donali

So glad you love this site as much as we do!! Look at me - I'm not even banded anymore, and I can't stay away from this board... :cross-eye Probably nothing more than a further symptom of my addictive personality, but I like to think it's the people here.... So glad you're able to keep liquids and mushies down now - you're going to do GREAT!! (((hugs)))

Hi Lisa - My fill doctor also was able to manipulate my port back upside-right to give me my fill. I agree with Tracey that it was a creepy kind of feeling, but my port was SO uncomfortable the way it had flipped that once it was turned back over it was a huge relief. Unfortunately it wouldn't stay that way, so I had port revision surgery simply for pain relief. My port revision was also done through the original port incision site - that in and of itself wasn't such a big deal, but the $$$ it cost me (self-pay) was. I have heard that many of the European docs don't suture the port down at all. I would think that your doc should be able to manipulate it back upright, but if that is not the case, well I guess you have no choice but to have it surgically uprighted. Once you get your fill any weight you might have gained in the meantime will disappear, so don't stress about that.

Print this rant out and give it to him. And if he isn't any wiser afterwards, I will call him myself and set him straight. http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=4750 Morbid Obesity is a DISEASE. It has been recognized as a disease since 1985(!!!!) by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is going to be a long rant… I mean, post. The longer I thought about doctors who make a patient lose weight before weightloss surgery as “proof” of their commitment to a healthier lifestyle, the angrier I got. I am FURIOUS. I am INCENSED. These surgeons are making their livings “treating” obesity, and THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT OBESITY TO CALL IT A DISEASE. THEY DON’T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT OBESITY TO REALIZE THAT IN 1991, THE NIH CONCLUDED IN ITS CONSENSUS CONFERENCE THAT DIETS, EXERCISE PROGRAMS, APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS AND BEHAVIOR MODIFCATIONS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE THERAPIES. YES, I am YELLING. Because if they DID, they would NEVER tell a patient who desperately needed their help that they must lose weight FIRST – to PROVE they are serious about getting better!!!! And to have this kind of attitude propagated on a weightloss SUPPORT board as acceptable under ANY kind of circumstances is absolutely reprehensible, and a symptom of just how well the prejudice against fat people is accepted. Not only is it tolerated, it is expected as our “just” punishment for being fat. Because after all, we are merely gluttons. The formula is so simple: too many calories in = too much fat. So diet and exercise. Too bad for you that you’re not one of the “normal” people who can regularly consume more calories than they need without getting fat – you are NOT a “normal” person, so you must just go hungry and exercise your butt off. Guess what? The formula is NOT that simple. NO ONE really knows the complete explanation of why some people become MO and some people don’t. But not understanding “why” is NO excuse for discriminating against the MO, or continuing to blame the patient for their disease. If a person could not swim, would it be acceptable for the lifeguard to say, “I could save you, but FIRST you must swim 20 feet to PROVE that you really want to be saved.”? Or better yet, “You can’t swim, so you should never have come into the Water in the first place. Why should I bother saving you? This is your fault.” Except in the extreme cases of denying organ transplants to smokers and alcoholics, I have NEVER heard of denying treatment until the patient starts to get better on their own as an acceptable medical response. (I’m not saying I agree with the transplant thing, just that I have heard that a smoker who doesn’t quit wouldn’t be considered for a lung transplant, and an alcoholic that doesn’t quit wouldn’t be considered for a liver transplant. I don’t even know if that’s true – I’ve just heard it.) Diabetics are not denied medication until they can prove they can get their blood sugar under control with a commitment to eliminating sugars from their diet and exercise. Smokers are not denied the nicotine patch until they can prove that they can quit smoking for four weeks first. A double-amputee is not denied their prosthetics to enable them to walk until they walk two blocks without the prosthetics, to PROVE that they really want to walk again FIRST. The prosthetics, after all, are just TOOLS – not “cures” for amputeeism. People with high cholesterol are not denied medication until they are able to lower their cholesterol first, through diet and exercise. If a depressed person goes to the doctor for treatment, and they meet the protocol, the doctor would NEVER say “Snap out of it first. Then I’ll give you the medication you need to maintain a non-depressed state.” Anorexics are never told "JUST eat!!" Their condition is taken very seriously, and requires medical and psychological intervention. I ask you all, then, WHY IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO REQUIRE A MO PERSON TO LOSE WEIGHT BEFORE TREATMENT?!?!?!? YES, we have to make lifestyle changes – but just like the amputee, we can’t do it without a TOOL. We have a DISEASE. I feel that I have done the emotional work. I have completed a professional counseling program specifically for compulsive overeaters. I’ve been hypnotized. I’ve done every diet known to man, and some that I made up myself. How DARE ANYONE tell me that I am NOT serious about losing weight?!?! I cried on the way into work this morning thinking about this. I am crying now. I will NOT accept punishment for this disease. I will NOT accept blame for this disease. I