lisah25

Do they really think we don't know the health risks? Does anyone think a label on an item of clothing is going to suddenly spark change, when warnings from our doctors, comments from family, feeling our own bodies change hasn't? A good friend is in the hospital after having a stroke. Brought on in part by her obesity and uncontrolled diabeties. She knows she had serious problems without reading her clothes.

Read, read and read more. As you do, specific questions will come to mind, and this is a great group for them. I LOVE my band, I have never lost weight as consistently as I have in the last 6 months. It's not effortless, it takes making good decisions and doing what your doctor tells you, but it is possible. I finally have hope that I can have and keep a normal-sized, healthy body.

No, not everyone thought he had WMD. Others thought he might, but that the UN inspectors be given more time. And regardless, there never was any proof at all that he was linked to 9/11, one of the main rallying crys for this war.

I think it's hard sometimes to capture the meaning of a word from one language to another. It's not always a 1-1 match. And there are often multiple words that might fit, and the translator may change a meaning, even slightly, making that choice.

By far a heating pad. It was the only thing that worked on my shoulder pain.

I'm a bit worried that a consensual BJ is considered one of the most "Wicked" things done by a president.

I was told whenever I felt like it, but they prefer we wait at least until we leave the surgery center and are in the parking lot! Seriously, they did say when I felt like it, but to be careful. We waited about a week.

I don't have any problems. I don't drink for about an hour after eating, and I can't "chug" like I used to, but I do drink a lot of water thoughout the day.

I struggle with this one. I too am pro-choice, and am in favor of gay marriage/unions. I try to focus on my own behavior first and formost, try to live as I think Jesus commands. Which includes not usually telling people that's what I'm doing. But by just being quiet, we are letting the louder ones seem to speak for us all.

I agree to a point. That point is when anyone tries to make other people live by their beliefs. By pushing for laws that affect everyone, and base in on what their Holy Book says. Doing that opens you up, IMHO, to having others look at what you do.

1) Nope. 2) I only sip if my throat feels really dry or something is stuck. This was easier to do then I thought it would be. 3) One glass of wine will do it. Before banding, it would take 3-4. 4) I haven't tried fast food. It honestly doesn't appeal to me anymore, for which I am grateful. 5) I can eat whole-grain bread. I miss the nice soft rolls and all, but they clog up soooo fast it's not worth it. 6 & 7). Nope. I'm too burned out on following this or that plan. So far, I've done well just focusing on making good choices most of the time, and only eating until I feel "done". 8) I hope so! Let's just say that as I've lost, my interest has increased... 9)Nuts have been fine, I don't eat them often though. 10)Cheese is fine too, again not something I eat often because of the fat content. 11)My skin is good so far, but I've got a long way to go yet. 12)I have whole-grain crackers for a snack sometimes, or a little fruit. I was having beef jerkey, but it's really to salty and makes me retain a lot of water. 13)I'm trying to just follow the rules and not do a lot of testing, if that makes sense. 14)It depends on a lot.

Very common. I had mine out about 5 years ago, after losing weight on a low-carb diet.

I just got my 4th fill, and WOW! It's great. I went to a buffet last night(yeah, not a great choice but it was where my MIL really wanted to go). I had a small plate of veggies and some fish, some shrimp. Felt good, so had just a little more. And a small bit of desert. Then I was done. Not "Oh, I really want more but don't want to embarras myself so I'd better stop" done. It was "Nothing even sounds appealling and I don't want more" done. Same thing this morning, a work breakfast out. I eat about a 1/3 of my meal, and lost interest totally in the food. Three hours later, I'm sitting here feeling totally satisfied. It's amazing. Now, the question. I still struggle with leaving food. At home, I can just serve myself a small portion and that's usually fine. But we eat out a lot, and stuff on the appetizer menu isn't usually all that great. We've split meals(DH is also banded) but sometimes you just want different things. I try to order stuff that is good as leftovers, but sometimes there isn't enough left to take home, and I want to eat it. So, what do others do/think?

I liked that idea a lot also!

First thing that caught my eye was that this studies patients over 10 years, and I think techniques have improved over that time. And yes, it seems like a small sample. Not that I don't think there are risks and complications, but I'd like to see more research.

:heh: :heh: For me, need had nothing to do with it. I've always loved shopping and clothes, and had enough to work with. I just thought they were cute, and they are now that I can wear them.

LOL- I can SOOO relate. :heh: I bought a pair of pants one size too small the day before surgery, as a pre-reward. I have a lot of clothes I bought too small, because they were on a great sale, and of course "someday" I'd fit into them. Cool thing is, now I am.

I can, it goes through like any other liquid. I do find that I can feel the effects with much less then before surgery. And like you said, it's empty calories, and I also find I'm more likely to make bad food choices if I've been drinking. So for me, it's once in a while only. Usually a glass of wine before dinner.

What has been posted that is unreasonable? I honestly didn't see anything.

You were out for a whole week? :faint: One of my co-workers was out until Tuesday. We were lucky, we were out about 12 hours is all. So, we turned our home into a shelter for friends who didn't have power. At one point we had 6 people, a dog and a cockatiel staying with us.

The practice is exclusivly LapBand, so they can focus on us and our needs. They have a surgical suite in their clinic, and do most of the banding as outpatient. Last I checked, they had done more then 1,900 lap bands. He was a general Laproscopic surgeon for 10 years before deciding to focus on lap banding. What I liked is that he took time to talk to me. To answer all my questions. To explain the risks, and what I would need to do after to make this work. I didn't feel talked down to at all. He is very compassionate. And Jessie Ahroni, who wrote a book on banding, works in that clinic. Is there anything in particular you are interested in as far as picking a surgeon?

I went with Dr. Montgomery at the NWWLS in South Everett. I liked their approach to after-care, and had been impressed with how supportive they were with my DH after his banding. I don't have experience with the other two surgeons there, but I hear they are good also. Many of those on their staff have been banded, so they really get what we are going through.

Did your doctor advise you to drink the protien shakes this far after surgery? Mine was pretty clear that once I was was off mushies, no more liquid calories outside of skim milk. And also, I was told that 20 minutes was long enough to eat, that beyond that some of the food does start to empy out. I do know that there is a wide variety of advice and what is working for people out there also.

I think that's a REALLY important point, that I know I didn't get until after banding, really until after this last fill. It's not the pre-band days, where I would struggle and struggle, be hungry and obsessed about food trying to lose weight. I have days where at the end of the day, I don't feel as though I've been eating less, where I wonder how I can feel this satisified and still lose weight. That is a major thing for me, and gives me such hope that this is indeed my solution. I sure hope so, I'll be paying for this for a while!:faint:

Do you still have your Gallbladder? Pain in the back was one thing I felt right before I had to get mine out, on the right side. Up by my shoulder blade