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Mim, Good for you and your son!! We shouldn't let our weight stop us from things we want to do. Glad you had fun and when are you going to do it again? Oh, and don't forget to keep putting on the sun screen. Sunburn is not fun!!! ee

Indio, Congratulations on 2 years!! You have done amazing and I hope the band continues to work for you. Or maybe that should be you work with it. Either way Great Job!! ee

I'm still on post-op diet (liquid) and was banded a little more than 2 weeks ago. I'm not sure yet how well it's helped, but I've had to stop taking one of the pills because my blood sugar kept tanking. So I will know more in about three months, but I think it is helping a lot. Just can't drink a whole lot of drinks with sugar in it.

Okay, I'm eavesdropping on your conversation. This really has become your personal thread. I was curious about the poll...it's an interesting question. I just started doing facebook too. I too got involved with farming. Can't believe I'm doing that and others my age are doing that. How do people find the time to keep that up? So there are many lbt people on facebook? I really don't want to get sucked into that so I forget to do other stuff.....just posting here does take a bit of time. Anyway.....hope you don't mind I intruded. ee

You didn't look so good the last time I saw you. You were just recovering from surgery. I left early......didn't want to be there just laying around. I'm having the fatigue thing now. Been pretty wiped out this week, but I'm still working. How's the diet going? ee

I was banded in Tijuana by Dr. Ariel Ortiz. It was clean and the people were professional and I liked the doctor. I also went through WorldMedAssist to start but can't really remember how I ended up with Dr. Ortiz, except I have his book and did some research on him. Not a bad experience. ee

Great Job and Congratulations!!! Doing the happy dance with you!!!! ee

I love this post. I know I'm not always clear, but I love to write and I do know the difference between there/their/they're. I'm amazed at how many people don't use them correctly. Two, to, and too is another one that bugs me. I truly do understand there are very good reasons (disabilities & different cultures) for incorrect grammar and spelling, but when it's just plain laziness, I do have a problem with that. And how would you know really? Do you ask the person if they talk like that or if they know how to spell? Okay, I feel better too. I really enjoy a well written post. ee

My surgery was in Tijuana. One lady there called the week prior to her surgery. I had 3 weeks out by my choice. Research your doctor. I think Wasabubblebutt has a link for that on her posts. Or the ones listed on this site. Good luck. ee

Your stomach is swollen and it will take a few days for that to go down. Don't force it but keep sipping liquids as much as you can so you stay as hydrated as you can. I couldn't drink 64oz at first, I barely got down 20, but it will slowly get better. I wouldn't do anything but Clear Liquids right now because you've just had surgery. If it doesn't improve, contact your surgeon/doctor.

Lotsabirds, Hi. I will go to Mexico for at least the first fill. I really want this surgeon/staff to do it since they banded me. I might look for a fill center in Phoenix after that, just depends on how it goes. So how's it working for you? Are you happy you did it? ee

Melmarlem "However, I work in a very small doctor's office and decided that instead of having my co-workers discuss my weight behind my back, I told them, so they could discuss it to my face. There are always going to be negative people who think that what we are doing is "cheating". But what a better way to educate them and proove to them what this is really all about...it's about hard work and determination. It most certainly is not taking the easy way out!! :)" What wise words! Education is the part of the answer, that's for sure. I'm just not ready to tell the folks in the office (besides my boss) because of the scrutiny. I will eventually, just not yet. I'm not quite part of the group (and probably never will be) and there so many other things those people need to discuss, not what I'm putting in my mouth. Happyhour, als74 has a good response but I was at a wedding yesterday and my friend tried to get me to eat cake and I just told her I'm still on a liquid diet. This friend is from work and she knows I was doing a sort of liquid diet (pre-op). She's wondering but I'm just telling her I'm under a nutritionist supervision and this is what I'm doing to start my weigh loss. I really like als74's answer.....I'm fat, I don't need to eat. Als74, I like your attitude. I really have to work at not being rude as much as I would like to be. Most people just don't respond positively when you're rude to them. Queenlil, great job on the weight loss. WoW:thumbup:

