the best me

I'm pretty sure Megan? has the midband? She'll chime in here, if not, I'll scare her up for you. I held a midband at my doc's office before I got my Inamed. If it's the one I remember (hectic day that day) it looks like a 1 inch wide thin flexible piece of silicone/rubber/plastic (how's that for descriptive?) but it didn't appear to be adjustable? It looked like it would be a comfy fit around a soft tummy, with just the right amount of strength and durability to work well. I, too, am interested in how/why you decided on the Midband and France? Be sure to keep us posted on your progress as you head out in February. Good luck!!!!

LA, I know, diet pills are shameful. I agree! To a degree. I wasn't good with diet pills pre-band, and I don't think I'll be good at them now. I'm re-thinking taking it 2 days in a row because of the way it makes me feel. Not jiitery-at a 1/2 tablet-just a bit wired. It's an odd feeling I don't particularly care for, and I only said something because Smooch is sooooo frustrated it might help her not to give up? It's really a personal choice, and I sure appreciate your "dissent" comments to balance out my desperate advice. Really! On the other hand...here are the results of my weight. I have been struggling with the same few pounds for months. 191.6 (the lowest I have seen) to 193,4,5, or even 6!!! Up and down and up and down. Night before last, I was 195.8. In the morning I was 193.6. By bedtime, after going strong on the phentermine all day, I was 191.4 (at night!!!) and this morning I hit a new low, 190.0. Still haven't broken into the 180's but I'm ohhhh so close. I know it's just numbers, but it's also an indication of progress. I have neer been one with a big problem with weighing frequently. I love to, and it doesn't get me frustrated unless I see the plateau______________________________on and on forever. It indicates something's got to give. And let me just pull my "I'm a poor stay-at-home mom with 2 young children and an equity line of credit with my band on it which brings along with it the appropriate guilt and if I had the time and money for a dietician and a personal trainer and if I could spend 2 hours in a gym 5-6 days a week I'd be livin' the high life" card. This is my life, I love it, I don't regret it, I don't resent it, I AM important to me, and my priorities are right for me and my family. And I certainly don't resent anyone who is in a place in their life where they MAKE that work, whatever the sacrifice, and I know it's a sacrifice and lots of time and energy put in the right place. I'm so proud of you for that...well done!!!...but I just can't. I'm 40 years old and if a little 1/2 a phentermine pill for a few days gets me over a hump, I'm doing it. *sheepish smile...hoping you'll smile with me?* Hey, LA, you have lost 40 pounds with your hard work? Well done!!!! You'll make a great bandster, I know it! And you'll be able to give better advice than me. Good job. Smooch, she's a better example!!!

Smooch, consider this. Diet pills. Don't! Stop! Let me finish! Most of us Slow Losers are fighting really slow metabolisms. I can feel it in me. I'll go down a few pounds, then, WHAM! I'm Starvin' Marvin. My body is really good at maintianing my weight. I'll get some off, then it's back to struggling. I'll lose and gain the same few pounds again and again. This morning I dug around and found my old prescrition for Phentermine. I took 1/2 tablet around 8:30am and here it is after midnight and I'm still up! LOL but I got so much done today!!! And I have had 2 bowel movements and have peeeeeed lots today. I'm hoping in the morning to have broken into the 180's. I'll post as soon as I know. But I think it's helping my body to use what it's got. I won't take them all the time, but I think it's a good kick start for me to break a plateau. Call your PCP, or your band doc, either one. You may have to go by and pick it up since Diet pills (the good ones) are C-4 narcotics (pretty sure) and require a paper prescription to fill. No calling into the pharmacy, unless it's different in your state. They may also NOT be covered under your prescription plan (mine weren't) so be prepared with cash. A 30-day supply is about $35 for mine. Others might be more. I know, we didn't get banded just to take Diet Pills again. And it's not a very "Natural Cure" either. But now, I know that what I DO lose will stay off. My poor ole beat up and bruised metabolism just needs a kick in the ass. Whatever works. I'll let you know how it's working for me.

Oh my goodness, it's your turn!!! Yay you!!!! Prayers for a safe trip, a successful surgery, and a smooth-as-silk recovery. God Bless You!!!!

