Desdemona

ifyourstomachoffendsyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRADULATIONS!!!!! :confused: YES!!! I agree with Cheri! Tell us MORE! We want a story about your journey. Please give us a blow-by-blow of your history and how you did it. It's still early in the year and we need your inspiration for encouragement.

Hi Laurel-- Congrats on getting your appointment date. It's a really good and important decision. We all were banded in March 2008. Generally, when people are preparing to get banded -- someone begins a thread for everyone in the month. It's fun and very useful to start a thread where everyone is starting and progressing together. That way --- everyone finds that they are going through the same thing. There are also mentoring threads on this site for people who are starting out. We are slow right now. Not too many of our March 2008 (Shamrocks) are checking in. If you want to hang out with us that's fine but do check out other areas of board so that you can find the threads that seem to feel right for you. I'm willing to answer any of your questions and I think other Shamrocks will help as well.

Oh My ---- Harley --- he's a SWEETIE POP! Do you take him on walks to help with exercise? I find that they are so full of energy that they really need to get outside to burn it off. Are pinchers very vocal? I took my pup straight from the rescue place to puppy training class because although she was 7 mos, she hadn't had much socialization. She's was friendly but had SUCH A BIG MOUTH (at all of 10.4 lbs)!!! They had to put little blinders on her to keep her from disrupting the whole class. In the end -- she won first prize as most IMPROVED pup! She even beat out the pit bull pup for the prize! She's STILL a handful. I seem to have lost a half inch of my waist this week.

OK ---- I can clearly see I'm going to have to upload a picture of my pup! well -- I still haven't gotten on the scale because I'm the kind that if I step on it once -- I'll be on it 15 times a day and turning it in all directions to see if it weight less if I point it northeast as opposed to southwest. I do know that I'm losing again because I can feel it and see it in my clothes. I'm going to wait until I go back to the MD on 2/25 and see how much I lost from my 1/7 appointment. Meanwhile --I'm STILL not exercising and that is BAD. I'm BAD, BAD, BAD to the BONE!! Gotta get movin'!!!

MsShay---so you lost 16lbs in a month? That's good for your first month! In the next few wks and months you'll get adjustments to your band and lose more weight. If you can do better at exercise than I do -- it will go faster. I lost pretty fast without exercise (50 lbs) within the first several months and I'm only 5 ft tall. So now I have to WORK if I want to loss the rest. But there's no doubt that exercise is best -- even if it's walking. As far as health improvements -- you WILL see it!!! I had sleep apnea, high blood pressure, gastric disorders, high cholesterol and triglycerides, numbness, degenerative disc disease and pain in joints and muscles from head to foot. It's all gone except for the disc but most of that pain is gone. No more med! I can do turn, twist, do things and go places that I haven't gone in years. I have as much energy as I did when I was 30. I'd forgotten what a joy life can be and now I have it back. Hang in there -- and you will have it too. Best wishes.

Well -- I have finally been able to stay on the darn bandwagon for a few weeks (low carb) and it looks like it's paying off. It feels like a NEW YEAR!! Hello 2010 --- goodbye 30lbs!!!! I also am almost back to Planet Fitness. I did my prepping with them and I think I'm going to be able to drag myself there to exercise tomorrow. I'm not going to try to be a hero. I'll be happy if I can just get on the treadmill and walk a bit. How is everyone else out there?

Hey Harley! New dog -- new life---new bod! You sound chipper and I'm happy to see it. You've paid your dues -- and now you're gonna reap the rewards! Just imagine --- it will be summer soon and you and your pup can go cruzin. Yes. I know EXACTLY how you feel about the pup. I got mine last Jan when things were tough. We BOTH needed some love. She has touched my heart and helped me over the rough spot--and I was able to give her the good home she needed/deserved. I guess we're gonna have start posting our pups pictures! Congrats on your 3lbs.

