MeganA

Penni- Sorry to hear of your spur trouble. I hope you get it resolved soon, and with as much discomfort as possible. Keep us posted! Megan

Teresa- You look fantastic! What a difference in your face. I can't wait to see you again in Vegas. Your success is an inspiration! Megan

Oh my gosh...I thought about becoming a rep for them! Is it fun, do you make any money? Megan

Lisa, I'm a little late in the band day wishes but better late than never. You've always been an inspiration to me, and everytime you post pictures I get pissed off because you are so much skinnier than me even though we weigh the same. WHY WHY WHY couldn't I be taller? But I love you anyway and am glad that you've come to see your band-anniversary as a time to Celebrate your success. I loved your story about the car accident. I would often have the same thought before banding. "girl runs into tree trying to squeeze more ketchup on her supersized french fries. A 1 pound bacon cheeseburger found cluched in her meaty paws- her shoes flew off but she didn't let go of the cheeseburger". Sometimes I'm glad I'm not alone and you share some of my struggles...but most of the time I wish no one else would have to feel this way. Congrats for making it a year and thanks for sharing your story. I'm so glad to have met you. Megan

I had one and had the nurse take it out because I was up and walking around and could make it to the bathroom. If I could do it all over again I would have had them leave it in because I had to get up three times at night to go pee and my night nurse was useless.

Deb- I'm in Minnesota! Megan

Hi there...Obesityhelp.com has lists of surgeons in every state. I had my band placed by Dr. Ikramuddin at the U of M/Fairview hospital. There is also a lap band doctor at Hennepin County Medical Center and a few at Abbott. If you need more info, let me know! Megan

I'm so glad to hear you've had a good day and were able to get some Protein and calories in. You'll feel better in no time...sounds like you've turned the corner! Megan

1) what does it feel like to have to no restriction with an empty band? Do you have the ability to eat as you used to? Same portions and same bite sizes. I had a totally empty band when it was placed. Because there is swelling from the surgery, and the band alone will give you some restriction. Everyone is so different right out of surgery. I felt like I could eat about 3/4 of what I ate before if I took small bites. It just took a couple fills for that to change. 2) Should I feel restriction with soup with a zero filled band? Shouldn't fluids just go right though? You will feel restriction because even the unfilled band is restricting. What you probably have going on is swelling and gas. I've said this a million times but try cream soups instead of broth based soups. My surgeon had me do that when I had lots of swelling after a fill. The cream is heavier than broth/water and goes through the band easier. 3) Do you ever get to the point where the band is not your primary focus 24 hours a day? I want to enjoy life and not be thinking about this device all of the time. Yet if I always feel this restriction then I can only think I would be focusing on the band all day every day. I've been banded a year and a half and am now at the point where I don't think about it all the time. It's a part of my life. I know what I can eat and what I can't. It's always in the back of my mind, but mostly because I get so many compliments and feel so much better. It's amazing what we get used to. 4) what are some of things you ate during your mushy food stage. I have a week left of liquids and then I can move to mushy food but I don't think I will be able to with this feeling in my throat. mushy food stage- I pureed my dad's chicken noodle soup and that was the best thing I've ever eaten. Mashed potatoes, mashed squash, cream of wheat, protein shakes with banana and peanut butter, refried beans, and anything else you can blend up in a blender. 5) How long did it take for you to expel the gas from your surgery? This is very individual for people. I had gas after surgery but not for very long. I soon discovered, though, that my body handles gas a lot differently now. I burp all the time. Other people fart all the time. 6) if you have complications like a slippage and youhave to have surgery to correct it do you have the option of having the band removed? Some people have another band placed, others have it removed all together. I just want to say that you need to be tough. You need to think of this as the best thing you've ever done for yourself and in a few days you will feel better and better. Try not to think about having it removed, at this point you are in the worst place...and it won't be long until the swelling goes down, the gas goes away, and you're eating yummy mushy stuff. You've fought for three years to get the band, now is the time to fight your urges to give up. That's the beauty and the beast of the band. You can't give up. If this was any diet or program, you would have been able to as soon as day 2. Not with the band. take lots of gas x. drink cream soups and warm beverages. rest. tell yourself that this is only temporary and this too shall pass. Most of all, be proud of yourself for making it this far. Megan