WILL accept the responsibility of doing something about it, however. But I cannot do it alone – because I am NOT “normal”, and I will ALWAYS need some sort of treatment to HELP me, until they find a cure. And I cannot stand by and let anyone forget that we are NOT here because of some moral failing, some character flaw, some personal weakness. We are here because we have a DISEASE. We need treatment, not judgment. If we were not serious about getting better, we would not be here. NO ONE deserves to feel badly about themselves because they have a disease. NO ONE should be made to jump through hoops to prove they want to recover from their disease. MO is NOT A CHARACTER FLAW. This is NOT my opinion – this is medical FACT. It is up to US to know and understand this, and to eradicate the long-held beliefs that we have allowed to shame us for all of our lives. We must NEVER EVER allow anyone to get away with propagating beliefs that MO is anything but a disease that requires medical treatment. *************** http://216.239.63.104/search?q=cache:OTJxKzuvN8QJ:www.shapeup.org/profcenter/diabesity/PoriesPres.ppt+is+morbid+obesity+a+disease%3F&hl=en "The truth is that Morbid obesity is a disease, not a moral failing." “Obesity is a chronic, lifelong, genetically-related, life-threatening disease with highly significant medical, psychological, social, physical, and economic co-morbidities.” Statement on morbid obesity and its treatment. Obesity Surgery 1997 7:40-41 “In 1991, the National Institutes of Health concluded in its Consensus Conference that diets, exercise programs, appetite suppressants and behavior modifications are not effective therapies.” Report of the Consensus Conference on Surgery of Morbid Obesity, National Institutes of Health, Washington, DC 1991 ************** http://www.rsapc1.com/morbid_obesity_surgery/ "Morbid obesity is the most common form of malnutrition in the United States and in the world today. It is considered after smoking to be the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States. It is a chronic disease which is very complex and has multiple etiologies." "We lose over 300,000 patients a year to morbid obesity and morbid obesity related medical problems." "There are social, psychosocial and economic consequences of morbid obesity that can be devastating. Unfortunately, the prejudice against the obese is very common in our society." "Conservative management of morbid obesity that includes diet, behavioral modifications, exercise programs and the like have been found to be ineffective over the long term. A person who is morbidly obese who attempts conservative management, as mentioned above, either alone or in any combination, is not expected to be successful more than 5% of the time. Over 95% of patients who are morbidly obese and meet the criteria for morbid obesity will regain their weight and often overshoot their previous weight. Surgery for morbid obesity is the only method that has resulted in long-term maintenance of weight loss and the reduction of the comorbid diseases that are associated with morbid obesity. In particular, hypertension, dibetes mellitus, risks for coronary disease, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and many others. Morbid obesity is a chronic disease which is defined as a disruption of bodily function that develops slowly and persists for an extended period of time and often for life. It is multifactorial and includes genetic predisposition, environmental factors, social economic factors, cultural influences, hormonal influences and digestive abnormalities. In 1985 morbid obesity was recognized as a disease with associated comorbid diseases by the National Institute of Health. In 1991, surgical weight loss stated to be superior to nonsurgical weight loss methods and that only surgical intervention produced acceptable long-term results. In 1993 the National Institute of Health recognized the vertical banded gastroplasty and the gastric bypass procedure to be effective in significant reduction of excess body weight. The National Institute of Health recognizes morbid obesity as being an epidemic that can only be reduced significantly by surgical intervention for both morbid obesity and its associated comorbid problems." **************** http://www.landauercosmeticsurgery.co.uk/obesity/ "OBESITY: A MEDICAL CONDITION People who suffer from obesity are poorly misunderstood by those of the population who are not obese. There is a common attitude that overweight people are stupid and unable to control themselves. People who are obese are often the brunt of cruel jokes and thoughtless humour, even to the point of suffering abusive comments in public places. We now know that the medical condition of morbid obesity is a complex disorder, and not simply due to over-eating. The vast majority of people living in the Western World eat more calories than they need but it is only a small proportion that relentlessly lay down every excess calorie in their fat stores. Most people have a mechanism, by which their body knows when their stores have been refilled, but there is an unfortunate group of people where this mechanism is defective, and when they eat it can be likened to filling up the bath with the overflow blocked off. There are of course no fat people in starvation areas of the world, but this is because these are regions with chronic malnutrition and nobody there has access to even adequate calories. People who are morbidly obese often find it difficult to believe that their problem is a medical disease and not simply due to overeating. MORBID OBESITY IN FAMILIES The disorder of morbid obesity often runs in families. The chance of having morbid obesity is clearly increased if other people in your family have the condition. Studies of identical twins who were separated at birth and brought up separately show that if one twin becomes obese, then the other one is likely to become obese as well."

