Penni60

Lisa and I were consoling each other on the phone last night. IT is all a conspiracy. They did not want ot have another Ruben / Clay at the end. Cause we all know it would have come down to Bo or Constantine. So they got rid of Constantine to stop the dilemma. SIGH!!! He will be missed.

I was a combo. Breast fed till I was about a year old then bottle. I don't hold much to this theory. It doesn't matter whether you are breast or bottle fed. Both are great nutritional for the baby. The point where the infants or children can get into trouble is when you switch them to Whole Milk or what I like to call "table milk". That has such a HIGH FAT content that we are doing more harm than good. Not to mention all the additives the dairy farms are putting in the milk now. Oy Vie!! I breast fed my first child for about a hot minute. She was allergic to my milk. She threw up after every time I fed her. Did alot for my self esteem I can tell you. She took Infamil just fine though. Go figure.

I know there are other travelers out there. I just got home from being gone almost a whole month. I was afraid to step on the scale when I get home. I knew I had gained weight. I did manage to weigh myself on some scales while I was gone and it showed I had packed on 10 lbs. I was skeptical but it had an affect on me nonetheless. I got on the home scale this morning and it showed I had only gained 2 lbs from when I left home. HOORAY!!! That is HUGE!!!!!! Only two lbs. And that is most likely water. I am so proud of myself.

Awww thanks Betty. I missed you guys too.....

Here in Atlanta. Attending Conference. BUSY BUSY!!! Took time to check in with you guys. I won't have any free time till Sunday night now. So, Everyone stay safe, sip sip sip, chew chew chew, exercise, fight with those docs and insurance co, tell the nosy and bossy co-workers and family and friends to go climb a tree (sorry brain fried and can't think of one single curse word, LOL!!), and for all those new bandsters or soon to be new bandsters YAHOO!!!! It will get better newbies. Iggy is still giving me fits. For those that don't know who Iggy, that is the name I gave my band. He is very fickle these days. I think he is going through PMS. LOL!! Nite Nite!! OH and CHristina I got your message. Sorry, just been really busy and going to bed early. I am tired. HUGS!!!!

1. What is your first name? Penni 2. How long have you been banded? 1 year and 11 days LOL!! 3. How much weight have you lost? 55 lbs 4. What was your favorite food pre-banding? OH NO!! I have to pick just ONE. Mostly breads. 5. What is your favorite food now? OH NO!! I have to pick just ONE. LOL!! Proteins, Soups, veggies, chips, fritos, cheetos, OOPS!! those snuck in. 6. Are there any foods you can't or don't eat? Breads still give me problems. 7. What is your favorite snack food? OH NO!! I have to pick just ONE. LOL!! Is this redundant or what. I LOVE FOOD. THat is what got me here to begin with. 8. Has your SO changed towards you in any way since you were banded? He gets scared when I go shopping now. LOL!!! 9. What are some of the things you can do now that you couldn't do before? Breath!!!!!! Walk!!!!! LIVE!!!!! 10. Do you have any pets? What kind? KOI 11. Wht would your dream vacation be if you could go anywhere you wanted? IRELAND 12. If you won a million dollars, what would be the first thing you would do with it? Pay off all my families bills first, set up trust funds for all my grandkids (6), then go on a month long trip. 13. What are your favorite books to read? Romance, murder mysteries, medical mysteries 14. What is your favorite TV program? ER, HOUSE, What not to Wear, While you were out, SURVIVOR, IDOL, Apprentice, Trading Spaces

OK the following people expressed an interest in wanting some of the capri's I have. Kelly (dylansmom) Nora (nora33) Teresa (hagerteresa) I have lost the mailing addresses and need for you to resend them to me at Penni60@aol.com I am going to get the capri's together this weekend and mail them out Monday or Tuesday of next week. SO get me your mailing address PRONTO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'M HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!! I will be working on a synapses of what I learned so I can post it for all. I realized during most of the sessions I attended that bandsters can benefit from most of what I learned. I will post a list of books that are beneficial as well. Give me a few days to get it all together. LISA: Pics please of the River Run and of those cute Harley Shirts please. NOW!!! LOL!!!

I was self pay and went to Mexico. I developed a complication that required a second surgery. I had it here in the states by a US surgeon. My insurance covered the procedure and is covering most of my fills and doctor visits as well.

This has happened to me ONCE. I just flew home and I did not beep. I have had it happen to me but only ONCE. I fly quite often too. So not sure if it was related to the band or not.

OK you know you don't even warrant a response but here it is. You have YET to introduce yourself and let us all caring people help you through your journey, which makes me suspect just exactly who you are. Jenna you are correct I don't take offense easily. I let this go for a few days just so I could think about it. This forum is for people to support each other in this sometimes difficult journey. Yes, we all have differing opinions about certain doctors, clinics, mexico vs states, etc. We all respect each others opinions here. We try not to attack anyone. We are all adults and should act accordingly. When Karla stated I was negative and I should GET A LIFE. I am doing just that Karla, "Getting a life", ONE I haven't had for over 30 years due to my weight. So thank you for reminding me to get one. There how was that Jenna!!

