DeLarla

Please post your before and after pictures here for inspiration to others. PLEASE NOTE: Comments are welcome and appreciated! But to keep this thread loaded with great pictures, the moderators will delete all comments after a couple days to keep this a true picture thread. Please don't be offended - we think you'll enjoy it seeing pictures only!

Donali inspired me to start this new thread. She has been providing information to us regarding Morbid Obesity being a disease, which is a very powerful topic for all of us. Lately I've been discovering that there are many different categories that we fit in, so I was wondering what category you are in. I don't have labels for the categories, but let me start by telling you why I am obese. First, my family history includes severe mental illness (Mom, aunt, etc.) I inherited a branch of mental illness - Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which had me extremely ill in my youth. My panic attacks have been under control for years, but I still have many anxiety-related problems, one being that I never stop thinking, and at night, the thoughts are consumed by food. Part of the reason I'm obese is becaseu I can't fight the mental struggle to eat for long periods of time. That part of my brain is stronger than the sensible part. But my biggest problem is portion control. I'm obsessed by enormous quantities of food. I simply don't understand how anyone could order just one taco, or have a small serving of anything. With me, it's all or nothing. I would rather fast all day than to eat one chicken thigh. It's torture. A half gallon of ice cream is two servings. A family dinner is two servings. And mine is all a night time disorder. Someone baked us fresh Cookies, all warm and steamy, and I didn't even look at them. I don't give a damn about food during the day. I feel like a monster.

The past few weeks have been hell. My stomach is in bad pain - the kind that prevents me from sleeping. I'm eating too much, which is putting too much pressure on my wounded & trying-to-heal stomach. The band definitely did some damage to my stomach and esophagus. According to my doc, I need to eat like a bandster to make it heal, otherwise I'll be in major trouble. But hello? If we could eat small portions none of us would be here. I don't know what to do. The diet doc referred me to the addiction specialist, who is vacationing in Spain while I eat myself to death. The diet pills make me feel like I’m going to have a heart attack. I ate 1/2 gallon of ice cream for dessert the other night. Last night I stopped at a pint, 4 Cookies, cold Chinese food, yada yada.

I'm a little concerned. Where's my token girl? Angie hasn't posted since February 9. Does anyone have her number? Something isn't right, it's not like her.

