NanaRenan

OMG, Wheetsin....that made me snarf!!! justicenyce....I was almost two months out before I got my first fill and the "bandster hell" wasn't too bad for me. I think I ended up gaining like 2 lbs that last week or two, but knew -- thanks to LBT -- that it wasn't a problem. You'll be fine. It's more of a MIND GAME than anything.

I had two surgeries cancelled on me. Once just outside the OR door. The second after I'd gotten in there and been put out!!! HUGELY frustrating, BUT, it DID finally happen! Don't give up!

Thanks for all the links and suggestions. I'm gonna check it out!

OMG -- Aubrie....go give that man a big ol' hug and a smooch from Nana!!!! That had me all teary eyed....until I read THIS and REALLY started to CRY.... I did literally laugh til I cried over that!!!! What an eye for fashion she has!! She may have a future in design: interiors or fashion....all inspired by mom's bat wings~~~:crying:

Great post, Salsa!!!! I am inspired! Were you a cheerleader?? :thumbup:

I have four children aged 18-27. I have had children in public, private and homeschool. I have homeschooled as well as worked in public and private schools. If I had it to do over, I would do whatever was necessary to either private school or homeschool the lot of them all the way through. I have one school-aged grandchild and my husband and I offered, before she started school to pay for private school. Her mother declined, but after K-1 in public school, she changed her mind and she's been in private for 2, 3 and 4th. I strongly urge all of my kids to plan and prepare to either homeschool or private school their future children. There are some AWESOME teachers in public schools. There are some great kids, excellent administrators and exemplary programs. But all that GOOD gets muddied with a miasma of junk and garbage that AT THE VERY LEAST is NOT conducive to learning. At its worst, it is detrimental to the mental, emotional and physical health of the child and subsequently the family.

I've scarcely dared even peek in this thread.... ONEDERLAND looked so very far away. But, so did the shorter side of TWOTERVILLE not that long ago. I've crossed the midway mark in that C-note......249 for the first time in about 17 years!! So I'm officially kicking off my COUNTDOWN TO ONEDERLAND!!! (Why do I have an overwhelming urge to go watch "That Thing You Do?")

My second child was 8lb. 13oz. at birth. At three months he weighed 20lb. 6 oz. When he walked at 11 months he was 34 lbs and 37 inches tall. AND He was totally breast-fed. Of my four only he never had a bottle in his mouth EVER and did not show ANY interest or attempt to eat solid food until just before his first birthday. At 9, all of his back-to-school wardrobe came from the men's dept. At 10 I was looking up to him and teasing him to act his shoe size, not his age! By 13 he was 6'3" and about 210. He turned 25 last Thursday and he's still only 6'3". But he has put on about 80-100 lbs. He was extremely lean and fit from 4th grade on because he played football. But as most all of us do, he kept eating like he had before, even after finishing high school. I said all of that to say that there is SO much contrast in what kids can weigh, I can't see removing the kids as a solution....that's just going to cause traumas the psychiatrists and WLS surgeons will be dealing with for decades. If there's concern, get someone in the home to observe and train the parents! But don't take the kids away.

I've had many, many Ah-ha's over the years, but I guess the most serious one was in 2000 when my mother was felled by a stroke, brought on by her diabetes and lifetime of obesity. I spent a couple of weeks down in La. helping my dad adjust to her being bedridden. It was entirely too sobering to realize that even after having lost 100 lbs a decade earlier, it still took two or three people to roll her over to change her bedding. And that they did not make Depends large enough to fit her. I went home and told my husband, "I have seen my future and I do NOT want to go there." I immediately started trying to get approved for bypass, but failed to accomplish that (Not enough documentation, the ins.co. said!). Had some moderate success with WW, but eventually gained that all back. Then in Dec. 2006 I had an episode with my heart and was diagnosed with diabetes. The meds for both added to my weight gain and made me SO lethargic. I literally felt like I was dying a little each day. My cardiologist shocked me when he said, "It would take you two to three years to lose the weight you need to "IF" you could do it and your history does not make that look likely -- Simply put, you don't HAVE two to three years!" He referred me to Dr. Miranda, who's office staff was AWESOME and they did all the tough, insurance stuff FOR me. Here I am a year after my first consultation, banded, down 72 lbs and off of 8 out of 9 meds I took before surgery!

I'm trying to develop the habit of measuring out my meals. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of it and could prevent some ugly PBing! I have a stack of little plastic ramikins (my GrandDoll is a Big Dipper, they cut down on wasted catsup and ranch!), and find if I'm eating something of a more difficult sort to determine, they help me tremendously.