Oh Vanessa. It's no cake walk. Read up good on all the scary stuff going on. Be prepared for it, cuz it ain't always easy. It's scarier than going in for the surgery that you hope will change your life for the better. There's alot of bandster eating rules that need need need to be followed...chewing well, small bites, learning the "stop eating" signals, not eating around the band with ice cream cookies and chips, which go down just fine, thank you, no water with meals, lots and lots of water in between meals, healthy food choices...fighting a tough metabolism, dealing with plateaus in your weight loss, avoiding PB's where food gets stuck at the band and must come back up, getting stuck!, needing a fill, having too much of a fill, slipppage, erosion, leaks, the list goes on. Be prepared for the worst of it. Then, do it. Because I walked up and down the grocery store aisle the other day with a 38 pound bag of dog food, and it's no wonder I felt like crap for so long. All that weight plus some was throughout my body weighing me down like a rock, pushing my heart past it's limits, aging me, limiting me, killing me physically and emotionally. I think about what the next 50 pounds will feel like for me!!!! I can get on the floor and play with my kids (ages 6 and almost 3) and GET UP! I can go all day. I can either just eat less, or, if I need to kick my metabolism in the butt, I can follow a well-balance "diet" without being miserable or feeling deprived! It's so exciting to be able to eat a 1/2 a banana with 1 Tbs of peanut butter for a snack and it's plenty! Pre-band, it was the whole banana, 3 Tbs of peanut butter, a granola bar, AND some cheese & crackers. And that was a snack! I thinkback and I'm occasionally amazed, although now, almost 8 months into it, it's no biggie. Food doesn't rule my life. Now, even with all the good, I am still fighting a tough metabolism, I'm a slow loser, and I'm having a hard time sometimes "banding my brain". I'm fighting, but I'm also slowly winning. Any discouragement is temporary. I have NO trouble maintaining what I have lost so far. Had I done WW or Jenny Craig or Nutrisystems or whatever else, I'd have given up months ago and gained back plus some. Sound familiar? Grab hold of hope. Go in with your eyes wide open. Prepare for the hard stuff. Chances are, you will do just great! and love your band like the rest of us and be passing along advice and hope to others who show up here like you did, and like I did almost a year ago. Chin up, it can happen. Believe it.

Okay, I posted this on another thread, talking to someone who is having similar band issues and I thought it would be a good update for this thread. Plus, I didn't want to type the whole thing again, lol. __________________ It's all good now. After being paranoid my hubby said, "you need a plan" so I made one. I had no REAL reason to get an endo before my one year, so this is what I did. After the PB's from last weekend, I went liquids for a day, then mushy for a few days. Today I ate regular foods. I started taking Prilosec twice a day but feel so much better I'll back down to once a day. I plan on staying there for at least a few weeks. I also bought some Aloe Vera juice. I'm drinking about 4 ounces in the morning and just before bed, after washing out my band with 6 ounces of distilled Water. I quit the Crystal Light Peach Tea binge and went with all clear water today. I still drink my coffee though. (that's a tough one). It's helping! All this is really more preventative than anything. I got myself worked up reading posts and got stressed...I de-stressed thanks to the nice folks here. DeLarla's Venting thread has been handy, along with all the others. I went liquids and mushies and ate canned Soups over the weekend and my face and feet got puffy from all the salt. I'm guessing all of me was swollen from the salt and now I feel like the salt is out of me and I'm soooo much better. No funny tummy feelings, no bloat, and with the Prilosec and Aloe Vera, no more funny band feelings AT ALL. Just my normal restriction, which I don't think is too tight at all. I think it started with stress (daughter with pneumonia the week before Thanksgiving), then a house full and all the cooking on Thanksgiving, then getting up at 3:45am on Black Friday for shopping, the very band UN-friendly lunch at Chili's and the subsequent PB's, the salt, aaaw lawsy! All at the same time as our LBT family goes into crisis mode all over the board. ______________________ So, people, my conclusion is be kind to your band, take care of it likes it's sick every day, avoid stress and salt, try not to be paranoid, and come HERE to LBT for all the support and encouragement you need. I'm mending!!!! I just know it! I can't explain it, I can't prove it, but I know it's true.

