Sunta

Hi, I'm not a very good club member, having not posted my loss for a few months-- sorry! But I did want to check in and say that my total loss to date is 36 pounds! --Becky

I used alot of almosd flour when I was doing Atkins. In my opinion it makes the best baked goods of any of the low-cardb flours. I greatly preferred it over soy flour which to me had a yukky aftertaste. The only drawback to almond flour is that it is very high in calories. Otherwise, the flavor is amazing.

No one stays a 90 pound ballarina forever... no one! Why not try to eroticise your wife's new womanly curves? You say she's not even overweight, but just not 90 pounds any more. A 90 pound woman is like a boy anyway. Why not enjoy a real woman's body?

When I was on Zoloft I gained about 45 pounds in four months without changing my eating habits. The weight gain was so fast and so profound that it was frightening. I literally would step on the scale and put on three pounds overnight. It spiraled out of control so fast and furious that I was forced to go off of Zoloft. I have never experienced anything like that. If it had not been for Zoloft, I would not have qualified for the band! I'm not saying it's the same for everyone, but that's how it was for me and it was dramatic. I would never touch another SSRI again with a ten-foot pole.

I would say that if it went down and you have no signs of a PB, it probably passed into your large stomach and you will be fine. The concern for gum I believe is that it could get trapped in the stoma, which you would almost certainly feel. If you feel fine, you probably are.

Hi Leener, It's not a given, but I have definitely PB'd after each fill for the first week on and off. I think this could absolutely be avoided by eating slower and taking smaller bites. My incident happened because I was hungry and totally ate too fast. Plus, I was eating really "glue-like" stuff: hummus and veggie chips which seemed to gum up and form a gluey ball. The other time I PB'd after this fill was on ricotta cheese and Peanut Butter, also gluey substances. After my next fill I'm doing liquids for two days instead of one, and will be more careful about what and how fast I eat. Good luck!

I had been doing so well and everything was going great. I'm a little over four months out of surgery and I'd PB'd a couple of times but nothing major. Well, I got a fill last Wednesday and PB'd once on Ricotta cheese, but then was fine for a week. I mean, I was full on little food, able to eat everything, and losing weight. Last night I got really hungry and went down to the kitchen for a snack. I had some veggie chips (like potato chips but made with veggies) dipped in hummus. Within minutes, I started getting the golf ball and my mouth started watering. I went to the bathroom and PB'd, but this time, the horrible pain didn't end. I PB'd again and again, violently, for about two hours. Finally I went to bed thinking everything would be fine this morning. Ha! I woke up tried drinking some diet tea. Had to pull over on the side of the road and up it came! Got to work and tried some hot tea, thinking the warm would sooth and open my stomach. That didn't work either and I was off to the bathroom to get rid of it. I finally called me doctor and they said come in immediately for an unfill. I had 1.5cc in a 10cm (4cc) band, and he removed .5cc. After that I was able to drink Water and it stayed down! Came home and stayed on liquids the rest of the day. Everything is staying down, but my whole stomach, chest, esophogus, and band area hurt. Not horribly, but there's some burning and aching and general discomfort. I wonder if this is normal? Also, I am very gassy, and hear alot of gurgling happening along with the burning. I have taken alow vera juice three times today along with tumeric mixed into warm milk to try to quell the inflammation. I also am taking a homeopathic remedy for inflammation called "traumeel". I'm hoping that this combination will make me more comfortable. Of course, I am super ultra paranoid that my band slipped due to the excessive and violent PB'ing. Doc says he really doesn't think so, but I can't help feeling anxious. I would love to hear from anyone who went through this and to know it gets better. I'm feeling anxious and upset. --Becky