I agree, you will feel sorta yukky the first few days (3 to 4, usually) while your body is detoxing from your usual carb (sugar!) intake. But after that you feel very energetic and have little hunger.

those serious, INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH foundation garments I see people on TV shows wearing PRIOR to getting their tummy tucks? I'm at least a year out from being ready to schedule surgery and my pull-on girdles aren't struggling to do the job. Going to a smaller size only makes the fight to get into them harder, but it's like putting a cup of batter in a muffin tin -- the spill over ain't purty! I need something MAJOR, even if I have to hire help getting it cinched! Pam<----having "I just have to be 18 inches again, Mammy, I just have to!" rigors!

You mean a monstrous, melting mons...? Yep!

I'm 45, 5'5" and was 321. I think my BMI was around 50. But because of diabetes and tachychardia and some other issues, the surgeon (who does both kinds) said Lap Band would be "less harsh on my system". That sounded smart to me!

Yes, it required general anesthesia. But he also relocated it. It was pretty near my belly button where I was already quite 'squishy' and have become moreso since losing 70+ lbs. He moved it more up over my ribcage where it could be sutured to firmer muscle. So there is some pain and swelling. Don't know how it would be just to flip it back and leave it in place. My steri-strips came off this morning. And I'm all good but a little itching -- oh and I got to hurting some after vacuuming this morning. But yes, they did give me a fill at the same time. I'm really tight right now -- hoping it loosens up just a tad...it's imparing my Fluid intake greatly because I'm staying full for so long. If it hasn't improved in a week or two I might ask about a slight unfill.

Mine will say "Slow down" or "Take it easy" or "Don't overdo it!" And I should be appreciative but sometimes it really ticks me off! Like if I just stop eating to see if its safe or wise to try another bite or not, he'll pounce, "Getting full?" Sometimes I'd just rather not have my eating habits be the primary source of entertainment during dinner! :ohmy:

So what -- explain it to me like I'm 5 years old! -- is supposedly the advantages to those types of WLS over the band....? 'Cuz I'm not really seein' it!

I'm 7.5 months out and I'm STILL training myself!! I try to use a pencil eraser as a judge for cutting. It seemed ridiculous at first, but you get used to it. And I -- PERSONALLY -- cannot eat anything hand-held. Forget it! Burger, sandwich, taco, burrito, pizza, -- FORGET IT! For some reason I canNOT take small bites and chew sufficiently and get stuck every time I try! I have to put it on a plate and cut it up like everything else!

I can't do flour tortillas (or pretty much any bread product made from flour) -- feel "stuck" after only a bite or two! But I can eat corn tortillas. And have handled rice (white and brown), but only in small quantities, not because I can't, but because I know I don't need to!

Yes, "immersible" is hand-held, stick the business end down in your cup or bowl and puree the heck out of it!

I'm so sorry for your loss and pray for peace and comfort for your family. But it sounds like there were a LOT of extenuating circumstances surrounding your cousin that do not apply to you. And, I can't help thinking that keeping you band-free and possibly fat-for-life, your family would essentially be shortening your life, not prolonging it. Of course, it may take a long time for them to EVER realize that. Don't be discouraged -- I was denied by my insurance provider FOUR times before they finally approved. (HINT: My surgeon requested the ins. co. have someone specializing in bariatrics look at my file....the approval was instantaneous!) I KNOW it has added years onto my life and as the pounds continue to disappear, my life expectancy rises! Hang in there!

A THUNDERSTICK!!! LOL That's the brand of immersible blender I bought years ago. I started out with the blender, but it was a hassle to constantly be washing it. An immerible allows you to blend right in the glass, cup or bowl you're eating from and then be washed off quickly and ready for next time. Immersible -- that's MY recommendation!

I've just trained myself over the last 10 years -- in my weight loss/pre-diabetes battles -- to always, always, ALWAYS eat something ASAP upon rising. My mother and sister were never breakfast eaters, both overweight their whole lives and ended up severely diabetic (mom dead at 75 from complications and sis with a double bypass at 52). Like most children of the 60s and 70s (especially who had a mom who wasn't about to cook breakfast!) I grew up eating cold Cereal and did the same with my kids. After trying Atkins back in the 90s, I realized what an all carb breakfast did to me and I started trying to eat some Protein. And came to believe that the sooner I "started my engine" (switched on my metabolism by eating) the better. I still think not being hungry at breakfast is a big red flag and should be right up there with excessive thirst and frequent urination, (which neither my sister, mother or me EVER experienced as diabetics!) as symptoms of diabetes!

I don't guess I'm TOO surprised about the clothes being the top of the list. After all, how we dress is an outward reflection of how we feel inside as well as a statement of our identity. Stands to reason it would be a biggie. I love ALL the NSVs. No matter how small. Found a new one last night. I kept having to swivel my wedding ring around to put the setting back on top, when I finally realized what it was I was doing it was all I could do to not go wake hubby up to share the good news! LOL

ps....I read somewhere that drinking a hot liquid in the morning helps. I've never been a fan of hot beverages, but I might give it a try.