Anwyn

Hi everyone! Sorry that I haven't posted lately. This week turned a little crazy so I was doing a little lurking but didn't post much. DS and I spent yesterday going through hundreds of photographs from my parent's house. My mom doesn't like looking at them (they make her sad) so she's never put one photo in an album. Not one!!! So, over the years they've been thrown in boxes and bags. We sorted them all and put them in albums, from 1966 onward. It was a lot of fun, but very time consuming. My parents Celebrate 40 years of marriage tomorrow so we're all getting together without the grandkids for a dinner out. We rarely get together without the little ones, so it will be a nice chance to sit and talk without constant interruptions. Eilene, I'm sorry about your fill! Experience makes all the difference. With my first fill I never felt a thing. With my second (done by a different doctor) I was poked 8 times and it was horrible. If he can't do it next week with ease, I would bite the bullet and have one under fluro. Betty, I hope the rain lets up for the weekend and you get some sunshine! I wish I could say some of the flower gardens are cleaned out here but it's still too muddy to even try it. That's so cute about your grandchildren. Will you be able to visit them soon? I'll bet the miss their Grandma! Cindy, I hope your conference is going well! Are you on the way home yet, or does it go all weekend? I don't blame you for sneaking back to the hotel room for some alone time. It's hard to room with other adults that aren't related to you, lol. Beanie, I can't believe that your surgery is Monday! How long will you be in the hospital? How long are you taking off of work? I'm so excited for you! I'm sorry that I haven't addressed everybody's posts... I have to get the kids ready for bed, but I'll be around all weekend so I'll catch up. Happy Friday everyone!

Yup, every doctor is different on this. Definitely call your surgeon asap. You're down to less than 2 weeks to surgery - you should have been given your pre-op instructions by now. Be assertive and make sure that you get the information you need. I honestly can't remember if I had a foley in when I woke up after banding, but I have for other surgeries and the removal wasn't painful at all.

I second what Dee Dee said. When I was having problems you were the first one PM'ing me with your phone number in case I needed to talk it out. You go above and beyond with support for us. Love you Lisa!

I have a Tanita digital scale. It's the first accurate scale I've ever owned. It was a little pricey (about $60 I think) but it's worth it.

That sounds awful - I would've been crying way before day four. Don't worry about not having a fill, there's nothing wrong with taking a break. Drink those fluids and feel better soon!

Oh Ceira, I'm so sorry! I've never heard of anyone eroding so quickly, but I have to admit I was concerned when you listed your symptoms and you didn't even have a fill. I'm glad they caught it and took out your band. Feel better soon, and don't leave LBT just because you're bandless. There are several members who lost their band due to erosion. (((HUGS))) to you, and I wish you a quick recovery!

Hi Peggy, welcome to LBT! Is UC short for United Healthcare? If so, they are my carrier and they approved my band. It wil all depend on your policy, but they are one of the better carriers for band approval. Good luck with your consultation!

I started with walking (30 minutes VERY slowly) and then worked my way over to the elliptical machine. Yesterday I was able to do 50 minutes on the elliptical. You'll be surprised at how quickly you improve. I love elliptical trainers because I think they do a great job of toning you from hip to toe. My exercise consultant said to stick with walking or Water aerobics if you haven't worked out in a while. I need to incorporate weight training into my workouts as well, especially for my arms.

Welcome to LBT DaMaMa & Peggy! You'll love this site - so much information and everybody is supportive. Snoop around and you'll catch on quickly to how it works. Janet, you're so helpful! You and DH are a great addition to LBT.

Just today my DH was laying down with me and he said "Holy crap! You have ribs under there!" Who knew?, lol. I love collar bones - I think they're sexy.

Mikey, that list is hilarious. My DH speaks in quotes from the Princess Bride half the time anyways, so it's right up his alley. Crystal, have you tried yoga? I think you'd enjoy it. I find it very calming. Getting blitzed is good in the moment, but it'll just make you feel like crap the next day (not that you're not entitled!). Good luck tomorrow... I'll be thinking of you!

Oh my God, I'm appalled by this thread!! Just kidding... Those dirty dancing bananas do make me blush for some reason though. Yeeha!! Monica, DH and I have had the exact same "moment". Sex is soooooo much better now that I'm banded. I jumped DH this afternoon... he was shocked. I feel so flexible lately I could be in Cirque de Soleil. Ain't it great to feel sexy?

