beernut

I recently went to Carowinds w/ my 9 year old and I will say that I found the wooden coasters to be very herky-jerky and painful. My port area was sore for a couple of days. My advice would be to stick to the smoother, newer coasters.

I'm 5' 8" and, at 185, 14's fit very comfortably right now. I can squeeze into 12's but I won't buy any until they're a better fit. I have an hourglass shape, btw.

Not only is his attitude horrible, but so is his spelling and grammar. Gah!

I had to do a six-month diet and was really irritated as well. As it turned out, w/ all of the testing my surgeon's offices required, it would have taken me almost that long to have my surgery scheduled anyway. Luckily, my surgery was scheduled less than a month after I finished the 6 months of supervision which was great. I used the 6 months as a time to read up on the surgery and find boards like this. Good luck!

I felt nausea when I woke up after surgery. They gave me some meds for that through my iv although I did still end up throwing up twice. Haven't be sick to my stomach since then.

I feel the same way about the LL Bean and Land's End women's catalogs I get. Don't need them anymore, just their regular catalogs!

I've found it a bit disorienting now that I can wear a size 14. I often shop at Kohl's and the plus section is decent but smallish. Now I feel like I'm discovering the rest of the store and it's big! There's a casual section, a business clothes section, a funky clothes section, etc. I was literally walking around dazed the last time I was there because I didn't know quite where to start. A good problem to have, I know.

I was banded by them over a year ago. Dr. Hoxworth was my surgeon. I've had only good experiences w/ this office and would recommend them to anyone. They've got the whole process down to a science and the coordinator helps make all of the appointments you need.

Sounds like another version of the saying, "An empty wagon rattles the loudest."

((Hugs)) I think a lot of us go through that sadness phase. I know I did for sure. I was so used to having food to fill the various voids within myself that I actually felt empty inside after the surgery. On top of that I was hungry and grouchy and emotional in general. Remind me to give my patient husband a hug today, lol! I'm almost a year out from the surgery and although I sometimes "miss" the fact that I can't gorge and lose myself in the sensations of eating, it's really not a big deal to me. The worst of the post-surgery sadness faded once I could eat real foods again and I'm guessing that will happen for you, too!

I had a slight unfill earlier this month and at first, I did go a bit crazy eating. I didn't realize how hungry I had been from being too tight until I was able to really eat again. I was freaked out and put on 4 pounds but over the past week I've been able to feel restriction again and have lost 1.5 lbs. I do hope to get a slight fill again at my January appt. so that I can really start losing again but, for now, just being able to mostly maintain is ok w/ me.

Any big change can bring stress into a marriage but if the foundation is solid then things should be fine. I'm banded but my morbidly obese husband has so far said no to getting the band. One of the stressors to come from the band is that since I'm spending so much time and attention on myself and my health, as opposed to putting everyone else first, so that's been something we've all had to adapt to. I also feel like I'm leaving my husband behind in that he's still stuck in fatland and I'm not. He's been delaying taking the kids to Disney for the last few years because he's too big (mid to upper 300's) to ride on many of the rides nor does he go with us to the local Water park (something I did even when at my heaviest). I really wish he'd get the band but I don't bring it up anymore because it's his choice. Good luck!

I have those thoughts pretty often and it makes me wonder how often folks who had WLS used to think it when they saw me. I just have to trust that they'll either find a way out of obesity or choose not to and not think about it any further. My dh is almost 400 lbs and despite seeing my success he claims to have no interest in the surgery. I think he'd rather hang on to the hope that one day he can take it off and keep it off all on his own as opposed to owning up to the fact that this problem is bigger than him.

we have an ellipse and it kills my feet. I have high arches and even w/ inserts and proper shoes, I can't do more than 15 minutes without it starting to hurt.

Hi Tricia! I'll answer your questions as best I can. ~ My appetite has gone down in general since having the surgery. I do tend to get really hungry the week before my period starts but other than that, each day is different. If I notice my hunger is consistantly growing, I schedule a fill. Hunger and cravings are easier to deal with now because my emotional connection to food is dramatically less than it was prior to being banded. ~ The recovery hurt more than I thought since I tend to bounce back from things like childbirth and gallbladder removal, but it wasn't awful. The first week was the worst. ~ I'm pathetically grateful to have had this surgery done. As my weight has dropped, my worries have also dropped. It's so nice not to worry about fitting in chairs or shopping for the limited and pricey amount of plus-sized clothing and just feeling more comfortable with myself in general. I did worry about whether or not the surgery would work since it's pretty easy to find stories about it not working for other people but I figured it was worth a shot. I was never scared about the surgery but my dh, who's also morbidly obese, is and it's the one thing holding him back from having it done. I so wish he would but that's his choice to make as it is for you as well. Good luck making your decision!

Good for you!! You look truly fabulous and I hope you make your goal just as quickly as you lost 100lbs!

This is a situation where I think you should wait to cross that bridge when and if you come to it. I'm married but wondered if I wouldn't feel angry once men started to notice me again when they didn't even really see me before. I have started to get attention but it just kind of makes me smile and roll my eyes as opposed to getting upset. Who knows how you'll actually feel should that situation arise so try not to dwell on it negatively now.

I did worry about losing a friend and for the first few weeks after surgery, I did feel sad. food was such a constant companion that I really did miss it when it was gone. On the plus side, I do still have my friend but it's a much more happy and healthy relationship. No, you won't be able to lose yourself, distract yourself and pack yourself full of food anymore, but you won't really need to once you start filling the void with other things. For me, I took up sewing which keeps my hands and mind busy and my exercise takes up a decent amount of time as well. Good luck on your surgery. Change can be painful, but well worth it in this case. You'll come out the other side a better person.

Do what you need to do for you and do your best to tune out the naysayers. I read someone else on this board say one time that other people may see it as the "easy" way out, but to keep in mind that it is a way out. A way out of a life burdened by poor health and obesity. You need to do right for you and trust that you know best. ((Hugs))

I'm 5'8", started out around 270, and would like to get down to 160lb

What pixistix said! We're probably done having kids, but since there is a chance of maybe having more, I wanted to make sure I could get adequate nutrition if I were to become pregnant. I'm ok with taking things slow since there was no need to take the weight off quickly. For me, rapid weight loss would be disorienting and I worried I would feel out of control. For me, my weight and food has always been about control and the lap band lets me have that.

It's easy in that I've been successful w/ the lap band but it's more difficult in that I've had to really dedicate myself to this way of life. Making permanent changes are harder than short-term ones, like past fad diets have been.

Yay for you!!!!!! I'm happy you've made it so far. :thumbup:

I'm in a similar situation, only it's with my mom, not my MIL. The last time I saw her was in April, when I had only lost around 20lbs, and I don't think she noticed the loss. Now I'm down about 70lbs so when I see her again, it will be pretty obvious. I'll just tell her I had lap band surgery when she asks and take the rest of my cues from her reaction. She's always been obsesses and negative about my weight, even when I was at a normal weight. It's nothing I care to discuss with her even if she does decide to be positive about it. I don't want her as a cheerleader now that I'm successful because I don't need it. She should have been better about my weight all the years before. Chances are, she'll be snarky about it. Which is one of many reasons I see her so rarely.