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morelgirl

LAP-BAND Patients
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Everything posted by morelgirl

  1. morelgirl

    Self Control

    Not the self control needed to keep from eating. Thanks to yesterday's fill, I'm currently honeymooning in the luxury resort of little food = long satiety. Yay me. No, I'm talking about the self control it takes me to remove myself from a conversation with no constructive outcome. The self control it takes not to yell and scream and tear out my hair when someone exhibits just how widespread the stigmatization of the obese in our culture has gone. It's so accepted in our culture to hate obesity and the people who suffer from it,that we have successfully convinced the obese to hate themselves. Personally, I hate being fat. I hate it so much that I underwent weight loss surgery in the hopes of becoming thin. But I spent enough years in therapy in the meantime to understand that the reason we hate obesity is the same reason why racists hate minorities and homophobes hate gays--because we are afraid of them, and afraid of what they tell us about ourselves. We have managed to convince ourselves that people with the disease of obesity (and yes, the National Association of Chronic Disease Doctors classifies it as a disease, as well as many experts in endocrinology and associated sciences) are entirely at fault for their own condition and should view them selves with the same condemnation and disgust and shame that our culture view them. Do people who are overweight generally eat too much? Yes, but science is only beginning to understand that there are biological reasons WHY we eat too much, that there are disorders systems in our bodies (endocrine, neurological, etc) that do not react the same way that those in individuals without the disease react. There is something more wrong with an obese person than that they eat too much and move too little. If eating less and moving more were a real solution, no one would be fat, and WLS would not exist. It makes me so angry and so emotionally hurt when people who struggle with obesity deny the idea that it is a disease, that it is not just a matter of being greedy and lazy and no damn good that makes us weigh too much, because if we agree with the rest of the world that we should hate ourselves, what hope for real happiness will we ever have, no matter how much weight we gain or lose?
  2. morelgirl

    Is this normal?

    Cravings are also totally normal. It's called head hunger. A big part of the learning curve with the band is to learn to recognize when your body is hungry and when it's just your mind telling you that you're hungry (the filthy liar! ). The key to success is to only eat when it's body hunger. I know it sucks big time at the beginning, but a lot of us find that the longer we go eating healthy and wholesome foods, the less intense the cravings are. But you can also look forward to eating all your favorite old foods once you're back on solids; you just have to eat small, band-friendly portions and count the calories. I use My Fitness Pal for that, since it also keeps track of Protein, which is your most important food, especially while you heal. Stay strong. You're doing great!
  3. morelgirl

    Is this normal?

    It's totally normal. The restriction you felt for the first week was due to the swelling caused by the surgeon messing with your stomach and the band being placed around it. Internal organs are fussy. Because they're internal, they are not designed to be touched by anything or anyone, so when that happens during surgery, they react by swelling up (in indignation!). That made the band feel tight, but as the stomach heals, the swelling goes down and the band loosens. That's why it was designed to be adjustable. The majority of people don't feel restriction just from having the band placed, not once they've started healing. Most people need fills. I think the ones who do feel restricted from just surgery either a) also had plication of the stomach (where the stomach and folded over and stitched together to make a smaller cavity, or are just lucky devils. Most of us enter bandster hell within the first 2-6 weeks after surgery. That's when we have the band, our bodies have healed, our appetites have returned, but we don't feel any restriction. At that point, all you can do is diet and look forward to starting your fills. Until you get enough fill to get you into the green zone, you just kinda have to grin and bear it and keep telling yourself that once the band really kicks in, this will make a huge difference in the rest of your life. Good luck!
  4. morelgirl

    Starting over, 5 years after surgery

    Oh, thank goodness it is Saturday, so I can actually keep to a schedule! Lol. Somehow it seems as if events since my fill on Wednesday have been conspiring to make it so hard to eat actual meals at normal times. I've done fine with my calories, but it's difficult to keep from getting too hungry or to make a smooth transition of liquids to solids when constantly on the run. Thursday I had lunch out, which also threw me off, and had appointments and errands that kept me away from the house basically from after breakfast (actually drank a protein shake) until nearly dinner time. And yesterday, I ended up having to run one of my dogs to the vet in the morning and only got home in time to run my car into the shop at noon time. That was the worst, since I wasn't able to have any regular meals and ended up sipping parts of a protein shake throughout the day whenever I could get near the fridge. Today, though, my only plans are to plant myself at my desk and work (and occasionally check in here, of course) so I'm hopeful I can go back to my regular meals and actually have the time and focus to check in with my body to see how my hunger and satiety are doing after the latest fill. If I think I'm going to need more, I need to call my doctor by Wednesday, or else I'll have to pay for an additional visit, so I need to figure it out soon. I'd rather not spend that money if I don't have to! So that's me. I hope all of you are doing well, and that everyone has a great weekend.
  5. I'm one of those horribly unhelpful cooks who don't use recipes, but in my cooking, I've found that one of the keys to making Chinese dishes taste authentic is to use fresh grated ginger root. I always wondered why my beef and broccoli didn't taste quite right until I began adding the ginger. It was immediately evident that was what was missing. Any traditional meat and vegetable stir fried dish is easily made more healthy by limiting the amount of oil used in the cooking, so nonstick pans are your friend!
  6. morelgirl

    Excellent Article on Obesity

    Thank you for sharing this.
  7. morelgirl

    Burping?

