brandyII

What religion were you prior to being a Christian if you don't mind me asking?

Gadget, I understand your need to push your agenda onto other people, it's your passion which goes hand in hand with the teachings of your religion but do you really think people are that glib about abortions. I don't think people take it as lightly as you presume they do. It's not an easy decision for any woman and it is a pang that she may have for the rest of her life. Why is it you feel the need to badger on and on about this. They are still legal in the United States and in some ways I'm glad because there are a lot of people out there who should not be parenting children. I'm sure you find this a horrible statement to make but I'd rather a fetus be aborted than brought into a household and not loved or wanted or violated in some way.

Niteall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leslie, No malice here, I see your point and maybe if I were in your shoes I'd feel the exact same way and probably would! Sounds like we're both passionate when it comes to our causes! When I told Froggie it could get "worse" I didn't mean this thread I meant others I've been too that go on and on and on and I think you know what I mean. Anyway people like you are the ones that we look at and wish we were doing well also. We haven't given up and those people that get the surgery and two weeks later want it ripped out have other issues to deal with and that's not what I'm about. I have thyroid, diabetes II, high blood pressure, and I'm perimenopausal and on antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds. I was able to lose 25 pounds on my 5 week liquid diet and then gained it all back after some fill issues and can't get back there. My thyroid is fine, was tested a few weeks ago but don't see my endocrinologist until July or August, not that many around here! Anyway I wish you continued health and success and I'll let this one die it's natural death, at least from my side, take care brandyII:smile:

Jachut, Maybe I'm sexist but I think all DH's are babies when it comes to anything, worse yet a "cold"! But surgery he's going to milk this one for quite a while. I hope you can get him a day/night nurse to take over shifts for you, you'll need one, good luck brandyII!

Pearlygirl, I'm sorry about the issue with your brother. Can kind of relate with my dad. He was in put in prison over night at the age of 79 for drunk driving and this was not his first offense but they let him go. I think the laws in FL may be a bit easy when it comes to the elderly and drunk driving. They should have taken away his license. Finally my brother and I took away his car because the state wouldn't do anything. It's a nightmare when you have to deal with an alcoholic family member. Not only are they responsible but then you're responsible for them too! I know we can't compare apples and oranges, it's a nightmare losing a family member to a drunk driver or any other nonsensical reason. Anyway I appreciate your honesty, it's not an easy thing to discuss. brandyII

Froggi, sometimes passion for something seems a bit scary but we're all "cool"!!

Froggi... we love you too!

You know what? A lot of people around here do not consider me to be all-negative and it depends on the thread that I'm on whether I'm agreeing with someone or disagreeing with someone. When it comes to Rants and Raves it's usually a more passionate tone that people take and that's understandable. I understand your passion for the lap band and how it's helped you albeit your thyroid condition, I myself have an under active thyroid and am being treated for that too so I can relate to that medical condition. Be that as it may there are people out there that still aren't losing weight on the lap band after paying a lot of money and going through all the pre-op testing and procedures and then finally surgery. Maybe you just have to have the right combinations of things for it not to work. Maybe it's age and antidepressants or PCOS and stress, who knows but there could be people that may have issues that others don't. So no need to be angry we're just trying to figure out what the hell to do in order to get it working like you have done and most others have. If you want to use a Christ analogy how about the lap band was to be our "savior", our last straw after many years of yo yo dieting and using every thing money could buy to lose weight and then find out there's a surgery out there that would solve that problem so you jump at the chance. Low and behold it doesn't work for everyone, sorry sad but true. Like I've said many times before if I could have lost it and kept it off before why would I pay $30,000+ to get the lap band done if I didn't think it was going to help! I'm sorry but just because there are some of us it hasn't helped doesn't mean it's not going to work for you. We're all happy for you and your success and hope that you remain successful for the rest of your life and are able to keep it off. If you were struggling like a lot of us are, and a lot of us who are afraid to say anything because people jump down our throats what would you do? Would you try to find support on the Lap Band Talk Forum and try to get some answers? Well that's what we're doing so don't try to silence us for trying figure this thing out. We want it to work just like you want yours to work. brandyII.

Froggy, This is nothing, it can get uglier trust me!

GG, To be honest with you I've found these people that you speak about to be a very rare occurrence and probably why I take it to be directed towards anyone who is not doing back flips. Look at Leslie's response to my post about Lizzy after four years on the band and still struggling to lose weight and I mention that she's fallen through the cracks and instead of acknowledging that as a real problem she says what about the people that are doing well and don't come on this site. Some how feeling the need to counter balance Lizzy's issue. So that does tend to make me think she's sensitive about people like us who are struggling. Can you understand my reasoning? brandyII

Oh Leslie...................................................

Lizzy now I'm wondering how many people have been banded that many years ago like you have and have fall through the cracks as they say. I think it says more of your strength and belief in yourself that has made you not give up and try to take charge once more of your life. I don't know if I could be that strong after that many years. Kudos to you Lizzy!!!

