Thats All Folks

I found what it is: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bartholin-cyst/DS00667

I saw this and about died laughing. I think any of us dealing with loose skin can relate!

I agree with the others, call your doc's office and ask, just to be safe.

I give you credit because I cannot use chopsticks. I suck at it. I tried it once at a Thai restaurant and my shrimp ended up flying across the table and landing in my date's lap.

We absolutely LOVE this soup! I'll have to try that with the salsa.

You know, Jim raises an excellent point. I bet your husband will appreciate the CPAP machine. Years ago (MANY years ago) I dated a man who had untreated sleep apnea. Honestly, sleeping with him scared the crap out of me. I remember he'd inhale then...nothing. I swear a full minute or two would go by with him doing this weird little gasping thing before he'd finally sputter and exhale. More than once I shoved him in the arm just to make him breath again. It always really scared me.

Just go into to your doctor, tell them you had the band and are feeling fatigued, and request a blood panel to make sure you're getting the proper nutrients. He'll know what to do from there.

I don't think anyone is trying to perpetuate a myth. We can eat more than 3 bites a meal, but restaurants typically serve gigantic portions. As phdizzle said, they serve 4 cup meals and we only need 1 cup of it. I often order off the children's menu and I still eat maybe half of what they bring me. It does make waiters and waitresses question if something is wrong. They just assume we're going to eat most of what we're brought. When we only eat less than half, they assume it's because we didn't like our meal. I've had this happen many, many times. Especially if I decline to take home the leftovers.

At the beginning, I only told my parents, brother, children, and 2 close friends. Now, everyone knows. I'm very open about it. As far as restaurants that's always kinda funny actually. More than a few times I've had a waitress or waiter say "Oh I'm sorry, did you not like your meal?" because I only eat a quarter of what they bring me. I always just politely assure them my meal was great, I simply had enough. The conversations always ends there.

Typing on a forum won't help you, you need to go directly to the ER.

I love your positive attitude! It will take you far! Don't feel bad about the CPAP and the sleep apnea. Granted there's no guarantees, but a lot of us no longer have a sleep apnea after loosing weight. I had one too before I got the band a year ago. Now, not only do I no longer have sleep apnea, I don't even snore anymore. At all! Best wishes!

((hugs)) I'm so sorry you had to find out the rest of the ugly details, but I'm glad finding out has finally brought you the closure you not only need but deserve. And you're totally right- that piece of sh*t doesn't deserve you. You're a wonderful woman with so much to offer. It takes time but you will heal. I found out my ex was cheating days before giving birth to our son. The trauma of it all actually sent me into labor early, it was horrible. When my son was only 3 weeks old, I left him. I still resent my ex for ruining the birth of my son and leaving me a complete broken wreck with a newborn baby and grade schooler. But... I did heal. It didn't happen over night but I did. The thing I finally realized was I had to forgive him, not for him, but for me. That bitterness and anger was destroying me from the inside out. And him? It didn't even phase him. It only hurt me. Ironically, my ex and I are actually very close friends now days. I will always love him like family, but I haven't romantically loved him in years. I'm very happy in my life, in fact I look back now and realize he did me a favor. He didn't deserve me just like your ex didn't deserve you, and by freeing me, I'm now with a wonderful man who does deserve me and I deserve him. Hang in there, Donna.

If you don't want anyone to know, you could just say you're just getting over a stomach bug and don't want to risk upsetting your stomach now that it's finally calm again. Then no one would question why you're drinking water.

ROFL!!!

I experienced the same thing. I had a really minor cold, too. It wasn't even that bad, but it was just enough post nasal drip and light occassional coughing that my band tightened right up on me.

You shouldn't feel sick after you eat. Is it possible you're over eating? If you're eating more than a cup of food per meal, or eating until you feel stuffed full, the problem could be you're eating too much. I'd have a talk with your doctor about it. Just to be on the safe side.

You avoid it however you have to, be it OTC nausea meds or calling your surgeon for help. People get sick and there's not much we can do about that, but you should never ever be vomiting because of your band. Ever.

Sliming is when your mouth fills up with slimey saliva as a result of being stuck. PB is Productive Burp. It's when you're stuck and burp food back up. It's not like vomiting at all, because vomiting is violent and results in your stomach muscles bunching and cramping. When you PB, it's gentle and literally just burping up food. You should never, ever vomit. It's very dangerous with the band. You don't always PB when you're stuck. I've been banded over a year and only PB'd twice- and both times it was totally my own fault.

Well, only you know if you can do it without the band. It's true you will still be responsible for making healthy food choices and following the rules to be successful with the band. The band is just a tool, not a magic cure for fat. I can only speak for myself, but I tried to lose weight for decades without the band and always failed miserably. The reason is because I was always hungry and always felt deprived. Food pre-occupied my every thought because the more I went without it, the more I thought about it. Now, that's not the case. The band does exactly what it's meant to do, it keeps me satisfied on far less food for long periods of time. I do count calories and measure portions because I want to be sure I do this right and lose this weight. But, I don't feel deprived either. I eat what I want just in moderation. Before the band, I'd eat a whole bag of Reese's miniatures. Now, I'm happy and satisfied with just 2 or 3. Or when I went out to Olive Garden for dinner before the band, I'd eat Soup, a half dozen breadsticks, a huge dinner portion of Pasta, and a big piece of cake for dessert. Now, I have a little salad and eat maybe 1/3 of a lunch portion of pasta and I'm completely satisfied. I think you're wise to question the band before the surgery. It's always better to go into it confident and certain. Just keep in mind, it doesn't matter which WLS you choose, the lifestyle changes and the work will always be yours to do. The surgery is just a tool. Best wishes on whatever you decide is best for you.

It's never too late to educate yourself on the band. I understand you're frustrated, but you already have the band. Why not learn to use it? You feel lousy now but you won't for much longer. It seems the logical thing to do is to make it at least worth the cost and pain of the surgery by giving the band, and yourself, a fighting chance. Feel better soon.

That is so awesome! Congratulations!

I'm not saying this harshly or to offend you, but you have to go about all this right way. Your follow up care here in the states should've been in place before you even left for Mexico. Coming home with to no doctor isn't wise and is a recipe for disaster. Your success or failure with the band is greatly dependent on your compliance and doctor follow up. Right now, you don't have either. Having the band without a follow up surgeon is like having a brand new car with four flat tires. Totally useless and going nowhere fast. You absolutely have to find a way to start seeing a local doctor. The longer you wait and struggle, the greater the risk you're putting yourself in. You also need to get into a nutritionist and learn how to eat healthy with the band. We're not doctors or nutritionists, we can't tell you what to eat or what to do. Again, I say this with compassion and concern, not to offend. You just really have to get this situation rectified because you're putting your health at serious risk. Best wishes.

Leslie I find the same since being banded. I used to gain up to 5 pounds of water weight before I was banded, but now I don't do that anymore. I think it's because I drink so much more water now on a regular basis that I don't bloat up like I used to.

I aim for 20g of protein per meal minimum. My nutritionist told me I should be getting at least 60g of protein per day so that's how I do it.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.