steph_co

Oh...I do have another Mom comment that I forgot. My paternal grandmother is immensely obese. My mom told me one time that if I kept up eating junk food like I was, that I'd end up looking like her. Ugh.

Oh, this thread. Good heavens. It gave me some good chuckles and some major groans at seeing what people have the nerve to say! I have a couple... I went to Niagara Falls when I was about 18 and I got a keychain that was shaped like a cow and it said "Niagara Falls" on it. Well, after having it for a year, the wording wore off. My mom borrowed my car and when she brought the keys back to me, she indicated the cow keychain and asked me why I had it. She went on to explain that when people have certain imagery around, they tend to start looking like it. Thanks, Mom...thanks. I explained to her later how rude that was and she so didn't understand what I took offense over. Another Mom classic. I moved out of her house for the first time when I was 22 (only for 6 months). Well, while I was out of her house, I wasn't dealing with the immense shame and guilt that kept my weight in check and I got up to 210 from my average of 170-180. After I moved back in with her, my weight dropped back down (ah, the power of guilt from somebody that you know loathes fat). I confessed to her that I had gotten to 210 and she said to me that if she ever got over 200 lbs, she'd commit suicide. Yeah...it goes without saying that there's no way I'd tell her I've been over 200 for the past 3 years. The last one is a kid thing...one of my DH's kids asked me this past summer if I was pregnant. I said, "No, just fat." I seriously was not upset with her. I was embarrassed, but it wasn't her fault. Honestly, I think her mother may have told her to ask if I was pregnant because her mother hates my guts and is OBSESSED with what is going on in our lives (me and DH). Yeah...so the worst comments have come from my mother. This is something I've struggled with with her for my whole life. She has sat me down a few times and explained to me that her mother was also obsessed with weight and it's a hard habit to break. She has tried to tell me again and again that she doesn't mean any offense. I really just think she doesn't realize the words that come out of her mouth sometimes (Sagittarius).

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/pregnant-banded-come-join-me-37874/ This'll probably help. :confused:

Gees...3 fills already. I have 2 1/2 more weeks to wait for my 2nd fill. After a few days with my first fill, I went back to normal. If anything, now at 1 1/2 weeks past my fill, I'm STARVING more so than I was before. It is much harder to limit myself these days. Thank goodness I'm back at work and can control myself a little better at work.

I meant to say 2 weeks from next Wednesday. Ugh.

I'll be weighing myself tomorrow...haven't weighed in about a week. DH's kids were here and then we went out to visit his son and I had one day where I was not good. I'm back on track, but I guess I have to hop on the scale tomorrow and see how much damage one day can do. So...from whatever my starting weight is, I'd love to lose 15. :confused: I'll add my stats tomorrow. I think this challenge is exactly what I need for a kick in the butt right now. It is HARD getting back into my regular gear today. But I HAVE to. Thank goodness I have a fill coming up a week from Wednesday. I swear the hunger monster wants a piece. :paranoid

Huh. OK. I know my DH has talked about bacitracin before because he used to be a trauma tech. But when I brought up Neosporin this time, he didn't say a thing about it - just, "OK." He's using it on a bad scrape he has, too. LOL We'll have to drop by the store today or possibly tomorrow to get some bacitracin. I had strings sticking out, too. I tried gently tugging to get it long enough to be cut and never quite could. All but one small piece finally got close enough to the surface that I could completely pull them out without pulling on the scar. They were kind of gross looking. I'm glad they're gone.

