TheGh0st

Like I said = No complaining here. Just my own head issues. From being at Vegas Last Jan I remember thinking the front of TI looked great and was well located, combine that with Gaffer's comments as well as it being one of the more reasonably priced hotel's on the Trade Shows site I linked to before, it would have probably been my pick as well. Though this is still all acedemic for me as husband is in NO current mood to consider this trip. Right now if I just look at him cross-eyed he threatens pulling the plug on my PS in 4 weeks. Still I'm hoping to turn him around before Christmas. I'll probably even go ahead and reserve a room online. After all, worst case, I can always cancel it later.

I've been researching today with my local doc as well as online as to whether I should get an Unfill prior to my PS or not. I'm getting conflicting information. Anyone out there have any suggestions of their own? JulieNY are you out there? FaithMD, WasaBubble...??

Thanks for your response. I'm not a prude but I was actually just a little put off by TI's webpage skin pics they have plastered across the top of their site. It helps to hear your comments. No insult to the powers that chose TI. Its just my own stupid body issues I'm still dealing with on this journey.

For me at nearly 40 years old it was my mother that was the most vocal critic though many people in my family were against it. They all thought I could just buckle down and do it myself like all the other times I had (then gained it back). They thought it was just laziness and a lack of will power and that sugery was some sort of cop out. My mom cried, begged, offered to pay for other things like (fat camps, hypnosis, Jenny Craig...) for her what it really boiled down to was she was scared of complications from the surgery. She still saw this as a dangerous procedure like RNY and was convinced I could die from it. I showed her several studies done on the band and invited her to come to one of the seminars as well as a support group meeting. She was never willing to give me her full "blessing" before the surgery but now 2 years out she is so proud of what I have accomplished and has actually had several friends and co-workers of her call me for advice on how to start the process of getting thier own bands. My advice - bring her to a seminar, take her to a local support group meeting where she can see and talk to people who are already banded, find the case studies that have been done for her to read. But in the end, tell her you lover her but that you need to do what you know is right for you.

There are two reasons I have heard for not drinking Water with meals and for a period of time after (Some docs add before as well.) First potential "Side Effect" of drinking with meal - you can water down the food enough to allow more food to pass through the band before you feel full and also cause what food is still in the pouch to be "runny" enough to also pass through rather quickly making you hungry for more sooner than if you didn't drink. This "Side Effect" happens most often when people drink small amounts consistently from before to throughout the meal. This method of drinking during a meal works against the band's ability to help you lose weight but it is not "dangerous" The Second potential "Side Effect" - If you have ate most or all of your meal without "watering" it down as you go then get thirsty and take a drink the food that is already in the pouch can act as a kind of plug that the drink will just sit on top of. This is VERY uncomfortable and can send you running to the restroom to PB. This is the worst to drink around a meal as it is not good for anyone to over fill their pouch even if it is just water on top. It even has the potential of contributing to complications from the band. Picture this: The food you chew to the consistency of mashed potatoes and your stomach with the as a funnel. In the first senario you would be evenly placing very small amounts of mashed potato in the funnel along with small amounts of water, helping the small bits of potato to flush through. Then in the second senario you are setting a large spoonful of mashed potatoes in a funnel then pouring water on top. The water won't instantly mix with the potatoes and wash it through. Instead it will run up over the top of the funnel. By the way at just one day from my 2 year anniversary - I am not the model drinker at meals. I use to tell the waiter not to bring me anything including water. But now will just concede to let him bring the water. I will drink a small amount before the meal and maybe a sip or three during the meal. Afterwards I don't tend to drink for approx. a half hour but I don't time it one way or the other. If I'm really thirsty after a meal I just try to take it slowly and carefully. At home I don't pour myself a drink but do take a few sips of my DH or DS' cup from time to time. My behaviour may mean that I've lost a little less than I could have over the last 2 years and it may mean that I've been a bit hungrier between meals than I needed to be. But for me, at least, having gone from a size 26 to a 10 over the last two years, I'm not going to second guess whether I may have been an 8 by now, or if I could have gotten to the size 10 a few months sooner by forcing myself not to ever take a sip here and there throughout my meals. The band is our TOOL. It up to each individual to decide wether and how much they are going to take advantage of the opportunities the Tool provides. I just chose the path that worked for me.

