lisacaron

Thought I might check in. I have been pretty disconnected lately. Of course there's nothing but drama left right and sideways and I wonder how I continue to get myself into so many of these annoying and stressful situations. Even simply buying my hubby a car to replace his after he was rear ended and his car was totaled is not simple. It's now been in the shop for over a week because it won't start. I could get into the details but why.... I cut my finger and it's totally infected I had to go see a hand surgeon...and I go back tomorrow hopefully it will finally clear up it's been nothing but annoying...I'm even on antibiotics. I got my flu shot today, and oddly I am amped up. I wonder if I am going to have a big crash later...I really hope not. On another note my job has started a walking challenge. They gave us all a fitbit and we are supposed to get in at least 10K steps a day, there are some people who do 25K a day!!! Now I know even before this challenge I would average only 7K a day. So I have stepped it up to "compete" however being a desk jockey compared to some of our sales and field techs, it's not fair. I am sitting in my chair now marching in place! Our team is in 158th place!!! There are about 700 teams so I guess that's not too bad right?

Agreed. If you have noticed no longer are the poor thin and under nourished. The poorer population is also now the larger population! They are still undernourished but now they are obese as well. It is cheaper to buy unhealthy junk food than it is to purchase healthy food. An apple is more expensive in some area's than a candy bar. Processed meals are cheaper than fresh meat and vegetables. Very sad indeed.

Here we are again Happy Friday to all!! Just watched the Pope visiting the 911 Memorial and the service held by all the leaders of our Nation's many religions. I have to say it was very moving, having friends that were lost in the towers, and having just been there. I have to tell you all my friends that the state of the world really does break my heart and I hope that people can find some sense of renewed faith and hope in the world, in each other and a high power before there is so much destruction we can't find our way out. On that bright and cheery note....I hope that you all find yourselves doing something inspirational this weekend. Grab your loved ones extra close, give yourself that extra TLC that I know so many of us don't spend enough time doing as put the needs of all else first, I know I am guilty of it. sleep a few extra moments, get that pedicure, get outside and breathe in the fresh air. Take a moment longer in the shower, apply some oil or lotion to your skin, drink some extra Water. Pick some fresh fruit, and just take some time to meditate on all that you are in gratitude.

Let us know how it goes. Chances are you are probably very swollen from the whole event. Taking out some fill will help and you should really take it easy with foods for a few days to let things settle down. Try staying with liquids and soft mushy food for a few days.

I just love the fall!! It is so my season!! There is not one negative thing I can think of about the fall other than it is always too short. The drive to PA should be gorgeous. I'm getting excited for all the sights and sounds and smells of Autumn even though I am sad to see Summer go...it really didn't feel like "Summer" this year....

Greetings friends! Liz, we went to see Alabama at the Beacon Theater, I know I so don't look like the Country Music gal!! Actually my Grandmother used to listen to the country music station when I was a kid and of course we had a house in the Catskills so growing up I was pretty well rounded No pun intended there! When it comes to Music Ken and I both are very eclectic everything from Rock and Roll, to Country, Disco, Hip Hop, and Classical Music. I love folk music and new age music as well. My iphone is very interesting mix of music indeed. We went to the 911 memorial museum and I have to say that it is very well done, though of course a very sad feeling is pervasive throughout, and I'm very sensitive to those feelings so certain parts of the museum really had me feeling sick. We walked about 7 miles through out the entire day and climbed a total of 23 flights of stairs!

For a second the weather here in LI NY looked like it was about to turn...but oh no today it hit 90. I can't say I am complaining though because the humidity is gone and the mornings are brisk and the evenings are cool it's the perfect weather. Desert weather my hubs says, he would know...I have never lived out of state. Today is my Friday and I am happy happy happy!! It's about 4:00 and I am wishing my life away for the next couple hours because I just want to be out the door!!! I don't want to think about work for a few days, I just want to be home with the hubs and pups and the grown ass men (kids description of themselves gotta laugh at that.) We plan to spend the day in NYC Friday, I'm sure it will be a long one on our feet the whole time. I don't think hubby is quite prepared for how much walking he's in for....taking the subway all around town and walking here and there the fitbit is gonna see some miles by the end of the day. We have a concert that night, I can just see him passed out while I drive our asses back home. Thinking it might be smart to just get a hotel room for the night and leave on Saturday! Well here's to everyone's Friday!!! Make it good, and enjoy the weekend!!!!