Did insurance pay for your band? If so, maybe they can pay for a nutritionist to help you work up a plan for eating. In the meantime, I know that Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate really helps me out to keep track of my daily intake of calories. Could you try that and limit your calories? Honestly, you really shouldn't panic about weight loss until you have good restriction, which will keep you from being able to eat a huge amount of food. This is an excellent, informative thread: How the Lap-Band actually works, fills and refills - Lap Band Talk Forum - The largest forum for Lap Band Surgery Discussion and Lap Band Surgery Support

I was reading in the scars picture thread and saw BansterNYC whose scars looked super just 3 weeks post-op. She mentioned a gel called Kelo-cote from skinstore.com. I got all excited and thought I would try it. Now, let me say this - I am generally a good healer. I really shouldn't worry about the scars - I should just be patient and they will eventually fade. But anyway, I've been using the stuff for about 2 weeks, I think? Anywho...I kind of noticed about 5 days into using it that it seemed like my scars were more puffy and shiny. I thought nothing of it, thinking more that maybe that was part of the healing process. Well, I noticed yesterday when I got home from work (7am) that one of my scars almost looked like it had a blister underneath it. I didn't see any major trouble with any of my others, kind of wrote it off to being irritation from my bra, or something (it's the one right by my xiphoid process). I used the gel and went to bed. Got up at 3:45pm and noticed some crusty stuff on that scar. Really started looking and it was dried blood. My scar burst open. Not down as deep as it was cut...just superficially. I cleaned up the blood and I was still bleeding from two tiny spots that looked like pin pricks. It took awhile to get it to stop. I now notice that one of my other small scars that does not have direct irritation from anything but my shirt (no - I don't wear them that tight) looks like it's getting the same kind of small blister-looking thing underneath it. :scared: That gel is history. I don't dare use it anymore! The scar up by my bra is now fatter than it was. It WAS a delicate line and now it looks like somebody poked me in the chest with their finger. I'm going to use neosporin until it closes up again and keep it covered with band-aids until it's hardened enough that my bra won't irritate it. I'm just really discouraged. I don't think everybody would have this reaction. I rarely have a bad reaction to a medication (aside from Lortab...*shiver*), so this is strange for me. I just think people should be aware. How are everybody else's scars doing?

WTG, Grace! How exciting. I can hardly wait to be on that side of things. I bet it feels fantastic! :scared:

I think this has been my major problem for most of my life. Guys would be flirting with me and I would have no idea. One guy I worked with asked me on a date after a day of bashing each other and I couldn't believe it. He couldn't figure out why I was surprised. As he put it, "We've been flirting all day long!" Um...okay. LOL DH has to point out when guys are checking me out. I still don't believe him - I think he's just being nice, or something. As for how I flirt...uh...I don't flirt with strangers because I'm so sure I'll be turned down. Now, if it's somebody that has started a conversation and we're talking, then I tease. That's how I flirt. In DH's case, after the witty back-and-forth banter, I strategically brushed my chest against his back going past him while we were at work. :scared:

We got a Garmin Nuvi 350 for Christmas. I had thought they were an unnecessary luxury, but I am in LOVE with the thing and haven't even used it that much, yet. I've only used it to direct me somewhere once so far, but I love watching it work and show me driving down the road. LOL I guess I'm entertained by it, too. I look forward to many years of good use to it! It's fun to use.

Wall enclosing killer tiger 4 feet below industry standard - CNN.com The wall was only 12 feet tall. But the moat seems like it would be sufficient to stop the jump. Huh. Maybe not. I could have sworn I heard something on the news about the bloody shoe being found INSIDE the display, which would indicate to me that he dangled his foot in.

I posted in this same thread on the other forum.

I don't know how many times I have heard that the band is a tool, it does not do all the work. Hence, I still have to make healthy choices. How did you miss hearing/reading that the band is just a tool? It's ALL OVER this board. My nutritionist, my social worker, my surgeon, and the surgeon's assistant (NP) ALL told me it was just a tool and would not do all the work for me. So, yeah...I could sit down and drink 5,000 calories of milkshake per day. It all goes through the band, why not? That doesn't even make sense that you would continue to lose weight eating whatever you want. Now, it would be much different if you were eating your Protein FIRST, then your VEGGIES, and if any room left, THEN whole grains or fruits. But choosing foods that will halt weight loss...I'm sorry, but you're not going to lose weight. I'm not being condescending...I just don't understand how somebody can get SO FAR on this journey and still not understand how the tool works. I would strongly recommend you get in touch with a nutritionist. Whether that be the one through your Dr's office, or just one that specializes in Bariatric Eating, it would be a very good idea. Did your Dr give you a list of things to eat once you get to solids? I would try following that. Just remember: 1. protein 2. veggies 3. whole grains or fruits In that order. :scared:

