brandyII

sfeiner,

You're very funny!!! Thanks for the info, brandyII

Pix

Well, I'm older now and started reviving some collections I had as a child and now am into the Beatrix Potter more so than Brambly Hedge. My daughter has quite a collection of Beatrix Potter figurines now but I've decided only to collect the pigs as she doesn't have any. I've been buying on ebay and it's very addictive! Anyway thanks for the response. And good luck to you in all your "ticker" activities!!!!brandyII.

Any lap banders collect Beswick Beatrix Potter figures or Brambly Hedge? Curious, brandyII.

I know this is a dumb question but what does "DH" stand for? I'm assuming the H is husband, thanks, brandyII

BooBooKitty,

Ok, I've brought this up before in another thread but truth be told, that cute bull dog puppy is just a pic I found because I found it to be so cuuuute!!! My actual dogs are rescue dogs from Puerto Rico, Moxie a sato girl and Kiba a rescue boy from Hurricane Katrina, a rottie/shepherd mix. The sato looks more like a larger min pin. When I can get my husband to put their pics up I'll change my avatar. Because they are my babies and I love them even when they are rotten, but they are also very spoiled! Especially now that my daughters in 19 and 23 it's easier to baby the dogs! I'll have to search your dog breed on line. I'd love a bull dog but I really can't because these two are more than anyone can handle.

Second truth be told which I haven't told anyone, brandy is the name of my beagle that died a few years ago and she was my favorite dog ever except for the two I have now and she was my second dog so that's where "brandyII" comes from. I named her after that song from the 70s, that went something like "Brandy you're a fine girl what a good wife you would be". Anyway I always liked that song, plus the breeders called her family line Brandywine or something like. Okay tmi for you all, sorry. brandyII.

Gloucester,

You sound like a very smart and loving mom. It's not easy but you're lucky your daughter is excited about it and that makes it easier on both of you. I've gone to WW since I was 13 and I'm about to turn 49 so I know it's a healthy way of eating and can be for the whole family. The program has changed a lot during the years and the points system is totally engraved in my brain. If they change it drastically again I don't know what I'd do, lol. Anyway good luck to you and your daughter and I'm really happy she's found something that she can relate to. Best of luck, brandyII.

I hate it when people don't talk about their dogs!!!!! brandyII:lol:

Gloucester,

I didn't read all the responses to your thread because there were so many after I read yours.

My own daughter is 19 and getting a gastric bypass in May and I'm sure she'd be thrilled to know that I was writing about her right now!

Anyway, she too was always a head taller than her classmates ever since she was in Kindergarten. She's now six feet, possibly a little more. Being tall and overweight is a double burden. I guess because you stand out for two different reasons and it can be quite a burden.

It's also a burden on the mother who feels every pain her daughter feels because she feels in some way it's her fault.

I never thought of her as overweight but a tall tot when she was a tot. But the pediatrician had me take her to a weight doctor when she was a tot and that started the spiral of dieting when she was so young. It's an awful thing to deal with.

I was an overweight kid but when I look back at my pictures as a child I was not as overweight as I thought I was in my own head.

There's something I think that happens when we put youngsters on "diets" that ends up screwing them/us up in the end. It also seems that large weight gains tend to happen around puberty also.

My daughter is a beautiful, super intelligent and very artistic girl and for the life of me I'd do anything for her. I never wished this on her but as she is now 19 and she does have insurance coverage and with the assistance of therapy etc... has decided to do this surgery.

It breaks my heart that she has to do this drastic thing even though sometimes I wish now that I had done it instead of the lap band but it's my baby, it's not me this time. But if she didn't do it I don't know what kind of life she would have. So it's her decision and I'm behind her 100%.

I know I've kind of gotten off the track of the original post but I just want you to see what has happened to me and I had the tall 10 year old at one time too. I don't know the answer and don't know if there is one answer. Get the best help you can get though, and read the books that people have suggested. There has to be something out there that will help you. But loving yourself and loving her for the way she is now is really important but listening to her hurts and wants is important too. She's too young to deal with the kind of decision my daughter has had to deal with and hopefully never will. Best of luck to you both, brandyII.

KarenB, that's wonderful, I'm very happy for you. I don't know what's wrong with me, I keep trying but nothing seems to be moving as you'll see by my ticker. And at this point I only wanted to get down to 200 lbs! Good luck to you and I see my surgeon in 12 days so I'll talk to him about it. Thanks again, brandyII

lenore1890,

You've helped me and so many others have just by talking about the stuff that's hard to talk to others about, you know what I mean. We all help each other whether we know it or not, take care brandyII.

Chickie,

I loved when Ann threw out the Guinea pig when she was staying with her analyst, you can't top that one, well maybe you can, lol. Sorry your life is going to hell in a pink hand basket. I get confused sometimes whether people say they can't eat ice cream physically or if it's like you and you're just being strong. Anyway "eh eh ehhhh" Ann speak, brandyII

lenore1890,

It's too bad you don't get the support you need from your family but you've been able to find it elsewhere and this forum is also a place for support. We all have our histories as being overweight people and there's always going to be someone out there that can totally relate to what you're going through and that's the good thing. Just when you think you're alone there's someone out there that says, "yeah, that happened to me too" and it makes you feel so much better. And as someone once said we don't pick families but we do pick our friends. Good luck to you, brandyII.

lenore1890,

It's always a situational thing. For you, you need protection from your family and I hope they live far away! My sister who was always the "thin pretty one" has put on weight at times, we're both in our mid to late 40s and have had kids etc... Anyway as soon as I got the lap band, and I've always considered myself the overweight on in the family out of five kids, she who is probably 60+ lbs less than I am started Weight Watchers immediately and every week would ask me how much I lost and started this weird competition with me, or at least it felt that way to me and others who I told this to.

