Alexandra

Yah, well supposedly that was the whole point of the Spotlight Health site; there were message boards there that Ann and Carnie were supposed to visit. They didn't, of course, but that's what the site originally promised.

I think you get used to it or find a slightly different position to accommodate the port. I'm definitely aware of it at times like that, but it's not pain at all.

Hey Porcln, welcome back! Good to hear things are going well--good luck with that custody hearing. Fingers crossed that everything comes out the way you want it. Stay strong--it will all be over soon. How cool to have a band buddy at work! I'm sure you will bring a lot of support to one another.

Ann Wilson is the lead singer of the rock band Heart, and was for a while a paid spokesperson for the lapband. She had it done and talked about it on various news outlets back in 2002, and lost about 60 lbs at last mention. The main website that had been touting her (and Carnie Wilson, for the RNY) was Spotlight Health, which disappeared with no explanation some time ago. (Anyone have any information on that?) So it's been a while since there's been any news on Ann Wilson's banding journey, and I'm very interested to hear she had it removed. More info!!

Leener, where did you hear that? Did she have something else done instead or just have it removed? I'd love to hear more if you can point me to some source. BTW, GOOD LUCK TOMORROW!! :bounce:

Glad to hear the removal went well, Elizabeth! Hope your recovery is quick and totally uneventful.

The answer is that portion control and dieting DO work, but can you maintain that yourself for the rest of your life? If your history is anything like mine, the clear answer is no. Dieting works only while you're doing it. The band keeps you doing it. Period.

Congratulations!! It's such a big thing to realize that the stores and catalogs we used to depend on are no longer appropriate. I just threw out my Silhouettes catalog because even their smallest size would have been on the large side for me. I used to LOVE Silhouettes!! Welcone to scary world of "normal" sizes!

Fitday.com is probably the most popular website to do this stuff on, and lots of us here swear by it. I purchased the desktop version and LOVE IT. It's a lot more flexible than the website version, as well as faster (of course). Pretty much anything you might ever want to track is trackable in FitdayPC, and it's easy to learn and use. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Lots of good thoughts for crystal-clear answers for our Crystal!! Peace to you and yours, sweetie. Sounds like there's a lot going on. Big hugs!!

So glad to hear it, Sammee!! Fingers crossed that everything works out fine. Take care--we're thinking of you! :biggrin1:

As they say, the band is a fickle bitch. We have all experienced changing restriction from day to day, indeed, but a barium test is always a good idea. Good luck!!

Insanity, indeed! My eyes hurt...

Consider it closed.

That is indeed wonderful news, Kathy!! Just think about your poor, healing lungs and what they've been through every time you think about wanting a cigarette. I'd think that would be pretty powerful motivation to stay away from the death sticks.

Kelly!! Bandsister!! Wow, this is totally eerie--I'm expecting to be told the same thing when I go in for an endoscopy this week. BIG HUGS TO YOU! I hope and pray the unfill gets things back into place for you. :hug: :hug: If everything was hunky-dory back then, isn't it surprising that just one PB would make it slip? What did your doctor have to say about that? Sheesh, I'm in trouble. :omg:

Karen, aren't you still supposed to be on liquids?!? Yikes! Stay far away from the Pop Tarts--lesson learned!!

Good for you, Magsi!! I was going to post my own sob story of my first marriage (to a guy like your ex) but now I don't have to. You did it!! Now get ready to meet a REAL man. :bounce:

I started with fitday.com but downloaded their desktop program, called FitdayPC. It's only $20 for fitday.com users, and it's WORTH EVERY PENNY. It does a lot the online version can't do, and makes it much more pleasant to track my intake (read: I do it more often). The best feature of FitdayPC is that you can enter and save custom foods, either by recipe, nutrition label info, or ingredients. I have custom foods called things like "turkey sandwich lunch." Online you had to enter all the items individually, every time. It has a lot more functionality in general, lots that I don't even use. I highly recommend it!!

Fingers crossed that it heals itself, Sammee!! Thank goodness it wasn't anything worse and can be repaired. Now it's my turn...endoscopy scheduled for the 16th will tell me what's going on inside. :nervous

Sammee, I just want to send you hugs and good wishes for your appointment with the doctor. I'm seeing a gastroenterologist tonight to find out why I suddenly have recurring reflux along with an ulcer-type pain and frequent heartburn. And I've vomited in the last couple of weeks, first thing in the a.m., too. So I know exactly how you feel. Good luck to both of us!! :hug:

PB= productive burp (bad name, but there it is). I don't think you're doing anything wrong, you're too tight! An unfill should fix you right up. Good luck!!

Whoa, whoa! Slow down! You just had your first fill on Friday and you're already antsing for another one? What's the hurry? Many people find that their fills don't "kick in" for several days or even a week or two. Wait and see if this one doesn't give you some restriction before asking for more. Most doctors really want us to wait several weeks between fills, and I think that only makes good sense. We really don't want to get overfilled too fast, because that doesn't give us time to adjust to a new way of eating. And many doctors also want patients to evaluate what they're eating as much as how, so meetings with nutritionists before adjustments are not uncommon. Don't worry! You're making it sound as though it's all over, and that's FAR from the case. Patience and persistence are two things bandsters need to succeed, so look within and see if you can find yours.

Janet put it very well, and this reflects a HUGE piece of my thinking on the matter. Banding leaves the control in our hands, and RNY takes it away--but only for a while. I recognized that I couldn't control my weight on my own, but RNY doesn't solve that problem permanently. 18 months is NOT long enough to unlearn a lifetime of bad habits. I needed, and need, continuing behavior modification.

(I moved these posts from another thread.) The "sweet spot" is a subjective thing and can't be measured in milliliters. I think what most of us mean by that is that amount of restriction that allows us to eat what we want, in small amounts, and also keeps us from being hungry between meals. Restriction can be tricky and different people have different levels of tolerance. Too loose and we're hungry too quickly between meals. Too tight and even small bites are hard to swallow. Once our bands are tightened it takes a little while to figure out where our restriction is, and how to live with it. The "sweet spot" is just that place where everything seems to jibe well and weight is coming off, comfortably.