I don't want to be the naysayer here, but when it comes to our health and our health care we need to be our own advocates. You can't listen to what Dr.'s offices or staff have to say. You need to call your insurance company and find out directly what is covered, what is not covered, ask them a million and one or more questions you are paying them for goodness sake and it is their job to provide you with the answers to ALL your questions about your health care coverage and plan. it stinks to have gone through all those tests to find out that your coverage excludes this type of surgery but don't give up, and don't look at it as an all for nothing. You found out some very important things about your health that will help you in the long run to be healthier. In the mean time call your insurance company and ask them why the preclude this type of surgery, and if there is an option to have it included. Is it because of the employer not opting into a part of the plan? Are there any other options for Weight Management that they suggest under the plan? If it is an employer exclusion is it possible to speak with your HR staff about it and see if an exception might be made? Don't give up on yourself no matter what. Keep the momentum going...!!

I think we are all human and when someone dies we (none of us) really understand it. We can go through the "reasons" medical, health, weight, but most of the time it doesn't help us to cope with the loss of life. We want to villianize weight as unhealthy and yet there are many who are overweight and yet very healthy with all their vitals and blood work in line. How many of our young have died suddenly as athletes on a ball field or singing their hearts out literally? We don't focus on their weight, but we might take a negative focus to the way their health care provider, pediatrician, school or even their parents didn’t take notice that something was wrong enough to cause death. Death is as unexplainable as life. We don’t know what breathes life into us though we can have faith in a great God, we can explain the mechanics through science of what we know and understand life to be but what do we really know when we boil all that away? Some people need wear their judgments like they need to wear a jacket against the cold. It keeps them comfortable when the elements are less than ideal. We may not like the color, the shape or the material of them, but we are not forced to wear it. I am sorry for your loss, and hope you can find comfort in knowing that you are not out in the cold alone with an ugly jacket to wear cause we are all here keeping you warm J

Hi ya folks! I have been MIA for a bit just trying to keep my head above Water and now treading...which is actually good news I love the posts about how much people eat. I have to tell you that, when we are out at parties or family gatherings I too am a bit disgusted at the way some people eat. I remember when I was a kid I had that one Uncle that had hand to mouth disease, you know where you just keep grabbing what ever is close to you and shoving it in your mouth...? I used to wonder if it was just my parents that were strict on manners...or if they didn't apply to the "elders" when I would see him eat at a family gathering. Now I realize that there are many many people that eat this way. They can't possibly be hungry, but they just can't stop picking up food and putting it in their mouth. I have one that for me is even worse...the "picker" the one that hangs around the food as it's being cooked, or prepped for serving and picks with their fingers at the food a bit here and there and back again. That drives me INSANE!!! Ah well I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!! It might have been the "unofficial" end to Summer but I have the feeling we are going to have summer here on the East Coast well into Oct. (I am not complaining, I still remember the snow!!)

I can't speak about the amount of loss your going to experience in that two month time frame, and even if I could I don't think it's going to help much when it comes to the dress part of things because if your like most of us women you could lose in one place much more than in another place. My advice would be to find yourself a shop, or a seamstress that can work with you and the dress to modify as you lose and leave some things open for a nip and tuck a week or even a few days before the event. Sometimes you can salvage a dress with appliques since they can be removed and re-positioned to be more flattering. If it's all bead work...that could be more of an issue. I am about your height and weight right now, so I am super curious to see how things go for you after the bypass and I would love to see those wedding photo's!!! I'm a big say yes to the dress and wedding show fan. I don't know why...but it's my "reality" TV of choice Congratulations!!!

@@Adrianabelle There is so much you can do to help yourself get to that goal so you can have your surgery. You can start making those life style changes now and do them slowly to integrate them into your life style before your surgery date. Many of these changes are going to help you once you have your surgery and in learning them now they will also help you to drop some weight. Carbonation is a big no, no. So if you are drinking and fizzy drink start weaning yourself off of them they are gassy and unattractive after surgery to say the least about them Start eating a lean high Protein diet and lowering the amount of carbohydrates you consume. Don't cut it all out in one shot do it slowly, by increasing the amount of protein in your meal to the amount of carbs. Start using a tracker like myfitnespal to see how much you actually are consuming and then try to lower those calories as you move forward. As far as fitness goes, I agree with the posters above about swimming and aquarobics. They work, and they take the stress off the body. If your not quite ready for that though there are many seated exercises you can do at home. Google seated exercises and find some that motivate and work for you. Here is a link from spark people with some video's and it's free. http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1713 Good luck to you!!!