Wow, Megan - That sounds absolutely awful, and one of a bandster's worse nightmares. Thank goodness you are organized enough to have the numbers you needed at your fingertips, and got yourself help quickly. (((hugs)))

Hi Sue - There is a San Diego bandster group with very nice, wonderful people in it - they meet about once a month on the second Sunday. I know at least one person had her surgery in San Diego, with Brunson, I believe. You should check out that group and post your questions there, even though most had their surgery in Mexico, there is some knowledge about the local docs. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SanDiegoBandsters/ Best wishes,

Crystal - I think I am falling in love with you... Ditto, ditto, ditto on every single point you have made. There can be no question that Ann Marie needs professional help, and I say that with the utmost compassion. I think her life is spinning out of control, and I fear that many other people will be hurt along the way. Ann Marie, if you are reading this, please, please, please seek professional help. You are a danger to yourself and those around you. May those that have been hurt and harrassed by your actions find healing and forgiveness, and may you find the strength to seek the professional help you need to become well.

Loving all your thoughts here. I am back to my "dormant" state, no longer frothing at the mouth, the point where I forget about my weight struggle because I'm too busy living my life to spare it much thought. Okay, that wasn't an intentional lie - the weight struggle is always there in my thoughts somewhere, however deeply buried by "real" life, but I AM no longer foaming at the mouth... lol I stick by what I wrote, though. Jack, your comments are well taken that ALL patients, regardless of their challenges, need to be an active participant in their own care. I do wonder, though, if you had been unable to demonstrate understanding regarding your diabetes management, what they would have done. Surely NOT withhold treatment. Probably arrange to have a homecare nurse drop by twice a day to give you your insulin shot. Peace to everyone, and congratulations for taking responsibility for your health and life, and doing everything you can to make it better. (((hugs)))

Hey Sue - You already know I'm crazy too!! I'm not sure what the scientific difference is between a disease and a disorder (obsessive/compulsive disorder), but I do know that both are treatable. Have you ever tried Meridia? It really helped dim that drive to eat for me - whatever that drive is. And I think the fact that MO IS so complex in most people is one of the things that makes it so hard to treat. How do you know that your drive to eat when you're not hungry isn't a physical drive instead of an emotional or just plain crazy one? Just because you're physically full doesn't mean you're sated (obviously). Until the "experts" can sort it all out, I believe we need to throw everything we have at our disposal at this thing - counseling, surgery, medication - whatever works for the individual. We're all so very different, and yet we have so very much in common. If you haven't tried the Meridia before, you may want to give it a shot. It really helped me. I mean, after all, if you're using food to medicate yourself, why not try actual medicine? From one insane gal to another... lol

Darcy, you are so right on!! Whether we are going up or going down - life is what is going on around us, NOT what's going on under our feet, so to speak. If we live our lives to the fullest we are able everyday, we'll have no regrets, and when we think back we'll remember all the wonderful moments we experienced - not what our weight was. I think it would be wonderful to be able to look at a photo of myself and not have any idea what my weight was when it was taken - and not even wonder! I swear, every photo of me, no matter what I'm doing or who I'm with, I could say with absolute certainty, "I was about xxx lbs there." This is how focused I have been on my WEIGHT instead of my life...

