gowalking

Just had an interesting interaction at work. An admin stopped into my office asking for a pen to borrow to sign off on a lunch order for a meeting. I like to kid around so I said, 'sure...but it will cost you a cookie.' As a fat woman, I would have never said that. It would have been embarrassing because I would have expected her to think that the last thing I needed was a cookie. But as a normal sized person, there is no embarrassment when it comes to 'bad' food. I don't think twice if I have ice cream in my shopping cart...or some other item that once upon a time would make me look around and wonder who was checking out what I was eating. And by the way....she brought me two Cookies. I told her that I was only joking and all she did was wink at me. I know people say all the time that they have not changed...only their bodies have changed. I know that everything has changed for me. Yes...I'm still basically the same woman I always was, but a better, more outgoing, comfortable in my skin woman now. Not that I don't have my issues still...nothing is perfect. But even little interactions are different..and big ones as well. I look people in the eye now. I used to look down. I have a sense of confidence I didn't have before. I'm understanding that it was the confidence and satisfaction in my life that attracted my boyfriend to me...and not just that I was a small body. Especially as he's seen all the loose skin, hanging boobs, etc. and he tells me how much he loves to see my naked body..how it turns him on. He's seeing something else in his mind's eye...and not my physical 'flaws'. I just think we don't always see or realize all the changes. We notice the big things...the typical NSVs but not necessarily the daily interactions that shift as we change...or should I say 'evolve'. Anyway...just wanted to get my thoughts out on a post. Back to work now...

Hi @@gowalking! How are things going since your fill? I'm going to need more of a fill. No discernible difference that I can tell. I'll make an appointment for when I return from my vacation over Thanksgiving. And that's only because I will be away from home, and it's not the time to get a fill in my opinion. BTW, I'm heading to South Florida for the holiday. Are you in Dade or Broward?

OK, now this bothers me for some reason. Why is your sister asking what you can eat? Especially as you say you will be eating turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and dessert....like EVERYONE else from coast to coast. Sorry....rant over.

So glad we talked you off the ledge.

What have I learned to love? OK, well here goes: Love being mobile again. Being able to walk, go up and down stairs, bike, hike, swim, etc. Love being able to shop in any store. If I don't see something I like one place, I know I can go to a dozen other stores. Not just having to shop at Avenue and the women's sections of the department stores. Love not buying the same thing in every color just because it fits. Love not worrying about chairs with arms, restaurant booths, airplane seats, or maneuvering around any small space. Love not being the biggest person in the room anymore Love the feeling of lightness as I'm no longer lugging around an extra 145 or so pounds. Love making love in all kinds of positions because I can. Love being small enough that I can curl into the man, feel the heat coming off his body, and drift off to sleep Love wearing makeup and deciding what I'll wear and with what accessories I'll match it with each day. Love that I'm running out of closet space with all the clothes I own. Love that the opposite sex notices me. Not that I'm flirting but it's still nicer than being ignored. I'm sure there's more but I think this list is probably long enough and will hopefully give any newbies out there some incentive while they are working on their own transformations.

I get what you're saying Laurie. When I see a post with lots of responses basically saying variations of the same thing, I pass it by. No need for me to pile on more...regardless of what the topic is.

Exactly. Don't make it about him, make it about the food. Because it is about the food...and not wanting to waste unnecessarily.

Good luck with the surgery my dear. Been there, done that. You will feel so much better once you are done with the post op discomfort. Gall bladder attacks are horrible, aren't they?

Thanks for letting me know about that Bandista. I don't feel any different and am considering going to mushies rather than liquids again today. Will now reconsider this as I know I should follow protocol. One more day of liquids won't kill me. I'm looking forward to that feeling again of being done. It's been a while. Enjoy your shopping...enjoy Mexican Night.

My doctor insisted I get the gastric bypass. She said I'd never lose enough weight with the lapband. I knew I didn't want my insides re-routed and only wanted the band as it was the least invasive procedure. Obviously I proved my doctor wrong as I lost all my excess weight. And I don't mind telling you that I am smaller than she is these days.

I got 3 cc's and Dr. Ren did it since it was my fist fill and she had to go into the muscle.

I'm so sorry for your difficulties nikki. Unfortunately we can't help you but it sound like your surgeon can. Good luck and let us know what's happened.

I panicked like you are doing but it happened before I had the lapband. I'm nearly three years out and it's working fine for me. OK...I just got a fill so I know my experience is different than most but I eat everything...just a little of it. Don't feel bad for worrying. It will keep you on track and aware of what and how much you are eating. Good luck and welcome to the best decision you have probably made for yourself.

