Marimaru

I never had any trouble with hairloss. I tend to shed a little in the fall, and maybe I shed just a little extra (banded in July of last year, so the timing would have been right), but I didn't really notice if that was the case. I was horribly afraid of this, because a few years ago I started losing my hair like mad, and went to the doc and she said it was stress. It's just finally really getting back to where it was, and I swear if I'd lost much more than I did last time I wouldn't have had any left!

LOL!!! Vines is so funny, lol. Anyhow, I don't think you'll hurt anything. I was told to wait 2 weeks before "moderate exersize" so I told my boyfriend of three years he had to wait that long before we tried having sex, and if anything started to hurt, we'd have to stop. We went slow, and everything was fine. I'd probably wait 6 weeks before doing anything TOO crazy. He might feel the port if he puts his hand over the area, I can feel mine. I'm a year out and if I bend funny or stretch or something that I haven't done since surgery it can surprise the muscles a little bit and be a little sore, but nothing that warrants a call to the doc or anything that.

"Way out." Who cares what KIND of way out it is, it's a way out! I'm 23, and I can honestly say I probably have done 'every diet known to man' like so many of the other people on the boards, but if I know in my heart that the diets I DID try didn't work, and most diets are pretty close to the same anyway, why would any of the other ones work for me when they failed so many others? This surgery was an option for me to do SOMETHING when I was doing NOTHING. I'm going to be blunt and say that if your husband says he's going to leave you for this, and he's not bluffing, he was going to leave you for something anyway. I'm not trying to say that your marriage is over by anymeans, the only details of it know are what you've written here, but I'm sure you get the jest of what I'm saying. Someone can be not-supportive, kind of neutral, without being unsupportive... if that makes any kind of sense. I'm glad you made your appointment. Maybe when he really sees that you are REALLY serious, he'll listen to you a little more?

DeLarla, I agree there's nothing more you could do, and hopefully what you did will give the owner some closer if they are looking for the kitty. When I was a kid we had cats that were inside/outside, and it wasn't unheard of for one to go missing and not come back, but sometimes you just wish you knew what happened (and I'd never have an outside can in that type of place anyway now that I'm old enough to have a say). Zoe, I think kid-chipping isn't too far off. "They" just have to get past the whole 'privacy' thing that people shout about.

Most bandsters who've posted their meals on the forums that I've see eat closer to 1 to 1 1/2 cup per meal. Like you said, I don't even think it's possible to get 1200 on 1 1/2 cup per DAY. I eat 2 to 3 meals a day and a couple of Snacks. I don't actually care how many times I eat as long as I'm below 1300. I eat enough that I never have to worry about not getting in enough calories, so I just need to watch that I don't bump too far over 1300. I was trying to do "between 1200 and 1500", but I always ended up closer to 1500 and that just wasn't letting me lose, so I lowered it to 1300, and I've started losing again. I don't advocate going against a doctor, but I think you need to take the post op instructions with a grain of salt, as most of us got this surgey with the desire to eat like normal (thinner) people, you know?

I don't know your doc, but congrats on your surgery date, and welcome!

Sounds like a great time. Unfortunately I'm a bit further south than you guys, but I'd love to get up there sometime!

"The fat, funny, nice girl." Wow does that say it all for me as well. You know, maybe that's part of it. I had the same issue as you, where I knew I wasn't thin, but I wasn't FAT!! No, not fat. All through my teen and young adult life, I've been that friend that everyone went to with a problem, that gave advise, a shoulder, whatever was needed (and didn't happen to be able to find that when I needed it by the way). Maybe I was happy enough with WHO I was to not care enough about my body to see what I really looked like? I was LOOKING at the inside and not SEEING the outside? Does that make any kind of sense? It was pictures that told me the truth as well. Now I see it in the mirror, and I'm having a hard time seeing that I'm 50 lbs lighter. It's getting a little better though. I'm starting to see a difference, so something is starting to work .

I think your likening to cigarettes is great. My boyfriend is a little beanpole, and I mention stuff to him on the boards (like the 'just eat less' comments), and say "now, that would be like me tell you to "just don't have beer anymore". He's not a problem drinker, but he does like his beers, and he understands that analogy quite well. Just tell your sister "you can't quit food cold turkey, don't tell me how hard it is or isn't". ha. edited to add that what I said was said with humor, not spite

My younger sister has horrible body dismorphia (not that I'm any better, but her highest weight was maybe 170). She's 130 now, looks fabulous, but still doesn't like her body, but can't tell you why. We were on vacation and we went to the beach, just her and I, and while we were in the Water messing around I stopped and said "Hey, I want you to know that you are the same size as the girl in the blue bathing suit over there." She couldn't believe it, she had no idea that's what she looked like (comparitively). So I pointed out some other body types, a girl that was pretty close to my sister's biggest size, who still didn't look all that bad anyway, etc. I think it helped her a little. I'm going to have her do the same thing for me when I get closer to my goal, just for my own mental frame of reference. I look at my sister, who's the same basic build as I am, lower than my goal weight, and think I'll never possibly look like that, but it's a very distinct possibility, and I need to wrap my head around it. My point is, it might help you to have an outside source help point things out like this. Beyond looking at pictures of yourself, looking at other people who might have a similar build to help you see what you can look like... if that makes any sense at all. I haven't participated much, but I've been watching this thread since it was started, and it very much hits home, and I'm soaking up all the advice given

Ok. I was supposed to go to the one in March, and found way too many reasons not to. I must do this one! Thanks Penni!

