Daisalana

Congrats Teach!! So proud of all of you guys that are working out already. I can't wait till my back problems are faded (I think 270ish is the last time I got the back pains to stop). Hopefully that won't be too far! I do the gazelle for 5-10m a night when I'm watching tv till it hurts too much. It takes a lot of pressure off my back, so I really like that machine, if I was on a treadmill I'd only be able to do 2-5m. Jenn- I can guzzle water all day long, and most food I don't feel restriction anymore (which made me sad), but... if I try to gulp water while I'm eating, it does get stuck. Liquids can pass through the band hole with relatively no problem. So, if you're guzzling water, and there's nothing else in your pouch, it should be fine. As for food, this is why I was begging for a fill on Wed., most food I can eat more than I want to (but still less than half of what I USE to), with no problems.. but time to time, I will find something that does not go down well. Apple taste.. yes, taste! I don't get it.. apple is my favorite stuff.. applesauce, applejuice, etc. I know I can't eat apples with peels, but I tried applesauce, and just licking the spoon worth, the filmy layer, wouldn't go down without a fight. And applejuice, its just liquid, but my body does not want me putting it down there. It's very very weird. I had an open-faced burger the other night for dinner, with bruschetta (new from Applebee's), it was on ciabatta bread and angus beef.. I was able to eat half of it with no problems (took the top bun off and just ate with knife and fork the meat with bruschetta/pesto and the bottom bun). But last night we got subway, I got a 6" wheat with turkey, cheese, light mayo and mustard.. I took teeny tiny bites.. the size of my pinky nail.. and I got the stuck feeling. I don't even know how that could have affected me, but there it was. So no subway for me again (oh well, didn't like it much to begin with). They did have some kid's fruit juice boxes, so I got one of those.. 100c and 100% vitamin C, and tasted good. That ended up being my dinner. The point of my rambling, is even though I thought my restriction was gone, I do have problems with some food.. so something is going on. And I can DEFINITELY tell if I'm over-eating. I get sick feeling and bloated. I try very hard to pace and check how I feel after each bite to keep from getting that way. And when I do 'over do it', its always 1/10th of what I would have eaten pre-band (that's not exaggerated, how sick?!) Whew.. And I'm loving these diet pills for now. Terri, glad you told me, I don't think I'll be getting these from another clinic, I'll just ride with them till my fill in June. He gave me 30 pills, it's 1x a day and my fill is less than 30 days...also, I was reading the material with the pills and it said you can get addicted, so wean off of them. Closer to fill time, going to only take them every other day. So I'm going to keep the left overs in my medicine cabinet in case my fill isn't tight enough for my liking. I just got back from lunch with fiance and a bunch of his friends, went to a Chinese buffet.. I think 2/4 of them knew I had the surgery (we dined with them the week I had it and asked about why I was dribbling soup). I got mandarin chicken, beef & broccoli and some noodles. Did protein first, used a knife and ate 1 piece of the beef, 2 heads of the broccoli, and didn't get around to the rest. Asked the waitress for a to-go box and she was making a scene.. she said yes I can have it, not suppose to, but she'll do it for me (my father's business does work for them, so they're normally pretty accomodating for us when we come in).. then I said, I won't get more, I just want to take this home.. so she comes back, gives me the box, and asked if I wanted to put more food in it.. I said no, she asked why not.. I said I can only eat a few ounces of food, this will last me a long time.. She gave me a funny look and said "Oh I'm so sorry".. not sure what she thought I meant. Then I put my stuff to go, watch all the guys eat, she comes back and asks if I want to get some dessert from the buffet..to go.. I KNOW I LOOK LIKE I WANT CAKE... but come on lady. So I drank 2 teas sitting there.. I'm still full, in fact I feel funny, a little sick feeling.. Don't know why yet.. maybe I'll find out later!! I'll stop rambling..for now.. haha!

