notateechanow

Oh, Jaymie---I know how frustrating it is, but don't get over filled!!! I was overfilled for 4 days and thought I was going to die. I couldn't sleep at night because of the reflux. I was so miserable....try going back to the basics for a few days and see if that helps. I've been about 30 pounds from goal for over 5-6 months now. I am really frustrated, but know that eventually, the weight will come off........ Keep up the good work! :wink2: Paige

Susan, I'm so pleased to hear you were able to work things out. I think sometimes, as Kat mentioned earlier, we get so caught up in ourselves in this process and fail to consider our significant others and how our changes affect them. More importantly, you were able to communicate. This experience only highlighted the differences my ex and I had. We were very relatively early into the relationship (only 3 year...) and didn't have a successful foundation to revert to as you did. Good luck with your impending move. Maybe this will be a great opportunity to re-discover the strength of your relationship and your appreciation for one another.

Glad to hear it! Seems like it's been a while.....he's kind of clueless, even if he is really bright! When the time is right, it will happen. :eek: Good luck!

OH, Chris...that's not comfortable at all. I had a few days with that horribly at night, so much so that Tums didn't relieve it. I had an unfill 3 days later and lost 6 pounds. I couldn't even drink Water by the time I had the fill removed! It's just miserable. Cerrin, I'm so glad to hear you've gotten a fill. Sometimes that's all we need to get us back on track. My surgeon doesn't allow anything but liquids for day 1 and soft foods on day 2. Be careful and go slowly...it's strange to have restriction again when it's been a while since you've had it! Good luck! :cursing:

Will anyone be at the Faulkner support group tonight? I don't want to go for a one on one with Phyllis, people..... :thumbup: Jay, you in??

Cerrin, That's probably exactly what you need. Start slowly back at the gym and take it one workout at a time. Get the fill and get back on track. As Chris said, the tool is there for you for whenever you're ready to use it. When you're able to focus on yourself, it'll be there. May today be just the new beginning you need! Good luck! :thumbup: Paige

I'm sorry to hear you're all having such difficulty finding the pain meds. I never even used mine....though I didn't have an issue getting it. Glad to hear you're home and resting, though. Enjoy this time. It's the only time you get a free pass to do nothing. I have to admit that I milked it a bit after surgery. Despite going straight back to work, I "couldn't" carry laundry up the stairs OR scrape the snow off of my SUV for the first month or so. :thumbup: I'm suffering from withdrawal and headed to the beach. No, not to run it or even walk it today---to simply LIE on it! I'm meeting up with my trainer this afternoon so I have to get in a few hours of reading at the beach before hand! Hope some of you might make it to tomorrow's meeting at the Faulkner. Enjoy the beautiful day! :thumbup: Paige

I think I might be ready for a fill...just chowed down on a huge bowl of arroz con frijoles rojos. I shouldn't be able to eat rice, right? Let alone the entire 4 serving bowl.....bad choice, but oh, it was so nice to eat my old foods!!! I have to get back on track......

Let's hope you're heavily medicated...because the link you posted above absolutely shows July, August, and September meetings..... :blushing: I'm planning on going Monday, if for no other reason than it gets me out of going out drinking on a Monday night for a friend's birthday---and let's face it---you can't start off the week going drinking on a Monday!!! I have a track meet the night of the B+W support group meeting, so that's definitely not an option for me. Hope to see you on Monday!

Wow....never thought I'd be someone responding to this, and thankfully I was never married. However, when they talked about this subject at the informational seminar, I sat smugly and happily knowing I'd be with my guy forever. He was the only person who knew about my surgery and supported me in my decision. He waited on me hand and foot during the weeks following my surgery. He was the perfect man who loved me while I was huge and celebrated every success I had, no matter how large or small. I waited for my ring, and I kept waiting. At some point last summer, he started getting annoyed with me. We ate out nearly every meal and he'd get angry with me for being finished eating in just a few minutes. "EAT something, please?!" I realized that he thought he could support me in this, but the reality was that our lives REVOLVED around food---our travels, day trips, vacations, EVERYTHING. We had little else in common. I still love food, but I can't eat much. I left him in November. I realize I wanted more from a relationship and I'd like a chance at having a family. I couldn't keep waiting for him to come around.... So now I'm single. The strangest thing is that when I was fat and single, I at least knew men dated me because they LIKED me. Now, I have to worry that they have other motives. Dating can be fun, but it's a totally different ball game now. I'm far less trusting than I used to be. It wasn't the excitement I hoped for.......sure, men approach me far more now, but for what?! If my ex could have figured out what he had in me, I would have stayed. I needed and still need someone who sees all of my potential and who encourages me to be a better person today than I was yesterday. So, as sad as it is to read this thread...I've lost my smug, bitchy attitude. The "that won't happen to ME" ignorance is gone. I love my new life and wouldn't change my experience for the world, but it's far lonelier than I ever expected.....

