DonnaB

What a great costume! I'm a big fan of Halloween myself. I'll refrain from posting pictures though because the "kids" in costumes in my Halloween pictures are my husband and I! lol We don't have kids of our own, but we deck out the house and yard, dress up and hand out candy every year. My mom did it when I was a kid and I loved it! This is my way of getting to play dress up without having to find a full-on Halloween party every year. They're never as much fun as doing the haunted house thing anyway.

I prefer it when people announce their intention to leave LBT. Even though they may not know me well enough to PM me personally, I may have received inspiration or assistance from something they've said and I'd like to opportunity to say farewell. Particularly when they've found a better method of support - that way I can find out what it is and if it's something I can use too. Dianchef is right - if you don't want to read it, move on. What's the big deal?

I think you'll get a better response from people if you reduce the size of your signature line. Having to scroll back and forth to read your questions almost made me close the post. Are you hungry when you overeat or are you eating from habit? Do you have any problems with solid Proteins like chicken or fish? Do you PB frequently? These are the main indicators of proper restriction. If you're eating solid proteins without problems and not PBing, you might need a fill. If so, I suggest getting fills in SMALL increments. Being overfilled does not help weight loss and is just plain miserable. As far as overeating goes, if you're eating because you're hungry all the time, I suggest that you start by cutting ALL carbs from your diet for a week or even two. Sounds impossible, right? Well, we all survived time on full liquids and you'll survive this. The purpose in cutting the carbs is to reduce food cravings. LOTS of people here (myself included) have experienced reduced food cravings once they weaned themselves off of carbs. I'm not saying to never eat carbs again, but I am saying you'll have an easier time watching your calories if the constant craving to eat is exacerbated by carbohydrates. You'll have an easier time losing weight if you limit the number of carbohydrates you consume daily. I also recommend journaling your food. I use FitDay.com which I love and has a free version so you can try it out before you buy it. I will tell you that the $20 downloadable version works MUCH better and gives you more information. There is also Sparkpeople.com. I've never used it but people say it's great. I hope this has given you something to think about. Good luck housecatgirl.

I was calm when I wrote my reply and I'm calm right now. I still feel the same way. Everyone here KNOWS that weight discrimination does exist. Why would you advocate tolerating it? Why is standing up for yourself considered to be the low road? Why is being outraged an inappropriate response? Obviously the response needs to be handled with tact and decorum - you don't want to stoop to the same level - however, by not responding, this type of behavior goes unchecked. Jojo, I agree with Leenerbups - write to their home office. I expect they'll be grateful to you for pointing out the need for training in that particular store, and possibly their entire company.

Hmmmmmmm. I wonder . . . .

Hi Randy, Happy anniversary to you and Joy! Tell her Mike and I say hello and congrats on that great NSV!

Ya, I can help you: FIND A NEW DOCTOR. TODAY! What a jerk. It seems to me that doctors who do their own fills don't do their patients any favors. They seem to think that fills are not worth their time and give their patients the minimum of attention. If I were you, I would find a doctor who uses a PA for fills. They generally have much better attitudes and, frankly, they're better at giving fills. Good luck, let us know how you're doing.

On the bright side . . . . Statistically, that "20yr old anorexic waif-like shop assistant" will most likely find herself obese in her mid 30s or 40s and facing some obnoxious, 20yr old anorexic waif-like shop assistant being incredibly obtuse and rude to her. When it happens, I hope she remembers her behaviour to you today. It's not likely, but, it could happen. Feel better? Nah, me neither. It still sucks. To those of you who tried to defend this person, shame on you. Why should jojo cut her ANY slack? She certainly didn't give jojo any. 20 is old enough to understand empathy. 20 is old enough to understand good manners. 20 is definitely old enough to realize that your crappy, low-paying retail job is STILL making your car payment or paying for your life-style in some way. She should be fired.

