brandyII

You'd think Weight Watchers would be thrilled that people have gotten the lap band and still have to use their program in order to lose weight, wouldn't be surprised if they used that to their advantage one day!

Hi Tammy, the good news is you haven't gained it back yet. The bad news is you're not losing and that's depressing enough for you. I agree with the other bandster it sounds to me like you're probably too tight. I've been struggling with mine for 9 months now and have a 10cc band and have had quite a wild ride on the band fill wagon! I gained back the 25 pounds that I had lost on my Medifast liquid diet prior to surgery. At my last appointment I asked my surgeon, well kind of pleaded, if he would take out 2ccs out of the 4 so I could see how I would do. I had been eating the softer foods before because I was tired of pbing up all my food before and still had the urge to eat and it was pretty much physiological to me. Especially if what I'm eating is crap my body wanted good food but I couldn't give it to it. All I wanted was a big salad!!!! I didn't realize before my surgery that most of the bad stuff goes down quite easily and the healthy stuff you'd take a couple bites and bam you're done. Most bandsters find this a bit looney that I didn't know but all I was told and or read was that sugary liquids like sodas and ice cream would go down and add those unwanted calories. I didn't know I could eat an once of Protein and be full but could still eat Cookies, chocolate, candy, cakes etc... on top of it. I know those were to be avoided but I didn't know it was because they'd go down like water! Anyway I'm sorry you're disappointed, I am too and still am trying to get things working but I don't know if they'll ever work as well as some people who are more or less "bulk" eaters and find a couple bites of food does the trick for them and they can leave the table feeling satisfied. I don't know if my brain would ever let that happen. So basically find a good doctor now that you've moved and discuss the issues you've had and see if you can work out something and start over again with a fresh attitude like you had when you first had surgery and lost those 40 pounds. Maybe you can post to people in your area and they might have suggestions for a new doctor with a "good" bedside manner. Hopefully you'll be able to get back on track and things will work out for you again, take care brandyII:smile:

Scarlett, Didn't even know about lead in wicks, great:frown:. Thanks for the tip on the company too, it's not the same one I originally found while searching the web. That's a funny story about the case of candles you got from Kmart. Thanks brandyII.

Wow I was going to say I didn't even know they've been around that long. My daughter used to be vegan so we've ingested many a soybean but not burned them. I definitely think I'll go with soy you all have convinced me. Thanks brandyII.

Thanks Tania, I bought some of the soy "beans" I forget if that's what they were called or not but instead of using a Mall Store "tart" for my tart warmer I ued these Beans or beads and they were nice. Maybe I should get more of them too! I searched on line for the soy candles and a pretty large one came up but I still don't know if the shades that I have from the other candle store would fit the jars from the soy candle store. I know such troubles! I guess I can just call and ask, they didn't seem to sell their own shades etc... thanks brandyII.

No I don't feel like reading them either that's why I posted it! But I know with my sister, and her bday is coming up too soon, that she was really proactive on that type of thing after she had her surgery to remove her tumor and has calmed down a bit but still I don't take a chance with my sister or elderly peeps etc... This girl is an ex-cigarette smoker/ex-coffee drinker and let me tell you for her to give those two up was a major thing!

Plain, Maybe it was a long time ago but I don't remember having blood work done prior to leaving the hospital. Maybe it's not a standard procedure that all surgeons/hospitals require.

Don't quote me, I'll quote you! I'm a girl I can admit there are sometimes issues with working with my sex!!! :wink2:

I guess you can take the Boss out of the bitch but not the bitch out of the boss, well it made sense at the time. I don't know all the politics where you work but have never liked working with women especially as my boss. I think it's something ingrained in my family, be your own boss but there's something that always seems to cause problems when I have a female boss, I'm not a hater it just is the way it is. Anyway I think you're just still shaken from telling her off and it seems like it was a good thing to stand up for yourself. She sounds just as annoying as she is bitchy! She's probably rotten at her job also isn't she? Anyway it's always good to stand up for yourself, maybe now she'll treat you with a little more respect and find someone else to torture. Good luck!!!! brandyII

