Wheetsin

I've had many restaurant PBs, but mine never come quickly. They're always preceded by some degree of discomfort and pain, so I don't have any napkin surprises. Normally I go into the bathrooms. A few times we've left and I've had to pull the car over shortly after. Once the bathrooms were all occupied so I used the shrubbery outside of the restaurant.

I've had 2 surgeries - one fo rband and one for gallbladder. With both, I was given an IV medication that made me drowsy. In fact with the gallbladder procedure, I snoozed in the prep area and they woke me up when they were taking me into the OR. With band, I was awake the whole time, but groggy. I remember them wheeling meinto the OR, getting on the table, hearing some conversation, the anesthesiologist putting on the mask "to give me some oxygen" and the very next thing I knew I was in recovery. Once I woke up I was awake for good, but I remmber being really annoyed because no matter how hard I tried to focus on something in front of me, my eyes kept drifting up to the ceiling. I was asking to go home within 15 mins. With gallbladder, they wheeled me into the OR, I got on the table, and started chatting with the nurses. I was in the middle of giving one of them a recipe and the guy behind me said "Ok, I'm going to put the drugs in yuor IV now." I said, "See you guys on the other side..." and next thing I knew I was aware of some movement (being wheeled to recovery) and heard them some voices saying they "didn't like that BP" (come to find out they weren't talking about me, but I thought they were). Went back to sleep. Awake and asleep back and forth for about 90 minutes. The last time I woke up, the nurse was there asking me for the rest of the recipe. No hassles either time. I've been told that I come out of anesthesia quickly. I've never had nausea nor have I ever had issues with gas. Knock on wood.

I once made the comment that if RNY were my only option, I'd still be fat. That didn't make me any friends. WTF? Are you serious? So DS has realized some kind of magical, gastrointestinal alchemist's dream. Amazing! I don't know any DSers so I don't know if they stink. I do know lots of RNYers and I know that they're stinkier than your average Joe. I don't think I'm stinkier than the next gal, but I guess they could complain about that "damn gurgling" sound I make sometimes.

My first fill hurt like a bitch because I let the doctor numb me and that was not a typical "bee sting" numbing experience. Subsequent fills have not hurt because I have denied the numbing shot. At no point does your stomach get cinched up. The band gradually tightens around your esophagus, but doesn't impact your stomach or cinch it in any way, nor have I ever felt stomach discomfort as the result of a fill. HTH

Oh, I've also started to ponder remaining fat loss vs. remaining weightloss. I have a lot of loose, gross, jiggly skin. Looking at PS numbers, my extra skin will probably account for at least 10 - 15 lbs. I will have PS some day, but I'm not yet reducing my "fat pounds to lose" by any amount I'm estimating for loose skin, I see it all as weigh to get rid of.

I try hard not to set goals, the whole disappointment thing, but I think it's pretty much impossible not to have a number in mind. I started at 382 lbs. I'm also between 5'10 and 5'11. So those things impact end numbers, to some dgree for some people. The psychologist in my program asked me if I would be happy at 210, which he felt was a good compromise between the statistic weightloss and my personal ambition. I told him I would prefer to see the 100s. To that end, my "I'm going to be really freaking happy" goal is 199. Beyond that, my ultimate number is somewhere between 175 and 188. Depending on which BMI chart I look at, those represent weights that put my BMI at "normal weight." But it doesn't mean I quit and eat whatever I want when I'm there, either. If the weight continues to come off, good for me. If satiation puts me into maintenance there, I'll take it AS LONG AS I'm happy and I'm maintaining a "normal weight" BMI. Not to add that 180 was the last weight I remember really liking my external self at. My weight probably averages right around 235 now (my scale is inconsistent, so this also factors in recent Dr. weighings). To make the goal set by my program, I have 25 to lose. But trust me, I'm way fatter than 25lbs overweight. I'm roughly 45 - 50 lbs from my BMI target, which is probably right. I don't really have a concept of what I look like now, even though I see pictures -- it still doesn't register. But I"ve been told I'm "chunky" -- and I guess that would align pretty well with 45ish lbs to lose.

Yes, you are under general anesthesia.