Lots of people have been asking for my port infections/removals that lead to my current erosion, so thanks Alex for giving me a place to put it. Now I can refer them to once place. I was banded by Dr. Lopez in Tijuana 5/5/04. My port site began leaking a week after surgery and never healed. It was red, hot, inflamed, infected. A month after surgery, I went back to Tijuana, where Dr. Kuri removed my port (I couldn't get Dr. Lopez to return my frantic calls or e-mails.) Before going to Kuri though, I consulted with five different band surgeons because I didn't want my port removed; I just wanted antibiotics to kill the infection. Every single band surgeon agrees on one thing though, which is that an infected port MUST come out. Antibiotics may relive the redness and infection symptoms, but the infection will just keep coming back. Infected ports can (usually) lead to erosion since the infection travels down the tube, so an infected port needs to be removed immediately. Even after port removal, the same wound refused to close and started leaking a few days after removal. I started going to local Vegas doctors, Urgent Care, even my vet! Nobody knew what was wrong. They put me on antibiotics, which didn't help. At one point the wound got so bad that Urgent Care said it needed to be lanced. They sliced it open and drained an awful amount of infected liquid, then packed the wound and had me come back the next day for another packing cleaning. The wound still wouldn't close, and one day the tube popped out of my body. I walked around crying, not knowing what to do since local doctors don't know the band, and the 2 local band docs in Vegas refuse to see patients banded elsewhere. I started complaining to Inamed and anyone else who would listen, then I mentioned Inamed liability and told Inamed, "Your boy's club is making a lot of money off American patients that are walking around sick while you're getting richer." That's the comment that burned Inamed enough to contact Lopez for me. 8 months from my original surgery, Lopez (my original surgeon who ignored me this whole time) finally called after being urged by Inamed. He said we could start our relationship all over, and for me to come to Mexico. So I went to Tijuana for my 3rd time, where Lopez misdiagnosed me with "Band Rejection." He said the reason the port wound wouldn't heal is because my body was rejecting the tube, which is made out of the same material as the band, so he said my band would eventually "Reject" as well. However, Lopez was impressed with my 70-pound weight loss and agreed to give me a new port, even though he said it would be temporary and most likely "reject" like the first one. It was my option, but he said a new temporary port would allow me to get filled enough to lose more weight. December 2004, Lopez cut me up, removed a bunch of inflammatory tissue, replaced the port through the same wound, then closed me up and sent me home. A few days later, my new port was infected. I was finally convinced to suck it up and find a US surgeon anywhere and just accept the fact that I might be left with enormous medical bills, so I went to Ventura and saw Dr. Billy. Billy filled in all the blanks by first saying Kuri should never have left the tube so close to the surface of my skin when he removed my first port. The tube by the open wound prevented the wound from closing, which caused bacteria to grow, ergo infection. Kuri should have (standard operating procedure) stored the tube in my abdominal cavity to allow the wound to close - that was 8 months of unnecessary hell. Billy said there's no documented literature on "band rejection." He also said Lopez should never have closed a wound where he left a gaping hole after removing a large amount of inflamed tissue. Open wounds (like a bullet wound) need to drain and need to be left open to heal from the inside out. Again, standard operating procedure. I wasn't rejecting anything, I simply had an infection. January 2005 Billy did an edoscopy, a laproscopy and removed my 2nd brand new port. He removed a bunch of infected tissue and he found SEVEN loose surgical staples just floating around the area that had no reason being there. He wasn't able to close the wound because of the hole left in me, so he packed it with gauze and trained my friend, Penni, how to change the packing daily since I nearly fainted when he made me look at the hole in me. So Penni packed it for a couple days, then sent me home to Vegas. I'm lucky to have a friend nearby who adores gross medical junk, so she was happy to pack the wound every single day after Penni explained step-by-step instructions. Mary did this a few months, and it was very exciting seeing her use a little less gauze each day. I celebrated the day the wound finally sealed shut, leaving me with an ugly indented purple scar. Billy said I had to be clean a full 6 months before he'd even consider giving me a new port. But lately my band/belly has felt "different" than it used to, so I suspected erosion. All the port infections out of Mexico that I am personally aware of have eroded, so I was quite sure. It took a long time to get the endoscopy since I don't have a local doctor, but I convinced my primary doctor to refer me. At first they'd only give me an Upper GI that I had a couple weeks ago. It came back clean, so I had to practically beg this gastro guy to get me an endoscopy. I finally had the endoscopy this week, which revealed erosion. Now I'm working out details on having the band removed. That's it in a nutshell. There's lots more details, but I'm already guilty of having 5000 posts here, so hopefully someone else gets the award for longest post!

Should I start a Vagina thread?

I started a thread about accepting the weight I've lost so far, and all the wonderful responses inspired this new thread. We've come a long way, BABIES, so let's list the things we do now, or the things we've accomplished since shedding some of what held us back before: In one year, I've: - Started & maintained French Lessons - Started & maintained Guitar Lessons - Got rid of all my useless exercise gizmos, dusty work-out tapes, exercise machines (aka clothes hangers) and gym memberships and have adapted to a NORMAL exercise program of walking, riding 10 speed, dancing, lifting some dumbells, hiking, SEX, and come winter, I plan to resume skiing (it's been 10 years.) - Took motorcycle lessons, learned to ride one, and got my motorcycle license. - Bought a Harley! - Smile in pictures - Stand in front of the group in pictures - Made 100 new positive relations & ended a few dysfunctional ones - Got the handbags I make into a Vegas boutique - And as of Today, I am my own business owner! There's lots more, but let's here from everybody, okay?

I'm getting lots of comments about bandsters "not getting any." So thank you for visiting DeLarla's Dating Service. It's free to all members of LBT. Please fill out your name, age, interests, hobbies and location. Tell us a little about yourself and what you are looking for in a partner. Are you looking for companionship? Romance? Marriage? Perhaps you just want someone to hang out with on weekends? Now's your chance. We need a LBT wedding, and I want to be the flower girl! All singles, please register now. Thank you.

