kirafiki

It really is just saliva. As the H2O gets reabsorbed into your body, the remainder of what makes up saliva gets concentrated and becomes very thick. regardless, it can be quite alarming. It is a very funky substance.

Hang in there, walk around as much as you can. I had the gas pains in my shoulder for 5 weeks (more than most do, honestly) but would do it all over again. I also remember the day I realized they were gone. I cried out of happiness. It will go away. Walking REALLY helped reduce the pain though.

You would be amazed at the amount of saliva we produce just sitting around doing nothing. If you get stuck, the saliva has nowhere to go. It backs up and has to come out. Slime is just saliva. The trick is to eat slowly, chew very well and pay attention to the foods that cause you to slime, since they are the ones getting stuck.

I remember those days. I never thought mashed potatoes and refried Beans could be so amazing when I finally got mushies! Hang in there... it only gets better and it is one AMAZING journey!

Hey there! I am in San Diego! Nice to meet you!

Hi there. I can totally understand your frustrations. But here is the thing. You need restriction to feel full. You clearly are not restricted. I am self pay, and so I have to pay $250 every time I need a fill, and so I haven't had one since April of last year. For the last six months, I have not been restricted, but I continue to eat correctly and exercise. As you can see from my signature and ticker, I have been pretty successful. The band is a tool, not a magic thing. You need restriction for it to do its job. That being said, you need calories in to burn, you may not be eating enough. I don't know what biological issues you are referring to. Some explanation would be nice. I haven't had any. I have a 14cc band, with 9 ccs in it. 1.5 is not nearly enough. You went into the surgery thinking it wouldn't work. That attitude might be what is sabotaging you. Why did you do it if you thought that? Good luck finding peace with this.

THANKS! It has taken me YEARS to be able to stand up for myself the way I do now. Oddly, it was having the surgery that made it possible for me to speak my mind about my body and its size. Continued success to all!

Its funny you said "just like a baby"... when I had surgery, I decided that my stomach was re-born, and now I had to learn how to eat all over again. I view the steps from liquid to mushies to solids, both after surgery or a fill, a quick version of teaching a baby to eat. After my surgery I had the worst gas EVER. Finally, it did go away. I still remember the day I realized I wasn't gassy. I nearly cried from happiness that it was gone. Still get it now and then, but just as before surgery, a good burp is one of the most enjoyable things in life!

Just an idea, but I have decided that if for any reason I cannot keep my band I will go with a sleeve. Still less invasive than the bypass, but a tool I will have for a long time to help my support in maintaining my new health.

I might be a bit more militant than others, but I always say that just as my weight wasn't something they could discuss with me before I had surgery, it is still an off-limits topic. I follow that by saying, I don't obsess on your weight, why is it that you do on mine?

For me, every day is a little different. I don't like to deny myself anything. I find that if I keep up with the exercise, there is no (small amount) food that I can't eat at some time. Except for carbonation and white bread (most breads really)...I stay far away from those two things! I struggle with a lifetime of being a compulsive eater. My band keeps me mindful of the amounts. My band saved my life.

Personally, even if the scars were big and didn't fade, I would do this over and over and over and over again. My overall health is far more important than the existence of the scars. Now that I am close to goal, I can feel my port, and occasionally see it, but should I ever choose to have the reconstructive surgery to remove the 20 pounds of extra skin I have I will have it relocated. Port, scars, extra skin and all, I would do this again in a second.

Personally, I look forward to the extra restriction! I know, I am sick, but I haven't been able to afford a fill since last April!

Browning the meat caramelizes it and brings out the flavors. You do need SOME liquid in the crock pot to cook, but don't put too much. Browning also ensures that the meat's natural juices will stay in it, keeping it both flavorful and moist. Adding herbs/spices at the end is a great idea. Instead of water, if a recipe calls for it, try low sodium broth, tomato juice, V8 juice, salsa, canned tomatoes. Keep trying, its a great way to cook.

Well said, and in total agreement.

I will fight to the end of my life to uphold the Roe v. Wade decision.

Just to clarify, I can only say this is true in California. Other states may be more humane.

Update... contacted a place called coverageforall... there is probably no private health insurance company that will cover someone who has been banded. I guess there really isn't coverage for all?

