DynamoMini

Plentsweet - Dr. K is wonderful. There is another site called "Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum" and it has tons of information about him. I was very reluctant to have this surgery because I have had other rough surgeries that didn't heal well. This was a walk in the park, I healed well and I think that Dr.K is a wonderful orthoscopic surgeon with lots of experience. The staff is supportive and helpful, the surgical center in Parker is top notch. It is great that you are local and can go to Dr. K for follow ups and fills. Best wishes. Conniesueb - I could meet this weekend if you pick a place and time. I'd love to meet you. I met with some other women from the Dr. K site and we had a wonderful time. I found it very supportive to meet others who "get me." Let me know. Sorry Mal that you aren't available.

Fran - Wow! That is a wonderful weight loss! Are you exercising too? I don't mean to be impertinent, but how is your skin and body shape? I have a hundred pounds to lose too and wonder how I will look afterward. I am curious about your daily eating plan. That is a lot of weight lost in a short time. I admire you. Best wishes,

8675309 - people who don't live here work things out a couple of different ways. You will need to be in Denver for surgery for about three days (to play it safe) or two days (a little less comfortably). The after care like the fills etc, can be handled by a local "fill" doctor (sometimes pricey) or you can fly back into Denver to see Dr. K to be filled. This works for some people and doesn't for others. Most of Dr. K's patients are self-pay. I don't know what the implications are if you are out of state and want to use your insurance. Dr. K is a wonderful orthoscopic surgeon, with a lot of experience. Hope this helps. Mal - I think my fill just kicked in today. I have a golfball feeling after eating some strawberries. They were so cool and easy to swallow, now I think I may have eaten too many too quickly. Drews - how's the knee??? Are you up and at 'em yet? Woofay - I am having to change so many eating habits. I have perrrfect days, and days I really bomb. One thing is for sure I can't eat like I used to, and my habits are in my face now. Best to you all,

LLSibley - Losing a husband is a slice in the gut. My husband died 6 1/2 years ago. I wanted to go with him, unconsciously. I was working my way there until I was hit over the head with lung cancer three years ago. I had to make a decsion. Live or die. It was pivotal, dying seemed easier, but I still had my sons (16 years old) and there was an inkling that maybe there is some life left to live. I had the lung surgery and spent a year recovering while working at my teaching job. I decided to retire because I just couldn't keep stressing myself out like that. I have made dramatic changes. I started working out with a trainer two years ago. I tried Slim4Life a year ago and was able to lose 40 pounds in six months, but regained it the next six months. That is when I researched the Lap Band. I was banded in April this year. I have a therapist to work through my lifetime issues, and acupuncturist to balance my energy and my trainer. They are my cheerleading team and a big part of my life. I wish you well on your journey - remember we all deserve a healthy life. I underestimated what huge changes this new commitment to my self care would require. It is a lot of work. Change is painful and brutal. But it is exciting too. Achieving goals feels great. Believing I deserve this has been a long time coming.

Kim2Bhealthy - I really have to watch it when I eat out. I start talking instead of chewing. It gets bad if I am really hungry too. I have found after two PB incidents that I have to take very small bites, chew,chew, chew, then swallow. Then I can talk. I didn't realize how much I talked while eating. In the past, it worked, although it is rather rude to talk with food, but I would hurry the chewing process and gulp. No more for me. My official weigh in has me stalled at 203 again. I was frustrated until my trainer said that I was obsessing about numbers. I was counting my steps taken each day. I had given up my scale for weighing three times a day, to go to one official weigh in per week. I have to acknowledge that I am living healthfully; the weight will come off. I have taken the step monitor off, just doing my 50 minute aerobic 5 times per week, with some weight training two 30 minute sessions, and I log my food on calorieking, so I am doing what I need to do. Best wishes to all of you, I will get to Onederland when I get there.

