aubrie

After post op diet was over, there was no more problem. I eat the same healthy things that I prepare for my family. No "diet" per se. However, we do eat out a lot less often. I think he kind of misses that, but I don't rule it out entirely. We also don't have pizza delivered like we used to. DH can't eat a whole one, and I have a problem with the dense bread. Other than that, I cook the same way I always did, I just eat less of it and don't snack.

Did you take liquid Benedryl or a pill? The liquid may have been better, although the pill is awfully tiny. I don't know. I haven't had trouble with pills yet.

I too, defy my doctor's expectations. He said the same thing to me. 40 - 50 pounds. I've lost 70 with a surgery and complete unfill in between. He's changed his mind about the band based on my success. It IS possible to do just as well. Not to mention that 5 years out, we are better off than RNY. I'm looking at the long term, not the immediate success of it.

Any kind of milk drink causes me to have excess mucus. This was true for me even before the band, so maybe it triggers the sliming more than an actual restriction, and the excess mucus just backs up?

Funny you should say that. We had a cold snap this week as well, and I PBd on Monday night. Out of the blue.... Just happened. I couldn't figure out why, but that may just explain it. It's new information to me, but I suppose it's possible. Flying in an airplane doesn't agree with me, so why not a change in barimetric pressure?

WOWOX7 is right. It is YOUR decision. NOT your doctor's. My doctor tried to push me towards RNY as well. I told him flat out NO, and that I didn't even want to discuss it. It wasn't an option for me. He didn't feel I would be as successful with the band. I would only lose 50 or so pounds. Well, today is my 1 year bandaversary and I've lost 70 so far. I had to have a complete unfill in August due to gallbladder surgery and start over, so I'm a little behind where I want to be, but he is surprised I've done so well. He even encourages me to go to the support group to act as an advocate for the band now. He's thrilled to death with my success. He's very supportive of me and has changed his mind based on my success. So DON'T let that doctor make up your mind for you. Stand your ground. It's your body and you know what you're capable of better than he does. Go to another doctor if that's what it takes.

I am posting the list below for two reasons.... One, for those of you who are planning on getting gift cards over the holidays, you may want to take this into consideration. 2nd I want to say how GLAD I am that I'm finally wearing regular clothes again. It looks like Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug and Catherines are closing stores.... LOL Maybe all of us bandsters are putting them out of buisness!!! Ha! Clark Howard the consumer reporter suggest not giving gift cards at all this year. If the business goes under, the card will be no good and that will just be money down the drain. Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide A company spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which stores will be shuttered. It will let the stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month. Eddie Bauer to close more stores Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year. Cache closing stores. Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores this year. Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores nationwide. The owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug , Catherines Plus Sizes will close about 150 underperforming stores this year. The company hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today. Talbots, J. Jill closing stores. About a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the company says it will close another 22 underperforming stores.. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots women's and J. Jill , another chain it owns. The closures will occur this fiscal year, according to a company press release. Gap Inc. closing 85 stores. In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and banana Republic . The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand. Foot Locker to close 140 stores. In the company press release and during its conference call with analysts today, it did not specify where the futu re store closures - all planned in fiscal 2008 - will be. The company could not be immediately reached for comment. Wickes is going out of business. Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month. Goodbye Levitz / BOMBAY - closed already. The furniture retailer is going out of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon , PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will follow the shutdown of Bombay . Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores. The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to close 82 stores by July 31. Tod ay, it announced that it is closing another 23 underperforming stores. The company said it's not providing a list of specific store closures. Of the 105 locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores. Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores. The Walt Disney Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will depend on negotiations with landlords. Those subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. Walt Disney in the news release said it has also obtained the right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores. Home Depot store closings (E. Brunswick, Rt 18 just put up their closing sign). ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there were no plans to cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot Inc. announced Thursday that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a slumping U.S.economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees. It is the first time the world's largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent.The Atlanta-based company said the underperforming U.S. stores being closed represent less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be shuttered within the next two months. CompUSA (CLOSED) clarifies details on store closings. Any extended warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in for service with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to owners. http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9834177-7html Macy's - 9 stores. Movie Gallery - 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy. The video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rental chain closed last fall. Pacific Sunwear - 153 Demo stores. Pep Boys - 33 stores. Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations. New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mort ar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing. J. C. Penney, Lowe's are scaling back. Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close 12 of 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs. Wilsons The Leather Experts - 158 stores. Pacific Sunwear Will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four underperforming Demo stores closed last May. Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed poorly and also may close. Bombay Company: (Freehold Mall store closed) The company unveiled plans to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company stores. The company's online storefront has discontinued operations. KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the United States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press Information. Dillard's to Close More Stores. Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the company will close another six underperforming stores this year.

