loopylou

Oh yes Kathy I am reading!! Thankyou everyone who has responded. I feels amazing just to know I am not alone. The people in my life have never understood, and I have always felt a bit like an :alien freak. But here I feel safe and understood, and that to me is priceless. Thankyou - licks all 'round!! :lick :lick :lick

Welcome Kat! Sorry I cant help you with the surgeons as I am in Australia, but hopefully someone will know. Its amazing what you can learn here

I'm so sorry about your dog All I would say about the riding, is if you choose to do it be very careful getting on and of - I would use a mounting block for sure. I am about three weeks out too, and I think I could perhaps ride if I went slowly and was, like I said, REAL careful getting on and off. I hope you find your dog and he's ok.

Dont Stress Ruthie!! I am sure everything will be fine! I dont even know what kind of band I have. My doctor showed it to me and it looked more like the VG in the article that Dr Hekier directed us to, but it didn't have the join. I remember him pointing it out and saying thats why he used that particular band because the restriction could be 360'. But I dont have any fill or restriction atm, and wont get any for a while sadly. But I'm hangin' in there. Its sounds like your doctor was just frustrated by lots of potential-patients running off to mexico and unfortunately you caught it! try not to take it personally honey!

My cousin's wife is the most lovely and amazing BBW and her and my dear cousin are trying desperately to have a baby. They are currently trying fertility treatments and she has apparently been trying to lose weight. All of this I have heard through the 'family grapevine' and I haven't talked to her myself in a while (as we live different sides of the country), but I must admit that I hope to have her ask me about the band, simply to give her another option for assisting her fertility. I couldn't bring it up with her but I would have absolutely no trouble pointing her in this direction if she asks. I am hoping said 'family grapevine' works for 'good' as well as 'evil' and she will hear about my band and ask about it.

Sorry guys, I've just discovered green tea and I love it, and my hubby makes the best coffee ever. But you have my support of course!! Getting through the first 3 days is usually the worst - keep up your other fluids and you should do fine. And Rica, I find that artificial sweetners and MSG both make me very hungry, I try not to touch them at all these days. I have decided that I would rather have the occasional spoon of sugar than fill myself with chemicals.

My port is way below my bra line.... about 4-5inches, so it is no problem for me. I couldn't wear an underwire for about 2 weeks though because of the tiny top incision, and I had to keep it covered because I was (and still am) on blood thinning meds and the bra rubbed a bit - it didn't hurt but it kept making it bleed.

I had a funny dream a couple of nights after I got my band. All it was was me looking down at a plate of these big slabs of cheesecake and me picking them up with a fork and stuffing them in my mouth. They were very yummy, but suddenly I remembered "oh no I have a band - I shouldn't be eating like this" - but then I realised that I was dreaming and I said to myself "enjoy it while you can," so I did. I laughed when I woke because I thought that was the best thing ever - I dont even have to miss out on stuffing myself with cheesecake cause I can always dream about it LOL. And the best thing is that "dream Cheesecake" has no calories!!! Yah!!!

Hang in there 'Flower, Its been 3 weeks for me too and I have the same problem. I lost 11lbs early on and nothing since. I am trying not to worry about it though because basically without a fill its very like being without a band. It may be that you are putting on muscle (which is heavier than fat) which will counter any weight lost or that you are not eating enough. I know that if I ate 1000cals a day my metabolism would just shut down and hang on to every bit of fat it could. So I would say, give yourself some time, dont panic and trust in yourself, your surgeon and your band. You will be fine

hmmm, I dont know Chunk! I have only been banded for 3 weeks and haven't yet vomited. But I know that if I do too much my port sides aches. And I would imagine that vomiting would be considered 'doing too much' even after you're well healed. I would suggest giving it a day or two and if you have no improvement I would call my surgeon. Hope this helps a little.

I'm in too!! I have a beautiful treadmill that DH bought for me and I have used it maybe 3 times in 2yrs. I will use it tomorrow!

