Kat817

There ya go Wheetsin--buy her a new red hat, and find out about how many and where they go to eat, and if possible treat her group--they will all thank HER!!! Have the restaurant bring cake out to her with all of her Red Hat Soceity Friends. Kat

Hi everyone! I got the nicest PM from Dianne---with all that she is going through she took time (and it might have been underwear time!) out to give me some WONDERFUL info on healing Kinseys mouth sores. It helped so much to know we were on the right track. Again---thank you Dianne--you are one special lady! And I am REALLY glad you washed some undies!!! I bought a new bra today---went down to a 40...and up to a DDD. I give up! Chris---that "keep" column is adding up much quicker than the "dump him" column!!! You have to take a pic of what you buy!!! He does sound like a nice guy---also a very trusting one---leaving a box with a gift card in it! So what kind of tattoos does he have---let's psycho analyze him by them!!! j/k Cassie---hope all goes well at school, maybe she is jealous of the weight loss, and the wedding....it is hard to guess why some people just take a dislike at you! Hope it works out for you! Mary--hope the computer problems work out. DH wants to buy a new one---I see it as going from a headache with this one---to a major headache getting a new one up and going. Computer Guru I am not! Eileenie---yep that's the movie---I hadn't heard about it til this morning, and have seen no less than 6 ads for it today! DH says we are going on his days off. Usually we would go on Sunday afternoon, but my grandsons birthday party is this Sunday. Here at our house---so I have to clean. AND....I also have to deal with DH's Ex-wife. She is a head case!! Should be a big bunch of fun...she is expecting 12 kids...he is 1 for goodness sake! If it was my DD I would say something---but is my DIL, so I shut up! I need to shampoo my carpet, but going to wait until all the punch gets spilled to do it! I feel your pain of eating wrong. I was shopping for groceries today, and grabbed a cup of popcorn chicken, to eat as lunch. Usually not a problem, but was snacking away, and fell into the old inhale habit. Tossed a piece in, pretended to chew and swallowed........mistake! I have been on liquids all afternoon, my belly just hurts...I made it sore. Stupid! Ok---I can't scroll back any further---so will just shut up! We are on the down hill slide to the weekend now!!! Hang in there! Kat

Not sure it will help you Diet Coke fiends---but just thought I would share this with you---our local 7/11 convenience store, has Diet Coke Icees. They are non carbonated---would be considered liquid--and the cold might be soothing. Cold also sometimes causes bands to get tighter---keep that in mind. No one ever made a Diet Dr. Pepper one, and now I have kicked the habit---but would still drink one of the icees if they made it! Kat

LOL Karen!!! I agree, for the most part. Do not change who you are for anyone---it is temporary at best. BUT that being said, I have to play devil's advocate for a few minutes.... Sometimes after being banded we focus on nothing else---you know how it is when someone talks of nothing but their new job or their dog...or new baby---whatever.....sometimes that's us with the band! It is making such huge changes within us, that we expect everyone to be as interested in it as us---and it isn't always so!!! That's one of the best things about LBT we can talk it to death!!! Just give your friends a chance, they are likely worried you WILL change more than just your appearance! Now, if they are mean about it----you know what to do!!! Kat

I would be sure to get some liquid protein, and maybe some of the vitamin waters available. I was thinking the same thing, that is should begin loosening as you drop in weight, but man you have already done that!!! Maybe try a thicker drink at different times of the day....Have you tried a thicker drink...like a protein shake, AFTER sipping something warm??? Sometimes that will loosen up the band a bit. I am glad you are in constant touch with your Dr. He/She can make sure you do not lose your health in the process of trying to become healthy!!! Wow!!! Do yu even recognize yourself in the mirror? Are you able to do any physical activity or are you getting to weak for that? I was thinking that may help the stomach itself lose more if you were more active. I am at a loss---I hope it eases for you soon, losing the weight is awesome, but you need nourishment---more than 4 bottles of water a day! Does your Dr. know that is all you take in? Kat

Hey Beannie---can you add this link to our regular thread, so I can maybe remember to do this each day??? pretty please? Kat

WooooHoooo!!!! Way to GO!!! You will be so glad you did this! And less time to stress, or deal with the "last supper" syndrome! You have plenty of time, to get your supplies together, and be prepared! That is awesome news, I am so happy for you!!! You will be a fellow lapbander in no time! Kat

What can I say Watermelon, when you're right, you're right----a little indulgence isn't gonna kill us....so go ahead and have "Samoa"!!! Sorry---I tried not to make that joke---I just couldn't resist!!!! Kat

