rondawood63

I am just now starting to date again. I guess after two divorces and one other long term relationship under my belt I am a little gun shy to say the least. I really am not looking for a long term thing, just someone to hang out with and do things together that I won't do by myself. So far if anyone has asked about my eating habits, I have told them. I don't feel I have anything to hide. I am proud of what I have done and if they can't handle it then they weren't for me anyway! At least this sounds good on paper?!?!?!?

I completely understand! I confronted my father 23 years after the fact, he and I have a relationship now only with my ability to forgive him. Not a close relationship mind you. Mainly how is the weather, work, etc.... Small talk. My parents are still together, I have more issues with my mom as she knew about it when it was happening and did nothing to save me from going through that. We have a strained relationship at best. But I understand about keeping peace. And it isn't your dad's fault. But he will put it on himself if he found out. I pray for you!

It is only through the grace of GOD and lots of theraphy when I was younger that I can move past it all.

Maybe he had been told that by a number of his patients and he was just assuming. But it is great when someone can overcome that obstacle and move on with their lives. I have been asked to become a motivational speaker for incest victims and feel like I am being led to do that. Just have to find an outlet for my experiences. I do hope the lap band process does help those who have been effected by incest to move past it and lead fun loving, productive lives. Life can be good once again!

It does seem to be a major common denominator in most of our lives!

Well my weight issues started when I was around 10 years old. Up until that time I was always the thin one, in fact my mom told me she took me to the doctor when I was 2 and then again at 4 because I was so thin. Well, at 10 years old I was molested by my father and you can see in pictures the weight just piling on and the defensive posture I adopted. I went from being a free, fun-loving child to a depressed, backward little girl. Once in high school things turned around some and I became a cheerleader and officer of many different clubs but at home I was still that shy, awkward kid. I moved right after high school and I thinned up. I got married (to someone with my father's attributes when it comes to women) and I ballooned out of control again. Had two babies and kept on the baby weight and much more, just gaining more and more as the years went by. Finally divorced after 18 years of marriage and lost 120 lbs that first year. Married again and gained back 80 of that because of the alcholism I married into. Now I am single again and doing for myself. I have lost around 65 lbs now and feeling great. So I would say the reason I am fat is from self worth, self esteem and so on. I just have had to learn to love me for me. Something I have never really been able to do. I stuffed my feelings into a bowl of pasta! But NO MORE!

I am loving life after my surgery on 6-18-08. Life is so good. I have lost about 65 lbs as of today and doors are opening for me (or maybe I am actually opening them since I feel better about myself and not so self conscience about my appearance.) I am really excited to see more changes! :cool:

I am loving life after my surgery on 6-18-08. Life is so good. I have lost about 65 lbs as of today and doors are opening for me (or maybe I am actually opening them since I feel better about myself and not so self conscience about my appearance.) I am really excited to see more changes!

we have luncheons at my office too. I always bring in something I can eat and if that is all I can have than that is what I do. Last time I brought in Chili. I also bring in my small Snacks just like any other day, like apple sauce, yogurt and stuff like that so I won't have to even go backto the breakroom except for lunch time. I also tell my gal pals to keep an eye on me and not let me venture towards the forbidden room. They are all very supportive and it also helps that I have told everyone here that I have had surgery and you are more accountable when you know others are watching to see if you are being compliant!:cool2:

I too am just over 3 months out and had 2nd surgery in that time as well. And last week I had the same thing start with the hair loss. I have been blessed with ALOT of hair so I have a ways to go before I see significant hair loss, but I have read on this site before that it is normal for alot of people to start losing hair 3-6 months out. And that Biotin is a great supplement to take to help regain the hair loss. I bought my first bottle this a.m., So I am going to see what happens with it. I wonder if it is due to being put under and the effects of that, and the lessened nutrition at first being on liquids so long AND the decreased caloric intake. Just not sure!

Well, I have found that if I know I am going somewhere with friends or family I go ahead and try to find their menu online first to see what my options are. And if things don't look too Lapband friendly:sad_smile:, I will have something at home to curb the hunger and then I am basically unable to eat much at all. I sometimes have an iced tea and a small side (cottage cheese or something like that). That way I am still out with friends and family but haven't sabatoged my NEW way of life!:thumbup:

Okay, my unkinking surgery was this last Wednesday, August 27th. It went well, except for being kept waiting for emergencies that were placed in front of me. My surgeon used the same incision areas as before minus 2. So I only had 4 incisions. Surgery took longer than he predicited. I will find out this week why as I did not see him after surgery. He was called into another emergency surgery after mine. Recovery was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much easier this time. I was push mowing my yard the next afternoon! :tt2::thumbup::thumbup: I go for my post op appt this thursday to see how things are looking. And move on from there!

Well, they postponed it until next wednesday, but they are going to make one or two incisions and pull some of the tubing through, cut off a certain amount and re-attach. Then put it back in.... He said about 5-10 mins total!

