Road Queen

I am still around. Can't believe its been two years. I am living in Africa now and going to Italy today. Life has been wonderful. Celeste

Am I supposed to feel this stiff? Yesterday I felt great. Today i feel like I"m being stretched. I don't think I'm swelled up but just stiff. I don't have a comfortable place to sit in my house. I have a crappy couch (I have not decided) and a wicker chair that looks pretty. I really planned for warm days where I could sit in the swing chair and sun....instead its cold and rainy and I froze when i went walking this morning. Thanks for letting me vent. Celeste

I bend over at the waist and it pops out.

Ev, I had similar issues. Don't eat for 4-5 hours before bed, see if you can get a prescription for pepcid AC or something, sleep sitting up, take something that will coat your stomach before bed (gaviscon, maalox, I even resorted to baileys). Papaya tablets can also calm your stomach during the day. I am now totally fine. I found out all of my problems were from my anti-malaria pills. I quit them a week ago and have not had any problems since and I have been struggling since Sept. If you have a dr you can go to, it will help. Unfortunatly, I didn't have a dr available but it has worked out fine. Good luck. Celeste

I am the budget advisor to the Ministry of Finance. I am in Yemen providing training on Cash Management for Ministry of Finance (I do the spending plans and cash flow analysis portion of training). Last month I attended the South and Eastern African Accountant General conference in Maputo. So after a year in Malawi, I'm starting to get out and enjoy the world again.

Please keep me posted on whether your sugeon is willing to take patients from other drs. I want to have flouro to check the position of my band. I may be going to Paris next month so it might be an option for me. Good luck. I know the toughest thing about surgery is the head issues. The strange this is that it seems so easy (cuz I have restriction) but when i go somewhere restriction is less, I fall back into bad habits. Because I live at a higher elevation, I can't tolerate the fill I had in the US> I know, too much information. But I am in Yemen, have internet access for another 6 hours and hate that nobody in the US is awake. Celeste

yes, food has been our best friend, our comforter, our celebration, etc. It is a difficult adjustment. I always thought the slow loss helped me deal with it incrementally. As my fills became tighter and more restrictive, I was ready to deal with it. Good luck. Everything you are going through it normal.

For those who have been around awhile, you know since surgery I moved to Lilongwe, Malawi. Well, I am spending this week, my 50th birthday, in Sana'a Yemen. I was here as part of a training team. If anyone had told me I would be doing this, it would not have been possible when I was fat. The altitude here is tough for me but it would have been far worse overweight. The band allowed me to see what I can do and the changes I can make in my life. And realize that unusual circumstances (protein shakes, veiled women, restricted travel) are adjustments I can deal with. I don't know if I am capable of international work forever. But for now, I am loving it. This site is one of my links with 'home' and thanks everyone for being here. Celeste

okay, here's the gross thing. If you happen to pb after drinking, its like the alcohol hits your system twice. Even a little makes you totally drunk.

Thiyekhile, I finally have internet and am at the board again. Thanks Mandy for letting me know about this thread. Who is your doctor in Pretoria? Can you ask if he is willing to do a floro on someone he didn't operate on? I am having bad acid reflux and may need some fill taken outl. Right now, I am in Sana'a Yemen and the altitude and dry air is killing me. Congratulations on having surgery. Its the best thing I ever did for me. I live in Lilongwe, Malawi but get through J'burg for flights and when I go to Cape Town to enjoy. Email me or pm me. Celeste

Maybe your lst fill is kicking in and you are a little too tight

I'm here working for a couple of days and just wondering if you have any eating hints.

Jlynn, I understand completely. I know I need to see a dr but can't. I have restriction but strange acid reflux - I sometimes throw up stomach acid when sleeping (gross, huh). But finding a dr who understands the band, my anti-malaria meds, etc is difficult. There isn't one on this continent that I can find. But thanks for reminding me - I don't miss the snow storms. Good luck. Celeste

Prime rib - I hadn't had any since surgery - may 2005 - until last week in Cape Town. I can eat all other beef but lost my cookies on the prime rib. Maybe it was so good I overdid it or chewed too fast. If I get the chance, I will try again. Of course, the chance won't happen for about 11 months.

