Lap_dancer

Please don't think of failure at this early point in the game. You stepped up to the plate in acknowledging you weren't successful doing it alone (I tried for 20 years). That alone is more than many are willing to do for themselves. Your tastebuds will change...atleast mine did. Tool is a word befitting because just like proper eating is a tool to good nutrition, the band is a tool to aid in that process of losing weight. I'm so thankful I had this done and as someone said before, they can't imagine eating the same things they use to eat. That's me. I can't imagine polishing off an entire mushroom burger from Chilli's. Plus there is so much support on this website. Best to you!

Oh man Anita, I'm not laughing at you I'm laughing at myself. Up 2 lbs. See that's what happens TO ME. I lost my appetite a few days ago and didn't eat 200 calories that day. Next day I gained 2 lbs.!!!! It's cruel. I wish so much I could see all of you on the 9th. My Colorado Coquettes!!

Portion control true but you can have 3 ounces of Godiva dark chocolate, 4 oz. of hazelnut truffles, one double fudge brownie, chocolate milk...hey, THAT's portion control right? No, up to us to diet.

I got the part where you don't like having people help you. Oh that hit me where I live but I got use to it knowing it would only be for a short time. I'm coming from a perspective of starting off at age 14 with dibilitating cramps that sometimes sent me to the doctor's office so pain to me is relative. I have a really high threshold for it. We all are different as I'm sure you will find reading all of our words on Lapbandtalk. Know that it gets better. I went from eating toddler food for two weeks to now, where I have more restriction than at that time, to eating Buffalo chicken tenders. So with time it will heal and you'll get back to a place where it's easier to function. Keep doing what you are doing which is checking your body pain level and discomfort level in perspective to what you can handle and doing something about it if you can't. Some things that helped me were Tylenol PM liquid. I took that after I completed what the doctor gave me. Don't drink anything cold. It constricts your stomach. Stick with room temperature or warm things. I drank a lot of Soup...soup I really liked and be prepared for suddenly realizing that you don't like something anymore. It's okay. From now on it is all a learning process. The new you. Since I was fearing I would end up living in my bed and eventually being removed from it by stretcher (exaggeration but not really) the band gave me back my life. I've lost 30 pounds and it's made a huge difference. I can only imagine after I lose another 30, and then eventually 200. Best to you.

Shelbie breath some of that mountain air for me! Michelle I love ya! It only makes sense to me to add yet another tool to the plan. You asked the question will the family win? Ouch. Zinger hit me where I live. Try having a sister who is 4'11 and 95 pounds and a mother who has always struggled with weight issues who thinks she is SOOOO cute. LOADS of pain there. Anita I will PM you after my visit. Mal best healing to your son. Tissue damage can almost be worse than a break. Atleast with a break you have a timeline and get the drill, soft tissue, although not as extreme, is still painful. Hugs and comfort his way. First visit to the office. You will be educated on the band and Dr. K's procedure. He is very methodical and patiently answers any questions you have. They will take your weight/BMI, BP, the usual. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Enjoy the journey. In hindsight the surgery was a minor portion of the overall plan. I didn't find any huge discomfort and actually felt like it was a day off from work, a few weeks of good rest and not feeling hungry for the first time in years. What a success there.

Wonderful people. You inspire me! Tiffany, best of luck. You won't be sorry. Mal, what a sweetie. Thanks for the kind words. Anita, hoorah on the South Beach. (great place BTW) I wanted to tell you all that I decided to go into therapy for food addiction. When things are meant to be at a certain place, they go smooth as pudding for me. Once I decided to call my insurance company, they only had two in my county who did addiction counseling. Both were on the other side of my very large county. I asked for the county just north of me and the woman is 20 minutes from me and due west, 15 from my employer. The receptionist was quite familiar with my employer and said they had a special program through work that I get four free evals under my insurance provision. I need to do some HEAD WORK for sure. New Years Eve. I said this would be the year all about me so here we go.

