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I had surgery on 3/4 at 10am. Great time cause I got to sleep in a bit. Arrived at the hospital with my sister and husband and was directed to the surgical waiting area. They called my name, I was taken to pre op and given a gown , slippers and a hat, pointed to a tiny restroom. I changed, put my clothes in the bag with my name on it and came out into the pre op area with the beds separated by curtians. I was weighted (255) and assigned a bed. Note on the gown- nice and big made of soft paper and had velcro at the shoulders for-I found out later- ease of removal in surgery. The nurse asked me a million questions-allergies, what I was there for, name, is the ID band correct, medication Im taking. She started the IV, gave me a shot of Lovenox(hurt,stings) and my family was brought in. Anesthesiologist came looked at chart and left. Sidebar- I contacted the complementary medicine department at the hospital about relaxation therapy before surgery and was told to purchase a cd in the gift shop and listen to it before surgery. Than this lady, Irene would come up to pre op to help me with the stress of the surgery. Ok Im game. I buy& listen. In comes Irene all cheery, did I listen to the cd? yes. Am I still nervous? yes. How about listening to the cd again? screw the cd, I need more then the cd. She rubs my forehead and ears kind of like a massage, but not. She has stinky perfume. Ok I smiled said she could stop. Now she just hovered next to the bed talking about grace and mercy. I tuned her out. My Dr comes in & starts talking about the procedure and how everything will be fine. OK here it comes- I say It will be fine as long as I don't have a catheter. Dr says well thats not how they do it here. Wait for it..... Amanda FREAKS!!!!! I banged both hands on the rails of the bed and started in on how I was the patient and what I said goes. I gotta give the Dr credit he didn't freak (Irene jumped and disappeared) He just continued talking like I never popped a fuse and said maybe I wasn't ready for the band. My sister gives me the look and said I needed to explain why I wasn't going to have the cath. Now Im a little embarrassed about popping off and pissed that the cath has anything to do with getting banded. Staring off into the ceiling I explain why- infection, pain, and (the kicker) if no cath I will get up and walk more in recovery as with the cath I will remain glued to the bed. I will be a happier more willing patient. The Dr stops, blinks, says OK, and walks away. I am so pleased with myself. The Anesthesia nurse comes in with the good drugs, asks me who I am then pumps them in the IV. They start pushing the bed out of pre op. Sister squeezes my hand and husband gives me a kiss. I totally freak-again. Am I doing the right thing? Did I think this through? Someone is going to be CUTTING ME! This all passes though my head in about 5 seconds. Deep breath. The drugs must be kicking in. I don't care any more. Im just enjoying the view. Rolled into the surgery suite, asked to slide to other table, centered myself and told them I was "equadistance from both sides of the table". Ha ha. Next thing Im waking up in recovery. Im asked if Im in pain, rate it 1-10, I said 3 or 4. nurse said you mean more like 7 right? Nope , then I remember about how if you say you're nauseated they give you something that has a side effect of making you really sleepy and Im thinking sleepy would be really good now. So I say Im nauseous. In go the drugs out goes Amanda. I woke up about 2 hours later with the nurse saying that I needed to be moved to the bed I would be in overnight. HA? Bed? You mean moved to room, right. Nope. No room at the hospital, Im going to be staying at the back end of the recovery with 3 other Lap banders. Great. So they tell my family to leave and get me out of bed. Here is where I found out about the velcro on the gown. noone redid it after putting it back on after surgery and as I go to sit up I flashed the recovery room and my fellow patients all my new incisions and my boobs. Great. I get wrapped up, moved, pit stop at the john where I have to pee in a container they called the hat and connected to monitors and compression bootys. So starts my first overnight stay in the hospital. I could keep going about all that happened. The bed didn't work, the compression booties stopped working about midnight, pain shot (that I took only to get some sleep) gave me a headache, I used the sore throat spray on the scrape the Anesthesiologist made on the top of my mouth, ate alot of ice, tried to sleep, 3am ripped out of sleep by the fire alarm clanger next to my bed, the people running through the fire door also next to me,(the false alarm was never explained but since my hospital was in the fire district my husband volunteers in I knew I was in good hands), 8pm 12am,5am 8am temp and blood pressure, 2 more Lovenox shots(ouch), multiple trips to the john (about 500cc each for those that were counting) 8am trip to radiology for the barium and x ray. They messed up the first picture and had to do a total of three which meant that I drank 16oz of barium. Then Im sent home with instructions to drink 1 ounce every hour. (I asked about the 16 0z of barium, no one had an answer or comment) a pain scrip (later at the pharmacy I found out it was one that Im allergic to) and the instructions printed out from the nutritionist for my meals for the next 5 weeks. I dont think I want to go to the hospital again. At home all things are better. Heating pad for the shoulder, liquid Tylenol(good stuff!) for pain, lots of juice and broth with unjury added. Im a happy camper now. Very minimal discomfort. I don't think I will ever stop passing barium. (ya-TMI) Before surgery I drew a smiley face (my signature as I have one as a tattoo somewhere) and a green shamrock on my belly for the Dr to find. It was the first thing he mentioned to my family after surgery. Said everyone got a good laugh and he put the port right under the shamrock. Im thinking of getting a shamrock tattoo there later. So I guess Im really committed to this shrinking shamrock thing. TTFN

