JanetC

Welcome back, Michele!! (( Hugs!! )) I'm glad you get your laptop back soon! On your weight loss... Let's analyze stuff -- it's what I do! LOL. 1. Are you taking your Vitamin supplement? 2. Are you taking a Calcium supplement? 3. Are you getting in at least 64 oz of Water? 4. Approx how much Protein do you get daily? 5. How tall are you? 6. What is your lifestyle on average? Sedentary? Semi-active? Active? 7. Do you exericse? If so, what kind & how often & for how long? 8. What's your fill level / size of band? 9. Take a food journal today... write down everything that crosses your lips & post it so we can get an idea of how many calories you're eating. When I'm not losing like I want (which is pretty much every day, lol) I look at these questions. It's possible that you're eating something that has more calories then you know. It's also possible that you're eating too few calories & your body's in starvation mode. It's something we have to try to avoid during this journey. Starvation mode for the body can brought on by several factors: 1. Too little water: "There's no water, conserve what we have in the fat cells!" 2. Too little protein: "We're starving for fuel, so conserve the stored fat cells, we may need them!" 3. Too little calcium: high protein diets make your body steal calcium from your bones... if it gets too bad, it'll start conserving 4. Too few overall calories: "It must be a drought/famine, conserve!" Without you taking a metabolism test we won't really know if you're in starvation mode, but it's something to look at. Help us help you!! (If you don't mind all the advice, lol.)

Welcome to LBT! And congrats on picking a surgeon! It depends on the doctor for wait time... the smallest I've heard of is 7-10 days from seminar to surgery. Most doctors require some form of pre-op testing or consultations: psychologist, nutritionist, physical therapist, upper GI and/or endoscopy, etc. That varies from doctor to doctor & the time between appointments of course varies as well. And some doctors have a pre-op diet for a number of days -- ours was 14. Good luck! Hope it all goes smoothly for you!

PB = productive burp... it can't be explained, it has to be experienced. Basically, you take a bite & it's too much. It can't get through the stoma into the lower stomach... so it has to come back up. So you "throw up"... except it's not like vomiting, though some call it that. It's more like a baby spitting up. It's a big burp or hiccup that contains food. And the food isn't really even digested, since it never made it to the lower stomach. It sounds gross & disturbing, but other then the first time, it's really not too traumatic. I've learned to deal with it discreetly. And my trick to not have it is: 1. TINY bites 2. Chew to goo 3. Wait for 30-60 seconds with my mouth empty between bites 4. Stop ANYTIME I have mild chest pain (pain behind the sternum -- which becomes a "golf-ball" feeling if you take another bite) 5. DON'T push it... this is where I get into trouble. I can't convince myself I'm full, lol. I'm working on it!

Pam, read this thread for more explanation of PBs. It's not really like choking. After your first time, it's not really even scary. That first time, everything is new, so you kind of freak out. But it becomes just a part of banded life... when you PB you know you did something wrong. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=17215&highlight=PB+definition I didn't know about holding your breath, though... gonna give it a try! It would be a lot easier then the other remedies we talk about! Oh, and Pam, the port doesn't actually stick outside of our skin... it's sutured to the stomach muscle... deep inside your abdominal wall. You can feel it as you get skinnier & some people can see it, sorta... if they look in the right place & stand at the right angle. But really, you have to know where to look. I can feel mine, but only if I'm feeling both sides... then I can tell the difference. If Mikey (my hubby) stands up & tilts to the right while leaning forward, lol, I can feel his. If your port ends up being visible in your opinion after you lose weight, port-revision surgery is possible to get a lower profile port (one that lays flatter or is stitched in deeper). Keep asking questions! You're doing great!

Oh my goodness, Becky!! Your diet sounds DELICIOUS!!! I love all the Indian food you describe -- I've never had most of it, but YUM!! Congrats on the sweet spot! Hope it stays for you! They do say that after a while & some weight loss that it'll change... but enjoy it while it lasts!! That's awesome!!

Heh, stretch every 5 minutes that you're filing Tammy! Don't make your back hurt too much! (Uh oh, lol, what have I started! ) And good job on avoiding the chocolate! I've been good too! (But without the temptation, lol, you're stronger then I am!)

Hey Pam, I'll try to answer your question: I'm pretty sure LaMadam had hers removed & has maintained / continued to lose. GeezerSue had hers removed & was revised to a DS (Duodenal Switch -- sp). A few others were revised to other WLS, I think... and we have a clump that lost their bands from Nov to now & are in the healing stages. It's not a given that you'll lose your band... or that if you do lose it it'll be in 1 week, or 18 months, or 2 years. It happens to some... it doesn't happen to others, no rhyme or reason. Not following the rules may lead to issues... but following the rules doesn't guarantee you won't have issues. It's not fair, but it is life with the band. It's a personal choice to take a chance on the band: 2-3% do have issues and it could be you. And if you're the one with the issues you then have to decide what other options you have... healing & getting rebanded or trying another WLS or going back to the "old" style of weight loss or just living with it. I'm personally really new to my band (10 weeks) & am really glad to have it. I'm going to use it each & every day I'm blessed with it & pray that I keep it a long, long time. If I lose it, I'll follow in Penni's footsteps & fight the good fight! We'll support you no matter what decision you make, Pam! Ask tons of questions & don't decide until you're sure you know the options / risks of every option available. Hope this helped...

Pause for 20-30 min... then go back at it! 20 min should be long enough for the first few sips of broth to make it through... assuming they're in the upper stomach. Glad you got rid of the hungries for the moment!

Welcome to LBT!! I'm glad you've got support on your journey! Ask tons of questions!!

Welcome to both of you!! (I missed this post back in Feb, heh.) Hope your recoveries are moving right along!

Welcome to LBT & congrats on your LCD!! Keep it up!

LOL, (( DonnaB!! )) You so made me laugh! The clumsiness THIS time was me being forgetful / silly / stupid. I'm re-covering our chairs... and hadn't screwed it onto the frame, lol. I was setting something down & forgot about the seat & LEANED ON IT!!!! The entire thing went crashing down... ouch! I caught myself with my wrist (ouch!) & managed to hit the chair in several places -- contusions up the wazoo (well actually, on both arms & both legs & feet, lol). No idea how I managed to hit so many things all at one time! I may have dyed my hair over & over, lol, but I was born blonde!

Ouch! I'm so glad you got to keep most of your fill! And I'm glad you didn't wait too long to get it taken care of! Scary stuff!

LOL, not the GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!!!! Throw 'em away! Or make your friend / neighbor / kid / boss / dog eat 'em! I'm not surprised you gave in this weekend... you've been having a lot of stress! Maybe up your exercise a little to give you a different outlet? (I've never done that, lol, but I hear other people say it. ) Or a massage or hottub or manicure... man, they sound heavenly! I'm glad you made it to your appointment... 48 hours? AUGH!! I'm going to be a nervous wreck by the time you get your results! Thanks for keeping us in the loop! (( Hugs!!! )) Drink lots of Water today!

My biggest piece of advice is to ALWAYS have something in your hand. You'll be SO sick of liquids, but find something that sounds the least unappetizing & make sure you have it next to you at all times -- a glass of Water, a cup of tea, a popsicle, Jello, whatever. Focus on the fact that it's a SHORT period of time & that you're healing... scare yourself into obeying. You'll make it through!! It seems like forever when you're going through it, though, so find a band buddy or 2 on here that are getting banded about the same time... you can moan to each other! Good luck & congrats!

Telly, jump right in! Read the first page so you know what you're commiting to. Then update your stats on Sunday or Monday & Sarge will keep you in the list! After that... get your bod to grooving! Welcome!!

You might try Benefiber as well... my doc was ok with it during liquid, but check with yours. I find that it helps both bulk it up & get it out, heh. It's a win-win for me! :party:

Heh, yeah, that sounds like a slight unfill might be in order! I wouldn't mind a touch of that... just a touch. :party:

Heh, the best part is that we don't have to go to "General" & say, "Anyone else 9 weeks out?" We know a bunch of folks who are! Wow, Cashley, you broke into Onederland!! :clap2::high5::peace: Congratulations!!!!! :hail::first::party:

Heh, the next time I use the "dumb blonde" excuse, I'll have to remember that I have depth! LOL.

Awww, go get the fill, it'll help you lose the weight! :party: Seriously, tell the doc you're really afraid of needles & maybe they can be a little more gentle with you -- and make sure you don't see the scary thing! You can do it! (( Hugs!! ))

Hear hear for fresh starts! It almost makes me happy to see Mondays! :party: That horseshoe kidney thing is fascinating! Learn something new every day!

Oops! I've got my dates wrong... moving my numbers up a week! :party:

Mikey told me yesterday that you are only as old as you feel, heh. I feel 26... forever! On the movement... ya gotta start slow, but ya gotta start! Stand up right now... yes, RIGHT NOW, Private! 1. Reach up high... as high as you can. 2. Now reach down low... as low as you can go. Repeat that 5 times... slowly! Remember to breathe! Now, standing with your arms ready to balance you: 1. Lift your right leg out -- like you're marching in a band... make the knee bend 90 degree angle (i.e. get those knees up high!) 2. Count 1. 3. Repeat it on the left leg. 4. Count 2. Keep lifting left, right, left, right until you get to a count of 10! Now hug yourself & say, "I did good! I move my body every day!" You'd better be moving, Private! I just stood up & did it... if I can, you can! I'll check in with you tomorrow & we'll do some more lifts & add something else. :party: Start slow... but do something EVERY day! We'll get there!

You could always just bookmark it. I have the Texas board bookmarked because I don't like having to delve down to find it. :party: (I do have a ton of bookmarks, lol, I'm a bookmark freak!)