barbara465

OK I've got a NSV. Today it is cold in Houston, 39. My little jacket that I borrowed from my DH wasn't warm enough. I have a 3/4 length coat that I bought when I was consulting in Detroit. It was spacious as I wore suits then and needed room for my suit jackets. Today I put it on and the coat could fit 2 people. There was no way I could wear it. DH had to lend me yet another of his jackets to wear. I'm lovin it!!!! So far so good on the fill. Move to mushies today. I hope the thicker solution at 2.0 will give me restriction. Can't wait to try it.

Oh chalk it up to a arse for sure! I met my DH online, heavy, and he of normal weight. Remember, you have to kiss lots of toads before you find prince charming. At least you didn't have to bother wasting a kiss on this guy! Don't let anyone lower your self esteem. Some get kicks out of making others feel bad so they can feel good about themselves. Keep your ad and ignore idiots like that who respond!

Maybe its my age, but I really came to grips with my situation years ago. I mean I was/am fat, but I didn't let it stop me from living my life. I worked, traveled, had friends, etc. I even married several years ago after being divorced for 28 years. I want to lose so I will be here longer, be healthier, and able to enjoy more physical activity. I want to be able to go on trips and not get so tired. I am trying, even with the band, not to make food the focus. I see so many of us go from being fat, to be obsessed with what we are going to eat next, order at a restaurant, handle dinner with friends. Why? Let food be secondary in our thoughts. That's what I'm striving for. I'm not putting my life on hold until I lose weight. I am looking forward to more time and enjoying it more. With a little help I am hoping that I just continue to live and expand my activities. Maybe I'll be ready to take Europe on for a vacation!

My DH and I bought all the presents several months ago. We buy throughout the year for adult children and 2 grandchildren. DH and I are going on a cruise so I guess we spent over $2,000.

Green, that was my point. Those of us that believe we should not be at war are criticized for that opinion and being unpatriotic. That is the point. Freedom of speech and the right to express your opinions does not mean you won't defend your country. It may be illogical thinking, but people do it everyday. Read this thread. Those of us that have voiced concerns about the war have been tagged unpatriotic.

It's amazing what some doctor's will say when they don't know. My skin doesn't turn red or swolen, it just is sensitive. It's like the area around the port is very sensitive. Like what happens when you get hives or chills, or prickly heat. That lasts several days for me. Its not because they have poked because they have hit the port every time. I also get chills after a fill about 1-2 hours later. It lasts for a couple of hours and then usually disappears. We are all different and have different reactions.

Just give it some time. I never feel it until 6-10 later. Everyone is different. If after 2 weeks you don't feel it, you are still hungry, and can eat too much, call for another fill.

I, for one, won't have to wait for the historians to give their opinion. He is by far the worst. His approval rating just prior to 9/11 was waning. It was only after 9/11 that Bush's approval rating went up. Predictable in America - when the USA gets attacked we stand together. Only after the newness wore off, only after the shock was over, only after the bodies were removed and recovery was on its way, did we Americans start to look around once more at the Bush Presidency. Then the stark reality hit us! Here is a president who can't find intelligent, knowing people to be on his staff. Here is a president who must find the last dregs from his father's presidency to guide him. It's pretty sad. Even the brightest star, Colin Powell, couldn't stand to be around the dim light. Having opinions, voicing them, doesn't make one unpatriotic. The two are not the same thing. Not believing we should be at war doesn't make that person disrespectiful to our armed forces who are serving the will of the president.

