general_antiope

Oooh!!! Macaroni and cheese is my gateway food! If I eat it, I go off my diet in a big way. I'm going to try this...but with rice pasta, rice protein and soy cheese instead. Thanks for the inspiration!!

You posting bunnies!!! 114 pages?!?! OK I didn't have the time to read through it all but I did catch one conversation I wanted to drop my 2 cents on...whether a guy who rejects you when you're overweight is worth revisiting when thin. Of course your feelings would be hurt to be ignored when heavy...but when I look at pics of me (Which I don't, I find it painful) at my heaviest, I think: I was so miserable, screaming and lonely inside my skin, abused my body ... I was in no mental state for a relationship anyway. I don't blame them for not being attracted to me. The face I look at now has been the one I've seen all my life; the face I saw in heavy pictures was never me. Now people say I'm pretty or whatever, and I'm like THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU PEOPLE lol :shades_smile: But I was in the grip of an addiction back then. So I don't hold any anger or wounded feelings about it. And bless you girls for trying eharmony...I tried it twice and had the most hilarious dates that I need to write about. I'm done with online dating. /sigh. Figure if I don't have a life enough to meet more people "outside" in the world, I don't have any business trying to date. But I'm starting to wonder about it again. Heh. Could use a spring fling! Nothing like falling in love when the weather turns warm...

Dr. Ren is one of the leading surgeons for the Lap Band system - she's based at NYU in Manhattan. I decided to commit to the travel part of follow ups for the rest of my life because she IS truly the best, in my opinion. I've read her medical papers on how she improved the surgery to eliminate some side effects completely. When I sat with her, I asked her flat out how many people under her care died from the surgery, or complications of the surgery. At the time, which was three years ago, she said she lost two patients. Out of I think about 2,500 at the time. Those were incredible odds and I loved how frank she was with me. She is supportive, caring, and has even responded to my emails. The fills are about $100 a pop. Worth it. Even with the driving to get there. I tried to get fill docs in PA but they would not see me since I wasn't one of their patients...I was very disappointed in 3 Philly area hospitals for turning me away. Oh well - when I went to see Dr. Ren I was a million times glad over and over I was with her, anyway. Give them a call if you're interested - NYU Thin For Life kate

Holy COW! I mean! Not cow!!! You're gorgeous, woman! I'm so happy for you. Soooo happy. Now onto living, right? You are such an inspiration for me to get to my goal and do the surgery. I cannot wait to join you girls in the flatlands! Boobs fleshy, tummy flat, not the other way around which is what I have now!!! lol :shades_smile: kate

The first doctor came very highly recommended as a plastic surgeon, he does very well for himself in the "Main Line" which is french for old money around the Philly area. I met with him twice and was disappointed not only in his before and afters but also his bedside manner. Now, geniuses don't have to be all friendly and extroverted, but I just got a discordant vibe from him. Like a robot. Plus he'd never done ANY weight loss patients, and no idea what my port would end up looking like and had no suggestions. The other lady completely turned me off. She wasn't just cold, she was rude to me. She actually reprimanded me for not losing all the weight, and to "lay off the cookies" and that I might need a lower body lift because "when you balloon out to a beach ball shape there's bound to be flappy skin in the back." I almost killed her. Like I don't have enough fledgling self esteem! Sure, maybe I was oversensitive, but her bedside manner was extremely condescending. She said "I can't give you ANY kind of waist, you know." Just so negative!!! I may look to NYC where my band was done. I'm SURE they have great PSes up there

Amy you are GORGEOUS! I am so proud of your whole journey, and then being brave enough to share! Although I AM going to pick a bone with you about taking a picture of bending over with your skin....great, I never thought to look at my belly like that...and of course I did....and of course I was horrified...OH GOD I WANT PS!! :grouphug:

Karey - Lots of great advice here with your friend issue. I would just add that 20 years is a good reason to be plain and honest with someone, but 20 years is not a reason to stay in a toxic relationship. She deserves the courtesy of being given a chance to correct her behavior, but if she doesn't, you've outgrown each other. You have evolved past her by simply getting the lapband. You can tell by her reaction to just that. She's hurt, feeling abandoned, envious, and trapped in her - as you put it - inadequacy. She's being selfish, and that is no reason for you to beat yourself up over it :grouphug: /hugs And I hope your band settles down. Ugh I dread taking pills, I was horrible with them BEFORE the band :eek: Maybe you can smash them in some water-thinned applesauce and eat them that way?