    I think it's pretty normal. Before surgery, I too was a quiet, ladylike, and only occasional burper. Since banding, I have been known to startle the dogs to the point that they jump up from a sound sleep and run out of the room looking for the source of the noise. C'est la vie, I suppose. I consider it a small price to pay. And occasionally, I just blame it on one of the dogs.
  8. morelgirl

    Starting over, 5 years after surgery

    Yay for your fill. I know finally getting filled after almost seven months of nothing made a big difference for me. In hope this help and sets you on the path to reaching your green zone!
  9. morelgirl

    A Penis Has A Rough Life

    Can't .... breathe.... Laughing...... Too hard! Wow, thanks. I needed that!
  10. morelgirl

    rash

    Hope the dermatologist can get you some relief! Then yu'll be able to concentrate on your recovery and you journey from here. Good luck!
  11. morelgirl

    rash

    An antihistamine like Benadryl certainly might help. Use the children's liquid so you don't have to swallow a pill. At least ask you doctor if he thinks it might help. Just be certain that before you take it, the cream you are using doesn't contain the same active ingredient (diphenhydramine). If you're using a cortazone based cream, you should be okay. Sorry to hear about the reaction. Hope the rest of you're recovery is smooth sailing!
  12. morelgirl

    Starting over, 5 years after surgery

    Welcome! This is a great thread with a lot of wonderful participants. We definitely all get frustrated with the band. I know that for me, I spent so long dreaming about being thin that when it finally seemed realistic to expect to achieve it (when I got banded and saw the first few lbs come off) I wanted it all right away. I forgot that weight put on over a couple of decades doesn't come off over night. So I got off track, but I'm back on it and this thread is definitely helping me stay there! Mushies today for me, starting with Greek yogurt. Whole foods has a blueberry-pomegranate flavor that is my new addiction, and I don't usually like blueberry yogurt. But yum! Anyway, have a great day, everyone. I know we can all do whatever we decide to do!
  13. So sad and angry and frustrated right now. But full. So there's always a silver lining, I guess. :P

  14. Everyone above gives good advice. The official guidelines state that banded individuals can expect to lose about 1-2 lbs per week. On average. But I will add a couple of caveats from my own experience. You will likely lose weight on the preop diet (if you do one) and In the first week or so following surgery because you will be drastically reducing your calorie levels. Be happy about it, but don't expect it to keep going at that rate. As soon as you heal, you will enter Bandster Hell. During Bandster Hell, many people stop losing weight or gain back a few pounds. At this point in your journey, you are basically just on a diet, so whether or not you lose or gain depends on how well you stick to the diet recommended by your dr/nutritionist. Many people define Bandster Hell as the period between being banded and actually getting your first fill. It is more accurate to say it's the time between being banded and actually reaching your Green Zone. One fill may not do it. In fact, it often does not. I, personally, am only reaching my Green Zone a year after my surgery, but that is my fault. I expected things to be easier than they were and I stopped having fills before I reached the zone. Learn from my mistake, listen to all this great advice from everyone on here, and you will have a much smoother journey than someone who expected it all to be fast, smooth and easy. It may not be, but if you follow the rules, have patience, and listen to your band, it WILL be successful. Good luck!
  15. morelgirl

    Starting over, 5 years after surgery

    Welcome back, ArcherGirl. We are living proof that you can recommit to your band after slipping away from living by the rules. The more time I spend thinking about my own experience, the more I realize the finding the correct level of restriction is the KEY to losing weight with the band. I think I'm finally reaching my green zone and I couldn't be happier. This afternoon, I had lunch out with a friend and her husband. Less fun than usual, because I just had a fill yesterday and I'm still on full liquids transitioning to mushies. Well, I ate about a third of my soup and two bites of mushies and I was totally satisfied. I brought the rest home for dinner and I'm over the moon. I may still be swollen, but the idea of being totally done eating after mostly just liquids is novel and exciting. It gives me hope that this band and I will find a way to work together after more than a year of dissatisfaction. And if I can do this, I know you all can, too! Have a great day!
  16. morelgirl

