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Hi Josiebies and :welcome2: to LBT. You'll find a lot of us here from the Houston area. Sorry, but I don't know anything about Dr. Hollis, maybe someone can tell you more...There are several threads here that talk about choosing among doctors here in town; one is to enter "spivak and spiegel" into the search box and a number of threads will surface. Also go to the main page and scroll down for local groups in Houston and there should be a number of threads about local doctors. Good luck on your decision process and I hope you find this is the right choice for you at this time. Jo Ann

When I got my first fill I had enough restriction that the 1/2 bottle of Water they wanted me to drink afterwards was feeling a little dicey. The nurse said not to worry if in about two weeks I felt as though the restriction went away. She said that was fairly common in first fills, and to see if I could go another two weeks before getting my second fill. Sometimes part of the first fill gets absorbed into the band and you lose the restriction. The absorbtion does not usually happen in later fills. So, I wouldn't worry if the band has slipped or anything. :biggrin1: Good luck, Jo Ann

I know something about your discouragement. I too am a slow loser and there are several reasons for it. One of them has to do with certain medication I take for Depression, another might be do to the fact my thyroid is essentially dead and I take meds for that, and the last thing I figured out was that I was not good about getting all my Water in, and I'm lousy about not drinking with meals. When I focused on those things more AND upped my exercise/walking, the scale began to move again. About your fill, when you go for the second one you may find that part of the first fill was basically absorbed into the band and they will have to put that back and then add the new amount. So it is not uncommon for the first fill to have little real effect. Hang in there, keep communicating and call your doctor if you are following all the rules and not seeing results. Jo Ann

You've gotten some good feedback from the others, but I wanted to add another area to explore while you consider how much to put in your mouth per bite and how much to chew. I'm finding that the longer I have the band the more definite it is about foods it doesn't like, such as Pasta (noodles), rice, soft breads like biscuits, soft tortillas,etc. These are really sneaky foods because it isn't the first bite or two when you find out you are in trouble, it's on bite 4 or 5, especially if you are talking to someone else. Then you notice that things aren't going that well anymore and then you figure out you have the makings of a splendid BP. Ugggh! Best of luck in getting this sorted out. Jo Ann

I am definitely NOT an insurance expert, but I can speak from my own experience and maybe it applies to your sitiuation. When I looked into having my husband's insurance company cover my surgery I found that weight loss surgery was excluded. The insurance company provides coverage for weight loss surgery but his company doesn't offer the benefit. This means that when the company signed up for the insurance policy they opted not to provide benefits to their employees for weight loss surgery. Another company may have the same insurance policy but have no exclusion for weight loss, so their employees can receive the surgery. Do I think it sucks? You bet! But there is no appeal if the company says it doesn't want that surgery covered. So your doctor can very well be a preferred provider and would be yours, if the employer had said yes. This puts you into the land of self pay and you can search for references to that process on this forum. Everyone handles it differently. Good luck on your search. You know now that the road to the surgery has a few twists and turns, however, your commitment to the goal will be what ultimately sees you through. Jo Ann

Hi! Protein is what will keep you feeling full the longest. How close are you to getting 60 grams a day? This web site was recommended as a good way to track what you are eating so you can be sure to get it all in. Click here: FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal Also, it is not uncommon for the first fill to not last very long. I was told it is often absorbed in part and to view it as "priming the pump" for future fills. As far as fiber goes, (your original question! ) I have joined the ranks of those who follow the ways of Tired Old Man and worship at the holy altar of Shredded Wheat. Best Wishes, Jo Ann

OK, you are back on my heroes list! :clap2: Aren't BFF's great?

Oh the depravity of it all! I guess I'll have to temporarily remove you from my heroes list! Is that the lovely Brooklyn and her sister? Jo Ann

You know twins can be fraternal, not identical! :biggrin1: You say you are fighting off dehydration. How well are you able to sip/drink Water? From what I've read here, dehydration can land you in the hospital. I also think you might be hungry! Are any of these on your liquid diet? These were suggested my doctor afer the first 48 hours. coffee, tea, diluted fruit juice broth Blenderized Soup Skim milk or Lactaid milk Jell-O, Popsicle’s Yogurt Sugar Fee pudding Cottage cheese Applesauce, oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat V-8 low sodium Protein drinks, carnation instant Breakfast, pure pro powder (no slim fast) Keep posting so we can know how you are doing. Jo Ann

Hold onto those horses just a bit longer, please. I can tell you are "chomping at the bit" to get going on more solid food, but if you rush it, your healing from the surgery is compromised. The idea is to give the stomach plenty of time to rest post surgery. Mushies to me meant pretty much stuff I still didn't need to chew. While I was on mushies, I figured out that I could eat a whole lot better if regular things were turned into mushies. So, I started blending my meals in the blender; meat, veggies, gravy and/or some hot water. Put it into a cup you can't see through and eat with a spoon. Delicious, no chewing involved and plenty of protein which helped with the hunger. I'd go back and look at the post surgical information your doc gave you about your food stages. In the meantime, here are the instructions from my doc., Dr. Spivak here in Houston. Best wishes, Jo Ann Click here: Welcome to Dr. Spivak's Web Site

T-O-M, I just love you! Your big heart and obvious anguish over your wife's struggles endears you to me big time!:clap2: :clap2: I saw earlier that you need both knees replaced. Does that mean you are not physically able to go to NYC to support her? If not, can you make arrangement for her to get a little spa treatment (particularly a massage)? In my experience, everthing looks a little lighter when those tight muscles that you've been holding because of grief, anger, sadness or all of the above are released. At the very least, she will rest better. We are here for you. Keep posting, Jo Ann

