leatha_g

I was re-banded in July, due to slippage. My insurance did cover everything, for the second time. This is not always the case, just my particular situation. These are questions you may want to ask you insurance carrier. Hopefully, you'll never have to be concerned with this issue.

I definitely could use breast reduction/lift and, if I can manage to lose the rest of my weight. I sure might consider it. Only real problem - I take blood thinners. Surgery is really NOT my friend. Sigh... .

I hope you have an awesome experience!! Please keep us posted!

I'm ALL for that!! I still think we should try to get both condos for the whole bunch!

Course it counts! It's a long way to drive just for dinner or a movie, but I have an extra bed if you want to come!

I have an appointment in one week with a psychiatrist. First, to manage the anti-depressants (or possibly change them) that I've been taking since 1988. The particular one I am on (Pamelor) actually has 'craving sweets' as a side effect. So, we're going to discuss this and possible alternatives or discontinuation. (I wished). In this visit, I hope to attain the name of a good eating disorders/compulsive eating counselor, so that I may begin to attack the 'mind' part of this problem. I think I have gone as far as I can on the mercy of the band. Possibly, I should have attacked this from the beginning, but either way, it is now time I must face the fact that this is one monster I can't slay alone. Also, things in my life have slowed down enough to allow this, at least for a little while. Wish me luck!

'I had my surgery 5 weeks ago and i can eat a lot.' This is where we get to add - Just because you CAN, does not necessarily mean that you SHOULD. Welcome to LBT.

I'm very surprised that you had this surgery without hearing of this initial problem. This very thing is discussed over and over on all boards. It is very common to come out of surgery not having restriction. This first 6 weeks is meant for healing ONLY. Many of us lost before surgery and regained once we began introducing calorie dense foods. This is very common. Did you research before you had surgery? Did your doctor educate you at all about what to expect and what to eat afterwards? Did he explain that you must allow the stomach to heal in place so that scar tissue will anchor the band in before you begin eating solids? I'm concerned that you seem so surprised and upset by this. Were you required to have a psychological consultation before your surgery also? I promise you, if you do your research. Learn EVERYTHING you can from everyone and everyplace you can and you do what you are told, ie, exercise, drink your Water, focus on Protein, no high calorie drinks, no Pasta, no bread, no rice, no potatoes you cannot help BUT to lose. Please do not give in so easily. This is a great tool that you have been given, but it does require that you meet it halfway. This includes learning all you can about what to expect and how to work with it. Please find the introduction section of this site and tell us more about who you are and how you came to get the lapband so that we may better help to support you. Keep posting! You're gonna be fine!!

Campbells soup at hand doesn't require additional milk. I used soymilk. Gax-X may help.

Now that the holidays are behind us and we're back to our normal routine of things. I was just wondering if those of you in the DFW area are interested in maybe getting together for dinner or lunch or just meet up somewhere and share experience, strength and hope? I'm up for anything. I realize we're all spread out, but it would be fun to try to get together maybe once a month or once a quarter? There are, of course, other support groups locally, but I think here at LBT we share a pretty special bond, so it might be fun and encouraging just to visit on occasion and catch up. I'm certainly open to ideas and not afraid to drive most anywhere. We could meet at someone's house where there would be no time constraints or extra expense, or we could secure a table in a restaurant, maybe even have a movie matinee and drinks. I'm up for suggestions. Ya'll help me out here, if you're interested.

WOWEE Betty!! You are definitely looking great girlfriend! BTW, I've been to Betty's house and she does have a superb location. Her yard is so peaceful and serene, great shade and woodsy. I loved it. You're doing great Betty! I'm so proud of you and I know you feel 100% better too! Way to go!!

Hiya Pippy!! Welcome to the board! 30lbs is still a great loss! You'll see that things aren't totally consistent ALL the time. Yep, the holidays is hard for many of us, but just think of the damage we could have done without our little band?? It's a new year and we're all dedicated to making it one our best. I hope you'll join us!

