Alexandra

These rules are just copied from what appears on the registration screen that all new members have to complete when they join. This is just for your information, and those lines don't apply to current members. (In fact, I'll take them out to avoid further confusion.)

Cool!! If I were to embrace a religion, that would be it.

Hi Susan, Yep, been there, done that. The very worst episode I ever had happened without warning when a tiny piece of seaweed salad got stuck. It didn't resolve for well over an hour, during which I had constant pain. But it finally did, and WHEW what a relief!! You're getting very good advice--you want to stay on liquids and soft foods for a day or two. And you just have to learn from experience with regard to prevention. I know that I'm more likely to eat without thinking if I'm in a social situation; it takes extra practice to concentrate when you're out in a restaurant. Welcome to LBT, fellow Jerseyan!! Check out the New Jersey section for news on support groups and a bandster gathering being planned for the fall.

Scotty, you're doing great! I also think you've said something really profound about guilt and fullness. We who have fought (and failed) for so long to eat less and survive really DO have to realize it's OK to be satisfied. It doesn't automatically mean, as I know it used to for me, that we've overindulged. Very sage observation, Scott! And as Dr. Phil says, you can't change what you don't acknowledge.

Hi Marie, I don't think you need to spill the Beans at the first date, even if it is dinner. Most of the time you could order an appetizer or Soup and just say you're not very hungry. I've had lots of business lunches and sometimes someone will comment on how little I'm eating but it's been easy to brush it off. I guess a date is entitled to a little more curiosity, but you don't have to cave altogether. A little mystery is enticing! As for how to meet men I have only this sage advice: Do what YOU like to do. I met the man of my dreams only after deciding that I was perfectly happy being single. Think of all the free time I had! There are loads of social opportunities out there for people with hobbies. I went out and found a club that had a volleyball team--which I love to play--and joined. This club had lots of other cool things to do, so I was never bored. I tried new things, made lots of friends, and had a great time. My best friend has been single now for almost 9 years, and she is still spending many, many evenings with men she meets online. She's had only one relationship for more than a month and it ended badly. I keep telling her to do what entertains HER and stop looking for a man; she has much better things to do with her time. She agrees, but somehow can't take that step of focusing on what SHE wants instead of what she thinks the men want. The captain of the volleyball team I joined is now my husband, and our 10th anniversary is in June.

Wow, that's spooky! Any idea what powers he was talking about? Nope, can't say I have any similar story.

Hi Daisy, Welcome to bandland!! I think you'll get a good idea of what restriction feels like when you start to eat solid food. Even if you don't have real restriction post-op (like I didn't), the very first few times eating solid food will likely be an eye-opening experience. Your esophagus may even spasm a little, like a clenching feeling, trying to let you know it's not used to this solid food. But that will very likely pass quickly and you'll be able to eat almost normally. So what does restriction feel like? Well, when it's working right and I'm doing everything right, it just feels like I'm full, sooner. Do you remember what it was like, say, eating Thanksgiving dinner until you were about to burst? At some point, you probably stopped to take a deep breath. Well I still have to take that deep breath, only it happens after a MUCH smaller amount of food. I just got full much faster, and it's up to me to notice it and actually stop eating. (That's always the trickiest part. ) People report different "signals" for that stop sign--some burp, some hiccup, some yawn. But it's essentially the same thing happening, in that we are getting full faster. When I'm not doing things right--like eating too fast or taking bites that are too big and not chewing enough--restriction can cause actual pain. It feels like something is stuck about two or three inches below your throat. But if/when that happens it's a clear signal that I'm not being careful enough.

Hi Eve, If you are interested in getting insurance to cover your surgery, the place to start is with your primary care physician. He needs to diagnose you as being Morbidly Obese (charming, I know) and get that diagnosis into your medical record. From there you would go see a surgeon specializing in bariatric surgery. (For help finding a doctor, visit www.inamed.com.) So a lot depends on whether you're a self-pay or want insurance to cover you. Good luck!!

There's a real risk for banded people with things like Metamucil or Citrucel. They thicken or bulk up and if that happens above the band it could cause blockage. That's why Benefiber is so great. It doesn't thicken in the same way--at least, the powdered kind doesn't--and can't cause a blockage. I don't know if the same ingredients are used in the wafers. The powdered stuff is amazing; I add it to my coffee every morning and if I forget, I really miss it.

Bright, it is possible that your loss of restriction will be temporary--I definitely experience fluctuations in restrictions. But it would be a shame if everything stayed the same and you couldn't do anything about it until Christmas! Is there any way you can see someone closer? There must be a band doctor in Ireland somewhere!! (Off-topic--check out this month's Smithsonian magazine. It has a great article on Ireland! I'd love to see the "Spike" -- I mean, the Spire. Wow, it sounds amazing!)

