SandyM

So is she saying you have a dilated esophagus?

Good idea!!!!

The fear of slipping up is always there. My fear was mostly "what if that's the last I'll lose". Then another lbs would come off.

I've bee banded over a year, have decent restriction though not ultra tight, have always been able to handle "chugging" water if I want to. So not sure this is a measurement of restriction to rely on. But as for food, the restriction will come with fills.

Raised my heart rate, my blood pressure and killed my appetite. Stopped it, heart rate came down, blood pressure came down, appetite came back along with any weight I lost. I didn't like the way it made me feel.

I can only suggest changing something up. Sometimes the body starts to recognize routine and maks it harder to lose.

Thanks Bandista. I've had a "dead" thyroid for about 25 years as stated. I take the thyroid medication to handle the manage the TSH levels.This is how it works. The pituitary gland in the brain is the manager of it all. The thyroid gland normally makes thyroid hormone. When its working right, the thyroid is part of a feedback loop with the pituitary gland. First the pituitary will sense the level of thyroid hormone that the thyroid has released into the bloodstream. The pituitary will release a hormone, known as "Thyroid Stimulating Hormone" (TSH) which is supposed to stimulate the thyroid to release more thyroid hormone. When the thyroid, for whatever reason -- illness, stress, surgery, obstruction, whatever -- doesnt produce enough thyroid hormone, the pituitary notices this reduction in thyroid hormone, takes charge and makes more TSH, to help trigger the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormone. This is the pituitary's effort to return the system to manage and normalize the thyroid function. A TSH that is higher than normal tells us that the the thyroid is underactive and not doing its job of producing thyroid hormone. In general, HIGHER TSH = UNDERACTIVE THYROID / HYPOTHYROIDISM. If the thyroid is overactive and produces too much thyroid hormone -- usually due to disease, or taking too high a dose of thyroid hormone replacement drugs -- the pituitary senses that there is too much thyroid hormone circulating. The pituitary will slow or shut down TSH production, so that the thyroid will slow down its production of hormone. The drop in TSH is an attempt to return thyroid hormone levels to normal. My pcp likes my TSH to be around 2, it was 11. When I lost function of my thryoid it was 119. So, I uess it could be worse. On the upside, when its straightened out, maybe I can lose 5 lbs that will make me stop being a loose 10 but tight 8. Other than that, I'm very satisfied with where my weight loss has gotten me.

Leave them on til they fall off. Mine stayed on for over 2 weeks. They just give you added support while they are there.

You are never too late to start over and it sounds like you are still early. Get to your surgeon ASAP and get this under control. You got this.

I know you're right. Guess I'm just wondering how I've been on the same dose for 20 years then all of a sudden this past year, my levels quadrupled.

Band with plications is the bomb. I have had several fills but did most of it without fills. Plus of the plications is "No bandster Hell". Also, I feel if I ever had to have Fluid removed from band, I could maintain with the plication alone.

You look great. I'll bet you feel alot better. You're young and will do great with this.

Diets don't work. Sounds like your weight is still pretty controlled but your appetite may not be. The obvious is increase your exercise and try to keep you calories maintained. Do you do MFP and track your diet?

I had the plication with my lapband and can truly say that my biggest issue is head hunger and no surgery will fix that. I find that I have to talk to myself a lot. That being said, the plication and band are doing me well. I wouldn't rule out the sleeve if I had to do it all again. The other surgeries wouldn't be for me for my own personal reasons. The drawback with the sleeve is I hear people say if you have re flux, it'll make it worse. I had it in the worse ways prior to my banding and haven't had it again, and wouldn't ever opt for anything that would bring it back. Good lucl with your decision.

I keep reading about people who've decreased their medications since surgery and weight loss.....I guess I'm the first to increase mine. My TSH came back quite high and I have to increase my thyroid medication. On the upside of this, this might explain my weight stall. I haven't really worried about it since I'm pretty much right at goal. But, I'm still logging in MFP and exercising and the weight is just kinda staying there. Guess I'll see. Kinda glad I'm finding this now, I have appt week after next with my surgeon and was going to talk about a possible topping off, this might change everything. As said, I'm not really worried about the wieght, but it would be nice to drop 5 lbs to give me more of a comfort zone.

Looking great. Truly an inspiration

I was allowed wt training at 2 months, but every surgeon is different

I started walking, then weight training and eliptical. I'm now riding a bicycle and find that to be my favorite. I still have the others to fall back on when I can't ride for whatever reason, but theres lots of things you can do, but you have to find something that motivates you.,

It's-time: you are doing great. Love to see people setting reasonable goals and making them. [ QUOTE=bulawookie]I have no motivation to walk. Chin splints that hurt so I started with 15 minute walks. It is hard. My thighs rub together and we have really hot and humid summers. I am hoping as the weight comes off I will soon feel more like walking. Was it like that for you? I am hoping after I get a few more pounds off I will feel more like walking. Bulawookie; have you thought about cycling? I just started about 2 months ago and I'm addicted. I'd love to run, but knees are bad...bicycle is just right

You look great. I'll bet you feel that way too. Congratulations, job well done.

The endurance to the exercise will get better the more you do it

Maybe they can just hypnotize us to believe we are skinny and beautiful and everybody wants to be just like us????????

Absolutely.

I have to agree. If you saw the private lives of all your professionals, you'd probably be just as stunned. Bad day for him and he'll be ok and so will you. We all do stupid things, and I bet he wishes he could take this one back.

I admit that obesity is on the rise everywhere, but more govenment nosiness isn't going to fix it. Sorry, I just don't want the government telling me what to buy, what to eat and where to spend the little bit of money they haven't already snatched out of my paycheck.