(Sorry - this is a short hijack.) This statement makes it sound as though people suffering from hair loss are responsible or at fault for the loss. I have very little restriction because I, like Jachut, don't think an over-tight band is a good idea, and is often counterproductive. I get a reasonable quantity of food and am careful to get a wide variety of food. Additionally, I take a Multivitamin and supplements in the form of Biotin, Flax Seed Oil, and Vitamin E. Unfortunately, like many, many others, I am losing my hair at an alarming rate. To casually imply that the very common side effect of hair loss in WLS patients could be alleviated by a looser band and by eating more, comes off as flip, or even worse, condescending. Jachut, I read your posts and, usually, I agree with your perspective. I am fairly sure - as sure as anyone can be in a text-driven support group - that you did not intend to condescend or insult anyone. The only reason I am replying to your post, is so that others do not make the same assumption - that hair loss is the result of a too-tight band or too little food consumption. That is simply not the case. (Hijack over.)

I showered in the hospital before I went home. They DID tell me not to submerge in a bathtub or pool. They said I could bathe or swim after my wounds completely healed over. Call your doctor's office and ask them directly.

Re: too tight Quote: Originally Posted by christa94 donna, you mentioned that you were losing before the fill. why did you have the fill? did you feel you were losing restriction? you mentioned that the fill is too tight. what makes you say that? are you still losing? Hi Christa, I got the fill because I had lost and regained the same pound four times over a two week period, which my doctor said is a sign you may need a fill. Additionally, I was at twelve weeks post op, by which time most bandsters are already on their 2nd or 3rd fill. LOL, I was afraid I was going to be left behind. Let this be a lesson, listen to what your body says, not what other people are doing or saying. What I needed to do was reexamine my caloric intake and increase my activity level. The other thing I did wrong was to try to be accomodating. I had my surgery in Mexico so I'm using a local surgeon's facilities for fills. I had already scheduled a fill and even though I had recently had a bad PB (my first) which caused swelling, I didn't want to cancel my appointment because I didn't want them to change their mind and not accept me as a patient - so I went for the fill. Big mistake. Having a too tight fill is miserable. After the PB swelling and the fill (1.4cc) I had constant pressure/pain at my sternum front and back. In the morning it hurt even worse and it even hurt to breathe deeply when I first got out of bed. I couldn't eat anything until 1:00 in the afternoon usually. To complicate matters, by the time I got in to the Dr.'s office for an unfill, my PB swelling was finally going away and I was almost comfortable with my fill level, so I wasn't sure if I wanted/needed an unfill. This was my first fill, I wasn't sure what it was SUPPOSED to feel like. I was already at the Dr.'s office so I decided I'd just have them check my band to be absolutely sure it was still in the right place - of course it was, but you hear so many nightmare stories here on LBT . . . . The surgeon was doing fills on that Saturday (!?!) and insisted on checking the band by removing all the fill and putting it back in - I still don't know why he didn't just look at the band on the fluoroscope. I didn't really feel like I had any choice, so I went along. He was terrible at giving fills - I've only ever had one and even I could tell he wasn't good at it! - the Lydocaine shot HURT. My first fill Lydocaine shot didn't hurt at all. He pulled the fill out, checked it, and then SLAMMED it back in! I had excruciating pain in my sternum till he pulled back on the syringe a bit. I was laying on that F'ing table gasping it hurt so bad. I don't know what he was playing at, but when he put my original fill back in - HE ADDED .5cc's! I went for a possible unfill and he added .5cc's! WTF? To make it worse, he didn't tell me he added .5cc's, in fact, he told me there was only 1cc in the band. Since we've all heard that it's very common to lose some or all of a first fill, I wasn't alarmed by that and was actually grateful because I was finally getting comfortable again. When I left his office I felt tight but was able to swallow easily - I just thought the tightness was because of disturbing the stomach area again. That was on a Saturday and by Saturday night I could barely swallow my own spit. I could only take in water in sips amounting to the size of a pea. I tried to have LITTLE TINY slivers of sugar free, fat free, frozen yogurt which sounded soothing to my swollen, hungry belly - it caused me to slime for about 40 minutes before I was able to swallow my own spit again! Forget about eating. Not even soup! Not even clear broth! Because that visit was on a Saturday, I had to wait until Monday when the doctor's office reopened before I could get in for an unfill - which irritated my stomach more. Fortunately, the surgeons fill nurse was there on Monday. She's awesome. When she pulled the fill out, sure enough there were 1.9cc's of fill in there. My original 1.4cc's PLUS the .5cc's that idiot of a surgeon added at the time of my SUPPOSED unfill! I was furious. I went the whole weekend in MISERY because this jerk-off thought he knew what was best for me - and didn't even inform me of what he was doing. I'm furious about it still. The fill nurse took my fill down to my current 1.2cc's and I'm beginning to feel better today but I'm still on liquids and will stay on them until this Sunday - 7 days of liquids just to be sure I don't cause another PB re-irritating my already irritated stomach! This has been a horrible experience and I don't plan to have another fill until I can't lose another ounce no matter how much I restrict calories and increase my activity! I will never again compare my fills with anyone elses, nor will I agree to have fills on any kind of schedule. Needless to say, I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, let that surgeon touch my body ever again. If the fill nurse isn't there, I'll leave. Even if I have to pay for an office visit he'll never touch me again. I'd never use his facility again except that his fill nurse is wonderful (compassionate, careful, HONEST - pick whichever one you like, she's all of that and more), and, because I didn't have surgery in the U.S., I don't want to go around looking for another local who'll see me. Here is my advise for anyone wanting to know about getting fills: 1) If/when you get a fill, do it in slow increments - more is not better, or even cheaper. It will cost you in the long run to need unfills and refills when you could have got to the same place COMFORTABLY by sneaking up on your sweet spot. 2) If you think you might be too tight, GO GET AN UNFILL! It's not worth the misery or the irritation and possible damage to your stomach to try to keep your fill in an attempt to lose weight faster. That's not what I was doing, but I see that on LBT frequently. 3) Make sure YOU call the shots - not some numb-nuts doctor who thinks he knows everything. Once again I must learn to trust my own instincts (a lesson I thought I had learned long ago) and listen to what MY body is telling ME! Sorry to go on and on, but this is the first time I've written it all down and I'm still pretty steamed about it. LOL - Um, what makes you ask? Good luck with your band and weight loss journey. __________________ DonnaB Adversity introduces you to yourself. - Anonymous

