GeezerSue

I think it's a good idea at the beginning. But once you get the picture...you've, you know, got the picture.

"Dr." Janet Starr Hull is a graduate of Clayton College of Natural Health, accredited by such interesting organizations as: * American Association of Drugless Practitioners * International Iridology Practitioners Association * American Herbalists Guild * National Association of Nutrition Professionals * American Naturopathic Certification Board We can all sign up and "earn" online degrees in pretty much whatever we want to "study." This doesn't automatically make her wrong. But her "credentials" are less than reassuring. It would be nice if someone who had a real degree and went to real science classes would chime in on the topic.

Now that your band is not too tight...you may be able to eat solid food...and lose weight. I hope that's how it works for you. I wouldn't want to THROW something because of a problem with it; I'd want to EAT something. Keep us posted on the Wellbutrin.

Don't be loving me too much...because once you go back to solid foods, ice cream = liquid calories = a bad choice. It was NEVER my drug of choice before surgery...but now, I've got a problem. I just can't have it in the house.

First, your weight loss is totally on target. Then, a plateau cannot happen in three weeks. You're not on a plateau until you've stalled for months. (Focus on what you've lost per month, not per week or per day.) Finally, I think we put WAY too much effort focusing on getting to certain numbers by certain dates. Say we DO get to some magic number by some special date. And, then what? We won't be "done" with our "diet." That's the way we used to think...."if I can lose these x-number-of pounds, then I can go off my diet/fit in the dress/ whatever." But this is forever. You just need to keep on keeping on. You have done great. And you're on target. Try not to rush things. That's when we get fills that are too tight (or taking silly drugs or going on silly diets) and end up damaging things.

Thanks, Teresa...'preciate it.

I'm pretty much into topping-licking, here. Once in a while I sneak a teeny little bite of crust.

Yeah...relax. He is one of the most experienced lapband surgeons on the planet. He's a nice guy. And he knows from obesity because HE has a band. You couldn't be in better hands.

With a "snug" fill, I cannot eat anything doughy...bread, donuts, cake...nuthin'. Also, "hidden bread" does me in as well. That includes bread crumbs hidden in meatloaf or meatballs or crab cakes. If you want ot know if there was bread in the recipe...feed it to me and stand back.

Congrats on the date. The second hardest part is waiting for surgery. The hardest part is waiting for the first adjustment. I know the surgery is on the list somewhere...but it is not anywhere near the top. Occasionally, exhale...

Perhaps you missed the part where Teresa said "Remember this is a board where we are ALL losing weight. Forgive all of us if we just jumped in and made assumptions about the criterias for banding." Teresa took it upon herself to speak for "all of us." I was just opting out of the representation. I'd rather not have a spokesperson. My comments were certainly not "necessary." But, given the circumstances, they were my right. I can't speak for others, but I know that I'd rather speak for myself or choose my spokesperson myself. I wasn't given that option in this situation. So I reiterate: Not everyone is losing; not everyone has hormone issues; and I neither request nor need "forgiveness." This is the second time in this thread where someone took it upon themselves to either castigate others or apologize for others. I think we can speak for ourselves. If I don't agree with something someone else says I can email them or post my opinion. I don't think it's my job to scold another member for his or her opinion or to apologize for the stated opinions of another. Opinions vary. Except for in Stepford. And I'm pretty sure Alexandra is the moderator.

Ice cream IS a liquid. When deciding what is a liquid and what is a solid, you have to consider what it is at room temperature or body temperature. I'm not kidding. If it melts before it gets to your band, it's a liquid.

Do you have one of those doctors who wants the unreasonably long pre-op and post-op liquid diets?

Lynsey, There is a real problem with people staying too long on mushies. You need to learn what YOU can eat. Apparently, not bread. Try the tuna alone. The band does not work with liquids. I met a woman who lost only ten pounds the first year, because she was afraid to vomit. This may help: http://www.geocities.com/lapbander/solidtips.htm Sue

I used to like her a lot more. Now, I'll just have to admire her. Hurumph!

Not everyone is losing. Not everyone has hormone issues; I think it's age-related. Some of us are beyond that.

Yup...don't by mornings. And potatoes are tough for me when I'm restricted.

Hmmm...and I'm surprised that some people didn't quite "get" that, although we all hope to get to goal, the average 5'5" person with Sue3's numbers will lose about 30 pounds. Although 30 pounds makes a difference...it isn't what I had in mind when I paid many thousands of dollars and traveled to a foreign country to have surgery with a surgeon I'd never met. I guess I'm learning that some people WOULD be happy with those results. But if my best friend were making the same decisions with the same info, I'd surely have given her the same answer. In fact, while the band does SOME of the work, the longer I'm banded (it's been alomst two years) the more I realize that over the long term, it's probably 90% head work.

Zoe, Glad you are finally Rumbautized. If you get to starving during the liquid phase, consider visiting your nearest Jamba juice store. If you get the free Protein boost along with something already fairly high in protein (Peanut Butter Moo'd?), you can stave off the Galloping Hungries that attack just before you can go on mushies and pureed foods. Good luck, Sue

I didn't get buy Inamed because when I was in the mood to buy, they had just gotten approved for implants and I really hate the whole "get implants" message, so I didn't go that way. (I'm from the militant nursing mom segment of society and think that balloon tits look ridiculous.) But I bought JNJ, against the advice of my friend who really does do well in the market (He reitred at age 41.) But when I explained that they were in clinical trials with the Swedish band, he was not impressed. But he's not obese. I'm probably wrong, but my thinking was that JNJ had a lot more money in its advertising budget than Inamed...and that we may be seeing those commercials failry soon. Interestingly enough, the JNJ has held its own and made a couple of bucks. The Inamed is doing well now, but those who bought when it was closer to 70 probably wouldn't agree.

Sari, Well, his website has a lot of testimonials. But to tell you the truth, in over two years of almost daily reading about the LapBand, this is the first time I recall seeing his name. Do you know anyone who has been to him? Do you live near Mexicali? When is your date? Oh, yeah, and welcome! Sue

No sleepless nights...just a good experience. You'll be able to write to us from the business center on the first floor of the hotel. Keep in touch.

Aha! You, too, have been on the weight gain train. I needed to lose 130-150 pounds. Twenty or thirty came along with a very early surgically-related menopause. And then there were Prednisone pounds...about forty of those. And then there were Prozac pounds, p'rolly around thirty, and then there were the twenty or thirty from the Effexor/Paxil/Zoloft months. Which explains the lion's share of my weight gain. PLEASE, PLEASE tell me how the Wellbutrin works.

controversy? offended people? Not here. I think most of us remember being where you are and that the risks are high for such a small payoff and that there is so much work to do even eith the band, that it wouldn't hurt to start the work now...whether you can get a band or not.

Debra, I realize that all of us who have BMI's of 40+ used to have BMI's of 30. On the other hand, not everyone who has a BMI of 30 will get to 40+. (Remember those friends who are still "chunky," but never got morbidly obese?) It would be great if we could tell WHICH of us are going to need banding at a BMI of 30, and then we could all fight the overweight vs. obese battle together. Kelli, Someone with a BMI of 35+ with comorbidities DOES meet the criteria for surgery in the US. Back to my 5'5" person...at BMI 30, she weighs 180, at BMI 35, she weighs 210.5 and with comorbidities has a very different life than the 180 pound person. And, boy! Do I relate to the absentee-husband situation. For most of 31 years! In fact, seven hours into his day today, I just got the "Babe? I'm probably going to end up putting in a double shift" phone call. I just mentioned it because if you were post-op right now, whether he were here or not, you'd need to be heading out the door. As do I. And he's not here to go with me.