Randi L

I'm glad I don't like brocolli. Good luck in the future.

I would enjoy hearing how people lose so much weight so quick. What do you eat? How much do you exercise? There's good and bad days, and the path changes, but the intent was to start the journey.

I haven't posted in a while. Seems all I could do was complain about where I am with this process. I've had too many problems, and not enough loss, and it's hard to just moan about it. I've decided that I hope my surgeon did the surgery well, as I can't seem to develope any type of talking relationship with the man. He just doesn't talk. My last Appt with him was really frustrating. I don't know if I need a fill, an unfill, or a kick in the butt. Some things go down without a problem, I get lulled in to a sense of being ok - 2 seconds later I'm outside a restaurant hurling up a piece of bread. My next appt is on the 6th, and I'm going to have a barium swallow done at the hospital before I see the Dr... to see how it's going down. In the midst of all this, I am having horrendous dental problems, and will need to get dentures. For me, this is a fate worse than death. It's not only totally expensive, it is my greatest fear.. anyone have any experience? Just feels like a bad time in my life. Getting worse. So to post all this all the time seems silly of me. But thanks for being there.

Spend an hour every day reading the posts on this forum. Read what we all say about all the feelings we have. On a bad day - NO On a good day - YES When the scale doesn't move - HELL NO When you burp up your lunch, or hurl out your dinner, or feel like you can't drink another bottle of Water, it's deffinetly hard. READ - go to the seminars - make sure you're talking to a surgeon who KNOWS about this procedure - and not just gastric bypass. Make sure you know if your insurance will require you to complete certain requirements, or pay for part of this. Start by knowing in your heart, that you're out of control, and can't get your weight issues out of your mind. It's a tool, it won't fix what's wrong in your head. You have to diet, exercise, and change your lifestyle. Look at the before and after pictures and think about which side you want to live your life on. It's not like bypass. It's not sudden. It's not easy - either way. But it should be your decision - because your family can't go thru it for you... with you, yes - but it's your body.

Childhood memory? Non-fat milk. Grey. While my brother had whole milk. Looking back at pictures of that girl, always standing out, always bigger. Late night eating, always. Lack of exercise until I adopted my dog two years ago. Compulsive, obsessive, too much, too often, the thought comes and I chase the food. Is it obvious to everyone else how very good most of the posts are? Smart people, trapped by a common bond - and liberated by a band?

It's like you were yelling out loud enough for me to get on line, and read your post. Today marks my 9th week of being banded. I see all the threads with so many people losing so much weight, and it makes me jealous... and oh so weary. I feel like I'm failing with this too. It's been a long crawl to today. My loss is about the same as it was after the first 10 days. I've gone thru 2 major infections, weight gain, and feelings of total frustration. I don't miss eating. I don't miss food. I don't miss hot meals. I don't miss bread, or cheesecake, or pasta. I miss feeling hopeful. I know this will take a year, and that at my age it's more difficult. I just wish I felt like it's really going to happen. To all of you with great loss, it's always good to let us know how you're doing it. If not for the forum, I wouldn't know much. When I spoke to my Dr this past week, about some of the things we all go thru - he acted like it was a news alert. Congrats to those of you doing well*

June - do you mean you're down 63 pounds since your surgery? What do you do? What's your program? That's really great! a PB is a productive burp - when something gets stuck in your upper area, and you keep burping until it comes out - or all the extra air does. How are you doing this??

I'm finally on my ass. It's been a slow but steady process. Finally got to the Dr's yesterday to try to find out what's wrong with me. First jab in the gut - I've gained 7 pounds. I know, antibiotics add, lack of as much exercise because of my exhaustion adds, but 7 pounds? This after 2 weeks of feel bulemic? I explained that I am not able to keep most types of protein down. I expressed concern that I have wrecked the band. He sent me to the lab for blood work, and then tomorrow I go in for a barium swallow. Yesterday, was my moms one year anniversary of her death. I didn't cry, I didn't feel sorrow. I keep thinking how lucky she is to be out of all this, and that she's happy in Heaven. Yesterday, my son moved in to his apartment, leaving his 3 year old son at the house with his mother. His heartbreak is contagious. But he's trying to make his sons room fun.. Today, I finally went out and took a long walk. Slow - but I got it done. After 15 days of antibiotics, it's going to take me a few days to get back some energy. But jeeze - SEVEN pounds? it was like a sledgehammer to my brain.

lucyman, you've lost over 30 pounds since your band? how? what are you doing? share your secrets, I need the help!

