PhotoNut

Dawg.. are we the LBT bigmouths? *grins*

OW OW OW! *holds stomach* OMG thats funny!! Love the thong shot!

My man is weird because he's perfect. Wow, how did I score such a guy? *smiles* I mean that, completely. We met online 7 years ago, happily married for 6 years. He's been there for me and my two now grown kids (he got to help out in the later teen years) in every sense of the word. Remarkable man. He's my best friend and takes such good care of me that it makes up for all of the sh*t Ive gotten in life from most other men I've known. Love you honey *hugs her Dawg*

Wow, he didnt give me an apology. Go figure. Punk. Just kidding! *laughs*

Sold!! Purchased this treadmill today from Sears, $999 on sale for $799. I'll be on here bragging about it when it arrives! Thanks to everyone who helped! PS. Picardy3 - your post really got my attention too. Sounds exactly like what I was looking for. Cant wait to take myself for walks!

Wow, this never occurred to me, but we have a practially new Total Gym. It is the extra large one (my hubby at the time was 330 pounds and is 6'5" tall). We bought all of the extra bars, straps, gadgets we could and spent $1600 on the thing. Shortly after we purchased our first home and guess what. No room for the TG! It has been in the closet since then. We have thought about selling it. Most likely for about $800. Now Im not sure of the cost for shipping something like this. Its pretty heavy. But if anyone is interested in it, PM me and maybe we can work something out. Cheers!

I posted on a different thread last Tuesday and told everyone that I had just seen my surgeon and talked to him about my erosion fears. He told me that Mexico is still wrapping the stomach around the entire band, including the buckle, which the US surgeons are no longer doing. The reason? He said they have found that most erosions are caused by the buckle. It protrudes and it is made of a harder material. Now the US surgeons turn the buckle outward and wrap the stomach around only the smooth ring. As I also stated in that thread, he told me the official name for the proceedure that is no longer being used and I will call his office on Tuesday (he schedules surgeries on M-W-F) and ask him for the name of the proceedure again. While it may be true that most doctors use "similar techniques" it is not true that they are all exactly the same. There is obviously a big difference that is showing up in the statistcs of fewer erosions. I will see if he will give me those as well and update this info as soon as I can.

I lashed out at Dr. Pleatman and Christan both in that thread. I was so upset by the unprofessional, insensative, and insulting remarks they were making toward all of us in general. Perhaps it was not my place. I know I'm fairly new here but you all are quickly become dear to me and I was furious to see 'strangers' among us trying to condemn you for speaking out about things that should be spoken out about. This is what we are here for. To help others who follow along behind us learn from our experiences. Penni, you were justified in your feelings and the concerns you expressed. You spoke your mind while remembering to be kind and respectful. Unfortunately I didn't. I admire folks like you who can keep a kind heart even when they are offended and hurt. I'm proud of you and of DeLarla for speaking out in a crowd that might not like hearing what you have to say. I hope they stop and listen rather than cover their ears and refuse to believe that something might be wrong here. This is how we make things right. This is exactly what you should be doing. I only regret that I helped drag the thread into a heated exchange. I hope those of you who avoided the thread because you felt it was just bickering would go back and read it all. There were some very good points made there. And as intelligent people who have the right to know the truth, I hope you are open minded enough to hear what these concerned people are trying to tell us all, for our own good. As for the band loss, good grief. I cant even imagine how I would feel knowing that what I believe is my last chance and my $26,000 is gone. My prayers are with you. You know, Im sure you had to practice a great deal of self control when you had your band. Do not give the band all of the credit. You had to restrict your urges to eat things you knew would hurt you when they hit the band. Well, now use that same self control to restrict the urge to eat things which will hurt you when they reach your body. Same idea. Same person who could do it before. Same challenge. You still have that in you. And I believe that if you stop thinking the band did it all for you, and realize that YOU were the strong one, you will beat this once and for all. *hugs*

I too was told by the nutritionist to stop eating three hours before I go to bed. I am usually in bed (even tho not always sleeping) by 10 so I dont eat after 7. Sometimes, if I get really hungry and end up awake a bit longer, I will allow myself 1/2 C of jello.

*guilty grin* Im sorry, Ill behave now.

Im guilty of feeling panic about the erosion, but it was never due to anything the women who have gone thru it and remain strong in their commitment to their own health while staying here to support the rest of us. Can you imagine how hard it must be to see all of the excited people with bands losing weight and being thrilled about the way things are going for them? Yet these women come here and give support and great advice and encouragement to all of us. Thats just beyond awesome. I fully agree with Kare. These are the women from whom I draw a lot of strength from. And I thank them for being so selfless.

Awww! Samantha is beautiful! And not lacking for love by the looks of the pictures. Sincere grats to you and your lovely wife, Dog!