Conversion Table 1. Ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter = Eskimo pi 2. 2000 pounds of Chinese Soup = won ton 3. 1 millionth of a mouthwash = 1 microscope 4. Time between slipping on a peel and smacking the pavement = 1 bananosecond 5. Weight an evangelist carries with God = 1 billigram 6. Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour = knotfurlong 7. 365.25 days of drinking low-calorie beer = 1 Lite year 8. 16.5 feet in the Twilight Zone = 1 Rod Serling 9. Half a large intestine = 1 semicolon 10. 1,000,000 aches = 1 megahurtz 11. Basic unit of laryngitis - 1 hoarsepower 12. Shortest distance between two jokes - a straight line 13. 453.6 graham crackers = 1 pound cake 14. 1 million microphones = 1 megaphone 15. 1 million bicycles = 1 megacycles 16. 365.25 days = 1 unicycle 17. 2000 mockingbirds = two kilomockingbirds 18. 10 cards = 1 decacard 19. 52 cards = 1 deckacard 20. 1 kilogram of falling figs = 1 fig Newton 21. 1000 grams of wet socks = 1 literhosen 22. 1 millionth of a fish = 1 microfiche 23. 1 trillion pins = 1 terrapin 24. 10 rations = 1 decaration 25. 100 rations = 1 C-ration 26. 2 monograms = 1 diagram 27. 8 nickels = 2 paradigms 28. 2.4 statute miles of intravenous surgical tubing at Yale University Hospital = 1 I.V. League

Whoo hoo!! Congrats, Babs!

Lisa, you know I don't buy that for one second... But what the chart is saying, basically, is that the higher the percentage next to the food, the more filling the food is - meaning that the people in the test felt less hungry/more satisfied for a longer period of time after eating potatos (323% percent more filling than white bread), and hungry again faster/less satisfied after eating a croissant (47% as filling as white bread - less than HALF as filling as a piece of white bread). So for the people in the study, the foods marked over 100% were more filling and satisfying, in their opinion, than a slice of white bread (the baseline at 100%). The foods marked less than 100% were less filling/satisfying than a slice of white bread. So, if you are similar to the people in the study, you should get more mileage full/satisfaction-wise from eating a potato than you would if you ate a croissant. The study did mention additional factors that revolved around the sense of satisfaction, which generally had to do with the additions of fat. For example, someone who ate two pounds of broccoli might be full, but not feel satisfied until they had a little fat. It's all very complicated and subjective, of course, and no doubt has a lot to do with each individual's chemistry and how a certain food may cause an individual's chemistry to react. But interesting, even though possibly useless, information... :clap:

You would think that I'd feel better after this long rant... But I am still very angry. I find it unbelievable that treatment for the co-morbidities that are often caused by MO is provided without question: c-pap machines for sleep apnea, diabetes medication, cholesterol treatment, hyper-tension, infertility, cancer, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, gastro-esophageal reflux, urinary stress incontinence, lower extremity venous stasis disease, cardiovascular disease.... A doctor would NEVER withhold treatment for any of these things until a person lost a certain amount of weight - and yet, the underlying CAUSE for them all is often MO! My Mom is not MO - she's maybe 40-50 pounds overweight. Her doc told her he wasn't going to lose any sleep over her health as long as she was fat. I still have no way to process that statement without being angry at the end of it. My thin PCP offered to send me to nutrition classes when I asked him about banding. He's slender - I asked him if he counted calories, or exercised regularly. He said no. I asked him if he thought he COULD count calories, go hungry, and exercise regularly. He was honest, and said no. None of this rant is meant as an excuse to not try and live as healthy a lifestyle as possible, or to escape responsibility for the choices I make. I have a disease, and it is up to me to take care of myself the very best way that I can, to seek the treatment that I need, and to never give up. I don't expect it to be easy, or fun, or fair. But I do expect that people recognize that it ISN'T easy, fun, or fair - and that the challenges I face with the disease of MO cannot be compared to the challenges that 'normal' people face with food. Just as I cannot expect it to be easy for an alcoholic to NOT drink, just because I have no interest in alcohol. It's EASY for me to not drink - it simply doesn't interest me. It's NOT easy for an alcoholic to not drink. If a person has no interest in food, or very little appetite, it is easy for them to not overeat. Anyone with a non-food addiction who has kicked their "habit" will tell you that quitting is 100 times easier than moderating. And we can't "quit" food. People do learn to moderate... about 5% of them. I keep struggling to be in that 5%.

