lisacaron

Do you REALLY THINK I'm giving other people medical advice? And worse yet, telling others what to do? There's enough of that going on around here and I'm not one of them...lot's of self proclaimed EXPERTS who can talk the talk, but have never walked the walk.....telling others HOW to do this, yet have not actually done it themselves.....I'm simply sharing MY experiences...that's all anyone can and should ever do..... PLUS anyone who actually listens to other peoples advice on this forum (the world wide web filled with strangers) should have their head examined.... I take issue with your offensive comments....but then maybe you're one of those EXPERTS? Do you REALLY THINK I'm giving other people medical advice? And worse yet, telling others what to do? Yes I do. I think your comments through out this forum indicate such. There's enough of that going on around here and I'm not one of them...lot's of self proclaimed EXPERTS who can talk the talk, but have never walked the walk.....telling others HOW to do this, yet have not actually done it themselves.....I'm simply sharing MY experiences...that's all anyone can and should ever do..... I agree with that statement 100% though often your comments are not written in such a manner, and come off rather like you are an expert and have walked the walk of a thousand men who could never measure up to your perfection. PLUS anyone who actually listens to other peoples advice on this forum (the world wide web filled with strangers) should have their head examined.... If anything should be taken as an offensive statement it is this. Often there are those who are not as perfect and might take a misleading comments as fact especially when quoted by a "Host" and a "Veteran" bander such as yourself. I take issue with your offensive comments....but then maybe you're one of those EXPERTS? My comments were not offensive or written to demean or demoralize anyone. I wrote what I did as a matter of opinion after reading what you wrote in reply to someone who has a life threatening condition. I am not an expert I am me and never claim to be anything more or less. I know how to walk my talk, and I have been there, most everyone on this site has been there and is walking their talk the best way they know how. For you to demean them and look down your nose at anyone else is what is offensive. Having had a longer time of being banded, having lost more or less or kept your weight off for longer or what ever it is that you think makes you better then others, is your problem don't make it mine or anyone elses.

I don't think it's off topic as skywalker mentioned her husband was on blood thinners. However I don't think it's wise to encourage anyone to stop their medications without the consent and advice of their treating physician. What worked for you may not work for someone else and could cause serious complications and issues in their lives. Sharing your experience is one thing, but I don't think it is wise to tell anyone that its no big deal to stop medications like blood thinners with out the supervision, consent and guidance of their physicians. As I was typing this skywalker commented and her husband has a solid blood clot in his leg...nothing to do with his heart....so your advice on that point was a bit misleading. Skywalker please no matter what you or your husband decide to do, the very BEST advice is always to work with your doctors and let them advise you. What you read on this site is our opinions and experiences only and it is subjective to each individual. Your doctors and surgeon know best! We are here for support and friendship and to share our experience and journey's not to give medical advice.

Out of curiosity how were you diagnosed with adrenal fatigue? I also have read that it comes from prolonged chronic stress. How does your doctor treat for adrenal fatigue?

This card and saying was part of my Valentines day gift from my husband. It is part of the Essence collection for Pandora if you wanted to look it up. This was the card that came with the Courage bead. I loved the whole gift, and I found this card to be very inspirational I wanted to share it with you all.

Good to meet you skywalker. Hubby is an AF vet retired now after 25 years of service. He and I are both banded and having great success with our bands. Welcome to the forum, wish you the best on your journey!

Biotin is a B Vitamin that helps with the production of collagen. It will help you to keep the hair you have strong and it will help the new growth of hair that comes in to be strong and not fall so easily. I use Nioxin shampoo and conditioner you can find everything at CVS and/or Walgreen's pharmacy. I take one sublingual (melt in your mouth) tab of Biotin a day 5000 mg (mcg same one is vitamin measurement since no supplements are FDA regulated) The stress of surgery, stress of diet changes, and stress of restriction in calories sends your body into a tail spin for a while. Once your body acclimates to it all your hair fall will stop and you will start to see re-growth. For me it took about 6 months, but the supplements and the shampoo/conditioner really helped to stem the fall of hair. I also dye and highlight my hair (it's an age thing. Grey is just not my color) so those products helped even more. Don't sweat it ladies...for this too shall pass and the pounds that leave...are worth a little hair in the drain

