leatha_g

HAHAHAHA:D :laugh :laugh

You will never feel that 'full' Thanksgiving full again, unless you are eating soft foods that go around the band. Alot of people are waiting for their tummies to get full like before we were banded and it just does not happen. Remember, your food is going into the little bitty pouch ABOVE your band and your tummy. This pouch should only hold about 4 ozs above the band, so yes, you will feel as if it stops in your throat or esophagus because it does. And it should. If you are eating hard Proteins it should take hours for it to fully empty into the lower stomach. It does sound as if you do have restriction. If bread is stopping you in your tracks, it's because foods with gluten(bread, tortillas, etc) will swell and gum up in the stoma. With restriction, this will be much more noticeable than when your band is wide open. Try to listen to your body. It will tell you when you are 'full' or maybe a better way to look at it (since you will never be 'full' again) is to think of it as being 'done' eating. Often, my mind is ready for more. It's not 'full', but even more often, my band tells me when I'm 'done'. lol. Hiccups, a sudden onset of coughing or sneezing, runny nose, pain in the shoulder/diaphram, that 'golf ball' feeling in your esophagus - all signs of being 'done'. Good luck! Leatha

I can't eat scrambled eggs either, unless they are mashed with a fork, like we did for our babies. It is a strange thing. You'd think scrambled eggs would be one of the first foods, but I have actually PB'd on what I thought was soft scrambled eggs. Just my 2 cents.. Leatha

I have to go into surgery this coming Friday, myself and I understand the apprehension. Personally, I find that thanking my higher power for the opportunity helps me tremendously. I really am thankful that I have been allowed this opportunity to better my life, my health etc. So many others have not. I will be re-positioning my band, due to slippage. I understand the surgery is about the same, but I'm 60lbs lighter than a year ago, so hopefully I'll recover more quickly. Good luck to you and congrats on being allowed this opportunity. Leatha Plano, Texas 250/190/who cares?

Welcome !! Looks like we were banded exactly one month apart, at the same weight. Interestingly, I'm awaiting surgery to repair a slippage too. Sound familiar? Leatha Plano, Texas 250/190/who cares? Slippage Repair 7/16 (hopefully)

Try starting with the size of your fist only. I understand we're to eat no more than that at any given time. Leatha

Also, as an addendum. I was taken off of hormones back in 2000 dues to having blood clots. This may or may not have an effect on my ability to lose weight. But I definitely do have a time of it. It seems like I need far less than 1200-1500 calories a day and if I vary in any way off the path of 'good choices' it shows up on my scale immediately. 2 more cents worth.. Leatha

Thanks Janie! Yes. I think there are several of us who need to get together at some point. Thanks again, Leatha

if you can only sip Water and you're having reflux at night, it sounds as if you might need a tad 'un'fill. reflux like that, at night, can cause aspiration pneumonia and you sure don't want that. i would talk to my doc about it. good luck! leatha

I've had a complete hysterectomy too and I've had slow weight loss, but I'm not sure who's fault it is, mine or my lack of hormones. lol. As long as I'm headed in the right direction. I really don't care how fast it is. Leatha

Leo, those are great pics! Way to go!! Leatha

:banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana You go Teresa!!! Congratulations on a wonderful start! Leatha

That's perfectly OK to do. Most of us chose this method because we're severely overweight with health issues and were at our wits end from having tried all the 'diet' options available with no permanent results. As with any surgery, there is always risk. I don't advise anyone to go into that lightly.. I wish you luck with your weight loss! Leatha

