dab

Yes. Although never at the table...while in public - it has happened at home once - I have had a close encounter with making it to the stall. I was at a mexican restaraunt and took too big of a bite of a quesadilla....I knew it was coming, so I said I had to get rid of some Water. I got to the bathroom and it really didn't happen...just one of those drools like you have the faucet on....and then stopped. About the time I got back to the table, it hit and hit pretty hard.....I excused myself again and while I was walking into the stall, here it came....I missed the toilet (I know, I think it is man thing) and splattered the wall behind the toilet. Thank God there wasn't anyone else in there at the time. I did the right thing and cleaned it up...the best I could. If you just got a fill, maybe it is how fast you are eating. That is usually what gets me, either too fast or too big of a bite.....I still do stupid things occasionally. dab

I have lost 2.48 elephant penises.......there are many other things off the list I could use....but from this point forward.....my weight loss will be measured in comparison of that of the elephant appendage. :biggrin2::biggrin2::sneaky:

Today is my six month anniversary....six whole months ago to this hour I was recovering in a bed in the surgery suite....wondering what the future would hold. I had my six month checkup yesterday, and although on one hand I am proud as hell of my accomplishment, it is truly sad that it had to get to the point that it did and took surgical intervention to turn around. In the last six months, I have lost a total of 142 pounds. I finally went out two weeks ago and bought all new clothes because the pants I had were a good 8 inches too big around the waist. I am almost at the haflway point and realize it is going to get harder as time goes on and I get closer to goal, but I have sustained a lifestyle change and it is second nature now. I will say, as a celebration..and this is really the first time in six months I have done this....I had a small DQ blizzard last night to reward myself....it was truthfully very sweet tasting and the aftertaste was nasty. I don't think I will be doing that again...at least not for another six months. The scale is a good thing to see, but it was never about the scale for me. In the last six months, I have came off my diabetes medicine completely and have also went from two to one blood pressure medicine....hopefully to be off the second one in the next two months. Life is good.....life it hard and enjoy it folks! dab

Thanks to all. I appreciate the props....but like I said, and I hope you understand this, it is hard for me to take compliments because I have lost weight on my own in the past, like 170 pounds, only to gain 200 back. I know this is a lifestyle change and will be something I am successful with the rest of my life....but I am pretty embarassed that it got to that in the first part....people don't understand why I am not ecstatic. I want to be, and will be in no time I think....but I still have to think of it as work in progress at this point. Sue Maggoo - To be honest....I have neglected the exercise for the most part. I was pretty much better by October, and I hunt a bunch in the fall - so October, November, December and most of January was either spent in the woods or wading through muck and mud...but since about January 26th....I haven't done a good job. I want to get in a groove in the next two weeks and get something going at least three days per week...just kind of need a push. I was losing more than 15 pounds per month and two months ago it went to 13 and last month was 12....so I need to kick it in the butt to increase metabolism to pick back up.....actually I would be happy with 12 pounds a month...but extra satisfied with 15 pounds per month for the next 12 months. Thanks again to all. Good luck to each of you in your weight loss as well. dab

I take Viactive Chews. Two Vitamin and two Calcium chews every morning. I like the chocolate Vitamins and the Caramel or Raspberry calcium chews. Makes me feel like I am getting candy and they pretty much dissolve in your mouth while you chew them in small bites. That and a cup of skim milk is Breakfast every morning and it gives me Protein and the nutrients from the chews. dab

Cheryl; Not trying to sound harsh, but you need to ask yourself what the fear really is. Sounds like you are almost coming up with excuses why not have the procedure. If that is the case, you probably shouldn't have it done. Is your fear failure? That is something I had to get over before I could move on with it. Hell, I have failed forty times at diets where I would lose 20 to 100+ pounds and then gain the weight back plus another 20. I finally had to ask myself if I wanted to be able to have a better chance to watch my kids grow up and hold my grandkids. I did it and don't have any regrets. I have done extremely well, but have a LONG ways to go still. Fear of failure is still in the back of mind everyday....and I think that is driving me to succeed somewhat. You need to ask yourself what is making you reluctant....only you can answer that. Could be off base, but hope that helps. dab

This is what was explained to me. The trauma of your surgery causes swelling in your stomach lining around the band. I found they also "pre-fill" (at least my doc did) the band a little bit during the surgery. For the first three weeks, I wasn't hungary at all and didn't eat hardly anything. Then in week four it really kicked in and I would eat...not like previously, but a big difference from the week before. My nurse explained that was the stomach walls healing from the surgery and the swelling going down, which made the opening bigger and allowed stuff to go through more easily. I had a fill at 6 weeks and that slowed way back down....had to have a slight unfill and am now about where I should be. Good luck and remember to take it one day at a time...that is what I am doing. dab

