donali

So glad all is well - I've been keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Marie, that is absolutely amazing! What a fabulous victory!! KUDOS!!!!

Mary, I see what you are experiencing time and time again, and it concerns me that almost every single bandster has lying in their subconscious somewhere the thought, "If I stop losing, I can just get another fill." This is NOT true. There ALWAYS comes a point where "more fill" is NOT the answer. A person can only be so restricted before they can no longer meet their caloric/nutritional needs. When it becomes difficult to eat Proteins and vegetables, a person is too tight. Period. If a person stops losing weight, but are consuming a "normal" amount of calories (for most women that is 1200-1500 a day), then it is more likely you are on a plateau that needs to be waited out, OR those 1200-1500 calories a day are coming from foods that are not your nutritious friends. I don't care what any nutritionist may claim - 1500 calories of ice cream is NOT the same as 1500 calories of Protein and vegetables. Why? Because eating sugar requires the body to release more insulin, which stores excess blood sugar as fat, and then crashes your blood sugar levels so low that your appetite is turned back on. Not to mention that there are very little vitamins/fiber in our less nutritious choices, which are invariably from the high glycemic index and loaded with fat - the double-whammy. Not to mention the fact that this stuff goes down easily, and does not create a sense of fullness like more solid foods, and does not give us HEALTH. It always comes down to our food choices in the end, banded or not, restricted or not. The band helps with our hunger levels, which helps with our food choices UNTIL we get too tight. And then it becomes a downward spiral. For those of you who have stepped over the line from eating less without feeling deprived to so tight that you cannot comfortably consume adequate quantities of nutritious foods, YOU ARE TOO TIGHT. Yes, it is frustrating to stop losing weight - but the band can only do so much. Just like with anorexics - the eating/not eating is NOT the root of the problem. The band fixes the physical defect, but only treats the symptoms, not the underlying disorder of our psychological reasons for MO. JMHO...

Thinking of you, Leatha! I am also gallbladder-less...

Best of luck, Anne!! We'll be thinking of you! **hugs**

Ginny - Remember, this is NOT a diet - this is for life!! Life includes b-day Cookies, and cakes, and chips, and donuts (two filled and a donut hole for me yesterday...:eek: :eek: ), and pizza, and fried chicken, and chocolate, and (insert personal weakness here... :eek:) However... Life does need to revolve around nutritious choices the majority of the time. You need to find a way to feel secure that your weakness foods are NOT going away or off limits, so that you indulge in them only when you really, really, really want them. It may take you forcing yourself to eat nothing but cookies for two or three days, until you are absolutely sated and sick of them. With every bite, say to yourself, "I can have this WHENEVER I really want. I promise myself - no more dieting!" When you can't bear the thought of eating another cookie turn to the foods your body will be craving by then - nutritious Proteins and vegetables. I don't think my suggestion will work, though, unless you believe in the core of your being that cookies will NEVER be off limits if you really want them. The question to always ask yourself in the future, of course, is, "Do I really, really want a cookie? Or am I really just thirsty, tired, bored, angry, lonely...etc? Would going for a walk, or sitting at the computer, or calling a friend, or taking a hot bath, or ??? satisfy this craving just as well?" Practice eating nutritious foods first in IMMEDIATE response to physical hunger - do not EVER make yourself go hungry. If you are not physically hungry, try an activity other than eating when you get the urge to eat for non-physical hunger reasons. A lot of our eating is habit, and has nothing to do with the need for food. You will not always be successful in diverting your attention away from foods you don't really wish to consume, but it gets easier with practice. Give yourself high fives when you substitue an alternative behaviour! Recognize every little success! And for the times that nothing but a cookie will do, indulge yourself and be kind. Know that you are doing the best that you can, and that you ARE getting better day by day. You DON'T have to be perfect!! Mini goals, mini steps - they all add up to success over time. We're thinking of you, and we are all there with you, to some degree or another, every single day. Chin up, girl!