I still have it, love it and dont plan to stop

welcome to another lovely aussie chick - we are taking over

not just size 12-14's either but real big beauties

The Bodyshop uses older and plus size models, they are also environmentally aware.

ummmm.... Now please dont get frightened but I think I better tell a little about what happened to me. When I came out of surgery I too had trouble taking a deep breath, basically because it would hurt where the surgeon had dug around - ie. the port area, slightly under my ribs and my diaphragm. I used my spirometer and that really helped me get used to taking big breaths - it still hurt a bit - like a stretching feeling. All of this was completely NORMAL! However, on the Wednesday night (I had surgery on the Monday) I quite suddenly got short of breath. I thought it was just a little asthma so I used some ventolin spray and waited a while - but it didn't seem to work. I was still short of breath a few hours later, and I knew something wasn't right. DH called the hospital and the sugeon wanted to see me first thing in the morning - the nurse thought I may have pneumonia. But, when I came in, my doc did a chest X-ray and Barium swallow - and pneumonia and band slips/problems were ruled out. But because I couldn't take a deep enough breath the X-rays couldn't rule out a pulmonary embolism (or PE - blood clot in the lungs) so he sent me to another hospital for a lung scan. The lung scan revealed that I probably (not 100%) had several small PEs. Therefore I was readmitted to hospital for one week, during this time I had lots of medication, injections and blood tests to make sure my blood was thin enough. Now, 20 days post-op, I am still on anti-coagulant drugs and will be for the next 2-5mths. My surgeon will not give me a fill until I am off the medication because that could cause bad complications with my port. BUT, my point is this, if you are short of breath, not 'its painful to breathe deeply', but 'I am unable to take a full breathe' then please contact your surgeon! PE's can be life threatening!!! Remember that PE's are only dangerous if you dont know you have one! (Also look out for localized swelling in the legs which could indicate a blood clot - also very dangerous as they can move to your lungs). Please note though that this is not a 'band' complication but a general surgery complication. And my surgeon was not shonky or anything - he gave me blood-thinning medication before surgery and had electrode thingies on my legs during the surgery - it was just 'one of those things'. I was his first patient to have this problem and he has done over 1000 bandings. So it is rare - but it does happen. Please err on the safe side. Its ok if it hurts to breathe, but if you physically cant take a deep breath, please call and talk to your doctor.

Vintage Clothes Eating in Public without shame DH picking me up Dancing unselfconsciously Seeing my real face Crossing my legs again (remember that??) Smoldering (damn I can't believe I have forgotten how to smolder!!) Wearing jeans and a T-shirt well Forgetting to fear running into old friends Clothing sales assistants smiling at me Not being camera shy Wearing high heels without backache, and tottering dangerously Sitting on the floor comfortably (well, sitting ANYWHERE comfortably) Feeling my hip and collar bones Exchanging 'industrial strength' bra's for something girlie and pretty Taking a bath Not having legs that rub together Feeling cooler (temperature wize, although the other kind wouldn't hurt either) Having a jawline

We dont celebrate halloween in australia *sniff*.

There was that serial rapist who's last name was 'Luster' My BIL is a cop and his last name is Bacon I went to school with a girl called Lee Ping Choo - she got called 'Jumping Train' My DH's sister is Kim Louise and my real name is 'Kim Louise' and we were both named after Kim Novak, my Dad used to call me Bloss (as in Blossom) and my MIL is known as Bloss because her Dad always called her that, and my Grandpa is Geoffrey Samuel and my nephew (on DH's side) is Samuel Geoffrey. DH figure we were ment to be together

I lived on custard and rice pudding - but a think you guys aren't allowed carbs are you? My Doc doesn't even ask what I am eating. I am only 2.5 weeks out and I am eating sandwiches!!! Oh well no doubt your scale will go down faster than mine damn slow australian scales!! A little booklet I got said that if you can suck it through a think straw you can have it in the liquid phase. Anyone for blended pizza?

I had a bit of trouble coming home. But it was a week after surgery for me so perhaps the gas had 'settled in' more. I felt uncomfortable - but not exactly in pain. I would advise Gas medication as I think the cabin pressure makes it worse. And if at all possible have someone with you.

I dont know whats going on. I have had my band but little has changed. I know I must have been expecting too much from my band but I am feeling really discouraged. (I wish I had found you guys months ago instead of a week before surgery). I am now 13days post-op and have just downed - 1 aero chocolate cup (LF), half a tin (400g tin) of mushie spag bolognase with melted LF cheese AND a LF chocolate custard cup and I only just feel some restriction. Its like every time I eat I feel compelled to reach the point of restriction - why cant I stop? I feel embarassed and guilt-ridden, and I think I am probably stretching my pouch :cry . I feel like such a failure. May be I made a mistake getting the band as I obviously am not caring for it properly, following 'the rules' or showing any signs of being motivated to change my eating habits. I am so hopeless, even the thought of damaging the band or myself doesn't make me stop. And now I am whinging and having a pity party about it and fishing for your support. I hate myself right now.

Guys, If you really want to learn, check out this: http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html If you need some pronunciation tips let one of us aussie sheilas know

bugger... sorry bout that...... pic malfunction

2003...Big Star...