OK guys this is my experience with the following and what I have learned from my doctors. Some is my personal experience and some is factual about how the body works. If it rings true for you use it. If it doesn't then ignore it. 1. Carbonation: Does it cause erosion? Does it stretch the pouch? Or do we avoid it simply because it causes gas pains? Carbonation can stretch the pouch but it is a temporary situation. The carbonation stretches the pouch causing discomfort much like you would feel just before a PB episode. It also takes up space that would be filled with food. If you are one to drink carbonated beverages DO NOT drink them and try to eat. You could end up with a horrible PB event. BEEN there! I try to avoid carbonation not only for the reason stated above but for the empty calories that go along with them. One can of Dr. Pepper is really two servings. IT has, if I remember right, 250 calories per serving. WOW!!! If you drank the whole can it would be 500 calories just in the Dr. Pepper. Plus the sugar that goes along with the carbonation and calories. Bad stuffs!!!! 2. Alcohol: Does it cause erosion, or do we avoid it because it's empty calories? Alcohol can mess up your metabolism. I will post something more on this in a separate thread. (Learned some cool things in this conference I just attended). Alcohol and it's effects on judgement could possibly cause erosion and or slippage. When we drink we aren't as alert and aware of what we are doing, eating, or saying. LOL!!! So, alcohol can get us in trouble. The empty calories are a factor as well. Being banded we can't drink as much anyway. I know I can have one maybe two drinks now and I am affected. SO be careful guys. 3. Drinking before and after meals: How long to wait after eating? What are their reasons for these rules? Drinking right before a meal even right at the beginning of the meal is not a good idea. The liquid no matter what it is will dilute the digestive enzymes and slow the digestive process. This causes excess gas and bloating (more on that in a separate thread as well). I would wait at least an hour after a meal to drink. 4. NSAIDs - is there any new information regarding them causing erosion? NSAIDS or any medication, not necessarily NSAIDS, that can cause irritation of the stomach lining can put you at risk for ulcers forming which might lead to an erosion.

Awww, darlin it will get better. Every day gets a little better and a little easier. You just had surgery and your body is mad at your right now. So let it be mad for awhile. It has to heal and get back to normal. The pains will pass and,... um,... so will the gas. LOL!! The nausea will disappear as well. Drink some peppermint tea that helps wiht the nausea and it tastes like you are cheating. LOL!!! HUGS!!!!

Joe the actual procedure without complications is about an hour. The prep time is most likely about 20 min as well. The bypass is a long procedure and I was say it is a safe guess of 5 - 7. I wouldn't expect it to be less than 4 hours. Mine was just around 1 hr to 1 and a half hours.

HUGE congrats. I know you will do fine. You too Trish. And college joe you will get yours too. IT will all work out in the end.

Personally, I was never told to avoid certain foods. It was suggested that certain foods can aggravate the normal function of the stomach and may cause problems. The OJ I drink is Organic and I juice it myself so it does not have as high an acidic content as some of the processed juices. Adding the amount to the smoothie shouldn't hurt you. Try it if you find your stomach is burning more then try Apple Juice or pineapple Juice. I always encourage everyone to juice the ORGANIC fruits and veggies yourself. You get the most bang for your buck and the fruits and veggies are safer as well. Free of pesticides that can leach into them. And by cracky they just taste better. Sweeter if you will. Not nearly as tart as the processed juices. Crackers are a starchy food and to me that is something I would just avoid as much as possible. But if you love them and can eat them then go for it just in moderation. Like maybe two or three but no more. I can't do breads anymore and that is just fine with me. LOL!!

The dramamine could most likely be broken in half or even crushed and taken that way. If it can't be crushed or broken in half then ask your doctor about a liquid form. And if all else fails then don't go on mountains. LOL!! Sorry that was my attempt at humor. I envy the trip to Hawaii. My daughter suffers from motion sickness and she takes dramamine as well. I think you should be able to take the pill. If it comes in capsule form then that would be NO problem taking. The rule of thumb wiht pills is if it is bigger in diameter than an eraser on the tip of a pencil then it needs to be crushed, broken up, or use alternative forms (ie: liquids, etc). The travelling aspect of the trip should not pose a problem but check with your doctor prior to leaving. Just know that you won't get to enjoy some of the great foods you will be tempted with. You will be in the mushie or even on the tail end of the liquid phase. Something else to keep in mind, when I travel (meaning fly) I always always without question am more restricted. So, if you have great restriction after surgery then your restriction might be increased for a day or two after you arrive in Hawaii. It takes a few days to stabilize. If you are like me I am at the higher restriction the entire time I am travelling. Then the minute my plane lands at home my restriction disappears. LOL!! Just my weird body. Pictures are a MUST when you travel to Hawaii.