I recieved a card from my surgeon's office once I was approved and scheduled for surgery. The front says: "Special Dietary Needs" The back side says: Dear Foodservice Operator: the bearer ofthis card has undergone surgery and is medically unable to eat full adult portions. Please allow this person to order from a senior or child menu, order a "half portion? or share an entree with another adult. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Christopher Edwards, M.D. I haven't had to use it yet, but I do carry it with me. Most restaurants are willing to work with you, the ones who aren't maybe you shouldn't go to! LOL

the surgeon said it wasn't the movement I made that made it twist. Just something in the abdominal wall or organs that caused it to twist and that I had too much tubing in my torso for my height. He also stated out of the more than 2000 patients he has done this surgery on, I was only the third person to have this happen. I just see this as something that happened and I have to get it taken care of. I am not blaming the surgeon on this at all. It was a fluke and it happened to me. Sometimes bad things happen and you just have to decide to go on or give up. I always go on!

Well, we didn't find it until my first fill. The nurse handling it was able to get the first fill in by standing me up at an angle. She saw it then and stated that if we can always get the fill in and some retracted out I would be fine if it stayed kinked. Well, I then went for my second fill and it was a no go.... We got some in, but she could not retract any back out. So they stopped at only .8cc incase I got too restricted. They would have had to do more of an emergency situation surgery. I think I know when it happened. I was driving to work on a.m. early (about 4 weeks post op) and I was getting ready to make a left hand turn (which I had done numerous times before). Anyway, I felt something kind of pull in my port area and for the next couple days that area was tender and then it went away. So I didn't think anything about it. Well the surgeon thinks that is when it twisted.

I had it confirmed yesterday that I will have to have a second surgery to unkink/untwist my tubing. The surgeon wanted to see the twist himself and he said out of the over 2,000 patients he has had, he has only had 2 cases of this happening before mine. So I am waiting on his staff to get the surgery approved via insurance before we procede. He is just going to cut out a length of tubing and then re-attach it back together. I guess my torso was too short for the amount of tubing that was put in. Fun Times! :smile2: Good note is I have hit the 50 lbs lost point. I am counting the 10 I lost before the pre-op diet and everything after that! I am still losing even though I only have 2.8 cc in my band!

I went for 2nd fill yesterday and as I previously stated I had a kink in my tubing (which was found at the first band fill):biggrin:. But the first fill went in once she stood me up. Well yesterday that didnt happen and now I have to have a small surgery to have the excess tubing cut down so it won't kink on me anymore. Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue before?

Good Morning Jeter2, I REALLY empathize with you. I have a younger sister and it sounded like you described her to a tee! What I have done in all of my dealings with her is turned it over to the Lord. Prayed for her mental well being and asked GOD to work in her life. I have distanced myself from her and so has my other sister and brother. We just can't take all the drama in her made up world. We all have full lives with work and other activities and she is home alone, NO friends (seriously, she has fought with anyone who was ever her friend and has no one to talk to anymore). I do feel sorry for her and have talked to my brother-in-law about getting her some medical help but he just puts his head in the sand and sees nothing wrong. (But I know why he works like he does and is only home an hour at night before bed) so he doesn't have to deal with it all. So just do as I have, put it in GOD's hands, distance yourself and live your life for your husband, yourself and your children. LIfe is great once you do this!

I had my first fill yesterday and while they were placing the needle in the port and she had it on the x-ray everything looked good! Then she tried putting in saline, it went in fairly well (she had some difficulty) but couldn't retract any of the saline at all. I guess that is normal procedure to see if they have to take some out they can. So the x-ray tech followed my tubing on the x-ray and my tubing is kinked (Like a garden hose can get kinked). :confused2: So she stood me up on the table and was able to complete the fill that way. She noted in my records I would have to be stood up at all times for fills. And said if it ever becomes a problem they will have to go back in and un-kink me! :biggrin: Sounds like fun huh.... Anyone else have this issue?????

It has been along time since I blogged here. I think it was when I was approved which was May 12th. I had surgery on June 18th and am getting ready to have first fill on July 31st. I lost 20 lbs on pre diet and then have lost 14 since surgery. It is coming off slowly but I am glad of that, it is more apt to stay off that way. I am in lap band limbo with very little restriction right now, but use my little plastic rubbermaid containers that hold like 3/4 cup and when the food is gone I stop! Basically, it is a mind game, if you have a craving for something BAD then go have something not so bad, just a small amount. Chocolate, sugar-free pudding has been a life saver for me when that urge to eat something sweet hits me! And it only has like 60 calories! Keep up the hard work everyone!

It has been along time since I blogged here. I think it was when I was approved which was May 12th. I had surgery on June 18th and am getting ready to have first fill on July 31st. I lost 20 lbs on pre diet and then have lost 14 since surgery. It is coming off slowly but I am glad of that, it is more apt to stay off that way. I am in lap band limbo with very little restriction right now, but use my little plastic rubbermaid containers that hold like 3/4 cup and when the food is gone I stop! Basically, it is a mind game, if you have a craving for something BAD then go have something not so bad, just a small amount. Chocolate, sugar-free pudding has been a life saver for me when that urge to eat something sweet hits me! And it only has like 60 calories! Keep up the hard work everyone!

Awesome! I am only 1 month out from surgery but I bet it feels so wonderful to be onderland! Go buy yourself something! you deserve it!!!!

I am so in love with this thing and I haven't even gotten the first fill. BUT it is just a tool and you have to work at it. It isn't the miracle, magic pill or solution that I am afraid some people think it is. We were asked this question last night at our support group meeting and not one person said yes. WE all just cheered. I have lost a total of 33 lbs (including the 2 week liquid diet). But I am still loosing but slowly for now until I get some kind of restriction!