I have never really had a problem in the morning with being tight, but then again, I tend to eat softer foods in the morning like high protein oatmeal, soft scrabled eggs and cottage cheese. They all go down easy. I tend to have trouble at night when I eat dense proteins.

Went to Trader Joes for the first time in California while on vacation. I would give ANYTHING to have one near where I live. I'm so jealous......

There are places that have low interest medical loans. I did it on line and got mine in a day. I don't remember off hand who I went through, but I do know that Capital One has medical loans. At least you can spread out the payments. My insurance ended up paying my surgeon more than they told him, so I didn't have to pay as much as I thought, so I paid mine off in three months.

For me, what gets stuck one time is fine another time. There is no rhyme or reason to it. It is so frustrating. I went throught a two week period about 4 weeks after being filled that I must have PBd 9 times in a week. I had it happen once the entire previous 10 months. Wierdest darn thing......If I slime a lot when I'm stuck, I know I can get it to come back up. I just lean over the toilet at the waist, open my mouth and squeeze my stomach muscles and up it comes. If I don't slime, I just have to live with it until it passes through. It hurts like hell. I have found that walking around with my arms in the air and stretching helps a little. My DH thinks I've lost my mind. Apparently I get a funny look on my face when I'm stuck and he asks, Are you going to do "it" again?

My doctor said he changed to the 10cc band because his research told him it had less complications. Now that he's been using them, he said that for him, it is indeed true. With the 4cc he saw more complications.

My DH likes the silk. I like the astroglide. The silk is great for massage, but not for intimate times. Just my personal preference. I'll try the warm washcloth. Thanks for the tip!! Will have to go spelunking for my G spot...... Interesting.....

LOL LOL Jachut you always crack me up! Don't mean to hog.....I just know what I like and am not afraid to ask or "help". *wink* But thanks for the explanation. I have used a different lube lately that I hate and my DH loves. Breaking out from that didn't occur to me, but that could explain it. thanks!!!

Lost weight and went for a fitting. Was down to a 42 DD. Lost more. Second fitting down to a 38 D. Now that's loose so I'm ready for my third bra refit. I'm expecting a 36 C or something around that. When I was at a normal weight 18 years ago I wore a 34 B. If I could get back to that I would be a happy camper!! they are very saggy now though. May have to knuckle under and do the padded thing. Dillard's fits me in the lingerie department. They do an excellent job. I went into Victoria's Secret to get a sexy bra fitted. They were so rude to me I left in tears. Never went back, and never will. Because I wasn't young, perky, slim, and "hot" they left me in a fitting room for almost an hour. I asked for help several times, while streams of younger ones came and went. It was humiliating. I wouldn't go there for a free bra with a coupon now. They can SHOVE IT!!

Okay.... I've built up the nerve to ask...... Can you get "pimples" on your inner labia? I've developed a small, round, red and sore pimple under the skin on one of my small inner "lips". I thought it would go away as I've had a gland get enlarged and then go away. This hasn't. I've had it about three weeks now and it's rather sore and is making sex uncomfortable. It's fluid filled. should I go to the doctor to have it lanced or something? what is it? don't we have glands there that help lubricate us? Can these get "congested"? I'm drier down there than I used to be at my age, and thought this may be part of menopause?

Denise..... I'm with you. I'm 49 and I'm STILL not sure I know what a "G spot" is. I have fabulous, and multiple orgasms.... Does that mean I have one? I find the entire thing confusing. Should I even worry about it if I'm happy?

