Wheetsin

Ok ladies, not that I really think we'll need one on that particular day, at that particular time, but I'll set up a reservation for dinner next week. That way if anyone gets there late, they won't have to "find" the table, they can just ask for the reservation. I'll make it under my maiden name, Jones, since no one can pronounce my married name.

Hey Cynthia, challenges are basically just a group of people that aim for some goal together. For instance, I could say we're going to have a "50 by Fall" challenge, and post it, and whomever posted a reply that they were in would be joining in the efforts to lose 50 lbs by fall. In this case, someone who goes by "JQ" (John, I think) started a challenge to lose 11 lbs by August 15... so anyone who wants to try and accomplish that will post to the thread, and usually there's some kind of a "ticker" or special piece you insert in your signature, so everyone knows that you're participating. That probably didn't make things any more clear for you.

I finally figured out how to edit thread titles. I'd been wanting to rename this one for a loooong time, so it became my first victim. :grouphug: ------------------------------ Ok, OT question... I'll give my scenario, but I'm just opening it up for general discussion... How many of you walked in your whatever graduation? Would you do it again? Why did you walk, if you did? Many of you know I'm wrapping up my master's program (or so I think) and plan to start my PhD ASAP afterwards. I never walked for any of my undergraduate degrees. For one, after YEARS in college I was so ready to be done with the place that I didn't want to "look back" at it. For two, I left with some hard feelings... long story but I kinda got screwed by an academic advisor who was fired and hadn't been updating any records or requirements. For three, I'll do anything to avoid the spotlight, so walking across a stage in front of lots o' people isn't really something I look forward to. It always bugged my parents a little. I dunno why - weird parent thing. I had planned to graduate with my master's in August, and wasn't planning to walk. Just today I added another "minor" (aka emphasis) so I will have another years' worth of classes. My mom called to chat and when I mentioned this to her (that'd I'd piled on even more years of school) at first she was like - "I knew you would" - but then she started in about the walking... how I need to do it, how it would make her/my dad so proud, etc. So hopefully at the start of 2008 I will begin my PhD program which means I'll be done around 2026. :eek: I've always known I'd go for my doctorate, and always said I would walk for it, because it's going to be a hell of a lot of work and I "deserve it". I still don't really WANT to, but for the doctorate I think I'll feel a little obligated... but not for the master's... weird... Anyway, did you? Why? Would you again? What did you get out of it that made it something you wanted to do?

OH is a riot. Dr. H has two kinds of reviews there: 1. "He's great!" 2. "He's a cutie pie!" Neither of which helped me in the least when trying to find a surgeon. I ended up going to him after I'd pretty much selected a surgeon in California, and was seriously considering another in St. Louis. I went to Dr. H's info night because a very good friend of mine had RNY with him, and as soon as I told her I was thinking about LB she told me I *had* to go to his info night, that his program was wonderful, and that she didn't want me putting my life in anyone else's hands (we jokingly referred to her as my second mom). Like I said earlier - I'm to this day thrilled with Dr. H. I didn't mention Billie -- poor Billie, she never gets props. Billie is great too. I'd recommend either of them individually in a heart beat.

I can chat this evening... during work hours will be kinda hard though, but I can wing it if needed. :grouphug:

Also, I think I'm in a mini-platuea/stall. :grouphug: But I've been a little slippery with my eating, so it may be good for me - reality check, and incite better eating behaviors. (I've been doing more carbs than I should, about 40 carb/60 protein... I'm a bad, bad girl.)

Hey guys - wow, I was kept much busier this weekend than I thought I would be. A lot of stuff I didn't plan on doing, but ended up doing. You know how it goes. Robyn - I'm so glad you're (hopefully) over the operations and ready to move on, but I'm sorry to hear that you're still in so much discomfort. So you had an EGD done right before the surgery, no erosion but a tear in your stomach (was that from the tubing, or did it allow the tubing through, or two separate things?), and gallstones... so from this point forward it can only be downh hill... Holli - I'm glad to hear you're well, that they figured it out and got it all fixed up. I've heard the same thign as Robyn (3 mos), so you'd better go get DH a pager pretty soon, so he can be on call and ready to go. :grouphug: I think I'm going to be one of those people who just can't eat early in the day, or has to rely on liquid breakfasts. Every time I try to eat before around 11 it hurts so much, even if I pre-heat with a warm liquid. Also looking back, I've had my PBs around the same time of day. And it doesn't matter what I eat, so I can't really link it to the type of food. The only thing they all share is that I was trying to eat around morning time. I had a semi PB this weekend, trying to eat breakfast. When I left the restaurant it was hurting, but just like a stick. Over the course of the drive (about 8 minutes) it worsened, I got the shortness of breath, etc. I would have pulled over but I was only a minute or so from my parents' house. We pulled into the driveway and I made a dash for the grass, dry heaved for about 4 minutes. Got in their house, wretched up saliva, dry heaved for anoher couple of minutes (and hit a point where I officially felt the worst - man, I was miserable... the damn pain I get in my back can really do me in), then very slowly started feeling better. VERY slowly. Normally once I wretch/PB it's pretty instant relief... this time it took me at least 15 - 20 minutes just to feel confident that I was done heaving, and took 2 - 3 hours to feel normal again. OUCH YUCK! Cate - sorry I didn't get a chance to hit the LB sale with you. We only planned on being out of town for one day but it ended up being two and a half days. I did make it to the sale with my mother one of those days we were out of town. I'm actually wearing a 22/24 shirt today! Cynthia - don't sweat the weight gain. Were you using a low carb diet? If so, that sounds about right for a ketosis break! Katt - your surgeon really has to be your decision. I was very pleased with Dr. H, but have not been terribly impressed with some things I've experienced post op. None of them are him directly, but are necessary evils, so to speak, as I'm in his post-care program. I should say - some of them are necessary evils. One of them I am going to make absolutely sure never happens again, period.