I dont think I want to go to the hospital again. At home all things are better. Heating pad for the shoulder, liquid Tylenol(good stuff!) for pain, lots of juice and broth with unjury added. Im a happy camper now. Very minimal discomfort. I don't think I will ever stop passing barium. (ya-TMI) Im off to take a shower. Yes Fenton showers are wonderful!!!!! You can't have too many. Hugs to all.

Hello all. Just checking in. I have been in the hospital since early yesterday morning. Nothing real serious.a viral thing. I was dehydrated and things coming out both ends. SORRY FOR THE TMI!!!! I am really tired and still really weak. Doc only let me come home because I have have none of the above for the past 8 hours and I begged him to come home promising to rest. Sure rested alot. Came home and deep cleaned my house because I have to get the 'sick germs' out. LOL But seriously NOW I am going to rest because I feel wiped out. I am still in for Mall Of America whenever it works for everyone else. Let me know. Miss you all. Phyl so great to see that you are posting!!!!! TTYAL

Thank you! One thing I realized last night was to take the pain meds (liquid Loritab) right on time. Don't be brave like I tried to be. Ouch! I also have Gas-x strips at someone's recommendation here and those work for stomach gas. Finally, not to give TMI (too much info), but wow the bowel activity last night was something even though there is nothing in there. Sipping a Protein drink now in hopes it blocks things up a bit!

Oh gosh. So much to say and after the last post I'm feeling like I'm a big mouth. I'll try to keep it to half a page this time. I have a very iffy relationship with God. I spent much of my younger years thinking it was all a big lie, then my early 20's trying to figure it out, my late twenties trying to fit Him into being a single mom of an ADHD child, and a few years ago almost a FULL YEAR so angry with Him for taking my father from me. Now I'm beginning to learn to trust again but it is still very hard. I'm still learning to give it up to Him. Now...off that subject. Onto my TMI....Thank you so much Indio for the wonderful posts. I have been ruminating over all that you said. I've got a lot to think about. You said a lot and were dead on in many ways. A few points...bulimic?? I don't know. I don't know enough about the disease/disorder but from my understanding and what I was doing before....I don't think so, think cow and cud not up and chuck. There is a difference and I hope you can, and can't, understand that. Now, maybe because I am eliminating it from my system...but not because I'm worried about calories but because it hurts to sit where it is. So I don't know but I will ask my dr. about it Monday. And yes, I promise to talk to my dr. on Monday. I actually talked DH out of going with me so that he wouldn't be concerned when I'm in the office for 30 minutes or more instead of 5. I will have 3 hours to think while driving there and 3 hours to think driving back. Tonight I came home and made beef stew for family.The only horrible thing I put in was 1/4 cup of flour in the whole pot. Everything else was extremely healthy. I did not walk tonight but so far have spent a very productive and thoughtful night. I am thinking about tomorrow and have a good plan in place. I will wake up with yogurt for a change and maybe not need the junk when we have coffee in the morning. I have good stuff planned for lunch. 13 year old is going to make chx and pasta for dinner and I'm going to make a nice big salad for that. So far tonight my only "snack" food had been my v8 fusion. I guess I didn't do too good with keeping this short, but thank you all for your kind words. I did manage not to cry in front of anyone....but had they walked in at the right time I was a blubbering idiot. Love to you all! I appreciate it all.

