kacee

Audreyg - There are "scar creams" available that are probably predominanty Vitamin E creams. When I ran thru a plate glass window in the 5th grade they gave me cocoa butter to rub on my skin...supposed to help with stretch marks and scars and keeping the skin lubed up....

Jachut - I can SOOO relate. At my top weight I am actually much more symetrical than if I am at my normal weight. At normal, I would have a SMALL waist, thin upper torso (could probably see my collarbone stick out), but go south and I have a big butt, saddlebag thighs and larger than necessary calves.

Everybody talks about HUNGER and HUNGER PAINS, etc. I really can NOT remember a time when I WAS hungry! I'm not even sure what it would be like...I have always eaten when my APPETITE said to...i.e., my MOUTH. I sit there and then all of a sudden my mouth goes..."hmmmm cheese and crackers sounds yummy!" so off I go. I could have just eaten a 7 course meal....no matter. I can't even remember what a growling stomach sounds like.....

Regarding cottage cheese.... If you already enjoy cottage cheese (or I imagine if you are borderline about it)...try cutting up onions and green peppers and mixing in. I do that when I first get the tub and then set it in the fridge. After it has sat for a while the onions and peppers permeate the cottage cheese and it is to DIE FOR!

You from Iowa?

I hear tilapia and orange roughy are the best (rather least offenders)....I also HATE fishy taste and for that reason have never been a fish eater until I first tried tilapia. Not bad AT ALL.

Doesn't dried fruit get stuck???

The completely missed my body type....the lovely PEAR (cross between C and D). Small waist, slender upper body, not big tits but.....(or rather butt...), big butt and thighs, thicker calves.

Wow...so what DO you put on your salad then? Or do you just rabbit graze? I'm not that in love with veggies.....

Yep, that's kinda what I figured it'd be like. I am going to concentrate on being a FAST learner!

Check out this link... http://www.homesteadmarket.com/dipping_spices.html I have purchased these before and they are wonderful. You mix your own.

I currently drink with my meals (I'm not banded yet...) but if you are just used to flushing out your mouth with liquid between bites of food, why can't you just swish some water around in your mouth and spit it out? I tried it for a few days and it didn't seem to bother me at all... the drinking for me is the "pallette (sp?) purging" to get the mouth ready for another taste of a different food...

I have Cigna and a requirement of their's is that you be on a doctor sponsored weight loss program for a minimum of 6 months. I have not done that. However, I have hypertension, high lipids, high cholesterol, pulmonary hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and diabetes runs in my family. Has anyone else not had to fulfill that requirement? You'd think the medical issues might be considered more important.

Do you possibly have sleep apnea? I've been pooped for about a year now and the doc said that was why...I never get any quality sleep and I am oxygen deprived at night. Weekend comes and I just hit the couch and nap nap nap....I was just put on a CPAP machine this week.

Kinda sounds like deviled ham.....not frozen of course (unless this was how they kept it). I'll take a can of deviled ham and mix cream cheese and it is to DIE FOR!!!

I'm not a sweets eater as well. I have two problems. I eat FAST (and I mean faster than the speed of light) and I eat a LOT (big portions). That is why I am hoping that this will work for me. Chocolates could sit on my desk for a week and I would have no inspiration to eat any. The number of times I have eaten a desert with a meal could be counted on one hand. I'm also lucky in that I don't like pasta. For some reason it seems like most overweight folks have sweet and pasta habits that won't quit.

This may sound like a stuipd question. Just wondering. My surgery is scheduled for the 23rd. My insurance was submitted April 19. There is a possibility I may not get word back from the insurance before the surgery date (even though I fully expect to be denied and fully expect to be self-pay). Has anyone ever heard of someone self-paying and then being reimbursed if the insurance DID come through after the fact?

Thanks much....you basically told me what I think I knew in my heart. I sure don't want to have to postpone, but I guess I may have to. It will boil down to how long before surgery I am required to cancel by the doctor I guess.

Thanks for the response! I was kindof thinking it had been quite a while for a denial to be coming through. I'll give them a call on Monday.

You have just climbed over the fence into Bandland. I am standing on a stool on the other side, waving at you all, and getting ready to do some climbing over myself (a week). Save a spot in the crowd for me!

Ladies....you are all so young! You have so much living yet to do...I am 55 and getting my band in 2 weeks. I WISH it had been available 20 years ago. I have lost 2 decades....hiding in my home, hiding from old friends...I haven't bought REAL clothes (except for huge shirts to cover me and stretch leggings) since 1992....I do not remember what it's like to go to a department store. I don't go to parties....I don't have relationships...I don't feel pretty....I avoid mirrors.....The only thing I can say is....don't wait until you are in your 50's and have lost all that time. I woke up one morning and suddenly I thought...if I don't do something now...I will be retired....I will be too old...I will have missed everything...and I will REGRET not having acted. I am acting NOW and I feel empowered. I WILL live and ENJOY the rest of my life....this is my GOAL.

I told my doctor when he asked me what goal I would like...140-150. He looked at me kindof sideways and said he would be happy with 160. I think that's way too much (I am 5'3" and small boned), but hey, it might be a lot quicker to get to....then I can do another goal and fight for a little more.....

Question on PB. Are there stomach contractions with a PB (like a "real" puke), or is it more like tipping a bottle over and everything pours out? Sorry, just trying to get a real idea of what this is all about. I drank a marguarita a few months back and guzzled a little to fast. It sat about the middle of my chest and wouldn't go down and I went into the bathroom and just leaned over the toilet and it all just kindof poured out (with no tummy contraction with it). Is that more like PB?

Wow, if you guys can't get approved I can't see that they will approve ME. My BMI is 38, but my co-morbidities are numerous. I am fully prepared to self-pay, but my surgery is scheduled for May 23 and I would LIKE to have more than a few days notice to get everything together. The doc sent the paperwork in on April 19 and no word yet. They said that usually when you are denied it's pretty quick.

One thing to watch.....sorbitol. Sorbitol can be a HUGE offender and cause gas (and potentially diarreah). I have to read all labels avoid sorbitol in everything (my innaugeral experience with sorbitol was "Velamints"....brrrrrrr....it was NOT FUN).