ReneBean

Wow - everybody must be busy today... I haven't got that much exciting news, either. Just working and sleeping and stuff. Jules - those school loans are pretty forgiving as far as paying them back. If "stuff" happens, they will cut you some slack for a month or two. I am just glad that I have all mine paid off! Darcy - no worries about the fill. I am on fill number 6 or something like that - and it has always been the same. RESTRICTION for the first day or two... then Restriction... then restriction... It gets looser as the days pass. The only time I get an increase is when I fly, or when TOM comes... It's all good. I am just hoping that the swelling doesn't take ALL the restriction when it goes away.... Feel better soon! But don't do what I did and eat like a pig for two weeks after... My lost pounds found there way right back when I did that! Eileenie - Love ya! Hope you can play again, soon. Mary - HOORAY!!!!! No Barrett's! That is great news! Hope you feel better soon, too. Well, since there isn't a darn thing new with me since yesterday - I am going to go out into the board and see what's shakin with the newbies. Love you guys!!

No experience with Tyler docs - but how close are you to Richardson? (DFW)... I loved my doc and I loved the Surgery Center of Richardson. I also know that there are several other great docs that work out of that center - so it might be worth the drive to check it out. They have regular seminars, too. Just google Surgery Center of Richardson. :]

Love the NSV's... I just did something a little different... I just dragged out the 2 boxes of clothes in sizes below what I have been wearing and started putting things INTO my closet that fit me, now/again. My Mom and Sister are both heavy - and we have swapped clothes back and forth for years as we each moved up and down in DietLand. Since I was left behind the last time they lost weight, I ended up with most of the clothes... It's like Christmas everytime I wear something "new". :]

I have a dress coat I lovingly call "the Pup Tent". I can so relate to the parka story. Maybe someday I will burn the Pup Tent!

I only had that "tearing" feeling a couple of times - usually when I overdid some movement in the abdominal area right after surgery. Try to take it easy getting up and down and give it some time. Hopefully you won't have it again. :]

LOVIN the SCOR... It was great, wasn't it? I really expected to be just a little bit more embarrassed about the whole thing - since I had the added joy of starting my monthly the day before surgery - You KNOW that just added to the thrill - but the folks there were truly fabulous and I never felt self conscious or weird. Not one person gasped and screamed when they saw my naked belly.... LOL! :]

Hi Rabit Fancy! I am glad you got thru the surgery. I think I was lucky that I made it through without any liver bleeding. My doc seemed to think my liver would make a fine, greasy pate... You are lucky that you HAVE a recliner. I slept sitting up on my couch for a few days. It does get better. Hugs and heal fast. While I never topped 400 - I came closer than I wanted to! Just remember - it's all downhill from here. Hugs!!

A PB is throwing up - but without all that stomach acid you get when food has been all the way through to your lower stomach. :]

Throwing up or PB's are never "Normal" It happens rarely, if ever, in a banded person with proper restriction and who is following the eating rules - taking very small bites and chewing to goo. That being said - having a PB can cause a viscious cycle - you have a PB, it irritates your esophagus and that causes swelling - which causes more PB's which causes more swelling... you see how that could happen? So - when you have a PB - go to liquids for the rest of the day - and maybe for the next day, also. Then gradually move back up to solids just like to do after a fill and like you did after surgery. Also - Pre-menstrual cycles cause all your body tissues to swell - which makes your band tighter. It could be that and that would be temporary. Flying causes swelling/band tightening too - something about pressure changes and altitude. Stress or illness can cause swelling/band tightening - I had a fever for two weeks and lost 5 lbs... First - give your throat time to recover Second - follow the rules of eating solid foods - small bites - think microscopic - and chew. If that doesn't work - then get an unfill. Being too tight and constantly throwing up is BAD. It damages your throat - and forces you to eat liquid or mushy food - which is generally much higher in calories than good solid Protein and veggies. Being too tight generally doesn't help weightloss as much as we would like to think it would. Take care of yourself. Losing slower is better than losing your band.

