TexasRose

After having problems with my band for the last year and a half and gaining back 65 of my 125 lbs I originally lost...I was having repeated episodes of throwing up. One night it was every hour - so I went to get my band unfilled. I was dilated and blocked. I was asked to go have my gall bladder evaluated for gall stones. After a very thorough upper GI ultrasound - I was found to have multiple gall stones. So off to my band doctor and he put me in the hospital for a gall bladder removal and adjustment/replacement of my band. Once he was in there, he decided to replace it with the new AP model and strip out scar tissue from the first banding...then removed my gall bladder. So, now I am two weeks out from having surgery and recovering well. The pain was SIGNIFICANTLY less than the first time around - the doc said it was because he used my original port. I'm very slowly moving back to solid foods - even though he said he wanted me on solid foods by Thanksgiving....I'm a little nervous about pushing it. The original food path was 6 weeks to solid foods - he wanted it done in 3 weeks this time. I guess because I'm "experienced" and need Protein intake...but I'm still taking it easy but getting tired of mashed potatoes and Protein shakes. Long story short...he said I was among the 3% of lapband patients that get gall stones (guess it happen much more often in RNY) and required gall bladder removal. Has anyone else needed their gall bladder removed after weight loss?

So, what is the deal with men and big breasts? Granted, I know it is all personal preference and all sizes and shapes are attractive, BUT.... Unless surgically placed, natural big breasts *let's say greater than D-cup* are not typically 'pretty and perky'. There are ALWAYS exceptions, but in my case - I would say nope....not pretty nor perky. Scenario: Every potential date that I email/chat with lately *that has yet to see me in person* brings up the topic. Fact: I am a very curvy hour-glass girl with a big chest and a smaller waist. I'm a 36G - when stated, the guys are practically drooling on themselves. One guy even said "marry me - you've just met the biggest boob guy EVER". Personally, I do not see the big deal!! For me, they are more of an annoyance and I cannot wait to have them surgically reduced and lifted to a 36C. Do they expect that they are going to be some PentHouse - surgically altered - Dolly Parton extravaganza breasts? When in fact they droop, sag, point south, are not full/rounded, kinda lay there - unless hoisted up by underwires and not so comfortable material in lingerie that is typically not very 'pretty and sexy'? What is the obsession? Would love your thoughts....

I have been doing Curves workouts from 5 weeks after my surgery to present....and I attempt to get in 5 hours a week. I'm really working hard to tone up and regain my center/core. Well, I was on the stretch out machine and this average weight women - started chatting up that the circuit really does not "do" anything for weightloss but that doing cardio makes the biggest difference. Well, I cannot completely deny that but I made the comment that I was attempting to build back my core and muscle structure. She asked why....well, I have not been shy about sharing that I had Lapband....so I said, well, I've recently lost 85 lbs due to lapband, nutrition changes, and working out. The woman started sniffling CRYING and asked if I just hated myself to get that big. I was dumbfounded - I've never been asked that, nor seen that reaction! I said that I did not hate myself but that the gain happened slowly over many years due to illness and it just got to a breaking point to want to do the surgery. She said that she could not understand how ANYONE could ever get to that point of weight gain. Has anyone else had this reaction from people?

I was out dancing last night with friends and went to the bar to get a glass of Water. I returned to our table and the gentleman sitting at the next table drunkingly made the statement/question "what is your objective here?" I asked for clarification. He asked why I was drinking water and at the club in my 'condition'. Through a bit more banter, he asked why I was pregnant and out dancing. I politely said that I was not pregnant. Then I turned away from him and nearly started to cry. Even when I was at my heaviest, no one has ever asked if I was pregnant. I was always told that you never make such a comment unless you see a women with a baby popping out of her (for lack of a more eloquent way of stating it). The audacity of that man! How do I deal with the resulting horrible feelings I am having about myself and the way that I look after a comment like that? If you have encountered this, how did you deal with it?

Thank you all for your kind thoughts!

Are you eating enough calories for your size or have you put your body in to starvation mode? Calorie Calculator - Daily Caloric Needs For every pound you want to lose per week, drop 500 calories from your maintenance calorie needs. 500 calories deficit * 7 days = 3,500 calores = 1 pound. Example, if you wanted to lose 2 lbs per week and your maintenance calories says to eat 2000 calories per day to maintain your current weight - then eat 1000 calories per day to lose 2 lbs for the week.

