Penni60

Yup I am the responsible party for the pics. LOL!!

Robbin I am gonna email you.

Kathy I am no expert but it almost looks like the band is too high up on the stomach. IT looks like it is right at the opening between the stomach and the esophagus. That would mean it has slipped or it was not placed properly. Again I am no expert but that is my humble opinion.

As much as you can I think you need to get up and walk around. I will continue to keep you in my prayers. I am so sorry for all your issues but it sounds like you are on the road to weight loss now. Keep us posted. HUGS

I have both a ball and an ab lounger. I love them both and they are great for ab crunches.

Vera: You are in my thoughts and prayers. Hope things go your way. HUGE HUGS!!

Pretty funny. We had this beautiful black cocker spaniel once. The way my grandmothers farm house was designed the fireplace was in the center of the house and when you had it roaring it would heat the living room, bedroom, and the kitchen all at the same time. By the way, when you walk in the front door to your right was the HUGE open bedroom that held two double beds and to your left was the HUGE living room/office/sewing room. Then they got a coal burning stove and closed off the fireplace. Anyway, the way the house was set up you could run in circles. Start in the living room, kitchen, back porch, then bedroom and back ot the living room. So one day my sister and I were bored. We started chasing each other in this circle. My grandmother was laughing so hard at us. She just said "be careful darlins." Our cocker spaniel, "PUP" started chasing us. We would run and when we would get to the living room we would run and jump on the couch and he would jump up there too. One time he didn't quite make the jump and ran smack into the couch head first. He stopped looked up at us and then started yelping. We ran to him and hugged him and cried and he barked then licked us and then took off running. He stopped looked back at us to see if we were coming. He faked us out. Smart doggie. He has gone to the doggie heaven now.

OK Teresa I think it is time we saw a before and after pic of you. Send me some and I will put them side by side for you. And yes if I have anymore I will certainly keep you in mind. I do need your shipping address though. SO send the shipping address and the pics in an email to Penni60@aol.com

UPDATE: Took Mom to see her doctor for a check up after her hospital stay. Her stomach issues and the diverticulitis is in remission for now. We all know it can flare up again but we can deal with it if it does. But for now she is in no pain from that. Her blood pressure is doing great. I took it while we were in the doctor's office and it was GREAT. The only thing bothering her now is her sciatica. GRRRRRRRRRR!!! She had to get a muscle relaxor prescription. They gave her a shot of Tordol while we were there. She also has not been sleeping lately. So they gave her a prescription for Ambien as well. I took her home then I went and filled the prescriptions for her. I asked the pharmacist if she had a bill there. She did. So I paid that bill and paid for the muscle relaxor and the Ambien as well. I felt it was my duty as her daughter to pay her bill. I also told them to call me if she has another bill run up like that. The other day I took her to get her hair done. She goes once a week. She has in the past not gone because she couldn't afford it. SIGH!! So I pulled aside her hair dresser and told her I want to pay for a full year's worth of hair appts. The hair dresser owns the place and I have known her for over 20 years. So, $1000 later Mom can get three perms and all the hair appts she needs for a full year. It felt good to be able to do that for her. I called Mom yesterday and she is still in some pain but the Flexeril, muscle relaxor, is helping. The ambien is helping her sleep as well. She said she hasn't had that good a night's sleep in ages. Thank you all so much for your concern and prayers. HUGS

UPDATE: Funeral was yesterday. I called my daughter to check up on all of them. Jacob was there and he was laughing in the background. Erin, my daughter, said he was doing OK. He would be fine one minute then he would be bawling his eyes out the next. But for the most part he seems to be doing OK. He buried the stuffed animal with Amber. I think that was so sweet. After all the services were done and everyone went their separate ways, Erin suggested they all return to the gravesite and have a special private moment their with her friends and Jacob. I think that was the smartest thing they could have done. Erin said Jacob was much better after they did that. He was more calm and seemed to accept it more. I have a smart daughter. She is adjusting as well to the loss. Her voice sounds brighter and better. I get a sense of acceptance when I talk with her now that wasn't there before. Thank you all again for the expressions of sympathy and concern. HUGS to you all.

Hey Zoe: thanks for the encouragment and advice. I am planning on doing a WOG and walk type approach to the marathon. Maybe I can get my endurance built up for the Los Angeles Marathon for next year. LOL!! HUGS

Kathy: I am so sorry for all you have gone through thus far. I feared it is slippage but be thankful it can be fixed if it is. I will keep you in my prayers. Please do come and let us know as soon as you can. HUGS!!!

Kathy: I am starting to get really worried now. Come and check in and let us know you are ok. HUGS!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIE!!!!!!!!!!! Hope your special day is truly everything you hoped for and more. Here is wishing you many more special days.

Loads of white light sent your way. Prayers coming as well. Come and post when you feel up to it. HUGS

Brown mucous looking slime is NOT good. COuld be old blood. Watch this closely and if it happens again you should report it to Kuri. I would in fact report it to him anyway. Slime should not have any color other than what you are bringing up. If you had drank a few sips of tea then the slime would be a brownish color. Please don't take any chances. WORRIED about you girl!

Just above the lines and dots.

Here is my pic. Can't see one of my scars. I had to look at my belly to see mine anyway. The only one that is still easy to see is the port incision. But even it is not bad. I have been banded a whole year.

Thanks Donali for spelling it out. I think drinking Milk or something like that to buffer the NSAID's is a GREAT idea. In fact it is advisable.

Rebecca: We are not supposed to take any Anti-Inflammatory once banded due to the irritation it can cause the stomach lining. So be very careful taking that pill.

OK what the heck is a YODEL?? Good for you for realizing how important it is to look at the labels now. That will be our savior everytime. At least it is for me.

WHEW!!! So glad that you are doing much better Katie. Come and post when you feel up to it. HUGS!!!!!!

Glad you are on the mend. Keep up the good work and keep us posted.

I use Senokot and it works great for me. But honestly, you don't have much to get rid of either. And it takes a good while before the gut wakes up from the anesthesia. So give youself time to adjust before you start MAKING it do it's thang. LOL!! It takes a good 7 days for the gut to adjust back to normal. That is if you are eating normal food. We bandsters do not eat normal food for at least a month sometimes so the bowels are gonna be slow to react. Also, new bandsters still have the gas and bloating from the surgery being absorbed as well so that is another factor to take into consideration. TIME is what is needed. But if you are ready for an evacuation then I use Senokot. It is a natural remedy and it is not as harsh as Exlax or some of the others. You can get it at any drug store or walmart or target. Hope this helps

Welcome back. Yup I agree this is the place for support. So vat es your ppppproblem?