Leatha - I have had some sharp pains like you describe as well, but not as long lasting as yours sound. I just chaulked it up to gas in high places, but really have no idea what it was. I hope your surgeon is able to figure out what it is, and fix you up without another surgery. Please keep us posted, and let us know how it goes! **hugs**

**wolf whistle**

I believe Iron isn't supposed to be taken in combination with other things - either it interferes with the other vitamin's absorption, or vice-versa... I don't recall for sure, but that's my initial "vague memory"... Also, because getting too much iron is bad, I imagine the Vitamin companies are just covering their bases and leaving it out, since a lot of women are on iron supplements already, they wouldn't want to take the Vitamins with iron, too...

Dang, Bright!!! I was really waiting for the photo to upload... lol I was going to do a compare to see whose were sadder - yours or mine. Maybe make a collage of saggy boobs... lol

GORGEOUS girl!!! LOVE the new photo!! Actually, if it's the sugar-free part that's the problem, must be one of those artificial type sweeteners that have a very mild laxative type side effect, like the maltodextrin (?) in some of the SF chocolates. Boy, the gas pain over over-consuming that stuff is a horror not be be repeated! I thought I was going to be the human blimp over San Diego!! Not that I would ever overindulge in anything... I haven't had any probs with SF gum that I've noticed, but then again haven't chewed any in a real long time. You go, Brittney!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

I still need to get that book! For those of you who missed it, W.O.E. = "Way of Eating". I have to substitute that for the word "diet", as "diet" sends me into an emotiona tailspin, because I can never hear it without thinking of suffering, deprivation, low-self esteem, etc. So Bright, are you totally off sugar, or can you maintain your good feelings on just less sugar? I definitely go through cycles of little to none, and then WAAAAY too much...

Whoo hooo!!! Congrats on the culprit! But I wonder if the gas the gum causes is from swallowed air? If it makes the tummy feel swollen and distended, that sounds to me like a similar effect that overeating would cause, so I'm sticking to the referred pain from the diaphragm theory - it just wasn't overfullness due to food... Surely I'm right?? Regardless, congrats on being painfree!! And having a Brittney tummy! Whoo hooo!! P.S. I miss you! :eek:

Those are 42DD bras you're looking at, folks. Bright, I don't know if Lane Bryant's ships overseas, but they do have an online store! Have you tried extenders? I just may have to send you a little surprise in the mail...

Two eggs and two sausages sounds like a lot of food for a meal? I think that sounds like less than what a "normal" person would eat - no toast, no potatos. Same for the rest of Michelle's menu for the day. To me the band is about eating NORMAL portions - NOT eating nothing!! You do NOT need to be restricted to 2-3 bites per meal. This journey does NOT need to be drastic to work. I bet if you added up the calories from her meal they'd be around 1200-1500, which seems to be the generally recommended goal, depending on your current basal metabolism.

I still get that stuck feeling every once in a while, and have even PB'd once AFTER my band was removed!! Casper's doing his job... :eek: Welcome to the land of PBs. May it be your last.

Alex, I highly recommend the Cacique brand bra, "Flaunt" style for those of us who have the volume but not necessarily the placement... These are super-duper heavy duty bras - I almost feel "saddled-up" when I'm wearing them, but I do NOT have to constantly adjust them. I got mine at Lane Bryant - pretty pricey (for me), but their website had them buy one, get one half-price a few weeks ago. I paid $34 apiece for mine at the walk-in store. Thanks to everyone else for your kind comments and support. :eek: I look REALLY great in the pitch dark... lol :eek:

Hi Nancy - To post a photo in a thread: Reply to an existing thread, or create a new post. BEFORE you submit your text, scroll down to where is says "Attach file:". Click on the "Browse" button, and go to where your photo is located on your hard drive. Then you can submit. If you submit before attaching the file, you will have to create a new post to attach the photo. A note on size - I find that keeping the photo about 2 inches wide makes it fit nicely in the screen. .jpg extensions are generally smaller than .bmp extensions, so if you can use jpg's they'll load faster. For your avatar, you need to resize a photo to no bigger than 50x50 pixels. Microsoft provides a photo editor in their Microsoft Office folder which allows you to change the size of the photos by inches or pixels, as well as allowing you to crop them. Once you have the 50x50 pixel photo, go to "user cp" (button at the top of the screen - first one on the right half of the screen). Choose "edit options" and scroll all the way down. At the bottom you will see a place to upload your avatar. Good luck, have fun!