Although I'm not a vegetarian, my best friend is, and I spend lots and lots of time at her place cooking veggie Indian food (she's from Bombay). Indian food has some unbelievably delicious choices for vegetarians. I love Paleek Paneer (spinach with cottage cheese) and all of the yummy nutritious veggies with exotic herbs and spices. One of my favorite dishes that she makes isn't strictly "Indian", but a variation on the British Beans on toast. Let me tell you, I thought beans on toast would be extremely horrible, but I am here to say that the way my friend makes it, ALL of our friends, including me, beg for it on a regular basis! It is literally one of the most delicious foods I've ever eaten. It's also super high in protien and Fiber and super low in fat and calories! And it's extremely fast and easy to make. Here's the recipe: Two cans Vegetarian Baked Beans (Heinz) 1.5 or two fresh green Chili peppers, chopped 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped Two fresh garlic cloves, minced One onion, chopped One turn of the pan of olive oil Sliced whole grain bread Directions: Pour about one turn of the pan with olive oil and heat. Sautee garlic, onion, and chili peppers together until all are somewhat soft. Pour baked beans into pan and cook on low to medium heat for about ten minutes to let the flavors sink in. Add in cilantro and lower heat. Simmer for five minutes. Serve over toasted whole grain bread. Let me know if you try it and how you like it if you do!

It confuses me how so many people seem to want to chat, yet whenever I go into the room, no one is there and no one ever sets a date and time to chat. Couldn't we just have regularly scheduled chats? Like for example, every Monday at 8:00pm Eastern or something like that???

While shopping last night at the health-food store, I noticed a formula called "Nerve Pain". I forget the brand, but it's homeopathic. They have all different homeopathic formulas and I was looking at all of them last night. You should check it out...

I would like to take this opportunity to mention in reference to Wal-Mart, which was referenced earlier in this thread: Boycott Walmart! For so, so, so many reasons. Walmart sucks.

I had Lovenox at the hospital on the day of surgery and I also had it for 30 days after surgery and had to give it to myself. I sure wish I only had one injection! It will burn for about fifteen minutes after you put it in, so you might want to take a pain killer as a preventative.

I've been bouncing back and forth between the same four pounds for about six weeks now. Hopefully my fill on Wednesday will remedy this current situation.

The title of this article does not make any sense. There is no reference in the article to "only one fifth of patients maintaining a 50% loss". There is however a reference to average loss being 65% of excess weight after three years, which is an excellent result.

In my opinion, the health care system and insurance companies in particular do waaay more lying and cheating and unethical practices than any patient could ever do. If someone cheats me, do I feel fine taking what is rightfully mine? Yes, I do. If someone feels that they are being cheated out of a surgery they really need because the insurance company just doesn't want to foot the bill, then they have every right to obtain that surgery for themselves. We pay good money to be insured, and too many times when it comes down to it, insurance companies try to wriggle out of paying for things that they rightfully should be paying for. Let's face it, the reason why the weight limit is 100 pounds overweight is because it would be "too expensive" (meaning maybe the fat cats who sit at the top of the corporate ladder might earn less) for insurance companies to foot the bill for everyone. Many corporations have lots and lots of millionaires benefitting by shirking their real responsibilities which is to pay for people's health care. If my neighbor steals my money and keeps it in house and the police won't help me, will I break into his house to get it back, even though breaking in to someone's house is wrong? You bet your booty I will!!!

I had an expensive WW digital scale and could get variances of up to FIVE pounds within a few minutes!!! FIVE pounds! Needless to say, I threw that piece of junk away and now have 100% reliability with my $9.99 non-digital scale, which gives the exact same weight as the doctor's office, every time and no matter how many times I get on and off of it, always gives me the same reading. I will not buy a digital scale again and as I personally do not believe in their accuracy whatsoever and have only had accurate and consistent readings with non-digital scales.

Oh my goodness I am sorry. I got this confused with another procedure. Sorry!

I believe that they make a "sleeve" out of your stomach by removing 80% of it and from what I've read, there is no re-routing of the intestines and no malabsorbtion. I also read that the mortality rate is .02% which is nearly comparable to the band. It would be my first choice if I lost my band. Let me know if you get it, how it goes for you. Good luck.