Hi Cramped - Although it is no "easy" ride, you should not be struggling with being too tight. You'll find lots of information here in previous posts on why being too tight is NOT the way to go. We look forward to more details on your situation when you feel comfortable sharing.

My youngest sister complained one day that her food was too hot to eat. My Dad told her to salt it. From that day on, until she was an adult, she believed that salting her food cooled it down. When my Dad was dying, and we were all together reminiscing about old times, Lizette said to Dad, "You always knew everything. I'll never forget you telling me to cool my food by salting it." Dad said, "I never told you that salt cools your food. I told you to salt it thinking that by the time you got the salt and salted it, your food would have had time to cool a little bit..." ROTFLMAO!!

My Dad was a wonderful singer. I grew up going to performances of his. One of my favorite songs that he sang was "My Boy Bill" - it is a song about a man finding out he is going to be a father, and how life with his son "Bill" will be. In the middle of the song it occurs to him that the child may be a girl, and the verse is: "Wait a minute! Could it be? What the hell! What if he is a girl? What would I do with her? What could I do for her? A bum with no money! You can have fun with a son But you got to be a father to a girl She mighn’t be so bad at that A kid with ribbons in her hair! A kind o’ neat and petite Little tin-type of her mother! What a pair! I can just hear myself bragging about her! My little girl Pink and white As peaches and cream is she My little girl Is half again as bright As girls are meant to be! Dozens of boys pursue her Many a likely lad does what he can to woo her from her faithful dad She has a few Pink and white young fellers of two and three But my little girl Gets hungry ev’ry night and she come home to me! My little girl, my little girl! I got to get ready before she comes! I got to make certain that she Won’t be dragged up in slums With a lot o’ bums like me She’s got to be sheltered And be dressed in the best money can buy! I never knew how to get money But, I’ll try, by god! I’ll try! I’ll go out and make it or steal it Or take it or die!" I thought my Dad had written that song about me until I was in HIGHSCHOOL!! It's a song from the musical "Carousel." lol

Look - someone actually did a satiety test... I thought this was interesting. http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_food_diet/satiety_index.php Turns out boiled potatos have the highest satiety index of all foods tested: <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=8 width="80%" bgColor=#ffffcc border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=5>The Satiety Index </TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=5><SMALL>Each of the following foods is rated by how much food people ate after consuming them to satisfy their hunger.</SMALL> </TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=5><SMALL><SMALL> All are compared to white bread, ranked as "100"</SMALL></SMALL> </TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2><SMALL>Bakery Products</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD colSpan=2><SMALL>Carbohydrate-Rich Foods</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Croissant</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>47%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>White bread</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>100%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Cake</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>65%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>French fries</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>116%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Doughnuts</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>68%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>White Pasta</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>119%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Cookies</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>120%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Brown Rice</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>132%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Crackers</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>127%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>White rice</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>138%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2><SMALL>Snacks and Confectionary</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Grain bread</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>154%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Mars candy bar</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>70%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Wholemeal bread</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>157%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Peanuts</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>84%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Brown pasta</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>188%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Yogurt</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>88%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Potatoes, boiled</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>323%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Crisps</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>91%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD colSpan=2><SMALL>Protein-Rich Foods</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Ice cream</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>96%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Lentils</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>133%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Jellybeans</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>118%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>cheese</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>146%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Popcorn</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>154%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>eggs</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>150%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2><SMALL>Breakfast Cereals with Milk</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Baked Beans</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>168%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Muesli</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>100%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Beef</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>176%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Sustain</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>112%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Ling fish</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>225%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Special K</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>116%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD colSpan=2><SMALL>Fruits</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Cornflakes</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>118%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Bananas</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>118%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Honeysmacks</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>132%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Grapes</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>162%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>All-Bran</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>151%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Apples</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>197%</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TD><SMALL>Porridge/Oatmeal</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>209%</SMALL></TD><TD width=8 bgColor=#ffffcc></TD><TD><SMALL>Oranges</SMALL></TD><TD><SMALL>202%</SMALL></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

