claraluz

Thank you so much everyone, for your understanding and compassion. It is so comforting. Ryan, I pray that Abby makes that vet look like a fool for worrying so. And for worrying you, as if you didn't have enough on your plate. Please let us know how she is doing. I care. Daisy, I know it's still hard. I know that time really does heal all wounds. Funny that they never say how much time, though. Vinesqueen, my heart breaks for you, too. I know that during the long time that Niko was sick, it always scared me a little and made me sad to hear of other dogs whose time had come. But Niko kept on keeping on through many friends dogs' deaths. Have you tried Rimadyl for your dog? It really helped Niko with his arthritis and it made a big difference in my brother's dog, too. When I started Niko on Rimadyl, he got a lot happier and started eating better too. Michelle, I'm sorry about your Rottweiler. I did know that you put him down, but I wasn't sure if you were ready to "talk" about it yet. I said a prayer for you and your family that day. Several friends advised me not to wait too long with Niko. They felt that they had done that with their pets. So "I'll Succeed," I am glad that it was a good day for Niko. Jennifer, the vet tech, fed him treats beforehand and he actually ate and wagged his tail. And by the way, I sometimes called Niko "Nikki." And a special thanks to sweet Marie (New Hope) who appeared at my door bearing words of comfort. It meant so much. Nancy

Never would have guessed that pronunciation, Bright! Claraluz is my cat's name. It's Spanish and is pronounced Clara loose. It means clear light. Nancy

You know, I had lost and gained 100 pounds twice and had struggled with diets like we all have, but for some reason when I decided to get the band, I did not feel like it was going to be one more failure for me. I just knew it would work. And it has. Nancy

I wonder if any of you feel the same way I do and if so, how you handle it? For a long while I was sticking to a high-protein and veggie diet. Pretty much what we are supposed to do anyway, but I also was doing it to help control my blood sugar and cholesterol. I was losing weight quickly that way and I wasn't miserable, but food lost all of it's appeal for me. Or most of it. Then I went off the diets for emotional eating reasons (bad me!) and found that once again, I really enjoyed eating. I couldn't eat much because of the band, but what I did eat, I liked. I didn't lose weight, but didn't gain either. Now I have committed to going back to the healthy eating and once again, I get no pleasure from eating. Is this the way it's supposed to be? Is this the way it is for normal people? Should I just try to accept it and look on eating as a chore (which it is, when I'm eating right)? What do you think? Nancy

I certainly understand your fear of failure. We've all experienced so much of it. In time I think you'll learn to trust your band. It will work for you. The thing that concerns me is that you say you eat less than 800 calories a day. That's not enough. That's a starvation diet and it will end up harming your metabolism and making it harder for you to lose weight and keep it off. It might be a good idea for you to consult with a dietician. Take care of yourself and try to relax. Having the band as a tool really does make all the difference. Nancy

I have no idea what causes it, but I have the same problem. I am getting a slight unfill tomorrow to see if that makes a difference. In my case, it's very painful also. I know it has nothing to do with eating too fast. It happens even if I only drink water. Nancy

Hi, Rachel. Your song is from the musical, The Music Man. It's "Pick a little, talk a little . . ." but I like your version better!. Glad you are feeling better. As far as the burps, I have a real problem with that and in fact I'm going to get a slight unfill tomorrow because of it. Yours will probably get better with time. Your stomach is just swollen now. As it goes down, the burps should get better. Your Inamed band is the one a lot of surgeons are using now. It allows greater flexability with fills. Sounds like all is going well with you. Nancy

My suggestion is don't try it. I tried it during the mushy phase and it tasted horrible and was disgusting. I can't believe we make babies eat this stuff. Nancy

Penni, that's fantastic! It was so wise of you to take your measurements pre-band. And good for you for getting a trainer. Way to go! Nancy

Welcome, Kimberly and all the new bandsters. Kimberly, you are going gangbusters with your weight loss! Congrats! Nancy

Your band can be tighter in the morning, but it doesn't really feel like being sick to your stomach - at least not for me. If you are feeling anything like nausea, I would call the doctor to see if you can get some anti-nausea medicine to have it on hand - just in case. Hope you feel better soon. Nancy

I'm glad that everything has gone smoothly. Congratulations! Nancy

I'm a dummy and couldn't figure out how to cut and paste. It kept telling me my message was too short. I've lost 71 pounds. Can someone please add it in? Nancy