What's interesting about your question is your comment that you are having some trouble with solid protein (swallowing) but that your tummy is still hungry. You also mention that you can eat quite a bit of semi mushies like Turkey Chili. Ariel Ortiz Lagardere is the main developer of the LAP-BAND. He has a book, 'Lap-Band® for Life" that is useful. One important point he makes is that the lap-band is made for solid foods (especially proteins). He says you can eat a LOT of liquid, soft and semi soft foods and you can get fat -- or you will at least slow your weight loss by doing that. He says to stay away from soups, soft foods, drinks or you will "fool" the band. The soft food goes down easy and gets digested fast so you are hungry fast. The fact that solid protein goes down slowly shows that your band is properly adjusted. You don't want it tighter because if it's too tight it can do very serious damage to your esophagus. When you chew that solid food well and it goes down slowly -- it will sit in your stomach for quite a while. I have noticed that when I stick with lower amount of carbs and rely on solid protein and veggies I don't get hungry. When I go more for soft foods (that have more carbs) I get hungry. Ortiz says that if you are actually hungry then your body wants/needs more solid protein. He also says that it might be better for you to have 4 or 5 very light meals (snacks) a day than 2 or 3 meals. You will end up with fewer calories and no hunger if you eat frequently. I do keep a low carb protein drink, a small packet of nuts, and a small foil wrapped stick of cheese with me at all times in case I need protein or a snack. I also have it handy if I get a strong craving. One of those snacks with a cup of tea or coffee will take care of you. (Remember that if you are eating a lot of sugar/carbs then it makes your glucose level rise and that will make you feel hungry.) There are days -- I probably eat 2 very light meals and a snack in the eve. Other days -- I'm hungrier and end up eating 5 light meal/snacks. If you ARE eating solids and don't feel ANY tightness as you are eating solids and you are STILL hungry ---(and if you are NOT eating a lot of sugars and carbs that would make your blood sugar rise and make you hungry)-- you probably need a fill. If your MD says no ---SMACK HIM ONE!!!!! Best Wishes.

OOOOOHHHHHH NOOOOO!!!!! I JUST joined Planet Fitness thinking that, FOR SURE, all I needed to do was get on a treadmill and cycle and it would take care of the belly fat within several months!!! You hired a personal trainer for all that time and it didn't work???!!!!! OMG!!!! But ---do you mean that exercise didn't get rid of the big belly --- or do you mean that you just have hanging skin from losing all the fat off of your belly?? My shoulders,arms, backside, legs, face, neck --even thighs are ALMOST where they should be. I still do have SOME fat on my upper arms and thighs but it's seems to be slowly going. I'm 5 ft tall and still at least 30-35lbs overweight. I'd say that 20-25lbs of that is actually sitting in my abdomen. I have been doing some reading and it sound like the fat that is there is mostly visceral fat which is the worst kind. I'm worried about that. When they do a tummy tuck -isn't that the removal of loose skin with some subcutaneous fat? It sounds like the visceral fat is deposited between the internal organs in the abdomen. They don't remove that ---do they?? I'm hoping that I can get rid of it without a tummy tuck. Now I'm wondering if that's possible.

I agree that it's better to have leaner proteins. There have been times that I have indulged things like hot chocolate made with light cream or tons of avocado and pork rinds. I don't think that was good. The quality lean proteins and a nice variety of veggies is good. I'm trying to be good. One thing is that I will have to build in time for exercising. I HATE exercise ---and it's shows!.

Christine--The PS ---ESPECIALLY -- the B Reduction is remarkable. They say that B reduction has the highest satisfaction rate of all operations. I can say that it's true for me. I can't believe how much better I feel. I can look down and see my stomach. I can tuck my blouse in. I don't slouch to hide them anymore --- or try to pack them down. It's SO MUCH easier to move around and reach. I have more energy and motivation now to lose more weight. Everyone says I look like I lost a lot of weight just from the reduction. I look younger. And the strange thing is the chin, neck and upper arm area have tightened up since the reduction. I'm wondering if that is because my breast are not pulling on those areas. He also sucked out fat in the B area when he was in there so I'm wondering if somehow the fat in the arms and chin where able to redistribute because he freed "made more room" in the chest area. My pup, Dodie, is one of the very best things I did this last year. She's a rescue Schnauzer mix. I found her on petfinders.com and drove out to northern Missouri to pick her up. She's 12.5lbs now and a ball of energy and curiosity. It's deeply satisfying to know that my love and protection has helped her change from being an insecure, anxious, ill behaved pup to a wonderful companion. She is so loving and cuddly when she isn't being a little monster. But --really -- I do think that she has also helped me get through a difficult time. She has touched my heart in a time with I could have closed down. It's so important that we try to find our joys in the mist of worries and stress that we are facing. It's better than eating our way through it -- huh?