I didn't want to compete with her, and resented it. Maybe I'm just a sensitive person but I can see where it goes both ways.

I hope I made sense, lol, brandyII.

Sue40, good luck. It's weird how some surgeons make you jump through hoops and others don't expect anything! There should be some consistency somewhere! brandyII

If your sister had lost her job and was basically in "the poor house" and you got a raise would you call her every time you bought a new dress to tell her about it. It's kind of similar in a way. I think that you can't change her but in order to keep a good relationship I'd skip the talk about weight loss because it probably bothers her inside, it would me too. I come from a large family so I know how dynamics can work in that area and sometimes you just have to keep it to yourself or share with someone else. brandyII

JillS, sounds like you're in a similar situation to what I had and I still think that there is a physical reason why you're not feeling restriction although seeing the therapist along with this journey is still a good thing and something I do also. Sometimes we need as much support as we can get!!! I still am thinking if your doctor refuses to deal with this situation that you may need a second opinion somehow! Maybe you could discuss this situation with your primary physician, just a thought. I'm having a hard time coming up with the best idea for you and can't imagine my surgeon not believing me when I say I don't feel restriction. Anyway keep us posted, as you can see you've opened up the flood gates to other people experiencing similar problems and that's a GOOD THING! As you're helping others by discussing your problems openly and honestly, keep trying to get the answers you need, brandyII!

Those of you who actually have sleep apnea and have questions about it there is a wonderful forum, although not as wonder as this one and not as well organized called www.cpaptalk.com CPAP and Sleep Apnea Discussion Forum and it helped me with my issues with my cpap machine and my daughters probs with hers, thanks and good luck to all, brandyII

I received a catalog in the mail once that sold items for large size people and one of the things they sold were airline seat belt extenders. I guess they had a couple different ones depending on the plane.

I've had stewards (forget the proper name) that actually made me pull up my shirt to make sure my belt was fastened and not just hiding the fact I couldn't belt myself. We have a right to fly and not be humiliated:cursing: brandyII

I had the sleep study ordered because the oxygen level was low in my blood. I didn't know anything about sleep studies then. I knew ahead of time that I wouldn't be able to sleep "on command" especially as you know you're completely wired and attached to the bed and then they wake you if you do fall asleep if something becomes disconnected or if they want to test you sleeping on your back. The camera on me didn't bother me for some reason.

I did end up having a lot of "apneas" and now have been sleeping with a CPAP machine since last August. They don't want you to die while your medicated and recovering from surgery so I suppose they're trying to do you a favor. I do sleep better and I don't snore so I'm happy because I was walking around in a daze during the day because I wasn't getting a good quality of sleep. But I know what you mean, the hardest part was washing the glue out of my hair. I was lucky and my husband picked me up because I swear I would have fallen asleep behind the wheel if I had driven myself home. brandyII

JillS,

Also it's too soon to give up and wish you weren't banded. Maybe the first fill isn't supposed to feel tight, I'm not sure because mine was under filled in error the first two times. But I also had bad cravings on top of it so I totally blew it in the beginning. It's been seven months for me and I put back all the weight I had lost prior to surgery and I still haven't jumped ship. I've really wanted to though, lol. Things will work out, you've lost 30 pounds and haven't put it on and to me that's a great accomplishment! brandyII

Did you lose the 30 pounds prior to surgery? Have you lost any since surgery? It's still odd to me that your doctor will not fill you. My surgeon or fill person has never asked me if I was hungry. They assumed that if you were still eating and not having that tight feeling that you needed more ccs. I have the 10cc band and only have about 4ccs right now. I've felt the fullness from the band but I've also had cravings a lot for sweets etc... and now am focusing on Protein and am feeling full. I could get a fill in the next two weeks and will try it again.

I know weight gain or weight issues in general can have some psychological issues attached to them but it seems that physically you're not feeling it the restriction and I don't understand your doctor's position on this.

Therapy is great but the therapist might also help you to get the message across to your doctor that something is not right and he needs to check it out. It's definitely puzzling to me! Good luck, brandyII.

msgigle,

your ticker ain't working yet but I'm sure you know that. I wish I could help, I did it once yesterday, decided to change mine and that was a big mistake because I couldn't for the life of me get that thing working! Both daughters tried but my husband figured it out, he's purdy smart:w00t: good luck brandyII

Maybe there are other options for you that your surgeon can discuss with you when you meet with him. I just don't want you to have to go through that kind of H*&^^ any more, regards brandyII.

Good luck to you bandfan1, it's definately a high when you lose all your weight for first time and become thin. I've had some struggles with the band but it maybe due to other things. Most people on the site seem to be doing very well and you should too. I also sleep with a CPAP and am so used to it I don't know if I could sleep with out it, but it sure looks attractive!

Good luck, brandyII

FurEllie,

Good luck to you with your case, that shouldn't have happened, brandyII.