marys

I just read this today - any job that you whistle on the way to work is a good one - try to find something that makes you happy first and pays the bills. I'm off the fast track now - my boyfriend and i moved to utah and are basically ski bums in the winter. he now longer grinds his teeth to nubs and I sleep all night. he makes a bit m ore money as a computer consultant so i can work pt at various jobs (exec asst, substitute teacher, work at ski resort in winter). We are definitely less well off but much m uch happier.

I debated forever about getting the 2nd fill but now I'm glad I did and won't wait so long again. Not sure why I waited either but it sounds like you could use one. I do also agree with others - try to make as good as choices as you can so the fill has a fighting chance. Good LUCK!

I'm not sure its so much how many but how much is in the fills! It seems like the Mexican docs fill more agressively and the US docs go slow. I'm at my 2nd fill and it really seems to be working and I feel restriction now like I didn't with the first fill. I was able to eat everything and never really got full and only lost about 5lbs. I'm steadily losing now and really feel a difference - even with liquids, I have to go slow. However, If I still take baby size bites (like you would give a 2 year old) and chew it to death, I've gotten most foods down. But 4 goldfish hardly chewed yesterday (the crackers!) resulted in a big pb so things are different.

HeatherGurl, No need at all to beat yourself up - YOU ARE DOING IT RIGHT - hey, just by going to the gym for 10 weeks - come on, that is terrific. Maybe the ideas here will help you make better use of your time BUT anyone who exercises regularly in my book is a hero and an inspiration. That's really the hard part, you know? Take care! mary

Girlfriend...YOU"VE got it right - you are truly doing it right - and I applaud you for your consistency and dedication. I'm sure you are feeling/reaping the rewards of your hard work. You've inspired me to be more consistent with my exericise and I won't miss another day of myscheduled workouts. Keep up the good work.

I am a personal trainer although not practicing right now because it is hard to help people when MY body is such a wreck - however, YES YES YES to strength training no matter where you are in your weight loss journey or what your starting size. Keep the cardio but do it last - I was 130lbs and the smallest size 4-6 I've ever been and looked cut and beautiful when I strength trained 4-6x a week. You will not bulk up unless you plan on lifting VERY HEAVY almost daily and competing - it just won't happen and yes, the scale may not move a lot but boy your body will be smaller and reshaped in ways that will astound you. It is sooo important to strength train esp as we age as it helps with bone density. I suggest two sets of 10-12 reps for each body part going as heavy as you can - you want the last two to be very hard but not so hard you lose form. For beginners start with one set, low weight to get the proper form down (most important) then go heavy but again, not so heavy you lose form, feel pain or cant complete the set. The Firm puts out some good cardio/strength training videos that are hard but have a beginner instructor you can follow as you gain strength. i highly recommend them.

In the beginning I never 'threw up' as I had such an aversion to it but the golf ball feeling would be horrible. Once I passed this point I'm sorry to say I have pb'd many times which I know is not good but I'm such a hard head and keep making the same mistakes over and over again. My second fill has been much more challenging then the first and I've had many rough days and several days of liquids and maalox to settle things down. Even today I was over hungry and ate 3 goldfish and am sitting here praying I don't throw up - I'm spitting my salivia into a napkin but don't have the needles in the chest which usually means throwing up is next so maybe just dry as a bone and they will pass. I'll never ever say I don't know why I am fat cuz the band has made that very clear to me now.

I am 5'2 and about 164-165lbs now and hoping to get to 125 (I'm also hoping to get to 5'6 but that "aint' gonna happen -smile)

my doc also said coffee is fine although some people have trouble with the acidity - if it bothers you, i'd stay away but if you are ok with it, go for it

Be honest with yourself - if you are pbing everyday that is not good - and you should call your doc for his/her advice. You risk a slip with too much throwing up and it's a vicious cycle - you throw up get swollen try to eat and throw up again, etc. etc. I was pbing alot in the beginning (and even now occassionaly) and mydoc has always said after a pb go on liquids for 24 hours to get the swelling down, you might feel ok in a few hours but your stomach/band is swollen still and you'll just keep irritating it. Also, protein (dryer meats) can really be tough even on a good day - maybe stick to mushies and luqids for a few days. goodluck this should pass!