If that wasnt an insult I dont know what one is. If you were only expressing you opinion, why did you end it by telling the members of this board that you were disgusted by their concerns and opions. Could you not tell that this was an emotionally charged topic for many? Whether you think they have suffered enough to warrant their upset or not, they did have the right to express it. Thats what we do here, give support and encouragement. Then you cheer on the man who forgets how to be professional and tosses out a few of his own insults. I have been coming here for two months now and have never seen anything like this. Everyone here has been open, kind hearted, supportive, giving, caring and empathetic. Something big must be happening for a doctor in Mexico and one in Michigan to jump on a message board and start defending things. Dr. Oritz, while I feel he didnt give all of the facts and was hoping to put out the fire and lessen the risk of losing any potential US patients (my opinion only), he was professional and seemed like he wanted to eleviate fears. Dr. Pleatman came in with both guns blazing and basically told everyone to shut up and quit whinning. Flippantly told people he doesnt even know to go get a gastric bypass? And topped it all off with what I see as a religously bigoted remark. Unreal. And you cheered that. Again, if that's not insulting, then what is?? You know, you are probably a really nice person who has gone thru hell in life like the rest of us. Had you come here and gotten to know these people before you "expressed your opinion" you might have seen that noone was trying to slam anyone. But there are facts that DeLarla has pointed out in this thread that we as intelligent people would be stupid to close our eyes too. I am sure that noone wanted to insult anyone who's been banded by Dr. Oritz or Lopez. This was not meant to point out how stupid anyone was for going to them. It was a group of concerned people looking at facts. We have the right to look at the facts and say, "Hey, this isnt right. Someone should check into that before more people seriously affected by this." You got off on the wrong foot. Stick around and lurk for a while. See what really great people there are here. Maybe you'll see you were wrong to judge so quickly.

I have one on the inside of my right ankle that was done when I was 16. Its a small cross. That's all the courage I could muster with that razor blade and bic ink. *grins* My ankles have swollen to baloons before but the little cross stays little. Im really shocked it stayed with me all these years. Kind of a neat metaphor really, if you knew my life's travels. But then all tatoos have special meanings to their owners, dont they?

Christan - be thankful we didnt die??? Good lord. You should send Pleatman a resume. Sounds like you would fit right in with his office as a staff member. These folks didnt start out by slaming and insulting anyone as you and Pleatman have done. They were simply expressing concerns about their own personal experiences with their own bodies. This is a message board designed for that. We have the right to share our failures, fears and victories without people like you coming here and starting your first post with your red thumbs down and insults to those of us who are friends. Did you show up to start trouble, or are you looking for a group of friends who share the same struggles and are really here for one another? If you came for the first.. well, you're little more than a fart in the wind. You'll go away soon. And if you came for the latter, you've got some serious attitude changes to make before you'll fit it with this great group of considerate and caring people.

I'm sitting here shaking my head at this guy. Youre a real work of art mister. What's wrong, did someone point out that your buddy Oritz might not be so almighty great as you thought? Perhaps your feeling insecure about the fact that you were trained by someone who's facing questions you dont like to see. Dont sullk? Dont have self pity? Who are you to talk to these people that way? You just stepped into this dicussion. You dont know these great people who have sat with wound vacs sucking out the gaping holes in their stomachs. You dont know the families that have suffered with them, seeing them in pain and loss. What a jackass you are to come here and act like this. WHERE IS YOUR PROFESSIONALISM?? And you were flippant. You know you were. You are taking this personally. Why dont YOU get over it and be a doctor, not a male with a wounded ego? And, coming from someone who tosses out 'go get a bypass' (which has a mortality rate of 1 in 200!!) I wouldnt take your advice on ANY alternative route, let alone your referal or recommendation of a surgeon who holds MY life in his hands. I do hope lots of people from your area that are considering any kind of weight loss surgery are on this board seeing your lack of care and compassion.

I dont know the answer for sure, Im also about a month out. But I have read that many have problems with Pasta and soft breads, so I figure that's because they are sticky and goey when chewed and mixed with saliva. These types of foods most likely glom back together in the stomach increasing the overall size of the amout that tries to pass through the port. *shrugs* Others may say they have no problems with it, though. I'll be curious to see what everyone has to say as well.

Aww I thought this was another X rated thread. :target: Seriously though.. and all due respect here, but I find it hard to take advice from someone who is banded and still eats a hamburger, a bean burrito and a taco supreme in 20 mins time. I would think that all things in moderation would be best. As for me, Ive tried to stop eating anything three hours before bedtime. Ive been going to bed around 10 lately, so I dont eat after 7. A walk after dinner to move things along should do the trick, wouldnt you think?

Kathy, youre talking my language here. Hubby now eats Healthy Choice meals and tuna and Im eating tuna and Gortons frozen fish fillets as our main meals. After work and on the weekends, he microwaves his meal, then I do mine. No thinking, no long prep time, no big clean up. It's time to eat, do it quick, get it done, and forget about it for a few more hours. I like it like that. Yep, this was a WW recipe thread. Sorry, to interrupt.. I'll move along now. *chuckles*

Sounds perfectly logical to me as well. I mean, what can you tell by looking at clear bags of silicone or cup size? I want my PS to know exactly what I expect when I wake up. Hm.. do we keep our own nipples? Do they still respond properly if they've been relocated? And as for the real bit.. Ive had real all my life. Honey, I dont care if it IS fake as long as it looks like that! LOL

Here ya go DeLarla.. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html/102-5296757-2432917?node=3779581]http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html/102-5296757-2432917?node=3779581[/ame]

Princess n Thep, HarleyNana and I all are all rather fond of this style. Think anyone would notice if we all had the same boobies?

Tina.. Im laughing so hard Im crying!! OMG!! Him laying on the bed, out cold and bleeding. I can just see her face and hear her thoughts.. Something along the lines of Oh Shhhh....T!!! LOL Great story!

I particularly love the black racing stripe. Pure class Paula. Just think, now you'll always have lake front property with a hell of a veiw! Grats!

Wow, I like Dee's choice.. Bandit! How fitting, and she's got a "mask" over her eyes like a bandit too. *laughs* How about El Bandit (LB for well.. duh)