Victoriana

If your having a hard time deciding which appetizer to order for your dinner main course you might be a banster!

Scary thought for me, I have one son that is 300lb, one that is 175 and one at 180. I would like to lose any one of two smaller ones!!

Hello again, 51 and feeling pretty good, I'm working on getting used to my fickle band, one day I can eat just about anything, (even if I dont!) and the next day its hard to eat anything. More good days than bad lately. In down a total of 43 lbs now, I haven't exercised much, dealing with many allergies, breathing. Seems strange. I Hope your surgery goes well, I have faith that it will! Let us know as soon as you feel like posting again and let us hear of your experience OK?

What about Band X ( not spandex )

I forgot to say that we believe that love doesn't depend on finding the right person, Its more like being the right person first.

My hubby and I believe that love is a choice that is continued by commitment. Sure there are emotions involved, but emotions are the caboose, the choice to remain committed is the locomotive. If the emotions lead the way, then our relationship wil be as fickle as the weather. What is so amazing is that once we got through a couple of really tough times and looked back we discovered a very sweet trust that is shared by a simple look across the room. We Cherish our love and we guard it. We share all or our emotions with each other, sometimes after they cool off, but we recognize our needs and ask each other if they can meet them, never expecting the other to be a mind reader. Our drive to stay committed is because of our deep faith in Christ Jesus, we both know what forgiveness means and we both know what grace is. We had only 6 weeks of dating then 6 weeks of engagement, There was so much to his honesty and character that I loved. Those values are very important to me and once I knew they were his strong points, I was hooked! (never mind that he was drop dead hunky to me) lol. Even if we were never married, I knew we would be friends for life. So we are planning to do something for our 25 anniversary. I feel like we are just getting started.

You know It hurts to grieve a loss. Your doing the very best thing you can do for yourself. letting your emotions be validated, ask for help and step back and think about ways to get your needs filled. One of the biggest contributors to depression is not allowing your emotions to surface and pass. Another great cause for depression is not expressing when you have a need. Just ask Friends if they can meet your need. Sometimes they wont be able to but you would be surprised at how often and willing they are to meet your needs. Its freedom. And its human. We must live in relationship to each other. Isolation is dangerous. I cried too. I am usually the strong one about things. I found out that crying actually produces chemicals that make us feel good. I think they are called endorphins. (I'm not sure) but I am so relaxed after crying. At first I thought that it was exhaustion. But it was more like peace. You are doling exactly what a lot of us did preband, but after band things start to feel different and better. Your doing good even if it doesnt feel like it.

You know that not all brands are standardized fits. I have clothes that range from 18 to 26. It really can be frustrating when I shop. Dint think about the size numbers. you body will continue to compact after you stop loosing weight. THAT will be amazing! The stretchy clothes that I bought for comfort are the ones that are a bigger size, and I can still wear them. But I feel so much better and the fits are better too. Please dint focus on the size numbers. Its hard I know because we want gratification to remain motivated. I guess I can say that I want microwave solutions for slow cook recipes. Give yourself a pat on the back, your weight loss is great!!!

Dear Vines, You are so right!! I love to paint, make jewelry, arrange flowers, garden, read, My dh and I actually did learn ballroom dancing but he has sixteen left feet! I love to create anything with my hands, I love to decorate, I'm a pacrat, and thats the trouble. I cant throw anything away since I can think of a million things to do with it. I have actually taken up every square inch of storage. This has stymied my ability to do anything crafty. But I know what to do with it all. I have been emotionally liberated. I will keep only the barest of essentials. Tools, foundational supplies. Out goes the pieces, parts and oddballs. I am starting the sorting, purging and pricing. I have a friend that will sell some of these th lings on EBAY. When this summer is over I plan on settling down to a cozy dark winter with newfound inspiration. What I do want to learn is belly dancing. I think I'm turning another season in my life, only about the 500th. Its funny, the older I get, the more curious I become. I also believe that I will resume painting. I still paint in my dreams. Its amazing to me what the brain does to keep itself fertile. Good Call!

What i need is a good shot in the arm. I seem to do OK in first part of the day but after about 5 I begin to go nuts. munchin and picking, Its like I'm on a hunt for something and I cant figure it out. I know its OK to take a break for a day or two and get back on the wagon, but I don't know what it really is that I want. Ice cream has no pull, I don't want candy,I don't want good food, I cant seem to find anything. I went to the grocery store and thought I could buy one of everything but I really don't want to but I want SOMETHING. What is it? (and don't say sex either, I know thats not it:guess ) Any ideas?:eek:

Why don't you give Jessie Aharoni a call from NWWLS. Or Northwest weightloss surgery. Its where Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Watkins have their support group and its great!! She is a bandster for many years and has written a book and articles. I believe the website is www.thelapband.com so give them a try, you'll be able to see how comprehensive they are when you review their site. Bless you and much success in this endeavor!

OK Jillyb your gonna make it. I cheated and ate pizza but didn't swallow, I spit. Shades of Bulnemia? Not exactly, I just had to taste it cuz it smelled so good!! I have two teens, and lots of pizza around. But I sure wanted to swallow. I chewed and chewed and spit. Took another bite, chewed and you know by the time I was on bite three, I was done! I drank a lot of water and felt better. Maybe drinking a lot of water before would be better?

Wow that was great! I love dreams, and of course Pisces are notorious dreamers. I feel like water and ocean and seas also represent the sea of mankind. I hope you write your dreams down, some reoccurring symbols could communicate amazing things. I remember Joseph the dreamer in the O.T.. My youngest is named Joe. Its funny, the strangest dreams for me were when I was pregnant. Talk about Technicolor dreams!

oh yea, I forgot gimme a head with hair!

