'm in the same boat. The difference for me is that I see the light at the end of the tunnel....only a few more years and I'm outta there with full retirement benefits. My idea for you is to look up a vocational guidance service who can do some testing for you and determine what you are best suited for. Maybe they even offer some placement services as well. Maybe talk to a headhunter for some ideas? Surely there are a hundred books on how to make that transition. If you could do ANYTHING you wanted, what would it be?

I think 2 weeks out is a bit early to decide, especially since you seem to be okay with liquids and soft foods. It could very well be that you have irritated your stoma with your sticking episodes and it may take another week or so for it to settle down. I went thru all that with my 3rd fill. I was 2 weeks out and could hardly eat anything!! I was just about ready to get unfilled when suddenly things got much better. I am now 4 weeks out and actually think I might be at my sweet spot! Give it just a bit more time....maybe baby it for a couple of days with fluids and mushies. When you go back to meats take smaller bites, chew more, wait longer!! You know the drill!

If your body is not used to working out you are definitely holding on to some water. There's not really anything you can do about that, it's water your muscles need for repair. JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, get your fills and try to keep your eyes on longer term goals...not week to week. I know that's easier said than done, but your frustration factor will be cut way back if you can manage it.

<----- I need to change that thing under my avatar.... to most folks at first glance it probably looks like Violent Gym Nazi. LOL! People are prolly scared to talk to me!

Judy would definitely NOT do that!!! JWDNDT!! WHERE IS THE PAR-TAY??? :whoo:

AND YOU SHALL!!! Good things are coming your way!! Congratulations! :):confused:

For me it would be a no-brainer, even if I were 200# overweight... I just don't like the idea of an irreversible procedure, causing malabsorption (malnutrition), with a high rate of serious complications. No thank you.

The other night we went to a nice steakhouse with another couple. The other girl and I split an 8 oz. filet. I had maybe 3 oz, 2 TBSP of potatoes au gratin and one asparagus spear w/ a bit of crabmeat. I was perfectly content. Oh, and I was the last one to finish my meal by another 10 minutes!

So, Jenn,....is this guy narcoleptic or what?? You can write him off! Loser! Didn't you say you stopped taking your diuretic pills?? Jeez, that can easily account for 4-5#, even more! Add TOM on top of that....and summer heat & humidity!.... it's a wonder you don't EXPLODE!!:eek: