DonnaB

Excellent advise from lisah!!!! It's annoying to you, so chances are it's annoying to others too. Sometimes it's really really hard, but you'll be happier in the long run if you take the high road. When I can take that advise myself, I'm always glad I did. When I can is the key here! Good luck. I love the phrase that lisah gave you "mind if I pass along the things that are too big?" And then just NEVER wear anything she's given you. Eventually she may catch on. Nah! Probably not.

I'm Henry the 8th, I am Henry the 8th, I am, I am I got married to the widow next door She's been married 7 times before And every one was a Henry ((Henry!)) There never was a Willie or a Sam ((No Sam!) I'm her 8th old man, I'm Henry Henry the 8th I am, I am Henry the 8th I am! SECOND VERSE, SAME AS THE FIRST I'm still a ray of "sunshine." Are you?

Wait, it's OK for Delarla to be abusive to others because she's suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder? What about the trauma she causes while she's exorcising her daemons? Is it alright for her to behave badly because sometimes she's funny, entertaining, or insightful? I don't think so. I enjoy reading Delarla's posts, she has a unique perspective and expressess herself with flair; however, she's careless of others' feelings while demanding to be treated with absolute respect. Unfortunately there are fewer things that deserve respect, IMO, than someone who must be handled with kid gloves. If you're going to dish it out, you've got to be able to take it. The primary goal of LBT is to provide a place for people in a similar situation to meet, gather information, and support each other. How can you trust in the support of a person if you must always wonder if THIS will be the time they explode like a timebomb? Even if Delarla comes back to LBT as Lisa, her more rational persona, I have to say I would still be wary of her for that reason.

Congratulations Alexandra - truly amazing and inspiring. I was looking at the collage, scrolling back and forth trying to see YOU in some of the earier pictures. My husband caught me scrolling up and down, right and left, and asked me what I was doing, so I showed him the pictures. THEN HE STARTED SCROLLING UP AND DOWN, RIGHT AND LEFT. LOL We were both completely moved and awestruck by the power of the band and the sheer will to succeed! Happy Bandiversary! And many more.

Thank you everyone for your heartfelt responses - even including the PM that said "if you have to ask, you're not ready." Your insights and concerns are very much what I had hoped for and, in some ways, expected! lol This has been a crazy weekend of hope and doubt and courage and fear! In short, every emotion you can think of, we've experienced it! A slight exaggeration, but that's how it feels. We've spent hours discussing this by ourselves, with family members and with the biological grandparents. For the sake of clarity, everyone in the biological family understands that if termination of rights and adoption occurs, they would have no legal claim on these children. In a perfect world, our friends could participate in their grandchildren's lives, but we all understand that if it came down to it, we would be the parents and that that could result in the end of the friendship. Even knowing this, they still think this is the best option. Even after this long rollercoaster of a weekend, I still don't know what to hope for. Mostly, I don't want to hope for a child (again) and be swept up in that fast moving current of hope and longing, only to have to come to terms with not having children at the end of the day. It's a tough old world, isn't it? As for that negative PM, I thought that by admitting your fears, acknowledging you don't know all the answers, and asking for advise and opinions meant you were exercising maturity. It never occured to me to think that someone would take that as proof positive that I wasn't ready. That really stung for a second, then I got over it and realized that everyone is entitled to their own perspective - right or wrong. It also clarified for me that, in my heart, I'm definitely capable of the love and committment required to take on this challenge. That was really never the question. The question is, at the end of the day, will it all have been worth it? Will I have regretted it, or will it have been the best decision of my life? And of course, there is no answer to that question until it's already happened.

That's GREAT news Penni. Having a choice is always better than not. It's also a lot harder! Funny that. Obviously you're the only one who can decide what's best for you but since you're asking for opinions . . . . You've maintained your weight, so it sounds like you understand how to eat. It seems like you just need something to keep you feeling fuller longer and to regulate the quantity of food you can eat. + Lapband. You don't mention any co-morbidities which would require you to lose weight QUICKLY. + Lapband If you really wanted to have Bypass, you would probably have done it by now. + Lapband You say you don't want to have more surgery. - Bypass, - Lapband, + Weight Watchers Like almost everyone here you've probably already tried Weight Watchers. + Lapband I'm still too new to this and have not suffered from any complications to speak of (does taking Nexium for an irritated esophagus count as a complication? I'm thinking not so much) to really understand the frustration you've experienced with the band. I would think that your situation would naturally leave you thinking Bypass might be a better option for you, but in all honesty, I couldn't see myself going with that drastic a surgery if the band would works as well over time. Of course my assumption here is that your new band would work better - and longer! - than your last band. In short, I'm not much help to you! lol Sorry Penni. Good luck on making a tough decision.

Don't you just LOVE IT when something you already love brings you even more joy? It's not just about the money either is it? It's sharing something with someone who recognizes your talent and appreciates the value of your art. At least that's how I feel when people order period clothing reproductions or costumes from me. Yay for you!

LOLOLOL Vines you crack me up so bad!!!!!!! LOL How could someone "raised by wolves" have turned out so well? And so funny? Good for you for rising above it all!

2.5 on your first fill in a 4cc band? YIKES! I couldn't swallow my own spit when my Dr. pushed me to 1.9 on my second fill (read my LBT journal for that nightmare BS story!!!!!). 2.5 seems very very high to me. I had 1.5ccs of fill when I had my first (only) PB and it lasted for 6 hours so I know how you're feeling. Chances are you haven't done any damamge to your band but you should definitely get an unfill WITH FLURO so your doctor can see your band and make sure it's in the right place. As far as taking it easy with foods, most doctors will tell you to go on full liquids for at least 24 hours after a PB. My doctor says 3 days full liquids, 3 days mushies, then back to solids following any kind of trauma including PBs, fills, unfills - basically any thing that could cause swelling near your band. Good luck, tell us how you're doing and if you get an unfill tomorrow.

You look awesome. How nice to hear about and see pics of a complete success story! Like lots of other posters, I'd trade thighs with you in a minute. Half a minute! lol Congratulations!

Hi all, Without going into full details (too tired and too long for right now) my husband and could not have kids of our own. We tried for several years to have kids (inutero, invitro, et al.) and only recently decided it was time to stop trying. I'm 44, he's almost 40. Some friends of ours' daughter (they had her when they were VERY young) just had her children taken from her by child protective services. Because of the circumstances, our friends (the biological grandparents) are not eligible to take custody of the children. My husband and I have been asked to adopt the youngest of the children (he's 15 months old.) We want to help them, but this is not a situation of fostering until the biological parents get their act together. This is going to be termination of parental rights and adoption. So . . . How old were you when you had your children? How old is too old to start a family? If you or someone you know had children later in life and could do it over again, would you? Do you think or have they said they would? Does anyone here have experience with adoption? Does anyone want to offer advice or perspective on this? My mind keeps going to the good parts like Christmas and Halloween and birthdays and school plays and it sounds really good. But then I have to remember it's the every day stuff that is the reality. Get up, get dressed, get to school, do the homework, clean your room, take a bath, getting the flu, breaking the china, spilling milk on the carpet, bla bla bla. I know there's a lot of work involved. That part I've got figured out. What I really need is some discussion of the pros and cons of having children. Is it worth it? I know every mom who loves her kids will say yes, it's definitely worth it but, would it be worth it if the kids weren't yours? Would it be worth it if you had to start from scratch at 44 years old? I need some perspective here.

I think you should ask for ALL of your money back. Tell them if the surgeon doesn't contact you by noon tomorrow you're going to hire an attorney. Believe me, that'll get his attention! It's not only ridiculous that your surgeon isn't returning your calls, it could also constitute criminal negligence on his part. Two words: hypocratic oath. P.S. Reconstruct the dates and times of the phone calls you've already made. Any future calls you make or receive should be logged to include WHO you spoke with, WHAT TIME you or they called, HOW MUCH TIME they spent talking to you, WHAT THEY SAID. If it actually comes down to a lawsuit this information is critical. You should also keep all receipts and information you get from the doctor treating your infection and all receipts and information you get from your pharmacist. It could really become important in the future. I'm so sorry you're having this problem. Please make sure you let us know how you're doing so we won't worry too much about you. Best wishes.

I'll tell you why we know more cartoon characters than Supreme Court Justices . . . the Justices don't have a cute little rhyming jingle! If they did, we'd all know their names. (to be sung to the tune of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer) You know Roberts and Stevens and Souter and Ginsburg Scalia and Kennedy and Breyer and Thomas But do you recall The most blue nosed Court Justice of all? Alito the right winged Justice ((Justice)) Had a very narrow win If not for good ol' Dubya ((Dubya)) We'd have never let him in None of the other choices ((choices)) Were conservative enough To make it a Republican majority ((majority)) So they got left in the dust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Then on Senate Confirmation Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dubya came to say . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ."Alito with your ass so tight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Won't you make our laws for life?" Then how the nation shuddered ((shuddered)) As the right wing took control And all the Founding Fathers ((Fathers)) In their graves began to roll Well, you get the idea. It would have been better if I could have worked in that the majority of the population were too busy watching Dancing With The Stars to give a damn. Alito who? More like, Alito? Who cares? Pretty scary. Here's a challenge: Write a cartoon anthem to fit the current state of politics. Use any tune you like. Good luck.

I don't think it's wrong for little girls to play dress up and put on make-up. I think it's HIDEOUS that adults get them all together in one place to do it, and then JUDGE which one of them does it best! That's sick. I feel sceptical about this new suspect. It sounds like he's trying to attach his name to a sensational story. If you're a sicko child molester, you may as well be the most notorious one in recent history right? Whether he did it or not, he's certainly guilty of crimes against other children and needs to be off the streets. Preferably buried up to his neck in a fireant mound and drizzled with honey.