I too have connected recently with several people from high school. For me, it's 35 years later. I found there are a couple of people I didn't really associate with in HS that I actually like and enjoy corresponding with. On the flip side, there are still many, many people I just don't care for. One person wants to join my little reunion group, but was nixed by one of the other members. I'm alright with that because she treated a lot of people like dodo. I'm planning on a mini-reunion next year and I hope to walk in there weighing less than I did in high school. Now wouldn't that be a shock. I haven't told the reunion group what I've done yet. I need to get in the full swing of things (off liquids) first and find my way. Then I will. Good luck to you.

I wish you luck with the insurance. My insurance will not pay for weight loss anything. So I am a self pay and I went to Mexico. My heart goes out to all of you that have jumped all the hoops the insurance company puts you through and still can't get a surgery date. I wish I could have had the proceedure done here, but the cost was at a minimum $4000 more. For that money, I can go back to Tijuana and get my fills. I am looking for people my age to stay connected with through this journey. I find the support helps. PM me and I'll share my email address if you want. I keep good thoughts for your surgery days!! ee

You know, the scale can be your best/worst friend. I too get caught up in the weigh every day thing, but it rarely does me any good because my moods will be tweaked by it. Of course I am recently banded and I can't help myself, but I'm going on the one week weigh in starting today. I think for overall mental health, that will help. After I start doing fills we will see, but I hope to do this weekly. The negative feelings about being a failure are only coming from you (I hope). It seems to me any weight lost and kept off is a positive thing. Routine gets boring and I know I get tired of eating the same things over and over. Like several of the successful losers on this web site say, shake things up a bit. Change your routine. Eat something different, try a different exercise. Do something different. ee

Sorry, I'm not in your area, but I sure can type on a computer. What kind of motivation do you want....something nice and encouraging? Or more like get off your a** and walk. Someone that would check with you every day (or most days) to make sure you are doing what you say you will do? Someone that would make you accountable because you would have to report in? Well I'm not really much good at the nice part, but I can hold you accountable for check in's. I would do the same. I honestly could see myself slipping as my band opened up and allowed the not good stuff in and too much of it. And I don't like to exercise either. I do much better if I have to do it because I told someone else I have to do it and I have to check in. The only catch to this right now is I'm just barely past 1 week post-op and I'm still on a liquid diet. I don't start real food until 7-23. I can still do the food check in, but I'm still restricted on a lot of exercise until then too. Are you interested? ee

Hey Juniper, You have posted some wise words and encouragement on these boards, here's a little for you. You've taken the first few steps and if your goal is over whelming, make a much smaller goal. You'll see I have a mini-goal in my signature because that will be a milestone for me. I'm looking towards that one because I know I can reach that and it's within my scope of vision. The ultimate goal will remain, but for now, I'm just looking at 22 pounds. It doesn't depress me or make me worry if I'll actually make my goal next year because I have to get to my first one. Sheena, welcome! Right before I started this process, we went to New Orleans too! I had beignets at Cafe du Monde every day and we ate at Corino's too. I don't know about the beignets in my future, but I will be eating Italian....just not the "whole thing". Good luck!! My hope for a year from now is that I have reached my goal or very close to it and I'm traveling to Mexico for a lower body lift. I've always had that "apron" of fat on my lower stomach and I would love to have it removed. I've never tucked in a shirt or wore short shirt because I have to hide my fat. It would be nice to have that flexibility. Take care everyone.