hungry4help!!!!!!!--WHOAAAA Mama!!!!!! You been busy girl!!! That's great! I been sitting here for a few hrs on this site trying to understand my belly and I've been looking for people like you who are near (or at goal) to ask about your experience with belly fat. I have lost a lot of weight and I know I must have lost a lot in the belly because I went from a size 20 jean to a 12. But I still have this belly and I have another 30lbs to go. I'll bet that about 20-25 of what I need to lose is located in my abdomen! A lot of people on this site are saying that they are not losing in the belly. Others are saying it's the last to go. Other are saying it will never really go without surgery because older women will have belly fat anyway. So I thought I'd like to ask people who have lost weight. Are you holding onto belly fat? When did you lose it? Do you think it will go by the time you get to goal?

Hi Lynn---But I really have been admiring the way you have always hung in there ever since we got banded. I think you have just been doing great. I know you have had your share of "trials and tribulations" on this journey but you just keep plugging away. I pretty much keep up with what you're up to and I'm always motivated by you. Really! That's the truth. Christine--sorry to hear you're husband's going to be away. A member of my family spent 2 years there in the early Peace Corps Days (mid 1960s) in a mobile unit vaccinating against small pox. Does your husband speak Farsi? She is still very close to the all female group of vaccinators she served with there. I have gone through the same thing (being away from the board and not being that good about food) but I'm pleased to say that I really didn't gain much either. I do think it helped a lot that I finally found some stability to the crazy situation I was in for about 2 yrs. That does help us to calm down and think about our goals. I finally got so scared and disappointed in myself enough to come back and link up with people. I"m really psyched. Thanks for coming back.

gdf18--that's good. I'm on day 4 of being back on the wagon and I can feel the difference already. I'm particularly sensitive to carbs. If I get into more than a few of them a day --- it really starts cravings in me and I lose it. If I stay away from them then I don't feel either the head hunger or the belly hunger. The other thing that surprises me to no end is that when I keep the carbs low I find that my darn band seems to work better??! It just doesn't take much food to fill me up. I need more snacks so that I eat very little 4 or 5 times a day but that still comes to far less food/calories than when I'm eating large meals with carbs. I know everyone is different and has a different feeling about how little is too little carbs -- but I'm just saying that this seems to work for me and it might be useful for someone else who feels stuck. Gralda --I'm with Indigo. I really know what you mean about being worried about esophogel errosion and cancer. I knew 3 people who died of it too. It's a bad way to go (not that there's a good way but at least there are probably less scary ways). I want to reach goal but not at the cost of doing serious injury to my esophagus. I also think that caffeine, smoking, or using aspirin, Ativan, or certain medications that can irritate the little stomach lining can cause it. If you aren't using any of that ----are you under a lot of stress? The MD could give you a prescription. But if none of that works -- please do whatever is needed (including letting fill out) if that's what it takes to make you safe.

HELLO?????!!! Do we have any March 08 Shamrocks out there lurking? Come on in and join us!

