I'm still here

I am always sore, especially if they have to poke around a little - nothing to worry about, I wouldn't think.

Oh gosh - that is awful! Which paper did you see that in? I think you and I are in the same area (I am in League City) . . .

Just checking in today to see how you're doing . . . Lynn

Julie ~ Looking at your before and after pics side by side made me think my mind was playing tricks on me . . . WOW!!! Not that the girl in the before pics wasn't beautiful too, but the after pics are nothing short of amazing. As everyone else has said, thank you so much for sharing your journey with us.

I am curious about the Quickslim . . . . is it a pill or a capsule? How big is it? Do you find that it makes you 'jittery' or keeps you from being able to go to sleep at night ??? I need a 'little something' for these last 10 pounds I think, but can't get a big pill or capsule down when I have much restriction. Also, every 'diet pill' I have ever taken has made me feel like my heart was going to jump out of my chest, AND kept me from being able to sleep.

That is the exact same reason why I ended up in a bind too . . . I thought I must not be tight enough if I could EAT and could eat more than a couple of bites. Boy - did I learn a lesson! My doctor's nurse says we should be able to eat about a 'lean cuisine' portion 3 times a day . . . . I am going to focus on that and use that as my guideline from now on, as opposed to thinking I should not be able to eat more than a bite or two at each meal. I go back in on Tuesday, and I really hope I am able to get a fill then. This lack of restriction is going to get me if I stay this way for long!

Oh ENTERPRISE01 !!! You are welcome to come spend the rest of the day with our crazy family in League City!!! You don't need to spend the day by yourself . . . I lost my only sister to breast cancer last year and so we sort of 'sit the holidays out' last year and my Mother is this year too, but my husband's family came this year and we are going to cook out later - we'd love to have you join us! Nobody knows about my band, so luckily with my unfill last week - I have been able to eat everything they have so far . . . I can't wait until Tuesday when I hope I can get filled again.

Oh Tonya Honey ~ I TOTALLY agree with what everyone else has said about NOT waiting! I was filled too tight (from 2.2 to 2.7) on 10/24 and tried to ride it out and convince myself that it would loosen up on its own (blah blah blah) and I have paid dearly for it! By the time I went in last week (3 weeks later), everything I have is swollen and irritated from the intense vomiting (not PB'ing - all out, toenails coming up, violent - puking!). Seeing my insides that irritated under fluro freaked me out and I got a pretty stern talking to by my adorable doctor. He said that I had risked the health of my band long-term by waiting that long to come back. He then removed about 1/2 of my fill and told me that I had to wait at least a week to come back in to see if I can get another fill . . . So, I have an appt on Tuesday and I am doing my best NOT to over-eat until then, but it has been really hard considering how deprived I felt after those 3 horrible weeks . . . . I really believe in the 'starvation mode' theory now. I was starving, but not really losing - ??? I was also pretty dehydrated too. Please don't wait as long as I did . . . . I felt like an idiot for even asking for the fill to begin with. I guess I had perfect restriction at 2.2 and just didn't realize it. I hope I can get back to that point sooner rather than later, as I don't think it will take me long to gain alot of weight back feeling 'wide open' like this. I feel like I could eat a horse without even chewing right now. :phanvan I hope everyone has a wonderful day today, and that we all stop to count our blessings and tell our friends and family how much we love them.

Hi Tulip ~ No, I was unfilled from 2.7 to 2.0 - it fills like there is nothing in there, but I know there still is. I am anxious to get back to 2.2 or maybe 2.3, but know now that will probably be my limit. 2.7 was terrible and I don't ever want to experience that again. I agree, I need to learn to work with this little tool and quit fighting it. I really feel like I have been, and long term that is not going to work. I am working hard to make better choices and do my part . . . Hopefully that will help. I would like to lose 10-15 more pounds but need to wrap my mind around doing in over a 3-6 month period as opposed to 2 weeks which is what I would really prefer . . . I have never lost 1-2 pounds per week, but Dr. Spivak keeps telling me that my loss is perfect for me. For me, it feels really s-l-o-w . . . .