I am not an expert and not a doctor - but my understanding is that pouch dilation is caused by REPEATED over eating with tight restriction. Why you don't PB is a mystery to me - maybe you just have a tough esophagus that holds the food in there - stretching out the pouch. I have also heard that a return to a liquid diet for a few days and then eating TINY meals for a while can correct the problem. Fills do "loosen up" over time due to loss of fatty tissue around the stomach - but not usually suddenly - while pouch dilation could be sudden. The only way to know for sure is to have a fill under Fluro or get and endoscopy to check out your tummy. Try to be good and eat small meals. If you mess up a time or so - it shouldn't be a crisis - just get back on track and stay there. Remember - the complications seem numerous on the boards - cause people with no complications just don't have as much to say... Hugs!

Sounds like your DH needs a little smack upside the head, to me. I would expect him to have been on the cover of GQ this month - since he is clearly a fashion expert... Don't let him get you down. If you feel good, you will look good, too. No matter what "style" of clothes you wear. :]

Poodles - What's "in style" probably won't be available in any larger sized clothing anyway - or if it is, it has been so horribly disfigured by the choice of materials or the aforementioned sequins and appliques that no self-respecting adult would want to wear it, anyway. I have always had pretty good luck finding "acceptable" clothes that fit at Catherines. They seem to have more professional and grown up clothes there - although you have to pick through the other to find them. I have only 2 rules. 1) try everything on - because what looks good on the hanger might NOT look good on you. 2) Don't buy it if you have ANY doubts - because in the end, if you don't like it and feel good wearing it - you won't. You will put it on once or twice and then never wear it again. THAT is a waste of money. Good luck, and may your shopping be less traumatic than mine. :]

Hi Margo Just be sure to check with your company HR to make sure they have not put an exclusion on your policy. While BCBS cover's it - your company may not. If you determine that there is no company exclusion, then start jumping hoops. Consider it exercise... It took me 4 mos to get approved thru BCBS of California - and I had to appeal twice. Hopefully, you won't have the same issues I had! Hugs!

My fill center says no food for four hours prior, no liquids for 1 hour prior. Sorry you felt yucky. Hugs

Hi Chris I am not actually from Jersey - but since there don't seem to be that many natives hanging out here, I thought I would stop by and say "Hi" Welcome to LBT! You might get more response if you go to the Introductions forum - but hey, you already got me and Eileen - and we are some of the best! :] Stop in at the January Chat and say hello. We can always use one more. Hugs and welcome!

Altaloma Guy - I feel for you, dear. My DH says that you aren't allowed to be big AND tall. The stores lie... most of the stuff is big OR tall.... I have been with him trying to shop. It's so true. *Sigh* Yep - labels would REALLY help with that... NOT. I love the labels for stupid and stinky people idea. Much more likely to inspire change than labels for the large. I say the "roads with bike lanes" idea is a great one. I lived in Eugene Oregon for several years while I went to college - where they actually HAVE bike lanes on most of the roads. You know, I rode my bike to work.... it really is a great idea.

If Sunta's plan doesn't work - then definitely go in and have at least a SMALL unfill. If letting the inflamation die down for a few days doesn't fix the problem, then you need an unfil - no matter what your doc says. Slower loss is better than losing fast and damaging your body or your band. Hugs!

