lisacaron

You know...just thinking about a nice warm walk on the beach, sand warm and squishy between my toes cool ocean breeze blowing with just a hint of refreshing mist...I would be wearing a bathing suit no matter what because well I just don't care what others think I know I look good It just sounds like an awesome fantasy right now in this deep freeze!! I'd love to have the dogs running along the shore tossing a frisbee at them and playing fetch. That would be an added bonus! So now I'll take my leave and get me to the Bariatric Doc and take another step closer to making dreams come true!!

The first thing I will tell you is that with the band (just like with other WLS) patient compliance and vigilance is the key. You will need to be compliant with the rules the doctors give you, and treat your band with respect. It is a part of you and part of your new life style. You must be vigilant to keep an eye on your behavior. No weight loss surgery or tool will help you with head hunger or emotional eating. YOU have to work on these things, and once you are committed to making a change in your life you will. If you are not ready for the sleeve and you pulled the plug in the 11th hour then I am going to tell you that you are not ready for the band or any other WLS either. Take the time you have now to prepare. Visit bariatric Dr.'s take seminars, speak to banded people go to a local support group and hear from WLS patients and their experience. There are some I know who went into surgery unwillingly their Dr. told them they MUST because of their obesity and other co-morbidities, however as "unwilling" they might have thought they were...they were more willing then most who "choose" to have the surgery because their minds are made up for them by the pain and stress of competing issues. Foods, pastry, chocolate (insert your issue here) vs. Walking freely or breathing on your own...hmmm not too hard of a choice right? So wait until you are ready and then decide what is the right surgery for you that you think you will find the best success with. I chose the band even though my obesity level and co-morbtiy levels might have had a Dr. recommend the sleeve or bypass I still chose the band. I know I can "control" the band and I have some flexibility with the band to allow it to fit into my ever changing life style. I can loosen it when I need to as I did to heal after a car accident or illness and I can go right back to my sweet spot again when my body is ready. If I ever had a complication I could and would revise to another surgery and you lose some of that option if you start out with the other surgeries first. However as medical science keeps growing there are so many options to mix and match modalities. Don't get lost in it all, take some time do your due diligence ask loads of questions and then make your decision. Best of luck to you!

@@JoJoNYC So happy to read that you are on your way!! Best of luck for a smooth op and recovery!! Let us know how you are doing as soon as you are able!!

I have had the sad experience to know someone who became an alcoholic after having gastric by pass and it is very sad indeed as the drinking of "spirits" has a much faster absorption rate in someone who has this surgery and the affects of the liquor are felt much more profoundly enhancing the addiction. Sadly this person experienced many many issues as a result including, sepsis, kidney failure, sirosis of the liver and an untimely death at the age of 46. She was not someone you could speak to easily and would not seek or participate in counseling.

Most of the time if you see a link or a post that is not able to be seen there is a reason for it being removed from the site. Either they were inflammatory in some way and/or inappropriate solicitation. It's not something I'd like to see Alex fix, I like that the site takes down these posts, it would be great to just delete the thread completely so no one can see it and wonder about it. If someone is sending you a link, you may want to be careful that it's not associated with a virus or scam that will either crash your computer or steal information from it. Be wary of things like winning money and free services!!

Are you nearing the max fill in your band? If you are at a high fill volume the surgeon may want to monitor what is going into the band to ensure you don't have a problem. Also it could be a policy change at the hospital or the office in the way they are treating patients. It happens

I wanted to thank you all for braving the cold the subway and NYC traffic to come and sit a spell with us!! I was very happy to meet you all and you have inspired and reinvigorated me again!! I think I might even go to the gym tonight even though my poor legs and arm have about 2 colors of the rainbow appearing after my spill up the stairs! What a klutz! I'm drinking my "fake" food as my boss calls it in the form a protein shake gearing up for a good work out hopefully I won't be too sore Very excited for you @@BloomingLotus please keep in touch with us here and let us know how you are doing!!

