vinesqueen

Please be sure to check the slow losers thread on the support forum. Please do a search for Turtle titles for more support. Unfortunately, for some of us, the 3500 calories in/out equation doesn't work for some of us. It doesn't make any sense on any level, but it is our reality. It is my reality.

I’ve believed several truly ridiculous things in my life. When I was very small, I didn’t like the crust off bread. My Dad told me that just like fruits and vegetables, the crust of the bread held all the Vitamins. This is not the most ridiculous thing I’ve believed either…. When I was about 6, I discovered/ realized that my mother had a tattoo. You have to understand something about my mother. She portrays herself as a paragon of virtue, the panicle of dignity... Her tattoo is her name written in cursive just at the stocking line. This was done in the 50’s, so you know she was a wild child, and not a paragon of virtue… She told me that everybody has their name on them; that was how mommies and daddies knew how to name their child. When they were little, their name was invisible to all but the parents. It was only as people got older and turned into grown-ups that their name darkened to the point where everybody could read their name…

Hi Magic, my seat belt doesn't come near my port since it's up high under my right ribs. It might be an issue for folks with a sternum placement (mid chest) though...

Ok, I spent a month at 700 calories and less and lost 1.5 pounds total. Please please please find another surgeon! Being too tight like this is not healthy nor is it helpful. For him to insist that you stay too tight is nothing short of curel and inhumane! I don't know if any of our UK bandsters can help you, but you need help fast. This isn't fair for him to do to you, and you desperately need an unfil. I think some bandsters want to be too tight, but you obviously do not, and I think you need to demand an unfill. Make a deal with him and tell him for every day that he can stay at that amount of food, so will you. Fair's fair. I am so very sorry you are being treated so poorly! You have my deepest sympathy!

I tired weight loss hypnosis. I had even less success with that than I have withthe band. Or Atkins. or the grapefruit diet. Or the cabage soup diet, or any of a number of failed things.

Wow, I'm going to guess your mom isn't a wolf. Congrats on that. I wouldn't try to decieve her into beliving that you'd "won" a surgery, who would belive that any way? (wait, i just got finished reading "the things we've believed thread...) I like the idea of giving her a journal or letter, telling her exactly how you feel and what you want to do about it.

But that's just it Donna, not everyone has done the soul searching they need to prior to being banded. Some folks are just not ready for this step, not really. And some folks have unrealistic expectations about the band. Some think that they will never be able to eat again, other people expect to lose an unrealistic amount of weight in an unrealistic amount of time. Some folks expect too lose like a by pass patient and while some people do in fact lose that way, most people lose 1-2 pounds a week, not faster.

it can take a bit of finess to find the right fill spot, but I know you are not going to like hearing this. You NEED AN UNFILL. as much as .1 ccs can make a big difference, and you might find that a small unfill is what you need. And NO you are not supposed to be "tight as a drum." As Jessie likes to say, the band is NOT surgically induced bulimia! Please have your fat free body mass measured. It might help you with your journey.

I'm late to the thread as well. I'm so sorry Kelly! being dehydrated is no fun , and it sounds like the last little while has just been plain sucky. ((((((hugs))))

Congrats on your first 4 months, here's hoping your next 4 go as well!

absolutely Bermy, absolutely! I lost 25 pounds once, and I was completely unprepaired for the response from men. I was in a large program, with group counceling and the whole nine yards, but never once did they mention anything about being mentally prepaired for the weight loss, and more importantly, the reaction we would get from others. And if we've used our weight as a shield and armor against the world, it can be increadibly difficult dealing with the world once we are naked.

Oh dear, waiting is so hard. One of the most important lessons my mother ever taught me was don't wait on your weight. She spent all my life waiting to lose weight, waiting on one thing so she could do other things in her life. I saw how miserable she was, waiting for something that would never happen. She's been MO my entire life, and has really let that stop her from doing so many fun and interesting things. I'll do X when I lose Y pounds. But she never really lost those Y pounds, be they 10 or 100 pounds. Sure she'd been on a diet of one sort or another but diets don't work. When I was 18 I determined that my weight was never ever going to stop me from doing anything I wanted. It wasnt until I was at my highest weight when I physcially couldn't do the things I wanted, like amusement park rides. Saftey first! A few weeks after I was banded I was taking horseback riding lessons. The only hard part was cleaning their feet because the incisions were still fresh and picking up their feet to pick them was difficult, but do-able. As big as I am, I belly dance in public. Yup, I'm a professional belly dancer. All 235 pounds of sexy me. Please don't wait do life your life! Do not let your weight hold you prisoner!