OK "Newb"..... ...sliming. Sliming is the body's way of trying to help us 'unstick' something. When your body senses something is needing to move and it is not, it kicks into high gear to help, and it helps by producing copius amounts of slime. Slime is just very thick spit. VERY thick, VERY gooey--and thankfully tasteless, it is just super spit!!! The problem with sliming, is that when you are stuck, it is usually accompanied by being too full. So when your body is making huge amounts of slime/spit....your stomach, or pouch actually is too full already, and there is nowhere for it to go. The best thing you can do is to spit it out if you are in a place you can do so...to try to swallow it all is quite possibly going to lead to a sudden PB, where you lose the slime, and what food is in your pouch suddenly---without real warning. So when you can do something besides swallow all the slime, do it! I have only read of the sudden PB's I have never experienced one, hope not to either!!! I opt for the nasty spit technique when it happens. Trying to follow band rules cuts down the frequency and severity of slime attacks....someday I will learn!!! And BTW----if you hear something you don't know---we don't mind you being a newbie---we are glad you are here!! Welcome! Kat

I bought 5 boxes---so far!!! I bought and kept one of the new brownies...sugar free or fat free---something---they lasted about 2 days!! DH helped tho! The other 4 I did a "Troops for Troops" buy. They gave me a marker, let us write a message on the box, then they are going to our local "Blue Ribbon Mothers" (I think this is what they are called). It is an organization of Moms with children in the service. These cookies, will be sent to a troop in either Iraq or Afghanistan. They allowed us to put any message we wanted on the box, and they took our name and address so the troop would know they come from the townspeople. I figured they needed them much more than I do!!! I remember coaching my DD in what the money went to, and how much stayed for her local troop. It was helpful in teaching her to speak up and talk to "strangers" in a setting in which I was present, but she was in charge. Now I can honestly tell all those sweet little faces, that I already bought cookies!! ******deep, deep sigh....Thin Mints****** Kat

Things like this often show us who our true friends are. I had one friend distance herself from me---and in my case it was not a jealousy issue with her, but a control issue. She did not want me to have surgery, and I did. As I re-gain my confidence she drifts (or maybe is pushed) further away. I think others change, but also we change, and true friendship will change right along with us...superficial ones will not. Must be one of those live and learn things! Welcome to bandland by the way!!! Kat

Good Morning everyone!! It seems like a wonderful morning here!!! Kinsey is feeling much better, she is dragging EVERYTHING out---which is better than lying listless. Afterall I get half my exercise picking up after her!!! Or more exact, getting her to pick up---stubborn doesn't begin to cover it!!! Some days I have to walk her back and forth with each item---other days she picks up with no one saying a word to her! Kids--I have never through the years figured one out! She is still on the grapes kick---she also ate some cheese and crackers (the little package with the crackers, and creamy cheese to spread on them)--which I figured would hurt her, but the Lortab seems to help, then she eats, and when it wears off we go back to grapes!! Whatever---it is enough to keep her going! Her fever seems to be less---my DD forgot the scanner thermometer, and I have not subjected her to sitting with it under her arm---she feels cool enough not to do that. Darcy---how did the recital go? I bet she did wonderful! Cindy--I am interested in hearing how the movie was as well. My best friends Mom made tooth shaped pillows for all the kids---they had a little pocket on the front with their names on the pocket. And they had a ribbon to hang them on the bedroom door knob. I followed suit and made one for the oldest grandkids, and just made one for the bf's DD...as I pulled her tooth for her about a month ago. I used some metallic embroider floss, and stitched pretty designs around on it...she loved it, and my DD said it was so easy to use---they knew exactly where to find the tooth!!! She said they put the money in the pocket, and then sprinkled glitter on the floor by her door, and also sprinkled some lightly down the hall, and by the front door---she was thrilled! She said she never thought about the coins, but she used a rubber stamp, and (I told her this was a no-no...but she did it anyway!) stamped a pink fairy on the dollar bill! I never got to hear whether my oldest grandkids even used theirs so this was fun to find out!!! I will make them for the kids from here on out. It was a fun project! I also made each of them the old sock monkeys I learned to make a hundred years ago in Girl Scouts!! LMAO girls---I am telling you I made sock monkeys and William H. Macy is on TV telling Regis how he and the guys covered their "equipment" with socks for the nude scene in "Mad Dogs" (I think that is the movie name he said). Anyway was a bad visual for my poor sock monkeys!!! I better get busy, I need to type a letter for my DH, he is on jury duty next month, and will be out of town for one of the scheduled dates, so has to inform the court in writing....fun fun fun!!! Talk to you all soon---thanks for being there!!! Kat

