keeping the faith

love your doggie pic shirley!

I've heard that more with by-pass than the band. I know what you are saying, these negative, mean spirited people who don't really want you to succeed...But we do! We want you healthy and beautiful and full of energy. The band is a tool. Take full advantage of it and glow in your success!! You may find that you have to let some people go out of your life if they don't want you to succeed. Up front, they will say they are happy for you, but inside they are jealous. It is ok if people are envious, but you should not have a friend that is jealous of you. Surround yourself with positive people that truly care for you. You've got us here!!!

Although I have lost about 60 pounds, I am just now seeing the weight loss. I've had ups and downs as we all have...and I have an appointment tomorrow with the doc. I can't exercise at this time, but wish I could as I know this would speed everything up. I have tried to get to 199 for soooooo long. I have been going up a few pounds and down a few. But so happy to have reached this spot at last!! I am finally starting to see a difference in the way my clothes feel and I feel a bit lighter!! I keep you all in my prayers and have been so thankful for everyone's advice. I still don't know what the sweet spot is, but I am not getting as many nights of getting sick. Funny thing is that I can eat a lot of salad, but hard Protein is more difficult for me. Thank goodness for cheese!! I am joyous today!

Hey Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Keep me posted on how you are doing! You will go nuts when you hit 199ver the moon! It provides you with even more motivation! Congrats on your success too! I am so happy for you. I get so excited to see people doing well. This banding isn't easy, at least not for me, so I am o. I can't really see a difference yet and only a couple of people have commented. They say that until you lose 50 pounds, people don't notice and with me, that's true. Just now starting to see a change in clothing and it feels good. I've worked so hard for this and nobody knows about my surgery except me and my surgeon, so it has been hard, not being able to share the good times and the bad.

Nope. they don't do the tape anymore since it can lead to pneumonia...not much you can do but pain relievers and they don't help much because with each breath you aggravate it more. My heart goes out to ya lakelady. I asked for a bandage or tape when I had my fall...that is the only reason I know this wonderful cocktail party info tidbit LOL!!

consider it done!!! Let me know how your first fill goes!

Oh man lakegirl, I feel for you. I have messed up my ribs before and it was awful. And I can relate about the not working out...I can't workout at this time and it has been slow losing weight, but you work with what you have! Looking forward to you joining our club of onderlanders - the more the merrier! Get better soon!!!

You are now a svelte, curvy rock star!!!!!

Ok, here goes...now this may not work for everyone, but it has worked for me. After a fill or if I am feeling tight, I make a quickie Soup. Granted, it has some carbs, but it is easy and tasty. When I was going for one of my other ill-fated attempts to lose weight, I did the HMR shake thing. I was told that it had little soy in it, which I can't have. WRONG! But from that, I purchased a very nice blender...expensive, but worth every penny. I put in a scoop of simply potatoes...they taste like homemade, then I add cheese, some chicken or ham...or maybe a quarter of a piece of bacon for flavor. I then add a few green onions, maybe some fat free sour cream, etc. The blender has a button for soup and it comes out piping hot if I hit the button twice and the potatoes make it feel like I am eating something substantial. I haven't played with keeping the protein chunky...I've been stuck a few times after a fill...and it never fails...it is when the doc goes on vacation or on the weekend. Pure torture!! I've also made a chicken cordon blue sauce, and when I can't deal with the chunks of protein, in the blender with a little milk and mashed potatoes it goes. A disclaimer here, I have a condition in which I cannot have acid of any sort. I had to give up my beloved coffee and sniff, sniff, tomatoes and tomato based products, so no vegatable soup yet. I did make some ham and bean soup and it was fantastic. I used ham from the honey baked ham company...delicious. I can't exercise at this time or the weight would come off faster, especially if I was able to do free weights. But consider investing in a good blender. I can try to get in touch with the guy where I bought mine. It was about 350, but they normally go for much more. I hope this helps!! And thanks, all of you, for your very kind words that keep me going. You give me such hope! Kisses for all of you!!

I KNOW you will!! Let me know the minute you do!!!!! Keep in touch!

I was banded last May and I too am looking for the "holy grail" of banding...the sweet spot! Let me know what you find out!! Good luck with your future as a healthy person!! I just made it to under 200...I go up and down a pound or two. I'm not able to workout, so that makes it hard for me to lose as much as I would like, but I getting excited for the journey!! God Bless

Oh Cheri, I hear ya sister. I went thru a stomach flu and landed in the ER and they freaked when they heard I had the band. So while I had this flu and all that comes with it, they tried to force barium down my stomach...even though I clearly told them it was the flu and the rest of the family had it. I have also had other health issues and other surgeries and they all worry about the band, etc. So I know exactly how you feel and it is a wierd and uncomfortable thought. Anybody that thought this was a cake walk was sooooooo wrong! But all of the great things that will go with better health will counter those thoughts!! Take care!

Does anyone else on this site have both the lapband and IC (Interstitial cystistis) or painful bladder syndrome? I am having a hard time finding things to eat. chicken usually gets stuck, beef...other than ground beef usually gets stuck. Everything else healthy is out because of the IC diet I have to be on. I thought yogurt was safe, but I found out it has a lot of vit. c, which i can't have. I'm hungry and have started eating the wrong things...because I keep getting stuck. I don't think I am overly tight, the doc already took some out. But I am so frustrated. Maybe if someone has had this along with IC can advise me! Thanks

i too take Lyrica. What a great medication. I am taking it for several reasons, including a neck disc that exploded and caused spinal damage. I think with the med, you need to move in order to burn those cals. I am right after my neuro surgery and barely eat anything...and barely losing anything either. i'll keep you in my thoughts! Try an indoor pool.