Moving my feet out from under my desk as I read. I don't think there are spiders under there, but I can't leave my bare feet there now. Thanks. :nervous

I don't regret having my band placed at all. I've been banded for five months and have lost 42 pounds. I had a little problem with reflux which responded well and is completely gone after using Nexium. I'm sure I would have lost more weight during this time but I've been waiting to have a second fill until after my reflux was completely healed and *grin* after my end of summer vacation - I wanted to be able to eat too much! LOL My vacation just ended and guess what? I DID eat everything I wanted (didn't actually overeat because I really didn't want to - a first for me) AND I didn't gain an ounce!!!!!!! That's amazing to me. I went on vacation and didn't gain any weight at all. When was the last time THAT happened? Try never for me. lol Time to schedule my second fill and lose another 42 pounds!

What are "vitamin 3 oils"?

LOL, I just posted my opinion of doctors and their opinions on another thread! It went something like this: If the doctor doesn't listen to what you're telling him . . . FIND A NEW DOCTOR!!!!!! We pay their (exorbitant) salaries, we pay for their office staff, we pay for the art work on their walls, we pay for their trophy wives' boob jobs. We pay for everything. In exchange, they have to listen to us. Unless there is a medical reason for not doing what we want, they don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to our choices and decisions when it comes to OUR bodies. Period. So, for your purposes switch out 'her' for 'him' and change 'trophy wives boob jobs' to 'pool boys gym club memberships' LOL!!!! I stand by the rest! <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I feel your pain - sort of. LOL My fill doctor (not my surgeon) did the exact opposite - said he was checking fill and actually gave me a .5 increase. It was on a Friday so I spent the next two days not being able to swallow my own spit. It sucked HUGELY and I was ssssssssooooooooooo pissed off at that guy. The lesson here is, if the doctor doesn't listen to what you're telling him . . . FIND A NEW DOCTOR!!!!!! We pay their (exorbitant) salaries, we pay for their office staff, we pay for the art work on their walls, we pay for their trophy wives' boob jobs. We pay for everything. In exchange, they have to listen to us. Unless there is a medical reason for not doing what we want, they don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to our choices and decisions when it comes to OUR bodies. Period.

I was born and raised in Las Vegas. My mom and one of my sisters still live there. Vegas is a great place to visit, but I'm glad I don't live there anymore. Have fun. Win lots of money! LOL

First, stop eating BEFORE you get the pain. You've been doing this for 6 months now, you can tell the quantity you can eat without waiting for it to hurt. Measure it or eyeball it, but stop before it hurts. Second, call your doctor and schedule a fill. Your band will only help you if you use it the way it was intended - that's with a fill. Third, follow your doctors orders about liquids after the fill, possibly mushies after that. When you do go back to solid food, go VERY VERY slowly. You're used to being able to eat a certain way, amount, speed, type of food. The rules are about to change. Go slowly till you learn what you can and can't do with your new fill level. Mostly, stop eating before it hurts. I know it's hard. Damned near impossible, right? Guess what, the band is a tool that teaches you to do that. Eventually, you have to do it on your own. It'll be easier on you if you start doing it now rather than later. Was this enough of a scold? lol You're doing fine so far, now jump in there and make it really work. Congrats on the 40 pounds.

Welcome to bandland Gia! Do you have restriction from your surgery still? My big advise to new bandsters is to wait as long as you can for a fill - as long as you have some restriction and you're losing weight. It seems like the people who rush to get that first fill are the ones who have difficulties. If you still have some restriction, I'd wait awhile before you get a fill. Actually that same advise works for each fill - wait as long as you can till you have another one. If you do that, you'll learn how to eat the right amount of food and be healthy for life. If you make the band to do all the work, you'll be entirely dependent on it and won't learn the skills you'll need to keep your weight down once you've reached your goal. That's my two cents, take it for what it's worth! lol Congrats on your band - best wishes on your journey.

Excellent! Congratulations, I can't wait to someday be making a similar post! Good luck on the TT - let us know how it went.

K-Cee, you need to post your surgeons name here so other people won't let him "practice" on them!

If you're depressed now, it's going to be a long tough road to your goal weight. 1 - 2 pounds per weeks is the AVERAGE weight loss you can expect to experience with a lap band. You've had 2.5 per week so far. That makes you a rabbit. I think you need to reevaluate your expectations of your new tool, and try to think in the long term. You didn't have a gastric bypass where you lose 60 pounds in 3 months. You had a gastric band, which allows you to maintain a diet and exercise regimen which will help you achieve longterm health. At 1 pound per week, you can realistically expect to lose 52 pounds during the coming year. It also means you can expect to lose 104 pounds during the next 24 months. Starting to sound a little better? If you want to boost those numbers, you can add exercise to your lifestyle and increase either the number of pounds you've lost or the number of calories you can consume to continue losing at the same rate. Either way, those are pretty good stats. Give yourself some time. Exercise some patience. I do understand how you feel. Some days I become frustrated and feel like I'm NEVER going to lose the weight. Then I go look at my log on www.FitDay.com and I see that I'm averaging 1.33 pounds per week - exactly as my doctor told me I could expect. The time will pass. There's no way around that one! lol It will pass, and you will lose weight.