(Originally posted 5-31-06 - I deleted the post from the thread but I wanted to keep the info) Well everyone, I did it. I had my first fill today! Yay for me! I have to stay on liquids for A WEEK! OMG. Boo for me. lol I had my fill at Dr. Jayaseelan's office - very nice people - and it didn't hurt at all. Not even the "bee sting" of the Lydocain. I felt it, but it didn't hurt. I was all in a panic for nothing. I know Janet, you told me - by now you'd think I'd listen to you more often, huh? I'm still worried about infection but it's highly unlikely so I'll just have to suck it up and stop even considering it. My first fill is 1.4cc's in my 4cc band. I'm worried it might be a little too much, I'm very aware of my sternum area right now. I could feel my water, and now my broth going through, and I'm a little worried about when I move back to solid food. I'm even more worried about the "2 week kick in" ! I'm telling myself that between the frequent first-fill evaporation, and that because my monthly friend is visiting right NOW (of course it had to be right when I go for my first fill!) that maybe that 2 week kick in will be more like an even trade. What do you think? I know, I'm trying to bargain with science! That always works, right?. lol

Hi Valerie, Welcome to LBT and best wishes for a speedy recovery from your surgery Friday! Congratulations on deciding to change your future.

Hi landgtino, Lapbandtalk is a great resource, I'm glad you found it. The lapband has a advantages and disadvantages. The best advise I can give you is to make an honest assessment of why you're overweight. If you graze all the time or are a sweets eater, the lapband probably isn't your best bet for weight loss. If you overeat quantity and are willing and able to make changes in food choices, and if you're willing to do the work to lose weight, the lapband is an excellent choice. The lap band isn't a magic wand. Everything you've had to do in the past to lose weight - diet, excercise, make better food choices, have the patience to stay with it for a long time (like forever) - you'll have to do with a band if you want it to work. People always say "If I could do that, why would I need the band?" Well, the problem with diet and exercise alone is that eventually you get tired of doing it and you give up. With a band, you CAN'T give up. You can make poor food choices like ice cream or chocolate and you won't lose weight, but if you can stay with solid food, the band will help you restrict the quantity you can consume, so even if you're not making the 'best' choices, you can at least maintain your weight until the binge has run its course and you're ready to get back on track. You may already know all of that from your research but its hard to know what stage of research or what kinds of things people have heard about the band. Something I didn't know about until being banded, is the issue of hair loss. Not everyone loses hair, but a LOT of people who've been banded do. It usually starts a few months post-op and continues for several months at which time your hair begins to regrow. I'm in the middle of the hair loss process right now, and I have to tell you, it's pretty depressing. I wish I had known about it before being banded just so I would have been prepared to deal with it. Another thing you should be aware of is acid reflux/GERD/esophagitis. Some people who have acid reflux have complete cessation when they have the band placed. Some people who've never had reflux START having problems when the get the band. I'm one of the latter. I've never had acid back up into my throat but I started having pain at my sternum, front and back, and was diagnosed with esophagitis. I have to take Nexium for it which, thankfully, controls the problem. But I had to wait for several months to have my 2nd fill until the symptoms completely resolved, and it was pretty dishartening to watch while people who were banded at the same time I was continued to lose weight while my weightloss stalled at 40 pounds. PATIENCE is definitely required with the band. It's easy to tell yourself that everyone is different and you shouldn't compare your progress with others, but it's hard to actually do! Patience is the key with the band. If you want rapid weight loss with minimal effort, the band is not for you. If you can accept that you didn't gain all your weight overnight and you're not going to lose it overnight, the band might be a great tool to help you in your efforts. I hope this post didn't sound negative. Even though I've had setbacks and have gone through some tough times (even though I've only been banded for 6 months), I'm still glad I chose the band. If I knew then what I know now, I'd still choose the band. Best wishes on your journey. Welcome to Lapbandtalk.

Hi Sue, I'm so sorry you're going through this. Do you want encouragement to get back on track? Do you just need to vent? Maybe it's time to take a step back and look at how far you've come and try to decide if you are ready to start moving forward again. You said you were overfilled - have you had that taken care of or are you still overfilled? I've been overfilled and it's no fun. If you can't eat solid protein it's going to be impossible to get back on track. If you haven't had an unfill, that's your first step. Maybe you could spend a little more time here on LBT - maybe in one of the weight loss challenges or in the Gone For Good Club. Everyone is very supportive - very few are judgemental, especially when it comes to weight loss. We're ALL here for the same reason. Do you have a "live" support system? You say your friends and family won't understand how you're feeling - have you tried them? You need someone to pet you and tell you how great you've done and how far you've come and help you get back into the groove. Unless you tell them what you need, they can't help you. I don't know if my post has helped at all - I hope you get the support you need soon. Best wishes, come back and tell me how you're doing, OK?

Uh huh. ................................

I agree with Alexandra. I had a cold last week and the increased mucus made a HUGE difference in my band pressure AND in my esophagus pain. I went to the doctor and found that almost everyone who has an increase in mucus also has some band related problem - sometimes very small, but noticeable, sometimes very big and obvious. Seppi, my doctor also told me that staying on Protonix or Nexium long term is NOT a problem. There is no reason that you can't have a fill if Protonix, Nexium, or any other acid pump inhibitor can control your heartburn/reflux/esophogeal irritation. I made the mistake of letting a LBT members post make me worry about the long term issues involved with acid reflux/esophogeal irritation and my band. My doctor - whom I should have called immediately when I began to worry - assured me that there is no reason that I should worry that my reflux/irritation issue will cause enough problems that I will lose my band and that I am no more likely to have a band problem as someone without esophageal issues AS LONG AS IT IS CONTROLLED. I am back on Nexium, I have no more pain, and I will get a small fill next week with the approval of my doctor. If your doctor is too busy, or for some reason doesn't want to deal with your problem, I strongly suggest finding a new doctor. Don't lose your band because your current doctor won't help you.