Can you believe it? A piece of plastic from a bag was under the scale and the scale was wrong!!!:wub: I'm at 216/217 and I really appreciate everyone's comments - You are such great people. Yes, I think I am a little depressed and will talk to the doc. I was supposed to go today but the cute neurosurgeon hasn't cleared me to get up and go yet. The worst thing is that I can't do much in regard to exercise except pt and the walk I sneak in for the doggie (She is litterbox trained but needs to go get her "p-mail). Any advice is taken to heart so I hope to hear from you all again. It's tough not being in onederland yet...but I will be!! Trying to deal with my neursurgery and just being in bed everyday just stinks!!

Can you believe it? A piece of plastic from a bag was under the scale and the scale was wrong!!! I'm at 216/217 and I really appreciate everyone's comments - You are such great people. Yes, I think I am a little depressed and will talk to the doc. I was supposed to go today but the cute neurosurgeon hasn't cleared me to get up and go yet. The worst thing is that I can't do much in regard to exercise except pt and the walk I sneak in for the doggie (She is litterbox trained but needs to go get her "p-mail). Any advice is taken to heart so I hope to hear from you all again. It's tough not being in onederland yet...but I will be!!:wub:

i finally reached onerland today...but for some reason I'm not as happy as I thought I would be. I've had five surgeries in two years and recently had a ruptured disk in my neck. could it be the pain and perhaps some of the depression that is keeping me from being as happy? I haven't really lost much when it comes to clothes sizes and I have been getting easily plugged...which means a whole evening of ....well, you get the drift. Any words of encouragement? will it get better once I am able to exercise? I have kept my doc advised, but he is reluctant to remove any fluid. I hope my health gets better soon. all prayers are gratefully welcomed!

I had to have neurosurgery on my neck. I lost weight because I wasn't hungry, but it wasn't the way I wanted to lose the weight and I am scared I will put on weight once I get better and have more of an appetite. I can't really move around much, so it is hard to exercise. I am finally able to walk a little. I appreciate all responses and prayers for my recovery! Much love!

Hey Hon I understand how you feel. My going has been slow. It is interesting that your doc filled during surgery. I understand some do and some don't. I think that first of all, somehow we don't get all of the infomration we should have about the band how difficult it can be. You've gone thru a great deal of time, effort and money and you want it to work...NOW!:biggrin: Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Perhaps because you live so far away, the surgeon may be conservative. If you get filled too much, it can be miserable and they may have to take you to the ER to unfill you. As I have found out, fills can take effect weeks after!:thumbup: Try your best to be good about your food choices and next time you see your doctor, be honest with him and tell him that you are frustrated. Take care and I will be keeping you in my prayers.:scared2: nice fish btw!

I go to the doc tomorrow...my problem is that at times I can eat a great deal and other times I can't eat anything that doesn't cause pain and comes up. Once I start throwing up or sliming as they call it, it doesn't stop and I start heaving:w00t:. I learned what foods to avoid...and some of the foods that cause other issues, don't bother me and vice versa. And I have pain in my left hand side after getting sick...probably a pulled muscle. I know my doc will make the choice but I am confused...to get more of a fill or not. I'm not losing much weight...since May 26, I've lost 25 pounds. For weeks after my fill, I felt nothing. Now, every other day, I am having these issues. I had no idea this procedure would be so hard. Unfortunately, due to some other issues, I am not able to work out, which I know would help me lose weight. I am just wondering why at one moment i can eat and no problems:blushing: and at other times, i get into severe pain. I went to dinner with friends and ordered moist fish and after a few bites, it got stuck...I made it to the bathroom:drool:, but I was embarrassed.Other times the neighbor will bring over a hamburger and it can all go down. ANY advice you give me will be so gratefully accepted. Much love!

I go to the doc tomorrow...my problem is that at times I can eat a great deal and other times I can't eat anything that doesn't cause pain and comes up. Once I start throwing up or sliming as they call it, it doesn't stop and I start heaving:w00t:. I learned what foods to avoid...and some of the foods that cause other issues, don't bother me and vice versa. And I have pain in my left hand side after getting sick...probably a pulled muscle. I know my doc will make the choice but I am confused...to get more of a fill or not. I'm not losing much weight...since May 26, I've lost 25 pounds. For weeks after my fill, I felt nothing. Now, every other day, I am having these issues. I had no idea this procedure would be so hard. Unfortunately, due to some other issues, I am not able to work out, which I know would help me lose weight. I am just wondering why at one moment i can eat and no problems:blushing: and at other times, i get into severe pain. I went to dinner with friends and ordered moist fish and after a few bites, it got stuck...I made it to the bathroom:drool:, but I was embarrassed.Other times the neighbor will bring over a hamburger and it can all go down. ANY advice you give me will be so gratefully accepted. Much love! __________________ Much love to you all and thanks for any advice:wub:

Thank all of you for the private and public postings! I saw my doctor and was very honest with him. Told him that I didn't have any restriction until six weeks after my first fill. He informed me that it wasn't a race...easy for him to say:cursing:...and that he didn't feel that I needed a fill yet as he was scared that with the swelling, it would make me too tight, and I agreed. So, I will see him in a month. Unfortunately, with my doctor, all of us patients wait for hours to see him. Fortunately, this makes for a great mini support group meeting and a few had gone through very similiar circumstances and gave me their advice. I am going to make sure that I chew everything well and take much smaller bites. Also, I will try not to compare what I am losing to others...but it is tough. Thanks again for reaching out to me. Much love!