"Maybe I can get in for another fill before that time. Maybe I just don't know what I am supposed to feel for restriction. I don't seem to have any problems with any foods. Can't figure out if that is good or bad. I'm either tolerating the band really well, or I'm not filled enough. I haven't tried bread, mostly because I just don't do a lot of bread. Maybe I should scarf a big piece and see if there is even a band in there! food does seem to be keeping me full longer, which is ultimately the goal. But it seems like I still eat more than I should. Or maybe I just can't figure out my brain signal of being full...cuz I really do like food and like to eat. (Sorry to be so whiny!)" Woofay - I am right there with you. I even am hungry today after an egg with some cheese, Starbucks Grande coffee with soy and now a piece of Jerky. This isn't very good. I was discouraged when I went to weigh because the scale has been the same for THREE weeks (altho' Dr. K's scale was a pound and a half lower last Thursday). I do think I eat out too many meals, even though I am careful what I order, I am getting more calories than at home. FRUSTRATION! I am working out harder too, so it'll have to come off. Now, I know I have lost inches, because lots of clothes that I haven't been able to wear are fitting, along with size 18 capris (with small elastic waist at Kohl's yesterday). I wanted to be under 200 when I go to NYC next week, but if I am it'll be by a smidge. I find that I feel depressed and lonely. I haven't replaced overeating and thinking about food with a constructive other thing. The reading I am doing is sedentary and guess what? I can read and eat at the same time! (Sorry to whine too!) I need some phone numbers from people who understand my stuff. Anyone want to be phone buddies? Hugs - it looks like July 12th is a GO!

Hi all - Okay, we will try for the 12th, can you do it Lap Dancer, Drews, Woofay, post op marcyinak? I have been dabbling with acrylics, but not in the big way Patty has. Hats off to you. I loved the "Punk Sister" Water color. I tried but I can't figure out how to put a picture on here. Oh well. Hugs I need to go weigh in - wish me luck!

reqgoddess and insubordination - you are doing great. By sharing your stories you heal yourself and others! It is interesting that we all turn to food and a form of self abuse when we couldn't cope with the reality of our lives. Yes, insubordination, we all have a gratitude towards food, it helped us cope with what we couldn't tolerate. Food helped us hide when we needed hiding. Food provided a friend when we were lonely. Food comforted us, sheltered us, protected us.... I thank food for all these things. But I want to grow emotionally and not bury myself in the self destruction that my relationship with food caused. I deserve a healthy life and I want to develop other coping skills besides eating. I think acknowledgement is the first step towards health for me.

Okay Wicked Witch (Lap Dancer) - you really do get into it. Thanks for sharing the people who are in your life, including the pets (they are people, too!). You are a lucky woman to experience that tropical beauty every day. I'm jealous! Again, sounds as if the 12th might work for a get together. Mal, Woofay, Drews, Marcyinack, Lap Dancer??????????? let me know what works. Hugs to you all,

gadgetlady - my reasoning was the same. I lost 40 pounds last year, and gained it over the six months before banding. I just couldn't face another failure. This won't be. I have my ducks in a row - a cheerleading team - and my head is ready to work. I also had trouble wiping, tying shoes, walking upstairs, etc. I am old and am feeling older. I realized that I was making a choice, but I needed help. OMG - the band isn't the easy way out, but perhaps a more permanent change for me.

Mal - I was going to post the July 11th for our next meeting, but you won't be able to be there. What about the 12th? Lap Dancer - will you stay overnight one more night so we can get together? Will the 12th work for everyone? Drews? Woofay? Others? I don't really care if we go back to Red Robin or not. Any other ideas? I am doing ok. I worked out. Treated myself to a Starbuck's Iced Soy Latte and hope it gives me some oomf! I have lots to do with very little motivation. Last night I had a pity party - felt lonely and then head hungry - and ate about a cup of chocolate chips (from the freezer). They just didn't do it for me! I'm trying not to beat myself up for it, it was the first real slip into old behavior since my pre surgery diet. Hugs to you all,

Hello Ladies - Thanks for the posts. I don't know how sex will be, but I have to feel more confident and attractive than I feel right now. i really enjoyed sex before, so why not now? Although now I am using estrogen cream every other day for dryness, so we'll see if the parts still work. Give me another year!.......