Kelly I have the same plans as you - 48 lbs to go and plans for PS anywhere from September to December. I am really saving my PTO at work for it - I thought 2 weeks was plenty...plus I COULD work from home if I needed to...how much recovery time are you anticipating? I've been to 2 area PS just to see their experience with weight loss and learn more...they were very disappointing...but I'll be watching your progress Kelly!! :grouphug: kate

SJ - the most important part of the band is the followup. Seriously. If not for my monthly trips to Dr. Ren in my first year I would not have lost the weight I did!! You know, it takes a while to detox from the reality of being obese. When I would go for follow ups, I would have that "Weight Watchers Anxiety." You know what I'm talking about - wearing the lightest clothes possible, crash dieting the day before, hoping and praying you're not judged cause maybe you only lost 4 lbs in a month. You know I got lectured - and I mean LECTURED - for losing too much weight? The nurse at Dr. Ren's told me if I didn't slow down he was gonna unfill me :huh2: That was a first. I pranced. I liked not being lectured for eating too much. It's just *such* a different world. It's hard to describe. Instead, even if I lost a little, I'd be sitting there nervous, feeling like I'm failing everyone, failing myself...and when they weighed me and talked to me, they just wanted to know if I was hungry. Sometimes I'd say yeah, but I don't know if its PMS or not. They'd tighten me and fix it. Can you eat more than a cup of food without Water in 20 minutes? Yes. OK you're getting tightened. They just cared about me, they cared about the band working properly. My favorite thing about Dr. Ren is that she thinks of obesity as a disease, like alcoholism with as much genetic roots as social and behavioral roots. Not many doctors see it that way. And god! Wait til you get The Magic Fill. My first four months on the band I was still fighting hunger, able to eat a whole burger and fries meal from Wendy's, despite monthly fills. I was totally resigned to this taking forever. Other people were dropping like crazy, but my fat stubbornly clung to me like barnacles on a sunken ship. I was actually depressed at this point, thinking I made this huge change and dammit, it didn't WORK. As usual. Then in April I got this fill. I was on liquids for two days...typical deal. Feeling like it was useless, the third day I popped a small piece of a Cinnabon in my mouth. I mean, small. Maybe pea sized. Well, I didn't chew so well and had my first regurgitation. I thought I was going to die. It's actually funny now. There I was, alone in the house, panicking and pacing around frantically crying because something hurt in my chest - the pastry was stuck, oh THIS is what they've been talking about, that golf ball feeling...THIS SUCKS!...I'm gonna DIE I'm gonna DIEEEE...and I jumped, raised my arms, did everything I could not to barf it up...and I did anyway. it was incredibly unpleasant, mostly because I didn't know HOW to regurgitate properly if something was stuck and it turned into full scale vomiting, with the lower stomach. Painful, forceful. But then it was over, and I settled down. I slunk to the kitchen and made some hot tea and next thing I knew, it was seven hours later and I realized with a start I had not eaten all day. {{{NEWS FLASH: KATE FORGOT ABOUT FOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER}}} The hunger WAS completely gone. Gone. Not nausea, but very close to it, where you're just turned off by ANYthing. Holy crap! I kept thinking, "Is this what skinny people feel like ALL THE TIME!?!?!?" No wonder they thought I had weak willpower. It was so SIMPLE to forget about food - or if I was forced to eat, choose something like broth or a small 1/2 cup of tuna fish. Then I cried again, laughing and dancing with the lightest joy because this was the Magic Fill my mentor had told me about that I never believed...and couldn't comprehend. Four months after surgery, I was finally in the zone. Accidentally. That's when the weight loss really began...I lost 80 lbs over the next 6 months. Just remember...it is a process. I know you're sick of the weight. I know you want it to be over already...but it's coming. There's nothing like feeling in control for the first time in your life :cool2: NOTHING. Maybe on one of your fills we'll hike up to Dr. Ren's together, if I need one too. I just got mine done so I'm good for at least a month or so.

queene - welcome! there is just *so* much information out there that there's no way to give you a run down. The info sessions will outline all of it for you. Good luck! kate

Hey Vicki! I'm re-joining the world of the banded - although new to this site, not new to the band :huh2: My advice is to surrounded yourself with people who support you, and look to yourself for decisions, not anyone else! This is your life and your body, you know what to do! hugs kate

I wasn't sure about telling anyone, but for me, I had had enough of secrecy revolving about my food and my weight. it was kind of liberating, even when some people gave me That Look for getting surgery.