Just went back and peaked at the last few days worth of stuff. I really didn't think I was so far behind! I have a couple of things.... Indio! I'm in my 30's and after 2 days with my little ones I'm PRAYING for Monday. It had nothing to do with your age, and everything to do with kids these days. When I was a kid it was "get outside and play". Now it's "what should we do together?" I'm glad for your sake that you didn't have to watch them. Don't feel like they would have beaten you though because I think you are tougher than you think or let on! As for getting strong....go for it. The PE teacher here told me an at home exercise to do in the kitchen....soup cans start with them touching at waist level (thumbs out) and raise them shoulder high and shoulder wide and then back down to waist middle. Had no idea soup cans were so freaking heavy!!!! Do as many as you can, rest 3 minutes and repeat 3-5 times. As for the secret bandster, right now I'm feeling like a rotten bandster and don't think I will deserve squat come July! I keep up all the stuff I'm about to confess and I'll be back up to 220 before Easter gets here! Okay....now for the confessions. I'm having horrible food everything. Cravings, choices, chewing,...the list just goes on and on. My intentions are even bad. They say confession is good for the soul so I'm here to beg forgiveness. I know I have done wrong...I know what is right...I just SUCK AT THIS!!!! I've been eating anything and everything the last few days. It started Sunday for dinner I had family over and made a pot roast....and potatoes and gravy....and biscuits....and SIL made cheesecake....You see where this is going right? Well, I ate the potatoes and a biscuit and a small piece of cheesecake. Thank goodness my dear sweet 1 year old was birding me the whole time so I really only had 3 small bites of cheesecake....but the choices I made!!!!! Good lord I'm a glutton. Since then I've been eating/snitching some candy...and I went to the store on Monday to get a Ben and Jerry fix! I ate about 1/3 of the container and yesterday ate another third. I've been drinking ZERO water. I've not been walking for days. And honestly I feel silly telling you all of this because it makes me sound like I plan on stopping....and with this "I don't give a #$^$ attitude I can see me eating the last 3rd tonight while I sit on the couch doing jack. So maybe confession doesn't do jack for my soul. I don't know. I DO KNOW that I've got a really crappy attitude. Okay...so here is what I think could be maybe going on. But there is a huge TMI alert surrounding this next bunch of stuff. I really insist that if you are at all squeamish you want to not read this. In fact if I could put a screen on it that the curious could then remove I would....but I don't know who all to ask about this and I feel more comfortable with you all than anyone else. But please....stop now and don't read any further if in doubt!!!! okay...so when I was thinking about getting banded it was because I didn't believe I had something in my body that told me what FULL felt like. I would eat and eat and when I was tired of eating or thought that I had had enough I quit...and then in about a half hour I would go back and eat again. The only way I knew it was beyond time to stop was because I would "cud up". I don't know how else to put it. I wouldn't burp...I wouldn't throw up....it was just this involuntary esophogus action and something would come back with it. Now most times that would make me stop, but not always. And as sick as that sounds, it could happen 10 or 15 times before, I guess, it was digested enough to fit into my stomach. I'm so sorry. I know that is gross. I haven't even ever discussed it with my dr. or DH it's so gross. Anyways. When I get stuckish....I don't call it stuck because from what everyone else says, that's painful...the same thing happens. Honestly it is no more difficult to "cud" than to swallow, it just takes thinking about it. And it happens a lot. I don't chew, I feel that pressure, and to relieve it I expel. Okay...and then as horrible as it sounds, I then go eat some more. So....I've been getting rid of most of the good food....and in my head, since I haven't consumed hardly ANY calories....that means I can eat the junk....and since I'm not consuming the calories, why should I work out. I know!!! I know!!! I'm horrible and being beyond out of line! But now I feel like I'm in a hole that I can't dig myself out of! I think this is something only I can get ahold of....but I feel like such a failure that I'm climbing the walls depressed about it. Okay....TMI alert has expired. Back to stomach friendly discussion!!! I have a fill scheduled for Monday and I know I have some tough stuff to discuss with dr. I really don't think my condition has anything to do with being too tight, but more about being too lazy to chew correctly and too greedy to make good food choices. I did have some pork chop casserole the other night and when I cut my pork chop into small bites and chewed well, I ate about 3 oz of meat and was completely full and comfortable. I know it is possible. Just not what I'm doing. So I don't know what to tell my dr. about the questions they ask. Am I hungry....yeah, because I'm doing horrible things. Am I nauseous....no, but eliminating anyways. Do I need a fill? I need a lobotomy is more like it! I wasn't even going to go for my appt, but have decided that I really need to discuss everything with this woman....problem....I am embarrassed to even discuss it. So....I think it was MsPris that asked about depression. Right now, I'm about as low as I was right before my last pregnancy, and honestly not sure what I should do about it. I thought this was going to help my depression....not make it worse, and yet again, here I am feeling like I failed at another diet. Bad thing is, this one cost me over $13k to fail. Okay...before I lose it in front of my students, I had better go. Good thing my desk is behind them and they can't see me, only I can see them and keep them on task. Night guys.