I've been working on my hunt for the low calorie volumn Snacks for this very reason. "Snacking" by nature defeats the purpose of the band, but if I kind of plan it into my day, and make sure it's low cal, I'm ok. Most often, I use sugar free Jello with an extra packet of Knox Gelatin. Then I can cut it up into squares (or whatever the shape is when you cut 'squares' out of a round bowl, lol) and eat it with my fingers. The extra gelatin only adds 25 calories to the whole batch and keeps it from falling apart in your fingers. I eat a whole batch of it almost every day, and that's 105 calories. And something in gelatin is supposed to be good for your fingernails. other than finding good snack alternatives, I try and keep myself busy. I play video games, or at least try and fidget with something while the TV is on. Sometimes I try and crochet, but I'm not good at it, so I usually end up frustrated. On the nights that I try, hours have gone by and I haven't thought of food at all. I'm alright during the day, but the night time snack demons are at my door waiting for me with my cats when I get home from work.

I love looking at the before and after pictures. That was my favorite part about my research in the beginning Everyone looks so great!

Well, I finally scanned my before. The after was taken a month ago with a webcam, but the biggest difference between the two I think is my neck...

Here is my hunny's kitty. Her name is Fuzzbutt. I have to get some pictures of my Azriel to post

Glad that you are up and around a little bit. Hopefully you can get those drains out soon and maybe start to feel a little more normal.

warm fuzzy vibes from this end. Let us know how you are doing

I'd follow what everyone else said about that doctor. It's just unbeleivable that you'd go through all that AND get stuck with the bill because he decided he had to prove a point, when all you wanted was restriction... NeeCee, that's not true for all bandsters. It will probably take you a few fills to get where you need to be with restriction, but it doesn't take too many people 6 months to start losing weight.

Buffy, They will give you pain killers for when you are out of the hospital. While you are in the hospital they give you something through your IV. I don't really think you'll need the Vicodin that you have, but you'll need to ask the Doctor if you can take it, as it might conflict with something else he's given you.

Not to be a wet blanket, but you don't think you are a bit too tight? If you are scared to have a protien shake after 4 days I would think maybe it's a little more than just residual swelling? You know your body better than anyone else, just be sure to listen to it. I know how excited you've been to get filled after you were unfilled, I'd just hate to see something happen again.

I had my surgery with Dr. Rumbaut in July of last year. What I have to say about him basically mirrors what Amy said. He was a great guy, and my surgery went perfectly.

Sounds pretty snakey of those friends to act like that (and actually TELL you that's why they are dieting). My mom and my sister have started dieting (harder) since I got my band, and my sister is actually where she wants to be. She only had about 15 lbs, and my mom about 30 (down to prolly 15 now), but my banding helped them eat less, because they watched what I was eating, etc. They did it for themselves, not to be against me or anything. My mom proudly talks about the day when I'll be smaller than her (heh, maybe someday). Just make sure you continue to do this for YOU, and don't let it be a contest with anyone but yourself. It's hard, and I went through alot of bitterness watching people who were banded after me lose more faster, or whatever, but now I'm over myself (haha) and I'm much happier this way. The band will help you lose the weight and KEEP IT OFF (re-emphasis on KEEP IT OFF). I have a feeling that they'll either get where they are going and start gaining back, or not even ever get to goal before they give up. That's what always happened to me when I was dieting, and I think the REASON they are dieting is only going to make their giving up more inevitable (in my opinion). I don't wish the need to lose weight on anyone, but they are asking for it, lol.

What I eat varies by meal/day. In the morning I'm usually pretty tight, so I have a Carnation Instant Breakfast, or Jello. Plenty of people eat Cereal or oatmeal or whatever they want for breakfast. Another example of a meal is those new South Beach Diet wrap meals. Oddly enough I don't do so well when I create the 'wrap', but if I mix all the insides up and eat them, I can THEN eat the whole wheat tortillas that come with it, which I think is good, because they are whole wheat. I don't eat a lot of produce, but then I never really did. I think that you could work plenty in to your day if you had fruits or veggies as Snacks. I bunch of carrot sticks makes a great snack for me. Or the other day I had a salad (110 calories all together) as a snack. I'm just a tiny bit too loose with my fill level, so those things works for me without ruining my meals, but I was too tight for a while, and I'd rather be just a little too loose, and count my calories than too tight, and it's helped me learn somethings as well. Anyhow, hope this info is helpful to you guys

CONGRATS on your 10 pounds!! That's awesome! And good for you on blowing of the stupid nurse, and kudos to your hubby for 'getting it'.

I'm sure everything will be fine. Rest up if you can, or find something to keep you busy until then.