First, let me apologize to my band buddies for not posing this sooner, but some drama (B.S. to be exact) kept me from being honest about the latest on my port situation. I told only a couple close band buddies that I had an appointment a couple weeks ago to see my band surgeon about my still-open wound (it had closed over a couple times but kept opening and draining.) While I was at my surgeon's office, he received a phone call. It was very disturbing, because the caller knew my business and asked my surgeon for a "free port since you're giving Lisa one." Till this day, I don't know who that caller was, or where they got that information. I haven't seen any posts, and the few people that knew of my appointment swore they didn't say anything, but the whole dramatic nonsense had me pretty ticked off. I've been playing "Detective" since that day. Nothing is free. And as far as a new port, when I made the appointment, I was going in with a blindfold on. I was under the impression I'd be put to sleep for an endoscopy, then I'd either wake up with a new port, or without the band depending on the endoscopy results. To top it off, I came home to find several different PMs to me from various people, all asking about my port and about my surgeon. Sure, they were probabaly coincidental, but it was too strange. So, I'm sorry that I had another surgery last week without telling you guys, but you can all probably understand why I felt better keeping quiet. On to the important stuff: Most people know my whole story, but for anyone new, I got my band on May 5, 2004 but the port became infected. On June 16, I had a second surgery to remove the infected port. But the port incision never healed, even after the port was removed. When they removed the port, they left the tube in (this is the standard procedure for an infected port - to remove the port and clamp off the tube so that the area can heal.) But my incision area never healed. It remained an open wound most of the year with a little Fluid draining every day. I saw several doctors about the open wound, and nobody was able to tell me why it wounldn't heal, although everyone agreed the area was definitely not infected. So January 6, I went to my band surgeon for an endocsopy. I gave my surgeon results from an Upper GI that I had last month. My surgeon reviewed the Upper GI and said my band looked good. But then he took one look at the incision, and he told me that I'm rejecting the tube. And that, my friends, is why the wound refused to heal - because I'm rejecting the tube. I will eventually need my entire band removed. The tube is made of the same material as the band, so I will eventually reject the band also. Based on the good Upper GI results, my good weight loss, and my desire to lose more weight, my doctor said he would try to help me lose even more before having the band removed. I had to sign a waiver stating that I had already faced one port removal and tube rejection, and that I understand a new port will also reject in a matter of time. I willingly signed the release, and then I went into surgery, where he gave me a new port. He said it could reject in one week, or one month, or one year... it could even reject today or in three years, but there's no way of knowing when it will happen. Meanwhile, he removed a lot of inflammatory tissue from the old port site, and OUCH, this was a painful one. Yahoo, it still hurts like a bullet wound. He removed the tube from the old incision and removed all that inflammed tissue, then put a new port in much lower and to the left in some clean, healthy tissue. He used the same incision but made it bigger. He didn't make any other new cuts. I came home with five stitches (about 2 inch incison) that was much more painful than any other incision, and after a week, the incision opened and drained like a faucet. So far the new port site (he put the port away from any incisions) is calm and quiet, but this incision is taking it's time healing, and is still draining. I took 3 stitches out myself, and I'm seeing my local sureon tomorrow to check the wound and hopefully take out the other two. He did not perform the endocscopy since my band looks good right now, and since we are on borrowed time. He said we will do the scope once I start having signs of port infection, and that we'll keep my band inside me as long as possible. Two hours after the surgery, I got dressed and walked to radiology, where he gave me a fill under fluoroscopy. My surgeon was very pleased with the way the entire procedure went. I was very pleased, as was my husband (who stayed with me the whole time.) I told my surgeon that my first fill was 1.8 cc, but he disagreed. He told me I only had 1cc of saline in my band, so he gave me a total of 1.7. Honestly, I can't feel the new fill because my port incision is so hard and swollen and bruised that it's all I can really focus on. This was the hardest of my 3 surgeries. I actually layed in bed for 3 days and every single night after work cuz this bugger hurts! It's been 10 days and it still feels like a bullet wound, so I hope my local surgeon says it looks good and takes the last 2 stitches out tomorrow.. crossing my fingers. Part of the reason I haven't posted is because I don't want any sympathy. This is the hand I've been dealt, so I'll deal with it accordingly. Just for today I have a band, and a port. This is my last chance to get my eating back in control, and for 2 days I haven't done so well (after a whole week of fasting I went a little junk-foodie.)

My precious angel, Kitty Milo McSorley-Bonekovic, left me today, peacefully in my arms, just like he came into the world 15 years ago. It breaks my heart to share such a sad photo, but even at 5.5 pounds compared to the 23 pound hunter he used to be, you can see the love and devotion this little man nurtured me with for most of my life up until his very last strained breath. I refused to put him down when the Vet said to last Saturday because Kitters wasn't ready yet. But today he was. I picked him up with his 15 year old Teddy Bear, and he tucked his face in me lifelessly with one are around his baby, so we went to the doctor where my sweet furbaby was sent to the angels in my arms. I'm only able to share since Chris medicated me, so I probably won't be around for a while. Wretched pain - makes no sense, does it?

Here's a special place for all us bandless wonders to call home. I'm DeLarla, and I lost my band due to erosion on 12/27/05, about 18 months after being banded. I've lost 78 pounds and am currently counting calories and struggling to lose more. Come on in and introduce yourself. It's warm & cozy in here, and you're allowed to cuss and drink beer since one of the perks of being debanded is we can have carbonation!