Warning....complaining ahead....proceed with caution! I'm just past my 18 month mark and I have noticed a significant drop in my motivation since that benchmark. I've worked extremely hard to this point but due to some external factors (dating life, work stress, family stress, etc) - the depression of why the hell am I doing this anyway keeps creeping in my head. I have lost the feeling of "satisfied" sensation for the last 6 months. I do not have a 'stop' sensation AT ALL any more. I rarely PB with the exception of eating too late at night and getting the wake-up reflux coughing....but nothing comes up. My fills have not 'restricted' me at all since the summer time - even though the PAs say that they do not want to close me down any more b/c it shows proper restriction. Now I am apprehensive to go get a fill because I fear that I have expanded my pouch and I am going to be left wide open and starving for weeks. I know this is not a well thought of technique - especially here, but I have been supplimenting with phentermine to help with cravings and hunger since mid-January. I have dropped 20 lbs since then but am finding that I need higher and higher doses to keep the cravings at bay. In the last 2 weeks - I have laxed off on taking them. I've allowed myself to start drinking 8oz of diet soda at full carbonation as of about a month ago (v. slowly at first - now a few per week) and have actually eaten 2/3 of a sandwich with bread. I've also allowed myself to eat dry Cereal - sometimes up to 2 cups. Frankly, all of this scares the crap out of me but I cannot seem to stop myself. Is anyone else battling with this? I've read where others with longterm band have sensation issues - any advice on regaining it? Thanks! ~T~

Thank you all for your advice - I certainly appreciate it!! Sometimes it is just nice to actually read that other people are struggling the same way and how they overcame the temporary down time. I know we all experience it at different times but -for me - sometimes it just becomes overwhelming. Stress is a HUGE trigger for me but it is a part of my life that I deal with every day - especially being self employed, an over achiever and single. Best of luck to everyone dealing with the daily struggles - would love to continue to hear the ideas you all have about moving forward. Tiffany

I went from a 10M to a 9.5M. Found that I started walking out of my shoes, so now I have been buying new shoes along with new clothes.

Thanks Jack!

The only uncomfortable part I have found is if he lays directly on top of my port area and it gets pushed in to my ribs - otherwise, no problems at all. Enjoy!!

Remote Control Easyband: http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/Index.cfm?AD=1&ArticleID=14680

Have any of you run in to the rare "I think you are perfect the way you are physically" guy? Did you feel a little suspicious of him? Would he encourage you to gain weight? Thoughts?

I've just met Mr. 'Like You The Way You Are' and he seems genuine - in the limited face-to-face time, thus far. With 50lbs left to go, he said that he does not think that I am overweight and that everyone is built differently. Said he loves my curves and he thinks that I am perfect the way I am. Confuses me!! I guess I just think back to all of the other bad relationships or ones that were truncated because of my suspicion of the weight (though, no one ever admitted it). I'm just being extremely cautious. Would be WONDERFUL if he proves my suspicions wrong...guess we'll see what happens!

Happy Valentine's Day! Okay Kids....how do you handle dating multiple people at once? I have always been the one guy at a time, conclude dating relationship, then on to the next. Perhaps it is a guilt complex that I feel like I am cheating if I am going out with more than one at a time. You would think that being 35 and dating since 14 that I would have a better handle on it - but this just seems to be difficult for me to not become attached quickly. Thoughts? Tiffany

Hi Alex - I go through periods of looking droopy/saggy from loss - especially when I lose in quick spurts. But it will firm up and remold to the muscles/bone....lots of Water, moisturize, exercise....and a little time. There are some days that are worse for me - but those are the days that people tell me that I am wasting away. :mad: Gotta love that compliment! Tiffany