Called my surgeon's office this week just to dbl checked and they confirmed that as long as morning sickness isn't an issue and I'm able to meet caloric guidelines, the fill can stay. So far my OB doesn't have an issue with what I'm eating or the amount of weight I've lost. In fact I'm up 3# in fluids, because I'm making myself drink more Water than I normally do and the increase hasn't adjusted out yet. I can eat & eat & eat... if I do it at night. :thumbup: I think it all has to be seen in perspective. Since posting here that I'm knocked up, I've gotten several encouraging messages, and about 3 "hate mails" telling me how horrible I am for still having a fill, how I would deserve a miscarriage for starving my baby, how I should have the baby taken away from me, etc. That's so absurd. People with bypass have babies all the time, I know 3 personally, all of their babies are healthy (one is now 4 y/o) and if they're doing it right, a bypass patient isn't going to eat more than we can with a little effort. But WLS aside - we aren't the only ones who eat 1000 - 1200 calories a day. The BMR for the average build, females around 29, is 1200 - 1400. Granted that's BMR, so just factor in the difference and it's really not "super" different. You don't have to gain excessive fat during pregnancy to have a healthy baby. (So all you haters, stop sending me messages because I haven't gained 20 lbs @ 9wks.)

Why are you considering a revision? And what kind of revision -- port, band...? Do you have something diagnostic that shows a slip or misplacement or other complication? (I ask because the change in restriction you're describing is actually pretty common, and not necessarily indicative of anything being wrong -- seems maybe a surgical revision could be avoided). I'm preggo, and still have my fill. I'm not terribly restricted, mostly during the dearlier part of the day. The OBs and NPs and Peri at my clinic agreed that the little weightloss I've had isn't a concern to the baby - and that I still have "plenty of reserves" (not arguing what you experienced, just sharing what I've been told). I've largely maintained for the last year or so, losing maybe 25 lbs total, in one or two spurts. I didn't have a lick of morning sickness, knock on wood.....

It's not a stupid question, but it is one we answer every day and one easily answered by briefly using the "search" function of the board. See this thread from our FAQ section, I know it's in there among countless others. You could also search for something like "what does pb mean" and find more answers than you know what to do with. Abbreviations and What They Mean

Known fact: erosion doesn't refer to the actual band eroding, it refers to the band erodiing through the organ wall. Do a search, I know there was at least one thread on this yesterday, and probably 100 before that. You'll find all the information to answer your questions a few times over. :thumbup:

My incisions were miserable with my cholocystectomy (Aug 08). The itchiness would wake me up in the middle of the night, and once I went back to sleep it would just wake me up again. My first suggestion is to tap or lightly flick the area instead of scratching it. This can help stimulate the skin without the risk that scratching can bring. As for things to use to help, I kept the areas moisturized with Aveeno lotion (the only kind I will use anymore). When it got really bad I would put either calamine lotion or Benadryll cream on it. The Benadryll gave more long-term relief, but the calamine worked more instantly. Had to use a lot of calamine though, no dabbing with a cotton ball, I'd hold the bottle against my skin and let it run down on the incisions, then blot of the excess.

No honey, it's not what you think it is. It's for "cellulite" -- I promise! Jacqui - great point. That's why I don't own home gym equipment. It's affordable compared to what the gyms have, but the lifespan and effectiveness just aren't the same.

IMO it's a mater of the clear things being the ones that are truly thin or water consistency. Creamy liquids are not thin. The purpose of gradually increasing the viscosity of food is to acclimate the band and its healing. Basically you want to minimize movement in the area of the esophagus/stomach as much as possible. Digestion of heavy meals causes more movement. So you avioid as much movement as possible in the beginning, then gradually introduce foods that cause more movement.

I'm with Laurend on the abuse/neglect thing. That's why I posted the video, and likened it to seeking medical treatment, then failing to follow thru (e.g. get the prescription). She went to the doctors and they told her what to do, and she's not doing, she's still feeding her child crap and claiming "diets don't work". Yeah, no... 4 eggs and more for breakfast isn't a diet. Would education help? Maybe, but it sounds like that route has already been tried. I'm assuming the mother is also obese (an assumption from the skewed sense of portion normalcy), but who knows what else is wrong with her. She clearly doesn't "get it" when 4 eggs, cheese and soda is a healthy diet breakfast.

I used to do Tae Bo at work every morning. It was a good workout.

Dye your hair purple and get a nose ring or gauge your ears. Aside from having a master's degree, that pretty much covers the requirements for working at Starbucks. Grats on the job! It's not the most stimulating environment for you, but trust me -- low stress is worth a lot.

Diane, that's almost as good as my "string around a hot dog" theory for erosion rates with different bands. I love it!