I guess that's the southern in me. We mix everything together and top it with gravy LOL. If you don't like food touching, you should see my plate on Thanksgiving.. 8 different casseroles, pickles, cranberry sauce, turkey, ham, taters and more.. all squished together with gravy on top.. Ho hum.. no wonder here why I'm so fat!!

This might not be what you're looking for, but they have them on amazon.com.. They have new&used (normally discounted), but it's not discounted on this book. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Lap-Band-Life-Ariel-Ortiz-Lagardere/dp/187913666X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2427458-8527258?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178901740&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Lap-Band for Life: Ariel Ortiz Lagardere: Books[/ame]

Hey guys! I'm an April Bandit, but wanted to see how you guys are fairing at 2 months Looks like good news! thickchikntexas- WOW!! You've done amazing in 2 months, You need to post those in the before&after thread!!!!!!!

I find I'm the same way with salad. I've been skipping on the salads. I tried my first one earlier this week, and it's pretty hard to chew it up really well and 'seperate' it with my tongue.. very fiberous and likes to stick together. So by time I can chew up one piece, I'm tired of eating salad.

Nothing deep and moving like I'm sure this thead is full of (I didn't read ALL 24 pages), but something that drives me batty.. slow people in the left hand lane. GET OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get serious road rage over this. Oh, and people that know there's a merge ahead, and we're all in this long line, and they go flying to the front in the merging lane just to cut in.. because they're better than everyone else and should make us wait longer. I'd be a horrible cop, I'd be arresting everyone of these people. Grr.

Mine are on my lower back, hip, and thigh. They correlate with each other. But like I said, I don't even see them.. unless I look in the mirror naked (why would I be doing that!?). Fiance sees them, but he's seen them for years so I don't think he really 'sees' them anymore. I planned to quit with tattoos after those 3, but my reward for good behavior, *if* I can get to at LEAST 180lb, I will get another tattoo to signify the major journey I would have accomplished. And when I'm old and saggy in a nursing home, I can tell the story As for pain, I've got a high tolerance for pain, I've had everything imaginable pierced (and eventually took it out), and had no problems with the pain. Needles for injections/ iv's etc.. never bothered me. I didn't think tattoos would be bad. The one on my hip & thigh were not bad at all, and they were not real big so it was done in 20-30m. The one on my lower back I did have some major problems with. I designed these black vines that 'curl' all over my lower back, and form images, the center being a crooked heart.. and in the middle of the heart is a fairy (inspired by Amy Brown's fairies), who is slumped over crying. I used a lot of weird colors in the fairy when I painted it, so the tattoo artist was trying to get me to change come of the colors.. I did let her change some, she said white isn't a good ink to use, so I let her take out white.. then she tried to change my purple to a blue, and I stood my ground. So she did purple for a lot of the fairy, it took 3.5 hours total..hurt like crazy, I was whining the whole time and trying to cut up with my best friend who also was getting a tattoo, but it didn't distract me well.. and 2 weeks later my body was rejecting the ink. So one day I was in my computer chair, stood up, and LITERALLY ripped my back skin off...tattoo and all. It like.. rotted off and stuck to the chair. I don't know if this has to do with being pre-diabetic, that I have sensitive skin, or if I should have just listened to her and not had purple. I went back to her after it healed (scars everywhere), hoping she could do something.. and she did. For free, I might add. She completely re-did the whole tattoo, and did blue instead of purple. Healed fine, and now you couldn't even tell there was ever a problem, the scars are completely gone...whew. I would never get another big tattoo though, I'm 'scarred' from the idea that might be why it rotted off or something, no healthy skin was in the midst to help heal.

LOL doto! Doctor's can't trust you on those things.. When I was 14, I was on B/C to regulate my crazy periods. I wasn't sexually active. But because I was on it, doctors would NOT believe me, so everytime I had something done at a clinic they would blood test me for pregnancy first.

I'm just confused, I am hoping with weight loss, the joint pain goes away. Is this permanent damage you're talking about and now that you know it won't come back you're going to have it fixed?