Joe- I just want to commend you for talking about all of these things. You are a brave, strong man and with research and reflection you'll do great with the band. I also want to say that I think it's fantastic that your Mom is really in your corner on this. I sure hope insurance will cover it for you. You said "And some people were under 300 or even above it but its like im at a HUGE disadvantage because even if would lose 100lbs i would be considered morbidly obese ... " Let me just tell you right now that it's not about a number on a scale or a doctor's chart. If you lost 100 pounds you wouldn't beleive how different you would feel. Don't think that you have to get to a certain weight to be concidered a success... Good luck! Megan

Thanks so much for everyone's kind words. I will keep you posted on how it goes. I couldn't sleep last night for thinking about it! Um, everyone needs to call me Cowgirl Megan from now on. Thanks. CM

I'm a huge animal lover and ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to have a horse. Since I grew up smack dab in town I have no clue how to take care of them. I've often thought that I needed to find a friend or someone that I could hang out with to learn about horses. My friend Alice and I were driving around my new neighborhood (I live out in the country as of December) and we came upon a horse ranch about 5 miles from my house. I got so excited that there was one so close! I decided that I needed to see if I could work there- not for money, but for the education. Then I got scared that maybe they wouldn't want me to work there because I weight so much! Duh...I don't weight as much as I used to, I told myself. We didn't stop then, but I promised myself I would soon. Tonight I decided that I needed an ice cream cone so I headed into town. I decided to take the back road and wouldn't you know- the people who own the ranch were outside putting the horses in. I thought- If I wait and think about this I'll never do it! So I pulled right in and asked them to take me on. And you know what- they said yes, they could use the help...and they liked the idea that I've been around horses but don't know how to do anything with them because they can show me the way they do it. I'm so excited I can't stand it. I never would have done this before banding. I never would have had the energy to go clean horse stalls or wash buckets or anything else on a hot summer day. The lady gave me her number and I'm to call her anytime I want to come by and work. She'll show me how to do some things that would really help them out when they are gone to the racetrack or to rodeos. Dreams really do come true when you look fear (for me- rejection) in the eye and ask for what you want. Needless to say, I never got that ice cream cone I was after when I set out tonight. I got somethign waayyyy better. Megan

Of course you can use it! I'm glad it has been so helpful! Megan

A couple years ago I was out with my boyfriend at the time, his best friend and my sister. We decided to go skinny dipping at a beach not too far away from the bar we were at. I decided that I could not go naked..I would have if it was just my boyfriend but with his friend and my sister, I only took my shorts off. The guys took everything off, and my sister went in her bra and panties. After about twenty minutes of having so much fun, we notice a police car coming down the road so we hid behind the big diving platform in the lake. The cop checked out our cars and all the clothes littered on the beach. We could see him, but he couldn't see us. He called out for us to come out a few times, and the last time he did he said he'd have our cars towed if we didn't come out. I decided that I'd go out first because at least I had most of my clothes on. I swam out of the lake and walked up to the cop. He started chewing me out for being in the park after hours and blah blah blah. All of a sudden he stopped and looked and me and said, "How old are you?" And I said, "How old are you?. He sheepishly said "I'm 24". I started to laugh and said "Oh, buddy...I'm 30". We started to laugh and he let us get out of the lake and get into our cars in peace. He must have thought we were a bunch of kids. It was so funny to be older than the cop trying to give me a lecture. Megan

This is a great question. The way I understood it many moons ago when I was first banded is this: Your stomach is a muscle and as it digests food it churns and moves the food around inside it. If you've just been banded, it's in your best interest to not have your stomach have to work so hard to digest food. Even if you liquify certain foods, your stomach still has to work to digest it. So, that's why they recommend broth and other liquids that don't make your stomach work to digest. You can tear sutures, cause a PB early on that might compromise your band position, etc. Let your stomach heal as best as it can by treating it very very gently. It's hard, but I promise that you can get through it, and not too long from now you'll wonder what all the fuss was about having to go on liguids. Good luck, Megan

Um...I have my own business Donali...I provide administrative and consulting services to start ups and small businesses. The first thing I'd recommend- get on amazon and see if there are any "start your own travel tour company" books. There should be something there. I'll do a little digging around this weekend when I have a chance. Before you spend a lot of time or money on putting together a business- make sure to find out if there is a true need or a only a perceived need for your product/service. Call community colleges or anyone else you think might use your business and ask if they would use a program like this. That's a start. Megan

I'm going to have to try the Green tea stuff. I've looked at it but am a total scardy cat to try new things.

