April

Yes, it could make a huge difference. Most of my fills are .25 cc's or .50 cc's. It takes a few fills at first to find your niche. You have a large band so it might take some time to get the right amount of fill. You just don't want to get too much fill all at once and be too tight. Don't be discouraged. What it feels like today can be completely different tomorrow or next week. I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but you'll come to understand that comment. I't a lot of trial and error.

Thanks guys, I am feeling better now. Man, one little thing can really catch you off guard and really make you feel like crap for a few days. I haven't talked to my son yet about it. I couldn't even think about it without getting choked-up, but you guys are right, it is a perfect opportunity for one of those "Happy Days" kind of lessons. I think I'm gonna have to go all Mrs. C. tomorrow.

Well, I was having a pretty good day. In fact I was feeling great! I had my son out for our usual "Treat Night", which we do every Friday. It's this crazy thing we do to make childhood memorable for him. We eat backwards; dessert first, then dinner. Then we go to see "The Man with the sweet hook-up", which is this really nice guy, Rick, that owns the movie rental place up at the corner. Holden usually talks him out of some candy, hence "the sweet hook-up". I've been feeling pretty confident lately since shedding a whole extra person's weight in pure fat. I've even gotten out some of my old clothes from High School & College. I know there a bit dated, but it makes me feel good to wear them again. Tonight I had on one such outfit. I didn't think it looked too out of place, in fact, I thought I looked rather good. I had on size 13 black shorts with a white "Dead Milkmen" concert t-shirt. I was stylin' & profilin', even had my trade mark Elaine poof happening. Well, maybe the hair was a bit much, but I was feeling nostalgic. As we were walking into the movie store a girl (older teen/young woman) in the passenger's side of a purple mini-van thought it was imperative that I know just how old and extremely fat I am. Just the stream of obscenities frothing from her vile mouth shocked me to my core. Here I am walking, minding my own business, I don't know her and she doesn't know me. Yet some how I am so offensive to look at that I deserve this treatment, in front of my 5 year old? I think I almost liked it better when I was so fat I was invisible. At least then I ate when and what I wanted and was never bothered by the constant rumbling of my empty stomach. People stared and gave me a wide berth when passing me in a hall. They made comments back then too. This is nothing new. But I think it hurt more because of all the effort I've made in the past 2 years, because of all the sacrifices, and accomplishments. It hurt more because I'm feeling confident and good, and she felt it necessary to go out of her way to cut me down. I really don't understand people. How do some get to be so cruel? Were they raised like that? Have they never had a hurtful thing said to them? Isn't there any empathy left in this world? I was so born in the wrong place and time. I think I would be better suited for the early 20th century instead of the latter. Not that I have any disillusions that people weren't cruel back then, but rather, I believe people at least had manners. I have always said "I hate people". If I came across a burning building I'd save the animals first. A lot of my family and friends don't get that. But it is true, I am not a people person. But then again, I've not come across very many kind people in my life. The few good ones I have I treasure and keep dear to my heart.

Hey GG, I just watched your you-tube vblogs, you are so right! Get this done for you and don't listen to any one who'll tell you otherwise. I'd love to be your buddy through your journey. It is a lot of hard work and a lot of mental demons to overcome. I hope your surgery goes well for you in September. I'm also a September bandster (2006) and I am also telling on a "need to know" basis. My Mom still doesn't know and I have no intention of telling her. Stay strong and let us all know how it's going.

Hi Woodsy, Support Group Meetings are the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm - Bethel Lutheran Church SE corner of Little Mack & Frazho in St. Clair Shores. May 7th June 4th July 2nd August 6th September 3rd October 1st November 5th December 3rd Looking forward to seeing you there! :thumbup:

I'll be there. I went last month too, I thought it was far better than Dr. Deol's support group! The only thing I found distracting was the overwhelming smell of sloppy joes, and people getting pop from the machine in the corner. Hopefully there won't be as many other groups there tomorrow.