I don't think I'd go so far as to assume "you'll be fine." There's no way of knowing that unless I could check your liver function through the internet. But I will say this - I think a lot of it depends on your BMI as to how bad your liver can be. I was just under 37 BMI and didn't have a true pre-op diet aside from 3 days of clear liquids pre-op. I did okay, so you may, as well. Again, it most likely depends on your BMI and overall health. I didn't have any true health problems, so that probably helped, too. Also, I would say that shrinking the liver helps your recovery time. Somebody on here said something about possibly scarring your liver with the tool they use to hold it up with if it is too swollen. But I went hog-wild for a whole month from the time my surgery was scheduled until my 3-day liquid diet. I ate TERRIBLE things... like Twinkies. :scared: LOL

I started a couple points above where you are right now. I can lose weight - that is not my biggest problem. My biggest problem is staying on track the entire way down and THEN maintaining the loss. That's where the band helps. I've had days where I got on the scale and nothing changed. In the past, that may have warranted me giving up and eating something bad for me that day. But knowing I have the band and it's not giving up on me, I don't give up on it! And I know once I get down to size, it'll be easier to STAY there because I won't be able to eat the portions I could before. I would have some straight talk with your doc about it. Some people just don't understand. If you explain why YOU need the band, it would probably help your doc to get it.

She has already admitted that she got bypass.

I'm really glad to hear that it's just a possibility and not an eventuality for erosion, Mona! I'll continue to send good thoughts!

I am very much looking forward to the New Year 2008! I plan to be back in a swimsuit and shorts this summer for the first time in years! I'm so excited to not be wearing long pants all summer long. The first summer where I know the scale is going down and STAYING there!!! To be able to run and play with my stepkids when they come out to visit again in the summer. To be more active with them by going biking or walking! AND...to be back in to running this summer...good heavens, I love running. Ever since I got too heavy for it, it has been sad for me. But I think running is in my blood - my mom was big into running and has actually done a few mountain marathons in Utah. I so want to do that! My big goal this year will be to train for the Summit for Life. It's a 2.5 mile race up a ski hill to benefit organ donation. It's not a hardcore RACE race...it's more so that people can do their personal best. I watched a bit of it this year and wanted to do it SO bad...but next year I will be on that hill! With my snow shoes and poles. :scared: Happy New Year 2008, everybody!

Have you considered having like .5 taken back OUT of your band so you can eat more like a normal person? Based on what you said, it sounds to me like you wouldn't be getting the nutrients that you SHOULD be getting. Like protein FIRST. Protein is what's going to help you feel full. I would talk to the doc if I were you - you sound way too tight. From what I know, the band should help us to eat mostly normal, but just much smaller portions. You definitely shouldn't be sick all the time!

LOL...too true.

I'll be following this thread with interest. I had 3cc in at surgery, 2 added and couldn't get water down at the Dr's office, so they took out .5. So I'm at 4.5cc and can pretty much eat anything. I know people have said chicken or doughy breads can get stuck...not so with me at all. The only thing I've had feel even remotely "stuck" was some shredded bbq beef, but it went down fine. I can eat more than a cup of food...I try to not go above a cup, though...and I still count calories.

Mona... I'm so sorry to hear about your ordeal. I've been following most of your story and have thoroughly enjoyed your posts. This makes me really sad. I feel like I know you IRL and I was really cheering for you that this would be it for you. What a terrible ordeal. I can so relate on hospital bills...the perils of being self-pay. Oh, man. This just really sucks. IF (HUGE if, since I will continue to hope and send my best thoughts that it won't happen!) IF IF IF what he said about erosion is true, do you think you'll try to find a way to get a conversion to VSG or GBP? Or just get the band out and be done with it? Keep us updated on what happens. I really do hope everything turns out and you get to keep that band! I'm cheering for you, hun!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/i-made-goal-pictures-42510/