Totally normal. I always get a little bruised and swollen when I have fills. I always get poked about ten times because my port is hard to access. But, each little poke gets a little swollen and pink. Contrats on your first fill! Megan

i don't think I've seen the tropicana stuff...so it's sold in cans? It's been so long since I've been down that aisle at the grocery store I'll have to make a special trip and see if I can find it! thanks for the tip Megan

I just discovered the best drink at the gas station the other day. It's called SoBe Lean Diet Energy Drink. It's citris flavored and non carbonated. It's got caffeine in it, and Lisa it has chromium in it so you might not want to drink it. But, it tastes great and I've been so sick of plain old Water that it is heavenly. It's made with Splenda, too, instead of that nasty aspertame stuff. I still like my Tropical Punch sugar free Kool Aid, but this stuff gives me a little kick when I need it. Megan

Get well soon, Katie. Let's hope you're on the road to recovery and the new band fits just right!!! Megan

It's all in the fill, baby. You aren't filled enough. There are various levels of restriction: Level 1- I can still eat half of a pizza if I chew slowly and take my time. I can feel the food hit the band then slide right down. That means I can eat more!! Woo Hoo! Level 2- Still can eat pizza, only 1/4 of one now...and every once and awhile something gets stuck and it hurts! I notice I'm not as hungry in the morning and have to remind myself to eat Breakfast. Level 3- Pizza, who can eat pizza? Food stays in the pouch for just a bit, I notice that it's still not long enough to make me full for several hours. PBing (throwing up stuck food) happens more frequently if I'm not super careful because I'm still hungry after I've eaten the bandster portion, an because it doesn't stay in the pouch, I'm frequently hungry just an hour or so after I've eaten. Level 4- I can eat a piece of lunchmeat and stay full for several hours. I can feel my pouch now, and know when it is getting full so I stop. I rarely PB, even though I have such good restriction because I'm no longer still hungry after I only eat a few bites. I'm satisfied. This is my experience, and maybe others have a better way of describing it. You really only know it once you have it, which is very frustrating when you're just starting out. It takes a few fills to get to Level 3 or 4. Megan

This is so funny. My brother, after hearing about my man troubles, decided I needed a diversion so he got me 10 little baby chicks for my birthday. I moved out into the country this fall and love it...but I've never had chickens before. Apparently they are egg layers. In about five months I'm going to have eggs coming out my ears. Megan

Oh...Gram...it's worth it. One thing I have to add to this whole thread is that once you get a good level of restriction, EVERYTHING changes. Untiil my last fill, I was struggling to control my eating- especially at night. I felt totally controlled by food even though I had restriction and couldn't eat a lot. chips and cheese, candy, Cookies...all of these things called my name every day after about 4 in the afternoon. Then I got another fill and I- seriously- have to remind myself to eat. My stomach growls and that tells me I haven't eated in a few hours and should start thinking about it. I live on summer sausage slices and chicken thighs marinated in yummy stuff. I don't feel that terrible, uncontrollable all consumming urge to eat anymore. I go to bed a lot of the time hungry because I'm just not that interested in eating. This is very, very different for me because when I havne't had a good fill, I've gone to bed sore from eating too much, too. So, moral of the story- Lisa, of course you don't feel physically and emotionally all that different...you have a band that is not working at it's optimal level. Until you can get another fill you're not going to get the full benefits of the band, and thinking that you can is only going to bring you heartache. I think in another post you covered that you had re-thought how your band is going to work for you going forward, and that's very important and very wise. Megan

I forgot to add that he triple swore that he doesn't have kids. My friend Brigid did a drive by of his house to see if there was any child paraphanelia lying around. She said his house was really, really nice...but it was cold and sad. No kid stuff. No sign of life or happiness. That made me cry. Megan