Kim_8

When I was a kid I pulled the "pills" off my blanket and shoved them up my nose. Well, according to my mom, I started smelling - she kept giving me baths - to no avail. She took me to the doctor who took one whiff of me and proclaimed that I had something in my nose. She got out the tweezers and pulled a half a blanket out of my nose. Gross.

Irene - Welcome and big CONGRATS on that weight loss! I grew up in Austin - it is a great place to live! I hope you'll like it there. I'm in the DFW, TX area now -- KELLER to be exact (like Laura - small world!). The scenery and hill country in Austin is just beautiful (for Texas anyway!). We'll look forward to talking with you! Kim

Hey Lanie, Welcome to LBT. Congrats on your weight loss. We'll look forward to talking with you. Kim

Dawg - How cool is this of you to do?? I love analysis. Great idea. Date Banded: 1/12/06 Country: US Doctor: Benavides Erodoed: NO If Eroded Date Removed: N/A ---------- the more data the better :-) Band Type: Inamed 4cc First Fill: 2/14/06 1st Fill Amount: 1cc Age: 37 Sign: LEO Favorite Food: Chocolate Favorite Movie: Christmas Vacation Hair Color: I'll never tell I'm just kidding you! Thanks again for doing this. It will be interesting to watch the trends.

KK - I can't tell you whether it will work for you or not, but it is a good tool to let you know when you're "full". This is one thing I never had the experience of knowing - I could eat like a pig and rarely got the feeling that I was "full". It's kind of a nice reminder to stop eating. I find that's helpful since I'm a binger. As far as the vomiting goes --- I haven't done it yet. I think you do a trial and error to see what you can and can't eat. Nobody really wants to throw up, so they steer clear of the things that can make it happen. Each person is different and can tolerate different things. Most agree that white breads, rice and dry meats will cause problems --- although I talked to someone today in the dr's office who didn't have a problem with bread. I know I had a bad experience with salmon and will probably not try it again for a good long while. I think it's different for different people, but I can see where my reaction to some foods will keep me away from them just because I don't want to be sick or throw up. It's definitely not a deal where you just constantly throw up. Diet Coke??? I miss it sometimes! When I'm really dying for one I get a crystal light. Something about the convenience of popping a diet coke can makes me reach for that before anything else... I'm not sure it's not just more habit than really missing it! I have been known to drink a 12 pk a day and seem to be doing ok without it. I guess there is nothing that says this is a sure fire thing and won't fail. It can - you can still eat crap you're not supposed to. Chocolate still goes down very easily for me! Luckily, the feeling full thing at least puts a clue in my head that maybe I don't need to eat 10 lbs of it. Best of luck on your decision. I couldn't be happier with mine.

Sorry about that! Sounds like a bad day for sure. If it's any consolation, I had a bad day, too. My H (leaving off the D tonight) and I got in a fight and I found my roses in the driveway when I got home. Here's to Feb 15th and a better day tomorrow! Hang in there! Kim

I'm not all that experienced yet.... but I am back on well chewed solid foods and seem to be having very little problem. I had one episode with some really dry salmon and chicken that I guess I just couldn't chew up well enough. Betty gave good advice about keeping something like ranch dressing or other "saucy" kind of something to go with meats like this and that seems to have helped alot. I just notice that now although I can eat virtually the same foods as before, I eat WAY slower than I used to, so I seem to get full faster I suppose and I eat substantially less than I used to. I went out of town for work last week and ate at many buffets - just chose foods a little more wisely since the salmon/chicken incident. I'm off for my first fill next week, so time will tell how that goes. Best of luck to you! Not to worry!

RUN! Sunta - I,too, would keep searching. This is too big of a deal to not get the right guy. Thy lying bothers me immensly. I couldn't tell where you are from, but surely there are others on the board in your area that could give you advice. I know you're scheduled for surgery and that's an exciting step, but I'd sure step back and take another look. Better safe than sorry. You take care! Kim

WOW Kim!!! That's awesome! Major, major step! I'm really happy for you!

GO STEELERS!!!

Sus - couldn't agree with you more. I'm plan on making the best of the time I have with my band. I don't anticipate having the band there forever - although it would be groovy if it was. I plan on making a "habit" out of chewing and taking smaller bites. If I really chew and take small bites, it takes me about 30 minutes to eat a small plate of food - and then I've taken as long to eat as everyone around me and I feel like I've been eating alot even though I haven't. If I can turn this into a "habit", I feel like that will be key to lifelong success. I can't tell you how many times I have wolfed down plates of food and hardly noticed that I'd eaten. I hope I have enough time with the band to make this chewing thing habit. That is my goal for the band. I don't fear erosion or other side effects. I just hope to have the time to turn my new eating policies into habits. I thought your comments were great. Doc - you'll do great - don't worry about erosion and focus on learning new habits that this wonderful tool is allowing you to learn. Sus - as usual, you were eloquent and thoughtful on your post. You should never think of yourself as fat and ugly - you're an awesome person and make lotsa people very happy just by being you!

Hey Jack - No worries - I'm off dry chicken and salmon forever. Don't want to do that again! I had no problems up until that point and really thought I could eat whatever I wanted until my first fill (provided that I chewed enough). Just not the case though! UGH! I'll be more careful now! It was kind of funny though - thinking back on what that must've looked like. The girls eating dinner with me found it hillarious. Betty - Good idea on the ranch. I'll keep that in the back of my head. Sticking to soft stuff now though when I'm out to dinner I think :-). Kim & Sus - I know, I know.....