That's the beauty of these types of disorders one shoe does not fit all. Just because one drug works for me doesn't mean it works for my daughter and we're from the same gene pool. We're both on Cymbalta too and that does help me with my depression but it didn't seem to do much for anxiety which I get now and again. Can't always predict but never gets to be a full blown panic attack, knock on wood!!!!!!! My daughter is on Adavan which is also Lorazepam and it seemed to work fine for her when she was in school and was having a panic attack she was to take them to stop it. Like I said with her it's situational. I take the Clonazepam or clonapin which is also a "controlled substance" script and can take up to three a day and I had been taking two and now am down to one at night because I think it has been interfering with my weight loss metabolism-wise, which can be an unfortunate side effect of these meds but I would not go off them and sacrafice my sanity for a pound, been there done that. My brother had his panic attacks when he was in his 20s and they've come and gone. He's always been on antidepressants though. I can't remember what he took for anxiety but I'm sure it's the same class of drug that yours is. Anyway the last time he had his panic attack problem was when he had some mentor type person convince him that he should get off his antidepressants and I don't know do yoga or something. My poor brother's attacks were so bad he couldn't get off the floor, he was just so freaked. It was awful talking to him on the phone during this time but I convinced him to go back to a psychiatrist, this was not a sign of weakness but a chemical imbalance and he did and he's on effexor and whatever I can't remember in case he had panic attacks but it was actually going off the antidepressant that brought them back. Not that would happen to everyone but he's able to just be on his antidepressants now and hasn't had panic attacks in a long time. I've never had an actual one I get the start of one in very particular situations but it passes so I'm lucky and I know it. Anyway if whatever you're on now doesn't work they'll find something that does eventually so have faith, you will be better soon and good luck with your surgery, brandyII.:wink2:

Is your doctor a psychiatrist or your regular physician?

Mrs. Flipflops you're so right-on there. It's a team effort when it comes to hospitals. I know things aren't always perfect and my daughter, 19, has her gastric bypass next Tuesday and I'm already trying to figure out how to be able to spend the night so I can be there to help her when she needs something. My hospital experiences weren't always the most wonderful things but they were never nearly as bad as what the poster experienced. But I do know that if I can be there to help I would love to. I don't think I'm being over protective but maybe I am. This will be her first experience with major surgery and it can be scary.:ohmy:brandyII.

Hi Amanda, just wanted you to know that Alex was kind enough to open a forum for people struggling with weight loss due to non mechanical issues on the band and it's placed under Band complications. Anyway, after stating that I'm still struggling and have always fallen back to Weight Watchers to be my guiding star of sorts. Mainly because I've been doing it for so long it's burned into my brain. (35 years) Points and all. I haven't gone to the latest of meetings but I have the last program guide and and have been trying to stick with the point system they have given me for my weight. I know it's changed a bit now and they take age into consideration, but I'm still in the same range for my weight and I chose under 250 lbs and I think it's about 26 to 31 points. I know I do better in the lower of points range but that's me. I also am a bit under-filled now as I was always overfilled so I can probably eat those points without a problem. I don't go to meetings though and don't choose to. I have seen other bansters post about Weight Watchers it seems to be one of the favorites on this forum. brandyII. Don't know if I was of help.:smile:

Were you already told not to take the drugs prior to surgery? I don't even remember now what they told me as it was nine months ago. Eating is one thing but taking certain meds is something else. I know I knew I would not be able to sleep the night before and that would be as much as I had to worry about but I knew I'd be knocked out for a while so I could sleep then, lol. I still take a clonapin at night for a little "sleep" assistance. I'd double check on the drug situation part of anxiety and panic attacks can be anticipatory in nature and God knows you're anticipating your surgery! I'm not a doc but do have a bit of personal experience with dealing with my own depression/anxiety and my daughter's and many family members so I know it's a real issue for your, hope everything works out for you. Also, just want to add that I've had many surgeries in the past and this was the easiest breeziest of them all! brandyII.

I don't have panic attacks but my daughter used to and she's only 19. They're pretty much situational in nature. She has lorazepam (sp) in case of a panic attack it supposed to work quickly. I was taking clonapin (sp) for anxiety. She's getting bariatric surgery next week and I'm hoping her panic attacks will stay far away for long while!! Are you more concerned about the effectiveness of the meds after surgery? I've never had a problem with my antidepressant or anti-anxiety meds since mine but like I said I don't have panic attacks. Did the doctor who prescribes your meds say you'd be fine or the surgeon. I'd just make sure you get the okay on the meds from the prescribing doc. Good luck to you on your surgery, brandyII.

It's funny how some areas are great when it comes to public transportation and others aren't. I learned how to take buses from my grandmother when she was living with her son in Wash D.C. It was fun and I learned the art of "the transfer". We took buses everywhere. Then when I was older and worked in the city they had built the subway system (Metro) by then and you could go anywhere. Now I live in a different state and not in the city where there maybe some "Ride-On" buses in some areas but not anywhere where I live! I miss it and wish my kids could have that same city type life I was able to experience. But I guess the country ain't that bad either:thumbup:.