@@amponder Good for you!!! You went out there with nothing to prove and you proved that you are a better sport then your MIL. Keep walking for your health and happiness at your own pace. When/if she ever asks you to join her group again you can tell her no thank you. No need to stoop to her level of nasty, you don't need to prove anything to little old ladies that only feel good when making others feel bad. You know slow and steady wins the race. Quick and sassy fall on their face.

@@Zingythingy you lost a lot of weight really fast! I was banded in 2013 and have had a few set backs along the way but have only lost 70 thus far. So I would ask you...what did you do in the beaning that helped you to lose the weight? Where do you think that fell short on nutrition to cause you to have an issue with healing? Nutrition is very important but I suspect there was more going on to cause necrosis then just poor nutrition. I'm glad that you are now on the road to recovery and I really hope that you are feeling better. You have come to the right place for support that's for sure! I know when I am having trouble staying focused and not giving up I come here and read and write and share and I feel better!! So maybe review what worked for you in the early days of starting to lose the weight, and think about how you might improve upon that a bit to keep your body healthy now as well. Is a need for more Protein, or perhaps a certain Vitamin that you might need/want to add in with fruits or veggies or even with a supplement? I'm still trying to get back to my green zone after a car accident a few month ago. I'm back in the gym and working out, and battling a few women's issues as well. So its a bit of a roller coaster ride that I'm not quite ready to get off of just yet I'm finally starting to enjoy it...well at least until the next nose dive

Ah...what I wouldn't give for a nice hot bath right now!!! My little body is all aches and pains. To my chagrin I fell going UP the marble stair case yesterday!! OUCH my legs and arm are various colors of the rainbow today and if it was summer people would think I was either hit by a truck or a battered wife! (Hahaha as if Ken would say cause he'd be a dead man and I'd be posting this from a prison cell) To top it all off I have the gym tonight with the trainer...maybe I'll get lucky and hubby will draw me a nice hot bath to fold myself into when I get home. Can someone send him a little bird message for me...tweet tweet... Nope I didn't hit my head

@@verna2197 if you are sick with a cold or flu, then yes having this excess phlegm is gross but normal. If you are not sick, then you could be having an issue with slime and that could mean that your band is a bit too tight. I find that when I am sick, and I have that nasty phlegm (can't help but picture the Mucinex booger commercial in my head.) doing what @@parisshel said and taking an antihistamine can help dry things up..however for me this can also cause an upset in my tummy that I don't feel but it will cause an inflammation and make my band super tight. I have had issues with some medications causing stomach irritation, now my Dr. has me on a medication to help sooth and keep this from happening. So if your going to start taking medications give the Bariatric doc a call and see what they might advise as well to keep the irritation down. One other thing that helps me is to drink warm liquids like tea without any type of creamer this helps to break up that clog in my throat and prevents that nasty stuff from coming back the wrong way. Feel better!!!

I have read many responses here that say Forgive but don't forget...and I think that is where we keep holding on to the hurt and maybe even making it worse then the actual offense. Yes there is a lesson here, but there are lessons everywhere in good things as well as bad. When you forgive someone for something you need to forget about it to move on. If you keep telling yourself that you have forgiven but you have not forgotten have you truly forgiven? It's impossible because somewhere you are still remembering and harboring the feelings of hurt and pain. They may be buried deep down among the piles of forgiveness you have covered it with but it is still there festering like the potato in the pocket someone wrote about because you have not forgotten. When we truly forgive and forget we are able to let go of the hurt. We are able to dissociate ourselves from the bad feelings about or toward that person; that behavior or ourselves. It becomes part of our past. We have learned and we have grown stronger in the experience of it. That does not mean that we need to keep harboring the thoughts of it to learn our lesson. If you refuse to forget you are still nailing yourself and your loved one to that proverbial cross every time you revisit it and experiencing the pain of it over and over again. If you take this saying literally Forgive & Forget here are the definitions of both words. Forgive: To give up resentment against or stop wanting to punish (someone) for an offense or fault; pardon. Forget: To treat with thoughtless inattention; To banish from one's thoughts. Makes sense doesn't' it? It is in this way that we are removed of the burden that causes us to feel guilty or ill willed about an event or behavior that we have experienced. We can never un-live or un-learn it but we can choose to forgive, let go and forget. Of course this is much easier said then done In forgetting we are relinquishing our need for control of ourselves and others. I like this saying also when it comes to forgetting and letting go...when all else fails. Let go and Let God. Give it over to a higher power, (what ever that is in your life) take a deep breath and know that you have done your best.