reqgoddess - wow! You've had enormous challenges. Don't beat yourself up for picking the wrong guys, you never really had any role models to help you define who would be good for you. These stories make me want to nominate each of you for the Outstanding Human Survivor Award. Hugs and best,

I really like that quote and I think that all of us who have had wls were completely insane because you all were probably like me and did the same thing over and over with the same results. I wish I had kept track of all the weight i lost and money I've spent in the past 59 years pre banded. I'll bet the money would have paid for banding years ago. That includes pills, books, organizations like weight watchers and everything else. Hindsite is always better than foresite LLSibley - I totally agree. Whenever my current weight loss isn't quite as much as I want, I think about the diets of the past, where weight might have come off faster but I felt hungry and deprived, then with the goal in sight, I'd start to regain the weight because I couldn't beat myself up any more or my "will" power just ran out of steam. The band is a wonderful tool to alert me when I've eaten enough. One of my favorite quotes is "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". I loved the quote too!

Hi all - Mymacksy - I think Dr. K is wonderful too. i have done better with this surgery than all other previous ones. No infection was the biggest one for me. Good healing incisions too. Woofay and I totally agree with the support meeting. It is too big, too general, and not very informative. I think some people might like the meeting, but I get more out of the support I get here, social meetings and good friends. Lap Dancer - I totally love those pics. We are a beautiful group aren't we? My fill was pretty uneventful, compared to the first fill (the geyser). We didn't add that much more liquid. I'm at 2.2 or something like that. At first we used a shorter needle, that lost it's place when my belly sat up (my weight is all in front), so I had to have a different longer needle, it went fine. I don't have dynamite restriction, just so - so. It really doesn't feel like after I was banded and Lap Dancer I think you are smart to go light for a bit, to give your band a little TLC. I, on the other hand, went out for sushi that night and did fine, even with some rice. Not a ton of food, but about 750 calories worth. Dr. K. is such a dear. He was so supportive of my weight loss, even the pound a week since surgery. He just said that he was pleased that I was into the healthy weight loss, even on the lessor range of things - not to worry. If I want more, I am going to have to be more diligent (atkins style) even with exercising a lot. Oh well. I miss you all. I wanted Drews to organize the next meeting, but do it soon! Sunny - I thought she looks younger too. Are you coming back to Denver anytime this summer, so we can include you in a get together?

DLW - All good advice here from my experiences. I avoid chewy meat, but filet mignon in small bites is perrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect. I don't get the 6 months without red meat. I think there are lots of individaul differences with the eating and doctor's orders. Some people seem to be ok with hamburger buns, others can't eat any bread. I can eat a little rice, just not a lot. My biggest thing seems to be the bite's size and my chewing. Moist meat is much easier, liquids are easy too, sip don't gulp. I've now had two fills, and still don't feel much restriction. I am really eating a lot less though, so maybe that is my restriction. green - send over the Italian stallions, I'm worried about the "use it or lose it" situation, my hubby died 6 1/2 years ago, I am worried I've been on the shelf too long! Have a great weekend!

missy0224 - you story is heartbreaking to me. I hope you have a team of cheerleaders around you helping you sort this out. If we could do it alone, we would have. I have a therapist, trainer and acupuncturist working with me on my transformation. I really hope you'll believe that you truly deserve a healthy life. I know you do. Best wishes on your journey!

jaqui - well, since LIVER is working for you and you like it - More power to you! The rest of you - I am almost in onederland, weighed 201.3 on the doc's scale, but have "official" weigh in on another electronic scale Monday morning. So I am losing at the rate of a pound a week. Slow, but healthy. Have good weekends!

Tina - Welcome - Dr. K is wonderful! I think you may need a mother's helper type person for your two year old, because you aren't supposed to lift much weight. Your child could cuddle, but you'll be somewhat sore and need to be careful with the kicking and elbows, etc. Congrats on your adoption. My two sons are adopted. They came home within two weeks of each other and are 28 days apart. Now they are 19, but what fun. I adopted them at 37 and was pretty exhausted, so good luck. Weight loss should help with the energy, but the interrupted sleep was hard for me. Good luck! Hugs to all!