If the guy is "right" he won't care about the noise. Go ahead and date, it would be a great stress test for him. Hopefully he has a great sense of humor. My husband has a very noisy stomach and always has. If I put my ear on his stomach, it's as noisy as mine now. He is a little overweight and the noisy stomach has been there for a long time. I would ask him if he could hear it or feel it and he says sometimes, but it doesn't bother him. Wishing you all a quieter day! ee:blink:

Banded 7-2 and today I was sore. I guess I slept wrong because I had red spot on my tummy (not at the incisions) and it hurt. I put ice on it and sort of took it easy and now it seems all better. I've been healing nicely, in fact, some of the glue came off this evening (no I wasn't picking at it, it caught on my bra). Yippee....the pool for me next week. I'm still very bruised and yes, it still hurts, but I can finally sleep on my right side (maybe thats what caused the sore spot this morning). I usually sleep on my left, but I think that is a couple of weeks away yet. I've noticed that I can drink more Water than before and I'm starting to get a little hungry. Not bad and nothing a few bites of yogurt or a V-8 doesn't handle, but before I felt like Juniper, not hungry and had a hard time actually eating. I am not keeping track of my calories now because I know they are low and what's the point. I'll have to keep track when I'm eating solid food in 2 weeks. I'm not drinking anything in great quantities and with a lot of fat or sugar. Many noises out of body....lots of burping, but not too bad stuck gas yet. I wonder what it will be like when I start eating solid foods...I may be explosive or better still, I'll be able to compete with my brother in a belching contest. LOL It's very hot here (106) and I have had to work outside the last couple of days. I try and do all my outside stuff in the morning because I don't want to be out in the afternoon. I shouldn't have to go out tomorrow. Sure would like to hear from other that are about a week out too!

I was banded on 7-2 by Dr. Ortiz also and had no problems coming or going. If you are being picked up by the OCC, you will be shuttled to and from. They have lots of experience with it. Good luck.

Millie, I sure hear what you are saying....especially as I'm smashing my meds to "drink" tonight. How wonderful it would be to not have worry if this medication will ruin my kidney or what other side effects they might have long term. I'm trying to not think about clothes (I have a secret weakness for them). I have many items that are too small and I can't wait to wear them again. Now these items are a size 22 and I'm looking forward to wearing them again. I'm looking forward to wearing a 24 LOL. I have the apple shape, and I'm a very round apple. My stomach has gotten so big that I can't get into the clothes I used to wear at this weight. Not to knock the younger women, but so many of them are focused on clothing and I was so hoping to have grown out of that phase. Guess not. :biggrin:

Hi Tish, I had the same experience! Glad to hear you are doing well. Did Dr. Ortiz tell you it was up to you? That the band is there but until we start getting fills, we will have to persevere? Take care and let's keep in touch. ee

You have to find what inspires you. Try reading more posts, sometimes someone will write something that speaks to you. Try posting yourself. I've been in the same rut in the past and I've never been successful with my weight loss, now I know it's up to me to use this very expensive tool. Just keep trying and you won't be a failure...every effort helps. Sorry I don't have those magic words that will make it happen for you, but you have those words in you. Look for them, they are there.

Banded July 2nd. I went to work today and my body is starting to function again....all of it. I was really wondering if I was ever going to get rid of that last meal I ate 5 days ago. I didn't eat very much, but it hadn't made an appearance until today. I kind of feel like the senior citizen who's major topic of conversation is their BM...it was getting a little scary. Sorry if this is TMI. I haven't been hungry really, but today those gurgling noises and things were beginning to feel like hunger. I get to start the thicker liquid diet tomorrow, soft yogurt then Wednesday it's on to added protein and by Friday it's liquid but includes the creamy stuff. I feel my recovery is going really well, but I've been up and doing stuff since I got banded. We had a 4th of July party and I actually fixed food and set up for that. Sunday was a sleep and relax day. I didn't take all the pain meds because I really didn't need them. I am sore, very sore at the port site but that too is getting better as long as I don't touch it or the cat doesn't walk on me. I am hoping this tool is the one that finally works for me and with me. I am going to do everything I can to make it successful. I have a long way to go on changing my eating habits and that is going to be very hard. Someone mentioned eating bread with their broth and said it did bad things....what are the complications of doing that? I would like the details, my doctor didn't give me anything like the consequences--just the edict to not do it. I hope everyone recovers quickly and those of you that get the extra time off, really enjoy it. I wish I could. ee

Oh Ditto there!!! LOL ee