ocotillo

It's weird not seeing page 852 or whatever. I like this thread too and it's close enough to the old one. I do understand the old one has some good info on it, but I think a lot of people won't go back and read 800 pages. Of course someone will tell me I'm wrong and that they have done that. Laura, glad your Dad is still optimistic. I think attitude is a big part of the battle. You know my parents never came to any of my functions except a parade or two (I was in marching band). I don't think our parents did that sort of thing because none of my friends' parents ever came to their functions either. So to any of you that think I'm really busy...it's generally not true....I just sound that way. Life is good, very good and I keep myself entertained...that's the secret. Janet, you a shop-a-holic? naw....you just like stuff and are in a position to enjoy it. I love to shop on vacation. It's one of my favorite things to do, just not usually for clothes. That may change one of these days. Okay, I have to change the font on my autocad drawings....no big deal. Have a great day!

Yipee a new thread!! Janet, I'm with you on the coupon thing. They rarely have coupons for stuff I buy. I do buy stuff on sale, like coffee, or canned chilies. Just depends on what the deal is. Glad we have a new thread. Charlene, I'm not getting cards made for people's B-days, so you may get a canned card....if you get a card....I'm not doing so well with that either. I'm happy for Lori and her new Grandbaby. Best wishes to her. Apples's son is having his 30th birthday party today. Happy birthday to him too. Hi everyone. Have a good weekend. Eva

I just got my lab results a couple of weeks ago and my triglycerides are down (and I stopped taking the pills months ago) and my total cholesterol numbers are up a bit, but the ratio is better than it's been in years and my HDL's are way up...they've never been this high. I think it take ours bodies a while to figure out what's going on then it will settle down. I do believe in global warming, but as the natural cycle the earth goes through...warm then cold...man may influence some of it, but it's going to do what it's going to do whether we are here or not. It's not a static planet.

I'm truly sorry for your friend and hope she gets the help she needs to get the band removed or moved into the correct place. It is a risk to go out of country for surgery and how can you tell for certain a surgeon is truly reputable. It's so sad a surgeon has to abuse some one this way....hopefully the word goes out about him and he gets no more business. I also went to Tijuana for surgery and had Dr. Ortiz as a previous poster stated. My experience was good as were my three fills there. I would recommend this surgeon to others, but truly you have little recourse if anything goes wrong.

I'm not sure the "obsession" will ever be gone totally. Some of the other bandsters I hang out with have been banded for a couple of years, are at goal weight and still have issues with food. They do have a tool now to help them deal with those issues. I think some of this process is to learn how to deal with the obsession and make better choices. I hope to be able to "just say no" to those things I love to over eat....butter, cheese, cream, Cookies, etc. I want to eat that stuff, but in limited and normal amounts. I want to be able to stop after a bite or two. Hence the band. I'm also willing to take my time with this process. I'd love to drop 10 pounds a month, but I have been fat all my life and I think if I lose quickly, I just won't know how to deal with myself. I too have too many issues around food. Maybe a year from now, those issues won't be so prominent.

So sorry for your pain and I do understand. Yes, it is an intense burning and it does last. The port area is the absolute worst part of the physcial healing. You might have "moved" something a little, but I'm sure you didn't do any major damage. They stapled and stitched my port in so there are metal prongs and the regular stitches holding it in place and if they move, it's going to hurt. Hold that pillow to your stomach every time you cough...if you can...it will help with the support. Do you have any pain meds left from the surgery? You might want to try a little of that just to help right now. I had pain for 3 weeks...intense burning pain, especially if I moved wrong....I still get twinges when I strain that area, but it will go away and heal. The scar tissue will help hold the port in place. I'm self pay too....went to Mexico for surgery.....you will be alright, just make sure you take it easy. You might take something for the cough too. Check with your doctor if you can.

Hi Agnes, I was banded by Dr. Ortiz the week before you. I just had a fill a little more than a week ago and had my first PBing episode and I found out, once I've PBed, I need to way cut back on solids and eat mushies at least the rest of the day....low cal mushies. It seems, once I've PBed my band area is a lot more sensitive and everything gets stuck. Make sure you slow down, eat small bites, chew well and wait between bites. Be really conscience of how you are eating. I find waiting between bites really helps too. It takes me forever to get 4 oz of meat down now, but it works and I'm not hungry for a long time after that. I hope you find some relief and everything settles down. If you keep PBing, you need to have a small unfill. You can always go back and have more put in later.