    CVS Requiring Workers To Disclose Weight

    Disease is a term that means more than infection. There are behavioral diseases (in addition to obesity) like depression, eating disorders, all sorts of things. Yes, I became obese because of taking in more calories than I burned. I was and am responsible for my own choices, but more and more research points out that obesity IS a chronic disease with many factors involved, including endocrine and neurological responses. I'm not copping out. What I am saying is this: I have a brother who has a completely "normal" BMI. He also has celiac disease, chronic depression, and narcolepsy. His health care costs far exceed mine, yet because I am obese and "should" cost the system more, insurance companies say I should have to pay more for my insurance. I don't think that's fair. I think it's discriminatory. But yes, YMMV.
  17. morelgirl

    Starting over, 5 years after surgery

    Congratulations on surviving your grandniece, Suzie. That's the great thing about dogs instead of kids, they snooze most of the day. I have no idea how some people lose 100 lbs in 8 months. The only thing I can think if is that those people are much more overweight than I am, because I do know that the heavier a person is, the faster the weight comes off. At least in the beginning. Either that, or they're on a Biggest Loser type routine and exercising 6 hours per day! Today I'm settling in with my new fill. Still on liquids at the moment, but I'm having no problems, so I may move on to mushies for dinner. We'll see how lunch goes. I was able to stay full for 3-4 hours yesterday on Soup, so I hope that as my swelling goes down, I can make it 4 hours on solids. That's my goal of the moment, so wish me luck. Oh, as for cottage cheese...I don't like it enough to eat it alone, but I do mix it with other things to eat it, like cooked cauliflower, or tuna in my tuna salad. My nut. doesn't say not to eat it, just to not rely on it too much because it's kind of a slider, but if the high Protein keeps you satisfied long enough that you're not reaching for more food, I don't think it would be a big problem.
  18. morelgirl

    CVS Requiring Workers To Disclose Weight

    Okay, I'm entirely with Missy on this. This is discrimination, plain and simple, and the fact that people who have battled the very disease being discriminated against are defending the discrimination is proof of how institutionalized our cultural disgust with fat people has become. The obese are stigmatized daily in the media, but we have been so conditioned to accept it that even those of us who are obese often join in the stigmatization. Any company who offers health insurance can set a baseline then discount for people who participate in special programs, but to set a baseline and then penalize people for withholding personal information is wrong IMO. Look, I've heard all the information about "fat people cost more" and it just pisses me off. I was very fat before I had my lap band, and I still am fat. Before surgery, my BMI was in the 42-43 range. "Morbid" obesity. At the moment I'm still "severely" obese. And you know what? My blood glucose was and is around 92, my blood pressure was and is 117/66, and the only times I went to the doctor were for my yearly Pap smear and when I had an acute illness, like a UTI. Let me tell you, skinny people can get UTIs, too. Skinny people can also get cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, and any host of chronic diseases that also afflict the obese. Yes, many obese people have expensive illnesses. So do many thin people. If you're going to charge by health care costs, do it based on individual health history, not height and weight and BMI statistics that were adopted at a meeting attended by doctors paid by drug companies developing diet pills. Off my soap box and back to my band. Yes, I want to be one of the skinny people, but I want it in addition to my already good health, not to give me the good health I already have and I don't want to be charged more for the insurance I buy because all the charts say I "should be" unhealthy.
  19. morelgirl

    Starting over, 5 years after surgery

    Hilary, I'm so sorry to hear about your anxiety, but believe me, I DO understand the frustration. When I think that I have 9.25cc in my band and I'm still wondering if I have restriction, it's easy to feel down. Personally, I still believe that the band will work for me. Since I was and continue to be self pay, it had better be, because I can't afford anything else! I know that in my case, I need to work the program, weigh and measure EVERYTHING, and eat slow slow slow. Everyone is different though, and what works for some doesn't work for others. I think it's a great idea that you give your band one last chance and hope you have more success with your upcoming fill, but if in the end you really feel like you need to revise to a sleeve or another surgery, we will still be here to support you. In the meantime, try to practice good band eating with Protein first, small bites and insane amounts of chewing. The same habits will help you even if you end up revising, after all. Good luck, and know I'm cheering for you as loud as I can.
  20. morelgirl

    5..5 cc's

    Like everyone else said, your anatomy is unique to you. I have a dear friend who also has the band who is in her green zone at about 4-5cc total in the same band that i have. I just had my fill topped up to 9.25cc (an 11cc band) and I'm waiting to see if I've hit the green zone yet. My doctor and I discussed the topic this morning and she said with some people, their bands have to be nearly full before they get to the green zone, and some never need a fill at all. It's a crap shoot. All you should do is listen to your band. If you can stop eating at 1 cup of food and not feel physically hungry for 4 hours or so, you're probably in the green zone. Until then, just relax and learn to listen to your body and your band. It will come together soon enough. Good luck!
  21. morelgirl

    I am on the other side!

