Apples2

Spoiltmom...try Fashion Bug. If you are not near a store, go online. If you are worried about the jeans stretching out (that drives me nuts), make sure they have not more than 2% lycra. I like the 100% cotton jeans. I have been at goal for about 2 yrs and I still make a stop at the local Fashion Bug for my long or short sleeve t-shirts in different colors. They are not clingy like some. Gotta watch though...some of theirs are. Look for the cotton count. I even found a couple of cool knee high boots there last year for $40 each. Give it a try.

Happy to hear you are being proactive about this. It could be that you are just irritated, but, with symptoms like yours, i.e. throwing up blood, best to do what you can to see someone that can make sure of what it going on. Please keep us informed. Sending hugs.

Hey TwoScoops...congrats on the weight you have lost so far. Try not to pay attention to the scale during TOM. Just try weighing yourself at a certain time of day once a week. scales tend to play with our minds. Not unusual for a person to jump up a couple of pounds in a day. Lots of factors can cause this. Too much sodium, etc. Are you drinking plenty of fluids??? Relax, stay on plan and hopefully in a few days that scale will be your friend again.:wink2:

There has to be an ER somewhere. Do NOT go unseen by a doctor.

Get someone to take you to E.R. immediately. Once you get there get someone to check for you to see if there is a bariatric doctor that would come in to see you. Demand treatment.

Thanks for your answer, Maggiesmom....

So good to hear you are doing so well. Hopefully, you will get used to your drains with time. I had 4 drains after a gallbladder surgery for 4 weeks. Made me sick to begin with but with time, not so bad. From what I have read, most ppl go up in weight a bit after surgery such as yours. Get your nutrition and rest. Anxious to follow you in the next few weeks and hope you are willing to share with us. I carry a good share of my apron by my hip bones also. Looking forward to initial consult to see what doc has to say. Did your surgery include a mons lift?

Bob...I have had a number (too numerous to mention) of surgeries and I do not do pain meds. Have never filled a prescription on the way out. So figure the panniculectomy will be a breeze. I am waiting for doc's office to get back to me on getting an appt for a consult. I just have to realize that I NEED to do this for me in order to feel 100% about myself and to feel comfortable. The upper part of my torso is not a problem so I figure doc will say just the lower part. I have been the only one holding me back from this. No longer.

Don't mean to hijack your thread, Bob, but feel that this would be a comfy place for me to ask a couple of questions, if you don't mind. History...banded June, 2008 and have been at goal (23lbs below original goal but OK with where I am at and so is doc) since Oct, 2008. At first I was "somewhat" satisfied with my hanging skin on my lower abdomen. I look good in my clothes but feel terrible naked or in underclothes....it hangs out the bottom (tmi). The farther out I get the more the skin seems to hang and bother me. While exercising/walking/exerting myself, the fold becomes icky and irritated. This may seem silly but the problem I am having is with "deserving" to get this problem taken care of. It's almost like I am selling myself short of taking this last step of this journey. Make sense to any of you? As I stated, right after reaching goal I told myself I would be happy with whatever if I looked good in clothes. Now, since it seems to be getting in my way and physically and emotionally bothering me, I feel like I am giving into something that would be egotistical. Silly, I know. Anyone else feel this way?

Whillow...Bend over!!! Honestly, stop kicking yourself. 12lbs? Set a new goal. 12lbs by Christmas. If you are hungry b/4 dinner, try eating something healthy and tell yourself that absolutely NOTHING besides carrots, celery, any raw veggie or fruit. I know that when I was in the weightloss stage, that time of the day and a couple of hours after dinner were the worst for hunger. I would stave it off by making a cup of coffee with a packet of LF Swiss Miss, add a little SF flavoring and sip. It really did help when I was famished (or thought I was. Also, Alpine makes a really good SF apple cider. Try something like that and see if it works. Good luck!

One cup of acorn squash has 83 cals, 3 gr protein and 28% of the daily fiber needed. I eat squash as a snack instead of at a meal. I want that entire cup of it and cannot fit as much in after eating protein.

Wow Sld21...congrats on the weightloss. You look amazing. Nice smile.

You're welcome!:laugh:

Head to a convenience store or supermarket. Muscle Milk Cottage Cheese Greek Yogurt

As you stated "Can't rush things". Congrats on the weight that you lost pre-surgery. Good job. The time after surgery is to heal, follow your doc's orders as far as nutritional intake and exercise. Just my 2 cents, but I think that first 20lbs or so comes off the fastest and then the body kind of levels out. If you are taking off and average of 1-2lbs a week, then you are the norm. Take a breath....relax....eat healthy......follow the orders you doc expects and you should be on the road to a steady and healthy weightloss. Good luck!

Cleo's Mom....this has to be one of my all time favorite posts in the last almost three years I have been on LBT. You put it all in a nutshell. I cannot tell you how many lapbanders I have visited with that are so NOT informed. Some due to tunnel vision but truly believe there are a lot of ppl out there with a plastic ring around their gut that left that hospital with that ring and no guidlines provided by their surgeon.

Hey X96....I am in the maintenance stage and would be more than happy to help you through the difficult stage you are in. Just email me and fire away with any questions or concerns.

I throw cottage cheese in my blender with mango, berries or bananas. Add one serving of dry (1/4 box) SF Jello pudding. The cheesecake, banana cream pie or chocolate are great. Add some ice and little FF milk and you have a great treat.

Stress, flying and lifting will tighten me up. I am extra vigilent during those times and really take my time while eating and tend to go back to softer/mushies

Kaylee...I had major gas problems for the first nine months. I am two years out and all is well. Everything has leveled out. I tried a number of different anti-gas products. What seems to work best for me are charcoal tablets. The only time I take them now is b/4 I eat something I know is going to bother me (chili, brocolli, etc.).

I was banded June, 2008. Had two fills after surgery, with the last one being Oct, 2008. I am in the maintence mode and have done just fine with just under 5cc's. Hope this fill does it for you.

Welcome Pam and congrats on making the decision to a new and healthier you! Take advantage of every opportunity to use these next six months to prepare yourself for different lifestyle. It is so important to go into this well-informed prior to your surgery. I was upset when I was told I needed to do the six month medically supervised diet. It was the best thing for me. I spent hours on this site, asking questions, reading posts, asking more questions, etc. Another bit of advice....prior and post-surgery, do what your doc expects of you. So worth it. As far as the psych visit....just be open and honest. Do some thinking prior to your appt. so you are prepared. Good luck to you!!!

Honey...if therapy is not the norm, it should be. You hit the nail on the head. Big changes...good life changes. But, a person needs to keep things straight in their own mind. Only advice I have....prepare yourself so that when you wake up from LB surgery, you do not feel as if you have had the rug pulled out from under you. Practice living eating like a LB person. Follow every rule your LB doc advises you to so that when you get the hang of it, it's not a chore. It's a way of life. Good luck to you on your journey and congrats on making the decision to have a healthy life.

Jacqui...hopefully a year from now you can look back on this as an inconvenient bump in the road of life. Good to hear that your doc is optimistic. Take care.

Jacqui...I have followed your success story since DAY 1. You have been such an inspiration to me. I love your spunk and your piss and vinager attitude. I just love you and the way you share your life with us. And, I know you do your sharing to help you along in you LB journey but also to help others. Most women do not have testicles...you do. Love that about you. Please keep this thread going and keep us informed as to how you are doing. I truly care. Thanks for sharing. Be tough, be strong...sending the love.