donali

I know this post has nothing to do with your port - you just wanted a chance to brag about your wild escapade last night!! lol Does your doc suture your port down? If not, the port very well could have moved. As long as it's not causing you pain, no worries - it can be manipulated back upright at your next fill, or if you're not squeamish you could do it yourself if it's bothering you. Me - I'm squeamish. If your doc DOES suture the port down, and it doesn't hurt... Well, I guess it could have moved without causing pain, but I know that mine hurt like a @#$^^!@#$$@#$#!! when I tore one of my sutures. And then when the port turned it was extremely uncomfortable. My doc was able to turn it back - ah, sweet relief!!! But it wouldn't stay, so I had it resutured down, because mine was extremely uncomfortable when it wasn't lying the way it was supposed to. So... No pain? I wouldn't worry. And don't think I've forgotten your post was REALLY just to tell us about last night...

Carolyn - I am extremely worried for you - I have never heard of your symptoms before, and do not understand how air can be trapped in your stomach if your fill has been removed. I do think it's time to see your doc - this has been going on too long, and you should not be suffering. I'm sorry, I wish I had some better advice... Please keep us posted, and wishing you a quick resolution.

I was 201.5 this morning!!! That makes -101.5 pounds since 1/23/03. Whooo hooo!! And ONEderland is only 1.5 pounds away. YAAAAAY, Casper!! (the friendly phantom band... )

Chantal - There is NO giving up - you are banded. The band is there whether you want to work it or not. As frustrating as it is to wait for another fill, the reality is that you will have to deal with your psychological issues sooner or later (I know you have an appointment for that in a couple of weeks). The very best advice I can give you is: 1. You have to change how you think about your goals. If you honestly believe that it is IMPOSSIBLE to make it to 130, then don't set that as your goal. Is it possible that you could lose another 10 pounds? Yes? Then that is your goal. Once you meet that goal you can consider making a new goal. 2. You are working in the diet mentality when you talk about "giving up". There is no giving up- you are living and breathing and walking around. This is your life - you can live it fat, or you can live it thin, or you can live it somewhere in-between. But you ARE living it. 3. Really make the spreadsheet I talk about in this link. It is a legit tool, and one of the most helpful things I learned in my compulsive overeating therapy. http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=434 Know that there are ups and downs. Being up or down is not a permanent condition - there will always be fluctuations. What nice things are you doing for yourself that aren't food related? What hobbies have you taken up to burn the time that eating used to fill? We're here for you. We understand your struggle. You WILL succeed. There are no deadlines. xxoo

uhhhh.... How did I suddently lose control of my prize? lol Sorry guys - a "nice" prize from me is 1/2 off coupons, or something... lol

Peanut butter will dissolve gum - at least from hair. Good excuse to have some peanut butter...

Or, "Eating Your Way to Emotional Health" - I bet THAT would be a bestseller!!

Mine's going to be, "Why Weight? When Bigger Isn't Better".

Hi Stalker Gina! Welcome!

Terry says it is, so there. ***phbbbbbbpp!!***

Am I the only one who sees this as unfair to DeLarla??? Penni has a port, DeLarla does not. My money's on Penni... (How's that for adding fire to your flame, Lis? lol There's gonna be no stopping you now!!! Plus I'm going to bring a really cool prize to the winner.... )

ROTFLMAO!! It sounds good when we write it down though...

Terry, This is going to sound weird, but I think it takes strength (or at least courage!) to reach out for (and more importantly) to accept help and support (IMHO). Needing support is a very vulnerable place to be, because there is a chance that our request might be rejected, or we might be attacked for being in a vulnerable place, and then we need even MORE support to get us over that. I am still learning that it is safe to ask for help when I need it. I am not always willing to admit I need help, but am outraged to watch others struggle without asking for MY help. So you are right, things happen for a reason, and I needed reinforcement in my lesson to learn to ask for help and support. Everyone here has come through for me with flying colors in that regard. Also, letting people GIVE support is a huge boost to their own self-worth and power - plus it lets them "pay back" and keep a feeling of equality, which is important in healthy relationships. And it's easier to be empathetic when we've experienced both sides of the coin. So good for you that you were able to be needy, and that you got your needs met. I'm sure your supporters were grateful for the opportunity to show you how much they loved and cared for you, like you have always shown them. Ying and Yang - ya gotta love it.