@@Wvcari sounds like your doing the right things and taking care of business!

@@nikkipk72 how are you doing a few days after your Dr. visit? Are you feeling a good sense of restriction? Making good choices and eating well?

Warm greetings to all my BP friends!!! I hope you are all finding a way to stay warm!! I know it's really sad that we complain about the cold when after all it is winter. I think I am complaining less about the cold as compared to the way this weather is affecting my body. I am not a piece of wood and my body does not expand and contract well. Just a couple of weeks ago the weather here in NY was nearly at 70 and today it's about 7 degrees. I'm sure my age doesn't help matters much, but I have to tell you that the headaches and the body aches that come with these crazy temps is driving me insane!! .

@@Holysaro87 I agree with the poster above. Take a deep breath and try to relax. I am going to sound a little harsh with you for a moment here. When you FIRST had signs of something not right it was the time to go and see the Dr. Never mind how you were before your band. You are now a banded patient and vomiting no matter how small. food being stuck, acid reflux, night coughs all of these are signs of trouble and they are NOT normal. No one with a band should be throwing up after eating EVER if they can help it. If you follow the proper band guidelines then you would not be having these issues AND if you are then you need to see a Dr. ASAP a Bariatric Dr. who specializes in the Lapband. OK now all of that said....take another deep breath. I am on your side here. One of the reasons your Dr. may be telling you take the band out is because you are not being compliant with the band rules. There are very specific rules to being a banded patient and you are not following them. Yes we all get caught up with family and friends and FOOD. I totally understand, BUT you must ALWAYS remember that you are a WLS patient and that you have a band around your stomach and it is there and it will not be overlooked and it will cause you trouble if you ignore it. I am compliant in all ways with my band, all the time...? No not all the time, and that is how I learned to make sure that I am now ALL the time. When I am full I stop eating, if I am stuck I pay the price and feel sick and learn that next time I need to cut and chew chew chew and then chew some more. I need to slow down and eat my food and not be stressed while eating. A few months ago I had a mild pouch dilation and had all the Fluid removed from my band due to medications I was taking from being in a car accident that irritated my stomach. I did the 4 week liquid diet and the dilation resolved itself and I am not back on track to getting fills and losing weight. OK take another deep breath... Ask yourself is this band something you want? Why do you have it if you are not going to use it and take care of it properly? If you want to keep your band, follow the Dr.'s orders. Take the fill out, and start from band basics. Go back to the days of early banding. Get yourself some Protein powders and shakes and go from there. You will start to lose weight and you will feel better. Tell your family and friends you MUST be on this diet and not to derail you because doing so is going to cost you and you will ultimately have to have the band removed and worse you can cause permanent damage to your internal organs. So make sure you are ready for this commitment and settle in for a month of liquids, and gaining your health back. You have to take time to put you and your band first. You are right now both at risk.

@@Amanda.Root Very glad to hear that you have found a place that is determined to help you get to the bottom of what's plaguing you. You are right about all the vomiting not being good for the band. You could have issues, but hopefully those will not happen and your band will stay well placed and you will find out what is causing you to be sick and continue to work with the band if you choose. If not, and it is the band causing the issues, and/or you have a subsequent issue arise from being ill and have to have the band replaced there are several options out there for you if you wish to continue on the road of WLS. The first thing is to get to the bottom of what's wrong. Keep breathing, eat light, and have faith that your in good hands with this new group. Best of luck to you, let us know how you are doing.