LOL. Darcy, I think addiction is an important part of most people's MO - and anyone who doesn't believe that food can cause a chemical addiction are not very familiar with chemistry. "Runner's high" is a widely accepted term that describes how adrenaline and endorphins can affect the psyche. Certain foods create similar chemical reactions in the blood stream - chocolate is widely known for its release of endorphin-like chemicals in the blood stream. I also sincerely believe a factor in people's MO is a satiety disorder, in addition to the emotional/behavioral reasons, and the addiction reasons that we eat. Even though we are full, our bodies are still sending the hunger signal. Sometimes that's a head hunger - no doubt about it - but sometimes I think it's a faulty switch in the "full" department. My SO is diabetic, and one day when he was testing his blood sugar I asked if I could test mine too, just out of curiosity. It was about 2 hours after we'd eaten. My blood sugar was in the 60's. Fasting, a normal person's blood sugar should measure between 70-110 - two hours after eating it should be less than 180. (http://www.endocrineweb.com/insulin.html) He was concerned for me, and thought I should mention to my doc the next time I had a check-up. Well, Lord knows when THAT will be (LOL), so I did some research on the web. I found a very interesting (and old) article that basically explained that some people's insulin OVER reacts to blood sugar - which means that after a carb meal too much insulin is produced. When that happens, the fat cells are used as storage, AND the low blood sugar tells our brains that it's time to EAT!! I was thinking to myself, no wonder I feel like I'm starving right after a big meal - my blood sugar is too low. The article's recommendation? Basicly an Atkins-style diet. This was long before Atkins came along... http://www.whale.to/v/sandler10.html

Yep - "bumping" refreshes the post as new, and brings it back up into the "new" posts list. Hi Willo!! :waving:

:clap: :clap:

I'm glad Dr. Billy isn't one of "those" who make EVERYONE lose weight before banding, but we all know "they" are out there, and my post applies to ALL of "them." Yes, absolutely, we need to make good choices - having other options besides high cal/low nutrition foods to eat when we're having one of our "moments" is a key strategy. All the things I've posted in my "Tools to deal with emotional hunger" are strategies. We have to be willing to try them. We have to be willing to work towards making the best choices 100% of the time. But being human, 100% can only ever be a goal - if you are one of those humans that is 100% ALL the time, I applaud you, but I am also a little suspicious about the veracity of your claim. I think I am one of the biggest advocates for behaviour modification on this site - I take complete responsibility for my choices. But I will tell any one who will listen: I made better choices more often when I was banded, because it was easier. Sometimes I had no choice. And the times I didn't make the best choices, I was limited as to how much damage I could really do. That 400 pound guy CAN'T eat four pizzas in a sitting after being banded - whether he wants to or not. Does he need a wake up call? Yes. Will dieting give it to him? No. Does he need emotional counseling? Absolutely. Will that "fix" him in and of itself? Highly unlikely. Again, my two cents. We really are on the same side of the fence when it comes to behaviour modification, but I resent the implication that it is ALL about that. For me, anyway, there is a definite physical component that banding "fixed", that is once again broken...