Ok...I've looked everywhere online and even called Dr. R.'s office. I got voicemail for Sari, but not for Phyllis. I'm fairly confident that the support group meeting will be on the 2nd Monday of the month, which would be on the 8th. Can anyone confirm that this is accurate??

I've met 2 guys---neither from my state, but both close enough to drive if necessary. One was visiting here on business and we had dinner---our first experience of having dinner with someone else who was banded. The other has become a great friend with possibilities.....it's been a lot of fun to hang out with other people with the band. I don't have to constantly explain myself and my food choices!

Great work! I can't believe you're doing the 3 Day. Would you have imagined that possible a few years ago?! I started running out of desperation to make the scale move again. I found a program online that had intervals of walking and some running that really worked! I had my first 5K in May and--though I swore I'd never do it again, I am signed up for another in 2 weeks. I didn't like the time for my first one, but am so happy to have finished it. I'll be running another one on June 20th, but this time in honor of a close friend who passed of ALS a few years ago. There will be 15 of us running this one. I'm not sure how this will be with the summer weather coming, but hoping to do a little better this time. (The other struggle is not being able to eat Breakfast with all of the races being in the morning! Any suggestions OTHER than Protein shakes?!) Hope you're all well and would love to hear of your progress! :redface: Paige

Congrats, Jay. Hope you'll start to feel a difference! You didn't miss much last night. Mel and I were there, as were like 2-3 other people from our group. The pics were pretty graphic and all I got out of it is that I need to go for a personal consult. Wasn't worth the effort to get there...... I realize I can't make it on the 16th to the support group--our meeting is that night at B+W, right?---if it is, I can't go. Anyone up for the Faulkner on the 8th?

There should be 5---LEAVE the steri strips alone!! DO NOT pull on them or remove them. You have them in lieu of stitches!!! If any strings stick out, trim them with scissors, but do not pull!!! Hope you feel better. I'll be at the LB support group in 2 weeks. Hope you'll make it there! :frown:

BUT of course, Jay!!! I'll be there! You going?

Customs gave me a hard time about my pic in my passport coming home from Aruba last night! Everyone gave me a really hard time using my license, too....but I keep them because they remind me of how far I've come! My favorite compliment, though, was from a complete stranger at the casino who simply told me he thought I was really pretty---while sitting beside his wife. I appreciated it because he wasn't a guy trying to get something, simply a good guy paying a compliment. Very sweet.

My experience was very similar lately---and I'm sorry you're going through that. I strongly suggest you say something to them, in writing even. I think we need to send a strong message that it's not ok. I will say that I'm more apt to get a call back when I leave a very detailed message for Jennifer. If I'm trying to schedule an appointment, I tell her when I can and what days, and ask her to make one accordingly. My issue is that I can't answer the phone during the work day, so we play phone tag. The only way I can get an appointment is by leaving that type of message and explaining why I need it.... Sorry you're going through this. Good luck tomorrow!! :thumbup:

I realize you're relatively new at this, but are you kidding me?! (Teasing, but only a little here...) Beef jerky and chips?! You may consider that you do better with foods that require chewing and start to re-integrate those into your diet. However, you've also mentioned two foods that require a lot of chewing and, at least with chips, aren't hard to eat in smaller amounts---they're already somewhat small to begin with. It's possible that you're not being careful with how well you chew or the size of the bites you're taking. Whenever I'm tighter, I'm forced to remember all that my surgeon told me regarding the size of bites, chewing properly and eating slowly. Do yourself a favor, though, and stay away from the junk. Set yourself up for success. Doing what you've always done in the past will get you what you've always gotten......stay true to yourself and this surgery. I know it's not easy, but relying on eating crap won't help you get healthy. :wink2:

They typically ONLY take out the entire fill for a few reasons: 1) if you go to the emergency room where they're not equipped or skilled as your surgeon. 2) if you had a prolapse or a symptoms of a slipped band. 3) if you have an illness that includes vomiting. Your surgeon will take out a small amount of your fill or even the entire last fill......but you may need that. Your stoma could be very swollen from irritation and may need to heal for a few days. Either way, call your doctor. I was in the same situation for only 4 miserable days, but couldn't even keep liquids down. Sure, I lost 7 pounds, but I couldn't sleep or even lie down as I had reflux when I did. It only gets worse when you menstruate......go back, have some taken out and put your health as a priority. The band is supposed to ease hunger, not control your eating! When used properly, it can be an amazing tool. Good luck, but definitely get a slight un-fill.

I don't know where this new room is, but do know it's cheaper to park beneath the hospital. I drive to Francis Street and (depending on which end you're coming from) it's right below the foyer where we go up to the dr. appointments. Coming from the Brigham Circle end, it's on the right---pull into the entrance (pass the exit first) and bear right to go below and into the garage. It's before the main entrance to the hospital coming from that end....hope that helps! :purplebananna: