socalgal3

I saw this website on the news today. Basically you make a bet with yourself about losing weight, exercising, quitting smoking, etc. If you succeed, you get the money back, if not, you donate the $$. Maybe money will motivate some of us to get busy! (If spending thousands on the operation wasn't enough!) HA! stickK.com - Put a contract out on yourself!

Janine-How are you? Post an update! The best thing I can say to do is to keep living as if you were banded. Measure you food, get all you fluids in, exercise, etc. Hopefully, in a few months your stomach will heal and you can be rebanded. I had a slip and it was surgically repaired and things have been great since. They put extra stitches on to prevent it from happening again. Best of health to you.

Thank you all for your words, thoughts and prayers. The memorial service was Tuesday and it was really beautiful. Things are getting better day by day. I did gain 5 pounds over the past week and I'm disappointed in myself. I ordered Girl Scout cookies and my cousin's church was bringing so much food to her house, that I went back to my old ways of comforting myself with food. I guess I keep thinking, "There but for the grace of God go I". I have suffered from depression for over 14 years, have been on 3 different medications and attempted suicide myself twice. No need to worry...I haven't done anything like that since 1994 and I never would again. Barb-I am glad you are rejuvenating your spirit, but make sure to nourish your body. I hope to get back on track soon. I didn't get to go to Mexico for a fill as I was too busy with family stuff. I'll take a day in April and go as the rest of this month is booked up.

Suzanne G.- It sounds like you have a 10cc band. Some people have a 4cc band and small fills are routine for most docs. I have reached goal and never had more than 1.2cc in my band. So fill level is very individual. Allamess- I know you are frustrated, but one should generally expect a 1-2 pound weight loss per week and it seems that you are still within that category. Search the board for the "slow-losers". They may have some good suggestions and support for you. I also agree with others that you should continue to log calories, drink plenty of water and exercise. I am glad you are meeting with a dietician to get suggestions. I am not a diabetic not a doctor, but please be careful adjusting your own insulin and Glucophage doses. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get there! The goal is HEALTH. Best of HEALTH to you!

I never noticed the boob grab, but the whole measuring the apple thing totally bugs me. I don't get it. Why is she measuring an apple? And she does appear to have an attitude problem....I edited my old page, so "Rachel Ray" wasn't there. I wish apple measuring boob-grabber would go away too!

Ok guys. Another post. But this one is very needed. I am asking for some HUGE prayers and good thoughts sent my family's way. My cousin, who was one year younger than me, committed suicide today. We were very close. She was more like a sister to me lately since neither of my sisters talk to me anymore. She had a great husband, 2 beautiful kids, a wonderful house and she knew the Lord. We simply can't understand how things got so bad that she would shoot herself. I'm still in shock, but I believe that God will hear our prayers to have mercy on her and to bring comfort to those she left behind.

Welcome Michelle! I know exactly how you feel because I went through the same thing last year. Don't be afraid to get a fill, as that really is the key to weight loss with the band. You shouldn't have the reflux now that things are fixed. Hopefully your surgery date wasn't a curse! J/K Anyhoo....where are you people?! I am going to keep posting and annoying you all until you post!!! I've been good so far today. A Jamba Juice Light with protein for breakfast, a protein bar and some Thai Stir-Fry(chicken, celery, carrot, onion, mushrooms, etc.) Vitamins, water, etc. I hope you all are staying on plan with me in spirit at least!!

Keep us posted on how it goes. I do know how you feel because I went through it last year and had to have repair surgery. It sucks, but it is a good thing about the band that even if it slips, it can be fixed. Best of luck and vent to us anytime!

You know, even though Bob "stacked" his team, it hasn't worked out for him as consistently as he thought. The Black Team are fighters and they have won some weigh-ins. The crying was a bit much, but they were probably overly tired from Vegas, the workouts, etc. We all know the emotional drain dieting can cause! I am glad Mark stuck to his word in the end.

You won't have much restriction until you get a fill. You may even need several fills before you get it right. The best rule is to start eating like a bandster now. Eat SOLID proteins, not soft foods, soups, etc. Measure your food and count your calories. Chew thoroughly and eat slowly. It will be more difficult to eat once you have restriction and even more so if you eat like crazy right now. This is what we call bandster hell. You CAN get through it with some discipline and dedication. Hang in there and good luck!

Gayle- I'm so sorry to hear that your band slipped! I hope all goes well with the liquids and mushies. If you have to have surgery to repair the slip, I've been there and it's not so bad. Hang in there and keep us posted.

Ok, the day isn't over, but its been much better calorie wise! I opted for several small meals since hunger is rampant! I had some Curves cereal for breakfast, homemade chicken salad(breast meat, celery, red onion, etc.) for one lunch, soup for another lunch, egg salad for dinner and I just had a snack of grapefruit. Okay, I sprinkled sugar on the grapefruit, but I swear, it was super sour and needed it! I've been drinking Protein water hoping it helps keep me full. I have had all my liquids, my iron, my vitamins, my fiber supplement and my Viactiv. All that and it's only 6:30pm! I hope I can make it through the evening. I'm gonna watch Biggest Loser for inspiration and try to ride my stationery bike. I will listen to my hypnosis CD before bed. I haven't been listening to it lately. Another thing, I had to have my rings resized! The bad part was it will cost me $50! grrrr Okay, that is my check-in. I am still waiting to hear from some of you....(YES! That means the BARBS!!) teeheehee Thanks for listening to my drivel...