Jump in with both feet Liz and get lucky #7 started!!! I need a reset in more ways than one!

I love this thread....OK so I am 44, not yet at the age of Senior discount I'm hopeful that I will grow older gracefully...and still be my bad ass self. The funny thing is that when I think about my mother...I see the woman I am today. She passed away at 50, so the times I remember her best was through her 40's, and I used to think she was old then. Boy was I a dumb ass teenager!!!

Let me apologize up front for posting here, since I'm now happily married I wanted to share some of my insight with you from that single perspective, paying 50/50 and online dating. First, when I began dating it was shortly after my husband of nearly 20 years and I broke up. A friend set me up on what was then Yahoo personals and it went from there. Profiles...what do you say...what don't you say...what do people want to hear...you can go on and on. The answer here is the truth. For me honesty is a big one, so I went with that. I was honest about who I was. When the winks, and ice breakers and all that "fun" stuff came along and you had to decide respond or not...send one out or not...I had to have a deep conversation with myself. What was I looking for? What kind of person did I want to meet and spend my time with? Was I looking for a good time? A relationship? A friend? What.... That helped me to narrow things down for myself and all the fish in the sea Once I knew what I was looking for (starting with something simple like a person in the same "area" as me) it was much easier. I wasn't looking at height, weight and body type, but I was looking at pictures and the place and people that person chose to share in their pictures. You can tell a lot by the places someone has been and the people around them I think. OK so now on to the dating bit. For me...I didn't want anyone to pay for me. If I chose to meet you, for a drink or coffee I always kept it light for the first meeting even if the gentleman insisted I would pay for my own beverage or what have you. My reason...I didn't want to feel beholden to anyone. I was giving them my time and in turn they were giving me theirs. If we chose to move forward to date 2 and 3 and all is comfortable between the two then I would accept him paying for dinner and I would leave the tip, and the next date well I would pay for dinner and he could leave the tip. After many years of marriage (for me) I wanted to feel that I was independent and could stand on my own. It was something I needed to do for myself and I have to say that the gentleman...who today include my husband were all very understanding of that fact. (I probably would not have seen them again if they weren't but that's me) I met my husband Ken through that same Yahoo personals page and though neither of us were looking for "love" and both had said we would NEVER marry again...well here we are 10 years later still together and happily married to each other!! Never say never I wish you all the best, and my advice is to be honest with yourself and others. Know yourself and what your looking for, and go for it!

@@CanyonBaby prayers are with you!!

@@lovelypoison you want to be cautious because your body is still healing. Even though your scars may be healing well on the outside and your starting to feel really good especially as the weight comes off, your insides are still tender and healing. We can't see and feel what's going on inside and we want to allow our bodies to heal in the best way possible for long term success. It really stinks to go through what we have termed Bandster Hell, that point when your craving food and you just can't have it. As you start to get fills in the band if you need them this will help to take the edge off of those feelings. In the mean time, try shaking things up. Change flavors and textures of the mushy foods your eating. Try some Chili my favorite thing when I was able to eat mushy foods was Wendy's chili. I threw it in the blender to mush it all up and the texture was thin and grainy but oh so delicious after months of sweetness. Once you move to a more solid food, like tuna or chicken you still want to chew it up to that pasty consistency before swallowing because getting stuck where food doesn't want to pass easily through the stoma is miserable. Wish you the best, you are doing awesome so far!!! Emotions are all part of the healing process and it's not just from surgery that we are healing...it's a multilateral approach to healing. Body, mind, and soul...if you need help working through the feelings, never be ashamed to reach out here or to a therapist who specializes in bariatric surgery.

My husband and I are a couple that take advantage of the fact that the band is "adjustable". I love the fact that I am able to adjust the band to fit my life style. For an example, last year when my husband required hip replacement surgery he was able to un-fill his band enough to allow him to eat the amount of food and nutrition that he needed to help his body heal. When your band is at a certain restriction you may know that there are certain food intolerance that you might experience with fruits and vegetable and when you are recovering from major surgery it's good to be able to get those in without worrying about that and being banded he was able to relax his band during that time and concentrate on healing. The same has been true for myself. When I was sick with severe flu, I was able to relax my band to allow my body to eliminate the extra Fluid and mucus that my body was battling with. I have had to have several invasive tests and have had periods of high intensity stress that relaxing my band helped me to process and recover more quickly from. On the flip side going back to the Dr. once things are in balance I and my husband are able to add fluid back into the band to achieve that level of restriction where our food intake is lower due to lack of hunger and craving, and our weight loss continues. During the times when we have had our bands relaxed I can say that the most weight gained was about 2 pounds maybe 5 for hubby after hip replacement surgery but mostly due to IV fluids he lost that with in a week after discharge from the hospital. Slow and steady for us....the goal is at the end and today it's all about the journey.