Whatever my cousin is cooking...and my band tolerates. I'm sure I'll be able to cut the turkey up enough to get it down and the veggies as well. A little bit of potato will be nice and a little bit of dessert as well. More important than what I'll eat, is how I'll be able to move around her place..and not have to worry where I'll sit (narrow chairs with arms are no longer off limits) It will also be wonderful to think more about what I'll wear rather than what I'll eat. I'll also be thinking about being able to drive now that I can move my leg and press down on the gas and brake pedals since my hips are good again. It's easy to not take mobility for granted once you've nearly lost it. Just being able to walk again is way more of my focus these days. When I sit at the table and think about what I'll be thankful for this year, mobility, health, and my life back will top my list.

I've been struggling for the past six months. I got my first fill today because it turns out I am simply hungry...and it's not just head hunger or something else psychological. I'm no doctor but I think you may just be hungry. It was my surgeon who said I needed a fill. Why don't you make an appointment and talk to him/her? I'm sure the doctor can advise you as to whether or not you need additional Fluid in the band. If not, then maybe a therapist is the answer. Oh...and just as an FYI, I see a therapist to help me manage my issues without turning to food so there is absolutely a physical and psychological component to being successful with WLS.

yeah...this never got easier for me either. I just suffered through it as best I could.

The fill took less than a minute. Even injecting into the port now tucked behind the abdominal muscle was seemingly no big deal. I drank a cup of Water and have since had Soup and am now having coffee. So...liquid is going down fine. Dr. said to see how I feel over the next few days and to come in for another fill if I don't feel satiety.

Stay off the scale @aries477. Weight can fluctuate from not just day to day, but at different times of the same day. This liquid diet is not about weight loss, it's about shrinking the liver. And just a heads up....when you are back on food again...even mushy food, some of that weight loss will likely turn into gains until you are on a steady calorie count. Good luck...all of us who were on liquid diets know how hard this part of the process was. We're here to support you.

Here's what you do @Tesa70. Gather information. Read about all types of surgeries and see if any of them 'speak' to you. See what the doctor says about why he is recommending the band and then take that into account. If you are not ready for a more invasive procedure, then wait. If you feel that surgery can help you, explore that option. As an FYI, I got info on the lapband and waited more than a year till I was ready to get it done. I'm almost three years post surgery and I can say this was the best thing I've done for myself ever. I got my health and my life back. Good luck to you.

3 cc's in. I'm fine..especially as the doctor said I can have coffee and wine. She laughed when I asked and said as long as it's liquids, no restrictions on the types of liquids. Hoping this is enough of a fill. If not, I have to go back for more.

FYI...Dr. Ren is my surgeon as well.

Welcome @jiggyiggy120. We're a smaller group than some of the other WLS folk, but we're here to help and support. Good luck and let us know how it goes. You may have seen this already but I'll post it again so you can see what getting a band can do.

Thank you sweetie!

Julie, Shel, Sharpie..love you gals.

Getting my first fill on Friday after nearly three years banded. It can't come soon enough. I seem to be able to make good choices one day and then the next, I'm not. I went back for a handful of pretzels three...no...four times last night. I couldn't stop myself. So for punishment, I got on the scale this morning and saw that I was above 125. I swore I'd never put the weight back on but it's now more than 12 pounds from my lowest. I'm learning such a good lesson over this struggle to keep the weight off. I will always have the disease of obesity. I may have it under control at times, but I'll never be free of it. If my band isn't working, I'm going to put the weight back on. Simple as that. I've seen plenty of people post about running into trouble at some point but stupidly felt that I would somehow be immune as my head is/was so in the game. It's hard to admit I'm not Superwoman and I struggle like everyone else when my tool is not working the way it should. If I ever find myself having to remove the band, I won't hesitate to revise the surgery to another procedure. I won't fool myself into thinking I'm doing this on my own because I'm not. I told my sister on Sunday that I am gaining weight back because I need a fill. She is obese and I'm hoping she comes to the realization that WLS might help her as well. She has maintained that my success is about what's in my head, and not around my stomach and that I lost all that weight because I was in the right frame of mind. I'm hoping this shows her that it's not my will power alone that helped me but a combination of making good choices, along with a tool to tamp down the hunger so I could make those good choices. So...today is a new day and again I make the pledge to make the right choices. Here's hoping I can stick to it.