gdf18

Just came on after months of not being around. UGHHHHH!. Not only not skinny but gained 20 pounds. I'm upset,miserable, riddled with yeast infections under every wrinkle, and am trying to find a spot on the boards to work it out. When I'm like this I need a lot of support so I went to one of the med groups support groups this week. I think I'm going to go to all of them. That's 3 Tuesdays a month and I need it.

So that's my sad story......how are you doing?

Gwenn

I've been sick with flu and horrible cough....seems like forever. My diaphragm hurts from the constant constant awful gut wrenchin coughing. The meds are barely surpressing it.

I'm having a ton of gas (I'm starting probiotics now) and a lot of left shoulder pain.

Anyone else having band issues because of illness and any suggestions beyone the hot pack and ibiprofen?

Thanks,

This is so funny. I never check this. Came in to update my weight loss and there you were!!! How are you doing? I'm just a week away from my "bandaversary", on April 30th. Down 91 as of today. I'm very very tight but don't really care that much.

HOW ARE YOU?????????

30 is great. Anything downwards is great. Funny you mention thyroid. I just had my physical, and for the first time in my life, my thyroid is too high. I've been on low thyroid meds since my 20s. It's the large weight loss. My body is beginning to function on it's own, so I need less medication. Going back to what I used a few years ago. Hope all iswell. Gwenn

Hey, hi!!! How are you doing? I haven't heard from you and quite frankly, I haven't been on the boards much. I want to, but just don't have a lot of time these days. Tell me how you are!

Hi Elizabeth,

I happened to come across an old message of yours from 2006 when I put "venous insufficiency" in the search box. I read your story (it was about your DVT experience and doing away with the negatives after "life changing experiences". I applaud you (better late than never, eh) and think you're pretty amazing for taking control and turning yourself to the best for yourself.

I've been recently diagnosed with a little more than mild stasis dermatitis (but not too bad either) and I was looking for some people with same. I'm told lots of obese people end up with one or both but it doesn't seem to be a conversation here. I'm doing well now, but sad that I spent 4 years showing the slighter marks on my legs to MDs and was just told "lose some weight". No one told me the far ranging issues, and no one told me about statis derm and that's infuriating. I've had a band for over 4 months, and am losing steadily (down about 60 so far), but I might have done this sooner if I'd had someone to "scare" me a bit with something I was obviously developing. But, I'm thrilled to have caught it and have treated the skin now, and I'm doing well I'm happy to say. I'm investigating all the things I need to do to keep my veins as good as I can, and of course, losing the weight. Your attitude is helpful and I thank you for your honest account.

Gwenn

gdf18

I know. We were in NY for 10 days. Just got back. I'm just starting to catch-up. HOW ARE YOU. Call me if yoiu have time. I'm at the office on and off tomorrow (Thursday), and there Friday from 9-2. Had a fill today. Needed it badly. Doesn't feel like much right now, but I asked not to be severely restricted. I'm down 49.5 at Khalili's office today. My scale said 48.5 so that's what I'm using, but my heart is saying 50 BIG ONES! Sooooo report.

Gwenn

You WILL. It seems hard to imagind now, but many people aren't even hungry during the 3 weeks. It think doing the 3 weeks liquid after is MUCH easier than before. At least your stomach is swollen and cooperates with having less. You'll see- in the hospital you'll find it hard to get anything down. You'll schedule the fill at the first post-op appointment. They figure 5 weeks after surgery, give or take a day or so. My surgery was April 30, and my fill was June 4. Do you have your post-op visit scheduled? One of the good things about this is that you do the three weeks liquid, then a week on soft/mushy foods and then you can eat all foods week 5 (which I really couldn't- I just expanded my soft foods- I was a slow healer). The good news is that week 5 you'll probably have a fill, so you won't do what some do....gain weight back because you're not restricted at all and can eat most foods. Don't forget...when you get a fill you do 48 hours of liquids and then a day or so of mushies again. It slows you down. I've been adding foods very very slowly. I ate pulverized chicken salad as a soft food, but don't eat much white meat chicken- it's very dry. I eat dark meat. HAH- I get down a thigh- that's about it- no skin even. I use baked potatoes and sweet potatoes a lot. String beans. Peas. And now I'll have soup, but not too much. I love potatoes and now I can have them no problem- of course, I rarely eat more than a 1/2 cup at a time. I ordered french fires the other day and ate 3. I eat a lot of salmon, some tuna, sole and flounder and I've had eggs once (don't eat scrambled eggs as a soft food at the beginning- too rubbery- tried fried if you want eggs). I stick with high protein foods for the moment. I haven't had steak yet. Normally, I would have been very frustrated to eat only this, but right now, I'm trying to get as much weight off as quickly as I can because it's gonna slow down to a crawl. My BIL eats anything and he's lost 120- but he's a HE and they lose faster. My BIL sold me on the band because I'd be able to eat anything, but I don't want that much yet. Khalili doesn't want too much sticky starch at the beginning. You have the list- no pancakes, pasta etc for 6 months. I'm itching to try sushi again- it hurt to eat when I tried it before the fill.

That's exactly what I thought....poodle and schnauzer. I didn't see this until today and in the meantime, I sent you a note. Better to email me direct I think. Try GDF1818@gmail.com. In the other note I said I'd stop by on the 26th late afternoon to see how you're doing unless you tell me not to do so. Don't have nightmares. Don't get scared. But also remember this is for you and only you and you hold your health and destiny in your hands. It's not perfect and believe me, there's work you'll need to do. But even with one or two complaints, I wouldn't go back to before. I'm down 40 and counting. Gwenn

Hey, I just looked at your photos- you've got a good figure- you're gonna move quicky to dynamite after LB. Good for you! And who are the cuties - I see 2 plus a paw over in the right- it's hard to tell in photos- but they look like they have terrier and poodle in them- I love guessing- but with the close cuts-it's hard to tell. Gwenn

It took me a few minutes to find the reference...got it...under possible hair loss, right? I think what they're saying is that because some people lose hair for a while after surgery, it might make the hair more fragile if it's treated? I think that's a very poor line to make because the loss come from an internal source, not because of products. Also, this is in the area where they don't separate lapband from GB- and you know the doctors- they cover everything so they're covered. I think this is a good question to put on the boards- I haven't seen it and although this isn't advice on way or another- I'd think you'd see screaming about this all over the boards if this was a big issue. I didn't even notice it. I don't color my hair, so it went right past me.

Gwenn