Betsyjane

Been there. Walk walk walk.

Have fun, Barbara! SEE YOU ALL MONDAY!

For me, there's no WORST event. It's a worst sentiment. I am ready to crawl through the TV and sit on everyone who says we could do it if we would just diet and exercise. No words could be more damaging, bigoted, or false. And for years I believed them and kicked myself.....

Did you get Better Than Boullion? It's such a hearty broth. So satisfying. The things that worked for me with the pain were heating pad, walking....and mostly chewable Tylenol. No reason to suffer.......

You might end up like me. My current situation is that most mornings, I can only drink, so I have a protein shake. Sometime between noon and 2, I'm open enough for food. I can open it up more int he morning with hot drinks, but I only do that if I'm going out for breakfast with hubby. Otherwise, I like my shakes and it gets me a huge start on protein (muscle milk).

There he is...Dr C: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/scared-slip-t25096.html

First, what Dr. would give you a fill when you are PBing and can't get food down...whether it's from stress or not????? That's major scary! does he have any experience? Here's the thing. Your band may tighten and loosen due to stress and due to half a dozen other things. So sometimes tuna will work. But if you can't get your solid calories in so that you are losing no MORE than 2 pounds a week, then you have too much of a fill. And if you still have the problem with no fill in the band, then it's time to go to a Dr. who can figure this out. Good for you for doing it. Hopefully they'll find that you just get inflammed and stay that way a bit longer than most when someone messes with your tummy. Maybe you're one of those people that needs to open your band in the morning by drinking hot liquids. We can theorize, but a good Dr. should be able to figure it out. don't give up on the band...just the Doc! Hey...you might also ask Dr. C...the lap band dr. who is on this site. Can't remember how to find him, but if you can't, I'll start looking.

Ha! I understand the concept. Something to do with depth. Probably counts for a woman's weight loss too. Gosh. I know a couple that just got banded together. They're gonna have a goood time.

Keep those tricep exercises going and hope for the best!

I don't get the numbing shots. The first time I had a fill she told me that the shots hurt worse than the fill, so I didn't get them, and it's been fine. I dont' get the little numbing rub either. I was surprised how no-big-deal it was..... I think this fill thing is as much an art as it is a science. Third fill did it for me, but who's to say what I'll need tomorrow...especially if I lose more fat around my actual stomach and that loosens the band!

Hey guys~! I was just in Kroger and was talking with the check out person...and found out her daughter is being banded by Dr. Speigel next week! So I gave her info on our support group. Hope she wanders by.... Ha! Maybe those of us who are OUT should wear Bandster t-shirts so others will know who to talk with about it....

It's weird, isn't it? After my first and second fills, the barium looked great going down, but I never felt restricted..... My third fill looked exactly the same, but it worked! I never get an xray to find the port...just after with the barium....

Artificial sweeteners give me gas, except for Stevia. Better Than Boullion was really hearty for me.

Whenever I hit a plateau I wonder fleetingly if I should have gottne the GB. The other 99% of the time, I'd rather have the LB. I take pride in my own role in this working. It's like I would love to have done before....eating like a normal person, choosing my foods, being able to follow through with calorie goals, pushing away from the table. It makes what was impossible, just hard work. I'm proud of doing my part.

Hey bikerGirl-I got banded just before Thanksgiving...and I was giving thanks for sure. the meal looked great, but it's the first Thanksgiving in my life where I wasn't uncomfortable stuffed to the gills and gaining weight!

I wonder if Dr. Spivak will do fills on Dr. Speigal 's patients..... so far, he and his folks have been reasonable.

Pixcess-Call you doctor's office and ask to speak with the nutrtionist or get a referral to a dietitian. With your allergies, you don't want to make a mistake!

I was thinking that too. They unfill me before they fill me. They just pull the liquid out so they can see how much was in there, and then it all goes back in. I'd call back. Maybe you got a newbie.

I'm not convinced anybody has to be 100% on the liquid diet. But that's just me......

Ok. I'll put up a blank sign. You'll be sure to find us!

Ah. A diligent bandster.....

Check with the airlines about what you can take on the plane that you don't buy at the airport. And enjoy lots of fish in China. One65: My best advice to you is DON'T compare yourself with anyone else. Everybody loses differently and at different times. I lost right after surgery due to inflammation. Then no loss. Then no loss after my first fill. then nothing after my second fill. I was kicking myself every way possible. My third fill hit the sweet spot and I am living the life of a bandster and losing. With all that, my AVERAGE loss equates to 2 pounds a week! But for most of my time, I hated looking at others' losses! Just don't do it. we're all different and we're all going through stages. Right now, you are averaging 1.6 pounds a week, believe it or not. So you are exactly right on track! You're supposed to average 1-2 pounds a week.

I have heard some people say that they get restricted during and after flying. If you get a fill, do it a few weeks before your trip so you can make sure you aren't OVER filled! (Or follow Angela's advice and go underfilled and play.....)

Denise-Are you getting in enough calories? A number of people have said that their weight loss slows with too few calories.... I would also think at this point you might be putting on muscle weight, which would be a good thing. If you're eating like that regularly, you might not need the next fill yet....but calling your Dr. and asking for advice might be the thing to do. Plateaus are a booger... I've heard of people shaking up the system by doing something outrageous, like eating Godiva chocolate... Maybe Dr. will have some ideas.

Sins. Oh brother. Morbid Obesity is so complicated.....and people generally aren't ready to give up bigotry and try to understand. It's so easy to blame the victim. I guess I really don't understand it completely, and I have it, so I don't know how others would get the concept. When our own governemnt contemplates putting warning labels on plus size clothing, you know there's alot of ignorance around. (The clothing folks must not have as good a lobby as the junk food people.)