DeLarla

Oh, and Dizzy, the problem with last night is I NEEDED junk food. It wasn't a want or an urge, it was a flipping need. I don't know what overcame me. I've also used your thought process of "at least I ate way less than I used to." However, I'm not sure how that works now that I'm down 40 pounds. Because now my body needs much less food to maintain this weight. Damn, damn, damn. I want my restriction back! Maybe I'll go to the farm store and buy one of those salt-lick things that people give their horses to ensure a nice high bloat factor. Then I can get some pretty new blood pressure pills. DON'T THROW YOUR SHOE AT ME.

Donali, you make my head spin! Last night I laughed as I thought of you. Tim the Toolman asked his neighbor, "Wilson, what DON'T you know?" Wilson said, "I don't know." I'm not sure how to interpret your post. Am I supposed to go flying to get my restriction back? Or should I just drink some salt Water to retain Fluid? Maybe that's why Bloody Marys should be on the "Good Foods" list because the salt will bloat us and therefore make our band tighter. Sounds like good justifcation to me. Or am I supposed to hold my breath to keep air in? Simplify it please... remember, I'm 100% Polish. And how nice of you to show your face!

I should focus on work for a change and get my mind off my band entirely! Lately, all I feel like doing is posting and goofing off. I've got tons of work to do, so maybe I'll take my own advice. But thanks for keeping me in check. I really don't want to PB, I guess I just want that kind of restriction.

Dizzy, you have the right idea. Just yesterday I asked my husband to stop making such a big deal about my 40 pound weight loss. Because this is about the time my mind starts sabotaging my success. Something about losing 40 pounds is really scary, like a mental block that won't allow me to continue my loss. I think 40 pounds is about when people start noticing weight loss on me since I'm so tall. As soon as people start noticing, it's like I run the opposite way. If I eat again like that tonight, I'm on my way to trouble. Eating like that once in awhile is okay, but if I do anything 2 nights in a row, I'm in trouble. I wish my husband wasn't so focused on food all the time. Like last night he made dinner, and he made yummy noises about the meal about 25 times and kept asking me "don't you love this, and have you taken a bite of that?" I've asked him hundreds of times to please downplay food, instead of focusing on it, but you can't change him. He's so into food, which makes it harder for me.

And as far as making an appointment for an scopey-scope, NO WAY. You guys need to remind me that if they find erosion, they'll want my band! So what they don't know won't hurt them. My band is fine. It's my brain they need to scope.

T, I'm glad you agree with me on barometric pressure (you science show off!) I always feel ill with painful eyes when the desert skies go afunk. But you'd think it would give me more pressure/restriction, not less. However, my body always does the opposite of everyone elses. And NO, I do not count calories. Sorry, Charlie, but that's the reason I got the band. I started dieting way too young in life. I was probably 12 when I first started crazy diets, so if you ask me to count a calorie or weigh an ounce, I'll lose my mind. You are right though, some days are easy, other days monsters take over my brain. I'm lonely and bored. Where is everyone today? Can't somebody stir up some trouble around here?

My band went away. Suddenly I have little to no restriction. It better come back soon. I was able to eat way too much lunch. Normally I bring a controlled portion, but today we had a party with plenty of take out. I've been eating to fast. I think I need a shot of Vitamin B-12 or a good kick in the pants. I just wonder why I'm the only person who never PB'd. Any other aliens out there?

I still haven't PB'd. When this happens to you guys, is it only after you eat too much or eat too fast? All I want is one good PB to make sure my band is working. Go ahead and call me weird!

Speechless. Thanks for helping me stay out of the negative and into the positive. *** Imagine a row of prancing ponies here *****

Lucky Lori. I'm 41. I wish I the band was around when I was 20. I'm really excited for you. Welcome home. : )

Maybe now that I already have a relationship with my gastro doctor I won't have to go through my primary again. I'll try calling them and asking over the phone for a scopey. But my insurance paid for one about a year ago. I think I'll just have a Bloody Mary when I get home. That seems to solve all my problems with one easy solution.

