DeLarla

I was using electric toys till Cadydid said I could actually tell myself I'm beautiful. Now I do both.

Then again, even with all my research, Inamed led me directly to the hands of the one surgeon I wished I'd never met.

Trish, you have to factor in desperation. I researched by default since I followed a dentist (my Band mentor) who did all the legwork and got the band before me. Then I was forced to the mandatory seminar. But honestly, I wasn't even alive back then and would have traded everything I owned for magic Beans if I saw they worked on a dentist.

"Happy Drug" is midazalam hydrochloride. I've seen grown men brought to their knees by this drug after telling me "you can't calm me down" I've been calling it Mexican Ecstasy. I've never tried Ecstacy, but it's got to be something like midazalam hydrochloride! I walked out of surgery and started tap dancing down Revolution Ave. Good stuff!

Do NOT drink! Drinking is the worst thing you can do, take my word for it since I ignored warnings not to drink, and it was horrible. While Vera flaps her arms like a chicken, I pounded my chest and ran around the house hopping up and down. I also jumped in the shower and pounded my chest with the hot pulsating shower massager while jerking my head in and out like a lizzard on a rock. Next time you might try a combo while making a training video for the board.

Yes, I was sick for 2 weeks. I even ran to Urgent Care, and my doctor was sure I had Montezuma's Revenge from the noises coming out of my belly. She tested me for every known bug, but I was fine. I was like that for 2 weeks with horrible "bathroom" issues. Horrible. Sunta, you had really bad vibes about surgery, so maybe you're just a little psychic! So far, your experience sounds just like mine, which was gross and miserable. I was a slowbie-newbie when it came to getting better, but I started feeling normal after 2 weeks.

Eating in bed (guilty) or before bed can be very dangerous for some of us. I ended up with Barrett's Esophagus and bad acid reflux added to choking in my sleep from eating late, laying down too soon, and eating too much. Food needs to digest downward, so if you lay down, food can sit in your esoph instead of moving down below. Any food and/or stomach acid can cause all sorts of problems.

Tanya, I'm only familiar with my own Sarcodosis, which sounds different than yours. I had a horrible spell about 20 years ago, when I was convinced I had a peanut stuck in my lung. Nobody believed me, but I spent my life hardly breathing and constantly trying to cough out some obstruction. I was misdiagnosed and put on anti-anxiety meds, asthma meds, etc. They finally diagnosed the sarcoid after seeing something suspicious on my lung (there are nodules on my right lung.) Sarcoid is not a connective tissue disease though, so my surgeons allowed me to get the band. I don't know a lot about Sarcoid, but I sure have huge problems with anesthesia and not being able to breathe. Other than that, losing 75 pounds makes breathing easier in the grand scheme of things. My band did not reject due to my auto immune disease. My Mexican doctor had a bad rash of band erosions all about the same time, and I was one of them.

Leah, count the calories of every single thing that goes in your mouth. Some of us have slower metabolisms and need very little to lose or maintain. I'm a big girl (5' 10") so you'd think I could get a little xtra food, but that's not the case for me. If I don't stick under 1500 calories, I don't lose. And 1500 calories isn't really all that much food unless you live on veggies, which I mainly do. Try counting every single thing you put in your mouth, including cream in your coffee, a bite of this or that. Especially salad dressings, fat, mayo, oil. If you aren't eating too many calories, see your doctor about a possible thyroid or other medical reason.

Jen, did your docs say the problem might get better as you lose weight? I have issues with lumps in my throat, too. But it was much worse when I was heavier, and now it only bothers me when I eat too much. Let's hope you start feeling better as you melt away!

I'm not sure what you mean, but I was awake during my first port removal. Anyone know where I can get the drugs they put in my IV that turned port removal surgery into a party? They should have knocked me out because they kept holding my arms down since I was trying to help them. I normally pass out when I see a needle, but if they're doing surgery while you're awake, they'll give you something to chill out.

First, I apologize to Donali for deleting my posts on the Ortiz thread. I used to have a bad habit of deleting posts, which drove people buggy, but I did it again and deleted myself from the now-famous Ortiz thread. Also, I promised never again to participate in an "LBT war," which is the direction that thread was going. I have to learn to keep certain opinions in the proper place. I'm still a work in progress, I am not perfect. To me, that thread is nothing but an infomercial with inaccurate information posted only to placate the masses and gain business. But is it really my duty to point out the truth when I see dishonesty? According to too many people my truth is offensive. I opted for a more positive 2006 without all the tension and anxiety so part of what I need to do is to let the "eloquent bullshi*" slide from time to time. This is one of those times. To those I offended on the other thread, I am sorry. I'm not here to hurt people. Perhaps Jesus believers understand what drives me (so I've been told.) Some of us had a calling, and mine was loud and clear. I have a natural born instinct to protect my friends and family. I'm the scout who goes first to see if it's safe, and I won't let loved ones through till the bad guys are at bay. When I see thorns I rush to clear a path so nobody gets hurt. But it's not an easy roll because sometimes people get trampled in the rush. It's like a real life episode of "LOST" where I've seen and heard things, and I want to warn others, but nobody will listen till it's too late and they finally see it with their own eyes. I can't save the world, and I'm learning that the hard way. I've had more band related complications and surgeries than most people (there are others who have had it far worse than me.) So far only two of us that eroded (in my circle) have actually lost weight since band removal, while all the others are gaining or struggling to maintain. This scares the crap out of me to the point where I can easily see myself slipping back into anorexic or bulimic behaviors - or worse, 315 Poundland. Is it normal to walk around starving all day instead of having 5 or 10 walnuts to ease the pain? Is it normal to exercise 3 times in one day to get rid of the pound of crap I ate the night before? Is it normal that my weight/food issues keep me from falling asleep at night and then awaken me after only 5 hours of sleep? Is diet-related insomnia normal? I am not normal. I may never be. I absolutely love what people wrote about me & Penni being welcome and loved at LBT. I won't leave, but I did leave that thread and will start from Square One, one day at a time, trying to avoid wars and conflict and focus instead on the support, love and encouragement I get from my family here.