BJean - way to go. Never heard about being hungry with an overfill. I just hope they found your sweet spot. Green - i am totally jealous! I want to flirt with Italian men, actually I'm kinda shy. Maybe the weight loss will fix that. Watch our world...... Denise - the computer dating thing could be the ticket, but remember there are lots of frogs out their, maybe we could import Green's Italian stallion! Hugs to you all. I had a fill today. I am losing about a pound a week. My doc is really happy, I'm struggling with that being ok with me. I am working out and tracking my food. Now I'm not sure how to track the sushi I had tonight, but whatever.... I know......I know.......

I think that I had a profound experience last week when I went to a meditation, yoga and tea workshop. The leader said, think of a person you love. Place them in your mind in a circle of the love, with all the warmth, acceptance, vitality and belief in them. Feel that energy, now remove them and place yourself in that circle. Feel that energy for you, around you, and within you. We all deserve that love and acceptance from ourselves as well as the world. But so much of my self esteem gets into how others view me, but the place where I can control it, the only place of true power; is, much more importantly, how I view myself. Try this exercise, I was shocked how much I needed my own surround of love and acceptance. Hugs to you all...

LLSibley - my heart goes out to you. It took six years after my husband of only 5 years, died to even want to breathe. Yes, unfortunately there are lots of us here. You are doing great with your band! Are you exercising too? Indigo55 - I didn't have to jump through all the hoops you are, I was a self-pay for $10,000 with Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver. He has lots of people flying in here for the surgery. Then they make other arrangements for fill docs near to their house. It has been a great experience for me. watchband - you will probably have to go the self-pay route to get banded, but I think this is the answer to yo yo dieting. I can lose the weight, but always regained it before I regained my focus for a healthy life. The band isn't easy, but it will stall a great regaining of weight. Don't get me wrong, you can eat around the band and gain weight, but you really have to work harder at it and hopefully sanity will come back to me before I totally relapse. Carlene - having just said that, rejoice that you haven't regained the bulk of your weight and you know that you can do it. You deserve this healthier life! BJean - actually you sound like you are in a better place. You can do this. I started posting my daily intake on www.calorieking.com As soon as I got honest, my daily intake dropped. Hugs, you deserve a healthy life you know. Hugs to you all,

SunnySea - Thank you for being here in spirit! What a treat and unsuspected surprise! Next time I hope you'll be here for real. Patty - thanks for covering the rest of dinner. Tell your folks hi from me. I appreciate the companionship that only we can bring each other. Woofay - thanks for coming up with the tip, great conversation and humor. Mal - thanks for your beautiful smile and warmth. DrewsLou - next time you'll be there, we missed you! More importantly thank you for "getting" and supporting me through this process. I wouldn't be anywhere without all of you. I felt so full of warmth and happiness when I got home. It was a great evening among friends. PS - great pictures! Oh, Patty - do not post the one of us showing our ports! GASP! What were we thinking! See you at the docs in an hour. Hugs good friends, Michelle

:omg: :think :omg: :think :huggie: :think :omg: Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Drews! I am so sorry you can't be there. Every party has a pooper and that's why we invited you....... Ok - :hungry:so it'll be your job to organize the next one. :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

Is it a wonder that we feel the catch 22? This is what I've gone through: 1) gaining weight and feeling social shunning of various kinds 2) yo yo dieting and feeling elation and failure over and over 3) having medical, emotional, and physical reactions to my obesity 4) having to justify the band to myself (will this work when so many other things have failed?) 5)then people want to judge me for making a positive, healthful decision Well phooey on them.... I think it is marvelous that we become our own cheerleaders, the hell with the rest of them, the chubbies and the thin ones. Only the people here know why we got banded, that it isn't an "easy" way out, that all the demons that were there are still there, that we are like marathon runners - support me through the gauntlet or get away from my life - there isn't room for any negative, judgmental thinking. Ok...ok... I'm off my soapbox. Love you guys for understanding. i've come home here.