Sandy, thanks for posting your story. I don't even want to know who the doc in question is... :sick Your story just highlights why some of us are so on alert for people trolling for docs - this board isn't like that, and we want to keep it that way. I think it's great that the docs have their own boards - but I also know that it is unlikely that people having problems could post to those boards without being censored in some way, or jumped on by the happy clam patients. I'm a member of a LOT of boards, and I see this happen over and over again. I have no interest in reading bashing posts about anyone or anything - but I AM interested in reading the truth, good and bad. I agree that it is the rare doc (if any) who has NOTHING but happy patients. I'm sorry you've felt persecuted from so many boards. I am SO thrilled for you on your success!! I loved my band, too. We love success stories over here, and can't get enough of them! So please stay and share in the support of the wonderful people here.

Congrats!! Welcome to bandland!!

Thanks, everyone, for not running from your computer screen screaming "MY EYES ARE BURNING!!! MY EYES ARE BURNING!!!" LOL Michelle, you definitely don't want my boobs - without the bra, they are pitiful. They almost look okay if I raise my hands over my head and reach as high as humanly possible, but it's hard to walk around much like that... lol The extra skin on them is getting sad, too... So thank goodness the bra hides all that and gives extra volume! And as far as my stomach being "flat" - thank goodness for pants and low light levels. heheh I have a nice overhang that pants cover up. Pretty frightening to see in high cut panties. And NO NO NO - I will NOT post pictures of that!! :eek: :eek: :eek: lol Although I certainly can't claim I'm holding out on principle, after the other shots I've posted. But I've got to look some of you in the eye in October, and I'm not sure I could do that if I show any less discretion than I already have...

Certain autoimmune disorders are contraindications, as well, as it affects healing. Here's a list put out by http://www.lap-band-surgery.org/LAP-BAND-Contraindications.cfm : LAP BAND Contraindications The LAP BAND System is not right for you if: You have an inflammatory disease or condition of the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers, severe esophagitis, or Crohn's disease. You have severe heart or lung disease that makes you a poor candidate for surgery. You have some other disease that makes you a poor candidate for surgery. You have a problem that could cause bleeding in the esophagus or stomach. That might include esophageal or gastric varices (a dilated vein). It might also be something such as congenital or acquired intestinal telangiectasia (dilation of a small blood vessel). You have portal hypertension. Your esophagus, stomach, or intestine is not normal (congenital or acquired). For instance you might have a narrowed opening. You have/experience an intra-operative gastric injury, such as a gastric perforation at or near the location of the intended band placement. You have cirrhosis. You have chronic pancreatitis. You are pregnant. (If you become pregnant after the LAP BAND System has been placed, the band may need to be deflated. The same is true if you need more nutrition for any other reason, such as becoming seriously ill. In rare cases, removal may be needed.) You are addicted to alcohol or drugs. You are under 18 years of age. You have an infection anywhere in your body or one that could contaminate the surgical area. You are on chronic, long-term steroid treatment. You cannot or do not want to follow the dietary rules that come with this procedure. You might be allergic to materials in the device. You cannot tolerate pain from an implanted device. You or someone in you family has an autoimmune connective tissue disease. That might be a disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus or scleroderma. The same is true if you have symptoms of one of these diseases.

Yeah, Vera - what a beautiful, heart-shaped face! Darcy - wishing you all the best - just a few more days. Good for you writing the letter documenting this awful experience for your doc. Just UNACCEPTABLE!!

Whoo hoo, Alex!! Ah, it hurts SO good...

Okay, when I said they "fit"... I really should have JUST said "I can get them buttoned and zipped." They certainly don't FIT in the "wear them in public and live to tell about it" sense of the word. lol I can't believe I'm posting these pics - fat rolls, and all... (What is WRONG with me?!?! lol It's DeLarla's fault - she brought out the exhibitionist in me, and I can't stuff her back in!! )