You aren't kidding P'nut! My first spring everyone kept commenting on how beautiful the green hills were.. and I kept looking at the hills wondering what they were talking about... but I've learned to appreicat that shade of green that is mostly brown. When I came home for my first summer after being in Pokey, I was shocked at all the green driving into my neighborhood, I felt like it was almost austentatous, like the Good Mother was flaunting how green it is here. ...

I'm usually in Pocatello, but I'm taking a medical leave from ISU in a week, so I'll be returning to the Seattle area.

I think it is a very good idea to have a psych eval before you have WLS. I don't think the analogy for WLS is similar to a nicotein patch. The patch isn't surgical intervention, if you don't like it, you take it off. You can't take off your WLS in any easy way. The thing is that we need to understand that this is a life changing, life altering path we are taking. Not everyone is ready for that sort of alteration in their lifestyle. And a lifestyle change is what we are in for, whether we are ready for it or not. I really think for this to be success for in the long term that we have to change our heads as much as we change the way we do things. For some of us this is easier than others. Sure, we are committed to losing weight, we are letting someone cut our bellies open for crying out loud. But sometimes our head or our heart isn't ready to make that same commitment. That 4 year old child that lives in us doesn't want to give up Cookies or ice cream or doesn't wanna do anything that we need to to be successful. Our 4 year old self just wants to watch cartoons and eat candy. Does not want to go to the gym, does not want to count calories. I think it's weird that they did the eval over the phone. That would sort of like be doing one over e-mail.

yay! But i guess this means I have to change. I'm currently dressed in a cream sweater, with red jamma bottoms with pink velvet ribons on. not a hint of green on me. But on the plus note, it's spring time in Seattle, and I'm sitting in my kitchen looking out at my backyard, and maveling at all the different shades of green--from pale green mosses on the trees and in my lawn, a green that is almost yellow to darkest green that is almost balck in the distant ceder and fir trees. I don't want to go back to Pocatello tomorrow.

Any word from the clinic Kim?

Great job Joe! Keep up the good work.

Hey Doll! Very cool about your son, I know how hard it is to get them settled especially after something tramatic, and my son didn't even have the issues yours does. Sending you good energy so the mediation works out. That was one good thing about my break-up with my ex-husband. He didn't just leave me, he left our son. Which was a heart break, but it was a mixed blessing. I never had to fight over custody, just support (yeah, I haven't seen seen a dime in support since '97. ) Anyway, excellent news on the bike stuff. For my DH as a reward for getting the band installed I enrolled him in the motorcycle saftey course as a surprise. Excellent NSV

Hi Crystal, welcome to LBT! (boy that sounds weird!) You will find some amazing threads here dealing with just about every subject that our weight or weight loss has impacted. Please take the time to get comfortable and familier with the search feature, it will be your new almost best friend here! I think a lot of us go into the banding process not knowing exactly what we've gotten ourselves into. But even after we've researched the heck out of the band, we still don't know untill we actually experience it. Reading about someone's experinces about being stuck isn't quite the same as actually getting stuck the first time. :omg:

Hi Angel! Very glad your thyroid tests came back normal, but I know how frustrating that "normal" number can be! Okay, since it isn't your thyroid, I think it's time to ask whether it is your cortisol level that is out of whack. This is frustratitng, this not knowing why we are Turtles, why we can't seem to lose weight. It's hard to deal with on so many levels. Let me know if you think I should post the signs and symptoms of Cushings again.

Oh (((((((((Kimber))))))))) I'm so very sorry for your loss. I cannot even imagine your pain over the missing your beloved brother. I know how hard it was to lose my dad, but I've always felt that my dad's death was a blessing because he was so very sick with cancer. Right now you need someone holding your hand, not kicking your butt. And I guess you've come for the right place to find folks to hold your hand. (holds Kimber's hand.) Please stop beating yourself up about gaining back a few stinking pounds. Key word is few and not several sizes. Please make that appointment for a fill, and make an appointment to talk with a therapist for grief counceling. I think our society is starting to understand the importance of grieving, and not just stuffing our feelings in a little box. As usual, Leatha is full of wonderful advice, get up and get moving. I know it's hard, but you will feel better.

(speechless at the thought of a 4 pound cyst) I'm so sorry you had to go through that and I can't even imagine the pain. HOpe you recover quickly!

sending you waves of healing and protective light energy! Here's hoping you have the fastest recovery time known! Hugs (((((((((Kellie))))))))))

I wasn't that big, but my DH weighed 596 pounds when he was banded. 2.5 years and 200 pounds gone