Good morning violets- Hump day! (wish I were typing TGIF instead) Jenn,Suzie & Kat-I sure hope you feel better soon. ***The next paragraph is not for the squemish (sp)*** Believe it or not I have to call my ob/gun again today because the boil (or whatever it is) from about a month ago still has not gone away....even after he ripped it open last time. It looked like it was getting better then BAM, it came back and I have not been able to drain it good enough I guess. Maybe an ingrown hair? I am in such gruelling pain. The thought of letting him rip it open again is more than I can take. I am next to tears but I know that is the only way it will get better. Oh well, the bright side is at least it is getting documented and maybe it will help insurance cover my TT. Please think of me today friends....I am not looking forward to this dr visit at all. It hurts SO bad. Sorry if that was TMI but I am scared to death and had to share with my sistas. Try to have a great day violets!!

Don't worry about the TMI - I think we've all had that fear at one time or another. Let me tell you about a product that I've used when I've had a similar problem. It's called Kondremul Lubricant Laxative. It's a liquid and doesn't taste too horrible. I bought mine from CVS (Link here: CVS Online Pharmacy Store ) It's gentle on your tummy and it also softens the stool. Just thought I'd throw that out there for ya. :drool: I ordered mine from the website but I would love it if they could be ordered locally!

karey, breathe believe be happy ... you'll do great. i cannot believe how much better i feel today than the past 2 days. i got up out of bed by myself and even went to the bathroom by myself. (nothing says I Love You like your DH having to wipe your rear ... TMI i know) you will do great! im compiling 3 day pics now, will post soon.

Oh, another thing: one of my big worries has been getting a bit stopped up - I tend to get constipated every time I go on a diet. I've been pretty good with keeping up my Water intake, and have been using Benefiber twice a day, and I've been fine. I'm going to try to increase my Benefiber after banding, but I don't know if that'll be possible. Sorry if that's TMI, but it's an issue that's been one of my biggest fears, so I imagine there are others out there with the same issue!