I was banded 11-05, and I turned 51 in March. I'm down 35 lbs. I seem so impatient, but I have to remember that it took me a long time to get this way...ssooo I stick with it! I'm feeling much better and I'm listening to oldies and starting to juke around a little, but I sure cant move like I once did. In a gada da vida honey!

Get you hubbys help on this one. Get cheerios and put some in the potty. Have him show your son how to sink them. Give your son a star for every sunk cheerio and a lot of praise. When he gets a couple of dry days, give him a big reward. My guys got a ride on the big city bus. After all you have to be a grown up to do that. For poo, show him how toothpaste gets squeezed out of the tube or some other tube product. I would let him do this with a couple of tubes. Its worth the money. Then let him know that that is the way his pooper works and if he can get to controll this stuff maybe a zoo trip would be fun. Whatever it is that he wants to do, make it a lot of fun. It it becomes a power struggle, it is a loosing battle. If accidents happen, dont use shame or anything negative..Just say oops!! try again!. It willl be easier that you think. Have Fun!

The gas thing is a true problem..There is a spray that can be carried in your purse to spray in the public bathrooms to eliminate the strange odor that is caused by food dumping. Just look at the stats on the death rates with all WLS. the band is safer by a looong shot. The slower weight loss is also kinder to you body giving it time to compact and saggy skin is less problematic ( it still can present a problem ) but not as likely. Some people have to be correct all the time, even if its only in their mind. The Band is so healthy. Maybe she is bummed that she went with her surgery, or perhaps afraid that she didn't choose properly, even though all surgeries have their real benefits for individual cases. You are an individual with the right to choose whats best for you.

Dear Kabeerah, Why do you think you did something to "let myself get like this?" Our bodies are full of bacteria, this last month, out of the blue, my husbands elbow became extremely infected with a staff bacteria. He had no injury, cut or anything that would seem to precipitate it. It also needed emergency surgery to remove the bursis sack, and was hospitalized with a high fever for a week. We still have to pack an open wound with antibiotic tape to let it heal from the inside out as a stitched cut might let his elbow get inflamed again. You could not have let your self do this. Don't let false guilt get the better of you. I'm very glad you husband insisted on taking you to ER. I'm praying that the Dr's get a quick handle on this for you and that your banding wont be delayed. You should be proud that you are taking care of yourself.

The hardest thing I had to deal with was the "this is my last few days of being in love with my food" binging. I didn't know that after the band heals and before your first restriction, its almost like the band isn't there. I didn't have to eat my last supper as it were. Another thing to try to get into the habit of is being aware of the first bite when I'm hungry chomping. Try to find ways to get into the habit of taking your first bite slowly and chewing well, as after you get a fill your first bite can become your last for that meal if you gulp it. I had to but a sign on my table to remember that. I'm excited for you!

I experience extreme restriction first thing in the am, especially if I drink cold water, then I cant eat for quite a while. That fainting thing is really bad!! I would not stop trying find out what caused it until you get an answer. Don't just stop at the blood sugar idea, see your primary care doc and press in for an answer. It seemed as though it came on pretty quick. What if you are driving and it happens again? Shudder. I think the fact that you had your eyes open makes it seem even more peculiar. I hope you watch out for yourself and take good care, let us know how your doing OK!

When I went in for my first check up I asked the question, When can we resume relations, the Nurse practitioner asked me, well that depends, what do you want me to say? lol

:clap2: Please dont gilve into chocklate!!! It isnt worth it. There are probably many non scale victories you have acquired, check out the threads that address other nsvs that people have had and you may discover some of your own! Numbers can drive us crazy, we are so much more than that. The bigger picture says you are very different than last year right? Its all in the right dilrection so hang in there with us, we need to stick together. Its when we are isolated that trouble gets to us! Take care and listen to some oldies and if you are young, watch a few cartoons, they help us find a happy place.

I used to work retail and stood on my feet for about 60 hrs a week. The weightI gained caused my feet to hurt more than when I was thin and working retail. The two things that also caused my foot pain was water retention and something called plantar (I just forgot the word) but I had to have long term good shoes and surgery. I would encourage you to see a foot doctor and find out what shoes you need to support you feet whille you lose the weight. I noticed a big change iln my feet with only the 30 lbs lost already. Hope you get relief, I know that feelilng when you step out of bed at night literallly squeze the water out of the foot pads from swollen feet. ugh I feel for you.

Hello Again, I have wondered how everyone is doing from November! I so far have lost 30 lbs and I had to stop for a whil because of a few heart concerns. But things are better now and I hope to begin loosing again,, Ha this is the first time I WANT to be a loser! hope you are doing well too. Thanks for Checking!

:kiss Dear Efica, I'm glad to hear from someone in the Czech Republic, My grandmother was born in Karvina, It used to be called Star Mesto Frestat. I was banded in November last year. I have missed eating like I used to but thats the whole reason I needed the band. My family celebrates everything with food!! Some day I hope to visit there. I may still have family there. I'm sure I would not be able to know for sure at this point. My grandmothers name was Carolina Franek, She married Frank Grabiec and they had 9 children together. The first one was born there and the last 8 ware born in America. My dad said to me when I was a child, Yechi kohom, Dem ne bushi!! I'm sure I spelled that totally wrong, but I love to hear him say it! I hope to encourage you in this process of getting the band, I really does help. I wanted to feel better and be more healthy. and of course I wanted to look better. I think you will enjoy talking with people here, I know I have, and It has helped me a lot! Best Wishes!! From Victoriana