Teresa, what kind of car did you get? Just being nosy. I don't have any advice on the settlement thing. Good luck with whatever you decide and I too hope you heal 100%.

That sounds unusual, and doesn't sound like it's related to the band itself. Is the pain in your port area? Are you doing exercises that might create stress on your port and/or the muscles it's attached to? It could also be intestinal, if you're not getting enough Fiber. Have you had constipation? A friend of mine had similar symptoms and was eventually diagnosed with diverticulitis. Have you had a physical recently? This may not be related to your band at all. You might want to call your PCP and discuss it. Good luck!!

Getting over general anaesthesia is the worst part of banding. I'll bet that's what caused the nausea, and maybe the headache too. I hope you recover quickly!! Be careful not to do too much--use any excuse to rest up for the next few days. You'll be better before you know it.

Our support group meetings have tried "topics" and continue to do so. Recently we had a personal trainer show us exercises to do with the elastic bands (available at sporting good stores). These are GREAT because resistance training is so intimidating with weights, but SO important for building muscle. We also had a therapist come and discuss the issues around finding ourselves in new bodies. That hit home for me, because those of us in our 40s may be faced with suddenly older-looking faces as we lose weight. That's been kind of rattling for me. But every meeting we have ends up with free-for-all discussion, and there's never enough time for that. Newbies want to hear from long-term bandsters and also commiserate with one another, and prospective bandsters just come and soak it all in. Topics sometimes get lost.

Another board I'm on recently had an implosion too, and several people posted dramatic I'M STAYING threads. That's pretty much how I feel. LBT can't get rid of me that easily.

I'm going for an echocardiogram this afternoon, and it suddenly dawned on me that my being banded might matter somehow. It's an ultrasound of the chest, I gather, which I presume will be able to see my band. Has anyone had this done? Anything I should know? (And no, there's nothing wrong. I had told my PCP about some episodes of dizzyness I was having and she's one of those better-safe-than-sorry doctors. I'm fine!)

Hi Jan, and welcome to LBT!! This is the place to come to post all the questions you forgot to ask your doctor.

MikeC, I'm with Jack. Getting surgery locally was more important to me than getting it fast. I fought with my insurer for almost a year and eventually won. It's been worth it in spades because my doctor is 15 minutes away and I've gotten the excellent care I knew I'd need to be successful. If you're medically qualified for bariatric surgery, start the process and see what happens. Mexico will always be there for you, if you need it. But if you do manage to get Cigna to pay for it you'll be thousands of dollars ahead and have local coverage with no worries. And Betty, if you have United Healthcare you'll be happy to hear it's one of the best carriers out there for bariatric surgery. And no, you don't have to pay it back. You or your employer have been paying premiums and what you get in return is coverage for medical care if you need it. And if you need it you'll have to pay whatever copays and deductibles might apply, but you will NOT have to repay whatever portion of the expenses United agrees to cover.

I thought she was asking how long it takes to drink that amount? If I'm not tightly restricted, I can drink 16 oz in just a few minutes. It wasn't until the last couple of months that I had any trouble chugging water, for that matter. Now I can drink a big mouthful every couple of minutes, with no problem.

HA! I knew he was a shrimp! Thanks for clearing that up.

Ladiebird makes a very good point, Estela. People with less to lose definitely lose it less quickly. You're making great progress!!

Clear up a mystery for me. How tall is Bruce? I was pretty sure I saw him in NYC once or twice, but the guy I saw was shorter than I. I'm 5'10" and he was about 5'8" or so. So was it him, or just a dead ringer? Vacationing solo sounds heavenly. But I'm afraid Las Vegas would be wayyy too much fun for me.

I had a great time with the mushy phase at the deli counter. There are wonderful dips and spreads out there for the tasting--especially things like hummus, tzatziki, goat cheese, chopped liver, and so on. All these things I never bought before because they're expensive were fair game during this stage since they are all I was eating. Explore and discover exotic foods you might not have considered before. And don't worry about calories at this point. Have fun!

Just want to point out, again for the record, that PMs are not readable by moderators. The only way a moderator would know about inappropriate PMs is if the recipient reported it. Lisa, I hope you're feeling better now. Let's see peace restored, please. Edited to add that I am in no way accusing Lisa of sending threats. Just wanted to clarify what the moderators have access to.

Ryan, my thoughts and hopes are with you and Patty today. Wishing for good news for you both, and soon!