GayleTX

Cashley: FYI - an 'allegory' is a fable, a fairy tale. The opposite of an allegory is a 'factual statement.' I love allegories, but I was not utilizing one in my post. I was simply stating a fact that succesful banded losers have learned....and most of us have had to learn it the hard way, unfortunately. I was just attempting to remind the reader of a 'fact' of life. And, as SleepyJean says, it is both in equal measure. Continued success to all of us.....whatever it takes!!

Are you eating good dense Proteins at the first of the meal? A dense Protein (meat, egg, etc) will move more slowly thru than other foods (Soups, yogurt, etc). A good protien meal should satisfy you for about 4 hours. What size band do you have? Most people have to have more than 2 fills to reach a good restriction. And as for eating a lot.....'just because you can, doesn't mean you should.' 'just because you can, doesn't mean you have to.' The band is a tool, not a magic wand. The secret to successful banding lies in your head, not your tummy. Best wishes.......

Sounds like you are on your way to getting a better life.....you understand a lot of things about yourself already - you just need someone to teach you coping strategies. That's what a good counseling can do. Not all counselors are created equal, but sounds like the one right there is a specialist in wls patients. That's another good thing you have going. Don't go in the door expecting to be given pills....counselors don't write prescriptions. Do go in the door expecting to do some hard work at changing your life. How long has it been since you had a thorough physical?....I mean a really complete work-up with an internist who will do blood and xrays and bone density and mammo and thyroid..... and who will also spend some time talking with you. Never, you say? Well, get one!! Ask for a recommendation at the counselor's office or the gym or from a nurse you know....don't just wander in some doctor's office....they aren't created equal either. So very often a chemical/hormonal imbalance in our body causes us all kinds of havoc that we blame on our head when it's really our body talking to us. Do it right away or counseling will be harder than it should be. Best wishes from a fellow bandster and a counselor.....and someone who knows what I'm talking about and also what you talking about (sometimes even counselors need a counselor). Life can get better!!

Dang! Being perpetually hungry sure makes folks contrary, don't it!!

wavy.......english muffins??? I'd be scared to death to even try a crumb of one! And I'm 5 mo out with 2 fills. Besides, I don't eat eat breads.....has your nut. heard the news?? - bread has CARBS in it!!!

I use an entirely different clinic in a different town from my surgeon.....BCBS pays for both of them. You would think your doctor could refer you to an appropriate fill clinic....he should be obligated to do that.

have you ever visited www.bariatriceating.com The folks are there are very knowledgeable and helpful about getting thru this wls journey (to which there is no end, by the way).....there is one forum called 'the way to eat' and at the top of it there are pinned a lot of good guidelines about food. Also the postings are helpful....people will answer your questions in a kind and supportive way.....there are some very experienced and successful losers on there

Preston Cardiology Wellness Center Dr Fred Maese 6170 Sherry Lane, Dallas, TX 75225 (it's in Highland Park) (214) 234-0330 Dr Maese and his father and other relatives were all in the banding/fill business before we were doing it in the US. He is very skilled and does a super job with fills. He accepts patients who were banded in Mexico and communicates with them as needed. His office has a good follow-up and support system. All I have had to pay is the co-pay my insurance co. requires for a regular office visit. He does use floro.

I have noticed that most of the people who say that 'the band didn't work for me' are mainly people who would be considered 'lightweights' to begin with. Not all, but the majority of the ones I've noticed are not terribly heavy. I don't know that that fact would have anything to do with it or not. Whether it might be related to reasons for being overwieght? length of time overweight? health issues ? maybe the heaviest among us have reached such a state of desperation that we work harder at it or don't give us as easily as some? Just pondering.....and so sorry that it's not the magic wand that we all long for.

I was sleeping on my side before 6 days.....not intentionally but would just automatically flop over when I'd go to sleep. Didn't seem to cause any problem for me, however. As for "no fills"......if you don't get a fill,you might as well not have had surgery! All you've had done so far is have a tool implanted. The fills are what make that tool become operational and work for you. As you lose fat around your stomach, the band will need to be filled again because it is no longer tight enough to maintain restriction - and restriction is what its job is. As for Florida fill doctors.....you might go to the Florida section of www.obesityhelp.com and ask. You might also go to www.bariatriceating.com and ask.....there are a number of Florida people on that board. (Note to others planning to go to Mexico for surgery.......locate and make arrangements with local fill doctor BEFORE you have surgery, not afterwards!!).

Most of what I've read says no caffeine for a few weeks while you are healing from your surgery, but I dont know many people who actually abstain from it....it's such an addiction. I've never been a coffee drinker but since I've discovered using protein powders in it, I enjoy it a lot....it's like a great sweet treat in the mornings. (coffee plus a scoop of vanilla/cinnamon protein, or a scoop of cappacino protein, or scoop of chocolate protein.....etc).

