StephanieF

Larraine, I think the question was pretty clear. And without knowing my health history, please do not assume exercise is the best option for me. :smile:

It was/is the ultimate sacrifice. I basically gave up the enjoyment of food, ate what I could get down, and have altered my life in many ways from what I eat, to when I eat it, to how I have to sleep at night. As time has gone on my skin has actually pretty much caught up with the weight loss. Granted, if I meet a rich man one day and he's willing to pay for the lower body lift and new boobs, I'm in! It basically took all the will power out of the equation. It controls me, I respect it, I know what it will allow and what it won't. Granted it has given me a host of other problems involving constipation, but I am truly hopeful that I will find the right combo of stuff to get myself back on track. It's not that I can't eat, just what I eat isn't very bulky. Mind you, I rarely PB. I'm not saying this is the healthiest way, but it's what worked for me, and despite aforesaid mentioned health issues, I wouldn't change a thing.

If only I could tolerate the acid from fruit, I would be able to eat it. The words grapefruit and orange juice is giving me heartburn just reading it. :smile:

actually you can get the kids versions of the folic acid as well as the fish oil...the folic acid kids is chewable. if you go for the fish oils, i don't remember the brand, but make sure you get the one that is lemon flavored, otherwise any sort of repeating is really gross.

Again, please, no judging or lecturing here. I'm just asking an honest question. Who is doing this the tight band way? and if you are doing it that way, you know who you are. Not everyone can deal with the gym and calorie counting. For some of us the quasi-starvation method is what works best. Of course there are obvious side effects and issues with a tight band, but I would love to chat with others who got to their goal like me, with a tight band.

Oh yes, and when your guy all of a sudden tosses you on top of him backwards style like you are a doll, that's the moment you know you're not still the same heavy woman in bed. Being tossed a little is good for the ego, lol...not only that, but all the male hormones directed your way and all the attention, well, yes, it makes your sex drive go up!

Hi. Okay, same thing happened to me, and I started freaking out. I went to a nutritional MD and they did all sorts of blood work on me, and being this was three years ago I'll tell you what I remember. I do remember I was on about 17 vitamins, which newly banded without the restriction I could actually tolerate, but as time went on, not so much. Despite the attempt at protein my iron was low, folic acid low, b1, b6...i was taking fish oil capsules, b1, b6, SILICA, had a few b12 injections and this doctor did IV vitamin infusion. to be honest I don't think much of it helped. Some people react to the surgery itself, some people react to the sudden loss of calories. It's like if the body thinks it's going to die of starvation it puts its resources into organs and not things like hair and nails. I think it did mellow it out a little, but it wasn't until I stopped the dramatic weight loss and stayed in a 5 lb range for a few months that it really stopped. I don't think it will ever be as thick as it was, but it's not falling out anymore. It's really freaky, I know. try not to focus on it, don't put your hair back more than you need to. My dermatologist also gave me a mousse called olux to try and calm the follicles. My first stop for you would be an endocrinologist or another doctor who can take a whole blood workup of you and interpret the results in a way that makes sense for you. Good luck :smile: If you're in the NYC area I can give you the nutritional doc's name

Okay, well, I got some raisins and ate a bunch...I'll hope for the best, although sometimes stuff with skin is even more torturous, but I won't hold ya to it...I'll try anything

Hello all. I've reached a point 3.5 years into my journey at my goal weight and a size 6 where I am what people call a pretty picture, but the misery that lurks beneath is ruining my life. Basically, I keep a tight band, because I cannot do the regular gym routine, and there is no way on earth I will gain back any of this weight. That being said, I can eat, I just can't eat things like veggies, fruit or anything with too much Fiber. All my Vitamin levels are good, blood sugar, thyroid, hormones, everything normal. So, I started having constipation pretty much right after surgery. Surgeon said to take a suppository every day if I needed. So, guess what happened? I became dependant. Throughout the course of that and as the weight loss progressed it got worse. It got to the point where now I had to do the warm Water enemas. I started seeking care from a colorectal doc about a year ago. I had the MRI defecografy, a CT scan and a colonoscopy. MRI showed weak pelvic floor, CT scan showed nothing and colonoscopy showed nothing. I was diagnosed with IBS with constipation. So, in addition to having IBS, I can't even get the stuff out of me due to these muscle issues. I have to take 3 Dulcolax oral pills every night, one Colase morning and night, and all that does is put me in a state of constant anxiety. My docs have me on pain meds which I try not to take since they cause further constipation. I have been given every prescription medication there is including Amitiza, but it didn't work. My life revolves around the pain, and bloating, and stress of knowing when I go out or have something social to do that I'm going to feel like crap, so I spend the hours before trying to get relief by getting it out of me. I'm to the point now where even creamed spinach is my demise. I can't eat steak or chicken, and my diet consists of pretty much mashed potatoes, yellow rice and any sort of fried fish. My dumbass PCP says, oh, metamucil at night and fiber. considering I really can't tolerate too much Fluid intake, that was a disaster, and no one said you must drink crazy amounts of fluid or you will end up in a tormented hell, that is what happened. Started with the Fiber One Cereal, almost ended up in the emergency room. Now it's to the point where if I go out to eat, the moment I stand up and walk a block I'm in crippling pain. Of course my surgeon insists it has nothing to do with the band, and I understand that band itself is working fine, but this is the result of his recommendation that I take suppositories daily at a point where I could still eat, and a band which allows me little food. I can only really eat standing up also. I started taking peppermint oil capsules a few days ago. It has stopped the pain, but now I feel so bloated and so uncomfortable. Maybe I always did, but the pain was more prevalent. I spend hours of my life on the toilet, and after eating out my night is ruined. My ex-boyfriend was so ridiculously understanding and cool and didn't care if I disappeared to do what I needed to do. But he's my ex now, and the thought of having to deal with this with a new guy, with whom there are many opportunities, is giving me crazy anxiety. Xanax isn't helping. I would sooner not go out to eat than have to attempt to fake being in pain. I have tried the magnesium, can't eat a prune if I want to live to tell the tell, the senna-based stuff doesn't do much. Fiber is my enemy. I used to be happy with a handful of Froot Loops for Breakfast until they decided to add fiber. Miralax, I could have died for the three days I was waiting for it to work. I have seen every doctor under the sun. Biofeedback physical therapy was recommended, but it's only half the problem. So, tight bandster who can't eat or drink much of anything, I really need tips or suggestions on what to eat that will be beneficial to me. So, here I am. I can't be the only person who is going through this, since I know a lot of bandsters who choose the tight band approach. Please, I am seeking tips/suggestions from seasoned bandsters with some experience on the topic, and I am not looking to be judged or lectured on my choices. I need help. I am not going to be loosened to any point where I can start eating all this stuff again and gain the weight back, and I couldn't anyway now that I have IBS, all the "good" stuff would give me so much gas and bloating I would die. I am desperate at this point, and I really don't know what to do. I feel very alone, and I actually cancelled a date tonight because I didn't want to deal with it. Thank you in advance for reading, and I look forward to any constructive feedback.