Momotrips

Such a pretty house! Is that a pool, too? It lookes very homey - I love the porch and the carport is so "Louisiana". They just don't have carports anywhere but the deep South. Yeah they try to get all fancy with the "porte coche" in some homes, but it's not the same. My family is from Jennings and Opelousas. (Where y'at, bra?) What part of La. are you in? I'm a native Texan, myself, but I went to LSU and New Orleans is where my corn-fed Kansas husband and I fell in love - awww! We were so sad when Katrina hit. Congratulations new home owner! Edited to add: I love the floors! The lot is just so green and lush so "Louisiana", once again. I don't know if I'd ever want to live there again, but I do miss it so much! We got to visit quite a bit when my brother-in-law lived in La Place, but they've moved on to Augusta, Ga. We' d wanted to go to NOLA for our 15th anniversary just like we had for our 10th, but then Katrina hit. We'll be going back, though, can't keep us away!

Amy - I'm brainstorming, here... Can you get counter checks (temporary) from your bank and then write someone a post-dated check? Can you get an advance on a credit card? Can you sell any stock you might have? Can you hock anything that you really don't need? Can you put up some quick auctions on E-bay? Delay your housenote/rent a few days? Have you husband mow 50 lawns (I guess that would be hard to do in one week...)? If you could get to Houston I'd pay you to do my laundry! Laundry is evil and I hate it...of course I don't know that my husband would be in on that idea! Any more ideas to help out Amy, anyone? Edited to add: I guess it's taken care of now! Yay!

Amy, you can also purchse BodyGlide at sporting goods stores. It's formulated for runners to keep from chafing. It comes in a stick like deodorant, but it doesn't have any scent or the aluminum salts - it's just this smooth stick that stays smooth as your thighs, boobs, arms, butt, belly, whatever rub together as you run, bike or walk. It really does work. I have trouble with my thighs if I don't wear shorts that don't completely cover my thighs. It is also nice to sometime wear a sundress without some kind of bike shorts or Spanx under to keep from getting a rash. If you use deodorant, you might try the Dove aloe - it's smooth, kind of like the BodyGlide, but it smells nice and will keep you from sweating, too. I live in sweaty Houston and often put deodorant under my "ample bosoms" because I feel like I have a hothouse in my bra! Another thing I discovered is called "Lipo in a Box" control garments which are WAY more comfortable than Spanx - great control and really, really soft and comfortable. They don't make that nylon "swish, swish" sound when you walk, either. They have all kinds of styles and sizes from capri length to bike short to full underwire bra with bike shorts, no underwire, etc. They stretch a lot, too, so you don't have to keep buying them in various sizes so frequently as you lose. Some say that if you wear some kind of compression garment regularly during weight loss that you can help support your skin and it will shrink back more evenly - just like they give you a compression garment after plastic surgery. I found them on the internet at www.lipoinabox.com. They are pricey, but very good quality. It might help to get a full body one to use under your workout clothing - it might help "keep things in place" a bit - it's not surgery, but it might help in the meantime. When I wear mine I feel a lot more "pulled together" without feeling all "gridle-y".

I had the 5f's like Elizabeth - lost mine in march of '04. No stones, just completely non functioning like Mandy. I had recently lost 20 pounds (oh yeah, it's all back). I've also had the dreaded PCS (Post Cholestectomy Syndrome). Kind of like "dumping" from bypass, but with the same discomfort, bloating and gas as BEFORE I had the gallbladder out. Some say that this is actually a problem with the sphincter of oddi (you too, Mrs. Husker?) - another little nuisance organ/formation in there. Sugar and fat cause lots of trouble. Combine this with IBS and you have a recipe for disaster - I guess I'll be all prepared for the sliming and PB's and knowing where all the bathrooms are. LOL. I'm hoping that the band and the subsequent weight loss will help both the IBS and the PCS problems. I actually had a bout last night, ugh.

Sorry to hear that, Amy - I know you were looking forward to it. At least you know you chose good doctors when the time finally comes. Bright side, you get your band that much sooner! I'll be looking forward to seeing how much progress you make before my date! Good luck, I know you'll do great.

I'm NOT the only one out here - great. We'll have to organize a get together some time. Barbara, thanks for the invite. I don't think I can make it this time, but I might another time. I don't mind the drive. Alij, I've heard that about 12 Oaks - I try to stay in the Memorial Hermann system when possible. Their quality of care is pretty consistent and they have the best staff - I've found that Methodist facilities might be nice, but they have some of the rudest (and careless) staff around. I steer clear of Columbia HCA. My mom lay in an HCA hospital w/a massive stroke for six hours w/no treatment because there was no neurologist on staff (!?) and they wouldn't move her ANYWHERE w/out "paperwork". Great, HCA. She died the next day. She was probably too far gone for any help, but we'll never know because of their delay. I'm fine with my surgeon - he's super qualified - he just happens to be an RNY specialist. In fact, I think I will benefit from fewer folks in line in front of me for fills down the line! My first choice was Spivak, but even if he's accepting UHC again, I don't want to lose any time having to start the process over even partially. Are the Spiegal and Spivak support groups open to non patients, since support groups are free, and all? I know I'd find bunches of bandsters there, right? I've already met some of my doc's bandster, but there are just a lot more RNYers.

With triplet boys, I have more than my share of penis humor around here. I could tell you stories... We've always called them "winkies". They're almost 8 and still the bathrooms that they use are STILL covered in pee - disgusting! I just started reading "Wicked" and was looking at the map of Oz and the boys wanted to see it and about died laughing when they saw the area of Oz called "Winkie Country"!

Sunta - I agree that just ignoring them is the best thing to do. It's just really difficult to do sometimes. I haven't had anxiety attacks in a year or more - thank goodness. I was always a worrier, but I didn't get really unreasonably anxious until I had my babies - each year it got a little worse. I haven't had any counseling, but a new IBS medication I started helps a lot - it has a small dose of anti-anxiety. Beta blockers help, too. One of my boys sees a therapist for some ADD issues and I do enjoy the time we spend talking (I just like talking - lol) so I may get to that at some point. Thanks for sharing and for the advice. I hope one day they're just GONE ya know...

I'm up late with my PVC's and anxiety and was wondering if any of you have PVC's and did you have any positive or negative effects from the surgery/band? I know that hormones and digestion seem to affect them - and when I'm having "bad" bouts even bending over, exercise and s-e-x (gasp!) can start the flip-flopping in my chest (and not in a good way). I then get the accompanying anxiety. I KNOW they're "harmless" but I hate them! Bleh!

Time4change - BBB! Me too! They're going to be 8 on the 2nd of July - if you look at my profile I have a picture of them when the made their 1st communion a couple of weeks ago. They're pretty handsome little guys if I do say so myself! How long did you carry and how much did you gain while pg? Are they fraternal? Mine are COMPLETELY different. Cool. Feel free to e-mail me or pm me if you want. "Mom O' Trips"

Thanks 3loves. I take meds so I don't go nuts, really. The "episodes" lead to anxiety, which leads into a vicious cycle, so the meds either lessen the frequency or severity (or both) and in turn improve my mental health - ha! And yes, skinny people have them too, but I know that the better I eat, the less likely I am to have anxiety and the less likely I am to have symptoms. I'm just hoping to feel better in general after banding and weight loss.

Tamyrn, I gave up caffeine 2 years ago when these started - I was HEAVILY dependent too. I miss my bitter brown master! No one that doesn't have them understands the anxiety that comes with them. No matter how many doctors say your heart is a-okay, you think that they HAVE to be wrong. Also, cardiologists are just starting to acknowledge that hormones are very closely linked to episodes and they don't even want to hear that GI symptoms/diseases are linked, even though the diaphragm and vagal nerve are all smushed in there together. Guess what other problems I have? You got it, IBS, PCS, generalized anxiety and I'm barreling headlong into perimenopause. My beta blocker helps ALOT, but sometimes even it can't keep them at bay. Oy!

Barbara - did you decide to self pay with Dr. Spiegal at the last minute or did you work out something with UHC? I know you had changed to Dr. St. Laurent a while back. Just curious. (i went ahead a did a search on your posts and saw what happened - happy surprise for you!) Let us know how you're doing really soon. Congratulation!:clap2:

Eewww! That looks just like the one I had in my apartment in college. I don't like "squirmy" things, so I called crying to my mom and kept her on the phone hysterical for an hour! We also used to have the little mutant geckos w/the clear skin (and you can see all their internal organs! Blech!) in our dorm. I was laying on my bed, looked up at the ceiling and saw one of those freaky little buggers - I jumped off the bed and it fell right where I'd been laying. Yuck! I didn't sleep again for days.

Is it just me? ^sob^

I'm a stay at home mom to my 8 year-old triplet boys. Hardest job I've EVER had. I loved being a mom to babies, but these big boys are running me out of my mind! I also work part-time for my sister as her Realtor's Assistant doing her admin/marketing work. We live in the same neighborhood, so I can either work from home or a few blocks away and she always understands when I have to take care of my boys. Not much, but it helps to pays for my home decorating addiction... In my "former life", I was a corporate manager at an international brokerage firm. Quite a change, there, huh? My husband is an Engineer at a large Engineering and Construction company catering to the oil & gas industry. Heathergurl do you perhaps work for the "Blue Pony"? My husband says that designers can pretty much write their own ticket these days in this booming market and make even more than he does as a project manager. Lucky gurl! Cool thread.

Ya know, I was just complaining to my endocrinologist about my hair and not shedding in months & months - I have so much hair that I can't get a decent haircut. He was unimpressed as he is bald - ha! I actually had to cut my hair shorter again while trying to grow it out because I was getting the whole Rosanne Rosannadanna pyramid 'do. I've actually been looking forward to some hairloss. Really, I have enough hair for three people and in the humidity of the Houston area, well it tends to double in size. We'll see after I get banded, I guess. Just my luck I'd have some rare side-effect where you grow MORE hair!

I have rosecea - I've never actually been treated by the dermo for it, though. Mine is generally manageable, but I have oily skin. To make matters worse, I live in Houston which is HAWT & humid - sweat city. I've tried all of the mineral makeups like Bare Minerals (they're supposed to be good for rosecea) & they work pretty well in the winter when I'm less sweaty and oily. However in the summer, if I wear them and get hot and/or sweaty my skin itches and burns. Besides the fact that the powder melts into the oil - yuck. What kind of makeup do you oily skinned ladies use? I'm constantly blotting...

Thanks for all the responses! I'm happy to hear that most of you have had some improvement. I had my boys' first communion this weekend and the stress of the brunch, etc. had me running to the ladies room. Bummer. I have my seminar with the surgeons office tomorow - hope all goes well. My husband is supportive, but he's 6'3" and just lost 20 pounds in three weeks cheating on South Beach. He only gains weight because he loves sugar - it's never too much out of control for him so he doesn't really "get it". He loves me no matter what, but I know he'd rather I looked like I did when we met - thin and curvy in all the right places. I know I'd rather me that way!

Oh yeah, smaller bras with less than 4 hooks with cups that I could not fit my head in would be AWESOME! Melissa

Okay, they're 8 years old! I know mothers of triplets that are size 2 - I'd like to smack 'em! Melissa

I'm kind of a pear that's gotten more proportioned after having my triplets and gaining 100 pounds and only losing about 40 of those over 8 years. At one time I wore a size 6, but I'm pretty sure that those days are over. I'm in an 18/20 bottom and usually a 14/16 top - I'd be happy in a 12 bottom and ecstatic in a 10. Anything beyond that I would be over the moon. I have a really big butt and thighs, so I have to be realistic. (My Humps, Telly!) Melissa

Wow, Amy, awesome thread. I know exactly what you mean. I'll try to make this coherent, but I am being bombarded by so many thoughts and examples, bear with me. First off, I'm Catholic. I was raised as a child as Church of Christ, became Presbyterian as a teen and after ten years of marriage, the death of my mother and my triplets, converted so that my family would be united. (In a non-related "cool" story, my sister, brother-in-law and nephew-in-law also decided to convert at the same time without knowledge of each other. They all used my wonderful husband and the way he lives his life as their inspiration. Pretty weird and neat, I think...) I'm so happy that I did. Moving on, I'm from Houston, the home of the "mega churches", Lakewood Church in particular and Joel Osteen*. I have a friend that attends Lakewood and she's one of those that likes to bask in how devout she is, however her approach to religion is that she likes to pick and choose what she believes in. Her home church is one of those little country "Church of Bob" places that's not affiliated with any governing body, some guy out in the country just started up his own religion, basically. She calls this pastor in regards to every decision in her life - it's always jarring to spend time with her because of it. Her husband makes a lot of money because he's specialized in the oil industry - not sure exactly how much, but let's say that we are quite comfortable and I'm pretty sure that her husband makes double or more what my oil and gas professional husband makes. She kind of judges herself by this. Her children have literally every toy and video game known to man, unless it in some odd way doesn't meet her "criteria". Her criteria is ever changing (no magic or Harry Potter, but superheroes are okay - wha?...where do their powers come from?) so it's hard to keep up. I'm actually very interested in her views on The Narnia series, seeing as how it has a whole huge section in the Christian Bookstore! I digress... She has always had this pushy way about her, a sense of entitlement, if you will, she's really a steamroller. I never figured how this fit in with her super Christian values. Being a Catholic, we are taught much more that humbleness and charity, etc. are the preferred ways to live, not that there aren't those that think they can buy their way to heaven, mind you. A while back another friend called me and said that I had to watch Joel Osteen later because it would explain a lot of our friend's behavior. She was watching as she got ready for church that morning and was shocked by his sermon. And yes, I agree that Joel Osteen is a great motivational speaker, however I'm not so sure about his creditentials as a Bible scholar. I enjoy a lot of his sermons. That said, what I heard later that evening was unbelieveable! He kept going over that his parisioners were "favored" by God. If you believe then you are "favored". The favored reached so far as to get him an expensive house for 1/2 price and he didn't have to follow airline rules because he was favored and it was God's will, etc. He said that when you're favored you get the best parking spots, the and on and on. (I wondered what the people sitting in the very back that had parked a mile away were thinking about all of this...) The best part was that if you are favored, people WANT to do things for you and you should never be afraid to ask them, in fact his comments came down to the fact that you don't even really have to ask, you can assume and basically force people to do what you want for you. This explained it all for us. She was always just assuming that we'd want to sit for her ill behaved children or go out of our way to do what SHE wanted everytime we got together. Her entire life made sense to us when we heard this. It also explains why she praises God when she gets a good parking space... the worst part is that you can feel her judging you so much of the time. I, by virtue of being Catholic and our other friend, a lot of her judgement came down to that in the past they haven't been able to "live as well" as she thinks she and I do. However, this other friend is now moving on up into a beautiful new home they're building (bigger and better than both of ours - Yay S!) and it is galling my "favored" friend to no end. It really annoys her. She was a little upset when I moved into a house that's comparable to hers as well several years ago. If anyone ever called her on it she'd deny, deny, deny. Why do we remain friends with her you ask? Well, she's kind of fun a lot of the time and time makes ties hard to break, but mainly, because she insists, so we have no choice but to remain her friend or make an ugly scene which would be uncalled for. Don't get me wrong, she's basically a good person and I know that she means well. I just don't understand a lot of her beliefs. Another example is a relative by marriage. He joined an evangelical church years ago for the sole reason of becoming wealthy. He wasn't shy about stating this either. He tithed, his family did without and in the long run, he did become wealthy - at his family's expense. Also no one could stand to be around him as he was always trying to "recruit" or brag about his wealth and standing in the church. You'd swear he got a cut of their donations or something - and probably did. He basked in his wealth and his "relationship" with God. He was just really annoying and strange and his kids grew up with eating disorders and teen pregnancies, anything to gain control of their own lives from him. However, what goes around, comes around and he got caught recently embezzling from his most current church and having an affair with the nanny. He has lost everything. His home, his job, his stock in the large corporation he started with and the respect of his community and church. Amazingly his wife has stayed, only because I think she has no where else to go. Very sad for all involved. So I just don't understand this relationship with faith and wealth (money), either, Amy. My only connection with faith and wealth comes down to the faith that I will always have enough to put my share of wealth in the collection plate! However, my biggest gifts are my family. Disclaimer* I'm not bashing anyone! Believe what you believe, it doesn't mean we all have to agree.

That's my reasoning exactly. I'm a great dieter when I'm seeing results, but when I hit a snag I fall hard. The band will allow me (I hope) to see results, not feel hunger and in turn encourage me to exercise more. I generally like good quality food anyway, I just like a lot of it. I'm not a big snacker, or drinker, so I'm counting on this being a huge help to me. My sister had open gastric banding several years ago at 325lbs and lost 135 pounds, but never got to goal. She's had problems and has gained back about 40 pounds. She's a grazer and should have had RNY instead. I know that our issues are different and that the lap band is right for me. I also realize there will be a long road ahead. I just don't want to wake up one day and be 300 pounds - I know it's possible because I never thought I'd weigh 180 or 200 or 230, either. I can always use my triplet pregnancy as an excuse, but I suspect I'd have gotten here anyway - it's always been a battle. The band will be my ultimate tool and encouragement. Luck to us all. Melissa Sugar Land, TX