kirafiki

Thanks for the book idea... I will definitely look into it! I do thank you for the prayers as well. I am not a prayer, but am always thankful for those who are extending theirs to me. Thank you for your kind words and extending your email address to me as well. I am just trying to keep a positive attitude about all of this, since I won't really know any lab results for about a month (that's how fast things go when one has no insurance!)

You might be slightly overfilled if that is how you are eating six days after the fill. You should call the doctor's office and see what they say. Good luck!

You aren't too far from goal either! Congrats to you too!!!!

UCSD for me too! I live in OB. I just connect with other bandsters at the support meetings when I can make them. Its surreal being this close to goal! Send me a private message any time!

Never thought a burp would be so good! Congrats on your surgery. Things will only get amazingly better from now on. Good luck!

It really is just saliva. As the H2O gets reabsorbed into your body, the remainder of what makes up saliva gets concentrated and becomes very thick. regardless, it can be quite alarming. It is a very funky substance.

Hang in there, walk around as much as you can. I had the gas pains in my shoulder for 5 weeks (more than most do, honestly) but would do it all over again. I also remember the day I realized they were gone. I cried out of happiness. It will go away. Walking REALLY helped reduce the pain though.

So, here I am, a year and a half after my surgery. I feel I have done extremely well. 140+ pounds lost, the last six months without restriction, since I can't afford a fill at this time. But have still been steadily losing until now. I exercise and feel off if I don't make it to the gym. But here is the problem. And it comes at a time when with no restriction, my old compulsive habits are creeping back, now that I know what foods can go right through me. I recently got some results of some labs, not pertaining to my band, that have suggested that there is a possibility that I am going to be facing a bout with cancer. I have to wait at least two weeks for my next tests regarding this, and then another two weeks or so for those labs to come back. My head is reeling, I am scared, and trying to make all kinds of plans in case the worst results come back. I am not ready to scare my family about this possibility. Part of my problem is that I have no insurance. When I started this journey I weighed 315 pounds, having been heavier than that, I just don't know how high I got since I had stopped weighing myself years before. I was uninsurable at 315, and part of the reason I wanted to get control of my compulsive eating was to get to a weight that would be insurable. Facing this possible diagnosis, I started looking into insurance so that the bills of a fight with cancer would not be something I would have to excessively worry about. Come to find out, at least in California, having had adjustable gastric band surgery, I have rendered myself a "high risk" and uninsurable for that reason. Still, I am happy I was banded. I am healthier than I have ever been, and so I am in the shape to take on cancer. Back to the head reeling. Unrestricted, I notice my compulsive overeating feelings, habits, and thoughts creeping back in. I can't afford therapy. Any books anyone knows that can help me here? Anything. I need some help. This may be beyond the scope of anyone's comfort, but I would really appreciate anything anyone can give.

You would be amazed at the amount of saliva we produce just sitting around doing nothing. If you get stuck, the saliva has nowhere to go. It backs up and has to come out. Slime is just saliva. The trick is to eat slowly, chew very well and pay attention to the foods that cause you to slime, since they are the ones getting stuck.

I remember those days. I never thought mashed potatoes and refried Beans could be so amazing when I finally got mushies! Hang in there... it only gets better and it is one AMAZING journey!

Hey there! I am in San Diego! Nice to meet you!

Hi there. I can totally understand your frustrations. But here is the thing. You need restriction to feel full. You clearly are not restricted. I am self pay, and so I have to pay $250 every time I need a fill, and so I haven't had one since April of last year. For the last six months, I have not been restricted, but I continue to eat correctly and exercise. As you can see from my signature and ticker, I have been pretty successful. The band is a tool, not a magic thing. You need restriction for it to do its job. That being said, you need calories in to burn, you may not be eating enough. I don't know what biological issues you are referring to. Some explanation would be nice. I haven't had any. I have a 14cc band, with 9 ccs in it. 1.5 is not nearly enough. You went into the surgery thinking it wouldn't work. That attitude might be what is sabotaging you. Why did you do it if you thought that? Good luck finding peace with this.

THANKS! It has taken me YEARS to be able to stand up for myself the way I do now. Oddly, it was having the surgery that made it possible for me to speak my mind about my body and its size. Continued success to all!

Its funny you said "just like a baby"... when I had surgery, I decided that my stomach was re-born, and now I had to learn how to eat all over again. I view the steps from liquid to mushies to solids, both after surgery or a fill, a quick version of teaching a baby to eat. After my surgery I had the worst gas EVER. Finally, it did go away. I still remember the day I realized I wasn't gassy. I nearly cried from happiness that it was gone. Still get it now and then, but just as before surgery, a good burp is one of the most enjoyable things in life!

Just an idea, but I have decided that if for any reason I cannot keep my band I will go with a sleeve. Still less invasive than the bypass, but a tool I will have for a long time to help my support in maintaining my new health.

I might be a bit more militant than others, but I always say that just as my weight wasn't something they could discuss with me before I had surgery, it is still an off-limits topic. I follow that by saying, I don't obsess on your weight, why is it that you do on mine?

For me, every day is a little different. I don't like to deny myself anything. I find that if I keep up with the exercise, there is no (small amount) food that I can't eat at some time. Except for carbonation and white bread (most breads really)...I stay far away from those two things! I struggle with a lifetime of being a compulsive eater. My band keeps me mindful of the amounts. My band saved my life.

Personally, even if the scars were big and didn't fade, I would do this over and over and over and over again. My overall health is far more important than the existence of the scars. Now that I am close to goal, I can feel my port, and occasionally see it, but should I ever choose to have the reconstructive surgery to remove the 20 pounds of extra skin I have I will have it relocated. Port, scars, extra skin and all, I would do this again in a second.

Personally, I look forward to the extra restriction! I know, I am sick, but I haven't been able to afford a fill since last April!

Browning the meat caramelizes it and brings out the flavors. You do need SOME liquid in the crock pot to cook, but don't put too much. Browning also ensures that the meat's natural juices will stay in it, keeping it both flavorful and moist. Adding herbs/spices at the end is a great idea. Instead of water, if a recipe calls for it, try low sodium broth, tomato juice, V8 juice, salsa, canned tomatoes. Keep trying, its a great way to cook.

Well said, and in total agreement.

I will fight to the end of my life to uphold the Roe v. Wade decision.

Just to clarify, I can only say this is true in California. Other states may be more humane.

Update... contacted a place called coverageforall... there is probably no private health insurance company that will cover someone who has been banded. I guess there really isn't coverage for all?

Ok, so I started this I was 315 pounds. I am now 175 with a Realize band. I was un-insurable at 315 and now I am having trouble finding insurance (I am one of the millions of uninsured Americans) on my own (no employer plan to join). Does anyone know what companies will approve me now that I have been banded? I don't really care if they call it a pre-existing condition, I just really need healthcare coverage.