Kryssa

My daughter has a blabbering problem too. I didn't tell my kids because I knew it would get back to my ex-husband before I even got into post-op. I didn't tell anyone at work either. If you are telling the world, then tell your kids. If you are keeping it close, don't tell. My kids accept that Mommy is "on a diet", it works for me, especially since I've barely lost anything in the past year.

Vinesqueen - I was lucky, no skin grafts, but I did ooze green stuff for a few days. Silvadene cream became my best friend. I'm (finally) bandage free, but my skin is still very thin in spots. It's been over a month since I was burned, and actually it looks as though the scarring won't be bad. Hot liquids don't really help with the first-bite syndrome for me. The only thing that works is "one bite, 5 minutes, second bite, 5 minutes, third bite, 5 minutes, then eat". Eating like that is aggravating when I'm on a 45 minute lunch break or when I go out to eat with my family. Oh, they are very sweet about the fact that its going to take me at least 45 minutes to choke down 10 bites, but they do start looking at their watches towards the end. I've kind of given up on the weight loss thing. By that I mean I would like to lose weight, but I don't think this is working for me. I need to make an appointment with my surgeon, but I don't need a fill, and I'm not sure what if anything he can do for me. He can't give me willpower surgically, and I can't seem to keep from eating (albeit slowly) when I'm hungry all the time. Food is usually the first and last thing I think about each day. I wasn't like this BEFORE lapband surgery, so its really very weird and disheartening. I probably eat less now than I did before I had surgery, but before surgery I ate 2 or 3 meals a day, no snacks and no obsessing. Now I eat 4 or 5 times a day and food is all I can think about. I wake up and go to sleep with my stomach growling. Some days I wonder if I'm going crazy, but when I went to check my psychologist just laughed and said I'm having a very normal reaction to a very un-normal situation. Great. How reassuring! :phanvan

Hi all, I know I've been MIA for a while. I was burned fairly badly about a month ago, so I've had other things on my mind. I'm healing well, I still have a few places on my arm (the 3rd degree burns) that lack skin, but the doctor says they are doing fine. My one year bandiversary was last week. I got on the scale, net loss since surgery: 17 lbs. That is so depressing. I haven't lost anything at all since my last fill. I finally have restriction, but I don't know about "good" restriction. It hurts everytime I eat because I have first-bite syndrome pretty bad. But I can eat a normal-size plate of food after the pain eases up, so my doctor says I'm not too tight. My food decisions have taken downhill slide in recent weeks. Chips and ice-cream are among the only items that don't trigger my "first bite syndrome" thing, so you can see why I am having problems. I'm always always always always hungry. And I'm depressed too. My doctor put me on a new anti-depressant last week. Here's hoping this one will work, the wellbutrin didn't help at all. I miss you guys; I'll try to do better at keeping in touch.

I can drink a lot at a time, no sipping required, and I can drink right up til I start eating. As for how to manage not drinking with meals, all I can say is you WILL get used to it eventually. I used to only drink with meals and now I never do.

Evelyn: Go to tickerfactory.com and follow the instructions. In LBT go to User CP, edit signature, insert picture, paste the URL from tickerfactory. My nutritionist moved me to mushies at 3 days and solids at about 12 days. I had no problems because I had no restriction. She said it depends on the individual person; extreme hunger is a sign that you are ready to advance, otherwie your body would depress hunger to facilitate healing. This of course has nothing to do with head hunger which is evil and the bane of my existance. I can't eat bread unless its toasted, sausage, hotdogs, dry meat, eggs, french fries (unless very crispy), steak (I tried and almost died); I must admit that I am mourning sesame chicken and eggrolls. I CAN eat anything crunchy: croutons, chips, nuts, crackers, popcorn, etc. On days when nothing else will stay down, chips and salsa will. I didn't say I should eat them, just that I could. I have no problems with salad, oatmeal, mashed potatos, cheese, SUSHI, chocolate (even brownies), and pretty much anything with gravy on it.

Slightly above and to the right of my belly button. It hurt really bad for maybe 3 weeks after surgery, but I can't even feel it anymore (not even on my back) and the Dr sometimes has to poke me more than once when I get fills. A trade-off? Works for me.

Thank you; it makes me feel a bit better about my choice. I'm losing slow, but I'm alive and healthy.

I've had 7 (!) fills and I'm still starving. I could eat more, but my weight loss is so slow I'm afraid to.

Me and DH still go out for sushi once every couple of months. I eat half of what I used to be able to, but I can eat it. Hint: think well-lubed with soy sauce, shrimp sauce, etc.

I have first bite syndrome, I PB much more than is good for me. That said, my food processor has become my best friend. Steak and chicken don't go down unless they are chopped up into tiny pieces. And NO, I am not too tight, I can eat an amazing amount of food once I suffer through the first bite or two.

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Josette: that is exactly why I didn't tell anyone at work. I beat myself up enough; do I really need someone else to help? I am 31, mother of 2 children (boy 11 and girl 9), step-mother to 2 more (boy 11 and girl 13). I have been married (again) for 7 months. I live in SE Georgia and work as a budget manager. </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">I had surgery on Tuesday and went back to work on Monday. The first day was miserable, after that, not so bad.</TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hi all. Wow! There are a lot of new people in here! I didn't recognize half the names. That is my fault, I'm sure, I guess it has been 4 - 6 weeks since I've logged on. Update: Me and baby sis have been hitting the gym 3-5 times a week, 1 hour cardio followed by weights. Results? Nope. My weight is still at 247, clothes fit the same. I've been going to the gym for a year, I just bumped it up a notch so I don't think its muscle gain either. I go see my fill doc next week. I'm not looking forward to it since I haven't lost a pound in the 3 months since he's seen me. I'm very discouraged. My depression has gotten bad enough that yesterday all I ate was icecream, Cookies, and Pasta. I know I'm self-medicating, but today I'm beating myself up for it. This is also the reason I've been absent: encouragement will only help me so much, and my weight loss is very discouraging to others.