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Karen, So glad you have updated us. After the -.3cc's was removed, you had to have more taken out? Yikes girl! Youve had a rough week. So now you are totally unfilled? hungry?

HI Cowgirl, welcome to LBT - and most of all, WELCOME to Bandland! Here is a great thread that has many ideas you can have during each phase. http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3995 Just about any question you have has been answered here... Happy Reading! Again, WELCOME!

Michelle is right - a fill always gives you a new start. From experience, Ive realized that when I eat nothing but crap (high carbs, high calories, high fat foods) I actaully feel like crap. Bad mood, low energy, depressed, etc. I purge this stuff out of my system by drinking about 100oz's of Water, eat NOTHING but good foods, healthy stuff and high protien choices - usually the next day I feel better - and the cravings of the bad stuff dimish. Takes a little self control. Good luck, Thursday will be here in a flash!

LOL - just what I was thinking! My goal was to lose -10. Ive only lost -3. Thats ok! I may not be where I should be, but Im NOT where I used to be!!! This should be the final week weight-in, right? BTW - Jonathan, where in the world are you? Havent seen you lately.

Hope you have an awesome day - you are truly one of the best!!!

Sure motivated me! Thanks for the visual.

Yes, this is very commen. Very few people experience restriction with their first fill. Although, some gain restriction 4 - 6 weeks after the fill. This is a little scary. Just be careful. Many times patients will get fills one right after another, then suddenly they cant even drink a sip of Water. THEN need to be unfilled. Take those fills slow and easy. ANother thought is that I would wait until after my cycle (if you are a female) until getting fill #2. This is a good test to determine the maxium amount of restriction you are going to have with this fill.

GAS SHORTAGE! Not sure if this is affecting any of you yet, but here in LC we already have a gas shortage. Yesterday Regular and Super were empty at several stations I passed - only Premium had fuel. This morning, even the Premium is gone. Come on governement.... WE NEED FUEL!!!!! I think Im gonna trade my van in on a go-cart, hook a wagon up in the back for the kids to ride in. Kids 'll have loads of fun. Hey, its a cheap gas ride! What about that motorcycle with the side seat like Batman and Robin used? That would even be street legal. My kids would think they were on an amusement park ride. Black gold. I have tons of respect for it at this point, honestly.

Crystal, oh yes! I am definately in this club. another great thread due to your gifted insight. You are so very special!

gosh, the only one that comes to mind is cheese cubes. But they need to be refrigerated.

Kelly, Mike just called and said that they are now getting the school age evacuee's (children) enrolled in our local school system. This is a really good idea. Officials are saying these poor people will be calling LC home for weeks! So why not get the kids in school!

Fee, this is certainly NOT a dumb question. Its actually one Ive thought of many times. Im just relying on Divine intervention incase something happens and Im not aware to tell officials about my band. Maybe having our banding ID card next to our driver license would help? In the case of CPR, since my port is right below my sternum, I would *hope* that a health official would notice a scar with something hard under it and treat it with respect. I guess if I live through the reason I needed emergency care, I would "deal" with it then. :nervous

wow, so many things are happening on our area... All of this is so unbelievable. Here is just one of the many stories Ive heard and want to share... Our mayor, a priest, and a couple of other leaders in our area, put funds together and went to Walmart during the night to purchase items for our local refugee's. Whats even more impressive is that Walmart MATCHED the items. So they were given double of what they had purchased. These things were brought to the Civic Center where 2500 refugee's are staying. Mike told me that yesterday he talked to a good friend of ours/member of our church that was housing 25 relatives from the N.O. area - all of them had word that they had NOTHING left to return to! After the storm hit, SW Louisiana breathed a huge sigh of relief and went on its daily life... but now, everyone is seeing these poor homeless folks filling our area. We are seeing this with our own eyes - not through tv! My dad - who is sort of a toot - called our local Red Cross to volunteer his services. I just had to share that with all of you. Thats something I will remember forever!