I'm an American Idol junkie. I "Picked Pickler" the second I saw her first interview. But last night I actually fell asleep because they are SO boring this season. I agree 100% with Simon that they're chosing songs to make Gramma happy. I hope the guys spice it up tonight. I'm in love with half them young boys!

My dad says we might be a screwed up family, but at least we're 100% Polish so we didn't screw that up. So if eating these are a Polish tradition, I'll have to stop at the Polish deli on my way home. You people don't want me to break tradition, do you?

Robin, be especially careful with pills right now. My worst and most painfully horrifying PB was on a gel capsule cold pill. Also, ask your doctor if Advil is okay, since most surgeons recommend avoiding NSAIDs and sticking to Tylenol. Even the smallest squishy lentil can get stuck. Make sure you can smoosh stuff through your teeth before swallowing, and swallow tiny bites at a time. I don't have a band any more, but once you have a PB it's not something you'll ever forget, that's for sure. I hope you feel better soon.

Good for you, now pose for a picture you sexy thang! I remember the tiny dish towels they gave us in high school when we were forced to shower in front of 1/2 the school. We were given a choice to either cover one boob or our cooter. I'd like a normal towel to wrap around me one day.

"those who complain the loudest are doing it on a thread they are "disgusted" by. So WHY are they on it??" Yep, that answered itself. Too bad they didn't sheepisly **wave** at friends in the room or **hug** everyone on their way out. (Am I the only one laughing at that?) My hair smells like Coochy. Guys love it.

I came home shocked to find a strange man in my garage this week. Hubby has had a beard & 'stash for so many years that I forgot what his baby face looked like. Now he can't keep me off him. He was intrigued by my Coochy, so he put my Coochy all over his face. Now it's smooth, like a baby butt. Chris loves Coochy. Coochy is shaving cream. And I'm currently sleeping with a strange man!

"DeLarla needs to open a separate site for her fan club, methinks." What a great suggestion! I'll ask Alex to start a DeLarla forum where we can talk as real as we want. And for those of you who claimed you weren't bored when I was being quiet, why the hell did you click on anything with my name on it? Don't hate me for being intriguing.

What else should a good Polish girl be doing? Maybe I'll make pirogis this weekend.

"However, violent sneezing, coughing, and/or vomiting can cause slippage, and I suppose under the right circumstances could disrupt your port as well." According to my surgeon, Donali's statement is accurate. Just like we can throw our back out with a bad sneeze, any sharp/sudden movement or trauma could affect the band or port. When I felt a sneeze, I'd brace my port before, tightening my back and clench my vaginal muscles to avoid popping my port, throwing my back, or tinkling. Old age is too much fun.

That's a darling pressure cooker, but I'll check out Walmart's prices first. I have a funny pressure cooker story: My 1st job was at Pioneer chicken (KFC's competitor 100 years ago.) One night there was a huge explosion that shook the building, so we all ran into each other thinking the world had come to an end. After realizing the building wasn't on fire, someone opened the door to the kitchen, where the pressure cooker had exploded open. They were cooking the gizzards, and there were chicken gizzards stuck all over the walls and ceiling. That was some funny !#$%!@$ !

My name is Lisa, and I am an addict. food, booze, drugs, caffeine, gambling, spending. I don't do all those things every day, but I can't do anything in moderation. I can't take a pain pill, I need to take them for a week with tons of coffee to spin me out so I can clean my house. I can't just buy one shirt if they have 9 colors. I can't eat a small popcorn. Hell, I can't even rent 2 movies (must get 10 all at once.) I don't drink often because once I start there's no stopping me. It's all or nothing with me.

Wait a second, I'm Polish and it's Tuesday. Are you talking about the things that you cut in strips, twist, and fry with powdered sugar? Shoot, I don't have the ingredients so I gotta stop at the store. Yak Sha Mash!

"My new insurance does not cover the band, or band related things, how can I get this and get my insurance to cover it?" Ky, that's a good question. I asked for an endoscopy through my insurance based on all my problems, but I was told it wasn't medically necessary. Then one day I vomitted (not a PB, but a projectile vomit that shot out without warning & freaked me out.) I asked again for a scope but was given an Upper GI instead, and the results were normal. However, I started feeling creepy (not quite queasy, but right on the border.) So I kept going back complaining of feeling sick and vomitting till my insurance finally covered the endoscopy, and sure enough it revealed erosion. If you have ANY problems, your insurance has to cover it. But if you just ask for a scope, they'll tell you to pound sand. I would never consider another surgery in Mexico, but I almost drove there for a $250 endoscopy (5 hr drive.) Some band surgeons are starting to suggest having an endoscopy around 18 months after banding since there aren't always signs of erosion. I'll say it a million times till everyone on this board hears me, but listen carefully to your body! I "knew" I was eroded because I studied and focused the way my body acted and sounded from the day I was banded. I knew every gurgle, every noise, every feeling. Once I was eroded, things sounded different, food digested differently - things just felt weird. I've had 5-6 endoscopies in the past several years and was always put to sleep. They knock you out through an IV and put a tube down your throat with a tiny camera to take pictures from the inside. Someone has to drive you since you'll have a nice buzz from the IV.