Howdy, Y'All... (no Alex - some of us are just enjoying the hospitality of the Jersey forum to hang out with our pals...) Not much going on here today. I am just sipping Water and stuff after my fill yesterday. I have really tight restriction - and I am hoping that when the swelling goes down it will be perfect. My Dad's latest news is that the doctors are going to leave the benign tumor in his heart, cause it doesn't seem to be bothering anything. They took him off the blood thinners now that the fear of clots is passed. Otherwise - he's just old and his heart could stop at any time. That's not comforting at all - but I guess if you think about it, that has probably been true for several years now - and they are just now noticing. He's such a stubborn old goat that I figure he will outlive us all... Jules - I am so glad we all had such fun. I only know one gal that has been banded - and that is new - so I know how you feel. It was fab the first time I got to visit with Miss Eileenie in Jersey - and it was fab to get to meet you and Cindy, too. I agree about the pets. I envy the life my cats get to lead... I wan't to lie in the sun for hours and then get up and demand food... Oh, wait - that's what I do on the weekends... :] OK - we are going to have to work together to get those pesky 20 lbs off - only I don't have 2 mos... only 1. ***EEEK*** Dianne - with a tree as pretty as yours, I would leave it up, too! :] Yes, I had my fill yesterday and I am all restricted and stuff... at least today. I am hoping that this one will be "the one". Anne - Just be sure you don't buy too much stuff... A few things that you can mix and match will tide you over....until they get too big. Do you wear dresses and skirts? I can't do it anymore cause of the venous stasis - but I have a few leftover from a past life. Maybe I will forward them on to you... Better you than the Goodwill! :] Sherry - you might not be joking about that BP med making you gain the pounds... I can gain 3-5 lbs in a DAY from water retention. There is a lot of storage capacity in all those empty fat cells... I am thinking good thoughts for water shedding. :] Mary - Geez - if it isn't one thing, it's another, huh? I hope your DexH can fix the broken car for you. Hugs and feel better. Kat - good luck with the engine light... Mine comes on every time I turn on my air conditioning... I live with the merry glow all summer long. After taking it into the shop for that stinkin' light about 5 times, I figured out when it came on. I could have saved myself a couple thousand dollars if I had figured it out sooner. *sigh* I hope it's an easy fix for you. Cindy - I am sure that I am only contagious on-line... so your latest ailment must have come from one of the 800 people that were crammed into the Cracker Barrell with us on Monday. Sorry you feel poorly. Hugs!! Cass - glad to see you! How are the wedding plans going? Did your sweetheart do anything special for you this year? Darcy - hope you feel better, soon! Good luck with the depression meds... I hear that the new "diet" drugs they are testing are just depression meds in combination with a couple of other things to offset the side effects... so maybe that really will help. Well, I have to run. Duty calls. Love & Hugs to all.

***I just heard of one and got to taste it - it was ok My newly banded friend had one the other day. IDS makes it - it is called New-whey. less than 4 oz of liquid with 42 grams of Protein. I haven't found it in a store yet - I may have to order it on line - but the Orange flavor was doable - and for 176 calories, 42 grams of protein is great. It comes in individual servings in what looks like a little test tube. Be careful, though - the old version only had 25 grams of protein. You have to be sure you are getting the new one.

Hey Y'All A few of us North DFW types are meeting up for coffee on New Year's day at 2PM in Denton.... Cracker Barrell 4008 North Interstate 35, Denton, TX 76207 (940) 382-5277 Mousecrazy, ReneBean and Julestwu will be there... 2PM for coffee and whatever. Any other North DFW folks want to come on down?? We would love to meet you!!

I think killing her with kindness is a good way. You can use the excuse of hating to waste her superior cooking by having to throw it away when nobody eats it. It's sad to think - but maybe she sabatoged your SIL and succeeded. Don't let her succeed on you. Hugs!!

Festive and Beautiful!!! (and I am NOT talking about the TREE, Miss Diane!) Awesome!!!

I don't know about warning labels - but maybe they should ban Fast food ads the same way they have Cigarettes... Seriously - I could have stayed on more diets if I wasn't being bombarded by Big Macs at every turn.... maybe. I just don't think warning labels would help. I mean, isn't clothes shopping for the obese already demeaning enough?

Hi All Not much time today - I just dropped in to say that I posted some pics from our little TX get together in our picture thread. Mandy - I looked at your pup and the name Baxter popped into my head. Don't ask me why... What a cutie! I had the most fabulous time with Cindy & Jules. I can't believe we talked for so long - and it felt like no time had passed at all - but it was getting dark! I think we should do that at least quarterly! We will have to figure out another place, though. The food at the Cracker Barrell is too good... :] Well, my refridgerator is bare, except for some SF popcicles and fudgecicles... which is perfect. All of the Holiday badness is gone - and I have to run so I can get my fill. Love you guys - I will try to catch up later and do personals. Hugs!!!

Ooo - we have two threads... I think everybody else is on the other one... Hugs, Diane! Come on over.