Ok, I know that most of us have an issue with body image. But here is my problem, and I am sure it also is not unique to me. Now that I am down 140 pounds, and am wearing a smaller size than I have since before I was in high school, my head still sees a 315-pounder in the mirror. Then I look down at the hanging skin (I have a lot... 20 years of being over 300 pounds plus being 40 and having lost the usual amount of elasticity 40 brings on top of the multiple layers of stretch marks that guarantee the skin will never bounce back) and it looks the same as when it did when I was 315+ pounds. I try to rationalize that if I had the money for all the cosmetic surgery i want, I would see the scale drop another 15 to 20 pounds and would be down another size. But I can't get past the extra skin. It just hangs there. I am afraid that it is making me think I need to go way lower than I should, and then I will still not be happy, since then it will just hang some more. And I am aware that I need some counseling for this, but I don't currently have the money for it. I am also having a hard time adjusting to being 'normally sized'. I am so used to worrying that I am going to break the chair, or that everyone is snickering at how much of me hangs out the sides of seats. I can now walk into most stores and buy things off the rack, but somehow my head can't get it that I am no longer 315 pounds. When I do go into those stores, I have to take a 'thin' friend with me, so that the people in the store with just think I am there with them... I still think they are wondering why I am in their store. Needless to say, I have taken a maintenance break. I think its mainly to hopefully let my head adjust to my new body. I can't bring myself to look at old photos of me, since the current photos I still look at as if I am huge. I fear that by looking at old ones I might freak out. I need some counseling, don't I?

Thanks so much for responding, I knew I wasn't alone. I am not at my goal, but really have had to stop losing and just maintain for a while because of this. I don't know how to get around it and just be happy either... I don't know what being happy with it is like! Maybe the video idea is a good one, once I get past the horror of having to look at myself on camera. On top pf all this, one of the people in my family had the 'we are afraid you are becoming anorexic' talk with me. I don't understand why they can't see what contribution they had to me getting so fat, and why even opening their mouths about my size is in any way appropriate. How many times do I have to tell them that my size is not a subject they are allowed to bring up anymore? I knew this would all come, I just hadn't prepared myself well enough for it. Thanks again for the response. Sometimes I feel so alone out here.

My question about P90X is the diet plan. Does anyone know how it works with the band? I have talked to many people who had great results from it, and I am nearing the end of my weight loss goal, and now want to adjust it to go about 25 pounds lower than that original goal, I was thinking this would be a great way to do it. The last 30 pounds or so is SO hard!!! But I am just not sure how the diet plan with the program will work with the band. Everyone I have talked to that has done it are not people with the band, and they say that the diet plan is very integral with the program, and really is about 70% of the overall program. Thanks for any help that can be offered... and keep up the good work all!

I have lost 141!!! Nearing my original goal, but will be adjusting that, since this is the lowest I have weighed in over 25 years, I had no idea what being here would be like. The downside? The extra skin. I am beginning to think that the extra skin is causing me to want to adjust my ultimate goal too low, but will see when I get there I suppose. CONGRATULATIONS to ALL!!!! Keep up the good work. What a gift of unknown proportions getting the band was. Not just in weight loss, but also the other changes that I have gone through as a result. Simply amazing. The band has saved my life in so many ways.

So, here I am, 110 lbs down with probably 60 to go. My self esteem is getting better, not great yet though. But since I am feeling so good physically and somewhat better mentally, I think others are detecting this and have started asking me out. Now, I love being single, but its always nice to have someone to play with. I will not go into the mental issues that are cropping up about dating, but here's the one thing that I have found. Men who ask me out are the guys who like their women thick. I don't like me thick, and never will. I say yes to them, not knowing that this is the case (i try not to assume anything about anyone without knowing them). Since I am still a 'big' girl, they seem to want to take me to all you can eat places. Like for example, I said I wanted sushi (I was craving sashimi, and figured one, maybe two orders, I am full, they haven't spent much... perfect) and he takes me to an all you can eat Japanese place. Well, I am not ready to say on a first date "I can't all-you-can-eat anymore" so I get my little plate and put teaspoon sized portions on it and pick at them. They don't have sashimi at all you can eat places. Then we have a discussion about how I don't eat much. Well, jackass, had you listened to me about where I wanted to go... a sushi BAR... you wouldn't have dropped so much cash for me to eat almost nothing. Ok, now going into the mental stuff. Some horrible person told me when I was a fat teen that if boys asked me out, they only wanted something since boys don't like fat girls. That has haunted me since then. Now I find that translating into 'he asked me out because he assumes the fat girl will be so appreciative of having been asked out that she will most certainly put out'. I am trying to work through this on my own, but its hard. Anyone have a similar experience or maybe some words of wisdom? Keep up the good work... its a long road, but oh so worth it! Thanks in advance!

The pouch test is really helpful... it helped me get back in touch with my band and what full feels like and at the same time got me below 200 after hovering over it for about three months. I am also at 120 pounds lost, still have about 30 until my original goal (which I think will be amended, so I really think I have about 55 to go) and I think the stalling is just a huge adjustment my body is making to the huge weight loss in less than a year. Hang in there and keep working, you have done great so far and all your hard work will pay off!!!

Congratulations to you! I also recently found onederland... and today I declared myself a permanent resident! I haven't been one since the 80's!! And apparently it wasn't permanent then either. Enjoy your success and let it fuel you for many more successes to come!!!