leatha_g

It's okay. Sherbet is a liquid food. It's lower in calories and fat than ice cream, but still not something you'd want to have a whole lot of on a regular basis. This is the only time where you'll be encouraged to take in liquid calories. Once you're off liquids, it is encouraged to only take in liquids with no calories as soft foods/liquids generally add more calories than you need. Good luck! I know this time is tough.

I understand your frustration. We all do. Babs is currently going through the same 200 marker battle. I've heard it said that sometimes, it seems as if our body reaches a weight that we may have been at in the past and it tries to hang on to that familiar weight. I'm sure there is some more technical way of explaining that, but it does seem to sort of reach different weights and stay there. Maybe if you try adding something new to your exercise regime? If you're walking, maybe add bicycling an evening or two? Have you tried tracking your Protein, calories etc in www.fitday.com ? sometimes, we may be taking in more than we think. It might help to just check that out for a few days to see if there is an imbalance somewhere in your protein/carb intake. It could be very possible that you are building muscle or 'compacting' at this time. Sometimes, I thought I was going nowhere but should have been losing, my body seemed to be shrinking but the scale wouldn't budge. Then, suddenly, I might drop 5lbs at once. It's still early. Remember this is for life. You'll cross that hurdle, I promise.

Heartburn after a fill is generally a sign that you may be too tight. If this is something new since the fill, I'd consult my physician. You may need just a tiny bit removed. In the meantime, you may want to put something under the head of your bed to lift the mattress. Try not eating anything at least 3-4 hrs before lying down and make sure to drink Water to rinse all the food out of your pouch before bedtime. Too tight fills/reflux can sometimes lend themselves to slippage of the band or aspiration pneumonia. Two things you definitely do not want. Let us know what you find out. Leatha

This picture was taken on a mountain in Aspen this past March that mountain is what forced me to hav ethe surgery I almost died a 1000 deaths trying to climb the stairs in the cave.

Pretty girls, all of them.

This is Mimi - my bestest friend and biggest supporter. She is 23yrs old, married and living in Denton.

Thanks Amy. I think he's pretty handsome too. Even better, he has a great heart and wonderful sense of humor.

I would think as long as you follow it with a glass of water to wash the pouch out, it should be okay, but as always you might want to contact your doc to make sure.

I hope he did an Upper GI to make sure the band looks okay? Glad to hear you went for help! Feel better soon!

I would ask Dr. Rumbaut to please help introduce you to someone he works with in the area.

I don't weigh and measure either. I can tell by looking whether I've got too big a portion or not. Protein, the size of your fist or a deck of cards - that's easy. It's the carb monster that gets me in trouble.

Thanks everyone for the nice compliments.

New Hope wrote: Wow, Leatha, do you realize how close you are to your goal? Way to go, girl! __________________ marie 229/190/?? 5' 3", 50 y.o. 1st fill 8/1/04 1cc Dr. Spivak, 5/26/04 Reach for the stars and LIVE LIFE !!! **************************************************** Marie, It's funny that you should say that. I was just sitting here thinking to myself - 183, WOW! Dare I think that I am anywhere close to finishing? I don't really have a goal, persay. Before I gained all my weight at 19-20, I weighed anywhere from 118 to 124. I thought I was fat then! lol. Dr. Wetter says my goal should be 159 and I think that's because the statistics say we'll not lose 100% of our weight. I say 159 is still too heavy for my frame, although I'll sure take it if it's as far as I can go. Dr. Veninga says 140, I think. I'll sure take that too. This has been an interesting ride to me, because in my mind, I am scared to death to ever think I will not be fat. I don't know if I'm scared of the world I'll have to face without the insulation or the 'me' I'll have to face. I'm sure that I need to find myself a counselor who can help me navigate through this dark and scary place. I haven't up until now because being on the road and keeping appointments just isn't possible. I wished I knew what my future held, so I could make some of those appointments. It brings tears to my eyes to think of where I have been and where I seem to be going. Honestly, I know I have worked hard this past year, but not nearly like some. I must have done something right to have lost 67lbs. I must have! But, I have days where I think I'm totally sabotaging my whole journey and I wonder what it is inside of me that I am so afraid of. This past 6-7 years has been one big scary monster for me. I have had every stressor known to man (divorce, fire, new job, moves, health issues, empty nest - need i say more?) and yet, here I sit, somehow stronger and so much better in so many ways. How could this possibly be? What happens at the end of this line? Yes, just today I have acknowledged that I may actually make it to the finish line, or maybe I'm already there? I am, after all, still alive and still determined albeit slow. One thing is for certain.. I am no quitter! Thank you for noticing..you are always so Up and positive. I appreciate that in you.

welcome !! 3 days sounds a bit early to me. in my case, the third day was about the worst, but some folks say they did it with no problems. I would encourage anyone to take AT LEAST a week.

