Betsyjane

I wonder if you're sleepy from going off your meds...in addition to maybe some depression about your last year, and difficulty finding a job. Hmmm... What about looking for retail jobs where you can get a discount on maternity clothes or baby stuff...... I think I've seen a thread here in the past for pregnant bandsters....You might want to hook up with them.....

Some days lately I get a sour taste in my mouth that lasts all day. It's slightly bile tasting, but I'm not having acid reflux at all. It's there whether I eat or not...stays about the same all day. Has anyone else had that or know what that is?

Congrats on your weight loss. Do you brush your tongue when you brush your teeth? At first, that coated tongue can be about the anaesthesia that you had during surgery. Takes awhile to flush all that stuff out. How about getting some peppermint extract and putting a drop in your water?

I read Green's post as revealing some of her own history in order to be of help about options. I'll bet you can even find parenting classes online. Not that I think you'll be a bad mother....just that you want to be the best Mom, so gathering whatever info you can will certainly help you reach your goal. How far along are you? Any morning sickness? I have no idea...can you keep the lap band filled during pregnancy?

Oh, and the pills are Bentyl to stop stomach pains and something like Protonoxin (?) to slow the acid production. Sorry-I don't have the bottle with me at the moment.

Meds for gastric reflux and excess acid in the stomach. I was trying to knock out some pretty intractible pain by taking Advil....even though my Dr. said no more Advil post banding. Got too acid-y, but I didn't think it was reflux since I didn't have any active refluxing. I just had a bile taste in my mouth all the time lately.

Hey, the GERD pills worked right away. No more sour taste. Or stopping Advil did it. Not sure which.

Hey, Jodi. I was just thinking... Since the Dad probably didn't have parenting models to learn from, and you Mom may not havbe been an ideal parent, it might make a whole lot of sense to go to parenting classes. You're probably already thinking about ways in which you'd like to parent like your parents, and ways that you don't want to. You're a good student. Seems like a class worth taking.

Have you thought about starting to have some conversations with your Mom about boundaries and joys before the baby is born. You certainly want to enjoy the baby as his/her Mom and Grandma. And you want your Mom to help. You also have to be an adult in charge of raising a baby, in charge of your own meds so you're able to raise a baby, etc. You don't want your child growing up seeing either an incompetent or upset Mom or a controlling upset Grandma. Maybe the baby coming gives you a way to start to talk some of it out. If that doesn't happen, it's possible that your Mom will end up raising your baby....You already know that with ehr actions about your pills, you've allowed yourself to react in a way that gives her control over whether you take your meds. Good luck. Thos could be some uncomfortable discussions.

Well, if you're late, we'll be there when you get there!

I could do earlier....5:30?

I don't think she WANTED you to give up your child. She was presenting an option, from her experience. Glad you're looking forward to your baby and planning for him or her. You're in for some major challenges...... Can you take bipolar meds during pregnancy? Just curious.

I agree. The most compelling argument is that the surgery is tax deductible in most cases. The other thing to think about is getting one of those financing deals lap band Drs. know about, getting the surgery now, paying 4 months of interest, and paying off the loan after the first of the year. I think both of you should sit down and figure which scenario helps the most...........

How about a week from Monday at La Villa in Atascocita?

Great idea, Kat! Parenting classes with BF might lead to some interesting discussions about how you guys want to raise the little one.

OK...so now it's no drinking so you don't effect the fetus..no smoking...no drugs...and read everything you can on childcare. What might also be fun, since you are a writer, is the start a journal to give your baby about all of the experiences you have had and what you've learned. Or maybe first write a journal to yourself about what you've leanred and how you want to parent a baby. At some point, you'll need to tell you child that he or she has an inherited vulnerability to alcoholism or addiction, and should be very cautious about ever drinking or drugging. You'll also have to keep an eye out for evidence of bipolar stuff. Do you have any people in your life who you consider to have awesome parenting skills who can kind of mentor you through this time? Any idea what you'll do with the baby while yotu are in school? Gosh. There's so much to think through, isn't there?

I think the reason I responded to this thread at all is that the OP says over and over that the band is a big con. Under the guise of wanting information, the person isn't asking but it telling us that the FACT is that it's a con. To that, I'd say, go do your homework and come back when you are more educated.

LOL! That's the con for sure! My lap band doctor NEVER told me I'd be spending money on new clothes! How dare he!

Hey gArfield! I'm now off all my diabetic meds, and I could only get my blood sugar up to 100 by eating ice cream! My osteoporosis also completely reversed. Whadda con!

And soccerdad.....you may not be restricted yet. Don't kick yourself. It took me 3 fills before they hit my sweet spot. I was banded mid November and wasn't restricted until the end of January. Keep the faith.

I applaud you for fessing up. Remember this. You are human and not perfect. It is totally normal to fall off the wagon. Alcoholics do it and so do other addicts. Sometimes an alcoholics's goal is just to fall off less often and for less time. It's also normal for old behaviors to crop up for us humans and try to reestablish dominance before they are gone forever. It's also possible that your pouch is a bit stetched...been there. Whenever you feel like you have gathered your energy to try again, take a deep breath, go on liquids for a day or so to settle yourself back in, keep a food journal for a couple of days, go to support group, and move forward. You know how to do it or you wouldn't have lost all that weight. It may be that you aren't ready to get going again until your next fill, but whenever it is, you'll do it. This human being stuff is hard, isn't it? Maybe you can get your fill moved up if you tell thyem you think you might have stretched your pouch or might have a leak and are eating way too much. You'll succeed in your time.

Hi Sweetpea. After however many fills it takes to get restriction, you'll have more tools on your side. The first is that you won't be hundry, so that will help. Until then, you really are functioning almost as if you have no band. But junk foods, unfortunately, usually go through the band better than good foods.... so for now, your best bet is to practice the bandster lifestyle as much as you can. Be sure to eat protein and vege meals with no "sliders" (water, gravy, butter) so you can practice filling up and chewing slowly. And keep soing what you are doing...identifying behaviors you'll need to work to change like eating the kids' snacks. It was hard for me to ony eat at meal time. And to eat slowly. And to avoid ice cream. One of the things I found was that I ate too much and too often whenever the TV was on, so I needed to change that. Consider your band to be about a 6 month education for you, learning to do things differently. Fortunately, once you have restriction, it's a whole lot easier.

You can find that member by clicking on Memberlist.

Don't worry about learning to eat slowly and chew chew chew. Believe me.....You'll be so cautious as first and when you have restriction, you'll be punished if you don't. I too was a fast eater, and I have found that turning off the TV at meal time helps. So does taking a deep breath first and then concentrating on eating, almost like a meditation. I spent a lot of years in an eating trance. Now my trance is about honoring the food and my body.

That's great. You're ready to go! I went on that program years ago, and also lost weight. Couldn't keep it off....same old story. What a great way to start your banding experience...with a success!