Answers in blue... Will the band let me eat a pan of brownies??? I HOPE Not! It will until you're properly restricted. Even then it would still be possible if you took your time, and or did something to liquefy them, or ignored the pain/consequences, or.... There is a big element of having to own your weightloss & food choices with the band. I can't stop! I'm a HUGE emotional eater and I am in the process of getting a therapist to see once a week starting now, and to follow up with post op. I know I need help with some of the things inside me that make me wanna eat. Will the band really help control my portions????? When you're properly restricted, you will likely have to control your own portions or face the consequences - pain, having to bring food back up, etc. Most people find they reach a "full" sensation on very small portions. That doesn't mean the band makes you pay attention to this sensation, and stop then. This is a change you will have to make. It has a learning curve, for sure, but most people get there. I'm scared it won't, and I'll fail...once again, story of my life. I"m never full and find myself always eating. I"m scared of how I will need to change the way i eat, b/c I have such poor eating habits now, I'm scared I'll be banded and not know what the hell to eat! Your surgeon will (should) provide you with a detailed diet to follow after surgery, itemizing what you can eat until you reach the point of "as tolerated". Can someone help, I"m REALLY struggling with this now that I got my date yesterday, I"m scared shittless, I don't know any other way than this.....please help me..... Most people are scared for surgery, and full of doubt and second-guessing themselves. All I can say is that it's normal to have mental or emotional turmoil, and to go with the decision that you feel is right for you.

It's normal to not feel restriction after your first fill. I did, but I also had restriction with no fill (uncommon). A friend of mine with the same band size as me (4cc) needed almost 3.5cc before she felt any restriction, whereas I needed unfill when I went beyond 2.5cc. Give it a week or three, see how you're feeling. If you don't have restriction, set up another appt.

I followed the induction (stricter) phase of Atkins for over a year. I would never, ever advocate it as a tried & true long-term weightloss method, but if you need to lose pounds fast, it almost always works. What you lose isn't fat for a while, but the weight will come off, and eventually fat too.

You know, I've wondered about that. #1 and #2, because it's not like you're going to do all that pushing, but try to "hold back" enough that you don't throw out a little putt putt. Like in gym class - it never failed. I could not do more than 8 or 10 situps without a little fart coming out no matter how hard I tried. And of course there was always another kid right down there, holding your feet. So I would cough and pretend to pass it off like a cough. *sigh* And later in life I got really fat, and when you're really fat your thighs have this way of trapping air, so sometimes when I would sit down in a hard chair it would sound like I farted, even though I didn't, it was just air being pushed out from my thighs. At my last OB appt she did a pelvic and when she removed the speculum it made me queef. I was just like "Umm, that wasn't what it sounded like, I promise." How do you save face after something like that, other than to trust it's not the first time it has happened?

Sex fart as in queef? (The result of getting "pumped" with air during sex). DH and I have been married over 10 years. We don't share a bathroom. Even if he just has to pee he locks his bathroom door. If the door is unlocked, he's showering. Otherwise I know he's doing some body function. But he'll fart like no one's business and it doesn't phase him one bit. BTW, I hate how guys sit there and grunt/push it out, then go "oh sorry" like it caught them off-guard or something. And I hate that DH's farts are sometimes so bad they wake me up from my sleep and I have to go to another bedroom. Now I'm mad. :ohmy:

Growing up, I remember seeing my father laying in the hallway in front of the bathroom, talking to my mother while she pooped. Every day. Like it was nothing. Now, that's love! It took me a while to be willing to do anything around DH. I clearly remember the first time I farted around him. One time in bed he was spooning me (behind me) and had his knee pushed into my butt. I had to so bad it hurt, and couldn't get out of the bed without waking him up so I figured... what the heck, he's asleep, and try to delicately let it out. Which of course never works. Like 5 seconds later the bed starts shaking because he's silenty laughing his ass off. He can't even make noise, he's just shaking. Ends up he hadn't fallen asleep yet, and I farted on his knee. He thought it was "cute" but I wished I could just drop into the floor.

I'm not too bad so far. My somach, hips, and upper/inner thighs are the worst. The loose skin on my upper thigs makes me look like I have bumpy baby thighs. And when I cross my legs (Indian style) I get folds of empty skin. I have needed about 5 pelvic exams in the last month (I'm knocked up) and it's so embarassing. One of the doctors had to literally hold all my loose skin to the side. I was like -- umm, I can hold that for you...