WLSResources/ClothingExch

I trusted my surgeon, who has since stopped doing bariatrics, to the end of night. She did my band (twice) and, two months later, I returned to have her pluck out my gall bladder rather than going to a surgeon at a fine hospital closer to home. (The band surgeon is only about seven miles away, but, if you know life here, it feels almost like going to Philadelphia.) That said, I did not follow silently and sheep-like. As an adult, I wanted to understand what was being done and why. I asked, she answered. Deep trust and expecting to know are not mutually exclusive. If I were a surgeon, I'd turn away anyone who didn't want to know: "Hello, hello. Are you in there?" Makes me shudder. As to food choices and habits, I worked with the RD. She gave me info in advance for the first month post-op and, when it was time, info on eating immediately following adjustments, after the occasional 'stuck' episode and the rest. I took a few detours which I'd carefully considered and had no problems.

@@Inner Surfer Girl: "To us. Who cares about him!" That's m'girl.

@@kerryberry16 If the surgeon you'd be using doesn't provide a support group, ask at other offices in your area. I'd think that, as in the U.S., they all welcome patients from other practices. I've heard only twice of practices somewhere in the U.S. that don't.

@@jaysmm, thanks for replying to the reason for your surgery. Based on what you know about pcos and, I expect, your trust in your doctor, you know the answer to your rhetorical question, yes?

ISG, to us or to him?

Hello to you, too, Jaysmm. I can tell all the way from here that you're a "she," not a "they." I shall not venture a direct response to the title of your topic, as I have no idea and, more to the point, I believe you intended the question for yourself. Please banish "only" from your weight-loss vocabulary. Weight lost is weight lost: That is the goal. In fact, you're off to a good start. I don't know what you were expecting or why, but for your own comfort level, it's important to have realistic expectations which is another somewhat vague thing. We all lose at different rates and patterns and it's common for people of lower weight to lose more slowly. In the case of similarities, someone else of your height and starting weight will also lose at a rate and pattern different from yours. You're in good shape. There's no turning back. This is a good time to regroup, reorder your thinking and claim your power. If your surgery practice has a support group, you might find it helpful to talk with others in the in-person setting. You can also benefit by sharing experiences here. May I ask why you had surgery? [You're under no obligation to answer.]

Petty, hell, yes. And what's wrong with "petty," I should like to know? Seriously, it is petty and, as someone already said, quite human, gloriously, dizzyingly human. Since it's been a while since you've seen your husband, would you have a legitimate reason to send him a photo? That would work better for your head-highness, I think. If not, does someone else who'll be at the wedding have contact with him? I understand the temptation, but I'm wondering if you might feel even better if you let the idea go -- lower the level of importance he has in your day-to-day thoughts and functioning. Hell, send me the picture and I'll get it to him! I guess I'm torn on the issue. Anyway, back to important things. Your dress is pretty, very nice choice. Silver sandals will do it. While you're shoe-shopping, also consider champagne or pewter, whether sandals, slingbacks or open-toed. I'd prefer something that shows at least some foot, sexier than a closed shoe. If you choose open-toed, hope for a pair that shows some toe "cleavage." Lots of people, including men people, think it looks sexy. You'll be a dancing queen.

@@kerryberry16, you'll find lots of info around that will help you frame your questions to the surgeon and staff. Start with the "Resources" tab, above, and scroll the list of topics under its first opition, "Weight Loss Surgery Info." If the surgery practice offers support groups to patients, you may find it especially worthwhile to talk and ask in an in-person setting. The groups are intended to serve those who have had surgery and those who are exploring. G usually are facilitated by a staff member, others by the people themselves. Another option is to attend another/more group seminars, as by now you have questions that hadn't occurred to you the first time around.

Use them the way you would have any regular syrup. For the sake of consistency, however, keep in mind that Torani is liquid, not a thickened product. It's nothing I'd give to a guest because it looks not so great, but is dessert-y in a way that satisfies me: Mush together about 1/3 med. banana, 1 T Peanut Butter and a splash of Torani chocolate (or flavor you'd like with banana & PB). Check the Torani website; it may have "recipes" of a substantial nature (I'd be surprised), if that's what you're hoping for. If that was you who asked about size availability a few days ago, you may already have been.

With regard to @@James Marusek's note -- For someone who is taking supplements or other meds in powder form and must drink refill after refill liquid because the powder settles to the bottom of the glass: It should help to take a gulp, stir well, gulp, stir well and so on until the powder and one glass of liquid are down. That is, if refilling the glass a couple or more times is more than a person can stand at one sitting. Minor correction: It is the pharmacist who can advise on crushability (the mfr's website should give the answer, too). It's the surgery practice that I'd talk to about their prohibitions of whole pills at various times or forever. Alternately, ask the surgery people, if you wish, but definitely verify with the pharmacist.