Called to make an appt - can't see him till next Wednesday. A little over an hour ago, I started to eat refried beans with an avocado. It's taken me an hour now to hurl it out, burp it out, spit it out, hiccup it out, and the pain has been bigger than I've experienced thus far. The fear that I've done something to the band is overwhelming. My stomach continues to growl, and grumble, and this is too much for me. I had hoped for a tool, and I've seen some of you have such great success. I'm feeling like this is failing. all this, and I've been invaded by ants for over a week, and after killing a million three hundred thousand four hundred and eleven of them, I'm feeling like that's failing too. My back hurts from all the bent over action - what a great way to start the dang weekend.

I can't stand it. It happens all the time. My dog and cat used to jump, but they're used to it now. How pathetic is that? Why don't they tell you about all this? If it happens for so many of us, it's obviously one of the side effects. and I think they should tell you about ALL of them.

Thanks everyone for your positive comments. It's easy to get down. I did a round of 5 days - hard core anti-biotic, now I'm half way done on my 4x a day for 10 day one. I'm tired all day - and today, gave in to a nap. Drinking more water, but the eating is off. Protein shake in the morning, fish for lunch, tried meat tonite - no way. I'm eating crackers tonite - with peanut butter. and of course that stays down. I'm calling my Dr tomorrow to make an appt with the nutritionist, and to see what he thinks...

Okay, I feel like I know nothing. I haven't lost any weight in days. I'm not sure what I am supposed to eat, and what I'm supposed to do. My fill is ok, altho I still run to throw up stuff if I've eaten too much. I need to drink more water, but taking the antibiotics has really slowed me down in general. I don't have the energy. I guess I didn't understand what the band will and won't do. If I'm not eating, how can I not be losing weight? Without the band, if I did this, it would have fallen off. Here I am at 8 weeks, with out feeling good - on the inside or the outside. I lost more in the first week after surgery than I have since. I don't sleep well, and have wild dreams when I do. I can't get more than a shake down in the am, and that's fine - but my blood sugar is taking a beating - goes up and down now ... and the lows are beginning to get me crazy - at 6am I wake up shakey. I'm going to call the Dr. I need to figure out a goal. Because I feel like I've just been paddling for eight weeks now ... without something to really show. ( I should never write this late at night )

I've been wondering about this. Glad the thread was created! Thanks! It's so embarrassing/silly to fart in stores, fart when other people are around - and try to conceal it, when I'm walking the dog <who never does> or any other time. I thought it was part of that over 40/50 fat, and flatulent thing. Or the refried beans. Now I know it's another benefit of this whole thing. Why don't they tell you to expect it?

My sons friend was getting married tonite, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to the wedding. Wasn't sure what to wear. Had my hair cut, wasn't sure how to do it. Didn't really want to see anyone, because if they "did" know about my surgery, didn't want to face expectations. Didn't want to face the buffet, or the bar, or the dancing. I put on black tuxedo pants, with a layered lace top. I put on my face, did my hair, added some bling - and forced myself to accept that I should go - because my son was in the wedding, and the guy getting married always calls me mom, as I've known him most of his life. As a wedding coordinator for many years, I'm always interested in watching someone elses work, and the way a room is set up, etc. I drank my water. I ate the chicken and some mashed potatos. I said "no thanks, I'm not drinking anything" at least 40 times. I sat at the table with my sons friends. I've known them all for 25 years now. Many have been married, had kids, divorced. They all still act like a hosted bar is a gift from Heaven. After the cake I couldn't wait to leave. I was tired of smiling. I was tired of acting like I wanted to be there. Truth is, I was tired of looking at all the 30somethings, with their future wide open. Tired of looking at the women in the room, and feeling like I was the biggest one. <I wasn't> Tired of wondering if I'll look like a Sharpei if I do lose the weight. If I'll ever be able to wear girl heels, and party dresses. After 8 days of antibiotics, I have the yeast infection that normally accompanies too much antibiotic. I still have the infection on my incision, and under my boob. I am creamed up, and pill'd up, and feeling like I'm all used up. I had asked my son not to tell his friends about the surgery. I thought he had honored that. But at one point, a very sweet guy slid his chair up next to mine and said "I know you had some surgery, how are you?" "I'm great!" I replied, wondering how many other of his friends knew. So, when I got home, I drank an ice tea, and while I've leaned to enjoy diet ice tea - I forgot I couldn't glug it. It just came back up. My mom died 11 months ago. I was her primary caregiver for almost 2 years. She would have supported my decision. I don't need others approval, or sympathy. It's like I want to crawl in to my little lapband hole, and deal with it, without having to explain it, or defend it. I just want it to be a year from now, with my transformation in process, and me, dancing, in a great pair of heels that cost too much money. I'm rambling. I'm sad. Having done 1000's of weddings, it all starts out so hopeful, the applause when the couple enters the room, the clinking of the glasses and the kisses. Fast forward to the rollercoaster ride of getting a divorce. We chase love. We chase another body. We chased food. I'm tired of chasing. Sorry, I'll stop now.