I'm 3 weeks out and still haing problems. I'm going but it's pretty rare, and...(upcoming TMI warning) it's kind of like what you'd find at the bottom of a rabbit cage. So, I'm doing Colace daily, eating Activia yogurt, and drinking something hot every morning (tea or decaf). The most effective thing so far is the hot drink. Good luck - it's no fun.

Hi everyone, I'm 1wk 1d post op and feeling ok. I have some mucus build up(sorry tmi) and im not sure if thats my asthma or pneumonia??I dont have a constant cough or anything else just mucus in my throat and chest. I may call the dr later. I never bought a scale because I was afraid to become obsessed with weighing myself, but now im freaking cause i dont know what I weigh, lol. Oh well, such is life! congrats to all.

Good Morning Gang... :tt2: Steph - The whole testing system is a bunch of crap imho - what you go thru is what happens here in Cali - I think - I applaud all you teachers - I couldn't do it.. I almost bought that cooker - but I have an old fashion one and don't use it that often - so I thought I would save that $$$ for more clothes - Try tiny bites - I mean tiny bites - the size of an pencil earser - I find this helps me . On the exercise - there are arguments for each - I do a mix - high intenstiy burn faster in a shorter peroid of time - length burns just as much but takes longer - again any exercise is better than none - you gotta do what works for you and you enjoy. Raisin Bran is great for the tmi subject - Nothing wrong with a good Fiber ceral... Karri - LOL:lol::smile: Dont tell my body - you are too funny girl.. Yep our faces change we get necks - It's all good... When is spring break for you guys - I think its the last week in March. Can't wait to see the new do.... Phyl - Gotta agree Jesse & I could be twins - I just might have to read this book I can relate to everything you wrote so much that they were are my exact thoughts - Waking up and wondering what the hell you did to yourself - Buying new clothes . Oops, I bought too much too soon...now these are too big . Buying more clothes Wanting to tell every fat person you meet about the band Ok gotta get my butt in gear - will ck back later - xoxox

That's just what I wanted to hear. I thought that way... that I'd feel just like that. I love how you said "second chance at life". I want that, that feeling right their. I HATE feelings how I do about myself. I NEVER let my husband see me naked (sorry if that TMI). I have so much shame and I rarely bother to put on makeup or do my hair... what's the point. I know that's horrible to say. But it is how I feel. I never go out looking unclean or anything... but.... what's the point in putting hours into my appearance.... no one notices me. I used to be bulimic. I've been thin in my life. My teen years, I was hot. But since the birth of my daughter I've been nothing but heavy. Now I've had my son.... I'm just gone. I'm still inside this massive amount of flesh and fat... but no one sees me, not really. Guys don't notice me when I walk by, not if I spend 10 minutes or 10 hours on my looks. Not that I want guys... I love my spouse. It just would be nice not to feel like I don't exist sometimes. UGHH! I just can't wait for this surgury. I'll do whatever it takes to get it and I will be so good. I just need that little bit of help. To protect me from myself, and falling back into depending on food for everything. Pray for me! :biggrin: Thank you for being so inspiring.

TMI or not thats a really good one! I still cant see mine!:thumbup:

I had a real fun NSV last night! It's probably TMI... But I gotta share with someone. I was shaving last night and could actually see my VaJayJay to shave it proper. It was amazing. I didn't have to suck my gut in or cock my leg a certain way. It was cool... I know, way too much information...

jill honey sorry to worry you the defill did help its just as babs get bigger he putting restriction on me .........lol my top tip keep hydrated because when im constipated its much worse and after a good ........%&*£ im always hungrier........tmi i know....lol

