leatha_g

In the meantime, moist heat and tylenol or something stronger for pain is what was recommended for mine. Definitely if you notice a red swollen vein going all the way up your arm you need to have it noted by your doctor.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/search.php?searchid=472953 here is a list of threads related to 'thrombophlebitis'. hope it helps!

Paula, any reading you do cannot hurt. I'm real sorry Mike has now added 'Asshole' to his name. If this is really becoming an issue between the two of you, I seriously suggest consulting a counselor, either one or both of you together. There are many many books out there that might shed some light on the dynamics of this type of behavior. Some authors I can think of, Robin Norwood, Susan Forward, Melodie Beatty. Your reaction to his behavior plays a large role as well. It may be that you can make some changes to how you react which will help to open his eyes. Also, James Dobson has some great books on relationships and how we can change our reaction to bad behavior. Love Must be Tough is one I particularly remember. And yes, in some cities AlAnon does have babysitting. In my experience, it's not always the best (usually some member's kids or someone who've volunteered and usually too many kids per person). The meetings are usually only one hour. Leave them with Mike or Mom. Hugs, gf.. I do hope you find some resolution soon..

You can do it! I had the same experience and I just had to tell myself that I could practice the same behaviors as before the unfill. Two weeks is not that long, just keep yourself busy making house preparations and exercising. Good luck!

Pouch dilitation happens when you've been overfilled. The pouch begins to bulge above the band. Sort of like wearing a belt that is too tight..our fat rolls sort of bulge. This is dangerous to your band (can cause slippage) and to your esophagus as well as your lungs, if you begin to have reflux (backing up of food and liquids) when you lie down. Waking up 'choking' or throwing up is very serious. It's damaging to your esophagus but more importantly, it can cause aspiration pneumonia. This is not a symptom to 'wish' away. OTC medications rarely help, an unfill is what is needed and pronto. Always call your doctor if you wake up aspirating.

If you've gone this long with nighttime reflux, you very well could have bronchitis or aspiration pneumonia. Ask your doctor how you can confirm this. Did he give you any antibiotics??

Be very kind to your esophagus today. Maybe even a few days. A bout like that does some hellacious swelling to the stoma, etc. Be very aware of any changes you notice when easing back onto solids. Sometimes this type of ordeal can result in slippage. Might not hurt to follow up with your doc, especially if he has flouro at his disposal. I sincerely hope all returns to normal.

I had what was called 'endometrial' cysts that would come up monthly and burst. I think this was the precursor to what is now called PCOS. I guess this dates me. , no one ever labeled me having PCOS. They just told me I had large ovarian cysts which appeared to come frequently and blow my fallopian tubes apart when they ruptured. Yup, it hurt too..

I came back to delete this statement, as I certainly have no desire to offend anyone or group ALL people into one statement. Of course, there are always medical reasons why some people cannot lose weight as well as others. I too have an obviously very slow metabolism, although I can't, without a doubt say that is my cause for not being able to lose my additional weight. I do know that when I take in less calories on a consistent basis and I avoid foods high in carbs, I lose. This sucks, cause starch is my favorite food group. :faint: Please, to anyone my 'concentration camp' statement might have been offensive, I sincerely and most humbly apologize. We are all in this weight loss battle together, however, each and every one of us is an individual and unique person with our own unique demons, either physical or emotional.

Well congratulations!! This band seems to have allowed numerous babies to be born who might not otherwise have been conceived. Awesome!

Bless your heart.. That's awful. So glad you're all better now..

And I thought we had it bad in Texas.. wowee! Take yer clothes off ladies and turn the AC down...

Can you get liquids down? If not, you need to call your doctor. Even still.. you may need to call your doctor. You shouldn't be sick that long. I would go with warm liquids only for awhile.

This part concerns me. Yes, carbs are easy to fall into if you're having trouble getting a fill you can live with. BUT - taking 3-4 hours to FINISH a meal is something you probably do not want to continue. There is no need to FINISH a meal. Placing a small portion of Protein (fish, chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, beef, etc) and a small portion of veggies on a dessert size plate would be a good place to start. Protein no larger than the size of your fist. Bites no larger than a pencil eraser. If you begin eating the protein first, chew chew chew. (I tend to mix my bites, so I get both protein and veggies). If you can only eat 4 bites of protein due to your fill, you may want to chew more or put your fork down between bites to allow it to move through, but DO NOT stretch your meals over a 3-4 hr period. This is basically eating around the band in order to get MORE food in. Have your meal, spend 15-30 minutes on it and try to move on to something else. This portion control is why we were banded in the first place. Easy to say, tougher to put in practice, I know. But think of it like this. We want to see how LITTLE food we can get by with (and be healthy), as opposed to how much we can get in and get by with. The object is weight loss and better health and you'd be surprised how little your body needs to maintain good health! Most of us have plenty of reserve on board. We are not going to starve. and, if you find yourself terribly hungry an hour or two hours later, then have another bite or two of protein. You'll get it!!

Yes, I believe she did and there are sequels to that book as well. I have all those books. I spent 12 years in AlAnon before my divorce (and should go back). The concepts are a great 'living' program for all life issues, not just living with an alcoholic.

AlAnon, CODA - great great 12 step groups and there are many books available. These programs saved my life, emotionally. Do I still have the tendencies? Yes, they were ingrained in me, growing up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional family. However, today, i see the red flags much earlier and I have developed new tools and new guidelines for my reactions and behaviors. I have come so far thanks to these programs and the great people you meet there. here is a link to the Hazeldon foundation, a great resource for literature as well. http://www.hazelden.org/ The Language of Letting Go - by Melodie Beatty is still one of the most valuable books I've ever owned.

