Danistar

Hi I just wanted to add something else that might really help you. An Overeaters Anonymous group. The reason is that you receive lots and lots of fabulous support from everyone else who is going through the same thing, plus you learn so much from working the 12 steps. I am in AA, so I have been able to translate the things that I have learned in AA towards my eating. It's miraculous what happens in a 12 step group....I have learned my best coping skills there. One big thing I have learned about is that stuffing my feelings is not healthy for me and that feelings are not going to kill me. I spent my life stuffing feelings with pills, cigarettes and alcohol and finally food, because I had a big load of pain I was carrying around. OA will teach you how to get through the feelings and the pain and get through to the other side. Soon you will find yourself thinking and feeling and acting differently, and that you have a load of friends to help you through. This is the very best advice I could ever give to anyone. My mottos these days are : Break on through to the other side The only way out is through. Hope this helps you.

One word of advice....why don't you talk to your doc about all of this and see what he says? Huggles

You have asked some good questions here. Have you gone to a surgeon for an opinion? They have a list of co morbidities and the list might surprise you....you may have some you never even thought of. The first step in my opinion is to go to a Lap Band surgeon for a consultation and to get the band rolling. He will tell you if you are a good surgical candidate and also if he thinks you would qualify insurance wise. I went through the same thing....to lose or not to lose while I was waiting to have the surgery. Good luck

If you feel great in the mornings then you ARE doing great without it!!!!!!! I can hardly wait to lose enough weight to ditch mine.

Hi I'm sorry you aren't getting good results with your band. I can understand your frustration! Have you thought about going to a counselor to address your food issues? I had to go through quite a bit of counseling before I could stick to a diet, I wonder if it's the same for you? We tend to stuff feelings with our foods....and not know how to handle the feelings we get when we can't do it. It's a lot better for me now that I have gone through counseling. Just a thought

How miserable to not lose any weight in a year. I really feel for you. Yes I would go to a therapist and find out how to stop the emotional/addictive eating. You can do it! I have given up alcohol, drugs and cigarettes in my lifetime. I go to a 12 step group and it really helps me. Did you get any nutritional classes before you were banded? We got quite a few hours of instruction and it really helped me to understand why my body needs healthy food. Good luck!

I AM SO THRILLED FOR YOU!!!!!!!

Well if you can blend it up in a blender it should be alright, unless there are still pieces of gristle and stuff in it. But then you can strain it and should be able to eat the remainder without any problem. I did eat mac and cheese last night, I didn't have any problem with it because I chewed it up till it was non existent. I had a lovely dinner of a turkey patty boiled in chicken broth along with some sweet potatoes that I could mast up. I just blended up the turkey...it was really juicy and I felt really satisfied after I ate it. Just my two cents worth. Boy Sunsett I am really sorry about your gall bladder attack!

Well I feel a lot better after everyone's comments. I am on the mushy stage and they want me to eat just a few bites at one time. I am RAVENOUS and could eat a whole hog at one sitting. I have no restriction and it's really really hard! thanks for all of your comments....I don't want to regain what I have lost so far but I can't just be eating a couple of oz with no restriction.

Hi My advice is don't give up as well! My Bariatric surgeon had me fill out two complete pages of information regarding my weight loss efforts. This was very complete...I went year by year and all of those efforts really added up. There is always another way. Also I had to have a letter from my doctor which stated how many weight loss efforts I had made over the years, what my co morbities were, and that he felt that I seriously needed the surgery. Does your surgeon do any help when an insurance company turns you down, or haven't you gotten that far? I went to a seminar and learned all of the ins and outs, and the Dr told us that his office would do everything they could to get it covered. Maybe if you find the best surgeon in town he will do this for you and help you to fight. Realistically any insurance co should be willing to, if you have most of the co morbities and you list in the letter all of the drugs you are taking. Please let us know how this turns out. And yes there are always the surgeons in Mexico, but a little wrangling with the insurance company might work. I think there is a whole thread on this. good luck

Wow I can hardly wait to stop taking all of the wretched pills I am taking. Plus a lot of vitamins. They taste horrible in liquids and I can't imagine they will taste any better in applesauce.

Hi, I will add to what the others are saying and say if you can stop, then do it, for the good of your liver. I learned some great tips from my dietician: Eat with a baby spoon, because it takes 20 minutes for the brain to realize that it is time to quit. Have carb, protein and a little fat with each meal and you will feel satisfied better than if you just eat from one food group. Sit at the table and do nothing but eat, and chew it until there is nothing left when you swallow. These things really helped me a lot. And remember, we CAN have our favorite foods after we are healed, just small portions. Thinking of you You can do it

Oh I really feel for you. My doctor just said I had to lose 10 pounds before he would do the surgery, so I ate home made veggie soups all of the time. I am now on the second to the last day of thick liquids and I have been miserable too. I finally made a soup out of a turkey patty and broth and sweet potato and then pureed it down to liquid and I am no longer hungry. I chose the sweet potato because it has a low glycemic index, so your blood sugar doesn't surge up and then go back down. It works for me. Hang in there, take one day at a time and talk about it as much as you need to. But....let's remind ourselves why we are doing this.....for our health and our beauty!!!!!! You know how long the beauty parlor can take, right? Just think over and over that you are doing this for yourself and it's a good thing and tell yourself that you can do it. Hanging right in with you...

Hi I had a wonderful experience with my surgeon in Oak Ridge TN, which is close to Knoxville. I just wondered if anyone out there lives around here? It was great being able to come to my local hospital to have it done. Dr Mc Alexander is awesome, very thorough and careful. I have no criticism at all of how the entire experience was handled. I had ultrasounds of my heart, liver and gallbladder, an Upper GI, XRays and blood tests, a complete 12 hour course in nutrition, and am having excellent followup.

