PrettyThick1

I'm starting to wonder if I am developing a shopping addiction, I have bought at least one article of clothing for myself about every other day over the last month or so. I believe it's justified since I've lost so much weight and could no longer fit anything I had, but it is starting to concern me. I love clothes now and as long as it's in good condition it can be hand-me-downs, thrift store, clearance center or off-the-rack. I've read that people sometimes replace one addiction with another one. I was addicted to food, I wonder if that hasn't translated into an addiction to shopping. I'll keep an eye on myself and try to scale back to maybe twice a week, then once a week.

I'm sorry to hear that and I hope you have strong support system around you. Going through things like this have a way of testing our resolve, please keep that in mind and try not to let this affect your weightloss journey...if anything, use it as motivation. Never loose sight of the fact that we only have control over our lives and the way we choose to live it. Lastly, keep in mind that what you tolerate you also encourage.

Only when I'm not getting in enough protein and water, definitely if I haven't been taking my vitamins regularly.

Great post AuntDi!

Welcome and enjoy the journey! This forum is a great place for questions, answers and general support.

Beware of modified foods. I'm afraid to see how they made this fluid: what chemicals were used to destroy naturally occurring sugars and calories. Is it just me or were people healthier before manufacturers started removing unhealthy things from our food? It's not that serious. I have a hard enough time getting my calories in without injesting ET's spit on my salad.

I'd like to share a little bit of advice to my long-time single bandsters: don't be in such a hurry to be in a relationship that you settle for the first person that shows you the attention you've been looking for. I've learned that my confidence, appearance, judgement and outlook on life changes a little bit with each passing day with my new body. Enjoy the compliments, flattery and going out on dates but don't be in a hurry to be tied down. Your dance card is going to start filling up quickly, you have choices so make them wisely when it comes to choosing someone to share your future with.

Congratulations on getting here...it feels like an eternity, huh? Let us know how you are when you can and be gentle with yourself.

I wanted to contribute this after reading someone's post this morning. Before you get your band you should have an idea of what you hope to gain from this procedure. Sure, most of us had to go through a psych evaluation in order to be approved. But let's be honest here...who didn't know what answers you SHOULDN'T give on the questionnaire? It's easy to trick the test, you can't fool yourself though. Let's be clear, my life has changed in ways that I could not have imagined and the fun part about all of it is that I didn't seek it. I, like many people on this forum chose to have WLS to get healthy and not much more than that...those of us already in love with life would just like to live it better. I knew a few things going in: it wouldn't be easy, I had to change my relationship with food and that if I followed the guidelines, I could expect to lose weight and possibly correct my comorbidities. Those were my expectations, very little more. Everything else that came along as a result I simply view as lagniappe ( Lan-Yap: Creole for a little something extra). Did I expect to be as happy about this lifestyle as I am? Absolutely not! I am still learning a lot, I've improved so much about me over the last eight months it's unreal. But again, those were my good surprises and I'm happy I didn't try to imagine everything that would change because of the band, sometimes it's better to just enjoy the ride and the little discoveries that you make from time to time. With all of it's "powers to change a life", the band goes around your stomach, not your head (credit: Carolinagirl). You can take that a few ways, but for now I'll focus on the less obvious: if you aren't happy, having WLS might not necessarilly be the solution and in some cases it could have an opposite effect. You must know that there are many physical changes you can certainly expect, but if you have psychological concerns it's best to have those investigated prior to having the surgery...don't just answer the questions with the answers that will help you pass the evaluation. Be honest with yourself and take inventory of what's going on inside; changing the outside doesn't fix it all, but it does help. If you are depressed, please talk to someone and perhaps begin a regimen to assist you with your issue. Having WLS will not solve any underlying problems you have or help you gain an advantage over someone who may have done you wrong. If you have that idea in mind, you're in this for the wrong reasons anyway and you might not be as successful as you think.