Tracy - we missed you Saturday! How are you doing? Have any of you seen that there is going to be a Lapbandtalk get together in Vegas the end of January? Here's a link to the thread. I'm really hoping to get my husband to "let" me go without a big argument. If I do maybe some of us could all go together and share a couple of rooms. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/vegas-january-agenda-next-steps-39545/

Jeanette (Hugger) was great to meet you Saturday - I had a great time talking with you and Victoria at the Outback after the meeting. If at all possible I'll be there next month but not sure with it being just days after my PS. Mary (MEW) - Just send me a PM and I'll give you my cell number. Me and another bandster are thinking of starting to walk there on Mondays. But the day is flexible. Also Mary or anyone else. Just thought I'd post that I heard at Malley's suppport group last weekend that they are looking for a Nurse Practicioner (or higher certification) to assist with giving fills. I wish I had the training. I'd love to work in a lapband office, maybe I'd get free fills.

Hey all. I just found out my company will be attending a trade show in Vegas the following week. This might be an opportunity for me to convince work to let me go and then convince my husband to let me go early. But that aside. I think you all should be able to take advantage of the discounts available for people stating they are attending the Trade conference. Check out worldofconcrete.com WOC 2008 I tried the link and it didn't ask for any proof that you were attending the show it just assumes if you can find the website you must be going. It also gives some instructions on how to get reduced airfare to Vegas. One word of caution - these trade show hotel rates usually get booked FAST.

Pre-band Confessions - Several of our local grocery stores have these spots as well. At my highest weight pre-band I use to park in those spots. I figured who was going to argue that I didn't look pregnant. After all I'd been mistaken for 9 months pregnant more than once. It seemed like fair payback for the insult at the time. Now it just seems like an excuse for having been too lazy to walk a few extra steps

You want to hear priceless - I think I'm interested in getting that pant suit. certified coder - do you still have it? My mom told me about some hair brained idea for helping the skin elasticity improve. She claims she read/saw some medical study (she's in the medical field) that shows some real improvement with the use of seaweed wraps. It claims you can do it at home but that you need to wrap yourself in foil and keep yourself as warm (hot) as possible. You should have seen me trying to wrap my arms in foil after applying the home made seaweed body spread. I'm still finding bits of seaweed in the grout of the floor tile.

Quote: Originally Posted by losingjusme i dont think there's enough foil in Vegas for you to "foil" me ... maybe by January though .. :pound:But seriously, you might just be surprised. I think it sounds like a great exercise. I bet you are a lot smaller than you realize.

I'm hoping to go but have just started working my husband over. He's a bit sick of all things band related and a gathering of bandsters would not be his idea of a fun holiday. On the other hand he has been acting a bit jealous of my new body so my going alone might bother him even more. I'll keep you posted.

TZTMama - Hadn't even thought of my back, and oh how it has been hurting lately. It would be nice if the tummy tuck helped with that. Though with my good old size F cups hanging around for now I'm afraid I'm not in for much relief yet. My insurance says they will cover the breast reduction but the doc won't do both surgeries at the same time.

I was at a local support group last Saturday and some of us that are 2-7 years out and near or at goal were talking about this issue. One of the gals that was nearly 7 years out said a friend of hers was also going through the same thing. So she and some other bandmates wrapped the woman all over in tin foil and carefully cut the tinfoil down one side to get her out. Then put the seam back together so she could "stand" next to herself and see what she really looked like. She just broke down and cried in disbelief at how small she was. I can't say it "Fixed" her body image problems but it was a good first step. Maybe if some of us can make it to the January get together in Vegas we can have a "Foiling" Party.

I've been trying to add photos to the gallery with no success as well. So I can't be much help there. However in the "Go Advanced" option of responding to this thread you can click on the "Manage Attachments" button down a ways below the smileys in the Additional Options Section. Note: When you add photos to a thread it isn't a bad idea to hit the "Preview Post" before you actually submit the message just to make sure the pics aren't too large for the screen. If they are too large to see on the screen easily then go to your pictures folder where the photo is saved right click on the file, select "Open With" then "Microsoft Photo Editor". In the Microsoft Photo Editor Select "Image" then "Resize" and change the size to something smaller. After you have done that resave the file (with or without a new name) then go back to the Lapband window and re-attach the photo. It's not as hard as it sounds. Most of the time the pics are small enough you don't have to resize them. Feel free to send me a PM if you still have troubles.

SOCAL - Keep us posted on how the hypnosis works. I'm a bit reluctant to go the counseling route (with a father that's a counselor, I have issues) But the hypnosis sound like a good idea. Tracy - *OFFTOPIC* hey their gal. You going to make it to Malley's support group tomorrow? Hope to see you there.