Hi Dr. C, Thanks for participating in the forum. My question is: I'm about four months out and so far everything has been going well. I've had two fills. The first one was 1cc and the second was .5cc but when he did the second one half of the first one was not there, so I have a total of 1cc I think. My band holds a total of 4cc. Since that fill 5 weeks ago, I had been doing great, having restriction, PB'd only about three times, and eating about a cup at each meal. But the past three days, suddenly I have been experiencing hunger at pre-band levels and have been really struggling to not overeat because I'm starving. I can also feel food "plopping" into my big stomach sometimes as if it's sliding right past the pouch. Could this be a slip or a leak? Or is it normal for a fill to loosen in five weeks? I am worried about a leak because when he did my second fill only half of my first fill was in there, and now suddenly this loss of restriction. I do have "some" restriction in that I will still get a golfball within the last three days if I eat too fast or take too big of bites, but I have almost no hunger reduction. Thanks DrC. Becky

I'm 5'3" and my goal is between 135-145. But, even if I make it to 150, I would be happy! I once weighed 158 when I was in college and thought I looked really curvy and sexy and no one looking at me would ever say I was heavy. Anything below 150 would be unbelievable.

I lose alot suddenly (like four pounds overnight) and then nothing for weeks and weeks. So far my average is exactly 2 pounds per week though. It's very frustrating to be stalled for four weeks but then I look at the big picture and remember I have been averaging 2 pounds a week and if that average keeps up I will be thrilled.

Hey guys! I've been away for awhile but been thinking of everyone. My last fill was five weeks ago and the past three days I seem to have lost ALL restriction and am STARVING!!! Thank goodness I go for another fill next week! I'm worried that my band has slipped or something because I'm suddenly just so hungry all the time and food feels like it's going down weird, like I can feel it "plopping" into my large stomach! Can anyone else relate? I also posted this on the general discussion by only one person answered my post. Hopefully it's just that my fill has loosened up and I just need another fill. I only have 1cc in a 4cc band so maybe that's why. How is everyone else doing?

There is a thread about a soup diet some people are trying to jump-start their weightloss. I think it's under the food thread entitled "new diet I found". It's similar to the cabbage soup diet and some people are finding success with it. I'm thinking about trying this myself. If you can't find it under that, do a search for "sacred heart diet" and it should come up. I would find it but don't know how to search while still saving my post!

Hi, I had them for years and had all kinds of halter moniters, ekg's, etc. and all came back normal. Boy I hated those palpitations! The thing that helped me the absolute most was getting control of my anxiety disorder. I was helped tremendously by therapy, medication, and by books about how to help anxiety disorder. I may have "outgrown" my panick attacks somewhat as my therapist says can happen (got them alot in college but am now 36 and haven't had one in over 10 years) but I do think I was helped by the aformentioned things. Another thing which helped alot with the palpitations would be to ignore them and just know that they could not hurt me. I have not suffered from palpitations in years except when I am very nervous or upset. I firmly believe that getting control of anxiety is the key. Try saying to yourself over and over "these are caused by my mind and they cannot hurt me. What I am feeling is ok. It is ok to have palpitations so I will let my body have them until it feels like stopping and I will be just fine." Saying this to myself helped me alot. The more I just "let" it happen and didn't fight against it, the better I felt. Best of luck to you.

My surgeon had only done 40 bands when I got banded and I had posted this same question. I heard from quite a few people who were banded by newbie band surgeons and none of them had any problems. I'm four months out and so far am very happy with my decision. LAP Band surgery is a much easier sugery for these surgeons than almost any other laproscopic surgery. One quote sticks in my mind by a girl whose surgeon told her "compared to the bypass, inserting a LAP Band is like clipping a toenail". That make me feel alot better. I'm sure you'll be fine!