What is the most difficult situation you have found yourself in since being banded? I have decided that going on safari is the most challenging for me. Meals are provided and you have no control over them. I pack Jerky, almonds, Protein bars, etc whenever I go anywhere but they do have alot of salt which causes multiple problems. 1- you can't stop in the bushes to go to the bathroom when you are out viewing lions 2 - Water is not unlimited But when you watch a giraffe run or zebras playing, its all worth it. Missing a couple of meals isn't going to kill any of us. I have gone on three and lived through them so its doable, just challenging. Now, tell me what situations are struggles for you. I just like hearing about normal life some days. Celeste

Any one in Cape Town? I am coming on vacation the 19th. Celeste

Katie - PB is productive burp and DH is dear hubby. These and many others are explained in FAQ. Celeste

Good job! Celebrate your success. I think this may be a scale victory also. Celeste

Does anyone know if their drs will see patients who were banded elsewhere? I will be coming to Paris and Italy in May and would like to have a flouro to see if my band is okay. There are no drs here and I am unable to find one in South Africa who understands the band. Thanks for any assistance. Celeste

Shawn, please keep me updated on what you find out. I have not had any changes in fill since Mar 2006. I have the right restriction for here - Lilongwe is higher altitude and that affects me. I started having reflux in Sept. It increased alot since then. But last week when I was on vacation, it pretty much went away. I am thinking its stress. Unfortunately, for me to see a dr for this, I would have to fly to Europe or US. The strange thing is, when I do everything right (eat early, no alcohol, prop up, etc) and still get reflux, its at about 3:30-4 am. That is why I think its stress. Any words of wisdom will help. Thanks. Celeste

Okay, I don't have anyone to share my weird men stories with so either rid them or skip this thread. There are not alot of expats here. About 40 American households, 2 with single men that I know of. A few British, S. African, etc. When you divide the single men between the single women, I think, by age category, its about a dozen or so women for each single guy. Now, does that mean women are more willing to move internationally on their own, or is it because men seem to marry women from other countries quicker. So the dozen or so get passed around (I haven't participated). so when someone starts dating someone else, everybody know everything about his last 1,2,3 etc girlfriends. I guess it really alleviate having to learn about someone from scratch. Weird things that happen to me - yesterday at work, a very young guy, in his 20s, (Malawian) came up and told me I looked so good in my outfit the guys were waiting to see me in Malawian native dress. I am sorry but when I talk to most of the people at work, I am older than their parents!! I haven't had a date in 12 years or as I like to say, during the purchase and sale of my last 5 motorcycles. To be honest, I could not handle a date right now. Worrying about electricity, phone, internet, poisonous household bugs, getting stonewalled at work, understanding what people say, etc maxes me out. But I never would have quit my job and moved to Malawi without the band. Even if I never get another international job, I have had the opportunity of a lifetime. I have been on safari here in Malawi, am going to safari in Zambia and visiting Victoria Falls in December, Capetown in January. Oh, and turning 50 in March. Maybe I'll find a date when I return to the US in 2008. Celeste

I quit my job, sold my house and vehicles, became a contractor and moved to Africa.

Just wanted to share - this won't be an issue for me for awhile. It seems that Malawi is running out of carbonation and since the holidays are coming up, the factories are using all the carbonation for beer, hence there is a shortage of sodas in the country.

I probably can eat salad but I don't. I may have a little spinach salad. In general, salad, especially lettuce, has few nutrients. When you are eating the proper amount, you need to get in your calories and nutrients. Lettuce will do nothing in either category.

Ditto what everyone said. Don't expect restriction right away. During the healing phase, I was thankful I could eat anything. It gave me a chance to practice doing things right, chewing my food 25 times, taking small bites, eating Protein, etc. Also, you have lots alot of weight already. Your body needs some time to adjust. I think the slower the weight loss, the easier it is to keep it off forever. (and less flabby skin) Good luck. Celeste