Hey Friends! Hope everyone is great on this rainy Thursday in Florida. Drewslou I just checked out your Myspace. Sweet page and congrats on that loss! I would love to see you with your game on and hope that can happen some day. Anita I'm glad you got to see your brother and your ex-niece?? Cracker Barrel...Oh mommy, I love that place. Went there this past weekend and had a whopping, side order of chicken dumplings. YES, BIG downsize from what I would have ordered a year ago and I couldn't agree more with having the band and it putting a hault to portion overload. Michelle, your smile is infectious and every time I see your pic I think of the lovely time I had, too short, in Colorado at Red Robin. I too am floundering. I'm putting bits in my mouth...french fries were the item yesterday and that was all I could manage at dinner. French fries. Half to me half to the dog. ** I've got some HEAD stuff going on now and it's really a challenge** My daughter off and married is hitting home now because she is not hear and is not calling me...hey, she's busy with her home and husband. She called and her husband who is in the Army failed one of his exams and has been kicked out of his training. He was aiming for explosive ordinance and there is no room for mistakes. He is appealing it but it looks like they are moving to a new base and who knows where that will be. They will know more next week but she's pretty confident that's what will happen. I'm in a funk. So how is everyone else doing?

Shesha congratulations on the restriction. Don't ya love it? It's so fantastic to feel FULL. FULL as in I'm not hungry anymore. When I had my last fill, she took out all of the fill to see how much I had in there. I drank the water....whhhooooosh it went down. She said "that is NO restriction". OMG I had forgotten and let me tell ya, I could easily eat so much more if I had that kind of food shoot to eat with. WHEW.

Recording why I do is something I need to begin. I know that combinations of certain things will effect me a certain way even what I put in my mouth the very first thing in the morning. Dr. K told me 80 grams of protein daily. As for carbs, I recall around 25-35 was a healthy range.

Since you are on liquids a lot, there isn't much up to offer coming out the other end. BOOST is liquid Protein. I would have that for Breakfast followed by black coffee 30 minutes later. If that doesn't work..green tea.

Correction: You assume abortion is for first trimester. Abortions are performed up to a point when a fetus is viable outside the womb. A fetus is the only composition of cells that comprise a human being from onset.

This has always been a loaded question to me. If you don't pick choice, you've picked a choice. If you pick choice, you give no choice to the one who doesn't get to vote but ends up dead. Now the one who ends up dead, in any other circumstances where they were killed by the hands of another, the other would be charged with manslaughter, 2nd degree manslaughter or murder.

I had the same thing, the waking up at night too. I didn't know it was GAS...wow...who knew. But I did know that it was something to be expected. It got pretty painful and by painful I mean it was like I had pitched 9 innings for both teams with that same arm. Eventually it did completely resolve itself.

Applause! Anyone else noticing things like: How fast you would otherwise be eating? Gulping? How much liquid you washed down with your meals? The band has taken me to a place where one mindless gulp to many sends me a harsh reminder of habits that still need to be completely broken.

As each day passes you'll feel better and better. Remember the liquid diet is intended to shrink the liver so they can reach the sweet spot where you band will go very easily. ( my liver was the size of a caboose..kidding) You just help yourself that much more when you stick to this detox liquid diet. Keep going!!!

Hi there. I'm going to speak for just me but honestly, my taste buds changed. Yup. After the surgery it was like I could care less if I saw anything sugary ever again. Weird. So having some restriction ( think Thanksgiving FULL before you overstuff ) puts a cap on wanting to eat like you use to. If you want a sippy cup, go for it. I drink my liquids from a bottle, room temp (because cold makes the stomach constrict) and I drink my liquids anytime but with food. I stop drinking 30 minutes before I eat dinner and don't drink until 30 minutes after. The idea is to fill your stomach pouch with only food instead of liquid and food. That's what I was told so that's what I do. Coffee. I drink coffee daily. I'm a coffee snob. Gevalia Kona. My drink of choice. Toast to you love. Best of luck. I'm so glad I had this done and only wish I had it sooner!

Rice ( I run from this like a tsunami ) bread like loaf bread in the store. spaghetti tomato sauce like marinara messes my stomach up so I stay away from it.

Hey everyone. Woofay thanks for the hollar here. I've been OUT and off the loop. Daughter is moved (for those who didn't know, she eloped July 5th and was living out of state for the summer. She came home for a week and her hubby came to get her Saturday). My fill went good. I do miss the support from just going to Denver, seeing Dr. K. My surgical experience was so awesome and the post-op visit. Kind of like going through a pregnancy and delivering then switching aftercare with someone who didn't run the gammit with you. Has anyone heard the comedian Lenny Clarke? He lost 135 pounds. He is soooo funny. One of ours. Comedy Central is running his set right now so check him out on your local CC channel. I'm at a good place right now. Need to jump on the scale and see where I'm at. I did have cake two days ago and I did manage to follow the rules of no liquid going down, limit portion and STOP. Hope everyone is doing good. Anyone else having attitude adjustments? Man, talk about re-wiring the brain. Wow. I'm so glad I had the surgery!

She is your boss but you are not endentured to her. Her method of ruling her employees appears to be by bullying them. That's not something you need right now. It's tough enough just going through life and the obstacles out there for obese people. If you are open in the sense that you would tell her that you are going to be out then tell her about the hand surgery. Don't expect support. I always think of people who can't handle it if I take time off...."if I had a car wreck on the way to work today and ended up in the hospital, you'd survive my absence and I you'd still probably complain." anyway... You have a right to your medical privacy, you actually have a legal right. I wouldn't mention the Lap Band surgery. That's your business. *You don't owe her any explanation of your personal choices*

Hmmmm. I made some calls to Doctor's in the Tampa Bay area regarding aftercare. Two places I called did not impress me in any way shape or form. I'm looking for someone who equally cares about my weightloss as I do. When you are as heavy as I am, and have tried all the infomercial promises that offer no support, you can cut through that "feel" that comes with those who are not $o intere$ted in the $ize of you but the $ize of your pocketbook. I got the clear feeling that Kathy G. was interested in me, my surgery, and my aftercare...not just that fill. Again, she and her assistant were two great folks.

Yes, I have BCBS of FL and they do not cover anything related to weightloss surgery/Lap Band. Not to burst your bubble but call them back and ask for the name of a doctor in your area that does aftercare who is " in network ".

Panic disorder and Depression here. My little Klonipin goes down no sweat. My Paxil too. At first I crushed them but they are so small, the size of a baby aspirin, they have been easy to take.

No. I had my surgery in Colorado.

I went to the center in St. Pete on the 10th too. FYI to first time goers, it is VERY hard to find this facility. They are not labeled as Fill Center and are in a strip mall on 66th Street North ( right side of the street going south towards the Skyway). Their place is at the end and their sign says "Millenium Medical" The small sitting area is really deceiving as in the back there is a labyrinth of medical services going on. Kathy G is very friendly. I understand by the Fill people that she is not a doctor but a Nurse Practioner. Her assistant followed me from start to finish all the way to check out. Great gal and super friendly. I felt confident in their skills like they know what they are doing: RE: called my doctor to find out what size band I had and to confirm information. She had a hard time hitting my port but I have a lot of fat on my stomach. Kathy G was very focused on my diet/post op recovery period. I received a booklet with info. Overall satisfaction from 1-10 was an 8.

Jennifer congratulations on making the band! Woo Hoo. Continued health and better health! ........................................................................ Mal what a fun time. Thanks for describing it for us. thank you for the kind words. I'm sure I'll continue to love him and be glad she chose him. What a great idea to bring the books to share. You brought your son too. How neat. .................................................................................... I'm going to be out to Denver again. Although I "saved" money and got my fill done here, I feel like she hit me in the gut with a jack hammer. The fill was NOT the gentle touch of our surgeon. It took her about 10 minutes to find my port WITH a fluroscope. Took Dr. K a few seconds. I was in and out of his office in half the time. He has a much more skilled touch than I experienced here in Florida. But I think I found a good place for me. A really good place. Just enough.