Ok, allow me to give you some background info, bounce my problems off you and see if you can sort this out for me... I was banded 9/18/2006. I've lost 100 lbs give or take depending on the day. Since mid December I've not lost much of anything. I had a .50cc fill 2/2/08 lost 4 lbs then totally stopped loosing again. At first I chalked it up to too many Holiday treats, now I'm getting worried. It's March-there's no more Holiday treats to sneak! I told my Doc I only wanted a .25cc fill. I thought .50cc would be too much. I feel tight, but I'm not sure it's too tight. I have a coffee & yogurt for Breakfast, salad w/grilled chicken for lunch, and most of the time I have a Protein drink for dinner. Granted I have a wicked sweet tooth, and I usually have a chocolate snack around 3:00pm. But that's nothing new, and it's usually very small, like a chocolate pudding cup, or a couple kisses, or hot cocoa. I don't think I eat enough not to be loosing anything. My God, if thats all I can eat to maintain 180+ lbs, I'll never make it to 120! What would I be eating, a rice cake every-other day??? I slipped my band 1/16/07, and I now live in constant, consuming fear of another slip, or other complication. I digress... For all of you still reading my ramble, thank you, now allow me to get to my point. Since my fill, some days I feel like I can only drink my meals, somedays I can eat everything in sight. I always gurgle. I have HORRIBLE burping fits. I sound like an 85 year old man with no manners left. I sometimes scare my 5 year old, he thinks it's a monster coming to get him. I get the shoulder gas pain often. It doesn't feel like my slip felt, but I don't know. Am I just mental? Am I normal? Is there something wrong? Any of you get the burps this bad? Can I do anything about it? Honestly, my coworker came to my desk the other day to tell me, and I quote... "What are you doing over here, it's the grossest thing I've ever heard!" I need help!

What the ****? I feel like I just got dumped! What now? Effective immediately? Like, no last chance to schedule a quickie or anything? I had an appointment last month that was cancelled because if I'm "doing fine" I don't "need" to see her...I AM, right now, NOT FINE!!! Anyone else NOT FINE with this? Any one else having ABANDONMENT ISSUES? Or am I just the only selfish **** that's not that happy about this? SURE, SURE...I'm happy for her, I'm glad she is so good at what she does that she can go on to bigger & better things...BUT...ME ME ME!!!!!!!! AAARRGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I didn't get a letter but I was talking to Dr. Deol a couple months ago and she was investigating some billing issues herself. It's probably along the same lines. What was happening was the hospital was billing a Dr. Fee and so was she. Problem was the hospital should not have been billing a fee, so it looks as if Dr. Deol was trying to double dip. Let us know how that goes. Maria, nice to hear from you again. Where have you been? Doing Ok? Are you going to the groups anymore? I won't be there this month. My work Christmas party is the same night. Well, everyone... Good luck finding a new Dr. Sounds like a lot of you are going with Dr. K. I choose Dr. Meguid. I liked him, he was very nice. I just hope this all works out for us in the end. I just keep thinking, we already did the hard part now we just need to stay on track... Right?

I thought we did!!! Yes, Dr. Greening was running the show last time and she said something about continuing as long as we like as long as we get our insurance company to pay for group therapy, and the ones that don't have coverage would have to chip in cash. And she said if we miss 2 meetings in a row we are no longer in the group! So I guess you'd better show up in November!

I went, I had to call to find out it was changed. They are now saying it will be heald in the office for a while because Dr Deol is still paying rent. But now they are saying we will only meet for a few more months...Did't we discuss a whole year of meetings at the Sept. group?

My band went back into place without surgery. It was a 50/50 chance. I got lucky.

