Chickie

I had to accept that I was the adult in our relationship. And since I started treating her the same way I would my kid (if she says something bitchy, I give her "the talk" that I would give my son in the same situation) she has been much better. All I have to do is look at her, and she stops mid sentence. She used to buy chocolate, and crap all. the. time. She would tell me that she really couldn't see that I had lost weight (at 100lbs down!) That I had "cheated" by having a band... She wanted to see me fail. Not because she doesn't love me. But because she was desperate to hold onto the one thing that in her mind, kept her in control. Our relationship has changed. A lot. In some ways for the better, some ways for the worse. She isn't happy with the way things are now, but she knows all she has to do is cut the shit, and act like an adult, and I will treat her like one.

Mine is about an inch above my belly button, to the right. It's never been a problem.

I found that people who treated me bad before, treat me worse now. It's not about me (for once! LMAO) It's about them, and their insecurities. My mother is a super example of that. Bless her soul. She is such a jealous person, I swear green is her natural colour. She was always jealous of my family, home, car, and lifestyle. But I was fat. She was (and is) thin. So she had that so she could feel superior to me in some way. But when I lost weight I took that away from her, and now she has nothing to feel "better" than me for. So she treats me like dog shit on her shoe. Part of me wanted her to be proud of me. To praise my effort. But no. Things are much worse now than they ever were because I took her security blanket away. And I knew it was in her nature to be this way. So I am not surprised. But I am disappointed in her. But in all honesty. When I look around there are more people who are proud of me than who aren't. I am sure if you look around, it will be the same for you. ((huge hugs Brandy))

The reality for me is, I am still pretty much the same person thin, as I was fat. My outside changed, and I found a few new strengths and identified a few weaknesses, but apart from that, I am the same old Sam.

I had a lot on my stomach, and needed a tummy tuck (which I had in August 2006). But aside from that, I am just a bit flabby here and there, nothing I can't live with.

I'll just assume you are asking me! LOL. It's not hard for me to maintain with an empty band, but I am an odd duck, and my surgeon had yet to see anyone like me who needed their fill out to put the brakes on. I have been without a fill for about a year now, and have found maintaining without it pretty easy. But I am not normal (never have been, why start now, right? ) and the vast majority of people need something in their bands to maintain the weight loss.

I am sorry to hear of your husband's death. Ladies, it is a standard test, in Australia. I am not sure about the rest of the world.

Grace, with all due respect, how much could you have learned if you have used virtual starvation as a method of weight loss? My worry is the fact that from what you have said, you haven't actually eaten without throwing it back up since January. Please think about what this is doing to your health. You said yourself that you are suffering with malnutrition, and low potassium. Typically, people don't get unfills unless they are overfilled, or cannot stop losing. I believe you need an unfill. Not for the reasons you think you need one, but rather because you need to eat. You need to fuel your body in an appropriate way.

He isn't necessarily overfilled. The trick after a fill is to eat very, very slowly, and start with mushy type foods, and progress to more solid foods as days progress. If he is still having issues despite being careful with what he eats, and how careful his is when eating, I would defiantly go in for a small unfill.

Hang on. Did he administer his own fill?

Most people are on fluids for at least 24 hours after a fill to allow any swelling that the fill has caused to go down. That may be at the bottom of his sliming. Did his surgeon give him any post fill instructions?

I am not sure how to word this as to not offend. If you haven't learned to eat good, whole, healthy foods, your chance of regaining any weight you have lost is very, very high. Even without an unfill. Starvation works for a limited time, because it is not sustainable long term. I would be less concerned about losing the last bit of weight, and more concerned with getting healthy. It's nice to be thin, but thin is no prize if you are malnourished and sick.

Ok, do you mean the tubing? Because there is no "cord" in the band at all. If the tube is indeed kinked, it may mean a revision surgery. But a kinked tube will not cause sliming. An overfill, or eating too much, or eating foods that don't agree will cause that.

Hey Sheba! I am in Brisbane.

Hello and welcome to LBT! (((Waves from Brisbane)))

Everyone says I'm wrong. I am used to it. But I know that in Australia, if you called a burns unit, and asked them to pay for your lost wages, surgery time, or anything else in exchange for your excess skin, they would DIE laughing. Lab grown skin is cheaper, safer, and has a far lower rejection rate. Out of morbid curiosity, I asked my reconstructive surgeon if he had ever heard of it, and he almost busted a gut laughing. But yeah. I'm wrong.

Yeah. I did say reconstructive surgeon. Not plastic. A PS will give you a third boob if you pay them enough.

MGB vs RNY This is the "Mini Bypass" explained

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. He is the mini bypass guy. Rutledge. He loves to talk about the "Failed" lapbands on YouTube.

The best thing to get rid of tummy fat is cardio. The only way to get rid of it is to lose weight I am afraid. I had a huge tum till I got down to about an Aussie 12. Then it sort of melted away. It was the last place I lost.

I got my tattoo when I was at my highest ever weight, and it looks just fine. So I wouldn't worry too much about going from a 10 to a 6 and wrecking your tat.

I think his name is Ruttlage? Something like that, I think?

I had to add this... I pulled the cheezy Christmas shirt I wore at Christmas last year to wear to a school thing for my son, and it fit! First time in history have I worn the same Christmas shirt twice! And if I am totally honest, it was a wee bit big. Golf clap for mmmeeeee!

No. I have never felt that way. But I can see how some people would with the "2 bites and you're full" mentality that I come across at times.

I think they call this an "Urban legend" The skin would not be suitable for use, regardless of blood type.