I have no problem mentioning it if we're going to dinner. I am more distressed by the constant henpecking by the waitstaff - "Is everything ok? Did you not like the meal?" rather than the person I'm with. Like missy said - if they don't like it, they can KMA. They're not the right person for me. The guy i'm looking for will think me brave and motivated and successful for doing what was necessary to save my life.

Hi guys! I was banded 11/26/2004 by Dr. Christine Ren at NYU. I dropped 100 lbs and then promptly dropped another 250 in the form of my ex husband :cool2: My weight loss stalled as I moved out, changed careers, and began my life over again. Net gain was 12 lbs from my lowest post op. I've been hovering at 202 - 208 for the past 1.5 years, and with the divorce final and a promotion, my life is as bright as its ever been and I am not willing to remain a statistic of people who DIDN'T lost 100% of their excess body weight. I have been trying my hardest on my own to lose the rest of the weight, but I can't seem to get back into that "band mindset" where food ISN'T a friend but something to keep you alive. I don't know how I fell out of it, I do still have restriction, but I'm making poor choices. I now go to the gym regularly - but my hunger has kicked up big time, at night, where it never was before. I tried to stick to Protein shakes at night, but I feel like I am having the same relationship issues with food that I did pre-surgery. And being 202 lbs as a 32 year old single woman is just not acceptable! I finally decided I would wait to buy a house or do ANYthing until I completed this journey. I paid too much money, lost far too much in the past few years to stay at 50 lbs overweight. I want plastic surgery for my already stretched skin, I want to be done with this. I have thought about my situation and my food addiction and my weight loss, and decided several key things were missing. 1. I had no support on this band journey from other bandsters. That was a mistake. Since I was in Philly and my doc in NY, I could not attend support groups. I asked my doc for emails of local banded folks but they couldn't provide it. And my life was in turmoil anyway, so I didn't push beyond that. 2. I was 2 years out and not needing monthly/quarterly visits so my motivation had also waned. 3. I really was hungrier, and able to eat bread, chicken, and basically anything I wanted. So I decided to go back to the beginning and start all over again. I have to lose 50 lbs. I went back to Dr. Ren last week, got a fill and WOW!!! I completely forgot what the fills feel like! Holy cow. That tightness, the INSTANT loss of interest in food. I swear this thing is magical. I bounced the whole way home. She was so enthusiastic and inspirational, I forgot too how much I loved my Doctor's bedside manner. We are going to kick fat's a$$! Anyway, so with the fill I am monitoring myself and looking for internet AND local support :party: I live in Chester County, PA. Please feel free to email me anytime. I love helping others, too. That's my story. Sorry it's a novel, but I've been alone way too long! These plastic surgery stories and whole band community are doing me a world of good. I can't wait to be the AFTER picture :huh2: kate

Hey jetdeck! You're the first person I've met in my area with the band :huh2: I live in Exton. I got banded by Dr Ren 3 years ago, dropped about 100 lbs and got stuck there. never had any support groups around, and other doctors are completely unfriendly towards me in the Phila area to even do an adjustment. I just decided it's time to kick the last 50 lbs out and called around creation to get a local doc...my band is great, no complications except I have been eating Cookies and crap and not losing - but they won't take me. I went back to Dr. Ren and you know what? I'm sticking with her. She's just amazing, isn't she? So inspirational. And motivational. I got my fill last week and BOOM lost 8 lbs :cool2: Can't wait to get to the end. It would be great to know someone locally - I feel completely isolated! Tell me about your band! kate

I am really getting annoyed by my constant coldness now! I've been banded for 3.5 years and have been cold since weeks after my surgery. I've had my thyroid checked twice and they say it's totally fine. There definitely has to be something chemical that happens either with where the band is physically placed (hey, it makes hunger magically disappear with no food in your belly, surely it can do other things) or any number of things. It's hard to shake people's hands - I am either dry and cold or clammy and cold no matter the weather. My apartment and office have to stay really toasty for me to have normal hands. Very aggravating!