You are right to go back to liquids. Sounds like you irritated the stoma, but food is not stuck. Some find that beef, especially steak and roast, are difficult to eat. You might want to give that up for a while until you find what foods work and which ones don't. I kinda view it all as if I have a sore throat or scratchy throat as a analogy. Food irritates the area and liquids calm it down until it heals. The feeling can be felt anywhere along the esphogus or in the band area. The fact that you are not PBing or sliming is pretty good that you are not stuck. Good luck

Julie it sounds like you are taking the right steps. My fills don't kick in until 6-10 later so I have the opposite problem. I just went for a fill and found that .6 had disappeared. I'm going again next week to get the heavier solution. My experience has been that once the sliming starts on liquids I can't recover from it and need to go have a little unfill. I would go in tomorrow and get one if it doesn't clear up. Some people wait it out and suffer like that for weeks in hopes that is gets looser. I personally don't believe in suffering like that or living like that. Complications come from being too tight. I'm sure others will respond to your thread and give you their experiences. All of us react differently. Hope all goes well soon.

That's a hard one, but one many have experienced. First, you must make the decision for yourself. You know what is right for you and what you can handle. Once that is done, let him know why and when you are having the procedure. He won't really understand. No one does that hasn't been here before. That's OK. They can give support etc. once they see that you are determined. Remember, our loved ones also fear for our safety. They are scared as well so they try to talk us out of it. Once they see you are determined most come around. Tell him what you expect from him and what you expect from yourself. We are here on the board for your emotional support. That's what most of us come here for. Even though we may have supportive people in our lives, experiencing this with others in the same situation is definitely easier. I would get some help, either individually or in a support group. You are a worthy individual fat or skinny. Having self worth issues only adds fuel to the fire. You need to work through those issues so you can expand your world and have some friends and social life. Many people that don't do all of the exploratory work on themselves have difficulty when they start to lose weight. They don't see the slimmer person and never accept the new body image. You don't want that to happen to you. You want to accept yourself as you are so that you can accept yourself as the new you that you become. Hope all this makes sense and is helpful. Good luck to you.

I love that theory Cathy! I think we should all claim that hunger pains are fat cells burning up. It may give us a whole new meaning to those pains. Have a great trip Barbara 12. I know you are getting excited about those numbers and soon, very soon, you will be in onederland!!!!!!!!! PinkyLee you are doing great. As soon as we see a new number on the scale we should claim it. I like that idea. I forgot about the Christmas challenge and Christmas exchange we talked about and signed up for a couple of months ago. The christmas challenge is just not going to happen for me, but I keep it around to keep me in check. Unless someone wants to do the Christmas exchange I'm going to forget about it as well. Let me know if enough want to do it, but I only had 7 or 8 sign up originally. Weather taking a nosedive in Houston and we're actually going to get cold weather. Cold for us in the 50, 40, and maybe the 30's at night on Saturday. Feels like Christmas now.

Last day of liquids and on to mushies! I'm not very hungry during the day so I might have some restriction. Of course, it could be swelling. DH fixed me some bean/bacon Soup last night and added a tablespoon of chili con queso he had made me. It was very, very filling. He puree the soup and watered it down a little so it wasn't real thick, but just a little. Try it. It lasted me all evening. I lost a lb since the fill so for me going on liquids seems to work. I'll see what happens on my one day of food before the next fill.

Great accomplishment Carlene, and great post. I think I'm still courting my band. Maybe its time I just married him and got it over with. Then maybe I could start really losing some weight. Loved your song Jack. It really got to me. (I now know I need to brush my teeth after eating those dang cheetos!)

I got the book and only have had time to glance at it. I do like his appearances on Oprah and learn many things about my body. His two shows on weight have been very informative. I got the book with the DVD for exercise. Of course, its still in the shrink wrap.

She asked lots of questions while I was there yesterday. I didn't think she would be ready to fill someone yet. The regular one was explaining my history, etc. and how to fill someone like me. It was interesting watching them discuss it back and forth. I have had the chills today and can't wait to leave here. I think I'm just having a little delayed reaction. I also very tired. Good news is that I haven't been very hungry.

Day of surgery in June 267, today 228. It's starting to feel real good.

The poem says it all!! It is very revealing and truthful. I agree. You won't be a amateur for long.