Here's the news article that was posted on AOL this morning: Stingray Kills 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin Dies While Filming in Australia By BRIAN CASSEY, AP CAIRNS, Australia (Sept. 4) -- Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and conservationist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44. Irwin was at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland state, shooting a segment for a series called "Ocean's Deadliest" when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous barb on their tails, his friend and colleague John Stainton said. "He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat at the time. Crew members aboard the boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead when they arrived a short time later, Stainton said. Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword "Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter." First broadcast in Australia in 1992, the program was picked up by the Discovery network, catapulting Irwin to international celebrity. He rode his image into a feature film, 2002's "The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course" and developed the wildlife park that his parents opened, Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction. "The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!'" Prime Minister John Howard, who hand-picked Irwin to attend a gala barbecue to honor President Bush when he visited in 2003, said he was "shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death." "It's a huge loss to Australia," Howard told reporters. "He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people." Irwin, who made a trademark of hovering dangerously close to untethered crocodiles and leaping on their backs, spoke in rapid-fire bursts with a thick Australian accent and was almost never seen without his uniform of khaki shorts and shirt and heavy boots. Wild animal expert Jack Hanna, who frequently appears on TV with his subjects, offered praise for Irwin. "Steve was one of these guys, we thought of him as invincible," Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo and Aquarium, told ABC's "Good Morning America" Monday. "The guy was incredible. His knowledge was incredible," Hanna said. "Some people that are doing this stuff are actors and that type of thing, but Steve was truly a zoologist, so to speak, a person who knew what he was doing. Yes, he did things a lot of people wouldn't do. I think he knew what he was doing." Irwin's ebullience was infectious and Australian officials sought him out for photo opportunities and to promote Australia internationally. His public image was dented, however, in 2004 when he caused an uproar by holding his infant son in one arm while feeding large crocodiles inside a zoo pen. Irwin claimed at the time there was no danger to the child, and authorities declined to charge Irwin with violating safety regulations. Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken against him. Stingrays have a serrated, toxin-loaded barb, or spine, on the top of their tail. The barb, which can be up to 10 inches long, flexes if a ray is frightened. Stings usually occur to people when they step on or swim too close to a ray and can be excruciatingly painful but are rarely fatal, said University of Queensland marine neuroscientist Shaun Collin. Collin said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced under his ribcage and directly into his heart. "It was extraordinarily bad luck. It's not easy to get spined by a stingray and to be killed by one is very rare," Collin said. News of Irwin's death spread quickly, and tributes flowed from all quarters of society. At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes were dropped at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes. Drivers honked their horns as they passed. "Steve, from all God's creatures, thank you. Rest in peace," was written on a card with a bouquet of native flowers. "We're all very shocked. I don't know what the zoo will do without him. He's done so much for us, the environment and it's a big loss," said Paula Kelly, a local resident and volunteer at the zoo, after dropping off a wreath at the gate. Stainton said Irwin's American-born wife Terri, from Eugene, Ore., had been informed of his death, and had told their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December. The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991 and visited Irwin's Australia Zoo; they were married six months later. Sometimes referred to as the "Crocodile Huntress," she costarred on her husband's television show and in his 2002 movie.

I play Spades on Pogo nearly every day! Fun, fun, fun.

Too late! I'm sorry I didn't see this thread earlier - I LOVE to rollerskate. Haven't done it in a while but . . .

This speaks volumes all by itself.

Okey Dokey . . . . . Mousecrazy and I will just be over here enjoying the pre-game while you get your silver and blue facepaint on. *tiptoeing away from crazy football lady* lol - just kidding Kathy.

Yay! Good for you Texas Br@t, welcome to LBT, and welcome to bandland! I'm also in Texas - Dallas/Ft. Worth area - there are lots of Texans here on LBT. Best wishes on your journey!

From what I saw, that's exactly what Susan - PhotoNut - always did. Until she got dragged around and called so many names she had no choice but to fight back or lose any self-respect she may have had. What happened here was a travesty. DeLarla - BigChix - Fitter - No.name - Psusan - no.thanks - HappyGilmore - Lisa Bones is a cancer and should have been dealt with a LONG LONG time ago. I've been here for seven months and she was causing problems long before I arrived. The LapBandTalk owner and the moderators failed to protect all of us.

High FIVE! and another high five! * * * * * * * * * * * * GO DALLAS! * * * * * * * * * * * * Love me some Dallas Cowboy FOOTBALL! I must say I'm still waiting to see the benefit of TO. Like Dallas needs that kind of ego problem. We'll see how it goes. If he makes a difference, I'll gladly accept the ego and all the problems that WILL come with it. But stop producing TO, and OUT you go! - at the point of a fancy-top-stitched cowboy boot!