@@Amanda.Root I'm not taking a side here with your surgeon, however I would like to tell you that it sounds like what might be needed here is an OB/GYN Dr. Years prior to my band I had some similar issues that would happen to me on a cycle and not in conjunction with a period but outside of that. In the end I had to have a subtotal hysterectomy and I have 100% better since then. It took a very long time for them to diagnose the issue since it was hidden behind my intestines. One of my fallopian tubes was so swollen it was about to burst and as each cycle would go it would swell and shrink and cause all kinds of symptoms and when it was at it's most swollen it would impact my intestines and cause a blockage that would cause vomiting diarrhea and/or constipation all with brain searing headaches. Don't just assume that everything wrong with us is our bands, or our WLS surgery. Find a good hospital that also has a bariatric team and have them get to the bottom of it.

Dr. Garber's office stopobesityforlife also has an office in NYC. I have just recently switched offices to the Roslyn office since my surgeon retired. I can't say enough great things about their office. Please consider joining us for our live Bariatric Pal Support group this Sunday details are below. The next meeting of the NYC/Long Island Bariatric Pal Support Group will be held on Sunday, January 11th, from 2PM till 4 PM at The Atrium at 805 Third Avenue. The building is on Third Ave between 49th and 50th Streets. The Atrium is at the back of the space on the lower level.

I just love this! I need to remember this more often than not!!! I spend more time on energy on the wrong things and not enough on the things I need to be doing for my self and my health!

@@livlife We all have our different paths, and you started out with a few speed bumps to say the least!! I can totally understand where you are coming from and applaud you for acknowledging that as well and making a commitment to yourself to getting back on track. I have to do this with myself nearly every day!! If I don't then I can find myself in a tail spin out of control and looking for who's head I can chop off as the guilty party!!! In the end I know that it's all me. Yes I might have some real complications along the way and it sounds as if you totally did. So don't beat yourself up, just pick yourself up dust yourself off, today is a new day and another opportunity to make reach your goals. I find that if I set mini goals daily for myself I feel great when I accomplish them and I take note of the reasons why I wasn't able to if I don't. Sometimes I am too aggressive with myself and my goals and I have to reassess and revamp them a few times before I can cross the finish line. The five day pouch reset is a good way to start. I am banded, but when I know I have gotten off track and lost sight of things, the best thing for me to do is to get back to the basics and reset. Not just my body, but my mind as well. I know you can do this, and @@gowalking is right you will find lots of support among the members of this site!!! Best of luck to you and Happy New Year!

@@BloomingLotus even though you have not had your surgery as yet our group is open to all pre-op and post- op. We find there is much to learn from those just starting out as well as veterans who have been at this for a while

This is a sad thread...but also an uplifting one!! I love seeing all the fur babies!!! I lost my kitty Cat of 15 years in September, and that was not easy they spend so much time with us. We remember her every day, and right after she passed we rescued 3 dogs! two pups and their Mamma to add to our collection of 2 other adopted kitty Cats. Here are a few photo's

@@Fluffy_Gurl I totally understand where you are coming from. Stress is a big trigger for me and you have been through a lot. Don't underestimate the power that our hormones have over us. It's great that you are ready to refocus and get back on track. I have to do that every day!! I can easily be knocked off track by stress and find it very hard to get back again. First let me tell you that you are and have done amazing in losing your weight. Now take a deep breath and here we go!! This site is wonderful place to come to for support, guidance, information and a myriad of other things. When I am "off track" what I find works the best for me is going back to basics. From early days of banding and just resetting my mind and body. I will go back to Protein shakes, and things like that and what's even better is that they don't get me sick when I am super stressed or upset and I am getting in the protein that my body needs. I try to schedule and pre-plan my meals and workouts so that I am on a schedule. My biggest issues are allowing others to derail my efforts and I know this. It's as simple as my hubs telling me he doesn't want to go food shopping...and I know I have to get things for work to be "on track" or my son who is picking up his first car tonight and needs me to be there with him...can keep me from keeping my gym appointment. However I am working this year on keeping my resolve FIRM and sticking to my plans and having other things work around my schedule vs me doing for others in-spite of myself. I am a self saboteur and I know this about myself so I have to work on it I come here when I need the support and the advice of others on the same journey. Hope to see you here as well and together we will all make it work!

Wonderful and you can tell how happy you are!!!