Telli, before my band I had a lot of reflux problems. My doctors instructed me to put blocks under my bedframe at the head to sleep with the upper body elevated. I even saw some "risers" at a medical supply store that raise the head of your bed about 5 inches. You can also buy one of those wedgy kind of pillows that keep your upper body elevated. Sleeping flat on your back is a no-no for reflux patients. Maybe it would help you get some rest if your problems persist.

I could easily get my insurance to cover it, but the thought of one more doctor visit right now prevents my fingers from dialing the appointment desk. Right before my band surgery, I had ever test under the sun including an endocsope. Dumb doctors should have just looked at my size and weight and told me I eat too much, and that's why I was having so many problems. They poked and prodded and imaged. I've taken way too much time off work already. Plus, I'd have to see my primary doctor, who would refer me to my gastro, who would refer me to the lab, who would then refer me back to my gastro to go over results. So we're not talking one appointment, more like 4. They'll do anything for a co-payment!

You guys are right that I worry too much. Alex, sorry for taking your post off the deep end. I'll start a new post to continue.

But Penni, Dr. Billy's nurse told me they saw 2 port infections, and both port infections also had band erosions. Are you saying those 2 port infections happened way late in the band game? I guess I just assumed a port infection occured from the onset while trying to recover from band surgery. So, if those two patients were like me, and had immediate port infections, that also means they had immediate erosion. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe you can get more info from Billy's office?

I'm just worried in general today. I called Dr. Billy's nurse, who told me Dr. Billy has only seen 2 Mexican patients that had port infections, and BOTH of them had erosion as well. Now I'm paranoid that I might have erosion. I left a message for my doctor to see if he checked for erosion when he removed my port, but it's not looking good since Inamed said they might not be able to see infection that way. I didn't get a scopey, so I'm a bundle of nerves. So what's new?

Weird that I spent my entire life all alone, not being counted on any charts, in any clothing stores, in any reindeer games. Yet you guys were all there the entire time. I think I need some couch time.... movie rental therapy because my coconut is wandering into some depressed places today.

Penni, We are talking about the same Lopez, right? Dr. Juan Antonio Lopez Corvala?

Penny, this post has me burning mad. Didn't you just drive to Mexico where Lopez told you there was no problem? I'm so sick of this $%@#$@#$ I could scream! Thank God Dr. Billy figured out your problem with what seems like minimal effort. Just imagine if you didn't follow up with Billy and your tubes started beating up your guts or worse. Dr. Lopez could have saved my port by treating my infection when it was mild. He could have given me more antibiotics or instructed me to go to Urgent Care, where they may have been able to aspirate a small infection. But now I have an ugly scar and another $1050 debt for the port removal. Plus my apetite came back, and I can't have a fill till I go through another $1000 surgery, which I can't do for months. Sure, you have a revision surgery, but I'm so glad you'll finally get fixed up. I'll have to call that number you provided and ask some questions about me. Thanks for sharing.

Here I was wondering what you were all talking about... NSVs. Where's the list so I can follow conversations? I'm glad I read this post because I just got floored with depression when I calculated my new BMI at 39.4, which is still morbidly obese. I was hoping that after a 40 pound loss I'd make it into the regular obese category. How much more do I have to lose so the world stops calling me morbid? What an awful word. But if Alex is thrilled with a 38, then I'm pretty darn happy with a 39.4, righ? And Shelly, you started at 51? That means I'm not dying today, right?

Hi Tammy, good luck with your insurance... hope to see you on the banded side real soon.

Hi Angela, 60 pounds is amazing. I worry daily about weight loss. I've lost 40, but every single day I wonder "is today the day my band quits working." You're doing great... better than great!

Kids themselves don't stress me out. Everyone says I was born to be a mom - my patience drives my kids nuts. Maybe because I work in a law firm... it's the whole legal mess that I avoid. That's why I hope the sky will open up one day and some kids will land. Then again, my heart falls apart when my fur baby gets a splinter in her foot. I'd be a wreck if I ever saw my own child in pain.

Your "tasteless" picture? I bet Chris would say that pic is quite tasty!

I meant I'd have to lose 100# more to wear a 10. Actually, I think my bones without skin & muscle are size 12. I weighed 175 once for about 2 days (then started gaining again.) That put me in size 13/14 and in the hospital from malnutrition. My friends told me I looked too scrawny. If I got down to 18 and maintained, I'd be more than happy.