kareyquilts

Salsa: Thanks for the tip. I'm also going to try out Dian's fruit flavored cottage cheese (without the fruit cocktail) in a few weeks. Anyone out there remember a favorite liquid or soft food that helped you get by? I'm going to have to get out my file and refresh my memory!

Hi! Feeling a little better today.Able to count my blessings better. Can I tell you how thankful I am to still have a lap band?! All my friends have said I should have just had them take it out, that I'm thin now and know what I'm doing. But, when given the choice, I knew I still wanted a band. I think I know what I'm doing but I think that my band is my back up plan and I'm certainly not proud enough to think that if a real emotional crisis hit that I might not turn right back to food. Think out it for yourself? If you were at goal, and your band slipped, would you want a new one? I'm a little afraid of drinking anything that's not too thin, my protien shakes even feel, I don't know, almost to thick to go down. I think there must be a lot of swelling, because I never felt restriction with just my band the first go around. My doc said that had to put in the largest band because my stomach was so swollen. She said I will need a lot more fluid in this band. I'll have to find out more when I see her this week. I was a little out of it when she came in to talk with me. Anyway, my son who is a doctor is here for a visit and watching over me. My daughter-in-law is helping around the house and my little 9 year is taking great pride in being my "go fetch it" girl. My husband is a dear as ever, and I have to say, if nothing else, I feel very loved. I walked my 10 month grandson in his stroller (after someone else lifted him in) around our little circle, while my family is saying, "Do you think you should be doing that?" Pretty funny. If I don't push myself a little, I'm going to be smothered in well intentions! LOL. Here's some information about bands slipping: They will slip if they are cronically overtight, if you overeat on a regular basis or because of adhesions. I think that I was too tight and according to my surgeons, I had a lot of adhesions. Slipping happens to about 3-6% of bandsters. Pretty good odds. If you get a new band you have the same chances as the first time around. Now, if I slip again, I guess, I would have the band removed, but hopefully, my odds will be with me and I'll at least make sure I'm never too tight again. Anyway, I thought you might find the information helpful. Thanks again for the support. Have a great Sunday!

Thanks for all the kind posts! It means a lot to me. I was sharing them with my DH and he was very surprised at the comaraderie we share. Today my pain level is probably a little worse. I guess the swelling, etc tops at around day 3 to 5, so after that it should be smooth sailing. I'm a little afraid to put any food in my mouth, even the liquids I'm suppose to have. My experience was so awful, but so far the liquids are going down. Though I must say that I feel tight even with a protien shake. I guess I'm probably very swollen internally also. Anyway, upward and onward. I'm trying to count my blessings because I'm truly blessed in so many ways and I count you ladies among my many blessings. Have a good day!

Well, yesterday was quite the day! I ended up having a slipped band and some of the upper stomach had got into the band and I was completely blocked. I couldn't even hold down water. I had emergency surgery, where they perforated my stomach, they removed my band, but fortunately, they were able to put a new band in. I think I'm glad I still have a band! I guess it was a very difficult surgery and they almost had to do a vertical incision. I had 2 lap band docs working on me and they were able to get the job done. There goes my scar free flat stomach! Really, I feel very blessed to be alive and out of the pain I was in yesterday. I have some pain now, but it's nothing like a TT was. I'm off the HCG diet (of course) and back to a new bandsters diet. So, I guess I can stay in the challenge. LOL. Well, I feel like crap and I guess I'll go do some more resting! More later...

Dr. Schulman: Once again, the pictures are worth a thousand words and the exlanations on your website are excellent. Thanks once more, for sharing your expertise!

Well, I'm reading all the well wishes and I'm almost in tears! Thanks for the outpouring of support and caring. I really felt it, even in cyberspace! I did make it into my band doctor today. She took out half of my total band fill. I already feel better. Tomorrow morning I am scheduled for an upper GI to make sure my band hasn't slipped. I pray it hasn't, because I really depend on this band! My doc also told me that the HCG may be causing the band tightness. Who would have thought? I guess I'll just try everything out so you guys won't have to!? I'll see how I do now on the diet. If I can keep food down, then I'm going to stay on it. I really really want to make my goal. If I continue to have problems than of course, I will take care of myself and quit the diet and get my body bugg back on and take it more slowly! I've also decided that I am going to have to have more calories on the days I weight train. I'm not going to give it up for this diet and I can't do it on the amount of calories I'm getting. I think I'll just have a really good protien shake before my workout? Does that sound reasonable? Would something else be better? Anyway, none of my children have called yet to wish me a happy birthday. Dang their little hides, I hope they don't forget!

Dr. Schulman: What can you do for the bags and blueness under the eyes?

McGreen: Of course my plastic surgeon said that surgery was better than thermage and my dermatologist (who does thermage) said thermage is less invasive. Surprise, Surprise on those opinions!

Okay today is my birthday. I notice that my profile automatically changed my age. A little big brother, don't you think! Yesterday was my first day back to solids. I did alright for lunch, but dinner didn't go too well. I pb'd all night and day I can hardly hold down water. I don't feel well at all. I went to my work out with my trainer and got a lecture about how I'm pushing my body too hard, etc. He might be right, I'm starting to think so. I'm going to call the lap band doc today, because I can't go on like this. I hope she will get me in today. I can't keep on this diet if I keep pbing. I'm very frustrated. I just want to be a star and excel at something. Oh well, I let you know if i get into the doctors today! Wish me luck!

