cmr

I think that this is a very interesting thread. The thought has crossed my mind but I don't think that I could really do it. I'm afraid it would hurt or I would change my mind and it would be too late. I have however thought that it wouldn't be too bad if I just didn't wake up. My kids are grown and the most important job I ever had (child rearing) is at an end. I'm not sure that is a weight issue. I am more optimistic now that I have the band, but I am still on anti-depressants. If I die tomorrow, I would probably be ok with it....I just want to go fast. I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of you who shared their experiences here. I think that you are very brave to put a voice to this issue. Every time I read a thought provoking thread like this it reminds me of just how many layers we all have. I was touched by many of these stories tonight and I am greatful to all. Cindy

I usually just lurk around here but I always have to stop and read your threads because you are kind of my hero. I read about your struggles and I wish that I could help.... I think that you have delt with all of these hardships with grace and humor and it's ashame that we can't help you as much as you have helped so many of us. The only thing that I can even suggest is to try Overeaters Anynomous. I have tried them a couple of times when I was at my lowest and it helped a bit....but there is no cure. I found AA to be easier because you can live without drinking but you can't live without food. The people in those meeting have all the same problems with food that we do. The only problem for me was that when I started to listen to people who binged then purged, I thought it sounded kind of like a good idea at first. Boy am I sick to think that. One thing that I am curious about is I find with the band that I still have a terrible time with head hunger and have been known to beat the band if I eat slow enough. How did you manage to stay away from all the good stuff when you were banded?

I was doing just fine with my last fill (2.4) and now it seems to be completely gone:confused: . What happened to it? Has this happened to anyone else?

I had the exact same problem after my 2nd fill and I tried the hot liquid and it solved the problem. Now, however, after just 2 months, I feel no restriction at all anymore.....go figure??

I occasionally run across a post where some one says that they are using diet drugs. I think that sounds lie a pretty good idea while waiting for a fill, does anyone have a dr. that thinks this is ok?

I loved it too. Is it illeagal everywhere?

I'm glad you posted this thread and greatfull to all of you who have replied. I needed to hear all of this all over again:)

I use Dr. De La Garza and have nothing but good things to say about him and his assistant Nina. They were very caring, and professional. I was banded in Nov. 05 and so far, no problems. He does a flouro every time I go back for a fill and doesnn't charge for the fill or the flouro or even the room in the hospital hotel. He likes you to stay over one night to see if the fill is comfortable. If you are too tight, he will unfill the next day.

I was feeling a little low tonight until I read this thread. You guys are hilarious!!! I can identify with all of this. THANKS!!!!!!!!!

I don't really reply very often to anything but I really feel that you should know that I have gotten more inspiration from you than from any other. I want you to know that I am cheering you on and that I feel in my heart that you will succeed with your weight loss.

"I am, for the most part, reasonable." Forgive me for saying this but it doesn't seem like you are. I however do love these threads. They remind me of soaps It sounds like you are a bit judgemental. Please don't feel the responsibility to 'fix' anyone here. Some of us are just here to vent. It's kind of a girl thing.

I bought mine at Spencer's Gifts. It's great for any one that has gas. Just put the speaker under the chair of someone else and press a button! No one will know that it was you! The fart machine has 16 different sounds! I teach high school and it works GREATT! No one has to know that it is me :cool:

I know you're worried about your fill but seriously YOU'RE GOING TO SEE OPRAH! Lucky you! She is my hero!

I think you have a great question, unfortunatley, I don't have any idea why this happens. I have the same problem. Hopefully someone else can shed some light on this. Just wanted you to know that you are not alone.

I may have gone to Mexico because insurance wouldn't pay but now, knowing what I know, and having the choice between US and my dr. in Mexico, I still would go with my Mexican dr. I LOVE Dr. de la Garze and I think, even with all the research that I was treated better there than I could have been in Houston. The follow up treatment has been excellent. The only thing that I pay for is my flight. They even put me up in the hospital hotel. He wants me to stay overnight after a fill just to make sure it's not too tight. I am not sure that I would get that kind of care here in Houston.

your post was almost word for word mine untill about 3 weeks ago when I had my 2nd fill. It WILL happen. You WILL feel restriction and you WILL lose weight. Be prepared, it's not that easy to leave all that food on your plate!

I never thought that I would lose the desire for diet coke but I did! Carbonation is tough on me. I even tried to buy a bottle and leave the cap off so the carbonation would fizzle out, but it just wasn't the same. The good news is that I don't miss it at all, not even the caffine. (this took a couple of weeks)

Do any of you find that your energy level is really low? I am really stuggling to make myself do any chores at home. I tend to do what I need to do at work but at home I just vegitate. I don't have anyone left at home anymore... just the dogs and I don't feel like doing anything. Is it because of the low calories? Is there anything that I can take to pump my energy level up?

I'm kind of in the same boat you're in. My last fill (1-27) really gave me restriction and I too was worried that it was too much. I did read however that hot liquid just before you eat might help with the first bite thing. I tried it today and it did help! I am glad to have read that here. It would be great if I could get through eating lunch without having to excuse myself to do my PB. I think that the people that I work with are beginning to think that I am bullemic

What gives any of us the right to sit in judgement of what anyone does or does not do. None of us are perfect, that's why we are here.

I don't understand why anyone thinks WLS is easy in any way. First of all we had surgery! What about all that slimming and pbing and grief over the food that we will never be able to eat again. What about the events that lead up to the fact that we were all at the end of the diet game and we opted for something to be inmplanted in our bodies to help us. Was that decision easy for any of you? For god's sake we had our bodies altered because we were miserable failures at keeping the weight off. I can't even go out with friends to lunch without having to constantly watch and make sure that I eat right because we all know what happens if we don't. How much fun is that? I take offense to anyone that thinks that we are taking the easy way out. This is tuff stuff here and if anyone thinks it's easy then maybe they should take a walk in my shoes for just 1 week and see if they still think what we do is easy!

I am really struggling with some issues today. I can't quite figure out what my problem is. I think I might be grieving over not being able to eat breakfast because I can't get it down. Grieving because if I try to eat more than 1/2 of a piece of chicken I end up PBing all afternoon. I even have trouble getting all of my water in. I finally have good restriction and I am happy about that. The scale is beginning to move again, but my mood is low.:cry How can that be? This is what I wanted right? It might be that I am having trouble taking my throid medicine in the morning. I am on Lexapro already. I don't know. Maybe it's because my youngest if off at collage and I am a single parent. Maybe it's just lonliness, but then again, I like being alone most of the time. I am a high school teacher and I love my job. My students would be really surprised to find out that I am having trouble with depression. I just feel lost. Does Lexapro become ineffective after a while? Is it menapause? I know that if I just get out and take a walk I'll feel better, but it doesn't go away. Am I grieving over food????

I am a high school art teacher/portrait artist

I was banded in Monterrey and what you describe sounds just about right. The first 2 weeks I had alot of horrible gas pains and I did find some comfort from them by laying on my back on the floor and raising one knee at a time up as far as I could to my chest. This is what I did for my kids when they were infants and it worked for me too. I would also suggest that you not talk yourself out of spitting up. It will make you feel better. Good Luck!

I saw the 60 min. interview a couple of years ago and they said that the % of hoodia in the stuff that they sell in health food stores is very marginal and that it would be difficult to market the full strenght plant as it is . They are trying to reproduce it synthetically in the US and that is probably what is hitting the shelves. The plant itself is used to wain off starvation in Africa.