Eyebrow waxing for Lisah... I've had my eyebrows waxed since I was 14.. I had a caterpillar on my forehead! I had it done by different salons/stylists for years, and it was decent.. and then one day I met Pattie LOL. She is this woman who owns a salon next to my work, and she does immaculate eyebrows. It's not about the pain/wax/etc. for her.. she sculpts them! She makes my arch perfect, when I normally don't have an arch, they're thin and taper just right.. so the key IMO is to find someone who is artistic and can really get them sexy. Waxing is so fast, the pain is really nothing. By time you feel the OU--you're done. The next day I am normally a little puffy and red around my eyebrows, but it's worth it to me. When I can't get off work early to go see her, one thing she does when she's done shaping, I do at home to touch up.. She uses a comb and brushes my eyebrows up, so all the long scraggly hairs are sticking out all over.. then she takes small scissors and cuts along the top, gets rid of all those weird hairs that are prone to pop out. So in between waxing, I will use a comb and scissors and trim the hairs down.. makes a huge difference. And one more thing, if you hate the idea of waxing or tweezing, they do make eyebrow razors. I tried these once, but I was too lazy to do it regularly-and you do have to do it regularly. It's a tiny comb-looking razor that you just brush around your eyebrows to shape them.

losingjusme- That's a really touching story! I haven't had the guts to face my demons of bad habits. I don't do them like I use to (things about making fiance do stuff because I'm too lazy to get up and walk), or what I could binge eat.. but it still bothers me to think about.. a bridge I'll cross some other time..

I don't know anything about fills yet, but I have been finding out.. like someone else mentioned, I could eat a whole box of cheese crackers.. but if I eat chicken breast, 2 bites and I'm done. So try eating something healthy and see if you're restricted.. not the junk stuff. Junk seems to go down better, that's a concensus I've heard and now believe!

I snack, I eat a couple bites now, wait about 40 minutes, eat a couple more bites and that's how I do my meals.. spread it out, so it's not exactly snacking. My doctor actually has on his sheet 'NO SNACKING!!!', but I always heard it helps metabolism too.

..Be a stripper. I kid! I'll be a normal weight, that's good enough for me. BigAsLife- I shop at Cato's, and it's the same for our store.. you know, I've never been on the left side? My mom shops on the left side and comes back with the cutest stuff.. I always wanted to shop on that side!! Unfortunately, even if I get to goal, I'll probably be size 14 which is still on the right side!

Bubbly Saliva- YES. I have this when I am having my own version of PB. If I eat too fast, and I gulp my water, and it all 'comes up', I have saliva in there that is really bubbly. Dunno why? Lunasa- Well, if it makes you feel any better about the situation, I personally don't think the yo-yo dieting would have been different if you started later in life. If you yo-yo diet, there's something else underlying, and I doubt it's that you dieted before.. does that make sense? I didn't start dieting until I was 17.. despite being a big girl, it didn't bother me until my back started hurting and making me cripple (at 17)-and it's been yo-yo dieting ever since. And now.. good morning everyone!!! Today is a happy day for me right off the bat. Haven't done laundry since like April 20th, so I'm down to the clothes I don't want to wear.. Since I lamented about clothes not feeling different yet I had to update that!:clap2: I wore my comfy gauchos (sp?), which are really baggy and have no shape anymore.. normally tight and make me look like I have a butt. And a button-down girly white work shirt.. it's normally fitted and accents my gargantuous boobs and gives me some sort of hips (my figure is not very curvy except for the boobs). I'm sure most of you can imagine how this shirt USE to fit.. it's a 'good' tight IMO. Looks nice and feminine. Well.. not anymore! :huytsao Woohooo! Now it's shapeless and hangs off of me. Even the sleeves, I rolled them up since it's 90 outside, and I can't keep them rolled up.. not tight enough. So now I've officially seen a change in how clothing fits. And today I am at 304lb. I'm soooo close to Twoterville!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought it was actually 2 crackers= 80 calories.. which reminds me, my other 10 boxes of 'everything' came today :heh:

I had severe pains and ended up in the ER thinking I had a blood clot (but didn't!) they never told me what it was, but I figured I either pulled a muscle or it was trapped gas (was worse when I did something that moved abdomen and laying on my side in bed was horrible).. Now it's gone (my doc gave me more pain meds and said to baby it). But, I have 4"x5" rectangle directly below my port incision, that is completely numb. I guess severed nerves, but my body is like playing mind tricks with me. ANY material (from clothes) that touches it, which shirts do of course, feels like I'm being rubbed raw with a piece of sand paper. It really bothers me at work and even now sitting here, anytime the clothing moves the slightest I get a bad burning feeling. But I looked at the skin, and its completely fine. The port incision has peeled a little bit I guess from the scab.. but the pain I'm feeling isn't really there.. my stomach is just processing the sensation it doesn't really feel as pain.. can't wait till that's gone

My first 6 fills/unfills are free (Well, it was part of the 'package' for self-pays) So I'm crossing my fingers that I get my sweet spot in 6 tries or less. Big spin, no whammy!!!

Woooo great thread, I need more tips!!!! I'm obsessive with eyebrows, when I get mine waxed, all of a sudden I feel 100000 times prettier. I don't wear make-up, so this is my 'pretty finishing touch' LOL. I have dark circles under my eyes (inherited by my mom), we've tried a million different costly products- every single one we've ever come across, and they don't work.. so my tip isn't helpful really, just warning you not to waste your money! Oh I do have one tip.. if you have really dry hair (I do), and it's prone to being frizzy and staticy, or you just want it to look silkier, after showering, get some of your wash-out conditioner, and like a PEA SIZE amount and run it through your hair and leave it in-dry your hair. Your hair will get dirty quicker (RE: shower every day), but it really adds a nice touch

Poodle- Hit it on the nail!! I feel blessed I have foresight when I do things. I have 3 tattoos, but I thought about how when I'm old-what's going to sag and look distorted? (we've all seen someone with a tattoo like this..) And also, when I 'grow up', I don't need anything visible in the professional world. The only people taken seriously in a business environment with tattoos all over their body---are tattoo artists. Just how it is. That being said, I was pre-diabetic (I'm not sure what all that involves), and I have 3 tattoos. They hurt, but I designed them at different times in my life and I'll always like them.. if one day I don't, it's ok, I don't see them either Now my sister, does not have foresight. She turned 18 a month ago, and had 6 tattoos already before turning 18. And just added a couple more. She gets really silly things, like names of friends/lovers (mistake number 1 in the tattoo realm..) And she has one that is on the top of her hand, all over her legs, her arms, lower arms, and neck. She has no hope of getting a professional job looking how she does.. she doesn't care right now, but I've got money that she will in a few years. The butterfly sentiment is great :scales: I think that'd be nice.. that's how I do tattoos.. something I'll look back and remember something special.. but it's not someone's name or something offensive that if I radically changed for some reason, I wouldn't have to regret it every day.

Freudian slip? :biggrin1:

My doctor didn't do a drug test, but during the 'class' he said how if you do drugs you have to quit before getting banded. I gave up the casual pot years ago when I wanted a real job.. ahhhh growing up!

1. My doc said the band/port will not set off anything at the airports.. 2. I got the Inamed booklet, but no cards. 3. I wouldn't want smaller servings, so far I just order it and get a to-go box like everyone else who mentioned it.. Our refrigerater has tons of left-overs in it!! 4. I don't like buffets, they trigger my binge habits in my brain.

It's just swelling. I've had the same thing and I had my first post-op visit with doctor yesterday, he felt it and said it's the swelling. I assumed it was the scar tissue or stitches under the skin.

Good for you! That's how me and coke are.. if I get a sip of diet coke, I'll want the real coke.. and I'll obsess about it until I get it. Good luck! JUST SAY NO!! :guess