Thanks Boo Boo Kitty, you know now that BIL isn't here the air is a little sweeter! They were also freezing to death up here because they're from SC where it was 85 degrees and I almost felt responsible because it was in the 50s and 60s here!!!

My brother-in-law did pee around the yard after a few but I thought he was just drunk:lol:

My MIL and my BIL are gone as of 7:45 AM EST. He went through a bottle rum, the large size (are they gallons, half gallons what?) and part of another one in four days along with a carton of cigs. And I thought I was the stressed out one! All MIL's pissy moments were directed to her younger son who lives in our town with his wife and 3 little ones and their blood so that's the way it should be :biggrin:. The anxiety of having to see them after I put back on the 25 pounds after my lap band surgery nine months ago has been lifted and no comments were made derogatory in nature:rolleyes:. Anywho, thanks for putting up with my pre-visit anxiety maybe with this worry off my shoulders I can move on...............................brandyII.:wink2:

I agree someone enlighten us, I love to be enlightened:smile:

WCFG, Jeese, make me a saint why don't you!!! Listen, you're a very sincere and open and kind person with their own experiences and own issues with life and lap band and no one can know what it's like to be in your shoes. No one here wants to bash the lap band and take the good that it's doing for most people away. If it's working for you and you for it whatever that's wonderful and we all realize it's not easy for you. It's not easy for anyone but there are a few of us, not just Saint Brandy II, who have issues that are complicating their ability to lose weight on the lap band and we don't need to be labeled as people who are for example: just making excuses, don't choose to follow the plan, aren't exercising blah, blah, blah, and more blah. There are a lot of us out there that have suffered with getting the fill right, having fills done incorrectly, etc... and that can play a roll in our weight loss in a psychological way. Weight loss/gains can be affected by our minds in many ways. A lot of us have hormonal problems that play a part in our weight loss struggles, typical of women especially. A lot of us have suffered with stress, anxiety and depression (chemical imbalances in our brains) and that also plays a major roll in affecting our weight loss/gain. Many are on medications that may affect this and we choose to be sane/happy/not anxious and struggle with our weight which can add to our depression/stress/anxiety and it's a vicious circle. Trust me losing weight does not necessarily equal no more depression, anxiety or stress! We wish it did! These are things we've been struggling with prior to the band, some of us for too long, and after the band it didn't quite work out the way we had imagined. Remember not all of us joined forums prior to being banded and we all went through similar routes of "lap band knowledge". Even if we had joined prior the information from the people not losing weight and being somewhat disillusioned by their band was kind of stifled by many people who didn't want to see the lap band struggles brought out into the open for some reason. I think it's possible the fear of it happening to them but I'm not a doctor nor a saint and play neither on TV or on the lap band forum. Anyway you are the majority of people here who are thrilled to be banded even if you have struggles you know you depend on it for your current and eventual weight loss and we wish you the best of luck with that and are very happy for you. Do you think we would have put ourselves through this surgery if we knew in the end we would stop losing and put it back on, not lose weight, spend hours in the er vomiting our own saliva because fill mistakes. Unfortunately a lot of surgeons when they see you're not losing weight or if you're gaining will happen to go towards over-filling than under-filling and that causes a lot of problems. Anyway all we want is a safe place to discuss, we may need a bit of hand holding once in a while, if that's what it takes to get us back on track then so be it. We want to try to work it out in an "open forum" where we don't feel like we have to hide our feelings because someone who is insecure about their lap band may want to rant on us because we may not have necessarily made the best choice but are trying the best we can anyway. If we want to be beaten up all we have to do is look in the mirror and we can do it in our own heads, (I'm not talking voices) but maybe some of us have them too and that's OK!! Anyway I put this thread here not to attack you WCFG but becasue I wanted to respond to your post and it was the best place to do it. I want an open forum where people don't have to "hide in the band closet" or hide in a "Social Group". I feel it takes strength and courage to admit when we've made mistakes for whatever reason and our weight has always been a thorn in our paws and we have to love ourselves whether we're fat or thin or whether we're losing or not losing weight or gaining weight. It's not a bad thing to think that way and I know a lot of you think I'm a trouble maker, a thin person hater and want to bash the band but it's not like that. I know how hard emotionally my struggles with my weight have affected me my whole life and I can't be the only one out there that still does. Sincerely brandyII:smile2:

Well I thought I'd research it quickly to see what it was about but the titles turned me off from the start so I'm assuming they're "spare the rod, spoil the child" type peeps?:wink2:

So even though you're kinked they still would give you a fill? I guess they're not too worried then about waiting for your insurance to kick in. I hope you're feeling better soon! Nancy