Taking the time to unwind when you get home from work is not a bad thing. If TV is your usual go to thing switching it up a bit won't hurt. Also take some time and think about the hours you are awake, and the times that you eat your meals. If you are like me...I am up at 5 am. I have coffee in the am and then nothing until around 10 then I have a Protein bar. Around 1 I'll have something for lunch this is usually my largest meal of the day. It might be Turkey chilli, or grilled chicken or today I had 4oz of pot roast beef. around 4 in the afternoon I will have a Protein Bar or a shake since I won't be home until 7 for dinner. This is too many hours to go before dinner so I throw a snack in or I'll gorge when I get home and either over eat or get stuck from eating too fast and now chewing enough. If you have to break up your meals into mini meals through out the day to keep you from mindless eating, do that and then you won't feel like your "snacking" on empty calories or eating something "just because". I also wanted to add that sometimes when I get home early (which is mostly never) I will enjoy a nice cup of decaf coffee and de-compress in front of the TV for a bit. The coffee is soothing and the creamer (sugar free of course) helps me to feel like I've had something and then I am usually content until I cook or prepare dinner. If I don't get home early, (which I rarely do) I will have that cup of coffee/tea after dinner and before bed. It really is my guilty pleasure these days to help me unwind my day.

Ah friend I've got some news for you....you are going to get snide remarks from lots of people. Even people that are banded might make some ignorant snide comments on the way you work your band vs. the way they choose to work theirs. It's just the way the world is. The truth is that the people/person that makes the snide comment is saying more about themselves then they ever could about you! They are showing their ignorance and insecurity about something that you have found confidence and belief in. These type of people want to introduce doubt into your mind, so you can be more like them. However you are not like them you are YOU. Your doing what's right for you, you have walked this path for a long time and your just near the end ready to schedule your big event. You could be talking about your wedding for just as long or longer, and would people be questioning you about it with snide comments? Maybe......but you would not let them affect you and your vision for your big day. So don't let them steal your happiness or underscore it with snide comments. You've come a long way, and the big day is in sight! Getting banded was the BEST thing I have ever done for myself, and I do not regret it for one second. My BEST advice to you as you move forward is to listen to and follow your Dr.'s orders, and if you have questions about anything that is the place to turn for the most sound advice. Congrats and good luck to you as you move forward!

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Knocking on wood with ya! Keep up the good work!

Killi...let me ask you do you have laundry every day? Do you vacuum and clean the cat box every day? Those are chores that seem to me aren't done every day...but they are also labor intensive chores that you could turn into exercise if you wished. Pump up the volume, put more clothes in the basket or a weight and carry it at a good clip up and down the stairs while the wash is washing walk up and down the stairs a few times. While your vacuuming do a little dance give your self some love...beep bop a loo ba...you can do this! Dishes cooking all these things can be made fun and high energy! No reason to be stressing it. Park that car far from the door I know it's cold in the morning but hey a brisk walk will get your blood pumping! When your on that 30 minute break eat for 20 and then take a walk around the building inside or out up and down if you got some stairs. You don't have to sit and do 101 crunches or 50 dead lifts to be exercising you just have to want to move your body!! Once you do you will be motivated to do more and more and find more and more time for it and you. OK so you say...ah what does she know....I have 5 kids, one who is special needs so I know! I work full time 9 hours a day and it takes me nearly 2 hours to get here and get home at the end of it. I am out of my house more then 12 hours a day, my chair has a buzzer that alerts my boss every time my butt lifts from the chair. Only kidding..but it feels like it most days. He's only looking for me when I'm not in it don't cha know?! You can do it, play a game of tag and chase the little guy around the house! He will sleep better and so will you! You can do this!!!

Put the link up for the wedding! We had our first one at the MGM and then at the KISS chapel the day before we were going home! We had our cake cutting at the Top of the World. Sadly..we were supposed to be having the wedding in Hawaii, and my husbands best friend died in a NYC fire only months before so we scrapped it all, shifted gears and went to Vegas. His friend would have been happy that we didn't let it stop us, it just would not have been the same in Hawaii though without him at that time. I have to say that even a year going on 2 years later, we still think about what a great time we had!! I would share some photo's but they might be huge files...still fun to look at! Both hubby and I were at our largest size then...love to do it again when we are at goal!!

How wonderful a wedding!!! You must post some pictures when you get back from your Honeymoon! I planned my whole wedding (2 of them) and my wedding brunch while I was at work. Thank goodness I had an on location wedding coordinator she was a big help, but since the hubby and I decided we didn't want to have anyone at the wedding but us...I was on my own with the plans. Hubby did help but you know us gals do most of the coordinating. I have to say having been married twice, the first time I did the overblown family wedding (we are Italian it's like my big fat Greek wedding but with Italians) I hated it, it was not my scene. This time it was the hubby and I in LasVegas! We had 2 weddings. One big white wedding and then another wedding at the KISS hotter then Hell chapel! I had them both broadcast live over the internet for anyone who wanted to "watch" and I didn't have to hear a single comment! It was GREAT! When we came home I had a family brunch for all the "family" parents inlaws kids and cousins it was wonderful. I didn't give a hoot what anyone had to say! They had so much food to eat they had no time to make comments I hope you and your soon to be Hubby have the best wedding and are very very very happy!!!!