Just because it's hard or not fun does not mean you can't do!! Who said this was going to be easy? If not getting to drink with a meal is the worst thing that's ever happened in our lives, we've had a pretty cushy life.

maryb.....LOL!! We also have a great built-in holster for our cell phones - no digging in the purse for us!!

don't have to worry about our girlfriends being jealous when their husbands talk to us at a gathering.

What size band do you have?

My main concern in this situation would be the possible complications involved with adopting children from a family that you know quite well. Today's courts have made it impossible for a family to ever feel secure in the 'forever' of adoption. Are you prepared to deal with the fact that your friends (the grandparents) and their children (the bio parents) will always be arond and will be a reminder to the children and to you that they are the 'real' parents, that you may just be temporary.....maybe not in a legal sense but in their minds. There will be complications, but there are in any family. You also need to be concerned with the genetic and environmental backgrounds of the children....there will be possible factors that make them difficult to deal with. Are you accepting of possible problems they may have that require psychological help? Children from a background bad enough to cause parental termination are not always easy to deal with. Of course, the children we bear ourselves are not always easy to deal with, but somehow it's easier to accept. These thoughts are not to say do not adopt. They are just reality and things that you need to be aware of before you say 'I'll give them love and a clean room and that will cure all their problems.' It will definitely make their life better and make your life richer, but you need to be aware that it won't be easy. There will be special challenges that you will be faced with. It's wonderful that you are even considering taking the children, and I hope it works out well for all of you. Be willing to accept them as they are and don't expect having them to make your home into a model family...don't set yourself up for unrealistic expectations and be prepred for some tears as well as lots of happiness and love. Best wishes to all of you.

Mariquita, some surgeons give their patients a medical cards explaining that their patients have had surgery that prevents them from eating more than a few ounces at a time. Some restaurants honor them and give a dicount. I don't have one, wouldn't use it if I did...guess I'd be embarassed since I'm still big as I am. I figure I got MORE than my money's worth for a couple of decades before my surgery....it'll balance out. However, we seldom go to a buffet any more because it's not a good 'investment' for a wls patient.....my DH sure misses it so once in a while we go.

NO!! I do not feel the way I felt before surgery. I feel soooo much BETTER!! I feel YOUNGER! I feel HOPEFUL!! I feel THANKFUL I did this!!!

wild.....your band is going to cost the same whether you lose fast or slow, hon! The important thing is to lose in a safe and healthy way. at just 238 lbs you are considered a lightweight in wls circles, so you are not going to lose as fast as some of us MO's and SMO's. You will probably not lose any during the mushy stage.....don't even think about losing during that time. Your purpose at this time is to continue healing and getting strong. After you get on regular foods and start your exercising, you will begin to lose at a nice rate. No larger than you are, you will be a wonderful normal size before you know it. Stay healthy and be happy you have a tool to work with. Hit that Protein heavy and keep educating yourself about proper eating with a band and be good to yourself!! If your surgeon didn't give you any guidelines about nutrition, you can get some good guidance and support at www.bariatriceating.com. Best wishes!

Wonderful to see those numbers go down down down, isn't it!! Keep up the good work!

Wonderful to see those numbers go down down down, isn't it!! Keep up the good work!

And, some more bad news to go with that..........just a plain little grilled cheese sandwich is about 300 calories....and about 30 grams of carbs. And 30-50 grams is all I allow myself in a whole day!!

Me, too! My butt if flatter than my husband's.....this is not the look I was going for!! I remember seeing girdles in medical supply catalogs that have padded bottoms....I never understood it before but now they are starting to look pretty sexy.

There is a medical reason for a surgeon requiring a patient to eat sensibly (whatever his/her version of that may be) for several day before surgery.......the less fat you have on your liver at the time of the surgery, the safer the surgery is. In some instances, finding a heavy layer of fat on the liver when entering the abdomen to insert the band may put a screeching halt to the procedure. Some surgeons will ask permission before you 'go under' to switch to the RNY procedure if the liver is too heavy; some will simply call a halt to the procedure and send you home.

Hi, Poodles!! As for the size of a bite.....I've seen that some doctors saying "nothing bigger than the size of an M&M." Guess they thnk most of us can relate to that example. I've finally learned to NOT drink anything cold before trying to eat....worst mistake I've made iS eating a snowcone and then trying to get food to go thru past my frozen band....OUCH!! Since my band seems tighter in the mornings I've made it my routine to drink a cup of hot tea/coffee before I try to eat in the mornings.....seems to be working for me. I picked up a bottle of papaya enzyme at GNC yesterday, though, just in case I get something stuck that needs helps disintegrating quickly. I hear that it helps.