Betty, I'm so relieved you got the box, especially the coat. It's probably too large for you, as are the shirts, but seems I remember you got big boobies :frown:. Kat, you crack me up with your eloquent descriptions...the tramp stamp, the pink puss, you're too modest, lmao! Yes Gson's mom is still at it. She had my son arrested 3 weeks ago for "assault" because he cursed her out and blocked her car with his truck, while baby was in his truck, so then she also pressed charges for child endangerment. He was wrong to have called her a whore in front of gbaby, but he was in a rage of jealousy, they had been together for two weeks, and she had spent the night at his house. While he was cooking breakfast she got on his computer and found pics of a bunch of girls he'd hung out with on the boat, last summer, so she informed him she was going out with a guy she met on EHarmony. Unfortunately, the following morning, he was on a mission to find her and passed her on a major thorough fare, did a u turn and followed her to her girlfriend's house who witnessed the entire episode. So, he blew it, showed his a$$ and it cost me $4,000 to bail him out. She had him arrested about three days later. The reason it took three days, was because she was waiting for him to take her OFFER of giving her more money per month. She wanted $300 more, but finally after he was arrested, accepted $200, so no he will be paying $1600 per month, because he lost his cool. She did it last time and she'll continue to blackmail him for money or press charges. When I tried to press charges for her assaulting me and pulling a golf club on me, they said it had been over a year and they wouldn't do it. Then when DS tried to press charges for her trying to run him off the road in Dec, they refused, saying he didn't have any witnesses...WTH. Anyway, hopefully the charges will be dropped and they will both have to take anger classes and child rearing classes. Only 20 more years of drama if he goes to college, 16 if not . Gina, just as Dr. T for the cream, it's probably all in my head, but I swear it helps, hard to believe it's almost been a year since my last fill. Diane, the tan's about gone, , hubby is already talking about going back to Fl to check out another property, I'm so hating it, truly, the last thing I want is a place in Fl. We could take a heck of a lot of vacations to Fl for the $$$ he's wanting to spend on a place. We're not on the same page for sure. Well, gotta go shower and get ready for coochie check today, hate those yearly physicals. Hope she doesn't mash the boobs too hard, they're still tender, LOL. I know TMI :thumbup:. Later

Yes I am going to go to the gym, but I have to go home first. It is going to be lonely there because my BF started his new schedule today. I didn't get enough water in to go to the gym right now. If I am even slightly dehydrated I get really nauseous when running. So I figured I would go in about an hour after I eat dinner. Since I eat early I should be there around 6ish. Trying on clothes should count as exercise because it can be very tiresome. Plus all the walking around the stores looking at the racks and racks and racks of clothing. That should count too. Shopping is not my favorite thing to do. Now it is because there are so many choices and I can't decide what I like. I think I posted this is the post that dissappeared this morning, but my closet needs some help. Everything is a solid color. I don't have a single shirt that has any pattern to it. I was always so self concious to wear patterns because I figured I looked like an overstuffed 1970s couch when I was in plus sizes. But now I have a hard time with the patterns cause I don't know what looks good and what is hideous. As for the TMI situation everything seems to have calmed down. Thank goodness because it was really painful. Oh on another note, I was talking to my BF that I don't seem to have any of the medical NSVs that a lot of people talk about because I was fairly healthy before the surgery, but I did find one this weekend. I used to have TERRIBLE heal pain. So bad in fact that we thought I was going to have to have surgery to remove the heal spurs but I just realized a couple days ago that I haven't had heal pain this entire school year. And I can wear heals all day long without being in agonizing pain. Yahoooooo! Another NSV for me. Well my student that I said I would stay after school for never showed so I am going to head on home and drink some water. Hopefully that is what Jackie is doing to recover from her hangover. I have never been drunk in my life so I have no idea what that would feel like. Believe it or not I made it through 6 years of college without drinking and only had my first drink 3 weeks into teaching! Yep my job truly did drive me to drink. I don't drink at all now (did VERY little before) so it wasn't hard for me just to give up. I get a terrible headache about 3 sips in and I don't like the taste. Don't drink coffee either, but honestly I wish I did so that I could have something to drink besides water that wasn't sweet. Okay really am going this time. Check in with you all later.