I have found it very difficult to focus too, especially after a length of time of not loosing because I'm not paying attention. Kick start by doing the 5 day pouch test....you can find info on the web...basically going back to the start and doing liquids, mushies, etc. I just got a really good fill and I think I'm at my sweet spot, not really sure yet, but it's just been a little over a week. I'm also slogging my way through Beck Diet Solutions and there are some great trips for dieting and staying on track. Despite the band and people saying it's a lifestyle change...which is true, it's still dieting. You have to watch what you eat. People here can help inspire you, but you are the one that has to do the work. Best wishes to you.

If you cannot eat or drink...you need an unfill. You can damage your stomach and it is unhealthy not to be able to take nourishment. Call your doctors and get at least a little Fluid taken out. I just had my 3rd fill and believe I'm at my sweet spot. I can drink...any temperature....slowly, no gulping. I can eat slowly and small amounts. I do get a little tighter in the am and have to drink coffee slowly, but I can drink. You need to be able to drink and eat. Get an unfill. Call your doctors. He/she may only need to take out .5 cc, but you shouldn't be hurting yourselves this way.

Good for you in checking your statement. No wonder our health care system is such a mess. You are paying part of that over charge too aren't you? Since you still pay 20% you are paying 20% more for things that shouldn't be there. I applaud you for checking and following up with it.

Although I told my friends, I didn't tell many people at work. People have expectations of rapid weight loss and miracles....it just isn't happening that way. I guess I'm lucky that no one has really asked how much I've lost. I think they've noticed....but I'm still very large, my stomach is still large and I'm wearing a lot of my old clothes and it hides my weight loss pretty well. I also haven't lost any weight for a little over 3 months. I'm just now starting back down the scale and hoping in another three months to be lighter. Enough so to buy a few new clothes. Sorry....I digress.....so tell people this isn't bypass and the weight doesn't come off quickly. It truly is a diet and exercise program with help and the weight will come off slowly. It is what I tell people that do ask. I'm dieting and exercising. It's exactly what I'm doing. You've done very well since December. Good luck in your journey

I also drink coffee most days. I also need to "diet" to lose weight. When I eat normal, I just maintain. So leaner meat, veggies, carbs last. Calories in and calories expended is how it works....so however you achieve that should be the ticket. Haven't tried alli and I'm thinking it wouldn't be a good idea. Good luck.

You will not gain all the weight back if you follow the recommended eating plan. Track your calories and your activities and you will be fine. The weight battle is exactly that, a battle and you are going to lose some and gain some...but overall, you will lose weight. Everyone I know on this forum has fears of gaining the weight back, but you have a tool now that should help you control the amount you eat. You still have to make the decision to eat correctly, not eat high calorie sliders, but you can do it. I am battling my food addiction also and it is very hard for me. I keep putting stuff in my mouth that I shouldn't. HOWEVER, I am not gaining weight overall, I just am not losing and I'm working on my issues. Do what ever it takes. The woman I chat with have lost 100 lbs or more and have kept it off from months so far to years. They battle with their weight too and the desire to eat more than they should. Other women are still working on their weight loss and they are a year or more out. Please be patient with yourself and understand this is not a rapid weight loss program. The weight will come off, it will be slow, but it will come off.

Congrats to all you recent bandsters.....be patient. Your bodies have just undergone surgery, it takes it a while to recover. The weight will come off. I did not lose anything the first few days because I was so bloated from the surgery, but everything really moved after that. I also gained after I went off liquids, but that too settled down...this is not a lose weight quick plan, it's a tool to help you learn to eat slower and less food. You have to make good choices about what you eat, just like a diet, but if you do that, the weight comes off. Be patient, play by the rules and you will see results. And it helps if you weigh weekly and not every day. It's so tempting to weigh every day, but truly the weekly weigh in really does keep you from tweaking about a pound gained one day. Good luck everyone.