Special---you don't necessarily need a lot of time documenting --particularly if you have any type of condition that can be assessed now. In my case, I never went to an MD regarding breast pain. I had discussed it once before w/my primary care but I don't even think that was in the notes. What I DID have was a hx of pain --in joints. I was sent for an MRI and X-rays several yrs ago that showed that the pain was associated with degenerative disc disease in my neck --- C 4-6. It's fairly common as people get older and especially true for women with oversized breasts and then it is worse for women who have been overweight. The cost of spine surg is very high and of course we (and more importantly - your ins co) does NOT want the condition to get worse because they don't want to pay for that. Recent research does show that Breast Reduction does significantly help that situation. Studies are also showing that there is a lower risk or death from B cancer with B reductions. So -- if you have pain in your neck, upper arms, or upper back, I urge you to complain about it to your primary care and have the area x-rayed. If you have degeneration -- you have a good case. If you have any bra strap marks on your shoulders that is also evidence and they will take a picture of it. If you have posture problems that should be noted. A reduction will also make it easier for you to exercise and get around. It really will. So I also did state that my breast did make it harder, (more uncomfortable) to exercise. I'm only 5 ft tall so even though I have always had larger and heavier breast and they were quite dense I actually didn't have a lot taken off. I had less than 300gs removed from each breast. Normally that is too little for ins co. but most companies do take your height into consideration. It used to be that they wouldn't pay for it unless it was at least 300. Studies show that short women can have large breast but 300gs can be too much to remove. Now -- because of the studies that show improvement of the spine for smaller women who have less than 300g removed -- they will still pay for it. IOnce I lost weight - they were hanging. I honestly believe that I gained weight, in part, because I was always so self-conscious so I also talk with my PS about that and he wrote it down.. Most people end up losing more weight after they get the reduction because they get more active and because they feel so much better that they are motivated. That is what has happened to me. I look younger. I feel younger. I'm motivated to be everything I can be. Stay in touch and let me know how it's coming along for you. You will want to see whoever makes it comfortable for you. I would have seen a women too but a man was the best local 1 available for my ins plan. If you do end up seeing a man about this --- remember that they look at them all day long. They just aren't very thrilled to see my breast. Knowing that helped me. I'm on day 4 of my new dieting program and it's coming along well. I do not weigh in at home. I weight for the MD because if I start at home -- I weight in about 20 times a day and start driving myself crazy. I just go by my clothes and I know that if I do what I'm suppose to do then I lose weight and I feel better than if I eat carbs.

I'm really glad to see so many posts today. It feels like we are all on the wagon again. I made it through day 3. Now for 4.

Hmmm--this sounds good-- outside. I've never seen a recipe like this before. It's nice to have things that you can just grab. Especially when you're on the go like I am. And I think that recipes like this one are less likely to cause stalls like a lot of those processed low carb products. I can do fairly well on the Atkins protein bars so long as I don't have more than a few a week. The Drinks work better than the bars because they don't have the sugar alcohol like the bars do.

ifyourstomachoffendsyou---That is GREAT! Wish I was there with you! Thanks Janet --I made it through day 2. Now I'm going to bed and looking for day 3 tomorrow. I got to catch up with ifyourstomachoffendsyou!!!

Mended my ways --1 day down! Now going to bed and gonna shoot for day 2 tomorrow!

I think it's true that we don't realize how much stress we feel until after we are out from under it. When we are in the moment we just have to get up and keep going so we try our best not to feel the pain. But the good news, Special, is that we seem to be in a better --more hopeful---place. I WAS in control but in the last wk or so --- I fell off the wagon. Now I seem to be back on it. I had some dental surgery and I think it started with 1 day of ice-cream. Then it still hurt so I kept it up with cool soft, fatty foods. My jaw still hurts. I don't feel like chewing and I want something to soothe it. But I have been good with food today. I have only had B reduction. United Health care paid it because I have spinal degenerative disc disease. The pain and bra strap marks were there. I asked the MD how much it would be if the ins didn't pay. He said about 5K if out of pocket. He also told me that that was about standard but the hospital also will negotiate the price. If you are thinking of PS and hope for ins coverage--I think it would be good to do it ASAP because I think the ins companies will start cutting or denying as many health care benefits as they can. I'm even wondering how long it will be before they start refusing to do WLS. They are getting very worried about their profits. I'm very amazed and pleased to find that Grandma's genes are with me! I started at 100lbs overweight at 57 yrs. I have been overweight many years but my skin is blessedly tight. I do still have hanging fat on my upper arms but far less than there was. It looks like my arms will be livable if I reach goal. I told my plastic surg, that I'd like to do something with my face and neck when I reach goal. He said he could do a little but he doesn't think it will take much. I'll have to pay for that and I don't think it will be cheap.

