steph_co

I physically feel normal 100% - like I never had the surgery. No port pain, no nothing. The only problem I ever have is if I bend over too far and my tummy fat pushes my port up against my ribs - that doesn't feel good! LOL But otherwise, I feel great! Thanks for the compliment.

Regarding women and the way they perceive their bodies. I found it very empowering. I didn't put it in the "news" section because it's not specifically about the LapBand - it's about women and their weight. Informative and uplifting. Why Women Lose Weight - Or Don't This was my favorite part from the article:

My doc didn't pressure one way or the other (of course, I started out too low for a bypass, anyway). I went to an informational seminar that he did and he talked about bypass and lapband and the two other people there were candidates for bypass. But he didn't sway one way or the other. He gave statistics for both and pretty much left it up to everybody. He did explain that some doctors are more comfortable with bypass because of the numbers, but also because it's so common in the U.S. and the most widely performed. He also mentioned something about a gastric band way back years ago that held the same promises as Lapband, but failed miserably and kind of scared some of the older docs away from gastric banding. Makes sense to me.

I would consider another doctor. At least for a consultation so that you can get more information/a second opinion. My weight loss will probably slow down as time goes on, here...and once I'm fully on solids (soft foods for another week). I have heard from several people that the first month out is the quickest loss. I'm doing my best to take advantage of it before it slows! It depends on what you eat, certainly. And yes, exercise helps. Could you do something less painful for your lower back? Like a recumbent bike or something like T-Tapp? Better Body Basics - T-Tapp.com I know with T-tapp, it actually helps people to rehab their back in a lot of cases - helps the muscles to be stronger and it's basically zero impact.

I see this is an old thread, but I'll answer anyway so newbies can see. I had terrible heartburn before getting banded. I was SUPPOSED to be on Prevacid (I think that's the prescription one...not the purple pill, the other one), but since I'm self-pay, that stuff is not cheap on a regular basis and I just did my best with Tums, Rolaids, whatever I could use that would make it stop. Sometimes I just dealt with it because I was sick of chewing chalk or chewy nasties. I haven't had it at all since banding. This band is a God-send. I was so worried that I was killing my esophagus and putting myself at risk for cancer. But now it's gone and I sure hope it stays that way!

Wow...I had heard that slippage is almost guaranteed without stitching the stomach. Huh. I don't see what stitching would have to do with erosion, but I'm not a surgeon, either!

Marcy, I agree with Jacqui just because I know in my experience with myself, if I try even the sugar-free version of something, I either get bitter that I can't have the real thing, or I eat more of the SF thinking that I'm okay because it's not as bad. But, if you are set on making Cookies for yourself, you could try LowCarbFriends.com - Weight Loss Support . Look in the recipe room. You can find pretty nearly any kind of food in a sugar-free version.

I had the same fears as you. Food has been my friend since my awkwardness began in 5th grade. It was what I could ALWAYS turn to when I felt stressed or rejected in this life. One thing my therapist said was to find new coping mechanisms BEFORE you get to the point of panicking as to what to do. So I came up with a couple of things I could do to get my mind off of things if something came up that I couldn't handle. I have also started a couple of hobbies to keep me engaged when I'm "bored" so that I don't feel the urge to eat. I'm 3 weeks post-op and I thought by now that I would be just DYING for my old friends, sugar and carbs. Not really. I might see or smell something and think, "Wow, that would be yummy." But it doesn't CONTROL me like I used to. I got the band exactly one week before Thanksgiving. So I was on liquid puree when the holiday rolled around. I'll be getting my first fill 4 days before Christmas. Somebody in my buddy group said something that really struck me - I don't want my life to revolve around food anymore. That is so true. I'm EXCITED that I don't have to gain 10-20 lbs over the holiday just because everybody else is obsessed with food. It just doesn't work for me. I want to look forward to the holidays for something other than food...there is so much more there. There's spending time with family, the smells (you don't have to eat anything fattening...the smell is very satisfying!), the presents, the lights, the music. Food is not all there is to life. I want to start LIVING all year 'round. Who cares if I don't get to gorge myself like other people. I don't have to feel that guilt after I do it, either. I feel HEALTHY and the scale is moving downwards during the holidays! That is a spectacular feeling! As for the flu...if you are violently vomiting, they can do an unfill. There is enough room for some to come out, but heaving against a tight band isn't a good thing - it can cause slippage. So if that were to happen, just call your doctor and he/she can help you out with that. As for pooping...LOL. I'm eating less than 800 calories per day and my system is working just fine. Where do you think that fat goes that I'm burning for energy?