Depression is a serious matter, it would help to know more about your situation - for instance: Why are you depressed? Why did you have weight loss surgery to begin with? Do you have someone to confide in? Whatever the cause, the bottom line is that you should speak to someone about how you are feeling. By all accounts, losing a substantial amount of weight in a relatively short amount of time requires lots of adjusting and going through various emotional/psychological stages is a part of that process. There is no set amount of time that a person takes to go through these phases, everyone is different so no one can tell you that the way you feel is right or wrong. I will leave you with this: I hope that you didn't walk into this lifestyle with unrealistic expectations and I would advise any newbie reading my post to work towards your goal with the intent to create a better quality of life. If that's what you achieve from this journey then you are successful. Yes, you can expect more but the world isn't going to pause when you walk out of your front door in the morning; you will still be you...just healthier and hopefully happier.

Please explain all of your issues to them, don't just ask for an unfill. From the sounds of it your pouch may be dilated, which could resolve on it's own but you need to rule out more serious complications. Good luck to you.

Surgical gas, yes. Banded life gas, no.

Good job! Keep up the good work and continue to share your successes with us. You're werkin' this thang girlfriend!

I'm sorry to hear about your complications, but I'm glad you seem to be doing better. Getting back in the swing of things can be difficult and contrary to your belief, if your friends are truly friends they are not disappointed in you - they understand what you've had to endure and should be proud that you didn't gain all of the weight back. I know I am. Now...let's find motivation for you. Someone suggested going to your community pool (YMCA) and going for a swim. Not only is that the best stress reliever for me, but you seem to "leave it all in the water" and your body feels amazing when you're done. If you can't swim, simply do Water aerobics - nothing fancy or formal, just MOVE! Grab one of those cheap colorful noodle things and it provides excellent resistance, similar to weight lifting. It's not easy, we know - but we are a community that believes in helping each other and if we are the only support you think you have, then we're all you need.

Very nice suggestions Nancy!

It sounds like you should: 1. Increase your Protein intake (80 grams a day for 7 days is my magic spell to break plateaus). 2. Make sure you're taking your Vitamins and supplements. 3. Drink more Water. 4. Maybe get a fill. 5. Eat crunchy vegetables (whatever you can tolerate). 6. Read. 7. Practice deep breathing. 8. Meditate. Any combination of these can help a lot.

I am so sorry you are going through this. I will say a prayer for you that it isn't erosion and that there is something else that can be done. Have you sought a second opinion yet? It's certainly worth it. Good luck and keep us posted.

I would go with whatever was suggested, mainly because you need the followup care and something in place in case of complications. If you can't get the band and after care covered, I'd go with the sleeve. I am pro-band and have friends with the sleeve and can honestly say I am biased. Because I am supportive of anyone who makes such a life-changing decision, I say go for it. You will be better off having it than not, just follow doctor's orders and question anything that doesn't seem normal to you. I have two friends with the sleeve, they have both been successful in losing their excess weight very quickly; the problem they are experiencing is the inability to STOP losing the weight. They are both well beyond their goals (22 and 27 lbs., respectively) and one is a walking skeleton whom I'm afraid to walk by too fast for fear of making her tip over.

You didn't mention how much you're eating during your meals. I'm in the green zone (5.5cc's in a 10cc band), but I could never eat more than twice a day. I have small Snacks every now and again, but for the most part I can eat 3/4 cup of food and not be hungry again for at least 4 hours, most often 5. When you find that you've overeaten, my remedy is to sip warm Water or tea slowly. It helps loosen me up and gets the food to pass through sooner. I'm good about not overeating, but there are times you have trouble pulling away frrom your meal. The pain alone is deterrrent enough for me.

Congrats to you! 3 was my magic number as well, I have 5.5cc's in a 10cc band. No fills since August 17th, nice steady weight loss even when my calories have been over for that week.

Get used to it...you'll feel like your own wind section in a Big Band. The more Protein you eat, the longer your set is going to play...I'm talking all day long. That is all.

Ahhhh...the joyful sounds of banded life. If it's not butt trumpets, it's the screeching baby eagles or the tune of a sink draining in our bellies.

It's not your band making noise, it's the contents of your pouch "draining" to the lower stomach. Just think of pouring Water down a thin funnel pipe, it gurgles...just like your tummy does. It doesn't go away, you learn to live with it as a reminder that your band is doing it's job, slowing the digestion process and holding on to food for you longer.