Katie - Hi there! There were some days in the beginning when I felt like I was going to turn in to some form of chicken b/c it is all that I seemed to ever eat when I was cautious about experimenting. I am admittedly a sushi-freak and was so glad when I could start eating it again. Spicy foods and interesting salad combos help me when I'm feeling like I am in a food coma. If you like seafood: try gumbo, raw oysters, shrimp, crawfish, mussels, etc. smoothie King and Starbucks keeps me happy when I'm not able to eat many solids due to tightening or stress. Like others have suggested, doing a zig-zag with your calories (up and down) seems to help me break my plateau cycle. I use http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm to calculate my maintenance calories based on my current weight and subtract 500 calories/day from that maintenance level to lose 1 lb/wk. (-1000 calories/day for 2 lbs/wk) It will make suggestions on how to zig-zag, if calorie counting is important to you. Might also want to look on www.calorieking.com and www.dietfacts.com for food values and ideas of what you can order in restaurants. You are doing great - I know it can be frustrating...been there quite a few times myself!! Tiffany

I just think that it is funny when guys get that look in their eyes when they realize that you are chesty - like they have just stepped in to a candy store for the first time. They do not quite know what to do with them.....but they sure want to try! Now that my 'side boobs' are gone - does bring everything to the front focus. Love the way my bras fit now - so much better. Mark - *haha* nope, not giving out the number....maybe once you grow out the beard for the beard combover - we'll talk! ;o)

I have noticed that I shrank significantly in face, top and waist first and the stomach/hips/backside are taking longer to catch up. I did drop pants sizes quickly in the beginning but then it slowed down as the top half start to really size down. Before, I would lose fairly evenly all around - so everything was shrinking at the same rate. Great thing is that it is coming off....bad thing is that I think I look a little off-balance.

In the beginning, eating out was a HUGE intimidating event for me....but, being a consultant that traveled - it was either eat out, or do not eat. So, I found what helped my anxiety was to look up menus online and see what options I had before actually going to the restaurant. I found the abundance of options on the menu to be overwhelming. Soon, you get in a groove of knowing calories and portions when food is in front of you and it just becomes routine. I also spent a lot of time on www.calorieking.com or www.dietfacts.com to look up values and options. If you cannot find someone on the menu that you want - order something special off the menu. Case in point, went to this really great restaurant that I could not find exactly what I wanted and they did not really have much in the way of appetizers - so I ordered 1 crabcake. Totally not a big deal with the restaurant and when my date questioned as to if that was all that I wanted - just said that I really did not like to eat anything heavy at night. End of discussion. You'll do great!!!

I have had very good results with phentermine taking the edge off of cravings and that starving feeling that invokes the binge reaction. The side effects usually last a few days on the higher dosage (37.5mg) - I think it depends on how well you tolderate new meds. I was addicted to diet pills back in the late 80s when I was modeling and 130lbs *BOY, do I wish I weighed that now!!!* - but now find that I have no problem getting on and off of them without withdrawl physically or mentally. My doc will not script them - so I went out on my own and bought them online to get me through the really tough times and the liquid phases after fills.

What I found works best for me is to curb the nighttime eating desire - go work out from 6:30 - 8:00 time frame.....when I get home, the desire to eat is very minimal. I make myself eat something like hummus with pita chips, Protein shake or something light to make my stomach not so rumbly and I'm good. I'm a sweets eater too - but since surgery, I prefer dark chocolate over anything else. It is quite rich and more satisfying for the craving so a smaller piece takes care of it - over eating a bunch of sweet chocolate where all you want is more. Actually sweet chocolate is now "too sweet" - which seems strange. Every once in a while - having something sweet is not bad....shoveling it in - will halt all of your great progress and just frustrate more.

Does anyone else feel like they are looking a bit like a deflated balloon? Beyond plastic surgery - any skin care secrets to share? Thanks!

I just cannot imagine wearing Spanx for the rest of my life. Spanx in a bathing suit....Spanx in the shower.....Spanx with a nightie....where will the madness stop!!! Thankfully my arms are tightening up....but my stomach seems to be what is bothering me most....breasts come in a close second....legs and rear - pulling up the rear *LOL* My stomach is starting to feel weird when I lay down....soft, squishy and wrinkley My stretchmarks seem to be more pronounced *to me*. Someone told me that when you skin starts to show the orange peel apprearance and feels really soft/squishy, that you are about to lose inches. Anyone else heard of that before?

I have the mental fat block too! I see the subtle things but not the overall picture and people think I am nuts to not see it all. I have lost a 14 y.o. girl (essentially) and I can mentally understand that - but my brain does not process the image that should go along with it. Oh, therapy...here I come!!!