Greetings from Suffolk County NY. Work in Nassau County and I grew up in Queens! I am an all around New Yorker! We have just pulled together our first NY Meet and Greet in NYC and we are planning another one in the spring. Keep your eyes posted for more details!!!! I hope you will all be able to attend!

Banista, I will have a special tea or coffee or sugar free coffee creamer for those warm need some comfort snugly moments. It helps me to feel like it's something special, and I can relax and unwind. I understand the grazing feeling sometimes on a weekend that will happen to me. I am usually going in 10 directions at once and on a weekend I might have a minute where there is "nothing" I need to be doing, and it's more difficult for me to gear down to doing less if I've been pulling at all ends. What you chose to pick on was nothing bad, some days we may need a bit more calories and it's our bodies way of saying hey put more in here. I find that happens to me also when I am brewing a cold or feeling sick. The cold weather also makes me feel a bit more hungry at times especially if I am out in it for any amount of time or if I have done an especially strenuous work out. Once upon a time a Dr. friend told me this parable: Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a working man, and dinner like a pauper. It meant to eat your larger meals early in the day and at night eat much less and lighter food. Oddly since being banded and finding my zone, this is what I find happens for me now. My mornings are not King size, they are usually a Protein Bar and coffee but the caffeine, the sugars and other sweeteners in the bar burn off through out the day. My lunch, I usually will eat a good size portion, and incorporate a snack that I will have around 3-4:00. When I get home from work it's usually 7:00 at night and my dinner is usually a tiny bit of food and I'm good with it. I might have half a piece of grilled chicken, or a cup of chilli, or even eggs. It fills me up, I have my coffee and I'm ready for bed. Now her parable makes sense and works for me! It never did before!

So I'm not a runner let me tell you that first I haven't gotten to where I can run more then 1 minute on the treadmill. However...my boss is Mr. Triathlete, Iron Man competitor etc. The reason they tell you in running to go for carbs and light Protein is because the body will use the sugar (carbs) first for a big burst of speed. As a bandster we want our bodies to burn our fat, so we don't consume much sugar for the body to have access to. Protein takes longer to digest and lots of "energy" and body resources are routed to the stomach for breaking down of the protein, where as simple carbs are digested easily and don't require much resources from the body who can then transfer the energy to the muscles that are running and helping you to go faster. Now I'm not sure your competing for time...or you just are looking for duration in your run. That will determine what you want to eat before and after a "race". Carb cycling might be what your nutritionist advises you to do as my boss does. He will carbo load before a race, and then use protein to recover. All good info should I ever find myself running! Since I broke my foot 6 years ago though..sometimes just walking is painful

For me tightness feels a bit like I have just eaten even if I have not eaten a thing. When I awake in the morning and I think for me it's because I have a bit of a post nasal drip that I have had my whole life. I will wake up and that stoma opening where food goes through is just not open enough to allow food to pass. Should I take a bite of something before having a liquid or warm beverage it feels a bit like sandpaper going down. Eventually it makes it there but it's not a pleasant feeling as it goes through. I have not had anything get stuck but it will take an overly long time to pass by the band. For me being "too tight" in the band is that feeling all day long. Where you can't eat any volume of food over a bite of this or that and you are mostly relying on liquids for nourishment. I was banded to help me change my life style and eating habits. To help me control my portion sizes, and hunger not so I can turn into a juicer, and that is what my band does for me. I am losing weight, eating band sized portions of food and I am not hungry or craving between meals. I can swallow my meds with out an issue, (there are some people i know who crush meds and are NOT banded. I think that's a psychological thing with swallowing something you didn't chew first.) I don't drink carbonation because my Dr. advised against it and I follow his advice. He went to medical school, and took certification for surgical use of the band I did not so I trust him when he tells me carbonation is not good for me or the band. The plus is I have no desire for it so it's not a problem. I gave it up long before surgery as did my husband. So that's my opinion on what too tight means...but it is subjective and what I find to be "tight" might be just what another person is looking for and vs.versa. So you find what works for YOU and rock it!