So, I'm on a trip for work to Cancun.... Sitting in the restaraunt with the nice white table cloths - eating the dry chicken and fish I was explicitly told not to eat. Just had surgery a while ago and assumed that all restriction was gone..... NOT!!!!!!! Feel a tremendous pressure in my chest and remember everyone's stories about being out to eat at a restaurant and either sitting near the bathroom, or carrying a zip lock bag "just in case". I had neither. I quickly excuse myself from the table and run outside the restaurant and hide behind a stack of chairs. I'm feeling rather ill and know I can't throw up... this is not an option because I don't want to screw up my new band. Deep breaths - then, what's this???? liquid starts pouring out of my mouth.... I hear a cart and footsteps coming around the corner and think frantically - what to do now???? Run down the sidewalk toward the beach... this seems to make me feel better, so I keep doing it. After 10 minutes or so I feel better and decide to go back in. Needless to say, I sent my plate away and opted for the irish coffee instead.... was this a good idea? who knows, but it seemed to work. Anyway - I am assuming this was my first slime, so thought I'd share.... Night all!

hi not4long - i agree with Susan (PhotoNut)... I'm sure that you're researching all the pros and cons - but Susan has provided some great info for you to consider. Best of luck in whatever you decide! You take care of yourself.

A. Share that wine! B. Ok, no telling about what happens when you lose weight - but boy I can tell you about when you gain! On my husband's 30th birthday (boy that seems like so long ago!), we went out and had a little too much to drink. We were out with friends and somehow ended up in a tattoo parlor. Now I remember very little of this, but the next morning I woke up with blue dolphins swimming around my ankle - :doh: . I just cried and cried!!! I don't even like blue! And dolphins? Do they mean something special to me?? No, not really. UGH. Well, as if the horrid bright blue dolphins swimming around my ankle weren't bad enough, why not gain an extra 50 lbs and turn those blue dolphins into blue whales! It's not a pretty picture. I live for the day they turn back into dolphins. Better yet, little blue minnows would be good. :Banane23:

Hi Sarah, I personally think it's wonderful so far! I would reccommend that you research your doctor very well. In addition to normal research, you can also do a search on this board using the search menu item and type in your doctor's name. You will be able to see all the comments made using the word you typed in the search box. I did this before I had my surgery done as well. Best wishes. Kim

66 lbs is great! Congrats and welcome!

Hey 3 Loves - WELCOME! I am envious of you and your husband doing this together - I think that's great!!! I'm trying to get my dad and sis to do it with me. I get to be guinea pig for now - they're watching me and if all goes well think that they, too may join me. I'd love to have my family for company on this trip! Best of luck to you and keep us posted. Kim

Quote From Bandayed: I agree! Sometimes I take 4 pair of the same 18's into the dressing room because they will all fit a little different. I will inevitably find one that fits like a 20 - and so this one is the one I buy! :-) See - I get the benefit of the size 18 tag making me feel better, while in reality I'm wearing a size 20. Old Navy is good :-)

Gurgling is still going on with me - although I haven't identified what makes it loud vs. not so loud yet. GAS X is my *best* friend. Doc didn't say not to, so I have been taking it. Let us know if you find out why they said not to take it!

Well, just thought I'd check in and see how the thread was moving along... nice to see the feedback! It sounds like we handle our insecurities in different ways... for me, I'm with Dianechef, Susan and Puddinpie. I am always the center of attention around my friends and family. I keep the party going with laughs --- almost compulsively! Maybe this is just an insecurity creeping out to draw attention to something besides my weight - who knows! I do like the Jammin & Losin theory of once a sense of humor, always a sense of humor. I also like the note that the humor will only get better. I hope so! Although this may be a defense mechanism - I don't want it to ever stop! It makes my life entertaining.... there's usually something to find humor in - even in the worst circumstances and that makes me happy. Dianechef's story gives me chills! I would miss the joking around if it was to stop or if my friends and family were to treat me any differently. For those of you who have been hiding that personality and now it is starting to creep out with your new weight loss - I'm so happy for you! I don't think there's anything in life much better than that! Kim

NewSho - I apologize for the misspelling. Thank you for the correction. I am an idiot. Agreed.

justamom - i was banded 2 weeks ago and finally today only had the shoulder/collarbone pain for about an hour. Prior to that I had it easily 8 or more hours a day. I walked around with my fingers pressed against my collarbone trying to make it go away. Sometimes it was so bad I wanted to cry ------ that said, it does seem to be getting better each day! Yea! Hang in there - I hear it's gas and it won't last forever. I found that when I can't stand it anymore a heating pad will help a little. Gas X didn't touch it.

Jennifer - congrats on making it to bandland! See - you're already up and posting! Good sign. Best of luck! WannaBeHealthy - I had horrid gas as well and it lasted about 2 weeks - I'm just now getting over it. Pain in my shoulder and collar bone from the gas. I'm so glad that's going away now - hang in there! Only 1 of my surgi strips has come off (and like I said - it's 2 weeks later). The ones over the port incision are still stuck like chuck and I wonder if they'll ever come off! I was told to take the bandage off and leave the surgi strips alone and they would fall off.... one down and 4 to go! The one just fell off this morning and the skin / little scar there is kind of tender - I liked it better when the strip was on :-).

Lauren - Great job! I know that 52 lbs must've made a world of difference in your life! Congrats! Kim