Thanks for posting this Karen. This clenched it for me and I went back on my Prilosec and it's helping with my funny band/tummy feelings. De-stressing also helps!! Oh, and Aloe Vera juice, which heals anything from top to bottom...good stuff. Let us know how it's going for you.

How'd it go, Jax? Just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you so be sure and post when you can.

What are your symptoms, Penni? How do you know, or what makes you think you have slipped? Hope your unfill does it for you. Give it a rest, you'll get back on track. Look what happened to Jonathan!!! Any news on the girls???

Hold up, Pati-o. It's all good now. After being paranoid my hubby said, "you need a plan" so I made one. I had no REAL reason to get an endo before my one year, so this is what I did. After the PB's from last weekend, I went liquids for a day, then mushy for a few days. Today I ate regular foods. I started taking Prilosec twice a day but feel so much better I'll back down to once a day. I plan on staying there for at least a few weeks. I also bought some Aloe Vera juice. I'm drinking about 4 ounces in the morning and just before bed, after washing out my band with 6 ounces of distilled Water. I quit the Crystal Light Peach Tea binge and went with all clear water today. I still drink my coffee though. (that's a tough one). It's helping! All this is really more preventative than anything. I got myself worked up reading posts and got stressed...I de-stressed thanks to the nice folks here. DeLarla's Venting thread has been handy, along with all the others. I went liquids and mushies and ate canned Soups over the weekend and my face and feet got puffy from all the salt. I'm guessing all of me was swollen from the salt and now I feel like the salt is out of me and I'm soooo much better. No funny tummy feelings, no bloat, and with the Prilosec and Aloe Vera, no more funny band feelings AT ALL. Just my normal restriction, which I don't think is too tight at all. I think it started with stress (daughter with pneumonia the week before Thanksgiving), then a house full and all the cooking on Thanksgiving, then getting up at 3:45am on Black Friday for shopping, the very band UN-friendly lunch at Chili's and the subsequent PB's, the salt, aaaw lawsy! All at the same time as our LBT family goes into crisis mode all over the board. So find a way to decompress and do what you can to get your body in sync with your band again and you will probably be all good!!! Will you plan on seeing Kuri in Jan for an endo? My goal is to go in April for mine. I'll just plan it and budget the flight and the costs. For me, it's cheaper then paying cash for one here, and I really really want one at my one year. I think it's just being a responsible bandster. So let us know how things go and what you do, okay? Hang in there. We're all in this together. (((hugs)))

Don't lose hope. Jonathan's slip repaired itself after a complete unfill and a week of liquids. It's a miracle! They do happen. And a slip is generally repairable, not always, but generally. Keep us posted. This is a great board for support such as this. We want to know and we care!!!

Ah, good news, and more good news! You'll be fixed up in no time. Let's hope they fix your hernia while you're at it and GIT 'ER DOOOONE!!! Great news Trish. Keep us posted and I'll be praying!!

I am humbled, relieved, proud, and happy at this great news. There IS a GOD and he CARES for YOU and ME!!!!! I feel like anything is possible. How wonderful. Wow. I'm so happy for you! and your checkbook, too??? LOL I'll quit giving up on hope. It's the reason I got banded to begin with. Thanks for being an insiration. You Rock!!

Oh that was you!!! Thanks for that. Even though it made me cry, I'm very grateful. And I didn't intend to sound aggravated about white lights and vibes because I absolutely wasn't! I totally respect the differing spiritual backgrounds we have on this board, and I transition easily to my own personal belief system, plugging in whatever the sent message is to how it applies to my beliefs. So I guess what you did was quickly sent me to a place in my heart where I was grateful and appreciative. I experienced a peace in that moment that has helped me. So thank you. I'm lots less stressed out!

It will occasionally bug me when I want to CHOW and know that I can't. It's a little aggravating when I have to adjust to taking medications differently. I can't just pop sinus headache meds anymore, unless I'm in need of a fill. Uhh, I don't like not having insurance coverage for my band, I was self-pay. As for ever WISHING I wasn't banded, even for a second? Nope.

I'm venting! I'm venting! But I also appreciate the encouragement and reality checks. This thread is just what I needed! Thanks DeLarla and all the voices of good reason, as well. I'm venting!!

quick hijack...Hey Tanya! I have missed you, hope you are doing well!! How's that new fill doin' ya? Go get 'em girl!

Hop a flight to MX and they'll set you right up! Seriously, you could really do it that fast, but you know I'll try to make sure you are ready, Freddy, for it. Do you know what you are getting into? Do you have a realistic picture of banded life? Are you prepared for the expenses required for good responsible band care? Do you have a fill doc in the states should you go to MX? If you have insurance coverage for this procedure, I can guarantee you you will NOT be banded this weekend. That's a promise or you know someone most of us don't and have plenty of cash. Are you really ready for this?

HOT!!!!! Good golly, you got big bazookas! You go girl! Way to wear it!!!!!

Awww Lisa, I'm so sorry. Such a sweet and sad pic. Thank you for sharing. Big (((HUGS))) for you on your sad day.

Add Viactive to the list...already doing that. Propel in the morning is a great idea. I got the distilled water to wash out my band at bedtime. Oh yeah, green tea...good idea. I have an old prescription for phentermine. A whole pill gives me the willies...cold feeling in my stomach, yuck. But a 1/2 one works well. I notice I use the bathroom more when I take one so I know it's speeding me up. It might be the jump start I need for weight loss. Now, I haven't taken the diet pill since banding but as long as it goes through the band, I'm not worried. I also don't LIKE taking them so I may end up taking one, then another in 2 days, then none for a while. I don't particularly like the way they make me feel-edgy-but I think one or two doses will help. Chris, thanks for the gastritis info. I just started taking Prilosec so I'm on board. Good to know. Let's all have healthy bands!!!!

Chris, what are the symptoms for gastritis? If you don't mind...

hehe, I'm still chomping at the bit to take off and run...breathe in...breathe out....LOL! Here's what I'm doing differntly now. Prilosec twice a day. Aloe Vera juice, 4 ounces, twice a day. 4-6 ounces of distilled Water at bedtime, before the Aloe Vera juice. Softer foods for now, no canned stuff, no junk, no gross food. Drink and eat first thing in the morning. Ezekiel Bread, toasted with butter, for Breakfast. All for good digestive system health and a healthy band. Now, for weight loss, I have entertained the thought of taking a 1/2 diet pill every other day to pep start the ole sluggish metabolism and lose some more weight before I lose my band. haha. Does that sound better than panicking?

Don't hassle it CandySmooch. Everyone has an opinion and firewheel was talking to all of us, not just you. I want ALL the opinions!! Okay, so I haven't read the entire book but here's what I think so far... BAD: this guy has an agenda for selling books, the natural products of others, and making big bucks while he's at it. Who knows how many of those links are kicking back to him based on hits and sales. He's not completely altruistic, that's certain to me. GOOD: he's right about he junk we put into our bodies, the stuff we can't pronounce, the over-medication, the "it's all about the money" way the FDA or whoever is running neccessary regulations, the drug companies, all of it. I tend to take a middle of the road approach. Yep, junk is bad and natural cures are a better alternative than be-bopping off to the doc for yet another pill. I couldn't agree more! So I try to read through his agenda (which I honestly question) and get the good healthy advice that's there. In that sense, the book is a great resource. What I've done based on what I've read so far...I'm drinking Aloe Vera juice twice a day, I'm eating Ezekiel Bread every morning, I'm increasing my fiber to get the gunk out of my colon (I know it's there!!!) and I'm trying to figure out how to do some type of colon cleanse that's band-friendly. I also bought 2 gallons of distilled water for drinking. Smooch, did you ever do a colonic? How much and how many and how often? I'm really interested in that! Reading this book has me determined to do my best to Detox my system of junky gunk...ewww. I ate canned soups over the weekend and the salt is killing me. I feel gross and want to get cleaned out!!! So, yes, this book is a big hit for me, although I do kind of take it with a grain of salt, if you can call it that. Don't be mad! It's a great book! I'm really interested in what others have learned or are doing differently because of it. Anyone???

Thanks Kathy in TX. I needed that. Okay...breathing in...out...ahhhhhh...