Is it just me, or was this totally uncalled for? I feel like he was implying that we were racists. We are far from it. I grew up in a majority black town. I have biracial nephews. I have never thought anything about color as being a factor with the places my children go or who they hang out with. I am thinking of confronting him to make it clear that when we wanted to know about the church it had nothing to do with race. But, it is my husband's boss and I don't want to create any ill feelings. Any advice? My four sons, you've gotten some very good responses to your original question and I'd like to add my 2 cents. The fact that you grew up in a mostly black town and you have biracial nephews is commendable, but as information, it was not available to this man to help him know where your husband's question was coming from. Granted, the snappish comment to your husband was evidence of an apparent overreaction, but cut the guy a little slack. It is very hard to be a Black man in the mostly white business world. Entering an elevator and watching people automatically check the position of and move to protect their pocketbooks, the hesitation of cab drivers as they check the quality of your clothing and briefcase before choosing to pick you up, being careful to not appear "looming" or threatening to your co-workers is a part of every business day and truthfully, can take its toll on your spirits. Functioning as a representative of the race to all comers is also taxing. I'm sure he could have bitten his tongue after blurting it;out or you might consider the idea that he was attempting to joke with your husband and it came off poorly. Let it go. Jo Ann .

Firecallie, You've got it right, you ARE addicted to sweets as are most Americans. I think it is biological in the sense that sweet is something we can taste practically as soon as we are born; but it is a learned behavior given the fact that sugar is EVERYWHERE in our society. (If you get a chance, look for a copy of Sugar Blues and check some of this out.) I know for me, that I went out of control around the holidays with sweets and treats and roared right through Valentine's day gobbling sugar as fast as I could. Yesterday I tuned into my inner voice and heard it telling me that a cookie with my Starbucks was just the thing to do. and when I resisted, I noticed that for a few minutes it was really intense. That's when I decided that this non-Catholic girl was going to observe Lent along with her Catholic DH and she was giving up sugar. I figure it's a game plan that intrigues me and buys me a break from gobble, gobble,gobble. And I love a challenge. Since the scale hasn't been moving, what have I got to lose? Best of luck to you. I'm pulling for your success. Jo Ann

My day is complete! Thanks for the laff! Jo Ann

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Everyone is different in their ability to handle bread and which types they can tolerate if any. It does seem to me that as I get more restricted bread is getting tougher to eat comfortably. Decision day is fast approaching. Best of luck on your big day! Jo Ann

That would be great Wheetsin! I have recently cleared the closet and have all kinds of stuff, but would like to swap things in an organized way. Thanks, Jo Ann

Amandi, :welcome: to LBT and congratulations on your surgery! You are in good company here as a number of us live in the Houston area and many have used Dr. Spiegal . There is a section on the board that has has state and local members; you might find some support close to home. A reminder; the first six weeks are about healing from the surgery and less about losing weight. Consider any weight loss as a bonus. Just follow your surgeon's directions and check in with us if you have questions. 2007 is going to be such an interesting year! Look all around the LBT, there is plenty of information available. Here is a link that explains most of the abbreviations you will see on the board. Good luck! Jo Ann Click here: Abbreviations and What They Mean - LapBandTalk.com - Lap Band Talk Forum - A forum for Lap Band Discussion and Lap

Wheetsin, Congratulations on sizing out of Catherine's. That will be the day when I can do that! Catherine's does pretty well for the kind of clothes I need. I office from my home, so I don't need traditional office wear,, but I like things that have true colors, not pastel. I had an eye opener when I traveled to another location to pick up something that wasn't available at my store. The stores have some leeway in what they feature, and it really makes a difference. In one suburban store, I was drowning in pastel, yet in another location closer to the city proper (and more Black people) I found all the color my heart desired. Believe me, it was a big eye opener. Jo Ann

Tami, I have the answer to your question. It is not that the sleeves are too long, it's that your bust is not large enough! (not attempting to cast aspersions on your endowment here) I was feeling put out one day about how long plus sized sleeves were and I got the idea to see what would happen if my bust were bigger. I'm a 46 C and I stuffed a bunch of stuff in there and voila! the sleeves shortened appropriately. Now this observation does not come with any suggestions....you are free to take any action you desire!! :) :) Jo Ann

Robin, it's one of the ones in my cocktail along with Effexor and Lexapro and we know that Effexor is one of the WORST! Thanks, Jo Ann

Goals for 2007 I've been a very slow loser since banding and it is due in part, I think, to my anti-depressant cocktail, lack of exercise and not enough Water. The good news about increasing exercise is that it guarantees increased water consumption. The bad news about exercise is that you have to do it. :faint: You see, I deeply believe that if you have enough time to be exercising you have enough time to sit down and read and/or go on-line! It would be wonderful to have someone to buddy up with at the gym... So, here are the goals.... Have a strong "heart to heart" with my doctor and tell the truth about the effects of my medical cocktail on weight gain and difficulty in getting the weight off. Have her get in synch with me to make choices that support my WL goals. That appointment is tomorrow. Get back into the gym and make appointments with my trainer so I will have to go there. In addition, take advantage of classes that are favorable to my knees and back; water aerobics and stretching. Increase cardio drastically. I re-signed with my trainer yesterday and we get started tomorrow! With Nos. 1 and 2 accomplished I feel it might be achievable to have a projected weight loss of 5-8 lbs per month. The last is a goal that I share with DH-- supporting our highly dependent teens (17 and 14 ) to become more self sufficient and personally responsible. Part time jobs and driving lessons for the older one. Whew! I'm exhausted. This is the first time I have shared my goals with anyone outside of of DH. But not to worry, I only told "a couple" of my best friends, right?? Jo Ann

Moving from the 300s to the 200s Jo Ann