I'll just chime in here to say that I, too, have been on anti-depressants for years and Thank God for them! Often, people think of depression as a weakness or fault. Even today, emotional problems still seem to have a stigma. What a shame. If I could just once give someone else a view of where my life was BEFORE anti-depressants. They would never believe the AFTER. I'm sure there is someone who will correct me, but the truth is most severely overweight people DO deal with depression. Depression and compulsive behaviors all live in the same family. Of course it's depressing to see others lose 100 lbs in a year while you fight every bite you put in your mouth. I know. I've lost 55-60 lbs since May 29th of last year and there are plenty of folks around me celebrating their century marks. But you have to give yourself credit where credit is due. You've come this far! You are banded. That's half the battle right there if you maintain and just try to meet it halfway. Focus on protein. Everyday I just try to reach that goal of 58-60grams of protein. No one strays any more than me, either. I told myself I would not starve myself with this band and that if I really and truly wanted something (like chocolate or dessert) I'd have it with the full knowledge that it may set me back in my weight loss. And it has! LOL. I'm about halfway to my goal when others who started around the same time have disciplined themselves far better than I. So what? I have the rest of my life to lose this weight. I have a Lapband. It's good for as long as I need it to be. I don't have a specific window of time in which I can lose weight. Some folks even let their fill out and take a break for awhile. Maybe you do need a rest. The coolest thing is that when you have rested and all the sudden you wake up one morning hating how bad your ankles feel when you walk or the fact that you can't ride a bicycle, then you just ask the doc to 'fill er up' and head out on your merry way once again. Is that not cool? We all set expectations for ourselves, publicy or privately, then we get down on ourselves because we didn't meet that goal. You are definitely not alone. I have days when I just cannot believe I put that candy in my mouth (after ALL I've been through.) I'm such an out of control loser. NOT!! I took the first step, which was getting the tool. Now, I'm just leisurely (but steadily) learning how to work it. Some things I try work like a charm, others send me cursing the scale the next morning. Talk about metabolisms?? Mine was pronounced dead back in the 80's. (R.I.P.) Anyway. I'll get off my rant, but please, please, please do not give up on this journey. Take a breather. Talk to someone who has experience with compulsive eating issues. Seek out medical care (believe it or not, depression IS a hormone imbalance and can be managed with great success!). Join Curves. Remove those things and people which threaten your success and surround yourself with people and things that encourage you to LIVE the rest of your life. (Often people sabotage us, because they're afraid if WE change, they might also have to. ) All this from a 43 yr old who's cholesterol was 306 just over a year ago and who's cholesterol is now 168. I have suffered blood clots in my legs, my lungs and came far closer to dying than anyone should at this age - all because of my obesity. I was headed straight for a serious cardiac event and had so many things left yet to do. (My kids, grandkids someday?, bicycling, sky-diving, seeing Ireland, kayaking, climbing stairs without needing oxygen:-( ) So many people want this chance, but can't afford it or have no insurance to help them with it. They still suffer from this horrible disease. We have been given a second chance. I wish you the best of luck in finding that determination to move forward with this journey!!! Leatha Plano, Texas 250/190/who cares? as long as I'm alive.

:Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny Yippee!! Way to go!! Keep up the good work!! Leatha

:banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana ;-) ;-) So glad to have you back, safe and sound, Donali. You have come so far, I'm sure you'll do well, even without the band. Either way, your health is the most important thing. Take care of you!! Leatha

Good luck with the 3 docs in Austin. It seems most of the docs are not taking patients who were banded by someone else. It would help if your original doctor would make a phone call to them also. I wish you luck! Leatha

I don't recall bruising like the either. If I did, it was from the Lovenox shots I had to give myself, not the incision site. Leatha

You paid for this tool to help you. This tool works by way of adjusting the restriction. As you lose, the restriction loosens. Some people are lucky, they continue to lose with little to no additional restriction. Most of us have to have it tweaked as we inch down the scale. There is no glory in suffering your way through losing the weight (or not) without the restriction that you paid for. Everyone is apprehensive about their first fill until they find out it's really no big deal. A doc who is experienced in giving fills can have you in and out of there within minutes. Some people get so tense about it that I think it makes things tougher on them. Amazing the control our imaginations have over us. It's funny how once you get that restriction, you become used to it. I am currently Un-filled and it scares me to death. I miss the restriction. My mind swings back and forth between old habits. Should I just go for it while I have the chance or maybe I better just keep doing what I've been doing. So far, I'm doing pretty good, but the temptation is horrible. Good luck with your first fill! Leatha

Donali, So good to hear from you! Here's wishing you a safe and reasonably comfortable trip home. We all know you'll feel much better in your own surroundings. I'm so sorry you even had to go through any of this. ((((((((DONALI))))))) I don't want to sound like a mother hen, but when you get home, please be careful about how much time you sit at the puter. We rationalize that we're 'taking it easy' by just sitting here, but that is exactly where and how I got my first DVT. (Sitting at the puter for hours after surgery.) Either make yourself lie down with your feet up or walk as much as you can, but sitting in one position for too long can have serious effects. Now I'll go back to fellow banded person mode. Leatha

Amen! God bless America and all those sons and daughters who are now away from it, regardless of the right or wrong of it.

Yep. I'm sure I'm guilty of it too. This is a new type of forum for me, but I've reminded myself in the middle of some dialogue that I was veering off the current topic. Thanks for the 'gentle' reminder. I'll try to do better, promise.

In surgery 4 hours? Wow. Poor thing. I do hope all is well. Thank you, Delarla for the update! Leatha