HeatherO- The thing about research that a lot of people don't realize is that the media doesn't use it properly. They are always reporting the results of an individual study here and there and they make people think that the study proves something. That's why the public is getting so confused/frustrated about what to do to avoid cancer. It's not that easy for research to get to the bottom of what's going on. It takes quite a few very well conducted studies over a long period of time to support a statement. The truth is (like Hammer suggests) the body of research done on low carb over the last several years is really starting to show that carbs not only make us fat -- they are also unhealthy. You don't have to have a Ph.D (I do) to know that Grandma was right when she said that if you want to lose weight you have to leave the bread, potatoes, soda, cake and candy alone. Grandma always said eat your veggies, meat and you can have a little fresh fruit for a snack. It just makes good sense. Protein and veggies and fruit contain most of the nutrition we need. Starches and sugar (especially the man made processed ones that they have been pushing since the 1960s are not nutritious and are not natural food. It takes 40,000 yrs for a gene to mutate. Our bodies just don't know what to do with all that processed starch and sugar that we are eating. Maybe most doctors don't know but the ones who are staying up on their research do know. We can do very nicely without more than 40 or 50 grams a day and more than a couple hundred is down right bad for us. I got my band at a large teaching and research hospital. The MDs there strongly support low carb. They tell everyone who gets the band or bypass with them what my Grandma said --- to eat protein, veggies, fruit and leave the starches, sugars and processed foods alone. I have also seen a leading neuroendocrinology surgeon at Harvard School of Medicine. He told me not to ever let anyone tell me that low carb was bad. He actually told me that, specifically, Robert Atkins was RIGHT! He says it's the best diet possible and that all these carbs are reeking terrible problems with our endocrine systems (hormores) and promoting serious diseases. They are showing connections with too many carbs and obesity, cancer, diabetes, MS etc.

ME TOO!!! I was so good there for about 2 weeks and now I'm doing TERRIBLE! I'm going to bed and when I get up I'm gonna mend my ways!

Hi NYSparklegirl--- It's good to see you're excitement. I agree with Special. The thing that is very powerful about doing these threads is when you can see that everyone (or at least most) of the people on the thread seem to be going through the same thing. There are certain "themes" to each part of the band journey and when you can see that others around you are going through exactly what you are going through - you don't feel alone. It's fun because you almost feel like your in with a bunch of kids who are all excited on a trip. It can be helpful for you to peak at other sites so long as you don't worry too much when you see people expressing frustration. But what will be the most fun and help is establishing a March 1010 thread. Ours began a few months BEFORE we were banded. You can do that and attract a group that is preparing like you are and help each other get through. As your March thread picks up over the next several months -- you'll have a blast! Also --don't forget that as you start it -- the early people will be able to think up a cool nickname for their group. Also remember --to look at the Mentoring Links on the home page. There are some good ones. I suggests Indigo. Best!!!

Want To Be Thin --Glad to hear it's warming up a bit. My heart is really going out to those poor farmers down there -- they've been getting really slammed. Well --- today I blew it. I'm in the process of getting a tooth implant. Several mos ago they did a bone graft and put some steel base in my lower jaw. Today I went back to have it re-opened so they could put some other gizmo in there. Next they'll build the implant on that. SO -- well ---what can I say---I had a cup of coffee and a low carb Atkins protein drink this AM. I didn't get home until supper time and had bowl of canned ham and split pea soup and then . . . . . . 2 bowls of coffee ice cream with sugar free whipped cream!!!! I know. BAD!! BAD TO THE BONE (sos to speak!!!). But the swelling is going down. I'll have to do better tomorrow.