By the end of your second week, I think you'll feel much better. Congratulations on the 12lbs!! Are you walking? That really did help, but I understand. This last banding - all I wanted to do was sleep. I had some awful bruising with both these most recent surgeries too.

I have 'fat' days and 'skinny' days too. I had a hysterectomy in '96, so it's not that with me, either. I do believe, though, that we retain Water etc and it makes us feel puffy. but, yea, I definitely have those days. I also think this may be part of our process of adjusting to the weight loss. Some days, I feel like I have gained back 20 of what I have lost. they say it takes awhile for our head to catch up with the loss. :cry

Just thought I'd post the reply I got back from the lady who had an 'open' band. I can't remember the name of the person asking. :cry Reposted from Bay Bandsters: **Hi Leatha: I don't get e-mail thru Yahoo... too many to deal with.. so I just go on the website to read the posts.. Yes... my band in fact did Open.... No one knows why.. It was closed after my surgery Oct 30th 03... and closed for the first fill... and closed during the second fill.. then somehow over the next couple of weeks it opened up.. that was in April 04. It did not break (unless the clasp broke)... according to the x-rays it looks like it is just open.. and according to the way I felt.. I slowly lost restriction over a couple of weeks.. so it slowly opened up. I am trying to loose weight (not too successfully).. so that I can have it taken out and another band (the new one from Inamed) placed this Oct 5th... My surgery date may be postponed since I haven't lost the weight he requires... I hope not.. Don Mills at Inamed said there were only 2 others that he knew of with this problem.. one the doctor didnot close it at all at the time of surgery, and one the doctor did not use the tool and did not close it properly.. I don't know what happened with mine.. Good luck to your friend, I would be interested to know what it turns out to be... Hugs, Maria **************************************************

Poor Alex! I understand completely also! I had company over the weekend and I completely abandoned all reason where food is concerned. Then, today I was going to do so good but wound up not having a single bite of food until 6pm when I got home and of course the fastest thing was the worst. It's okay. I'll get it together when everything slows down. We can do it!!!

Thanks Vicki and welcome to the list!! There's many excellent posts here. We have some great folks! Glad to have you here!

Sounds like we all did something right. I started teaching my kids about music from birth (and before). I'm one of those old hippie rock and rollers so I raised them both on classic rock. Took them to concerts. Me and my daughter still attend concerts together. I taught them then, they continue to teach me now. However, some of that stuff Jeremy is into is NOT the music I taught him. lol. I love rock, but I can't stand that screaming and violence in some of that stuff they have these days. I guess my age is finally showing. When he let me listen to the more peaceful 'ambience' stuff I said a quiet thank you to God. lol

I'm sorry, I don't know much about Mexico. I know most of those include everything and the only pre-op most of them do is bloodwork and possibly an EKG on the day of or before surgery. I think it's included in the total. It sounds as if Cirangle does his fills in office, without flouro. That's all well and good if he has no problem accessing your port, but I would think you would need flouro at some time in your banded life. I've heard many good things about him, his patients love him and I definitely support local care due to the possibilities of complications such as being over-filled or port problems etc. Things can and do happen with the band. I would hate to know my doc was hours and hours away and it's expensive to fly back and forth, not to mention very uncomfortable if you are in pain or nauseated. He has a very good banding reputation. 3 yrs follow up is probably worth that extra amount of money, but I'd have them lay out for me what that included. Fills, port problems sometimes require minor procedures in office, I'd ask if these were extra or part of that 3 yr coverage. If so, I would feel comfortable with it. In the long run, I think it would be far less expensive than trips to Mexico. Just my opinion. There are many others who can help you with the questions about Mexican docs at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mexicanbandsters/

I believe you are certainly right. The only question I have is : does he do fills in office with no flouro? If you need flouro there will probably be more charges. I would think this follow up would only cover his office type procedures/visits. Anything outside that will be additional.

He's in Lodi. He's in two bands, one is more 'ambience' called House on Ponce DeLeon, another far more scary one called Horror City Superstition, I think. They have both recorded, but I think they mostly play for like High School venues. He loves it, though and taught himself both instruments. Jeremy had a tough time in school because of dyslexia, but he has more than compensated in more creative areas of his life. I'm real proud of his tenacity. Thanks !! Leatha

Makes sense to me that if you have enough, you don't need more. ?? Then, my past experience is such that my insurance would not pay for them. They are considered elective. They do however, boost energy etc. Sorta.. Just FYI Leatha

Wowee Gail, You've lost 30lbs since June!! That is a great loss!! Congratulations!