Some of us love pictures (like me) so we post them all over the boards. What if we build on this thread and try to keep all the pictures together? These aren't band-related, just fun pictures we like to share. Anyone wanting to share family & friends is welcome to post them here. Here's pics of me & Chris with Penni & John from their recent Vegas trip.

Am I dying again? I got a major lump in my throat after my 2nd bite of chicken, which I eat all the time. All I had this morning was my coffee and a runny Protein shake, plus all my Water. I stopped drinking 1/2 hour before lunch (good band girl.) Did all the meds & antibiotics give me a throat ulcer (must think the worse at all times.) I cheated and ate a fruit cup after my chicken so the mushy fruit would wash the bird down, then had a couple sips of the juice from the fruit cup (bad band girl) to get the food past my throat. It's like my stoma is in my throat instead of my belly. What's up with that?? It's been 1/2 hour since I ate but I still can't seem to swallow this lump. Boo hoo, whoa is me. Am I supposed to feel sudden restriction in my throat where I swallow?

Psyche! I just want to see how many people click on an X-rated topic that claim they are offended by hot n' spicy posts. I'm ticked off after reading some Private Messages and E-mails with people reminding me to act like a lady and leave my sex topics in the bedroom. Funny, I bet you people are reading this right now. I don't smoke pot, but I'd personally rather see bong and marijuana leaf avatars than crosses, loaves and fishes. I don't think LBT is a place for religion or politics because those subjects are simply too controversial. But that's just my opinion. For me, Jesus and praying is as personal as masturbation. I'm not saying I don't believe in my own brand of faith, but frankly, many people are offended by Jesus talk. And if you think that my mentioning Jesus and masturbation in the same sentence is blasphemous, then I guess Jesus really isn't the creator of all, considering he created the vibrator according to the bible. (Side note to Jesus, thank you very, very much for my nipples, clitoris and G-spot.) Anyone that has a problem with offensive posts needs to put things in perspective before complaining about them. It's all relative. Maybe you don't like to read about sex, but others don't want to read prayers or political expressions. If you don't like a topic, click the "back" button and go to another thread. I don't think this is a place for kids, so keep kids out (again, just my opinion.) Please don't read between the lines and start a war. I'm not asking moderators to censor religion or politics, I'm just pointing out some very grown-up sensibility. Let's work on it. Fair is fair. Practice what you preach, yada yada. I'll stop bringing sexuality to the boards if you stop bringing kids, religion and politics here. How's that for a bargain? P.S. F.I.J., this has nothing to do with you, it's just a coincidental timing thing. Me & you are good Don't e-mail me or PM me to hide, either. Say it loud, say it clear, say it here.

I have to be accountable for my actions, yet I can't seem to find the motivation. I'm starting this food journal. If anyone wants to participate, simply write down what you ate today. Every time you eat, come back to your post and edit it so that your entire day stays in your post. Maybe it's a stupid idea, but heck, I'm desperate. Lisa B. February 16, 2005 Food Calories coffee Creamer 30 Whole Wheat Tortilla 140 Slice of cheddar 130 Breakfast total 380 See you at lunch.

I've been told it's normal to miss a period or have a late one after surgery or after quick weight loss. I have the most normal periods in the world but now I'm over a week late. I feel cranky and blobby (just made that word up.) I usually get cramps in my low belly, but I'm having them in my port side. I'm sure it's all normal, but I'd feel much better if the darn thing would get here. No, there's no way I'm pregnant. I haven't seen any period-related posts. Does everyone have a few rough periods right after the surgery? I'm one month post-op as of yesterday.

Does anyone remember the old story about the teacher who made each student write a list of all their classmates and put one compliment next to each name? Then the teacher collected all the pages, made a list of the compliments and handed each student a sheet of nice things their classmates said about them. One of the students kept that list with him for years that always perked him up on gloomy days. It's a really beautiful idea even though I can't remember exactly how it worked, so I'm just going to start by saying something nice about someone. BigPaul always makes me feel really good about myself. He's funny and silly but really smart right when you need him to be. DeLarla Now cut and paste my compliment and reply with a different compliment to a different person here at LBT. Don't break the chain!

