PhotoNut

Oh my god. I was just going thru this the other day! I was thinking.. Ok, people who know me realize that I am looking so much smaller than I was. How I look now is an improvement! So I get dressed in a smaller size and find myself out in public sorely aware that these people don't see the fat woman getting thinner. They see a fat woman trying to wear clothes that are probably too small or the wrong style for her size, etc. I know exactly what you mean!! About the bathroom thing... I went through the same things. *sigh* I also became despondent when I couldn't wash properly in the shower. I was in the process of finding an long-handled soft ended thing that could reach places I could no longer reach. And I was considering a hand held shower head so I could rinse those same places. Now, every time I shower I Celebrate how easily I can wash everywhere! Rinsing is no longer a problem either! I think this has to be my biggest NSV.

My port site is rather like a large lump under my skin and I get a bit bothered about that at times. I might have it moved if it doesn't become less obvious when I reach goal weight. The band itself is like a constant hug. Its reassures me that things are still going along as planned and that together we are going to make it to goal. :girl_hug: (I don't actually feel the band, just evidence of its presence when I eat too fast.)

I have found this checklist to be very helpful in deciding on a fill. It's been posted before but I'll bring it up here again because it seems to fit well with the thread's topic. Adjustments How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what’s easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body B. You may need a behavior adjustment 1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry C. You may need an activity adjustment 1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids D. You may need an attitude adjustment 1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place? E. You may need a band adjustment 1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set. F. You may need your band loosened 1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (6) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste (7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention. (Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) e. If your pain is severe

Awww Patti. Don't let this get you down. All things happen for a reason, and delays in things like this could be there to save your life! I know that Dody has gone through several disappointing events that have caused her surgery to be delayed (knee injury, bad flu, insurance complications, etc). Lo and behold, they just recently found out that she has some serious artery blockage that could have killed her had she had the surgery done without that first being repaired! Thank God for those delays! I don't know anything about the "abt" stuff. Why don't you give your Dr a call tomorrow and get more information about it. That way you'll not just be getting information about "abt" but about your specific situation with it. Hang in there.. everything will work out just as it's supposed to. *hugs*

Dawg and I have a scale and we try very hard to only weigh once a week. He usually removes and hides the battery between weigh in days. Sometimes though, we give in to curiosity and weigh more often. What we've found is that it becomes like clockwatching. The days drag on and on and it seems that the progress has slowed WAY down. But the need for instant gratification can also become an obsession. If you do weigh everyday, post your daily weight on a graph chart so you get the bigger picture that will show you the downward trend. And remember that the body can fluctuate up to 5 pounds from one day to the next, so just because you gain a pound today it doesn't mean your overall weekly loss is going to slow down.

Gah!! My first marriage: He had horrible credit. He couldn't hold down a job. He spent foolishly. He lied to his mother to get money. He lied to MY grandmother to get money (behind my back and I've never asked my grandmother for money!) He sold his father's coin collection for stupid stuff. He left me at home with a baby and no diapers, out of town and no car, to go to "work" (salesman that never sold anything) and was seen in town eating out at lunch (had to write a bad check to do that!) He left me with tons of bad debt/credit. Second marriage: He couldn't hold down a job. He stole money from my kids money jars. He wrote a hot check to buy our wedding rings. He borrowed money from his parents to pay rent, then bought a stupid used boat with the tax return instead of paying them back. He got mad at me because I hid my child support checks so I could buy my daughter some much needed glasses. He thought he was a musician so he HAD to buy that electric guitar and amp and all the other goodies when he wasn't working. He got pissed at me because I refused to get a job and support him, but I'd do it for my kids if he left us. *rolls eyes* He left me with tons of bad debt/credit. Third marriage: He's been at the same job for the past 6 years. He has wonderful work ethics. He is careful with our money. He has happily supported me during a time when I havent been emotionally able to work. We own our home. We just paid off our NICE car. We own nice furniture and have lots of toys. Paid for after the monthy obligations were taken care of. We go on vacations. We are not rich but we are not stressed over the money. Which choice do you think was the best? Imagine trying to build any kind of trust and intimacy with number one and two. No, money isn't everything. But the money wasn't really the issue. It was the man's honor and character or lack of it.

OOoo.. me too. But it could use more cowbell. :girl_hug:

Ive been thinking and thinking about a celeb that I'd actually want to look like and I finally found one. Saw her at the grocery store the other day. She smiled at me and said, "I know what its like to be fat. I've fought with it all my life too. Look at me though, I'm 40 years old and I can still look like this. Don't give up hope for yourself." Can you believe that? Miss Jackson herself... and here she is:

OOooo! I love the cut of that suit! Have you tanned at all? Hmm.. Hippos Hope puts cocoa butter on her incisions. She's only been banded a month and I can hardly see her scars already! Maybe that would help? You know what. My mom always says, "They'll never notice it on a flying horse!" Meaning, people will be so busy being awestruck by a horse that flys, they wouldn't notice any other details. I'm betting you'll look so awesome on that suit, that noone will even notice the scars! Maybe you are just more sensative about them than others will be. How about an adorable belly ring?