When I slipped my band I had a lot of pain in my chest when I ate, in my right side all the time, pain in my port, acid reflux, excessive burping, hiccups & gurgling. I was hungry but could not eat. My slip happened over a period of time (I believe) . Like first I had one symptom which I ignored, then another symptom then another etc... If you have pain it's not OK. I'm not saying you slipped, but I am saying something is not right and if you ignore what your body is telling you like I did, you could end up in the same boat as me. I would suggest to go on liquids for a few days and gradually work up to food. If things don't feel right after a few days on liquid, go see your Doc for a barium swallow. Always safer to be too cautious than to throw caution to the wind. I hope you feel better soon.

Yep, definitely your first PB. You are most likely fine, but after a PB you should go on liquids for 24 hours. This will give whatever you did time to heal a bit. Things to look out for...heartburn, hiccups, sever consistent pain, cannot eat even if you're hungry, port pain...if you have these symptoms you may want your doc to bring you in for a look-see to make sure you did not slip your band.

Ummmm...Mike Rowe I'm afraid of Bunny Rabits...they creep me out. With their beedey little eyes and sharp teeth and all that twitching. OMG, I just got the willies thinking about it. I'm kinda fasinated by little people, at the State Fair I paid $2.00 to see a 26" woman, and I rented midget porn before...but, that was a little too weird even for me.

First of all I LOVE this thread! OK so down to business...things you never knew you wanted to know about me...and some things I'm not sure I want to admit. ~I HATE my name. ~I met my husband at "The Late-night, Double Feature...Rocky Horror Picture Show" He had the toast and I had the news paper. ~I named my son Holden because I love "The Catcher In The Rye" by J. D. Salinger. ~I wouldn't go as far as calling myself psychic, but I have realistic dreams or visions that come true...a lot...usually involving family members and horrible car accidents. ~I live in a house that I swear is haunted...the lights flicker, the chandelier sways, I sometimes see things that aren't there, and I hear foot steps when no one is there. ~My first thoughts of suicide was at the age of 10. ~My Grandpa (the total light of my life and reason I'm still here) died in 1995 ~My Dad died 3 years later in 1998 from congestive heart failure. ~My Grandma died 3 years later in 2001 from a stroke. ~My cat, Elvis (the light in my life and true friend & companion) died 3 years later in 2004 from congestive heart failure (yes I did spend $10,000.00 on a cat cardiologist). ~It is 3 years later...2007, and I'm scared... ~I was 118 happy little pounds when I got married. ~I was also a virgin (my choice). ~I don't like scary movies. ~I'm a fainter...I faint if I even think of something bloody or oozy, I fainted when I had my ears pierced. ~I have 8 piercings. ~I wanted to be a Scientist, work in a lab, wear a white coat with a pocket protecter. ~I'm a Customer Service Rep for an insurance firm....BOOORRRRINNNGGG ~I lived in Hawaii for 2 years. ~I love old VW's, I want a pea sh*t green micro-bus with plaid interior. ~I'm stubborn, willful, pigheaded, blunt, and terribly shy...not a good combo...I brood a lot. ~I am TOTALY addicted to "Harry Potter" I honestly got so upset reading book 7 I had to take 2 Xanax. ~I love dogs & cats...more than I like most people. ~I call my best friend...Ducky, and my Nephew... Toad ~My friend ran me over with her 1979 Oldsmobile...after I extracted myself from the undercarriage...I beat her with my shoe that was knocked from my body upon impact. We are no longer friends. ~I was dating her brother at the time...we are no longer friends. ~I'm Baptist...my Husband is Buddhist ~I love OLD Punk Rock music...I've seen "The Dead Milkmen" & "Mojo Nixon" perform live...Mojo signed my boob. ~Famous people I've met.. James Earl Jones (he wouldn't sign my boob), Famous Amos (the cookie dude), Fabio, "The Professor & Maryanne", "Pedro & Kip" (from Napoleon Dynamite) ~Famous people that get me hot and bothered (and I have expressed consent from DH to DO if I have the opportunity) James Earl Jones (good Lord is he hot for an old dude) Sean Connery (he's so yummmm) and Tom Hanks (yes! baby uummm I like it like that) Well that's probably TMI, but it's me in a nut shell. Oh, wait a minute...I am the nut.