Incase any of you may not understand what happened in N.O. overnight... (please excuse my simple minded explanation) Think of a bowl (like a salad bowl) - and the mighty Mississippi River on one side, the Gulf of Mexico on another and a huge lake on another - inside the bowl is the city of N.O. The Water does not spill into the bowl, due to levee's built up around the city. Well, from Katrina's high winds and excess rain, the levee's broke (2, I think) causing the water to start spilling/flooding into the "bowl". Something that was not predicted, but feared would happen. Thats why N.O. is now under water. The levee's broke! Here in Lake Charles, there is a major shelter set up for refugee's. Many more are expected to arrive here from those that fled to Texas and much farther away places. Most of those that are arriving now have stayed in hotels - but money is running short! And the thought of staying in a paid hotel for 2 weeks or more could make anyone cringe. I didnt think much about any of this until around noon time when I saw a long convoy of utility trucks getting on the interstate heading over there. The sights we are seeing/hearing about are unbelievable. Everyone around here has a relative or friend that lived in the N.O. area. Its such a popular place. And Biloxi, Mississippi - My God in heaven! That place is demolished.

Sorry MC, I dont have any answers for you... but I must commend you for only gaining 30 pounds in 11 years. WOW! Have you tried calling a surgeons office and getting some answers from them? Different surgeons may have different opinions on banding after by-pass. I would get several opinions! good luck

FINALLY.... -2. 180 now.

Hi all! Thanks so much for asking... At this point, we are safe from this one! *phew* N.O. is about 3 1/2 hours east of us, so we are quite a distance from this gigantic storm. Right now we are actually getting only goodness from it - low humidity and steady breezes, with lots of HEAT! We have a friend that is a big-wig at the newest casino/hotel in our area. He was called into work today to make extra accomidations for all the evacuee's that were arriving. Funny how the casino's here are filled tonight and the church's remain empty. Something about that thought scares me.

I have phases of things... here lately its been the Chips-Ahoy chocolate chip/peanut butter cookies. I buy a bag and DARE anyone to touch em'. Now how insane is that? My 9yr old said, "Mom, youre not supposed to be eating that stuff, and you wont let us have just ONE!?" NOPE!

Hi Gorgeous, and welcome to LBT! When did you have that upper GI? And you say you are vomiting in your sleep? Are you sure this isnt GERD/Reflux? Reflux is a very commen side affect in banded patients that may be filled a tad too tight. This is a VERY serious concern. Are you able to keep liquids down? If so, I suggest you go on liquids ONLY for -at least- 24 hours, maybe even 2 days. Just to give your esophgus (sp?) a break. Vomiting/pbing is very hard on your stomach. And remember that warm liquids seem to sooth the tummy better then the cold items. IF you can tolerate this for a day, then try having some soft foods like pudding, creamy Soups. Maybe this will help your system unswell, and you will stop all that horrible vomiting. Not good!!! And of coarse, one last thing... does your doctor know what is going on??? good luck and keep us posted!

walk, walk, walk. When you feel your shoulder starting to ache (from gas pains) take a small walk in your neighborhood (if possible). Also, you may want to ask your surgeon if you can take something to ease your tummy discomfort. I remember having alot of uncomfortableness for the first couple of days. I started chewing a pepcid a/c in the morning and at night - it helped tremendously! BUT ask your doctor first before taking ANYTHING! Have you had a BM yet? This may also be another reason for a tummy ache. Good luck, and welcome to the Bandwagon!

you hit a true nerve on that one! I cant do beer not even a sip. The carbonation is so strong that I have a very hard time with a very small amount. Ill have an occasional maragarita.... but nothing better then an ice cold beer (especially on a hot day like today). So this one was a struggle for me!

Great findings Jenna! Im still too chicken to try arms.

GREAT thoughts here ~ This should be our LBT logo! Karen, you may be like some of us that experience more restriction 2 - 4 weeks after a fill?? And everytime I convince myself that I need another squeak of an adjustment, I have pms and exprience major restricion and realize that I could not handle any more added. *sigh* oh! the life of us bandsters. Definatley NO predictions with this tool!

Hi Debbie! Welcome to LBT. Spiegel did my sugery as well, and I am also from LC. We have alot in commen. WOW - you are close to your band date! One suggestion, stock pile on the s/f pop sickles! They saved my life for the first 2 weeks post op. If you need anything, I dont mind giving you my home phone. Sometimes it helps having a live person to talk to instead of a computer. Good luck and God bless you.

Alex, Ive been thinking about you girl! This is a little scary, but just think - at least its fixable. ((hugs)) have peace my friend.