Marimaru

Well, I think it might also depend on what you are eating. Unless I'm having a day where I'm wide open, peanut butter will stick me up any time. My theory though, is probably when we feel like that, our tummies are churning like crazy, and maybe that makes it all awkward. I would do the protien shake thing... whenever I feel like that I drink a glass of milk. Then, once the shakes go away and my head clears, I figure something else out. kwhenrykerr; head hunger is a beast to fight. You really just have to stop all the time and ask yourself "why do I want to keep eating?" Sometimes the answer will be that you are truly hungry. Other times, it will be things like "I feel like I should be able to eat at least this much" or "it's so good!"

Well, in any state I've lived in, to the best of my knowledge it's always been illegal to smoke in a business, no matter who owned it. I guess even if you own the building and the business, it's still a consideration for the employees, or something to that effect. But if you're outside, I'm not sure there should have to be a 'designated' area... I think people've gone a little crazy with the trans-fat thing, but they have basically said that it's the worst one for you, and it's man-made... which I guess is why they feel like it can/should be controlled, or something like that.

Mostly what I listen to is techno/dance stuff. Currently in my playlist is also the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack, and I also listen to J-pop and J-rock (anime soundtracks) in phases (ie, right now I'm listening to an 'anime radio' online).

I was 22 at the time of my surgery, and didn't currently have any health issues. My blood pressure has always been normal, but I could see it starting to climb a little bit. So, since I didn't have any health issues, a large part of it was how I looked, but also wanting to avoid issues in the future to begin with. I've lost enough to really not have to worry about those health issues any more, I think, so now all that's left is vanity, lol.

I agree completely!

My opinion on the subject of people having kids/having too many kids is kind of an opinion that really has no way of being worked out, which is probably why it hasn't happened. I think people should need some kind of license to be able to have a kid. Take some classes, prove that you know what you have to do to raise one... And then after that, I don't know whether quantity should be regulated or not. And I agree with the people who said they don't want our government handling this, which is why I say there's really no way to work it out. There are lots of large families that have lots of love, and everyone gets along and they wouldn't want it any other way. There are others that feel very detached from their older siblings, or any of them at all. And still others that have a host of issues because the parents couldn't/wouldn't pay attention. All of which another reason my idea wouldn't work, especially not in deciding who could have a whole bunch of kids.

There might be a specific one of your medications that is making your nauseas when you are crushing it. I don't crush mine, can't one of them, because it's time release. They are both relatively small and I've never had trouble taking them. Also, like people have said it might be better to quarter than to crush them completely. I'm not really an advocate for going against your doctor, but there's not really any good reason to make yourself sick everyday for this. Hope you feel better!

I think it's the wrong answer to not go to your doctor because you haven't lost weight. You already know this, because you've made an appointment. But I say it again, because if you aren't losing, something isn't right, and your doc can help you figure that out.

I have that happen sometimes, but also my port hurts randomly at different times anyhow. It seems to hurt when I'm really stressed out or upset, but that's not the only times either. I still haven't figured out a pattern to it.

I also have a vote for Dr. Rumbaut

I'd probably respond and ask him what his issues were that he had so much time to be answering personal ads with insults.

hahaha. I think that too sometimes when I'm reading on here. It's kinda funny.

You should probably consider having an endoscopy. That'll look at the inside of your stomach and you might find something else out. Other than that, have you asked your doctors about the possibility of a hernia? Like Vinesqueen always says; demand answers, and don't back down until your pain is resolved!

Paige, I don't pretend to know what you are going through, because I've never had to deal with issues like you are right now. I hope that you hear from your consultant soon. In my mind, the ideal situation would be to get the fill removed, eat some healthy food and get your nutrition level up. That wont help with your weight related depression, but being depressed, AND feeling sick isn't probably helping much. I think after you've had time to heal up a bit would be a better time to decide whether you want to take out the band and switch, or try again. I can't say I blame you for wanting to rip the thing out after all you've been through. I will say that your stomach is probably incredibly swollen, which would account for being so restricted at the lesser level of a fill. Also, when I stress, I get WAY tight, so I imagine you being so worried about everything is also making it worse (that is not an accusation, I'd be worried and stressed too). One way or the other, I hope you get some relief soon. I think I know the answer to this, but is email the only way to reach your consultant? Friday to Wednesday (at least, it's Weds here), seems like a long time to wait when you are telling him you are in pain. *hugs*

My thought would be to lose the weight, and see what you think when you get there. You can always put a few lbs back on if you decide that you want to. I know it seems weird to say you might WANT to put weight back on, lol.

