leatha_g

I think I know now why I turn my puter on first thing in the morning and run to see what's been posted on LBT. Because I always get a smile and at least LOL(laugh out loud). Thanks for making my mornings brighter everyone! Vera, that young man is a doll! Great picture. Ryan, the time is drawing near. This week will be a blur soon and I'm sitting here with fingers and such crossed, hoping that all goes well for you and you'll soon come back posting how much faster you lose than us ladies!! My thoughts will certainly be with you! Leatha

Well, let me just say that the boobage is actually the one place I have NOT lost. This is quite common for me and tends to make me weeble sideways when I'm at my smallest weight. However, even though they're the same size, I'm thinking some of those pins from the sardine cans might helpful.. What used to be 38DD have now become 38XL(extra long!):cry

April of last year I had a fill by one our local opportunists (not a banding surgeon, but a 'fill doctor') who seemed to think my pouch was dilated, but he went ahead and overfilled me anyway (this is a total NO NO with pouch dilation). I suffered severe reflux and pain upon swallowing by that evening. Turns out, when I saw a more experienced person that he said my band had 'slipped' and my pouch was perfectly fine (looking at the film from doc #1). So, they had to unfill me and I had to have surgery to 'reposition' the band, but during surgery, the band broke so they had to replace it. So, I am just now getting over TWO surgeries this summer and back to some semblance of restriction, AGAIN.

I'm in Plano/Allen area.

lmao, lisa-- wanna splain this?? lmao

Just for kicks. I'm posting the 'cottage cheese test' recommended for gastric bypass patients to test their pouches for enlargement. Jessie recommends trying this on occasion to see if your pouch is still as small as it is meant to be. Since I just got a fill and wanted to check my restriction, I pulled out one of my little 4 oz cottage cheese's and tried it out. It's actually pretty cool that I can feel it sitting above my band and I don't think it would be a good idea to force anything else through there. This is good news for me. I know my pouch is in good shape. This is good. http://pfamos.org/Test.htm

LOL, not for me it's not. I couldn't do the bread, the rest, maybe?

Ya'll are just too sweet to me. Thanks. Paula, it's okay if I can't eat much, really. Truthfully, this band takes a great weight off my shoulders (and my behind) when it's working right. I have a love/ hate relationship with food and something about being restricted well and not being able to overeat just takes so much guilt away from me. I haven't lost anything to speak of, but they did my measurements at Curves this evening and I've still lost 9.25 inches since my last measurement!! So, I feel better about my stall now. Thanks for all your support! I don't know where I'd be without all of you.

Your loss is well within the 'average' range of being banded. Especially if you take the first 6 weeks (before a fill) off. So do not be discouraged by that. You're doing great! Now, if you are still able to eat anything and as much volume as you want, then you may need a fill. The questions in the link posted are all good questions to answer. Then I think you'll have a pretty good idea of which way to go from there. It's not that having fills is a bad thing. The band is designed to use the fills. But, overfilling, as opposed to making better food choices is risky business. ****************************************************** It's all a learning curve, for all of us. Even the docs, which concerns me when I hear of some new protocol, like skipping the basics of healing time or allowing their patient to go straight to solid foods right away. I can't help but wonder what their motive is? Possibly return business? Makes one wonder..

LOL. I'm excited about it too. ROAD TRIP!!! and, I lived in Galveston, on the seawall when I was 3. I've never gotten to stay there since, so maybe I can point out some things I actually remember.

Yikes! This is something better taken care of BEFORE surgery. It's proving really tough to get a doctor to see someone banded out of the states (or whom they didn't operate on in the beginning). Is there someone your doc has done business with in the past who might be able to help? Sometimes, if they are one of the proctoring docs, they set up follow up care with people they've helped to teach? Otherwise, you might check with local radiology centers? You can do a surgeon locator for your area on www.lap-band.com. Let us know if any of this helps!

I'm with you, Babs! I made myself get serious yesterday too. I'd like to see the 170's before the holidays. I did really well yesterday, we'll see if I can keep it up. Danger lurks, in the way of work. lol.. Oh, and I get a fill today. Please cross your fingers that this will be 'the one'. Not too big, not too little, but justttt right..

LMAO!! Greg you're terrible. lol. Thanks for the laugh so early in the morning. Welcome home MOM! By the end of the week, you'll be feeling much better! Rest while you can, walk, walk, walk and sip, sip, sip constantly. Take care of yourself and keep us posted on how you're doing!

Welcome Mindi! Sounds like you have the ever elusive restriction. That is what we're all hoping for, so our bands stop us from eating as much. Try cutting your bites into pea-size pieces and maybe make sure you have some sort of sauce/food lube for your meats. Chew, chew, chew.. It's all a learning curve, for sure! Good luck to you!

LMAOROFLPMP(laughing my a** off, rolling on the floor laughing, peeing my pants)

I have only been banded since May, 2003. I can definitely tell you that if you do not maintain the required eating habits, you can definitely regain your weight. That being said, that is the beauty of the band. It doesn't just go away when you're done. You maintain your fills so that you can maintain your eating habits and your weight loss OR if you realize that your weight is beginning to creep back up, you can go in for a tweak of the fill. Yes. I have heard of some folks who have regained some weight. I have even heard of some who 'ate around' their bands to the point of not losing at all or regaining their initial loss. I do know that on Yahoo Groups Smartbandsters and www.spotlighthealth.com there are some of the initial bandsters who were in on the trials and who were banded in Mexico and France before the trials who have lost to their goals and who now, (some 6 yrs out) are still maintaining their losses. I hope that helps to answer your question.

Just want to take a moment to wish you the very best for your surgery and subsequent recovery!! Please let us know how you are doing once you feel like it!!!

Samy, There are many pics already posted. If you go up to your right, to where it says Search, you can enter in the search 'pics' and it will bring up many posts with all kinds of pics, from before and afters, to bruises from surgery to our families, etc. There are like 5 pages of them, so be sure to look down to the right bottom of your page and click on the next page. Happy viewing! Leatha

I have a list of local Inamed certified doctors in the area. Unfortunately, this list does not specify facilities they use. I can send to you privately if you'd like to give me your email addy. You can send that in PM if you like, or you can use my email leatha_g@hotmail.com . Also, there is a Westin Park Central there close and a Sheraton Park Central, both very nice places. (I oughta know I used to live there.lol) I believe there is a DoubleTree within driving distance and I can look for others, if you like. Hope this helps!

I understand. I'm 5' even and I made it up to 250 - something I still can't believe sometimes. I'm very sorry to hear about your mom I have systemic lupus also. Thankfully, I have a mild case, but as you probably know, it only takes one serious infection and it can be fine one day and horrific the next. I've had major blood clotting problems, which has yet to be blamed on the Lupus, but I seriously think there is some connection. The band has definitely helped me to regain some semblance of health so that I might be able to fight any future problems better. Good luck to you with your decision!

Your insurance covers the doc here, but do you know if it covers the facility he does surgery at? That was the hurdle I ran up against when I wanted to use the facility and Dr. Benevides.

I think it's very wise of you to do your research. I've heard pretty much only good things about Dr. J. Not sure who the doc is, but it seems like Medical City, Dallas also has a lapband program. Rodriguez, perhaps? Have you tried the surgeon locator in www.lap-band.com website?

You made it back to real food!! Congratulations on sticking with your post-op slushies and mushies. It's hell, but your band will thank you for it! Way to go Betty!!

I don't think I'm nervous. I always enjoy meeting everyone. Don't be nervous. lol. Most of us don't bite, unless you ask us to... :devious

Great job!! Keep up the good work!!