You know when I had to go in for tests on my band my Dr. put me out. They ran all those tests and I was not aware of it. I also had a colonoscopy while I was out. Rotto Router both ends, but don't torture me!!

I think the bottom line is that you want to do what's right for you. Yeah Dr.'s can have a chip on their shoulder about weight gain and not following their rules, but you know what we are the customer so to speak and well I don't go to the Dr. to get bashed I'm there for their expertise and assistance. If we could have lost weight on our own we would not be WLS patients or needing to be in their office, so there's that. I need them and they need me and you Yes they need to tell us what we are doing wrong, but they also need to be supportive and help us to understand and make the changes we need and if they are mean about it well it's gonna go in one ear and out the other. I would go to the Dr. and ask them to help you get a handle on things and help you not only get back on track but give you a jump start. You don't have to take negativity from the Dr.'s or staff. Go in there positive that you can do this, and ask them sincerely for their assistance and things should go well. Let us know how it goes!!

@@LipstickLady Awesome pictures!! Nice to put a face to the name!!! I'm never shy of posting pictures I still have a ways to go...but it's all in the journey for me and my hubs. Here are some before and after shots.

@@PSRS520 try not to think the worst. Go for the upper GI and let them check it out for you. Perhaps you are a bit too full or your stoma is irritated from the acid. For now if you can try sticking to some liquids and/or soft foods and give the stoma a chance to heal if it's irritated and perhaps the swelling will go down and you will feel better. It's always good to have the upper GI though and they can get a really clear picture of what's going on. I had one when I switched Dr.'s and I was happy that they didn't find anything wrong with my band or my insides Let us know how your doing.

Great posts everyone!! Support is so important even for those of us that have been banded for a number of years. We all are experiencing different things as we go through our lives, and sometimes we experience similar things so it really helps to share our stories both new and veteran bandsters there is always something new to learn about what another might be experiencing.

@@Short and Chunky I'm so sorry to hear about the slip and all that you are going through. I would want to know that the band is in the right place and working properly. Can you schedule a floro or barium swallow with your Dr? Then you can see along with the Dr. how quickly or slowly things are moving through the band and maybe adjust properly from there. I know there are several on here who have had their bands replaced with new bands, and I hope they will come out to give their experience and advice. All I can say is that I know since I had to have my band unfilled due to a dilation and then went back for fills I haven't felt the same, and weight loss is really non existent for me. I haven't gained but I am not losing either....I feel like I am at a stalemate right now.

For me different things cause my band to be tighter and/or looser. If I am congested, or have an infection...that causes my band to feel tighter as (nasty) stuff usually goes down my throat and can create more mucus around the stoma. If I have a stuck episode the regurgitation can irritate my stoma and cause swelling which then makes my band tighter and the more I try to eat and force food through the opening the more irritated it gets. Also for me certain medications cause the opening to feel tighter as they may irritate my stomach I don't "feel" irritated but clearly my stomach is inflamed and the opening through the band is tighter. Also spicy food can do this for me as well. It really depends on what affects you. We each have different reasons for why the band might be tighter than other times. My husband and I are both banded and he is totally different than I am he may be eating something with no trouble and I can't eat it and vs versa. When we run into those issues or we just can't tolerate something I won't keep trying. If I know I have had a bad stuck episode the next couple of meals I will switch to liquids. I have had an issue in the past where I just ignored the stuck episodes and kept on trying to eat solid Protein and it caused a pouch dilation and I had to have my entire band emptied and it took me more than 6 months to get even close to the green zone again. So my advice is to pay attention to what irritates you, and if you are stuck give your stoma a break and eat something that won't cause more irritation the next couple of meals. Then resume eating as normal. If you find your "tight" go easy with the meal and try to eat things that are not going to get stuck. For me when I am not feeling well and I have that extra mucus feeling something warm like coffee or tea helps tremendously. I usually start my day with a warm cup of coffee every day, but that's just me