Betsyjane, if you and Ariel can do that, and just giveup the sweets altogether---that is wonderful!!! I am sure it is the best way of going about it. I am so bad tho!!! As soon as I am told I cannot do something, or have something, I fixate on it!!! I do not do well will deprivation! And the SF products, or ones I make myself, to be very low sugar---keep my mind thinking I am not being deprived!! The SF desserts are not new to my family. My in-laws are both diabetic--so we have always had sugar free things around, and watched the natural sugars as well. We try to keep the amount low for my DH as well, since both his parents suffer with it. They were first diagnosed almost 40 years ago, and have controlled it with diet, and more recently oral meds, they have neither one ever required insulin injections. Maybe someday I will find my willpower---I must have lost it when I was a small child---I never remember having any!!! Good For YOU!!!!! Kat

Just get back on board and continue your liquids for the next 6 days---you cannot undo the past, but you can control what you do from here on out. Many of us fell off the wagon---heck, some of us jumped!!! One meal should not affect your liver to a point of cancelling surgery. Welcome to LBT by the way, and congrats on your upcoming surgery! I found it to be an easy surgery---I hope you do as well!!! Kat

Welcome to LBT--looks like you figured out how to make your first post!! You can discuss your problem in 2 ways. You can go to the main (home) page, and scan through the Lap Band Complications forums. To do this, just click on the dark printed, underlined words of Lap Band Complications. It will bring up a list of all of the already posted threads of different complications. You can read through and see if anyone is having an already started conversation with similar symptoms, and join in. Or, you can stay there and begin your own thread...to do this, go to the top area where it has a "tab" that says Forum Tools, and when you click it, it will have a place to click to start a new thread. When the page pulls up, you will have to enter a topic/title, and have an area to post, the question, just like you did here. If you need help, just ask!!! It gets kinda quiet at night, but there will always be someone around to help out!!! We are glad you are here, and I am sorry you are having problems---hope someone here can shed some light! Kat

Hi Sherry!! Congrats on your upcoming surgery date!!! And welcome to LBT. I had my surgery when I was 45...and it was a breeze! I started off at a higher BMI, so I would bet you sail right through this! I look forward to hearing from you...do you live in AZ, or is that just where you are having surgery? I am in New Mexico... We are glad to have you here!!! Kat

I remember some game show where the object was to decipher as many as possible....mid 80's or so I think. I do not have any on my car...however since they have already been mentioned...we have a wooden sign hanging on the bar above the gate on our horse trailer....it says "Don't B Whatcha C". We have had many, many offers for it. Instead we just hung it with sturdier chain!!! ***topic hijack*** Wheetsin wasn't it you that had your band surgery on Ash Wednesday? I warned someone (who is having surgery tomorrow) about the "dirty" nurses earlier, ---I always have to smile over it!!! ***back to topic*** Kat

One thing I forgot to mention firecallie---if you do go with some SF treats---watch what they use to sweeten them---the sorbitol, and malitol, which are both very common, can cause unbelievable gas!!! Just keep this in mind, so you do not consume a bunch, and then need to be somewhere it would embarass you---because it very well could. I wasn't expecting it, and I had my DH and I laughing at me so hard----but everytime I laughed----yep I farted again---it was like a teenage boy joke!!! I watch for ones with Splenda now, even tho it too is getting a bad rap....at least it doesn't blow me up!!! Kat

In a way I agree with the statement you make about being forced to diet with the band....in the fact that the band does force me to diet. I cannot eat more than about 2/3 to 1 cup of food---the band forces me to stop---I am in pain, and will be vomiting it up if I push any more in. So yes it is a forced diet for me. Now I do have choices of what I make that cup of food to be. For instance my dinner tonight....we had leftovers!! Pork tenderloin, baked potatoes (loaded of course!) and green beans. Using a number as opposed to an amount....Say 20 bites were my fill I have learned to make a choice, and eat 10 of them of pork loin, 7 of them green beans, and just the remaining 3 of the loaded baked potato. Now I am full----I might have felt full prior to my band enforced diet, but I would have scarfed it all----without a doubt! I do not count my bites, this was just an example...I just make a concious effort to make half of my meal out of hard proteins, and then divide the rest between veggies, and a starch---because I cannot give up the habit of cooking this way!!! If I did not have the band, I would have eaten much more than I did tonight, without question. I do believe it affects everyone differently, I do not have problems eating protein. That in and of itself, makes this easier for me to follow. THAT is what I would be trying to figure out with my surgeon. If eating good food is an issue, no amount of support, or feel good therapy is going to help you much. Is talking to your surgeon about switching to another WLS out of the question? I have heard of others changing. I was self pay, so it would be totally out of my ability. I really don't find it all that hard to believe we all have such different results, I mean every person you talk to on here, has been given different instructions about when to eat what stage of foods, how much to fill....even before surgery...some get pre op diets, others do not. So maybe another Dr.s approach would do better for you? Not saying anything against yours, was just a thought. Kat