:Banane39: :Banane29: Mother hen alert!! Kim & Laura, you have me really worried... It's NOT normal to PB 3-5 times a week! Your stomach has to be in a perpetual state of irritation, and that's just not good. Don't be afraid to get an unfill (and if you're doctor's being stupid about it, insist on it or find a new doctor). I'm sure you've heard this before, but you need to be on liquids for at least 24 hours after a PB. After you PB your stomach swells up and it makes it that much easier to have another PB. It's a vicious cycle. Don't be afraid of an unfill. I had one a month ago and now I'm at my sweet spot. Preaching over, phew! To answer the original question... I have PB'd 3 times in 6 months. Each time I was eating too fast and taking huge bites. The last time was just yesterday in a restaurant. Don't know what I was thinking cause I was really shoveling it in. Thank God I knew where the bathroom was!!

I think their reactions will depend a lot on their personalities, but setting a good example can't be a bad thing. That's not to say that they won't have trouble adjusting to a slimmer you - there are a lot of complicated emotions that go on when a loved one loses weight. But, even if they are resentful at first I think they'll realize as they mature that having their dear dad around longer because he's healthy is a great thing. After I read your post I couldn't help but wonder if YOU are the one who is feeling like you're taking the easy way out. So I'm here to tell you - you're not!! You will need to exercise and eat right to make it work. It's a great tool to help with portion control, but it's not a cop out. And setting a good example for your daughters will just be the icing on the (fat free sugar free) cake.

Congratulations on your surgery! Glad to hear you're feeling so good already. Hang in there - mushies will be here before you know it.

I started at 220 and I finally broke through to 218. My NSV for the week: I pulled every piece of clothing out of my closet that was larger than a size 20. I now own 5 shirts!!! Guess it's time to go shopping...

Most doctors give the first fill about 6 weeks out from surgery, once you've completely healed. The band isn't designed to work without a fill, so try not to panic. Many people lose weight during this time because of the liquid diet, but some doctors allow a much quicker return to regular food and that means weight gain for some. Hang in there - it will get better once you have restriction!

Welcome to LBT Gapeach! Congrats on your weight loss - you're doing great!

I have read many different statistics on this, but keep in mind that they're talking about an average. Some lose more, some lose less. There are so many factors involved in success (getting proper restriction, exercise, food choices, head issues, etc.). The band doesn't do all of the work for you, but it's a huge help if you learn how to work it. As far as whether or not it's worth the risk, only you can decide that. For me, my risk of needing a spinal fusion if I didn't lose weight was about 100%. That fact alone made my decision to get the band the easiest (and best) thing that I could have done for myself.

I had back surgeries in November 2004 and March of 2005. I had herniated disks in my lower back and had laminectomy surgery to repair them. I tried a yoga class in my area called Gentle Fit, which sounds a lot like this class. I did have some trouble... Yoga mats are very thin, and laying flat on the floor for some of the moves was painful. Overall I'd say it was a positive experience because it increased my flexibility, but bottom line was that I felt like I should be doing the stretches with a physical therapist. I was always worried that one wrong move was going to torque my back. I would definitely consult your doctor before trying. Now that I've lost some weight I'm anxious to try it again... maybe in my case it was too much too soon. I enjoyed the relaxation and gaining flexibility seems to help my sciatica.

Wow - that's huge! Great job!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Crystal, put on your sunglasses cause I'm sending some powerful white light your way. Good luck Tuesday!

Isn't it weird?! I'm up in Michigan. We should have a foot of snow right now with a windchill of -10. Yesterday we saw people walking around in shorts!! Okay, it was only 45, but for January in Michigan that's a heat wave.

Good morning everyone! It's a rainy, overcast day here in MI, but that's fine with me. The house is clean (I'm only mentioning that because it NEVER happens!) and my plan is to finish up a few loads of laundry and lay around with the kids. Everyone seems to be coming out of the cold. Dianne, I am so very sorry that you have to be rebanded. I can only imagine how you are feeling right now. ((((((HUGS))))) for you, and please feel free to vent any time. That's what friends are for! Cindy, I laughed when I read your post because you do NOT sound like yourself (or how I imagine you, lol). Once I read the line about being hopped up on Benadryl it all made sense. Hope you're feeling better today! If I was your niece, I would be telling DH to get his butt on a plane pronto. I'm sure she will be fine, but that's a scary thing to go through alone. Eilene, don't worry about not responding to my post! It's so hard for me to remember everyone's posts when I'm typing mine, I know I miss a lot of it. Your Valentine's decorations sound cool! I don't have anything outside, but I put some things up in my eating area for the first time this year and the kids love it. It's fun to celebrate the smaller holidays too... We ended up seeing The Matador yesterday. It was really good if you like dark comedy. Pierce Brosnan was hilarious, and very against type. Unfortunately, I scarfed my small popcorn during the opening credits and it sat in my stomach like lead for the whole movie. Will I ever learn, lol? It was SO nice to get out. Time to wake up DH... no early risers in this house! Have a great day everybody!

Congrats on the new car Penni! Sounds like you had an amazing time last night too!