I have systemic lupus, a history of deep vein thrombosis in both legs and a pulmonary embolism. When I was banded my feet and legs would swell so bad I thought they might burst. I could hardly walk inside a mall and think I could get back to my car. I had shin splints trying to walk around my neighborhood and wondered if I'd make it home many times. I could barely do 10 minutes on a treadmill, but I did it. To me, the treadmill was my best friend. I worked up from that 10 minutes to half an hour. But I started wherever I was and just encouraged myself to try to do more eventually. 5 minutes is 5 minutes. If that's all you can do, at least you've tried. Do 10 minutes next time or next week. You will be SO surprised at what you can do with determination. Curves is another good place to start for those who feel they have limitations. It's only a 30 minute workout, all hydraulic, no weights and you move at your own pace. The music there is very upbeat and you just feel so good about yourself for having done it. I lost 14lbs and 14 inches my first month with Curves and it was FUN! I guess the thing that encouraged me most, however, was reading the stories of another bandster. She weighed twice as much as I did when she was banded. She was much younger, but not nearly as ambulatory as I was due to her BMI. That girl reported everyday on a forum like this how she'd gone to Curves and had so much fun! She also wrote the funniest stories about how she'd gotten herself an exercise ball (another great tool) and what a great time she was having learning to move her body again. I watched her metamorphosis in awe and promised myself if this young lady could do it, with two times the excess weight as me, then so could I. We all have limitations that we have to work with and we all have our own time tables. You will get there. Try new things, you'll eventually find one you can do and then you'll eventually work up to another. First, you have to begin..

That's 72lbs!! I would say you're right on target. The AVERAGE weight loss with the band is 50-100lbs per year. You're smack in the middle of that. Great job! You're nearly crossing into ONEDERLAND!!! Don't give up now. Decaf coffee probably has nothing to do with it unless you're adding lots of cream and sugar. Unfortunately, once you get down nearer to goal, you begin having to apply more of your own tactics. Watching the intake closer, turning up the volume on exercise, etc. But from here, it seems you're headed in the right direction! 72lbs in less than a year is awesome! Now, we need to see pics.

I'm right there with you Buffie. I guess we all could be, if we allow ourselves to go there. I guess my only advice (because it's what I have to do) is simply not bring these trigger foods into your house at all. OR buy yourself the little 1 serving bags and make it a point to only allow one. Candy no longer lives at my house, nor does ice cream, I only buy the 100 calorie Cheetos packs and I have some 100 calorie chex mix packs (I haven't touched either of these in days). I have a love/hate relationship with Fritos, but I think I'm getting a handle on it. (Why can't they put THEM in 100 calorie packs??) I buy single serving fruit cups and I count out how many club crackers I can have. You get the picture. You may have to simply remove these foods until you feel safer or have developed a better alternative. Good luck! We've all been there..

You're not far out of surgery. Are you using the Spirometer that they give you to breathe into after surgery? It's a small, plastic apparatus that helps to strengthen your lungs and clear them out after anesthesia. Did you have an issue with shortness of breathe before surgery? Are you walking? I'm certainly glad they ruled out any blood clots. I hope that included a lung scan, since that's the only way they could tell anything might have moved to the lung. Did they do chest xrays to rule out pneumonia? I hope you're feeling better!

I often order the crabcakes off the appetizer menu. French onion soup is a regular choice. Chili is a standby. Chicken marsala or piccata. Also Tilapia or Mahi Mahi. Tortilla soup. Occasionally, I'll go for a salad. I take a box home quite often. Your band date is a great date! One you'll always be able to remember. I chose that same date to become baptised last year. Sort of like reclaiming my life, or rising out of a kind of dead-ness, in honor of so many who never had the choice. Good luck !!

Drink water, go exercise, eat only something like yogurt or cottage cheese. Remember eating too close to bedtime may encourage nighttime reflux. You don't want this this early on/or ever. Don't stay up late - go to bed instead.

You're two years out. Are you noticing anything different with 'stop' signs? Unfortunately, that statistic about 'some' band patients only losing 50-60% is proving to be true. I've battled the fill/unfill thing now for the past year or more as well. When was your last flouro or barium swallow? Have you had an EGD?

I've often kicked myself for being so busy when I was younger and not taking more pictures. I guess we never thought they might be valuable later on. I can't count the times I just hung out at the lake in my bikini or wore daisy dukes everywhere I went. What I wouldn't give for pics of that now. But there are none. We had beer in our hands instead of cameras. lol. K, there are a couple. Way way back - the one in blue. I was bursting into puberty. Notice - no DD's yet. I actually wore about a size 6x dress at this point. I was 11 years old. I was a itty bitty thing for awhile. Thought I'd done something when I moved into a size 2 shoe. The other, I was 17 and about 118-124 lbs. I thought I was fat. I guess for my body frame, I was a bit fluffy, but I'd kill to go back there. Sigh..

Not alot to add to the afore mentioned posts. Depression is definitely 'anger turned inside out'. It's hard to be optimistic or 'up' when you're suffering depression. Often medication alone is not the answer, therapy may need to go hand in hand. Self-help groups are awesome! 12 Step in particular help us to 'reframe' our perspectives and take our own 'inventory' in order to stay on track. Of course, nothing is overnight, it's a lifelong process. If he is aware of his problem and actively seeking some help of his own, half the battle is won. It's not quite as easy if HE isn't admitting the problem and willing to make the changes necessary. I'm really sorry that you're both dealing with this, but to me, he has an angel in his corner named Paula. You're both strong and have a strong faith. I know you'll get it worked out. I love you and I'll be praying for resolution and relief from this burden. Hugsss from your bandmama..