Georgiagirl, I've seen these posts before and feel that the people that are struggling sometimes get put into the "lap band haters club". So in essence I am trying to stick up for "my peeps" and let people know that even if we complain once in a while about the band that we are not haters, if there are specific posts in particular that are from haters I'd like to see them. So basically if we're diagnosed with antibanditis we're okay because we have a medical slip from our doctor saying that we have a preexisting medical condition whereas the lap band will not function correctly. Otherwise we're lazy people who don't exercise and eat twinkies and therefore deserve lap band failure. I really think anything that is not "I'm doing great on the lap band" or "I love you lap band, let me count the ways" is considered to be some crazy form of propaganda against the lap band and it's not. We all did our research and went through various pre-screening processes, paid a boatload of money and are still struggling to lose weight and it can be a bit disheartening to say the least. So if I take it personally I'm sorry I do, brandyII.

I also think it's a little more complicated than dividing us into two groups "lovers and haters". I think we all entered into surgery with the same expectations of losing weight. Well for some of us it worked out a little better and easier than for others. We all want the same thing weight loss and good health. Unfortunately it's not working out as we all had liked but I don't think because we need to chat and work out the issues doesn't mean we're band haters. It's good for people to be informed on all aspects of the band before they choose this as their WLS. One size does not fit all and many things affect our rates of weight loss with the band, sex, age, size, diabetes, PCOS, addiction, depression, medications and many more. Saying eat less and exercise more does not work for all people or we'd all be thin now wouldn't we? I think a lot of people are more afraid to hear others are not doing well because they're afraid it maybe contagious. You may not be able to relate to those types of people having problems with the band but don't call us haters because we're not we're strugglers and tryers and attempters but not haters:thumbup:

Jenslapband, You are not alone out there and I can definitely understand your depression about this. And possibly your lack of sleep is adding to that like you thought. I haven't had any physical problems so far but still not losing as one would like to on the band. My mother in law was here a few weeks ago and I was waiting for some remark about how I hadn't lost any weight. Well it never came, and she flew back south where she belongs. Then my daughter had gastric bypass surgery last Tuesday and is home and recovering very well and my mother in law watched some program on the surgeries and finally called my husband to ask, why can't she lose weight on the band? I was like "YES"!!! I knew it was killing her! I don't know why I cared and anguished over it for so long just waiting for her to say something. Anyway I hope you feel better soon and get your life back to normal. I don't know if removals and revisions are normally done in one step or done separately. But whatever happens I wish you health and happiness again because you deserve it no matter what!

I tend to go on the side of unfill especially if you can't drink liquids comfortably, it may change and get worse. If you can't hold down any liquids get back there asap and get it taken out before you hurt yourself. I've notice with only 2 ccs out of 10cc band I still have a hard time eating dry proteins like chicken breast but most other foods I can eat without much of a problem. My surgeon or PA will put in other increments other than a full cc and I'm going Thursday afternoon after being unfilled for quite a while and am thinking of trying 1/2 a cc and think 1 full one might be too much and I don't want to start eating around the band again. Everyone is so different that's what's amazing about this fill situation. I'm not at a "sweet spot" yet either. I'm sure others will chime into this thread. Good luck brandyII.

That's great, I could kind of tell you were doing better and a good person to chime in here as you could probably add some words of wisdom as you did. I could relate to that doing too much person at one time also and now I'm almost the opposite! And it doesn't hurt either, lol. Take care brandyII.

benhamgal, are you doing better now? You sound like it.

I didn't know if you were medicated for it already. I guess I was the opposite because I kind of was excited about after the surgery but then went a bit down.......hill when I wasn't doing as well as I had hoped. Not that you'd go through that but I'm just explaining why my depression got worse. Anyway good luck and take care, you'll get better but I'm glad you're going to talk to your doctor.

Have you ever been treated or diagnosed with anxiety or depression? I don't know if it goes hand in hand or not but I know some people can suffer from anxiety or depression after surgery. I'd speak to your doctor about it.

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Thanks Rsg, She's been pretty tired but I supposed that's to be expected. She sees her PA on Thursday and we have the same one so I'll see what they think of me! I think I may have lost a little weight but by then anything can happen. Anyway I appreciate your kind thoughts and words, and hope you're doing well, haven't seen you around much! brandyII.

I agree with you BJean and Aphrodite and Pearlygirl, you three are very sensible people and I can't believe you still have the energy to combat Gidge every time!

When do you go back to your surgeon? I'm sure those are things that you should discuss with him/her. I've never dealt with reflux myself so I can't relate to all those problems you're having in that area. I'm mostly constipated and still use benefiber. You seem to have lost a lot of weight so far so that's good. I know when you first have surgery you're swollen so that's why you don't need the fill right away and probably why the port site is still sore. Mine still gets sore every once in a while especially after a fill. I can feel my port quite easily and it's been over 9 months since my surgery. Anyway if you think these physical problems are not normal I'd just call and check, it can't hurt? Good luck to you though, I consider myself to be on the older end of the age scale and I'm 48, lol! Wasn't Jane Fonda hot at 50? Take care brandyII:smile: PS: I love your avatar it's so cute!