This surgery carries a .08% mortality rate. You are more likely to die from any number of things than this surgery. If you have this surgery, you are more likely to be around for MORE of your son's life rather than him losing you at an early age due to some co-morbidity of your obesity. What if you ended up needing heart surgery because of the strain on your heart with the weight. This surgery is not about only losing weight. It's about getting HEALTHY. It's about being physically able to engage in life more. You will have more life AFTER this surgery. I was nervous going into the surgery more because it's just so PERMANENT. But I figured that I could either live in fear of the unknown, or I could take a chance and just DO it. You never know until you give it a shot. And could you forgive yourself for giving up on yourself because of what *might* happen (incredibly, extremely low odds)? How are you to find new lands if you never leave the shore? I agree with what losingit07 said...everything happens for a reason. It is ALL in divine order. What is meant to happen will happen. We learn the lessons we are meant to in this life - whether we choose the quick easy, one-time way, or the painful, repetitive way until we get it. We can't live life wondering, "What if?" We've got to step out of our fear and move forward so we can find ourselves. You can do this - and we are all here behind you.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/i-need-help-kicking-sugar-habit-45642/ This is an excellent thread regarding this topic. Some REALLY good ideas. Maybe you could make some sugar-free versions of milkshakes? I don't know. I have seen sugar-free strawberry milk powder. You could put that in milk, add some ice.... just trying to think, here. They also have sugar-free chocolate syrup.

That's so awesome, Jill!! I can't wait to get there!! 13.5 lbs more to go. LOL I'm hoping to be there by the end of the year. I imagine that feels so spectacular. I haven't been in Onederland since 2003.

Sounds like possibly both. It's a good idea to chew 30 times on each bite before swallowing. And actually, instead of swallowing the whole lump at once, I've found it's helpful to swallow bits of it at a time. You could be swallowing too big of bites and possibly too quickly. But I get the stuck feeling when I swallow too big of a lump. It may be pureed, but it doesn't feel good hitting like that. This band eating takes some practice!

I was not specifically told NOT to have any of that stuff. It was recommended to stay away from caffeine or carbonation - I'm okay with the reasons behind that. I was told that some people have trouble with bread. Basically, I can try anything as long as I take it slow when I introduce it back into my diet. I have eaten rice. It's so small, I didn't have any trouble with it at all. Of course, it was cooked in the slow cooker for a soup, so it was puffier and softer than rice you might make in just a pan. But as always - follow what your doctor says.

I'm still waiting for the last of my steri-strips to fall off. The bandages that covered the steri-strips, I was able to take off the day after surgery. But the steri-strips I was told to not remove them - just trim the edges as they peel. I am 3 weeks post-op. I have basically two small pieces left...like smaller than a penny. But they are both right ON the incisions, so I don't mess with them.

Oh...I actually came to this thread to add one more thing. ActiTrainer has SUPER customer service. I was a little irked because I went in to try and use the sleep tracker. Well, my problem is that I sleep during the day because I work at night. Whenever I tried to put in my info, it gave me an error and wouldn't go in. I just figured, "Ugh! What a rip-off." I wrote them an email asking why they don't allow night-people to sleep during the day and track it. I've been working with a lady from ActiTrainer so they can figure out what the problem is and fix it. In the meantime, she offered to extend my free 15-day subscription until the issue is resolved. I thought that was awfully nice. So if you have a problem with the ActiTrainer, don't hesitate to call or email them! They could probably help you out.