Sorry, I don't know about Dr. Quiroz. But I did have a consultation with a doctor here because I don't like my hanging neck wattle. He suggested a neck lift. I wonder if it is the same thing as your mini face lift? Good luck! Nancy

Brenda, so glad that your recovery is moving forward. I'm sure this will kick-start your weight loss again, not that you look like you need to lose weight. Kat, I don't know if these abnormalities will postpone your surgery. Best to talk to your surgeon. The body uses Iron to make new red blood cells. Platelets help the blood to clot after an injury or surgery. I don't know the significance of high platelets. Nancy

OK, I'm super-late to this thread. I line dry mine. It's so strange when you are a caregiver and helpers come in and end up getting involved in your loved one's underwear. All the former boundaries disappear. My Mom's best friend shamed me into buying her new bras. She was right, but it was just strange to have her going through my mom's underwear drawer. Nancy

Thanks for alerting us to this. Bottom line: never give any personal info to someone who calls you. Only do it if you call them. nancy

I miss you, too. I was just thinking about you and Patty. Nancy

I love my dog, Niko. He is dying of heart disease, but he's getting better medical care than a lot of people do. I won't let him suffer. He's on my mind almost all the time now, and I treasure every moment with him. Crying as I write this. Nancy

Glori, just how bad are you feeling? Is it a funk? Or is it serious depression? If you think you are truly depressed, my advice would be to see a psychiatrist. I think two things happen that can cause us to feel blue when we get banded: 1) We have to mourn our old way of eating, as someone said. 2) We are suddenly without one of our main coping mechanisms. I know I used food to soothe me, to calm me, and to help me just zone out. I also used it to lift my spirits when I felt down and it worked! In fact, it worked great, which is how I got so fat. When the band forced me to give up emotional eating (for the most part), I suddenly had to feel feelings that I had previously suppressed with food. And I had to learn new ways of helping myself, which takes time. I'm definitely still working on it. I think your feelings are very normal. Just don't let them get so bad that you feel paralyzed. Alexandra, the lightheadedness you feel when you get up sounds like positional hypotension. Don't know if you are on blood pressure meds, but if you are, you may need to ask the doctor to adjust the dose. My blood pressure tends to be low and I sometimes almost faint if I get up too fast. nancy

Lisa, I've never met you, but one thing I know about you: You're a survivor! As a hospital social worker, I see a lot of people who are facing health challenges. Even the strongest ones sometimes feel weak, sometimes feel like giving up. Your feelings are important, but they don't define you. What makes you you is that no matter how bad it gets, no matter how many times you are knocked down, and no matter how many creepy doctors you have to deal with, and no matter how puny you may sometimes feel, you never give up! You always come back to fight another day! And you do it with humor, which is even more amazing. That is a rare and wonderful quality and I hope you give yourself credit for it. It sounds to me like you are going through a period of grief over the loss of your former body and the way it looked. And that's normal. It's hell while it's happening, but it's also part of a healing process, so it's healthy. As far as the creepy doctor is concerned, one of the most shocking aspects of the whole thing for me is that he would mention your lapband in a public place. I feel that is unethical, even if he is not your doctor. Hang in there, Lisa. We're here for you. Nancy

Rachel, I'm so sorry you have had such a hard time. I hope you are feeling better by now. Please keep us posted and know that the weight loss will be well worth it. Nancy

I certainly don't know what is going on with your band and I would contact your surgeon. It sounds like you may need some imaging done. But I can tell you that if my pouch gets overstretched (usually with gas in my case), it is very painful and I can feel the pain in my back. If I get heartburn, I can also feel that in my back. I hope you find out what is going on very soon. Good luck and keep us posted! Nancy

Congratulations, you will soon be banded! They said not to, but I did a lot of out-of-control bingeing right before my surgery. It's normal. Good luck with everything! nancy

Allie Lee, I have been pretty conservative about who I tell. Maybe 11 people in all, but only people I was absolutely positive I could trust to be discreet and supportive and so far, it's mostly worked out. There is one person I'm glad I told, but a little worried, too. She is MO and when she asked how I lost the weight, I told her. I feel that is almost my duty. She had the surgery, which is why I'm glad I told her. But she also started talking to me about it in a public area at work, which freaked me out. I had told her I wanted it kept private. nancy