Kathy and all other allergy sufferers: Yes I think the amount of restriction can be affected. Anything that can cause you to have an allergic reaction will shoot histamine into your system and this can cause some swelling. Sometimes the body can be specific where the histamine reaction shows up but in general the whole body is affected. Hope this helps. BY the way, I am a hay fever sufferer. Yes I get higher restriction when it is flared up. I also have higher restriction when I have a cold or symptoms associated with a cold.

This is the Celebrity Pharmasist Convention disquised as the 23rd Annual Love your body and anyone else's Convention. LOL!! There are spies amongst us. You just never know. Christina dawlin: I don't have time for such nonsense as going out and actually having FUN. I am supposed to be in a session right now and I am too fried to attend. Got two more to attend before I crash tonight. They are an hour and a half long too. SIGH!! But such interesting stuff I am learning. Ok I will share just one thing here. If you use your Microwave to cook your meats (ie: fish, chicken, beef, etc) STOP NOW!! And it isn't because of the microwave emissions either. A study was done by one of the speakers on meats and preparation of the meats and it was discovered that cooking our meats in this fashion will NOT kill parasites, bacteria, etc. The meat does not get hot enough. In one case, a fish fillet was placed in a microwave and it was shown to start jumping around. No the fish was not alive. The fish being cooked in the microwave and that process actually activated or "work up", for lack of a better word, the larvae parasites IN the fish. EWWWWWWWWWWW!!! We had this lecture before lunch. SIGH!! OK no more fish for me for awhile. Especially sushi or sashimi. Well if the sushi is frozen first then thawed then it can kill the parasites. STILL!!!! OK enough lessons for you guys for now. MORE LATER!!

Atlanta is 3 hours difference. So as I type this it is 6:50am here and where you are it is 3:50am and you are still snoozing most likely. Which is where I would like to be. LOL!! Yeah my band is a HE. I first thought it was a she but some of it's habits and how it teases me implies it is a man. Bastard!! LOL!! HUGS Vera how did the court thingy go? By the way, Lisa is off on the Laughlin River Run this weekend. She won't check in till Tuesday most likely if then. LOL!!

I just talked to Mom and after several days of pain meds, sleep meds, and her other meds she is feeling MUCH better. She is getting much needed sleep. Her pain is managable and tolerable. She ordered a better bed and it is in the box in the middle of her living room. I hope to have time to put it together for her before I leave for home. Will have to see. I might not. But my daughter might be able to do that. Thank you for all your support and prayers.

I had to go to Princeton, KY today to see about Mom. Thank goodness I was only an hour away. As I walked into the hospital room, I was scared to death and thought I was in the wrong room when I looked in the bed and saw mom. She was pale and curled up in the fetal position in the bed. She was in pain and had just thrown up. She had a CT scan of her abdomen and we won't know the results from that till tomorrow most likely. If it shows an abscess then they will have to do surgery. The doctor thinks it is her diverticulitis acting up. She is getting Cipro to treat that. They are also giving her Flagyl as well. Her potassium is low, I wasn't told how low, so they are giving her potassium in her IV to replace it. She is allergic to alot of the normal pain meds so finding something to help with the pain is hard for her. Stadol was given to her last night and I personally think she was overdosed. Mom said as soon as it was put in her IV she got HOT and started sweating then she saw her mom, her dad, her sister, and her aunt all of which are dead. She said she felt like she was dying as well. She said she thought it was her time and was ready to go. That scared the hell out of me. I have since told the nurses to NOT give her stadol anymore. Zofran, usually used for nausea in cancer patients, works for pain in mom. So they are giving that to her now and she seems better. I am pooped and worried. I will call her tomorrow morning and see what the doctor said but more than likely she will be released tomorrow or the next day unless the ct scan showed something else. They will most likely treat her for the diverticulitis and monitor her. Her BP is actually pretty good for her. That is a plus. She is a little anemic but not anything to treat at present. I will keep you posted. Please keep her in your prayers.

$13,500 -- Dr. Lopez -- Rosarito, Mexico at Sanoviv Medical Institute www.sanoviv.com You can get the surgery for less it was that much for me because of the facility I used. Rosarito is about an hour from TJ. If I had it to do over and know what I know now I would go with Dr. Helmuth Billy in Ventura, CA. Not sure what the charge is if you self-pay with him. Pretty funny Jenna. You beat him to it. LOL!!!

As I rejoice in my own mother's recovery process, I learn of a good friend of mine whose mother is on her death bed. She has fought the good fight of Pancreatic Cancer for the last 8 months. Jan, good friend, just informed me that she is at home with her mother and Hospice has been there and they don't expect her mother to last through the night. Please keep her in your prayers. Thank you so much for all your kindness and caring.

I just received word that Jan's mother passed away last night at 8p. Please keep the family in your prayers. THey are coping but it is hard. I think Jan is coming to visit after all the plans are made and her dad is taken care of.