Robyn & Holli - best of luck today!!!

Hi, most of your questions are very subjective -- you seem to be looking for concrete answers in an area that has very few. Hopefully this will help a little. whos the best local doctor? This is too subjective to answer, really. Most people tend to think that their surgeon is the best surgeon. OH has a great surgeon search resource, with patient testimonials. Start researching -- you can access it here. Where do I find the nearest seminar? I would suggest you not necessarily focus on nearest, but rather the seminar for the surgeons you want to consider, so this will come after your research. Any surgeon worth their license will require you to go to their seminar, not a seminar. Most surgeons have contact info or their own website, so once you pick a few, arrange to go to their seminars and see what you think. First impressions are important. How much do I have to pay (cash payer)? Depends on the surgeon and "package?. You can ask this when you go to your seminars. How much are fills locally? Depends on the surgeon and "package". You can ask this when you go to your seminars. How long will I need to be off work post op? Depends on you, how you recover, if you experience complications, etc. I missed 3 days of work, some people miss 6 weeks. How do I tell my better half that I am thinking of having the lap band? Again - really up to you. You're the only one who knows how your better half will best receive information, what their initial responses are likely to be, and if you expect conflict - how to best address it. All our better halves are very different, so unfortunately there is no "This is how you do it" answer.

Sounds like you're getting "stuck" - a precursor to a PB. But that's just MHO.

Holli - absolutely! One thing I learned quickly was never turn down clothes. A few weeks after surgery I spent over $1000 on new things (damn LB and their "Real Women Dollars" sales), b/c I had dropped a size and was thrilled, and now every single one of them is too big.

Robyn - I'm speechless. Not so much b/c I have no words, but because they're not fit for public viewing. :speechles That is absurd. Voicemail does not equal adequate care. If there is that much incompetence and ignorance around lapband in the office, then the office needs educating. No excuses, no delays. None. Bariatrics has to be a significant part of their business - I'd think anyway. Am I being naive? Having somthing be a significant component, and having 0 skilled staff in the office able to help is not acceptable - I don't care how creative you are, or how sharpened your spinning skills are, you cannot make it an OK situation. Nor is it for the office manager to have treated you the way she did. Hello -- what village just lost their idiot??? "What is the problem you are having with us?" WTF is that? OMG you are waaaay nicer than I am - that never would have flown with me... and if I'd known that's what you were going through, I would have made sure it wasn't flying with you either. Since our discussions tend to make it into the office -- maybe our reactions to the idiocy, incompotence, and inappropriateness of response to its patients' concerns will make their way too.

Here's another, size 20. *sigh* I felt normal, but had still gained weight at this point. I can remember thinking I was too fat back then.

Ooh, what sale? I haven't heard of it. I'll have to check mail one of these days! The vast majoritu of my smaller clothes are fall/winter. I have very few cute summer pieces. This could be the perfect excuse... *sigh* I miss sz 20. That's my initial goal size b/c it's the last size I felt "normal" at. Ok - bad outfit 'cause I was boarding a plane for a 10 hour flight and comfort was my main goal, but here's me at size 20:

Fry a pound of bacon. Top with cheese. Dip in melted butter or mayo. :heh: I spent a year on the induction phase of Atkins. Here are some add'l recipe tips: Use ground pork rinds for breading, instead of flour or bread crumbs. Or dry parmesan. Both are really good, and you can't taste a difference once fried. I used to do fish, cheese chunks, shrimp, mushrooms... For whatever reason, I found that most generic food items have fewer carbs than name brands of th same thing, as many as 10g per serving fewer. This still wasn't enough to switch me to generic foods, but I thought it was interesting. Flax pancakes Mix 1/2 C ground flax seed meal, 2 eggs, 1/4 C cream, 3tbl cottage cheese, 2 tbl melted butter, 1/4 tsp baking powder. Optionally, add a dash of maple flavoring, vanilla, or malt flavoring. Cook like normal pancakes. Batter should be slightly runny. Jicama fries from LCALI 3 to 6 cups vegetable oil (more or less depending on pot size) 1 medium jicama, peeled Salt Onion powder Garlic powder PaprikaVery thinly slice the jicama, as you would a potato to make chips, then stack a few slices at a time and cut them all into matchstick-sized pieces. Carefully place the chips into the hot oil (use a slotted spoon and wear mitts) and fry until very crispy (just a few minutes will do). Cook in batches, as necessary. Remove and drain on paper towels. Place a heavy pot over medium-high heat and fill with at least 1-inch vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. (Portable deep-fryers at home are great for this, but if you don’t have one, use a candy thermometer – just be careful!) Sprinkle liberally with equal amounts of salt, onion, and garlic powders, and paprika to taste. Toss to coat well and serve immediately. Fake fried apples Cut jicama into thin strips. Sautee in pan with butter. Add sugar free cider mix to taste. Sprinkle with cinnamon and apple pie seasoning. (No amount because it's all to taste)

Hi ofps, this particular thread is for patients of Dr. Hoehn, it's sort of our support group outside of the once monthly meetings... but the Kansas forum is open to anyone in the area. If you're looking for an online group of locals, I would suggest starting a new thread with your area, and just ask if anyone is around. I believe that's how many of the hot & heavy area groups on this board got started. :grouphug:

RObyn - :grouphug:. Have you been checked for ulcers? Do you have any indication whether the bleeding is a result of the wretching? (Many many years ago when I had the stomach flu, my vomiting was so intense it actually tore blood vessels.) Please keep up updated on what you find out! Cynthia - you are way too hard on yourself. Steak, corn, garlic toast aren't bad, and certainly not deserving of anyone yelling at you. You said, "I am having a lot of trouble being good now that I know my band isn't where it should be. Any suggestions?" I would ask you - what difference does it make, to you, whether the band is where it should be or not? What difference has that knowledge made in your life? What does that knowledge mean to you? Answer, and you have somewhere to start from.

I tried to find some good ahi lastnight but it all looked like crap around here. We're having the stuffed chicken breasts, and I'm grilling corn for DH, and sauteed some zucchini & squash for me, and a red/orange/green/yellow bell pepper medley for him. I hate bell peppers. :speechles And I just might splurge tonight and get a fatfree frozen custard. I've really, really been craving one.

Oh bummer. If you do fish I have some good recipes. Of course if you're doing fish, it's probably too late now! I didn't think I'd be home after work (have a group in from out of town, which usually = laate night out) or I would have offered to make you something of your choice for your last supper. Truly! It would have at least fed the kid! I really felt my rstriction the first two or three days, but now I feel back where I was before. The pressure when I swallow is gone, and I haven't gotten stuck - which is a GOOD thing - but the way I WAS feeling it, I figured I'd get stuck a lot more often. I've really been hoping to get to 299 by Jiuly 4. For no particular reason, other than on Atkins I set a goal of "anything under 300" in May or so, for July 4, and never made it! I stuck at 315 for over four months! I thought it would be poetic justice to get to that goal with my band. Here's the interesting comparison: I started Atkins on January 5 2004, and by July 4 - 6 months later - had lost about 67 lbs. In just under 4 months of being banded I've lost 80. Have I said that I love my band yet today?

Robyn - what's your favorite food? I'lls ee if I have any ideas from there...

I was so uninspired for a last meal that we had BLTs. At that point I didn't care about eating, I just wanted my surgery.

Sorry guys, I was offsite for work all day. There was a buffet there, so my lunch was 2 grilled shrimp, a few bites of cottage cheese, a few bites of creamed spinach, one bite of rotisserie chicken, and I had a bit of desert - a tiny bite of peanut butter fudge. Dinner tonight is honey citrus grilled swordfish for me, and I'm grilling some butter stuffed salmon with fresh dill and lemon slices for DH (I can't stand salmon). With steamed baby russet potatoes. I made tomorrow's dinner tonight, too, so we can just throw it on the grill. Chicken breasts, cut in half, stuffed with a pat of butter, asiago cheese, garlic, spinach, a touch of LF cream cheese, and some spices. I hope it comes out good! I think I'm free on the 15th, I'll check with DH when he gets home! We can do whatever, doesn't have to be SS if you aren't liking their menu! Robyn - that SUCKS about the instructions. What do you think the deal is? Think they're just getting too much business for too few people? Speaking of, I referred a few people to Dr. H and suggested they come to the next support group - they're in the "seriously thinking about it" stage. Soon non-bandsters will be the minority. <insert evil laugh here>

Hi Chantay, and welcome to our thread. Please share your concerns and scares. If we didn't go through them ourselves, chances are that we know someone who did and - while we can't take them away - perhaps we can give you some information to rationalize through them, or offer a different perspective. I had surgery w/ Dr. Hoehn March 1 and the only thing I would change is that I wish I'd done it sooner!

Holli, you're having surgery too? I missed it...?

Adding profile pics... eekgad...