Well you look great. I'm pretty nervous to think about a face lift. I've seen some that my doc has done and they look fantastic. My sister-in-law had one and it didn't turn out to well. Takes a lot of trust to turn over your face to someone. If something is crocked or doesn't turn out so well on another part of the body, at least you can cover it with clothes!

BBK: I know how you feel. When I first started back I thought I might be ruined for live. I've been back now for about 6 weeks and I nearly 100% of where I was before my 3 month break. It's painful to get going again, but it does come back quickly. Take it slow and your body will respond! Your looking great!

Ouch! The dog ear looks much better and I can tell a big difference down under. Congratulations! Is the recovery a lot easier than the first time around? How long before you can exercise, etc?

Salsa: I hate that feeling so much! I have to pay $150 for fill or unfill now. I have about 20 days left on the HCG diet. I guess I'm going to take a wait and see attitude for a little longer, but my tolerance for this stuff isn't very high!

Becky: I don't think I'll be up for another round to January. December is too hard of a month to not be feeling well. Of course, than I would have an excuse for not being superwoman! LOL. Numbness. Yes, I still have some, especially right under my navel area. It is getting better all the time and I don't really notice very much anymore unless I touch it. My actual stomach muscles are doing so much better now. I actually can control them and am up to speed in pilates class. It's really quite an undertaking, isn't it?

Terri: Thanks so much for posting pics. What a great result. Your eyes are beautiful and you look alert and happy. Congratulations! Are you covering up the bruises are have you already healed? I'm very impressed either way!

Well that's frustrating. Glad you're doing better. I had to have an unfill after plastic surgery and I put on some poundage too. I guess we can't get to smug about what we've learned, because the band really does help. Good luck with your push!

Renewed: On the Diet Power program, you will notice a tab for exercise. When you exercise the program credits calories so that you can or should eat more. I think that low carb is alright and you are on a mission to PS, but I don't think it's a healthy life style and sounds like you probably agree. On the Body Bugg website, they have a lot of excellent information about what your body needs before a workout. I followed that advice and had protien before my workout, and a carb and sometime protien after. It really helped and I continued to lose weight as long as I kept within my calorie intake/deficeit. I guess it's a little scary to experiment when you want to be a certain weight my plastic surgery, but I think that Salsa gave you some great advice. I seem to be tolerating my food better after going on liquids for 2 days. I haven't pb'd yet, thank goodness, but there is still have bothersome tight feeling that could turn into pb. Do you think I should get a slight unfill or sit tight?

Renewed: I also used the body bugg and liked it a lot. I think I'll put it back on when I go back on maintance. I really don't like Body bugg's logging program, I think it's very hard to use and doesn't have a lot of information, but it's better than nothing. I guess I just like to feel in control and logging my food helps me fulfill that need!

Becky: I believe that the backside will meet up with the incision on my hips. When I have the back side down, I'm going to get my arms done too. Not anxious to recover too many more times and I think my ps will do them both at the same time. Frangi: Thanks for asking the scar question. I used the silicone tape stuff and it was alright. I think the paper tape sounds easier.

Here is a link to the Diet Power website: Calorie Counter and Weight Loss Program - Diet Power

Jacquie: Great insights. I feel the same way. My trainer said today that my weight loss should be right up there in my list of life accomplishes, maybe more than the several degrees that I have. I know he was giving me a compliment, but I guess I feel bad that I ever had to make that goal. I often ask myself, how I let myself go and why and how has my relationship to food changed. I know that obesity is a complicated thing, but I really want to embrace my new life and new size. I am proud that I have lost a lot of weight, but I'm happier that I'm getting healthy and in shape. Renewed: It's not good to lose muscle. Does your doc have a nutritionist? Something that has helped me immensely, is a little computer program called, "Diet Power." You can download a free 2 week trial of the program and see if you would like it. The reason I like this program so much is that it grades your eating and tells you what percentage should be protien, carb, etc. I put everything I eat in it including vitamins and supplements. Once you put in the things that you commonly eat it's really no trouble. It also gives you a history of your diet that is very helpful sometimes. Anyway, that's my big tip.

McGreen: I bet thermage will help. I had it when I had lost 50 pounds and it really helped the jowls I had developed. I've been thinking of getting it done again for my crepey neck, but I may hold out for a face lift. When I think about how much it costs and if I have it done twice, that is about half what a face lift costs. It's a hard decision, because I'm pretty frightened to have a face lift and I'm sick of this neck! Keep us posted on how it works for you!

Renewed: Life is fair! We all have to make those mental aerobics every once in while. At least you didn't partake of that junk food, even though it does taste good some times! LOL

From the day I was banded, I've been waiting to add my name to this list! I can finally do it! Yeah! I love my lap band!:cursing: To everyone who hasn't made it yet, don't give up. It's taken me 18 months, but I did it and you can too!

Diane: Thanks! Love to learn about new things! When I through with this extremely restrictive diet I'm on, I will make some! Glad your posting!