Look under the Doctors and Hospitals thread. There is a sticky post about researching a Mexican doctor. Just make sure you arrange for aftercare with your local doctor. If he won't take a patient that had surgery in Mexico, you can try Fill Centers, USA. You need to be as aware and concerned as you would be having surgery in America. It has been a safe choice for many of us, but there are complications as well. Do your research and find someone you feel comfortable with. Good luck!

Bless me Junebies, for I have sinned......... Listen, I may be at goal, but I am still a food addict and I need support from all of you to stay there! Being unfilled sucks and hunger is rearing it's lion's head. I may only have had a fill of .6cc, but it made a big difference in my hunger. All I want is birthday cake and nacho cheese Doritos! Yesterday I ate my weight in chocolate. The "good" thing is I was punished severely by a case of diarrhea! So, hopefully I will learn from that experience. I plan to go get a fill again next week. Anyway, I know you are all very busy and maybe you have nothing positive to report, but I for one need this room! I need you all to share your stories-successes and struggles. It helps me more than you know. Please post if you can and let us know how you are doing.

That is so awesome. I just have to share that I work with kids and one of the things that pushed me over the edge into having surgery was when one of them drew a picture of me closely resembling a snowman! Kids are so honest and this must make you feel very proud! Keep up the great work!

I am sorry that you both are struggling. Please keep in close contact with your doctor regarding these issues. As far as liquid calories, please try to make wise choices like protein shakes and low-cal soups. If you are dying for ice cream, try fat free frozen yoghurt. Liquids will not stay with you and therefore it is easier to gain, but you can still attempt to make healthier choices than ice cream and milkshakes. Make sure you are taking chewable or liquid vitamins. That should help with hair loss. Go back to basic band rules like chewing thoroughly and eating slowly. I hope you both find peace with the band soon.

If you are PBing almost daily, you are almost certainly swollen and irritated inside. 3 days of liquids should ease that. Even if you just drop the coffee for a few days, it should help the irritation subside. I do go to Mexico for my fills because I live in the San Diego area and I have a passport. I just assume my band is tight, because I have never had a fill more than a few months. First I had 1.2cc, then unfilled, then a slip, then 1cc, unfill, .6cc, unfill. The fill doc(new guy-not Romero-don't know his name yet!) said next time they will try .5cc. I do have restriction unfilled, but a slight fill really helps decrease my hunger. I still recommend the upper GI as that will help rule out erosion. I had an endoscopy in Mexico last year at the time of my slip to rule out erosion. It wasn't done at Dr. O's office. His mom drove me to some other doc in Tijuana and I paid $250. They recommend an endoscopy once a year, so this year I am going to my regular doc in the USA. I hope all is well with you soon! I'm glad you are at goal, but it isn't worth risking your health being too tight!

I used to take Liquid Health that I mixed right into Crystal Light or decaf iced tea. Since then, I have found some liquid vitamins with higher percentages of vitamins, so I take Vital Earth or Country Life liquid vitamins. All 3 have a good taste in my opinion and can be taken alone or mixed with another drink. Avoid Centrum liquid-it tastes foul! I take liquid calcium by the brands mentioned above as well or Viactiv chews. Look at your health food store or vitamin shoppe. They have a good selection these days.

Stella- I would definitely get an upper GI. I was banded at the same time as you by Dr. Ortiz. I think he just put our bands on very snug or very high up to where fills are too much. I am currently unfilled as well after many problems with tightness. I am able to eat real food though. Are you still PBing or getting stuck? Have you tried liquids ONLY for 3 days? Does that make a difference? How much coffee are you drinking? I have it now and then, but I have to avoid it for the most part, as it is too acidic and irritates my stoma. Try to avoid anything spicy and/or acidic like orange juice, etc. There was a lady on here who used to recommend aloe vera juice. That helped soothe my irritation sometimes. I'm sorry you are having these problems. Keep us posted!

You might want to PM Alexandra the moderator. She had her band replaced with a larger one. I had my band repositioned after a slip, but I've had great success since that time. Best of luck to you.

Oh my! I even did a Google search on it because I thought I was weird too! Mine is more like a cramp. I actually looked in the mirror with my compact and the roof of my mouth was all bunched up and wrinkly! It hurts too! If anyone talks to their doc or finds more info. on this, make sure to post!

I didn't notice mine until I reached goal. I can feel it but I don't think it is noticeable. I'm not one to show my stomach, so I probably won't get it fixed. My doctor offered to switch it out to a low profile port or put it deeper in the muscle tissue, so it isn't so prominent, but at this point, it doesn't bother me enough to have another procedure! You just had surgery, so right now, I am sure it is just swelling. If it continues to stick out, or be obvious after time, you may need to get your port repositioned. Welcome to bandland!

Have you talked to your doctor? Your doctor is going to know much more about the possibility of your being re-banded than any of us! Best of luck!

Caligal- This thread hasn't been active in over 2 years and the original poster has had their account at LBT suspended. So, don't expect any "action"!

Welcome! And best of luck with those last 10 pounds!