You might want to give more details such as were you on a diet pre-band? How much and what sort of foods are you eating now? How often are you eating? Are you following your doctor's recommendations now? Do you have a nutritionist? The band affects everyone differently. I get hungry, but it's not like it was before banding. I wasn't hungry for more than a week after banding. Sometimes it's head hunger, not physical hunger you are dealing with. More info is needed.

Patterba, I'm not sure what you did is cheating.....but it's not smart to screw up your post-op diet. For the next few weeks you are healing...meaning the band is settling in its spot around your stomach, the port and tubing are settling on your stomach muscles...you really want those things to heal without them moving. I'm sure you know this and understand this, but it's crucial that everything heals in place so you don't have issues later. Yes, you do need to come first but you need balance too. In time, you will find the right balance, but for now, please follow your doctors directions for food intake until the band and port heals. After almost three weeks of liquids, I was pretty sick of them...I started solid food two days early. I had eggs and they were the best eggs I've ever had. I also eat pizza once in a while. I have a very hard time stopping, because I really like pizza, so it is an exercise for me to eat only one piece. Pizza goes down very easily for me too. You will find what works for you and yes, you will beat yourself up about doing this "bad" thing or that "bad" thing, but really, it's life and life is a series of ups and downs. Good luck to you and take care of yourself.

All you new bandsters...........calm down, enjoy what weight you've lost. This is not a rapid weight loss program no matter how much weight you've lost in the beginning. The band is a tool and your body is healing from the insertion of that tool. It does take time. After starting to eat mushies and solid food, your body needs to make another adjustment. So stick with your program, drink water, walk, and slowly the weight will come off. In the end, it's a matter of calories in and calories expended. Don't short yourself either, you can't live on 500 calories a day. Find a balance that works for you and vary the amount of calories you eat each day. One day eat less 900 and the next eat 1000. Don't eat exactly the same thing. Eat your hard protien slowly and chew chew chew (of course you have very little restriction, but trust me, you'll appreciate already being in the habit of eating small bites and chewing a lot.) You will get there, it just takes time and work. Good luck to all of you.

Jill, everyone seems to have given you great advise. Vary your calories....900 one day, 1000 the next, and up to 1200 then back down. Sometimes our bodies get used to the routine and just stays where it is. I'm losing very slowly now too.....only about 24 since banding and most of that was the 3 weeks after surgery. I'm terrible about sticking to a "diet" so I know where my issues are, but hey I still loose 2 or 3 pounds a month and it's going down. Be patient and learn to work with your band.

There is a thread called "I'm here to help...." If you want some inspiration, go to the start of that thread and read through it. There are several people that have lost 100+ pounds and are keeping it off. You can do it, but it's work. Keeping track of every bite really helps. That's what I'm doing right now because I'm stalled and it's because I'm eating too many calories.....I graze too. The best to you.

My theory about the experience bandsters is that they are lurking from time to time. There are some on the thread I usually hang out on and they are helpful, but so is everyone. It's interesting to read about people's different experiences. I also think people that aren't doing so well sort of fall off the LBT wagon. They'll come back later when desperate or need help. Also people get busy or bored with the chat boards. These are just assumptions and you know what they say when you assume something....................

Oh yummmm, my favorite food. I do sashimi mostly but I do eat hand rolls, seaweed and all. Have to be careful with tako....must chew well and take small bites. Guess what I'm having for lunch tomorrow......yipee!!

Ditto, you are healing and should be taking it easy. Don't worry about the weight loss until you start eating real food. Then you need to apply the band rules with healthy eating and exercise rules and you should lose weight.

Do your research and it's up to you where you want to go and who you trust. I went to Tijuana for my surgery and I've been back there twice for fills. I was very happy with the surgery and the clinic. My doctor was Dr. Ariel Ortiz. Do you have someone locally to do your fills? This is a necessary function of the band. Isn't there a fill center in the Phoenix area? For me it was a matter of cost, experienced surgeon, and accessibility. It's an hour flight to San Diego and 30 - 40 minutes to the clinic from the air port. Good luck.

Happy2lose...great advise. Why can't I remember to do that when the head hunger hits me? I'm going to work on that. I have a problem with head hunger too and I'm 3 months post op. My weight loss is very slow and I graze. So...I have many issues to work on. I think the re-focus idea is great. I just keep forgetting to do that.

Deetrix, I PM'd you...you should have a message when you log in.