I just got back a little bit ago from checking on Kinsey. She is, I am happy to report, a grouchy little gal!! She has continued to drink water, and eat grapes off and on all day. She has also slept a lot---due to the pain meds. The pediatrician said if all she wants for a couple of days is water, and grapes, that will be fine---that the fluid is the big issue. She has went potty--which was a biggie. This Granny is soooooo beyond relief, and is saying huge prayers of thanks, and wants to thank each of you for your prayers for our little one. You are all so special to me! Mandy, you being right there in the thick of "mommyhood" and being so reassuring really helped. Thank you! Darcy---my mechanic of a DH said to check the relays on your treadmill...now where you would find them, I have no idea. If you want me to have him show me on mine then explain or describe them to you I will! He said they are electrical, and will heat up and then shut off. We were on the phone, so I will ask for details when he comes home. Hope DD knocks their socks off at her recital!!! Beannie---did you avoid the cake??? Or did you find a prize in your piece???!!! ooops here comes my neightbor....bbl Kat

I just got back a little bit ago from checking on Kinsey. She is, I am happy to report, a grouchy little gal!! She has continued to drink water, and eat grapes off and on all day. She has also slept a lot---due to the pain meds. The pediatrician said if all she wants for a couple of days is water, and grapes, that will be fine---that the fluid is the big issue. She has went potty--which was a biggie. This Granny is saying big prayers of thanks---and thanks all of you for yours as well!!! Hugs, Kat

Some people are given very drastic diets, like it sounds you were---others have no pre-op diet at all! Personally I was never put on a liquid diet until after the surgery. I had 2 weeks before surgery that I was on a no/low fat, high protein diet. I cannot imagine that the diet you describe could hurt your having the surgery. The only issue I would have with it, is it seems very low protein, and you will need protein to help with healing. Don't panic----talk to the Dr., and let us know how everything goes! I hope your surgery is nice and smooth, as well as your recovery. It sounds like you will do well, you were able to follow the diet you thought you were supposed to be on! Take care, and let us know how you do!!! Kat

The longer you avoid them the less the cravings occur. In the meantime, have you tried any of the Sugar Free things? The fudgsicles, or pudding usually put to rest any need for dessert I get. You also may find the cravings diminish when you get to a good point of restriction, because when you are full then, you are too full to want anything else at all! Good Luck---I feel your "pain"!!! Kat

I have been successful sipping pineapple juice. I have also heard of people sipping a carbonated drink, and kind of bubbling it out of place. You can also buy Papaya enzyme at GNC, and it is said to help. In the worst case scenario (and I do mean worst) you can drink liquid meat tenderizer my Dr. said. Good plan to go back to liquids for a day....sooth your tummy before trying food again! Hang in there----we all do it!!! Kat

I love these ideas!!! I am assembling a DVD of family photos for my parents 50th anniversary this summer. Pics from their childhoods on through to the great grandbabies. I am putting it to music. It will take up little space, and be easy for them to view as many times as they want. I like maudeispams idea of the interviews....I just didn't get them, I am doing photos only. Think during the anniversary celebration I will do the interview thing on my camcorder tho....and give it to them as well. How about a monthly "date". If her birthday is the 24th, each month on the 24th do something with her....dinner, hair appointment, go to a movie, but something each month on her day. Hallmark puts out a book made for a Grandmother to fill out, with her memories, stories etc. Maybe you need to find one, and spend time with her, asking the questions,and you could fill it out, so that you would have it in the years to come. My Grandma filled one out for my DD, but there are some questions she answered in a way I would love to ask more about it....and she passed 10 years ago,and I can no longer ask her....wish I had listened better. ENJOY your Grandmother---Spoil her rotten!!!! Anything you do will wonderful, the party with the family is a great thing, time and being together with her loved ones is the best gift you can give her! Lucky you guys!!! Kat