I've been a big fan of being Banded in Mexico until this past weekend. I just underwent my SIXTH Band related surgery (four major surgeries under anesthesia; two minor ones, plus countless other lab tests and appointments.) Please do not go to Mexico until you have made an appointment with a local LapBand doctor to discuss your aftercare options. Don't set foot in Mexico until you are sure that you can get the care you need close to home, especially if you have an emergency. Most Band-related complications are not the type that require emergency services, but when you are scared, in pain, can't swallow, can't hold food down, have severe stomach pain, your port hurts or is popping out, you have a leaking infected incision, or any other Band-related complication, you'll want to get to a doctor within a day or two, not by the end of the month. Trust me on this one, many of us have been there! I'm sick with grief right now. I don't want to slam any of the Mexican doctors, because if they practiced in the United States, they would most likely be our top surgeons. However, the standards of care in Mexico are way below US standards. I've had an open wound since May, yet nobody in Mexico (I've been there for 3 surgeries) has ever even did a culture, biopsy, or endoscopy; they just diagnosed and operated. I finally found a US surgeon. He operated on me this week and did everything in his power to figure out why I had an open wound, including an endoscopy, a laporoscopy, lab tests, blood tests, a biopsy, a breath test for H-Pylori - the list goes on and on. Mexican doctors are not bad, but they don't go to the same lengths as required by doctors in America. It's been my experience that they treat you based on their first impression of what may (or may not) be wrong with you. In the US, people are lawsuit-happy. So many doctors have been sued that surgeons here have been forced to uncover every possible diagnosis before making a treatment, but luckily, that means we get the best care possible. Medical Malpractice insurance keeps our local surgeons on their toes. Mexico doesn't share the same problem with so many law suits related to medical malpractice. Kind of a Catch-22 situation. This is simply MY experience. Unfortunately, I've met many others that share these types of problems. If money is no object to you, then do yourself a favor and get it done in the US, where the higest level of medical standards are required to be met. The best way to get Banded would to find a local surgeon that accepts Mexican patients. Go to that surgeon first for a check-up, and to discuss your plans for Mexico. Once that doctor agrees to see you, make a future appointment with him, only THEN should you go to Mexico to get your Band. As soon as your band is placed, go back to your local doctor for a checkup. Keep relations open with both your Band surgeon and your local doctor. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS get a second opinion. I went to Mexico cause it only cost me $7,500. But now I have to add in 5 additional procedures, my traveling expenses, incidental costs, time lost from work, etc. I can't give you the numbers because I'm scared to death to add them up. I went there to save money, but I could have gotten banded locally and saved myself all the horror. So, before going to Mexico, you gotta post here that you've got aftercare lined up or I won't let you go! ALSO, MAKE SURE THEY PLACE THE INAMED BAND! There are many bands out there, but you will have a very difficult time getting someone to service your band in the US unless it is the Inamed LapBand.

For those of you who knew Miss Chloe, I thought I'd share an update to add a little joy to your day. She's doing remarkably well living in Switzerland. She loves having a little brother to play with, and she's enrolled in the best school money can buy, plus she's seeing a top child psychologist. I'm sure things will always be difficult for her to a certain extent considering her real mother isn't capable of raising her. But she's with her real Daddy and step mom, who couldn't love her more than a natural parent. She couldn't ask for a better life. But the best thing is that Chloe's already on the ice! She recently started her first skating lesson. I've always predicted amazing things for my little monkey... and with the resources and family support she has, there's no doubt in my mind that she'll succeed at anything and everything she touches. Here's our Puddin' in her skating skirt getting all grown up on me!

What are a few of your favorite things?

send requests to delarla@juno.com

OMG, you guys SO made me do this. Snorting, crying, dying laughing. Paula, I really, really wanted to post this to your thread, but I didn't want to steal your lil' dumplin's thunder. Anyone else brave enough to show us YOUR dance recital? Penni? HUH?

We'll both be quite busy but I plan on renting a Harley for 4 hours or so sometime between August 17-20. Betty, your PM box is full, and your account won't allow e-mails. Please send me an e-mail with an alternative contact method other than through LBT. Leatha, get out your summer leathers!

Do you ever wonder where some screen names come from? For example, I always think Vinesqueen has one of those cool gardens with a fragrant, beautiful garden with green vines crawling along the house. I picture Darcy with a little white nurse's hat. And I imagine Jammin&loosen doing aerobics till her loose pants fall off so all her clothes must have loosened up since she's jammin and loosen. I still can't figure out why Kelly moos! DeLarla was a name a crush gave me years back. He was this darling bartender where I often caused a little weekend "DeLarla" bad girl trouble. One night he looked at me with his baby blues and said, "your Mamma named you wrong, you aren't a Lisa, you're a DeLarla." Everyone called me DeLarla since then, but only when I'm being bad (being fun, that is!)

Please post any comments about before and after pictures here. Thanks!