Here's a strange request - my boss wants me to find a live play for him and his dgtr to attend between June 25-June 28 (she is pre teen). I've found several local theatres including the Children's theatre (but they are off season)- does anyone have a local paper or know of any plays during that time. Of course I need it today and I"m researching like mad, but they also have 10 other activities I'm looking for plus the hotel, well, you get it...so any help from my fellow bandster pals is MUCH APPRECIATED. THANKS! MARY

Can't say i had the gasping thing but you should check with your doctor - it might be related to the fever? Also, do you like/can you have tomatoe juice - i hated it before surgery but now love it - and it was more filling then broth. I also had popscicles (sp) and they were helpful. And tomato soup was good and filling too. And, maybe ask your nutritionist when you can add protein shakes - maybe really watered down will work but ask first because you must follow doctor's orders - it is most important to not disrupt the band while it's healing in place - even if you don't feel it - it's healing and you want it to stay in place. Good luck and hang in there - it will get easier. Mary

I was told no carbonated drinks ever again - so bye bye beer and champagne (and my best old friend diet soda) but i've had a variety of mixed ddrinks and wine - although in very small amounts. My small tolerance is evven less since i don't drink with food and wait at least one hour after eating before drinking...that being said - i do enjoy a glass of wine, a margarita, a bloody mary and other drinks occassionally and other then the calories (you want to watch that if you are trying to lose weight) and possible sensitivities to acidic drinks (everyone is different) there is no reason you can't have a drink now and then. My doc said no problem but watch the calories and be careful cuz your tolerance will probably be lower but it's not something you can't ever have again.

You are an angel and saved me! Thanks so very much! Great ideas. hugs, mary

I totally feel for carnie wilson as it must be 100 times worse to be in the public eye and having every pound lost or gained a newsworthy event. It also makes me sad to know that even with bypass or lapband how hard this struggle is - i've lived it my whole life and while i'm hopeful the band will make me a success at weight loss - success to me will mean keeping it for once in my life. And i have a ways to go to even get the weight off.

I also highly recommend Title 9 www.title9.com - they have a huge selection of sports bras for large sizes and they are TERRIFIC. Look under bras that have 3+barbells - that is the way they rate their bras (by barbells) and 3+ are for larger sized breasts. Good luck. PS I wear a size 38D and I found my incision was between and a little lower then my bra so i never had any trouble with it touching that incision - now waistbands have been another issue - lol good luck!!!

If I use fitday.com i do much better but I find its like everything i do - faithfully for a few weeks, maybe months then i quit. I'm always amazed at how the calories add up as i try to stay at 1200 and 1500 is much more in line with what i would grab. It is also easier for me if i eye ball every meal and try to stay within 400 calories AND Snacks are ONLY fresh fruit, cheese stick or yogurt - (but you can see that is 400x3=1200 + the snacks already is over 1200. My worst habit is grazing and not counting the calories, I do fix my plate and try to not eat seconds or go for more and don't drink for at least an hour. The more vigilant i am the better results I see, the further I get away from monitoring in any way, the weight loss stops or i gain. I get my 2nd fill on tuesday and i'm hoping for more restriction tojump start my weight loss and get some lbs off. So, for me I do have to pay attention to what I eat now and make good choices and watch calories. The more effort I put into that, the more weight I lose however, I refuse to "diet" ever again and try to make this a lifestyle change - eating variety of foods in small portions with occasisional treats. Good luck - It is challenging.

If you are losing 1-2llbs a week - you don't need a fill. I know way too many bandsters that are so tight they have liquuids all day and choke down a small amount of dinner and that is not good. Why don't you wait until you weight loss slows and or your food intake increases etc? You are learning to eat well, take small bites and chew which will help at any restriction level to not pb - believe me I've done it and I'm not too tight, just bad habits and it is not a good thing. And one more thing, most of the people I know who get filled in the US have a standing appointment every 4-6 weeks and they do tend to put in a little at a time but there is no reason you have to follow this - you shoud get a fill when you feel like you need one and you don't seem to now. good luck!