I'm here - but so far it's only been you and me today.. How's the TMI situation??? - Phyl doesn't have connection - Kari in FL - don't know where Ruby is - and our gf Jackie might still be suffering from her hangover:lol: Steph hasn't ck'd in today either... Are you going to the gym - since you got to work so early??? I am going I haven't been since last Wed - but cleaned house of Friday - Saturday shoe shopping and walking at the fair - Sunday more shopping - you know trying on clothes is classified as exercise - especially when you take 10 thing in at a time if not more

definitely not TMI! I know that MVI is quite common and non symptomatic in most people. I'm glad that it can cause weakness; I'm unsure why the cardiologist never mentioned it. Thus far, most doctors have thrown up their hands as if to say, "I don't know. Deal with it." Since the fevers are becoming more common, I can no longer deal with it. I just wish I wasn't made to feel like a hypochondriac. Perhaps I'm overly senitive. I don't know.

ta- sorry you are having such a hard time. I agree you need to find a physician who is committed to finding out what is wrong with you. You should not be having fevers for no reason. As for MVP, it is very possible that you may have it and it can cause weakness, though it is usually without symptoms. It seems as if your cardiolgist's nurse may be uninformed. If I can recall my latest statistics, almost 30% of women have MVP and it can be definitively diagnosed with an echocardiogram. A physical exam may or may not reveal a heart murmur. It is also possible to have a benign murmur (a murmur with no structural defects of the heart). Sorry, was this tmi? My advice to you is find a physician and get him/her involved and advocate for yourself upfront. There is nothing wrong with saying- I wan't answers, however long it takes. Your symptoms are somewhat vague-meaning they could be from any number of possible diagnoses- so it may take a while. Good luck on your journey.

I just adjusted my ticker today. I'm 2/3 of the way to my goal. :w00t: I'm feeling better but still a long way from even thinking about getting food in. But at least the liquids are going down okay, even if sometimes I have to force myself to finish the whole cup. At times the slower I go, the harder it is. So definitely know I need some taken out. I'm actually going shopping this weekend. I was going to go last, but got sick. But my jeans especially look silly on me now. I'm pretty excited and I don't really like shopping. I know, since I tried on 14s and 12s 2 weeks ago, that I'll be able to shop in the normal section and not feel out of place. And I'll actually be able to look at myself in the mirror when I try them on. That's a big NSV for me. Typically I'd try things on and if I could bend over comfortably in them, they fit. I hardly ever looked in the mirror to see what I looked like in them. So I'm looking forward to that. There's a question I wanted to ask you all. Especially those who have lost a lot of weight. I have this "apron" of fat now that is my stomach. It's droopy and hangs over my privates. I'm struggling off and on with a rash in the crease area. Probably because it hangs down and gathers moisture from daily sweating and stuff. I was just wondering if anyone else out there has this problem? I've heard that sometimes you can get insurance to pay, or partially pay, for a tummy tuck if you have continuous problems like how Nichole did for her breast reduction. Anybody know anything? At the moment I'm trying different creams and my doctor suggested an anti-fungal powder, but so far I haven't found anything that will clear it up. Sometimes the powder will dry things out, but I still have a red rash there. The rash isn't itchy when it's dry. It's just a little uncomfy because I know it's there. When it gets a little moist, there's also a not so pleasant odor there (sorry if it's TMI). Kind of like when you don't clean and wipe your belly button out.

I ditto... ask about endometrial ablation. I am scheduled for one March 12- just around the corner. Have the band has help with some of the issues down there (w/o TMI) but I still have this last step to do. Here is a pdf article on it and what it all consist of http://www.patient-education.com/Documents/Speciality_PDF/OBGYN/OBGYN.pdf I hope this helps you.

TMI - WARNING - ANSWER Karri I have hemorroids from giving birth - they are on the outside (some can be on the inside) go get some supposetories, & ducolax - keep all these things on hand - you need to add some more oil in your diet and Water for your stools to be soft - your are consitpated to the max -this happens to me when I travel - Try the suppositories 1st - then if they don't work you might want to get an ennama (sp) or take 2 dulox - you will get the runs but heck that's better than being constipated... - if the warm bath helped the pain - I would bet you have strained yourself - hot wash cothes in that area helps too..