Yes please post your pics as well as your thoughts on the recovery process. I'm scheduled for October 9th and praying that I'll be well enough to go back to work the 22nd. It is a desk job but the doc is trying to tell me to take a month off. How does he think I'm paying for this?

UPDATE - I have my FINANCING!!!! :whoo: I worked it a bit backwards set up the surgery and all just assuming I'd find the money. But its ALL GOOD! Discover Card sent me a 3.9% until Jan 2011 offer and I was able to get approved for $10K, well over what the surgery will cost. I'd been hoping to find a 2.9% for the life of the card but 3.9 is still better than any bank will offer and I should be able to set up a schedule to get it paid off by 2011. And to boot I'll get another 8,000 frequent flyer miles for doing it. All I have to do is pay for it with my frequent flyer card then transfer the balance over to the Discover Card for their promo rate. I did the same thing with the initial Band surgery giving me over 23K in miles. Plenty enough for a free ticket to Vegas for the Bandster Bash coming in January. Now to convince my husband to go. Hmmm, maybe I don't need to mention their will be other bandsters around and just bill it as a 2nd honeymoon to Celebrate my newly recovered body. Then just do the "Oh by the way dear..." after its all booked and paid for:heh:. Somehow I don't think that would fly to well.

:bump2:Thought this thread might be worth a bump. A more appropriate question for me might be what do I not like or possibly what am I currently listening to. Some of my Fav's range from - Louis Armstrong, to Rammstein, Marilyn Manson & even Snoop Dogg. I couldn't even tell you the names of most of the newer bands I listen to. I was on a kick of listening to Club/Gangster Rap but now I'm on a "Goth" kick. I recently found an online radio station called "The Putre Factor" which is part of HotGoth.net. It has over 13,500 songs and runs exclusivly on viewer requests. No DJ's picking the music. A song you request usually plays in less than 5 minutes. Honestly I don't work for them, nor am I affiliated with the site in any way just love the format. Only downside would be I'm not thrilled with the level of banner ads that come with it. But then I'm listening not watching. My co-workers love to tease me about my music fads. They just can't get me. Near 40 year old christian mother and wife who likes to turn the radio up so loud on the way to work they can hear me pulling in the parking lot from inside the building.

Have you had the doc check you maybe with the flouro. I have absolutely NO medical training. But am afraid that may sound like a problem with the band like slippage or pouch dialation. I truly hope not though as I've had some bouts of some symptoms much like these though not as severe yet. Please see your doctor and give us an update.

On a more positive note I am so excited for your up-coming banding. And am jealous of the horse riding lessons. Keep us posted on your progress.

Nume - I am so sorry it had to come to this but having followed your posts since before this thread was started I believe that despite all the trauma that goes with a seperation this will truly be the best for everyone. I know how hard it has been to come to this decision and will continue to pray for you and your family.

Cindy - Are you saying you have had some level of bleeding all but 4 days since July? If I'm reading that right, may I ask if you are on a birth control pill? I had a similar experience some years ago where my body sort of rebelled against the birth control I was taking at the time and after 8+ weeks of constant bleeding I finally went to the doc. Changing to a new birth control pill worked for me back then but I don't ever want to repeat the experience of a vaginal exam during a period. YUCK!

OK since we are talking about the subject. I'm having nearly an opposite problem. My cycle has always been long, about 6 weeks. The intensity when they hit use to be light but after my son stopped breast feeding and my periods restarted they kicked into high gear. Still 6 weeks apart but VERY heavy when they hit. But now they are suddenly showing up months apart. I just started a new period a week shy of 3 months since my last one, Which was nearly 4 months since the one before that. Has anyone else experienced a slowing down of your cycle after the band? Or maybe I'm in some pre-menoupause phase at 37 years old?

I feel just the same. But every once in a while I wonder... Is there really any one out there that just accepts the way they look now? Even the ones that have been skinny all there lives? Haven't we all heard "them" talking about how they need to lose this pound or two or tighten this muscle or that? All the while we were thinking how happy we would be if only we were that size. And yet now as we are approaching or even surpassing those same women we use to hate hearing complain we find ourselves still complaining too. Maybe the worries and complaining never reallly ends for any of us. Its a sobering and sad thought that we may never completely quiet those voices. But maybe the voices just get a little softer, a little more bearable, and eventually can be considered no more than a new tool to help keep us from ever going down that old destructive path again. But, personally I hope I'm wrong and those infernal voices will SHUT UP once and for all at some point.