When I get the mocha frappacino craving: Get out the blender. Put in: 1/2 cup of hot Water 1 tablespoon of Folger's instant decaf. 1/2 carton of unsweetened chocolate soy milk. 2 packets of sweet-n-low. Maybe drizzle some SF chocolate syrup in there. Blend with lots of ice. Pour into a tall glass and top with that real spray-on whip cream. yum, yum. Adjust any/all ingrediants to your personal taste. I'm sure non-fat milk and cocoa powder would work just as well as the soy milk.

Hey, Terry - Your pics are amazing!! Both you and your daughter are simply gorgeous. Sorry I've been laying low. Feeling a little apathetic, these days - can't quite wrap my arms around why... But I'm reading, and watching, and cheering silently for everyone's success. I know - that's not too helpful, 'cause no one can hear that but me... Keep up the good work, and try not to let yourself get frustrated. This journey is full of ups and downs, and I figure I LOVE roller coasters, so I quit compaining... Once I learned that my journey wasn't about my WEIGHT, but about ME, and that my weight was just a symptom of something being wrong, I've been able to ride the ups and downs with a little more equilibrium. I still fret about the scale - don't get me wrong - but it doesn't hold the same power over me as it did in my "dieting" days. This is just a very long process, banded or not. And it doesn't end when the excess weight is gone. So I am trying to enjoy the journey, since this is where life is actually happening. xxoo

The new "chicken Soup for the food Lover's Soul". Has anyone read the "Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul"? If you need a good cry, I highly recommend it. I'll bet Ryan's book of our tales would be just as inspirational, and just as heart-breaking. Ryan, sorry I have not posted an open-armed welcome to you sooner. I confess, I have been laying low. Although I have not been participating much, I still read LBT everyday, because the people here are SO SO awesome. What a wonderful addition you are to this group!! Reading your writing is like reading beautiful poetry. Wishing you all the best - hugs to you and your wife.

Penni - I love those mocha frappacinos, too. Guess what? This tastes almost exactly the same to me, and I haven't felt the need for one since. When I get the mocha frappacino craving: Get out the blender. Put in about 1/2 cup of hot Water and a tablespoon of Folger's instant decaf. Add 1/2 carton of unsweetened chocolate soy milk. 2 packets of sweet-n-low. Maybe drizzle some SF chocolate syrup in there. Blend with lots of ice. Pour into a tall glass and top with that real spray-on whip cream. yum, yum. I'm sure non-fat milk and cocoa powder would work just as well as the soy milk. Try it, and tell me what you think!

Having to change your habits to lose weight is old news. Everyone knows this. Banded people have a tool that helps with the physcial hunger. The bingeing is HEAD hunger. It is a habit we got into to self-medicate, to help deal with all the scary stuff, and the hurtful stuff, and the angry stuff, and the boring stuff... You name it, food was the answer. The band helps change the physical habit by making it impossible to overeat certain things. The emotional habit takes a lot of work. You cannot just tell yourself, "I have to change my habits." You have to have REPLACEMENT habits. You have to identify the specific habit you want to change, and then you HAVE to do something else instead. You have no right to beat up on yourself for not doing things differently if you have not identified SPECIFIC behaviours to try instead of eating. Actually, no one should ever beat up on themselves - all this stuff is hard, and takes practice. But without a plan, the chances for success are virtually nil. Here's most of what I learned about creating an alternate plan to emotional eating, and how to put it in place. http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=434 Remember - progress, not perfection. Baby steps. Be gentle with yourselves. Peace and Love -

Hi Maureen - Alexandra is right - it is very unlikely that the radiologist has been trained on proper band placement, and unless he's worked with a lot of band patients and been specifically trained in where the location of the band is supposed to be, I would be more inclined to trust your band doc. However, vomiting is the number one cause of slippage, so you very well could have slipped your band. Some people can have violent retching episodes with seemingly no ill affects, and others can have band problems from just one vomiting incident. All bodies are different, so erosions happen at different rates, but the chance that your band has eroded is very small. Try not to worry about it and distract yourself with other thoughts/activities until you can have your endoscopy and know for sure. Good luck, and keep us posted! Michelle - your words are too kind! :cool: Thank you.

Hi Carolyn - So sorry you're having this pain, but glad it seems to be getting better. As far as what you may have done to aggravate the stomach, you don't recall any "stuck" incidents, or a time when something hurt going down? Any vomiting at all? (even a little bit counts!) Any deep breathing like for singing? Did you have a patch of very spicy food right before the pain started? Did you take any aspiring or other NSAIDs? Any reflux? Try and remember anything different that might have happened about the time the pain started. It's possible you even swallowed too big of a bite of something that is having troubles passing through but is not totally obstructing you - perhaps a fibrous type of vegetable? Just being a tad too tight may be the culprit. If this isn't resolved soon I would recommend having at least a slight unfill. Once the stomach gets irritated it can turn into a vicious circle for some - a total unfill for a few weeks may even be in order. :cool: Some people have very sensitive stomachs and are prone to gastritis at the slightest provocation. Good luck, and keep us posted!!

Now, Darcy, that's not nice! It's Leatha's bday, and she should get whatever she wants!!! Happy, happy day, Leatha!!

Megan - Everyone's "full" feeling is different. Some people get the hiccoughs, some people's nose runs, some people have a little "sigh", some people feel just a little stuck (me - not enough to make the "deer in the headlights" look, but enough that I knew I HAD to stop). This 1/2 cup to 3/4 cups of food thing drives me crazy. At the same time, I guess that's about what I was eating, bfast/lunch anyway, usually more at dinner. But my mind rebels when I hear that amount as a "goal", or someone thinking it's "too much", because you can't get in a healthy 1200 calories a day on less than six cups of food. NO, that is not solid Protein, packed tight six cups, but six cups used as a regular measurement. So although I myself was NOT eating six cups of healthy food a day, I was making sure I got in all my calories. Anyway, my point (and yes, I did have one!! ) IS: I personally don't think it matters HOW MUCH you eat. It matters if you're losing weight, and tolerating what you do eat without vomiting or feeling stuck all the time. So you're losing weight, and I assume that you are tolerating what you eat with no problems. Are you struggling with the amount that you're eating? Meaning, are you starving, but forcing yourself to stop because you think you should? If you're struggling, and eating enough to end that struggle results in the stopping of your weightloss, or even a regain, then a fill is in order. But if you're not struggling, are meeting your nutritional goals, tolerating foods well, AND losing weight, I call that the "sweet spot". FWIW.

These are the steps I take: 1. Log in 2. Click on the "user cp" button at the top of the screen, first blue button. 3. Choose "Edit Options" 4. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the screen. Avatar is the last option. (You should see the "Submit Modifications" button at the very bottom here as well.) 5. Click on the "Change Avatar" button on the far right. 6. Click in the circle of the avatar you want to use. 7. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen. You should see the "Submit Modifications" and "Reset Fields" buttons. Click on the "Submit Modifications" button, and you should be all set. If you're not seeing the "Submit Modifications" after scrolling all the way down the page, the only thing I could think of would be that the page hasn't finished loading? If the above steps don't fix you up, perhaps you can post to the "Suggestions, Feedback, Questions" forum and ask Alex if he can help. Good luck!

Whooo Hoooo!! Penni, ALL good news!!! Welcome back!!

After you click on the little button of the avatar you want, you must click on the "Submit Modifications" button at the bottom of the screen. That should fix you up!