lindata

Yeah Lucy and Brandy!!

Longhorn - I'm new to the southern thing - do you use refried Beans from a can? That sounds soooo good!! I don't know what you guys are doing that you're not hungry! LOL. I'm quite hungry a lot - and, yes, it is real hunger, not head hunger - my tummy is rumbling as we speak - but I can't complain - the weight is actually coming off for once. When my parents were down they wanted to take us out but I just didn't feel like it. I think I'll feel more like going out when I can eat solids. One time we had pizza in and I had some of the cheese and veggies off of it, but that's about it.

Good for you wantolose! I've had compliments from my parents and my husband who -ahem - can't keep his hands off me. LOL I've lost 23 pounds so far total. Once I get into the 100's again I will really start celebrating. Just 4.5 more to go for that!

Phil, did you say you're in the Middle East? Wow! What do you do there? Linda

You know, if you have an address for these guys, we could send them a present of dog poop and THEY could then get a wiff of it. Seriously, I saw this. People sell various sizes of poop and will send it in a baggie (and boxed) with various messages attached. What an A-hole. So they acknowledge that gambling, alcoholism, smoking, compulsive shopping are addictions, but overeating is not? Aren't journalists supposed to actually do a bit of legwork, a bit of investigation before they mouth off personal opinions not even based on fact? Stephen and Steven, sounds like a couple of winners to me - NOT.

God, that's got to hurt - 25 years of friendship because of, what exactly, jealousy? I think wanabeme hit the nail on the head. I have exactly two friends that I can really talk to - one loves me unconditionally, and even though is against WLS in general, understands how hard this has been for me and supports me 100%. The other one I haven't heard from since the first one let slip I am having this surgery. No call to see if I was still alive after surgery, no e-mail, nothing. I do feel very hurt. She has weight issues too, which I don't see her able to resolve anytime soon (not being mean, just a medical condition, etc, etc,), and she seems a little jealous I THINK because I have the $ to pay for it ...? I'm not sure what the prob is. But it hurts, it stinks, I feel for you, and I can understand what you're going through! I think this can be a problem when we have friends who, shall we say, have the same weight issues as us (I don't want to say fat friends but you know what I mean). The true friends want you to be happy, but the other ones just want you to stay fat to make them feel less lonely. The other thing I have to say is girls can be such biatches to each other!!! What's with that?

I try not to tell anybody for exactly this reason but I've had a few opinions that I didn't ask for - one at the HOSPITAL in administration if you can believe it - the lady talked on and on about someone she knew who had it done. And when I was in the hospital overnight from surgery, the lady next to me said, "Why did you get that done? You don't look like you need it." I didn't tell her - she overheard me and the doc. Like, why do people think they need to comment? I'm like Nina - I wanted to nip this thing in the bud before I reached 300, 400, 500 pounds. I was so on the road to being there and then it would have been that much harder.

Hey Phil, Friday was my two week anniversary. I'm interested in your post-op diet. You're so lucky! How much do you eat at one sitting? I'm curious how your tummy felt too, just out of post-op, when you were eating solids. Just wondering! I'm finding it extremely bizarre how there's so much variation between doctors in diets. Hollyberries - I'm just like you when it comes to weighing - absolutely no patience and every morning naked! I'm finding it an encouragement rather than anything. I know there's days where I won't lose, but it's not as discouraging as all those other diets because I know I can finally lose with the band! Linda

Hey there. How was the flight coming back? I was cursing at my husband the entire 1/2 hour drive home. Linda

So, I have a question about food amounts in the mushy stage. How much is your doctor allowing you all to eat in one sitting and per day? I thought I was allowed much more, but apparently only 1 to 2 TEASPOONS per meal, and an 8 oz protein shake in between. Now I'm worried I may have damaged something, because I thought I was allowed a lot more than that - like 1/4 cup per meal. I swear to God I don't know where my head was, I read the material, but looked at the wrong week or something. Then I looked at my materials again and, boom, I thought oh God, what have I done. Please let me know what you guys have been eating in the mushy stage! Linda

Steph, you will feel a lot better after a week post-op, really! I went to GNC today and they have Isopure on sale all month. I'm not sure if that's across the States, but it's here in AR. The Isopure is normally $60 but was $36 on sale. I got a shake as well as a drink flavored Alpine Punch. It's got the same amount of protein as the shakes - (50 grams/12 ounces water), zero carbs, zero sugar. I use a little less powder/water, use crushed ice, get it really cold, and it's really good - kind of like a crystal light drink or something like that. They had another flavor but I can't remember what it was. The water thing got easier for me a week post-op too. Give yourself time.

Uggh, I just had a horrible experience with two little girls. Their dogs got loose so I tied them up in my backyard. When they came over to get them they started calling each other names and kicking and hitting each other and their dogs! One of the names they said was fatso. They were old enough to know better - like around 12. I just glared at them. Their grandma didn't even say anything!!!! It's like when people sit around and talk about how much weight they've gained - and they're like totally skinny, MAYBE ten pounds they could lose, and they're sitting in front of ME who needs to lose 100 pounds to look like them, and they're talking about this SH!T in front of ME!!! It makes me SO ANGRY!!!!! I feel like saying why are you saying this in front of ME!!!

Yeah, it kind of makes you not want to post questions in fear of what the old timers will say to others about it.

