tommaney

Hi Zoomomma--I'm remembering back when I was taking the Wellbutrin and I think you're going to be ok. I had to take some chunky anti-biotics right after surgery and I was able to do that alright. Just like Nanook said, warm beverages like tea can be relaxing and helpful! If you are going to crush the Wellbutrin, double check with your dr. or your pharmacist would know too. I know that the extended release Wellbutrin is compromised if crushed, so that's no good. But, if you're on the older Wellbutrin it might be fine.

Hi Nanook...Sorry I've been absent for so long :tongue: There's been a lot going on. I just wanted to say that I think it's quite natural to know you're not alone in your circumstances, no matter how many times you post to ask. I've gotten to know you over these past months through your posts and pm's, and I think you've got a handle on your situation. Like the other poster said, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. What's best for you may be totally unique compared to anyone at LBT!

Hey that's great--I hope your fill goes smoothly! I also really like that Sutter clinic just off of 80 in Fairfield; it's nice to go someplace brand new :blushing: ....just try not to hang out outside and breath in the smokey air--it's been so bad lately. Best wishes!

Ginny...are there any online groups or forums for Bulimia specifically you can join to help support you? LBT of course is definitely here for you--as you can see there's even a place for those that have been debanded. I worry about more than just the throwing part that endangers the band and your health. If you find yourself doing the binging part as well, then overeating can cause obstructions, damage to your esophagus--the list goes on. No matter what you do, please know that you seem to be a very brave person who really is seeking health--physical and mental. You had the courage to acknowledge the disorder (a feat in itself), seek therapy, and even undertake the daunting task of telling others about it. There are countless others who have struggled and not been able to do the things you've already done. There is hope for you, and I wish you the very best.

I don't do the protein shakes at all--my doctor prefers his patients getting their protein through their diet.

I have Schizo-Friendia...I hear positive voices all the time telling me "you can do it!" Won't be takin' that one to therapy, no way.

Froggi...can we make you feel better by having a sexxxxy party a la Family Guy? I'll bring the Captain's hat and bikinnis!

My 4 fills have gone exactly that way. Twice by fluoro, twice without. My Dr. did one stick which only hurt when he said the words "little pinch!" He found my port even though I have an usually deep port that is angled in an odd way. Then, he helped me sit up and I drank Water till it started backing up in my throat a bit. I totally freak looking at needles to I never once looked down, only ahead/at my water bottle/at my doctor. He was also intently listening to me drink because it was hard for me to tell if water was backing up or if I had swallowed air. You're the first one I've noticed that had the same fill process as me! THanks for posting and good luck!

I pm'd you, Kat : ) I'm sorry if my post was tangential as well.

From what I know, Kat, there is a diagnosis of Substance-Induced Depression, which includes medications and legal/illegal drugs. It is also extremely common for people to "medicate" their depression with drugs. This is a red flag especially when looking into teen depression, which can symptomatically look different than how it presents in adults. When care providers are doing differential diagnosis for Major Depressive Disorder, one of the criteria is to refer a person to a physician to rule out medical conditions and drug use. This helps with separating mood disorders and substance-related mood disorders. But, they are still psychological diagnoses. I'm sorry if that was confusing. Regarding your two friends, it's true that those with mood/anxiety disorders in the family put them more at risk, but it's not a surefire predictor. It's also true that you can have no history of mood disorders in the fam and still develop clinical symptoms. Like Jachut is describing, I think the drama mamas will always be out there, seemingly thriving on misery and having unrealistic expectations. An interesting question to ask about some people is this: is this person recreating the drama he/she experienced in the past? There are plenty of people that have perfectly "average" childhoods that love emotional roller coasters, but there are also others that hop on that coaster willingly (perhaps unconsciously) because it is familiar. It's home. Anxiety, depression, abuse are thus produced again and again, through the generations, because it's his/her foundational model of relationships. My personal experience has been discovering that of the children of alcoholics that do show codependent behaviors as adults, they often choose partners and behave in ways that emulate the dynamics of their original, unstable alcoholic homes. That is, unless they break the cycle with insight and therapeutic support! There are also the more rare cases of actual, clinical personality disorders (e.g. Borderline, Histrionic, Narcisisstic, and many more). In the case of those with Borderline diagnoses, it can be very sad because medication will often often not impact the depression--it's a chronic emptiness of self. The term depression is indeed bandied about pretty liberally! So there is a difference between depressed mood and full blown clinical depression, which is a constellation of symptoms.