Happy Birthday Terri! Hope you had a fun-filled day! :happybday: :happybday: :happybday: :happybday: :happybday:

Patti and Bug, You've both already made your decisions to be banded... why not start your journey now and be further down the road when you get your bands? Anyone can stick to a diet for 2 months right? But this time, instead of falling off the diet after 2 months and regaining the weight PLUS more, you'll get banded and jumps leaps and bounds further down the road! Isn't that a great thought? If you each cut out sugars and flours and just walked 30 mins a day, you'd be in much better shape for surgery AND you wouldn't have to wait to start seeing progress. It all begins when YOU want it to! I'll be praying for ya both. :girl_hug:

w00t! w00t!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I have goosebumps!! I can feel your joy all the way over here in Idaho girl! VERY VERY EXCITING!! (I'm also happy that you didn't mess in your mom's pants! hehe)

I just thought of something else.... If your band is ever removed due to slippage or erosion, it will require your own will power (or won't power, as our favorite LBT Pirate says) to keep from gaining it all back. There are a few people here who have lost their bands. Some are gaining quickly, while others are maintaining their loss. Also, stats show that bypass patients will lose faster but within 3 years the band patients and bypass patients have reached the same average weight loss. However, I have read about bypass patients regaining the weight after that three year mark while those who still have healthy bands do not regain. Seriously, there are very few long term stats out there yet. So its hard to say which one will be most successful. The only thing I know is - if they both prove to have only short term success, I'll be thankful I chose to have the one that can be easily reversed! :girl_hug:

It is possible to gain weight even with the band. You will need to be diligent about getting fills when you know you need them in order to keep proper restriction and limit the amount of food you can eat. Also, there are many high calorie foods that have no problem slipping right through a properly restricted band. chocolate, ice cream, alcohol - basically anything that is a liquid and is high in sugars and/or fats. So it does require some dedication on your part to avoid these types of foods. I believe that with the band it would be far too uncomfortable to stuff yourself until your pouch was "stretched". I haven't experienced this but I've read that overeating can result in a Productive Burp (PB) which is the food coming back up when it wont go through the band or there is too much in the small pouch. Also, if for any reason you need to have a fill removed and you are left with no restriction while a medical problem is resolved, it is likely that you would experience more hunger and require more volume of food to keep you saited. However, if you are making good healthy food choices this would not be detrimental to your progress. So, yes it is very possible to gain weight with the band. It is only a tool that has to be used properly in order to work at its maximum effectiveness. The good news is, this tool empowers those who do use it correctly to stay the course and keep going forward where in the past they would have stopped progressing and gained it all back.

Here are a couple of threads about people who have lost >200 pounds: Audrey (204lbs) http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=18679 Illude (376lbs) http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=14796

Well thanks, but I'm not so sure anyone is to be admired. We are all fighting our own fights and each person has to drum up a lot of strength and courage to keep going. What's "easy" for me might be the hardest thing in the world for someone else. So their accomplishment of the same thing would be much more to be admired. If that makes any sense. I just find what's working for me and share it in the hopes that it might help someone else. Like so many others have done for me! :girl_hug:

Oh, didn't I mention that you do all of that on the run? oops *chuckles*

I put this on the Gone for Good Club thread, but had to share it here too. Check out what my SIL made for me today! I can't stop watching it! *laughs* I've got the software to do this now, and I'm learning how to use it. Sooo.. pretty soon, I'll be able to make these for you all too! :clap2:

My son-in-law made this for me today I just made this one. Not as good, but it's my first try. :girl_hug:

From an article on www.mayoclinic.com: A few studies indicate that large amounts of caffeine — the equivalent of six cups of coffee a day — may slightly enhance weight loss in people who exercise and maintain a low-fat diet. But no studies indicate that weight loss from large amounts of caffeine is significant or permanent. There's also no evidence that increasing caffeine intake alone has any effect on weight loss. Is caffeine an appetite suppressant? Yes, but this effect lasts only a very brief period — not long enough to lead to significant weight loss. Does caffeine increase your body's ability to burn calories? Maybe, but again, probably not enough to result in significant weight loss. Caffeine does act as a diuretic, which means it causes an increase in the amount of urine you excrete. This Water loss may decrease your body weight. But it doesn't decrease body fat. Also, keep in mind that caffeine is a stimulant that can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, interrupt your sleep, and cause nervousness and irritability. Also, many caffeinated beverages are high in calories, which can contribute to unwanted weight gain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also, I recommend this article to everyone. It explains why water is so important and it discussed caffeine as well. http://www.inch-aweigh.com/water.html

I've heard it's very common. It took me 4 months after surgery to get back on track. I don't think you need to worry. :girl_hug: Hormones are stored in fat cells. You might notice all kinds of odd things happening while those stored hormones are released into your body. Emotional and physical manifestations are quite common.

Wow. Well that's good then. I hope it clears up quickly. :girl_hug:

Welcome to LBT Riverratgranny1 and Lana Ruth! River, there are a lot of folks here who were banded by Dr. Rumbaut and I've only heard great things about him and his team in Monterey. DOC gave you some very good and very important advice. Be sure you follow it! :girl_hug: Lana, why dont you start a new thread in the Introductions Forum so you can get more responses and that way Riverratgranny's thread can be focused on her question. I wish both of you the very best in your upcoming surgeries and weightloss journeys!

Hi Melissa *hugs* It is very normal at this stage to ask "What have I done to myself?" I think we all did. You hang in there. Each day gets better. You'll be feeling like your old self again soon and then you'll start seeing the weight coming off. The first few weeks are a shock to your entire system. food changes, hormone changes, the shock of surgery and the drain of energy.. it all ads up to some emotional days. I promise it will pass. As for the Protein drinks. Nature's Best makes a carb free, clear drink that comes pre-bottled and in fruit flavores. Its called Zero Carb and from what I've read the Frosty Grape is the best. Keep us posted on your progress ok?

I was going to guess ringworm, but Ive never known ringworm to develop a yellow center like that. I swear that looks more like a bite.