I started using Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, Food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate before I got the Actitrainer, so I'm finding it hard to convert over to the online ActiTrainer meal tracking because I'm kind of stubborn. You could look for your foods there and then put them onto ActiTrainer? As for the waistband. That's because I'm sure they figure most people wear pants. LOL - I'm sorry, I'm sure that sounded really snarky - I don't mean it to be. I'm just saying that pretty much no matter what I'm wearing, I can clip it to my waistband. If the waistband is a little bit flimsy, then I wear it with the clip out and the ActiTrainer against my body. If the pants are tight, then you could get away with putting it in your pocket - just somehow that it's not going to be swinging around while you're walking. While I'm at work, my work pants are too big, so the waistband is kind of puckered by my belt...so I wear it on my belt, facing inward to my body. There are lots of ways to wear it on your waist.

These are great, guys! They get me so excited. Keep 'em coming!

It's set to be DVRed!

Oh, I forgot one. I wear 8" boots for work. Before I started this journey, if I wore thick socks, I couldn't zip the boots up all the way and I even would have a struggle with the thin socks. Now I can easily zip the boots up over my cankles even with thick socks! I love it.

Granted, this is not about the Lap Band. It's about Lasik. I have a consult later today to see if I can get it done. I would LOVE to be able to live my life without glasses or contacts. Anybody here done it? I'm trying to see if I can get it squeezed in by the end of the year so that it will probably ALL be deductible since I've already spent so dang much this year on medical bills.

Green, it's standard practice for passengers to not touch a carry-on once it is under control of TSA. It makes it difficult to control the situation if somebody's hands are all over it. If you had ever worked that job, you would understand. And with all the possible distractions, who's to say that they couldn't slip something out from under the TSA guard's glance? There are signs all over the checkpoint upon entering - you are submitting to a search of your person and property just by putting your items on the x-ray belt and walking through the magnetometer. That's not a violation of civil rights. It's called an administrative search. Now, if they had taken your undies out and flashed them around, then YES - that can be a violation of your basic civil rights and you don't have to complain after the fact, you can demand a supervisor and complain RIGHT THEN and there. They are random screenings done with the ETD (Explosives Trace Detection) machine. Because when somebody makes a bomb, that stuff is sticky. Therefore, traces of it can be left on the bag. The machine checks for a wide variety of explosives...not just gunpowder. So one little tip...don't put on a ton of hand lotion with glycerin and then grab your handbag. It's an unfortunate result of the society we live in that we have to be so careful. I'm sorry if you felt affronted by the process. I know it can be a little unnerving realizing that you (yes, you!) are being treated like a potential terrorist. But that's what everybody is that comes through those gates. Personally, I'd rather go through all the nonsense and know that my flight is safe.

That made me sick to my stomach. That is an abuse of the position. Not only that, that is sexual assault. Those two could have easily been charged and paying the price right now. I wish somebody would have reported them. Again - if something questionable is being asked of you by somebody in a uniform, ask to speak with a supervisor. What they are doing needs to be brought to light. Male TSA are to NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER touch a female unless there is not a single female TSA screener in that airport, and even then, generally a supervisor must be present in case of complaints. Your story reminds me of what happened to that girl at that McDonald's when the "officer" called in and requested she be strip-searched. I want to throw up.

That's right! And nobody better try and tell me different, or I'll have to hurt them.

Consultation went great! I hate when other people touch my eyes, so that was kind of hard. LOL But the lady (nurse, medical assistant? I dunno) took all my measurements to make sure I'd be a good candidate and then passed my numbers off to the doctor. He came in with the biggest grin (this isn't my surgeon...my surgeon is actually based in Denver and comes out once a month to Glenwood Springs to do the surgeries). He said my numbers were awesome. He said, "It's even kind of fun to look at." LOL He said that if I choose to do Lasik, I have about a 95% chance of getting 20/20 or better. He said if not 20/20, then the absolute worst would be 20/25. LOL Oh, no! haha He said I'd see better than I EVER did with contacts. He was all excited about my numbers. That was reassuring. He told me a little bit more about Dr Spivack (the surgeon) and said he was in like the top 3 of the nation (yes, I know...plugging their own surgeon...but my research seems to back this claim up). I have a couple of exams between now and then. But my surgery is scheduled for January 15th! I told the lady that I need to pay it this month so that I can possibly count it in my taxes. I am so excited to be able to see soon without glasses!!

I just wanted to wish you good luck with your surgery. If you go to the monthly support forums, you have a bunch of people getting banded this month that could probably give you more insight since they're right at the same time as you. I'm sure you'll do great!