I agree with charting. If you don't want to write down everything you eat, at least write down what you were eating when you had a PB episode, and what was going on around you. Was it something you can normally eat without a problem, but there were lots of distractions? It could be that you didn't pay as much attention to chewing as normal, or something like that. Then, after you've kept track of it for a while, you can decide what you really think you need to do about it, or talk to your doctor about it. It may be that a little unfill is best, or that the tv has to go off, or maybe you are eating something that causes you trouble, and you aren't even realizing it. I go through long periods of time where I don't hardly ever PB, and then I'll go a few months where I PB every week or so, and I just have to figure out what I"ve started slacking on to get it back under control.

When you 'wash stuff down' with liquids, it defeats the entire purpose of the band... you are washing stuff past the band, so it's not staying in the top portion of your stomach long enough to give you a full feeling, and to keep you from feeling hungry. I understand wanting to avoid PBing, but if you get 'stuck' alot like that, probably you are eating too fast, taking to big of a bite, or not chewing well enough. I know that when I am actually stuck and trying to avoid a PB, if I drink something, a PB is guaranteed, because the drink has no where to go. It's possible that the feeling you are washing down is the feeling of fullness that you are going to get... it's not the same as what preband 'full' felt like.

That is SOOO adorible!!! I can only hope I have kids that cute!!!

From what I've read, spending a good couple of years on various band forums, a cup/ cup and a half seems to be the real average that bandsters (who seem to be losing) are eating on a regular basis... A serving of meat is about 3 oz, which visually is about the size of a deck of cards, PLUS a half a cup of veggies, and them MAYBE some carbs/starches after that IF you have room. No one can live on a quarter cup of food, whether it's 3 or 6 times a day.

Pattman, those are some wonderful words. I have lost about 65 ~ 70 lbs at this point, and I am about 2 and a half years out at this point. I figure I will get there eventually, and I am going in the right direction. :girl_hug:

I have to agree with giving it more time. Any big change can cause the anxiety and emotions. Lots of surgeries in general cause a period of time like this, plus the idea of not dealing with things with food anymore. My best recommendation would be this; leave the band in, it wont do much by itself with no fill. Then, when you feel a little more calm, and things have settled down, go back and start getting fills. It is absolutely of course, up to you, but I imagine you posted to get some input, so there's mine.

I agree that you should have a doctor check her chemical balances. Diabetes, Thyroid, also, you should look up Vinesqueen on this site and see what she has to say about Cushings. Your daughter sounds like she is decently active, so even if she's eating a goodly amount, (based only on your 2 posts) it sounds like it could be something in addition to just that. Something else caught my attention. Lots and lots and lots of people are treated wrongly for depression... meaning they are treated for depression, when it's not depression she has. The idea that she's upbeat, and then has breakdowns brings the idea of her being bi-polar to my mind, which is treated differently. I'm glad to hear that your X has changed his behavior. My dad did similar stuff to me about my weight (my parents were also divorced, but mom was out of state). He weighed me every morning on the scale, and gave me Slimfast to take to school for lunch every day (very cool, lemme tell you). I give him a lot of the credit for my compulsion to eat certain things in hiding, and stuff like that. I think you should toss the junk in the house, but at the same time, if you deprive her of all junk food, she'll go get it on her own. You've already mentioned the low change jar and the candy wrappers, which sounds all to familiar to me. My dad sent me to school with my stupid Slimfast, and all of my pocket money was spent on the crap they sell at the schools. I think that a lapband can be a very good tool for a young person who is capable of handling it. But there are rules that have to be followed A) to make it work and so you don't hurt yourself. Coming from where she's been, and knowing how I reacted to my dad's reaction to my weight, I'm very, very glad to see your post here, and to see you responding to what people have to say and giving it thought. You get alot of people who want an easy answer and ignore all the 'hard' stuff, you know?

We're doing the traditional thing, like we do every year. This year mom said "I'm bored with this, you're cooking this year", so that's that, lol. Last year, I was also at mom's house, but the year before I was at my future inlaws' house, and it was really crazy. My fiance has 9 older siblings and 30-some-odd nephews and nieces. They weren't ALL there, but lots and lots of them were there. My specialty though is Pumpkin pie. I've been the one in the family to make it since I was 12 and ended up doing it right, lol. My mom says the rest of us can have all the stuff, and she'll be sitting down to HER pumpkin pie with coolwhip and a spoon, hehe.

There's got to be a way that your Fiancé can find out if things like this have happened to other students. I think that if she could bring a case that actually looked like discrimination against multiple people, the Dean would have to do something about it...

Very nice. I have to agree with Sue that the idea of people doing things for inheritance gain before their parents die is a pretty horrible thing. Organizing is one thing, to make sure that your parents get the best care you can give them, without the nursing home (or whatever) diving into the funds as much as they can, but still...