Microwaving messes with the cells in the food. It toughens many foods, espcially bread and meat. this means it's harder to chew and break down, harder to swallow and get through the stoma. I don't like my food being rearranged at a cellular level, so I avoid the microwave for the most part. I've even heard that microwaving destroys many of the nutrients in foods. for me it's just not worth it.

How much skin you end up with depends on a lot of variables. Your genes and type of skin, how much exercise you get and the type (weight lifting being good), hydration, skin care, how much you actually lose, AGE and skin damage due to sun exposure. It's different for everyone, but most people do have some issue with it in varying degrees. I didn't notice mine until just recently.

I got denied initially as well. It took me 11 months to get an approval. BUT I didn't give up. I went to my heart doctor ( I have a little valve that doesn't close all the way and leaks) and had him do tests. Explained what I wanted to do, and he said he would be HAPPY to write me a letter in support of what I was doing becuasue the excess weight put a strain on my heart and it was already stressed from the valve. I went to my rhuemetologist and told her what I wanted to do. She supported it to and also wrote a letter. I had arthritis in my knees and the weight was agravating the condition. I had the sleep study, and although I didn't have apenea, I did snore so loudly that I woke myself up and interrupted my sleep cycles. They felt that weight loss would improve that. It was written in the report at my request. So..... don't give up. Meet with your doctors and have them help you. Mine were more than happy to help.

I too lose in stair steps. some steps being "wider" than others.... LOL

Your stoma and stomach make little contractions to digest your food. If you fill your pouch, little bits get squeezed through at a time. The longer it takes to get through, the fuller you feel, but there is still progress being made passing it through. The contractions are "successful". When something is stuck, it literally gets hung up, and your contractions are trying and trying to push it through without success. This gets painful. Your body will produce slime to help ease the food through. If even that doesn't help, the slime will back up and not go anywhere. That's why a PB is often times a lot of nasty slime. Sometimes a PB will dislodge it, sometimes not. Stuck food can dislodge on it's own (sometimes I can literally feel it Kerplop into my stocmach) in a relatively short period of time. Depending on the offending material, sometimes you can be in pain for hours, which is most unusual, but does happen. Does this make any sense?

I was watching the early AM news this morning and almost fell over by what I heard. Pediatricians nationwide are filing reports of finding children as young as age 5 with kidney stones and hypertension! This resulting from diets to high in salt. WTF???? :ohmy:What the hell are we doing to our children? I knew the quality of school lunches was deteriorating rapidly in this country, and that a lot of moms are providing fast food as a meal instead of an occasional "treat", but add this to the rampant obesity and food allergies, and we have a tragic epidemic on our hands!!! I sure hope that Moms that have been through what we have as bandsters, take what they're learning and pass it along to their kids to end this viscious cycle.

There is SO MUCH you can do with either of these cheeses!!! Baked apples with cottage cheese and cinnamon. 7 grain bread with steamed sliced apples on top spread with cottage cheese, splenda or turbinado sugar and apple pie spice. Broil for a few minutes. Beat two eggs until fluffly and fold in a cup of ricotta cheese, 2 tbls. parmesan cheese, chopped spinach cooked, garlic powder, sweet basil and oregano and a bit of salt and pepper. Top with parmesan and a bit of mozzarella and put in the oven for about half an hour. It's wonderful!!!

I've had the same issues. My doctor said to drink a big glass of water before having sex. Then when we're through to make sure I pee once or twice before going to bed and rinse the area with warm water. He also told me to drink the 100% cranberry juice without sugar (Northland's) afterwards. The cranberry juice in the bladder won't allow the bacteria to "stick" to the walls of the bladder like it has a tendancy to do. So when you pee in the morning it's flushed right out. It seems to help me a lot. Change your lubrication. My husband bought two different kinds that always irritate me. I like the way it feels at the time, but HATE it the next day. I like just plain old Astroglide. It works best for me. You may want to experiment and see if oral sex could be causing it. If it is, you may want to avoid it. I was never able to stand condoms either. The irritation I would get was always horrible. I got UTIs a lot from them. I think I had an allergy to the latex or whatever they're made out of ...... I was so glad when I married and was able to just depend on the pill, and even more grateful when I finally had a hysterechtomy. Try the cranberry juice. It works well for me.