I can't speak definitively about your insurer or any other, but I have no doubt on Earth that, were you to approach your medical insurer about "augmentation," you'd be slapped down hard and perhaps get them suspicious were you to with the vocabulary they speak. Augmentation will be seen as cosmetic and nothing but cosmetic. What is wanted is more along the line of reconstructive (and I'm not positive that that's the word to present to them; a reconstructive surgeon knows the lingo) surgery to correct deflated balloons flapping against one's abdomen, causing, perhaps among other things, a climate conducive to candidiasis intertrigo, the infection you're speaking of. Some plans will cover such surgery, others not. You want documentation as backup: Date-stamped photos of the affected area (if you don't get the infection under the belly overhang, good for you); dermatologist visits each time you have recurrence; prescriptions for nystatin-triamcinolone cream.

I hope you checked with your pharmacist to be sure it's okay to crush those two meds; some should not be crushed. L.thyroxine is so small. Did you run it by your surgery people? They may tell you to swallow it intact.

Not I, but I do know that it's not uncommon. Bariatric surgeons repair the hiatal hernia at the time of bariatric surgery. I understand that it's quite a minor thing with nothing added from which to recover. Now that you have me thinking about it, the GI who did my pre-surgery endoscopy told me that I had a hiatal hernia. I let my surgeon know. She said something along the line of "No big deal. I'll take care of it." After surgery, I asked about it and was told that she saw no sign of HH while she'd been mucking about with my insides.

Why wait until after the workout to drink? Drink smaller amounts during as doable. Example, trowel, trowel, trowel, Water bottle, trowel.....

"More wrong?" I couldn't guess how to calculate wrongness or rightness or correctness in this arena. It's likely that she's at the gym in service to her eating disorder. I can't help but wonder whether she, like so many bariatric and obese people, fears being judged?

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Drinking Water isn't something I'd do when stuck. It won't wash the food down and is just something else that may have to come back up. Lately when I've been stuck, it's passed on its own. In the past, when I had to assist stuck food in coming up, I'd eat again right away. I recall, however, being told way back at my practice to do either soft food or liquids (can't recall the recommendation) for the rest of the day.

P.S. You can do quite a bit of reading and video-viewing (for proper form) at sparkpeople.com and livestrong.com. Spark has loads of articles including those for people who are gearing up to exercise.

Not to be scared. The gas is expected. It will take as long as it takes to become history. Try walking, taking into account that your incisions are new. Good tip: For the time that the incisions are sore, press a pillow firmly yet gently against them when you cough, sneeze or laugh. The pillow will brace you for the little jolts.

Kill the black shoes. You're 33, not 87 with one foot on a banana peel. If you say whether the wedding is day or eve and what sort of place it's being held at and give an idea of what your dress looks like, it'll be easier to give you some good ideas. If you choose to fill in the information, please click my "mention" so that I know.

You want to enjoy your new undertaking; it's a discovery voyage. As a clueless person, you'll do well to join a Y, community center or private gym that includes a free session or two with a CPT at sign-up. Get started and, if you still feel the need for guidance when you're ready to step it up, pay for another session or two. I think a gym is intimidating only when you don't what you're doing and looking at. You'll not be the only beginner. Most people who are advanced at considerate if not helpful. They haven't forgotten their virgin days. Anyone who looks at you in a sneery fashion deserves to dwell in that mentality. When it comes the all the strength machines, it's important to know which to stay away from as a newcomer and until muscles in certain parts are in good shape. Otherwise you're courting injury. This is why a trainer is important. You also want a trainer so that you learn how to adjust and use the machines properly. Speaking in basic terms, you do want to do cardio and strength...in that order. Schedule yourself for two or three days of rest during a week. Muscles need recovery time. I doubt that you'll need "ridiculously low weights." If you can lift that baby with one hand, you're a powerhouse. Sort of. Even if you need two hands, you're a powerhouse. Where you start is less important than where you're headed. Think "Tiger." Grrrr.

@Dub@Djmohr I am so glad that you "liked" my note above. You might have liked the pics I'd planned to post, but, as you voted against, tant pis. Beside, I think someone cracked the real Dub's log-in because he'd made a big announcement about taking off for an indefinite period.

Help! I just saved some pics into my downloads. Now what do I do? I never remember. Putting my cursor on "My Media" doesn't give me the "browse"option, nor does the "image" icon. @@Dub, "No, it's not Water. You seem to be retaining food." is a knockout.

You'll get there. I just now noticed your numbers, i.e., starting weight and BMI. May I ask how you arrived at surgery? Only if you feel like saying; I don't pressure and I don't speculate.

@@Dr. Gail Altschuler MD is right on. The adjustment process is more art than science. Beyond that, 10 people will describe 10 different experiences along the way. It may take a number of adjustments before your band is at a level that makes it an optimal partner for you; it may take few. I didn't know that each band has a recommended fill pattern. That's interesting and it makes sense. I suppose I thought it was a matter of guesstimating based on a patient's descriptions and fill history and the professional's experience with a particular band. @@calgary, pay attention to how you feel over the few days after each fill. It may be that the cup of Water you drink immediately after a fill goes down comfortably, but the next day, liquids and/or foods are too difficult. Since I've been banded I've encountered a few people who preferred the discomfort, even pain, in favor of more rapid weight loss. I think they're nuts. food should be pleasurable and losing weight should feel happy, not like punishment.