I will be the first one to agree that we HAVE to change our eating habits, and we HAVE to change the way we think about food, and we HAVE to take responsibility for making wise choices. However, I have to respectfully DISAGREE with his protocol of making his patients lose 40 pounds FIRST - before being banded, to "prove" to them that they have to make changes. Losing 40 pounds without the help of surgery or medication is NOT any kind of lesson. We have ALL done that, and more, with few exceptions. Losing wieght with the band or medication is TOTALLY different than "dieting". Making the healthy choices we need to make is 500% easier with the tool of banding/medication. I do not know of one single banded person who does not at least occasionally indulge in non-healthy choices/quantities - not one. The difference between being banded and being not banded is that the band helps do damage control, reduces our appetites, creates feelings of satiety earlier, and limits the overeating we can do, and often limits or eliminates the ability to eat the types of food that put us in binge mode in the first place. Only someone who has been morbidly obese, and then helped by banding/medication can understand what I am saying. Willpower and commitment can rarely stand on their own for long in the face of this obsession/addiction/physical defect we suffer from - we all have more willpower and commitment than non-MO people will ever understand. Banding/medication levels the playing field, so we are all on the same page. The day that FOOD is ALL Dr. Billy can think about, and when the compulsion to eat it, even when full, is impossible for him to resist, will he ever have an inkling of what it's like for most of us EVERYDAY. Counseling/therapy is invaluable, but the physical aspect remains without the further help of surgery/medication. [/vent]

You should be able to get at least a 3.1 megapixel digital camera for less than $200. The more megapixels, the higher quality the photo, and the bigger you can make it without it getting blurry. Things to look for: 1. megapixels - don't settle for less than 3.1 2. OPTICAL zoom - minimum x3. Optical zoom is where the lens actually moves back and forth - digital zoom is NOT the same quality. Most have x3 optical with additional digital zoom. 3. decent-sized LCD display 4. QUICK refresh after taking a photo. I have an HP, which takes FOREVER to refresh after taking a photo - whatever I was taking a picture of is LONG gone by the time the camera is ready to shoot again. 5. Speed of focus - see problems with #4... lol 6. Battery life. Some cameras chew through batteries - like my HP (are you getting the impression I don't really recommend the HP??? lol) Mine takes FOUR AA batteries, and they don't last that long. 7. Check out the prices of the memory chips the camera takes - I highly recommend putting out for a 250meg chip or more. 8. Get yourself one of those multi-chip readers that plugs into the USP port. That way you can remove the chip from the camera and plug it into the computer without having to follow the directions about turning on the camera at the right time, remembering to turn it off at the right time, blah blah blah. I love my multi-card reader! My SO has an Olympus - only takes 2 AA batteries, refreshes quickly, and does a good job. I have more luck getting pics of him with his eyes open using mine, for some reason, but then there's all that wait time before I can snap another one... Once you go digital, you'll never go back... The instant gratification of SEEING whether or not the pic came out is soooo addicting...

Whoo hooo!! First fill!!! 56 pounds!! Ryan, you rock!! And February, as stark as it can be, is the month designated for warmth and love and visits by a naked cherub carrying a bow and arrow... It is the month of chocolate, and kisses, and anticipation of Spring. The month of preparation for a new season, a new opportunity, a renewed commitment to life and living. Butterflies must go through a period of stasis before they become their most beautiful selves... February is our chrysalis - protected stage of development... the dark before the most beautiful of dawns... Plus, I was born in February, so how bad can it be???

Ladyg - I was thinking more about your sister's problems, and was wondering if the doc did a full check on her band at her last fill? It's possible that her band has already slipped, which could be causing these severe problems. Even if they checked at her last fill, based on her symptoms she needs to be checked again. I feel for you, because I know how it is to try and help someone who doesn't feel they need help, but she is definitely in crisis, and needs to have a full band check. Any self-respecting band doc would NOT allow their patient to continue vomiting - they would INSIST on a complete unfill, and would also do the checks to ensure there is no slippage already. If she has always had these problems, she has either always been too tight, has never learned to slow down and chew well, or has some other physical problem that would have to be diagnosed by a qualified band doc or gastroenterologist. She MUST have this taken care of - it will not get better by itself. Oh - and a salty metallic taste would indicate blood. She may be having some sort of internal bleeding. Really sounds like an upper GI is in order. Drinking with meals is normally only harmful to weightloss, but in this case may be contributing to her vomiting if she is so tight. Undoubtedly this is the only way she feels she can get solid nutrition down. Better for her to blend everything to a liquid at this point, though, as eating solid food that is getting hung up in the pouch due to swelling/over restriction, and then drinking on top of that is a good combo to produce vomiting. (((hugs)))