I told my nurse I didn't want to come up with a goal weight, because this wasn't about weighing a certain weight, but rather feeling good and being healthy. When I got there I would know it. Now, with that said. I have been fat all my life. I could lose 100 pounds in 8 months and then gain it back...plus 20 pounds in the next 9 months. I am 6 ft. 9 inches. Back in 1991, I got down to 246 pounds, and was too thin. I was 577 lbs. at surgery. I have lost 119 pounds in a little over 4 months. Still a long ways to go, but I will know when I get there, and it won't be based upon what a BMI scale says or what I thought a good weight will be when I was looking forward at 577 pounds. I have already stopped taking my diabetic medicince daily and am about two months from coming off my blood pressure medicine. I think that is how I going to gauge success this time around, not by a scale. Good luck getting to whatever your goal is going to be! dab

I will jump in. I was banded in Sept. My beer consumption has gone way down, but I will still have two or three in a nights time (maybe once a month) when we have company for cards or something like that. I have to look at moderation and small drinks with the carbonation. I don't get drunk easily. I am 6 foot 9 inches and you see my weight below. I have been on a bad habit of Baileys since my surgery. I know there are a bunch of calories, but I can drink an entire bottle of Baileys on ice in a nights time. The alchohol part just doesn't affect me. I don't do that very often, but probably three or four times since my surgery. And those were when others were buying...at $30 per bottle, I don't like to do that. dab

Thanks Julie - This has been a good journey to this point. There was an adjustment period and I still have my moments of forgeting that I am the "new" me and chew too fast or eat too big of bite or eat too fast and get reminded quickly how bad that can be, but for the most part, it is old hat now and I don't feel like it is work at all. The staff was pretty amazed at the weight loss total as well in that time - but I am sure it will slow down. Happy Holidays to all! dab

Add me to the 100 pound list as of today's weigh in. 3 month weigh in and 100 pounds :clap2::clap2: Only 200 more to go roughly. dab

Just curious - I was banded on Sept. 14th by Dr. Selime at WLSC in OP. Had a good experience and am looking forward to what the future holds. Anyone else use WLSC or Dr. Selime? Also, I saw something on another thread about a group meeting in the area - I live on the Missouri side, but had the banding done in KS. Is there a monthly meeting or something? If so, is it propietary to a specific facility or surgeon or is it open to any? TIA dab

Congratulations on that accomplishment! dab:whoo:

PC Girl - Dr. Nigro did my initial consult, but doesn't do surgeries on people with a BMI over 55% I believe it is. I was happy with how thourough he seemed in the workup and how he explained things. The surgery was with Selime and he did a great job to...the staff was very friendly per and post op and I wished I lived closer. They have a workout gym that is open to all patients within the office - but it is 50 minutes commute one way to get there. Tracy - Thanks for the information. It is appreciated. There always seems to be Scout or soccer functions that fall on Saturday's, but I will see if I can make it. It sounds like a good group. dab

I was banded September 14th. I haven't weighed in the last week, but know I am still losing weight because of how clothes are fitting and those type of things. I am almost 3 weeks out of surgery and went two weeks on liquid diet because the band was a little "snug" according to the surgeon, but he didn't want to use a larger size because it would be too loose he thought. Anyway, take for instance the other night. We went out to eat. I ordered a cup of Clam Chowder and a side order of Breakfast sausage. I ate maybe 1/4 cup of the Soup maximum and 1/2 of one sausage patty that was pretty thin. That fills me up to the point I am full. Last night I was out on business. I ordered a chicken Quesadilla off the appetizer menu. It came as a 10" tortilla folded in half and then that was cut into four pieces. I took maybe four small bites off of it and then opened it up and at the chicken pieces and cheese, but couldn't even finish one of the fourths. I am scheduled for my first fill on the 19th of this month. I am asking for opinions of those who have been through this process - do you think I will automatically get a fill or do you think they will evaluate what I have been eating quantitiy wise and make a decision based upon that? I wonder if this is really filling me up or if I am psychologically telling myself I am full? I am not snacking between meals and don't feel hungry though. Thanks in advance for any feedback. dab