    Congratulations! May your journey here on out be painless (relatively) and satisfying (completely).
  22. Anyone who says that band surgery is a cop out has never struggled with a lifetime of overweight or obesity. If they did, they would at least have the compassion not to voice such a brutal and unfounded opinion to some who IS struggling. The idea that it was just willpower that kept me obese makes my blood boil. Back when she was making a big splash, I remember Susan Powter saying that anyone who has ever stuck to a diet for more than half an hour is NOT lacking in willpower. That's not our problem. Our problem is that we have a disease called obesity, a disease for which science has proven over and over there is no cure. The only treatment currently proven to treat obesity is WLS. It's a prescription, not a cop out. I was put on my first diet when I was 9 years old. In the 27 years between then and when I got my band, I don't recall any time in my life when I was not either actively dieting or obsessing and panicking about my weight creeping steadily upward. Only someone who has gone through the same thing can likely understand the battle we fight every day, but it makes me especially sad when supposedly educated and trained physicians make the same ignorant statements about WLS that feed the prejudice of the general public regarding obese persons and WLS. You are the only one who can decide if surgery is right for you, but don't let prejudiced statements like the one made by your doctor deter you. Go to the seminar and listen to what the experts have to say, ask questions of people who have been through it (like us) and then let your conscience guide you. My PCP told me that she didn't think I needed something as "drastic" as WLS, but I persisted regardless. When I went for my yearly exam a few months afterward, she was pleased and impressed by my weight loss and happy to hear I had no complications and no illness since the surgery. Some people have issues with the band, but not everyone does. Do your right thing, and it will be all right. Good luck!
  23. morelgirl

    Starting over, 5 years after surgery

    Okay, I'm back to normal today, feeling much better. In fact, I'm excited. I went to see my surgeon this morning. When I weighed in last time, I was kind of taken aback by how different the number on her scale was from the number on mine, so since then I've been estimating conservatively on what I thought I was losing, because I wasn't sure how accurate my scale had been. Well, now I know exactly how far off it is from what I weighed in at today, but the important thing is that I lost even MORE weight in the past two weeks than I thought I had. My surgeon was very excited and feels that we're very close to getting me in the green zone. So to sum up, I got a small fill, just .25cc. The doctor feels this might be all I need, but if in 1 week I feel no change, I should call for another .25cc top up free of charge. I'm loving how seriously my new doctor is taking getting me into the green zone as soon as possible and feel really confident that I will be there within the next couple of weeks, if not after this fill. I want to jump up and down, I'm so happy about that! Oddly, this was the first fill I've had done by anyone other than a surgeon. The original surgeon had done all my fills while I was under his care, and last time my new surgeon gave it to me, probably because it was the first time she had seen me, but this time her nurse did the injection. I have to say she wasn't quite as skilled as the doctor and it took her two tries, but it still wasn't that bad. So, I'm home now and sipping on my Protein shake. I think I can feel a difference already, but I know that could just be swelling, so I'm trying to stay realistic. But I am optimistic as well. Suzie, good for you for sticking to plan and getting a good amount of activity yesterday. I need to up my activity, but I strained a calf muscle this week, so I'm having to rest it for a few days at least. Makes the fill even more important. I hope everyone has a great day!
  24. morelgirl

    Diagnosed with Achalasia

    I'm so sorry to hear this and hope that you have the best possible outcome with your treatment.
  25. morelgirl

    Starting over, 5 years after surgery

    What a difference a day makes. Woke up this morning to grey skies and a grey mood. Not sure what caused it (the mood, not the skies. Here is the Pacific NW, grey skies are not exactly unusual in the spring), but it's making the day less awesome than the last few, or at least my mood about it. I'm just giving thanks that my dr appointment is tomorrow, because the the moment that's about the only thing making me hang in there, and it's by the skin of my teeth. I hate these moods, because they never do me any good and always end up doing me harm. But I just need to get through today and I know tomorrow will be better. Yesterday was pretty good over all. I ended the day just a hair under 1000 calories. I had a planned snack to bump it up, but at that point, I just couldn't eat any more. I think I definitely need to look at my food choices to make sure I'm making the right decisions about calories, fat and protein. I need to keep eating enough to lose. I know it sounds ridiculous to say that, since all my life it's been way too easy to eat MORE than enough calories everyday, but eating healthy really cuts down on those. A bag of chips, a loaf of bread slathered in butter, and some gourmet cheese and crackers would definitely up my calories every day (I always go for salty/savory treats, not sweets), but then I'd be right back where I started, which is no place I want to visit again. Like always, it all boils down to 'just keep on keeping on.' Some days those words are a great comfort. Today, I want to give them the finger. Anyway, I hope everyone else is having a better day than me. I promise to be back to my cheerful and optimistic self tomorrow (as long as I get a fill!).

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