Yes, that is possible...but... She is going to set up a practice there, Right now there's not even a building. I'd love to make the trip for her, and she's expressed to me that she would love for her patients to do that. I need someone here. This band thing has been a lot harder than I expected. I live in fear of another band slip, so I need someone locally to hold my hand whenever I hiccup the wrong way. If ever I'm out that way or I find myself with time to kill...I'm there. But I still want the security of someone to watch over me here too.

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BAN-DA-VER-SARY! HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, BAND-DA-VER-SARY! HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY.......... Today is my 1 year Bandaversary! Almost half way to goal! Happy Bandaversary to all my fellow September Bandrads! And a special Happy to all my fellow 9-18 Bandrads! Everyone have a great day today!

Hey Everybody! I'm sorry for missing last week's weigh-in. I'm down a total of 3 for the past two weeks. I'm not feeling right tonight, kinda queesey, burpy, yuck.... can anybody diagnose that for me??? Anyway...I guess it's normal not to feel right once in a while right? I mean I wasn't NEVER sick before the band, so why would I think I'm NEVER supposed to feel off with the band? I guess I'm paranoid and trying to calm my "slip fear".

checking in for last week and this week... 0, zip, zilch, nadda, nothin' ..............aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! I was on a roll, what happened???????? I'm not doing anything different...... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!

This week I'm down 4 to 213 lbs.

Ok, guys I'm gonna try this challenge thing again. I had already set a personal goal to be 190 lbs by 9-10-07 (my 14th wedding anniversary) so maybe this will keep me on track. I'm not sure when the start date is but as of 7-9-07 I was at 221, as of 7-16-07 I am 217 lbs. Good luck to all!

Welcome Brehere, Dr. Deol is my surgeon. She is the most compassionate, caring doctor I have ever met. I went to other doctors first, but when I found her my search was over. I suggest you go to her seminar. That's a great place to start, you can get all the info you need, get your questions answered, and get a feel for Dr. Deol to see if you want to go any further in her care. The next seminar is June 5th and again on June 29th. Her web sight is www.MichiganBariatricSurgery.com and the office phone# is (586) 737-2810. Normally they are in the office Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday each week. They are probably closed this Monday for the Holiday. Hope this helps you with your decision. Good luck!

Hey Socal, I was on liquids for 3 days and mushies for 2 days then regular food. My Doc told me that digesting food may help the band wiggle itself back into place, but be careful not to get anything else stuck or else you could be in worse shape than you are now. I also live everyday in fear of another slip. I am extremely cautious and try to listen to what my body and band is telling me. Doc said that if it hurts it is not right, so call your doc just to give him/her an fyi on what's up. Hey Bunni, I had very bad back and side pain, kinda like someone kicked me. But I would doubt that broccoli and champagne is the problem. Sit down and calmly listen to what your band is saying. I didn't and thats how I slipped my band. My body was screaming at me that I was too tight and I was eating too much, etc... So my advice is to listen before it's too late. The sign of slippage or obstruction that we are constantly warned about is the dreaded PB. I unfortunately did not have such clear writing on the proverbial wall. I have only PB's 2, yes count them, TWO times since EVER, and I believe it was AFTER my band slipped because I PB'd on broth. My Doc made me go to the hospital for a barium swallow where I found out. I was too tight, I ate too much, I ate and sometimes drank at the same time, I had heartburn, excessive burping, excessive hiccups, excessive pain, excessive gurgling. I hope I can help save someone from going through this experience... so if any one of you beautiful fellow bandsters have these symptoms or even think you might be too tight please call your Doc, discuss your symptoms, and see what the right course of action is for you. I truly believe that if I had listened to my band and removed .25cc I would never have slipped. But then again I am a firm believer in everything happens for a reason and I know without the slippage I would not have learned to stop fighting the band, eat right, slow down and listen.