Thanks for the additional replies. Here is the latest. I must be healing. I am still not eating "big", but am getting more down. I had my first run in with bad habit eating Thursday night. I had 1/4 cup of chili and about 1/4 of a brat for supper and that filled me up. That was about 5. I went and walked for about an hour at the duck club to get some exercise and then sat around and talked till about 8. When I got home, the wife had stopped on the way home from soccer and grabbed some Churches chicken. I wasn't that hungry, but grabbed a thigh and sat down and took two bites off of it - I know I shouldn't have - but I did what I did. I ate it too quick and as soon as the second bite hit the bottom, I knew what was up. I slobbered for about 45 seconds and there was a big knot in my throat and here it all came back - chicken and a little bit of the chili and the brat. That was a lesson to me. Last night I had almost 1/2 grilled chicken breast and some veggies and then about 1/2 cup of yogurt afterwards and it was filling. Not bursting full, but enough to last me till this morning when I had one small piece of breakfast sausage patty and a small cup of milk. I don't feel as much restriction as I did last week - but I really only started solid food 7 days ago today. I haven't stepped on a scale in the last week and a half - but I know based upon my belt that I have lost more weight. We will see what the doc says on the 19th. dab

Thanks for the replies

I was banded on 9/14. For some reason they did not weigh me before surgery, but from my initial visit with them on 7/9 I have lost 52 pounds - as of a few days ago. Haven't weighed since Tuesday. I was on liquids for two weeks and just yesterday started some scrambled egg for Breakfast and had 1/3 clam chowder and a half of a piece of breakfast sausage patty for supper. I look forward to getting healthy. dab

You have to read your individual insurance policies and ask questions up front with your doctor to get many of the questions answered as most all have different policies of some sort or another, at least in my experiences. My insurance has a clause that disallows any bariatric surgery. It goes on to say that any condition they can show is a result of bariatric surgery is not covered as well. At first, that was my biggest concern. But, I finally got the mindset that complications of this surgery are not that high and the outcome far outweighed the risk. Although it is individual policy again, I would think if something did happen during surgery and you were hospitalized for it - you would be responsible for the bill - whether your insurance covered the expense or not. Also, I know a guy that went from KC to Memphis to have RuinY (sp) and had to stay two weeks. When he came home, he had complications the next week and had to be hospitalized here in KC. It was a new hospital, new doctor and with that came all new bills. Good luck with your decision and your health. dab

Today is day 13. They wanted me to stay on liquids for two weeks because the band was snug when they placed it. The lump in my throat feeling pretty much went away a couple days ago. I have been graduating up to Cream of Wheat (runny) yesterday and oatmeal (runny) this morning. Things seem to be going pretty good with that - but I am taking it slow. Will start scrambled eggs and some fish this weekend. Thanks for the response. dab

<p>Hello to all;</p> <p> </p> <p>I was banded on 9/14. My first appointment wtih the place that did it was about 8/14 and they didn't weigh me before surgery. My weight loss from my initial visit through 9/21 was 48 pounds. I have a long way to go, but am excited about thos results.</p> <p> </p> <p>My question is this. I am doing really fine since the surgery. I was tired and had a difficult first three days, but then I a came out of it good and am probably 90% at this time. The only thing that is giving me any problem is I can feel what I describe almost as a "lump in the back of my throat'. It is similar to symptoms I would have with GERD, but during my follow up on Friday - the staff said that what I was feeling was most likely the healing process of the stomach scarring around the band.</p> <p> </p> <p>Did anyone else have this feeling? And if so, how long does it stay? It bugs me most during the night when in a prone position.</p> <p> </p> <p>Thanks much</p> <p> </p> <p>dab</p>

I was banded on Friday, Sept. 14th. I was home by about 3:30 that afternoon and did pretty good until I had to take my Metformin that night. I had never crushed any pills and just ground it up and threw the powder in my mouth and took a drink of Water. WOW - that was the worst experience I can remember in a long time. I started wretching and thought I pulled the band almost. That was the hardest part of the whole recovery for me, was taking the meds. Sunday afternoon, I went to my Mom's, which was about a 30 minute ride for family birthdays. I am in sales and did some phone calls, emails and computer work from the house on Monday and Tuesday. Was back to calling on customers Wednesday but was still ready for an afternoon nap come midday. Just yesterday (9/25), has the "lump in my throat" feeling really started to not be noticeable. Everything else seems to going fine though. I think it is different with each person and they know their limitations. The way I looked at it, September 14, 2007 was the beginning of the rest of my life and I decided that whatever I needed to do to make sure the rest of my life was more successful than the beginning of my life I was going to do. Good luck and go at the pace you need. dab

Hello to all; After years of being grossly overweight and going on diet after diet and losing weight only to gain it plus 15 pounds backs within the next 6 months or so, I decided to go the route of the lap-band. I was banded on 9/14 and am now 9 days into re-learning how to take care of my health. For some reason, they didn't weigh me before surgery on the 14th, but my initial visit with them was on August 14thish, and at my follow up two days ago, I had already lost 48 pounds. I am sure I will have questions as I get accustommed and hope I can count on some help from the experienced ones here. Happy Sunday. dab