That book You On A Diet by Dr. Oz gives a good description of several physiological elements of hunger and satiety, including Ghrelin production. It also has illustrations that simplify the physician vocab : ) Even though it just looks like a diet book, Dr. Oz actually addresses WLS at the end--not putting it down but talking about it as a realistic option.

It's true--across the board, pessimism just isn't helpful! As for BII, I have a different evaluation of her situation, and that's alright. I mainly wanted to speak up to submit the reasons why I started the Mental Health subforum to begin with. Regarding your DH, I think your attitude was probably the best thing for him. Anxiety problems can so often be aided by systematically disputing the faulty logic, so not indulging him was very likely quite productive.

Definitely ask the doctor and try to describe the pain as specifically as possible. Is it constant pain or pain that happens when you move a certain way? I experienced the latter for several months after surgery and it finally went away--sometimes it's just a matter of taking a long time to heal.

Jachut, I don't think this needs to be hammered into your head. I think you get it. " the real why you need to tackle is "why do I choose to eat too much in response"? " That's the Why I'm talking about. It can be incredibly helpful to gain insight into the origins of behaviors, but like Jack has mentioned too, that second component of responding with healthy behaviors needs to be sought out. But, to clarify, I am not thinking of instances so trivial as "my lil' bro. ate my birthday cake" or "My cat died when I was four." I'm talking about "My mother sold me for drugs when I was 13 and I was subsequently gang raped multiple times." I've met that person. If that client comes to the realization that she's been overeating to clothe his/herself in a suit of flesh for protection from future violation, that insight can disempower the fear that was driving the behavior. I'm also thinking of serious emotional, physical, sexual, and neglectful abuse that can span decades of someone's life. I'm even talking about clinical diagnoses such as Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar I or II that do not necessarily have past social etiologies--they are proven physiological experiences of chemical imbalances and seizures in the brain. Here's the rub which I think we agree on: At the end of the day, once a person realizes that something somewhere is deeply wrong, he or she needs to get the gumption to seek help. Pursue therapy, seek help to re-write the story of a life that perhaps did not develop with the support it so dearly needed. I put forth the particular example of the drug dependency only because this has been my professional experience to date, definitely not to equate. But the fact is, goals of therapy across theoretic orientations include the pursuit of thoughtful respose as opposed to impulsive reaction. In other words, work out why you're reaching for the KFC and let that knowledge empower you to generate new, healthier options. Again, I think we're basically on the same page. Sorry for all the psych-talk. There are absolutely people for whom the behavior is the paramount issue. That's actually my present experience with the band, but I have been fortunate (and brave) enough to work on that "Why" before I got the band. And yes, let's not tiptoe around each other--leaving room for each other will be quite good. ((Oops--sorry if any of this does not apply to your current #73 post--I was responding to the one that was sent to my email and I didn't realize it was edited till just now))

Did that back-up doctor examine you under fluoro? You know your body best, so please keep on top of asking your doctors about what is going on.

Exactly, Jack. re: Experience has demonstrated that "working" only on "why" without changing the "HOW I got fat" also leads to failure. My experience counseling those with Opiate Dependency (e.g., Heroin, Vicadin) has demonstrated this concept. Clients were sometimes too entrenched in all the "why"s of their addiction to move forward, while others who solely worked on changing environment & behaviors would continuously relapse--even if those relapses occured years apart. I'm not likening all lapbanders to drug addicts; this is a single interpretive lens. Take what you need from it and leave the rest. This is just what I've learned so far in my studies and clinical practice. OH Juli-- That's Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory. I like the self-efficacy concept. In fact, I believe the band has aided me in small steps to build my sense of self-efficacy. The healthier I become and the more I realize that I am able to control parts of my life, the more able I am to take on greater challenges and reap their benefits.