To both Barbara's - I get it. I'm 55, and I think the age has a lot to do with it now. When we were younger, it was easier. I have had an infection on my top incision for 6 weeks, and now for a few weeks the anti-biotics I am taking really slow me down. I don't know how much this is all costing me yet. They keep billing my insurance outrageous amounts. I hope I don't get more bills, as I paid my part the day of surgery. So, depression has always been a part of my life, just because I got a band, nothing was said about it fixing that.... I am reading this book "fat girl" and I swear, I wrote it. It is like reading my life story - except she had a daughter, and I have twin sons. We are really all so similar, and while some people who start off in the 300's or more seem to lose more quicker, we'll all catch up somewhere. As far as the fills, and unfills and pb's and sliming <which I did tonite on mixed tuna> had I really known this was such a major part of the "tool" I may have gone for Jenny Craig again. Chins up girls. :eek: Oh, and add my name to the list please: Randi L - and I live in Ocean Hills CA - <near San Diego>

After 6 weeks, my top incision decided to erupt. My regular doctor gave me an rx for anti-biotics for 5 days. I ended up back at the Dr's yesterday with the infection getting bigger, and becoming a hard bump, and he gave me a new rx for 4 times a day for 10 days - and some cream to resolve a huge rash under my left boob. It's made me tired, and I'm not drinking enough water. I'm not doing enough anything. The scale moves down and up, and so do my emotions. I drink most everything, having protein shakes, diet ice tea most of the time. I don't see how some of you can snack on stuff, I still have a hard time with chicken! I'm afraid of most foods anyway. Not enjoying myself right now, at all.

That's better than a new blouse!!! Your health is the MOST important part of all this. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

eggs, bananas, salad, chicken, chunky Soup, mashed potatos. if it doesn't want to go down, it will let you know quick. it may go down today, and tomorrow it will refuse. it's a day to day thing. and some people can eat everything.

Count me in. I'll be around another 130 pounds. Ain't going nowhere till I can say it proudly... and I will need everyones help till that time.

Beans are the only thing that hasn't come back up on me. I've now added a little cheese, dab of sour cream - and feel so full after. Gas? Hell, anyone over 40 knows gas is a part of life either way :Banane56:

Beans are the only thing that hasn't come back up on me. I've now added a little cheese, dab of sour cream - and feel so full after. Gas? Hell, anyone over 40 knows gas is a part of life either way :Banane56:

I'm 2 days shy of 6 weeks out. I would do it again in a snap. The surgery itself is not as difficult as Bypass - with an open wound. The recovery time is quick. What I would do different - is read every thread on the forum boards, so I knew better what to expect, and how to deal with it. I don't get that info from the Dr - only from here, others going thru it every day. I'd also know that the first month doesn't mean the band is working - and not to expect too much loss. It's after restriction the problems start, and you have to crawl your way thru the real hard things. But, I'd do it again - I did it. If something happens, I'll do it again. I'll take my 2 pounds a week, and the pb's and the sliming, and the way it feels to fear food. It's slowly giving me some control over the food <fear replaces it> but any control is better than binging, overeating, food dreaming, compulsive eating. I also like the fact that I finally did something....

How many of you read the 40 pound loss part and silently said "wow, maybe I need to get the flu" You know you did. Well, I did.

This week has been full of personal surprises. My son and his wife have decided to get a divorce, so my 3 year old grandsons been on my mind. They live in Texas, and I'm in Ca - so there's this helpless feeling. I don't always get all the water in, and it's a mystery - I sure had no problem drinking diet soda. I try ... but I don't get it all in. Had to go to my regular Dr for an infection on my toe. The perscription I need is $379 a month, and I need to take it for 3 months - so I'm waiting to hear if the insurance will cover some of it. He also told me to go easy on my foot - now how does that fit in with my walking? UGH Also had to start antibiotics - as my top incision suddenly got red, and was leaking... 5 days worth, 50bucks. After 5 weeks? seems odd. It's been so hot, I haven't done as much walking this week, well - any my toe hurts in tennis shoes. I'm going to try and start swimming instead. I won't look at the scale, it seems to stay at the same place now. All that, and I'm still not fully able to eat without it coming back up. I've been doing protein and soft stuff... and for one crazy moment thought bulemics had the right idea - just toss it back. After a while, it's not so hard to do. I want to challange myself to NOT eat anything past 8pm. That seems to be my hardest time, feeling hungry in a big way.... and - DO NOT BUY IT, then you won't try it. Congrats to all of you that made your water challenge. Count me in for a Christmas exchange. The weekend already? it's going by fast.