If you haven't had a fill chances are you were not stuck. It depends. If you were stuck there is no gastric juices in the pouch. therefore, when you PB not much food, if any, comes up. It's different. If the food went through what you may be feeling is irritation in the esphogus and not really stuck. This is probably not making sense, but things are different. That feeling of being stuck can be just irritation and the food has already gone through. I wouldn't try to throw up. That's not good and you probably haven't been banded very long. Did you eat something you were not supposed to, or ate to fast, or too big of bites?

Glad you declined PinkyLee!!! They always say that to me as well. I've learned not to put much into those fluro readings. You don't want to live on liquids and mushies until goal! I'm tight today as well so maybe this will hold me until Tuesday. I will be on liquids/mushies/liquids/mushies for 12 days at this schedule. I surely better absolutely without a doubt lose weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder if I will notice that the liquid is thicker and thus feel restriction? This is what I'm really trying to figure out. I know he will want to be aggressive, but I'm thinking I'm at 2.0 so put 2.0 of thicker in there until I get back. Maybe I shouldn't try to go back up to 2.3. Guess I'll think this over until then. I need to be firm when I get there because I know he will want to go aggressive.

Thanks for the info Melissa. Did they make you see Spivak to get it? I think its funny that I have to see Spiegel for something that doesn't sound like a major decision. That's what had me concerned. If I get it on the 5th I will have until the 23rd before we leave. I think that will give me enough time to see if I'm OK or not. I couldn't push it much later than that. I think if for some reason Spiegel can't see me on Tuesday, I'll get a small fill to take me back to 2.3. This is getting so tiresome. I just want a little restriction, but not enough to PB. At least its not slipped and my imagination was not playing tricks on me. I could notice that I was eating more and more and getting hungry. It does tell me without this band I wouldn't be able to keep the weight off. I'll try the tylenol before I go in on Tuesday since I have to come to work after the fill. I didn't get the chills too bad last night. I do feel tight today.

I can eat in the morning, just not for several hours after I get up. It's not because I can't, I'm just not hungry then. If for some reason I do try and eat then I get full real fast. I wouldn't call it restriction like some I've heard about, but definitely don't like to eat early. I usually have 2 cups of coffee spaced out over several hours and then mid morning have my activia. I'm ready for lunch by 11:30. I might post a separate thread tomorrow just to see if anyone has heard of this. If so, what were their results.

OK so here's my story. Went for the fill. The last fill I had was .2 bringing me to 2.3. Today when they took it out I had only 1.7. They stopped and took a barium swallow. Everything looked good so they brought me back to 2.0. Afraid to put the whole .6 in at one time since I don't do well. Anyway, they discussed and decided that I would be a candidate for the heavier solution. Dr. Spiegel won't let them do it without seeing the patient. I made an appointment at surgicenter for Tuesday morning. I have to call first on Monday to get "my" time with him. Its a first come first serve, but you must be there when he said its your turn. Anyway, no wonder I was hungry and could eat more. They said the band was fine, no leaks in the tubing, etc. Has anyone heard of the heavier saline? I want to know if I should expect a reaction from it. I know he will want to be aggressive, but I don't want to be sick that close to my cruise. So I'm thinking they could take me to 2.3, but that's as far as I want to go with the heavier stuff. Starting to get my normal chills now so I'll go get on something warm.

I only order what I think I can eat, whether it be on the regular menu, as an appetizer, or as a child's plate. I always expect to pay full price and am delighted if I get it cheaper. If it is something that will keep I order a regular meal and take the rest home. If I'm with someone who likes the same type of food we will share a meal. You can really control the situation when in a restaurant if you are looking for the right food, not a cheaper price. I've never given any explanations as to why I order the way I do. In my opinion it doesn't really mater.

I think that is a major accomplishment. It teaches us that you learned positive behavior modification while having the band and now that it is gone you've stuck to those modifications. You give us all hope that we too can learn to live with the band, and without it if we must.