Showoff? lol. Me? The woman who's been bouncing from 183 to 186 to 189 back to 183 since Labor Day? Believe me, I have done nothing BUT make the wrong decisions, apparently. (And, I know you were kidding, Marie:p .) I had company Labor Day weekend, from South Africa, so I wanted to share with her some of my favorites that she'd never heard of, such as Italian Cream cake. , Bluebell ice cream, so I gained 3 lbs that weekend. Then off on a tangent, these things just kept creeping into my behavior, so I've been bouncing merrily through the holidays making just enough wrong choices that I couldn't get past it. Thank goodness I could keep it under semi control or I'd be back to 200 by now. I have personally proven that yes, carbs/starches/refined sugars are indeed addictive and yes, once you stray into them the THIQ(technical term I learned in Drug and Alcohol counseling school) in our brains is definitely alerted and begins seeking more. This happens in heroin addicts, alcoholics and those of us who seek food as our drug of choice. It really does release endorphins that make us feel better, like love or hugs and well, being single, my endorphins know there is no love or hugs so when I feed it, it doesn't know moderation, it just WANTS more!! I am a victim of my own inner endorphin monster:( , but I'm working on it. I've put him in a cage with a tiny silicone band around his little pointed head. That way he's unconscious MOST of the time. Like an addict, he sometimes wakes up and his withdrawals cause him to do things he wishes he didn't do, but he does them anyway and holds my body hostage until he gets what he wants. As long as I'm vigilent about doing my exercise and drinking my water and eating my protein, I can keep him unconscious, but when I slip one wrong darn thing in there, he wakes up and goes searching for more. So, there's my confession. I, too, have a monster, just like Nancy and Lisa and Alex and Marie and Paula and Jack and Ryan and all of you other addicts. lol. I can't kill him, but I can darn sure cut off his oxygen supply long enough to regain control. I AIN'T NO QUITTER!!:banana

haha, Greg, do you have a WIDESCREEN monitor?

Mine was too, Lisa. I feel for you. I am so glad I got rid of that 'bitch' gland I could still dance and it's been 8 years now. lol.

I used to be terrible for becoming nauseous and having 'sick' headaches if I didn't eat. This was never sudden, but if I went for long periods (which I did) I would pass a point of no return where I would become very ill. I'm happy to say that although I, too, had this concern before banding. I have maybe had one or two near misses with the band and that's in 18 months. I know the signs, so I now am better about heading them off, but more importantly I am more conscious now of WHAT I am eating and how often. I still slip on occasion and find myself not having eaten SOMETHING, ANYTHING for too many hours, but it's rare. I think you'll find you develop more discipline around your eating once banded. I know I have.

It's a small grocery chain. I've only ever seen it in Cali and I saw one in St Louis the last time I was there. Alas, none in Texas. http://www.traderjoes.com/

my worst pb episodes (and only) have been scrambled eggs, lobster, scallops, pizza dough and raw pineapple. i get a very fast/hard stop with tortilla, soft bread, rice, english peas, nuts (if i'm stuffing too many in at once) and pasta.

I'm doing good (knock on wood). Ice cream called my name when I went out earlier and I boldly and blatantly told myself 'absolutely NOT'. It went away. I have drank my water. I went 5 miles on the exercise bike. I had chicken breast and green beans for lunch and crabcakes and 3 asparagus spears for dinner. I have had some candy canes that were left over from Christmas, but you know what? They occupy me and if that keeps me from stopping by Wendy's for a Frosty then so be it. I went to Catherines earlier cause they're supposed to have lots of stuff on sale. Guess what!! They don't even have bras small enough for me (and believe me, I'm not small). Everything else I looked at looked huge, so I walked out without one single thing. They do have some 0X there, which I think I heard the lady say were 14's, but I don't think I'm going that route. I think I'll be buying my next things off the NORMAL rack in a NORMAL store!! :)

Great photos Jane!! Thank you for posting and congrats on losing during the holidays! You go girl!!

Trader Joes has an awesome French Onion soup in the frozen section too. It has quite a bit of protein too, believe it or not. I used Trader Joes alot when I was in Cali.

Hahahaha!

Welcome home Northerner!! So glad to hear you had a good experience!! Congrats and I hope you have a speedy recovery!

That is a Jessie Ahroni-ism. I agree with her. This WLS lets you be in charge. You have to use your own brain to make the choices that will guide you to success instead of having had your innards re-routed and having your body shrink due to malnutrition.

Soup is a good standby, but you are right. The general rules of the band are that you eat hard proteins and no caloric liquids. However, some days 'normal' people choose soup. It is not a good idea to get in the habit of 'soft foods', because of the higher caloric intake that is associated with that. Good eye, Jammin. Good question.