Jenny, Just wanted to say so sorry about all you've had to go through but I wish you improved health - i hope you are feeling better every day. It does seem strange your symptoms are disappearing after band removal and it makes perfect sense to me that you may have had allergic reactions to it - it is a foreign body! Thank you for sharing your story - did you have an inamed band - i'm wondering if they are interested/following your experience as it may help others down the road. You have such a positive attitude and i wish you continued success and good health - keep us posted.b

You are right to be concerned because slippage and erosion do happen. Erosion seems to happen to less and there are no clear reasons why - it is basically the bad luck of the draw - it also seems to happen within two years so if you make it past that point it seems much less likely to happen. Slippage is usally caused by excessive vomiting - some vomiting (pb) can be controlled by you but if you get a flu or food poisoning or whatever and throw up alot you will probably have a slip. I've known 3 people that have had a slip and all were fixed in the docs office i think by an unfill, letting the band reposition and then getting filled again. A slip is serious but i don't believe always causes surgery, etc. It's most imp to find a very skilled and experienced doc as the way the stich ithe band in, fix hernias (iI'e just learned if a hernia isn't repaired you will probably slip - and while most docs fix hernias, some don't). With the band you have to hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. It is surgery, you are having an implant and complications can arise. We all pray and hope it won't happen but it CAN. There are many older threads on this site about slippage and erosion so read and learn as much as you can. I think you'll see it is not everyone but a small percentage of people. Good luck and lapband has much less complications then bypass.

My first fill instructions were two days of liquids, a few with softer foods then back to normal eating - check with doc again as 2 weeks seems a bit much but you should also follow your docs instructions over mine - smile. take care.

I was lower bmi but my weight fluctuated from the time I was in my late teens early 20's. I'm now in my 40's and wish I had been able to do this sooner although I may have thought it was too drastic as i even debated that before surgery - cuz it is pretty drastic. However i've realized and now see very clearly that I would never have achieved permenant weight loss without it - i'm hoping i will but i'm still not there. What i've been forced to see is all my bad habits around food - most are easier to change with the band. I was so tired of yo yoing and one year being 125 and the next 200 - i know that wasn't/isn't good for one's body, etc. So, my bmi was 33 at surgery and I'm hoping to lose a total of 40-50lbs AND KEEP IT OFF FOR LIFE. if the band can help me achieve that - i will be the happiest person. So, yes think hard and research a lot and make the decision for you - don't tell a bunch of people as you can always tell them later and good luck.

Ok - I went swimming in our complex pool - (about 10minutes in the Water and 20 drying off) and was wearing board shorts...got to cover those legs - ha. Anyway as we were leaving I noticed my thigh was kinda burning and as I walked home my immediate thought was 'thighs rubbing together' - something I am quite familiar with. But when I got home and pulled off the trunks I had a huge red burning rash about 6 inches long and 4 inches wide in my inner thigh. One side is a straight red line like you'd get with a sunburn, maybe where your clothes stopped and bare skin begins but the other side is misshapen. Very strange. Hydrocortisone has reduced it but it is still red (less) and has red dots on it. Does anyone know if the pool chlorine could cause this - it really doesn't look like anything I've ever gotten from my legs rubbing together. No other part of my body has it. Just curious and slightly concerned.

Just wanted to say sorry if my earlier email sounded snooty about the diet - i wish you luck, truly. P.s. the only reason i was hungry is cuz i got sick of the soup fast.

ban cell phone use in cars health insurance or pay what you can health care for all legalize marijuana allow children to stay in foster care past 18 years old and provide them help/love legalize gay marriage and allow gay couples and singles to adopt (in fact, give all rights heteros receive to gays) no parole ever for sex offenders all criminals receive the same punishment as their crime i could go on but thanks for the opportunity to vent.