You're right...we definitely can't blame things on the past, but rather just acknowledge the possible origins of our experiences and move on with our cognitive, emotional, and physical work. Perhaps if you find Beck's book you can read it while you're alone--that way you'll be searching for a way to dispute your negative thoughts rather than ruminate on them.

That sounds like an excellent book suggestion! Beck is known as the founder of Cognitive Psychology, so this might be particularly effective in combating those negative thoughts. I haven't read it yet, but I hope to find it soon... Jasmine, have you ever happened to notice the circumstances surrounding your negative thoughts? Time of day, what happens before the thought, what happens after (your behavioral/emotional reactions)? Even if you can't manage to see a therapist right now, it might be helpful to try to become an observer of your own thoughts and jot down what happens. Don't judge the thought of "I'm going to be fat again," just notice the time, place, environment, and especially any events that took place before the thought. It's an exercise in awareness, which can significantly reduce the power of those thoughts even if they don't go away. When you do finally get a chance to see a therapist, this information is going to be valuable. Best of luck and healing to you.

Thank you so much Jasmine for putting yourself out there and adding your perspective. You're always welcome to "ramble" : ) however you like on the other thread when you feel like addressing those cognitive and emotional factors that are intertwined with behaviors. I'm not advocating excuse-making, but I believe that the healthiest change (i.e. change that doesn't involve transferring addictions or relapse) comes from working on body, mind, and spirit.

Don't know what Cheesecake Factory is? Oh my...well...for me it's like Christmas-in-my-mouth.

Welcome BabyLyn...is there any way you can ask your prescribing physician/psychiatrist about how surgery may effect your body's absorption of the medication? I know certain Bipolar meds like Lithium, Depakote, and Tegretol can impact organ functioning and require periodic blood tests due to possible organ compromise, so is that a risk for you? A common reaction to anasthesia is depressed mood, not to mention there are many people that go through a "what in the world did I do?" blues/anxiety period after surgery. Ask your doctors--bariatric and psychiatric--how you can be mentally prepared for surgery, whether it's a temporary change in meds, extra support from your therapist (if you see one) or anything you can think of. That way, if there are complications with that brain chemistry, you, your doctors, and your supporters know what to expect and plan for. There will always be people all over LBT that will be here for you to bounce ideas off of and offer you support.:thumbup:

Yes please repost! I read it initially today but I can't always generate a response right away. I remember that you were very concerned about getting back down to your best band weight, and it had to do with negative thoughts that you've always had about always being a fat person, even if you were thin. (I hope I got the gist).

I'm sorry to hear about that friend who became bulimic MollyMolly. I guess these meds can have such dramatic individual effects that it ends up being worse that the original diagnosis! It must be a difficult realization to know that when it comes to your medication, you're probably in it for the long run. We can only hope that the psychopharmacology industry improves all the time--so at least treatment gets better, even if there's no cure. Who knows...it's possible that your hormones will do some great balancing in the coming months. When I was down about having to take the meds because I felt abnormal, it was helpful to compare it to any other physical medical condition that where medication was needed. Clinical Depression is physical. Studies show significant decreased activity in on the left side of the brain--the logical side that's able to contextualize events. Overall, there is some deficiency of seratonin, dopamine, norepinephrine--or some combo of them. Best wishes with your journey and I hope you post in this forum in the future!

I was self-pay too, and once I got in all my tests--CBC, EKG, Chest x-ray--I was scheduled within 3 weeks. It was dependent on the hospital's availability and availability of my Dr's assistants. I didn't have any sleep problems or other gastrointestinal problems that would have warranted an upper GI. Since it's on your dime, I hope you find an excellent doctor who has great aftercare! Good luck!