Grace, I'm sorry you are having such issues. Who knows why something works for one person and not for another, or why some people have medical problems and others do not. I can't speak for your surgeon's or doctors as to why they did not catch this issue before your band surgery, but the good news is that you have caught it now and you have a band that can now be removed and you may be eligible to have a revision surgery. You would not be able to do that with either of the other weight loss surgery options. Try not to be afraid, let hope dissolve your fears for you as you move forward to have this situation corrected and into a new journey with RNY. Check out the forums there and ask many questions, and seek support for your upcoming surgery. I think you will find that you are not alone. Best of luck to you! Check in when your all done and let us know how your doing.

When I wake up in the morning the first thing I have is a cup of hot coffee. I drink about half the cup which has now opened and relaxed my stoma enough for me to take my pills. I take them one at a time each with a nice sip of warm coffee. I feel them go down and through the band and I take the next one. That is how I take all my medications, for Vitamins I use chewable gummy mulit vitamins and sublingual (melt in your mouth) vitamins for the special things like B-12, and Vitamin C. When I take my pills at night (cause yes there are more that I take at night cause they make me drowsy) I also take them with a nice cup of decaf about an hour before bed. I use a chewable pro-biotic and a chewable Calcium supplement.

Reading this thread I understand what your saying about not "enjoying" meals like you used to, but for that I am very happy. I still love to share and eat food. When I am busy and on the run, I often have to remind myself to eat something before my blood sugar crashes. That said, I love to enjoy meals with my husband and events where there are "special" foods like holiday's or weddings or other big parties. Today I truly enjoy the food. I sit and I savor my meals at those times. I take wee bites like CG said, and I take the time to chew and swallow before putting the next bite in and I listen to the dinner chatter. I share in the conversation, I learn so much about those around me mostly because I am not only focused on shoveling food into my face. When my food gets cold or loses my interest or I have that soft stop sign I will often push it away from me. Occasionally I will be more hungry then not, and take one bite more and then I know the band man said enough and that will suffice until the next time. I no longer sit with a bowl of anything to make me feel better. I am so happy about that. When I am feeling a bit out of sorts, or just want some comfy feeling I will make a nice cup of coffee (decaf) or tea and just snuggle up with that and it's enough for me and helps me set my self to rights again while I sip it. I try to unwind whatever it was that had me wound up and I relax. I'm happy not to gorge on food, I enjoy eating out with friends so much more now and I don't feel the need to clean my plate every time even if I am paying for the meal. If need be I will wrap it up and have it for lunch the next day or dinner that night if it's lunch. I am in the green zone, where I am not hungry between meals. I eat smaller portions but I am not so tight that anything gets stuck or comes back up not even my pills and I take a few of those monsters too.

Hi Tracy, Your doing the right thing by doing your research and finding out all you can. You have a can do attitude I can tell from your post and I think that no matter what you decide when you do, that you will own it and be successful! My advice is to read and read and then read some more. Learn about the different surgical options out there. Interview a few surgeons and bariatric groups to find one that is the right fit for you and your hubby as well. I can't say enough about how important it is to be happy and comfortable with the surgeon and his staff for your after care. Give your insurance company and your hubbys company a call and ask them what they require for your to have this surgery. This way you are prepared when you do make your decision to go in with a clear understanding of the requirements for each of you. They may be different. My husband and I had the lap band surgery at the same time a few days apart, and we both hold medical insurance policies and are dependents on each others policy. However since my company is my primary their requirements for me to have surgery were different from my husbands primary. (I had to jump through a few more hoops then he did.) I was prepared for that though because I had called and checked out all the information prior to setting up the testing protocols. Best of luck to you!! You will find very valuable information on this site as well as helpful insightful and supportive people!!

tegz, I understand how you are feeling. Now you had some Fluid taken out because it was just too much. You may have been eating small meals and not hungry but you were hurting yourself and your band. So now your adjusting again and part of the fatigue could be that your body is just acclimating to the changes. Bump up your solid Protein dense foods. If your feeling hungry after a work out, or whenever it's OK to eat something. Make it a good choice. That is the biggest part of the battle here. It's not that we eat, eating is normal and healthy it's what we choose to eat. If you can find foods that are high in protein and quality that are low in calories, carbs and sugar then you have made a good choice. Monitor your intake for a while and see what it is your eating what are your calories in vs calories out? Have several small meals more often throughout the day till you find what works for you. If all else fails in a couple of weeks when your all healed up go back to your Dr. and ask him for .1 or .2 cc's to be put back in. Sometimes that is all the difference we need. Best of luck to you!!

I am me that is who I am.

Hehe...I know what you mean as mine fell down in the gym one day as I was changing. Talk about em-bare-assing