More adorable than DR. SPIVAK ????? NO WAY !!! I am wondering the same thing ??? How much for a TT ? Where is he located ? Where does he operate ? Thanks for the info . . .

Thank you Julie for your explanation . . . I hope one day I can conquer this phobia and just do it! You look amazing!!! And, I am in awe of your courage facing down these surgeries . . . YOU GO GIRL !!! We are all rooting for you!

That has to be the ugliest part of the state !!! My husband is from Midland and I had never seen such dry, ugly country until I went home with him the first time. I actually asked him, 'What is wrong with the ground here?' as we were landing in Midland . . . His family still laughs about it, 20 years later . . . . . There are other places in Texas that are wonderful . . . .

Me TOO !!!! Fried pickles and ranch . . . . Man, I'd love to have some right NOW !

Don't wait too long hoping it will loosen up on it's own, mine didn't . . . I waited 3 weeks (knowing my fill was too tight) and when I did go in this past Thursday - now have 'severe edema' in my esophogus and had to be partially unfilled. I feel stupid for waiting so long. I was losing quickly too, but now think I was just really dehydrated. I have put back on 2 pounds in 2 days and there is no way I have eaten enough to gain 2 real pounds. As I eventually am able to get filled again, I am going to have to accept that the band can only do part of the work and I am going to have to do the rest. I now fully understand and believe that being too tight is not the answer. Those were the most miserable 3 weeks I can remember. Good luck ~

I just can't get past it . . . there has to be something wrong with me! :paranoid Nope, can't watch those shows . . . :omg: I am so excited for you enterprise01 - I have been following your thread too.

Awesome enterprise01 !!! I will be following your progress.

I totally agree Julie - you look amazing and beautiful and I appreciate you sharing your journey with us. I have a dumb question - HOW BAD ARE THE DRAINS??? How crazy would I sound if I admitted that the ONLY reason I may not have any PS is because of the drains??? I have no idea where my phobia of them came from, but I have a huge one . . . :omg: I think I hate anything that I can see that is connected to my body. Examples - IV's, Epidural tubing, etc. Strange huh???

My suspicion was right . . . I went in for an x-ray with fleuro today, and as I feared - was way too tight. I have severe edema (swelling) in my esophogus and had to have about half of my fill removed. As much as I hated being partially unfilled, I will say I had almost instant relief. Hopefully after my esophogus heals I will be able to have some of the Fluid put back in, but for now I just have to take care of it . . . I think the way I am feeling is crazy - but I don't want to risk losing my band completely, so I'll just have to work harder to eat less on my own. Thanks for all of your input ~

Hello fellow bandsters, I had a fill about two weeks ago and have been struggling with my level of restriction ever since. I am sooo tight . . . I am now at 2.5 in a 4cc band. I am curious how common it is not to be able to get hardly anything down until late afternoon - ??? I have seen that discussed on here before and really don't want to have an unfill, but also don't want to risk complications from being too tight. If you don't mind responding, I'd love to know how many of you can barely get anything down until late afternoon. Thanks in advance for your input ~

Happy Anniversary Betsyjane -

OMGosh - thanks for that . . . . I cannot tell you how much time I have spent trying to figure out what the heck IMHO meant !!! Now I know. I love you. :bounce:

That is great! Me TOO! Now I know what it is called . . . I have a RECTANGULAR butt! :phanvan

You are right enterprise01 - there is no way it could be real weight! You would have had to consume what, like - 17,500 extra calories to gain 5 pounds! Hang in there - I am sure it will be gone in a day or two.

This is my favorite thread I've read so far! Thanks Wheetsin for starting it . . . :clap2: I have spent the last 10 months worrying and wondering if all of the things I have been feeling (that have previously been mentioned HERE!) were normal. I am so glad to have read this and found out that I am not alone.