Hi everyone I too have heard no sodas at all. I was wondering if they cause erosion of the band?

Hi Everybody I was banded Sept 12th, almost two weeks ago. I am so thrilled because Monday I get to have MUSHIES!!!!! I was so desperately hungry today that I boiled a turkey patty and cut up sweet potatoes in broth and then liquified it. Oh boy did it taste good. I didn't have any trouble with it, and it gave me some energy. I am 57 and probably have had a bit slower recovery than my younger fellow bandsters, but I feel really good today and am full of joy and happiness. I was worried about keeping my good mood because I was taking SAM-e (an amino acid I get at WalMart) and had to quit it. SAM-e can't be crushed....it won't work so I got on the internet and found another way to make the same neurotransmitters in my brain. I'm doing really well now and very happy with the results. I couldn't stand being on regular antidepressants anymore, too many side effects. I think I am getting over the fatigue really well. Interestingly enough, I had gastric reflux and after the surgery it went away. I am thrilled! My doc told me that it would go away. I guess it might come back if I ever get a fill that's too tight. Danista Banded Sept 12 05 Dr Will McAlexander Oak Ridge TN Lost 24 pounds. 69 to go

I'm so happy for you! I had to quit six years ago when my fiancee had a massive heart attack. Since he had to quit, I wanted to be there for him. I'm so glad that I don't stink anymore or have that terrible breath. Danistar Dr. Will McAlexander Oak Ridge TN Sept 12 05 204 #, 69 to go

I am really worried about your band slipping with this practice. This practice of throwing up after you eat becomes addictive and pretty soon people can't stop. It's really important that you can stop now before your health is ruined. These are some tips I learned in my pre op nutrition classses: They told me to get a baby spoon and fork, and eat tiny bites. It takes twenty minutes for our brain to signal to the body that we are not hungry anymore, so if you can extend the time you are eating, it might be easier for you. Also they told me to just sit and eat, do nothing else while you are eating. That way we can concentrate on every bite and savor it. The other thing the Dietician told us in class is that if you can eat some fat, Protein and carb in one meal, you are satisfied more than if you eat foods separately. Seems to work for me. Another trick is to eat low glycemic index foods that will keep you feeling satisfied for a longer time. Hope this helps! I can really understand why this would be appealing to someone. We are cut off of our main souce of comfort and have not ever had to limit the intake before. It seems like this is a perfect answer, but..... You can get in a world of trouble by vomiting your food. This problem gets worse each time you do it and becomes an obsession and an addiction. If you still have problems with this, I would suggest that you see someone for counseling before your health and your band is ruined. I am rooting for you! Danistar

Hi everyone, Thanks for the great welcome! I had my surgery this past Monday on the 12th, got out of the hospital the next day and have had a good recovery. I had really bad pain the first three days and getting up and down out of bed was really tough until I figured out how to do it....(crawling in on my knees was better than laying down the usual way.) I'm having trouble getting used to the horrible taste of crushed medicine in liquid. Does anyone have any tips? I just about don't even want to take them, except that they are really important. One great thing: My doctor, Dr MacAlexander in Oak Ridge TN ordered a really great anti nausea band for me and I was only queasy a slight bit yesterday after I over did in the heat. He is a great doctor, very thorough and careful. The name of the band is Relief Band, and it sends a little tingle to your nerve in the wrist, which is the Chinese Acuppresure point to prevent nausea. Thanks again for the great support. Do you always have to crush your medications forever? Dani Banded September 12th 05 Dr Mc Alexander Oak Ridge TN

Hi Oh I really sympathize with you. I love bread too, but am allergic to wheat. I ate it anyways because I have so many allergies it left me with nothing to eat. Now I am glad that I won't be able to tolerate it. I think I feel better. Danistar

Thanks for the warm welcome and the advice everyone. Peppermint Patty, I am sorry that you gained back that weight. That would be so upsetting. Hope you are feeling better about things now. Have you gotten over your depression? I haven't gone through that "What do I do with my feelings stage" Probably because I belong to a 12 step group and they help you to learn how to deal with your feelings. I feel bad that you are going through all of this. Did your Doc send you to nutrition classes and are you in a support group at the surgeons office? I was lucky, I am going to my first support group next week. Hang in there How was your fill? I haven't had that yet, am still eating the last week of liquids. Danistar

Hi Everyone I am new to this forum and I sure like it. My name is Dani and I am going to finally have my surgery this coming Monday. I have been holding myself in, not getting excited until I knew it was going to happen. Now I am getting excited. Glad you all are here Dani

Hi My name is Dani and I am new here. I am having my surgery this coming Monday, the 12th of September. I am 57 years old and looking forward to better health. I have almost all of the co morbidities. Dani

Hi I just wanted to share with you that restless legs and snoring are a sign of sleep Apnea, which is a common problem with obesity. If I were you I would check this out. I have Sleep Apnea and feel so much better now that I have the proper treatment, which is using a CPAP machine at night. Dani

Hi I am new. My name is Dani, and I am new here. My surgery date is this coming Monday on the 12th. I am so sorry that you are going through this. I have never been able to stand this, so early on I came up with a plan and it works every time for me. This is what I do: I behave as if I don't even notice that the person has a problem with me. I smile big , of course you will have to wait until you get eye contact! And then I just act like the person is one of my favorite people. I have won over a lot of people this way. I don't think they expect this response and they eventually just start accepting me. Good luck Dani