You sound just like me pre-op!! I think just about everyone worries themselves sick about it. That's totally normal. I was crying on the way to surgery, and the song that came on the radio was "I'm too sexy for my shirt", had to laugh. I knew it was a sign from somebody saying I was doing the right thing! haha. I obsessed on this board, it got worse and worse right up until surgery, and talked to my sister-in-law who also had it done. I just knew for me I HAD to get it done. You'll know what's best for you.

Hey Steph, I use isopure from GNC. I use eight ounces of milk (around 10 grams protein) and then the appropriate amount of shake (25 grams protein). So with two protein shakes/day I get in 60 grams of protein. Did you just get your surgery? You can try walking around with a pillow around your tummy, just press it in. If you're just out of surgery (I'm sorry I don't know where you are in this process), it gets better in only a few days!! About a week after surgery I was able to drink a lot more. I always have water by me and take two big sips (prob around 2 tablespoons total?) and then I do it again in like five minutes. I don't time it or anything, I just try not to overdo it. With the protein shakes I am able to get in around 8 glasses of fluid/day. It was hard the first week though. Linda

Okay, I strongly suggest staying away from the rants and raves thread. Holy crap, those people have some big problems with newbies! I guess they forgot they were once new too.

My problem is I always get so shocked when people behave that way, that it takes me a few hours to realize what I should have done or said. Why didn't I think of that! I guess I'm still trying to be nice to people around here too. We just moved from Canada to Arkansas. Everyone is so southern and religious and I don't want to offend anyone - I'm a stranger in a strange land - but I've got to think of my own feelings too. See, next time this happens I'll be prepared! That always happens.

Yeah, I was shocked when job after job I encounter people and the "high school stuff". I thought that was all behind me when I graduated. Poor Craig, he's probably wondering what kind of group he got himself into! haha Linda

I think that's how you make the best of friends - when you're in the trenches together! - whether it's pregnancy or a verbal attack!

Hey Steph, I know what you mean about hiding behind your fat. I just don't know the reason why I'm doing it. I was feeling the same way about this band, it's permanent, I can't binge again!! aaaah, what have I done!!! I just knew I was going to eat my way into an early grave if I didn't. I gained about 100 pounds in 1.5 years after I got married. I was just so darn comfortable around my husband I honestly didn't think it mattered how fat I got. That got old around year 2. Then I tried to lose, gained, losed, for the next ten years. I think the reason I'm fat has evolved over those ten years, but I have no idea why it's so hard for me now. I'm scared to go to counselling. I'm scared to get someone who really couldn't care less or who doesn't understand. How do you find someone you can trust to tell everything to?

Wendy, can I just say you're awesome! I was wondering how you'd feel about the remarks since I know you didn't like the name See, this is why we're part of a group, the solidarity that comes from it, the support that we can give each other. Even if we don't agree with each other, we can still agree to disagree, and we don't cut each other down to do it. This is the reason this board came to being, any board for that matter, and some people just can't resist trying to make themselves feel good by making others feel bad. And that IS what they did - made Tish feel bad, I don't care how they try to explain it.

Tishbite - I read it all and - yikes!! What to say!! I can feel your pain!! How awful. I've noticed a LOT of "older" users, if I can use that term, can be harsh in their answering questions, sometimes sensitive questions that even say right in their post, "Please be nice when you respond," and even then they're blunt to the point of hurtfulness. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your nymph, and if some people think it refers to nympho, let them think that. Who cares? YOU know what it means, and it's an EMPOWERING thing, and it's also empowering and feels great and supportive to know you're part of a group who you belong to. So post your picture BIG BIG BIG and your glittermaker thingy - put it back to the original size, and if some people hate it, let them hate it. I LOVE it!! And I love yours too, Stephanie. It makes me smile whenever I see your nymph pics, and then when I see you on another thread I recognize you instantly due to it, not your name, but because of your pics and glittermaker stuff. It's uniquely you, and I think that's great!!! And SADES - You better not move off!!! I read that in the RnR post. I LOVE to hear from you too!! I think it's just a newbie thing, like we're useless and have no valid opinions or points, so either we're ignored or looked down on or picked on because we don't have the band 'wisdom' yet. God, we're all FAT here people, where EVERYONE and their donkey have looked at us and pointed their fingers and talked behind their hands about us. I don't know why there's the need to belittle OTHER FAT PEOPLE!! Maybe some people haven't learned if you can't say something nice, don't say it at all. Even though it's a rants and raves thread, I can't imagine ever belittling someone else FROM THIS BOARD. I would have thought that's an area to vent what the SKINNY people have said to you today, or what your boss made you do, or the dog poop you stepped in, or how your car broke down, but not to cut down other members. How awful for you Tish!! You know you've got my support, for what it's worth! God, what a can of worms! Linda

I had a similar thing happen. I was just banded and called to see if I could get some anti-nausea meds just in case I needed to throw up. They said they don't prescribe things unless I'm actually throwing up. Now, I don't quite understand this as well, because it's not like I'm going to be visiting the doc when I'm sick. When I'm sick, I'm in bed and not moving anywhere! The nutmeg thing - does that work for stomach flu as well? Linda

Just my husband, mom, dad, best friend, and sisters-in-law, and mother-in-law, not even my own brother

Do you mind me asking, do you know why this happened? Was it something you did or didn't do, or was it just a flukey thing that happens? Linda