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Ideally, doctors and anesthesia providers would ask you to quit for at least 2 months and closer to 6 months prior to elective surgery. However, we all realize that this isn't realistic for everyone. You should know that you get the most benefit for reducing complications related to anesthesia if you have quit smoking 8 weeks (2 months) prior to your anesthesia. What you do beyond that is really a discussion for you and your surgeon and anesthesia provider, but whatever you do, be sure you are honest about your smoking. It really impacts how your anesthesia care is provided and can really make a difference in how you do. They know what to expect better if they know you've smoked in the last month, or week, or 24 hours, rather than lying about it. Recent smoking can make your airway more reactive, more difficult to intubate, can make you more prone to bronchospasm and laryngospasm, and can alter your oxygenation capabilities, among other things. As far as the band itself, as others have said the only real effect would be on your wound healing post op.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 Well, today I officially started my journey to a better me. I had my first consult with the physician who will do my surgery. Dave went with me as we met with several others who are also contemplating the lap band (LB) procedure. We began by viewing a power-point presentation put together by Dr. Canaday himself. It told me everything I already knew but was very informative. This was an eye opener for David. He just didn’t have any awareness of obesity and it’s causes, problems or solutions; plus he knew nothing about the LB procedure. Dr. Canaday also passed around a ‘stomach’ and band so we could see how it actually looks and works. Attached to the cord was a hypo. needle that would be used to do the fills of saline as needed. Following this group meeting we then met in private w/ the dr. for only a brief moment as he asked if we had any questions. Dr. Canaday has been doing bariatric gastric bypass for a long, long time, but told us that he no longer does it because he feels it’s too invasive and dangerous (my words) and only does LB instead. I found that to be a rather remarkable thing. He talked about how safe it is and how effective it is, IF you do as you are told. After meeting w/ the dr. we met with the nurse consultant who had gastric bypass many years ago and knows all about being fat. She was great and I cried as she asked me why I wanted this surgery. I couldn’t give reasons fast enough and she couldn’t write fast enough. I had filled out a very comprehensive 6 page questionnaire about my health and diet history and Terry often referred to this as we talked. After meeting w/ Terry, the dietician was next. And of course, this was what we’d been waiting for. Wow. What an earful. She was great and explained all about the changes I would be making pre and post surgery. It all boils down to no more than 4 oz. of food at a sitting, chewing each bite 15-20 times, 2 minutes between bites, 30 full minutes to eat it all. That gives the food time to get to the stomach so I can feel the ‘full’ sensation. If I don’t do things right, I will throw it all up: eating too fast, not chewing enough, eating the wrong stuff….no carbs…that is breads, buns, pastas, potatoes, that kind of thing that has no nutritional value really. I have to take care to get in my protein. Next step is a psychological workup I have to have done. Terry gave me a list of doctors to call and circled one that they especially like to work with because she’s quick and thorough. Dave went home and called immediately to get me an appointment and I go this Friday at 8:30!! It will take about 2 ½ hours and cost me $250.00. When the doctor sends the results to the Weight Loss Clinic, they will schedule my surgery for about 2 weeks down the road. I will meet w/ the dietician one more time pre-op and she will tell me to do all liquids for 2 weeks, I believe. So that’s it for now. Looks like I may be looking at an early July banding. I am so very excited and can’t wait to get started ‘not eating.’ LOL :biggrin2::biggrin2: Hospital Profile - Holzer Weight Loss Center Medically supervised weight loss program - Center for Comprehensive Weight Loss at Holzer Medical Center Gallipolis

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 Well, today I officially started my journey to a better me. I had my first consult with the physician who will do my surgery. Dave went with me as we met with several others who are also contemplating the lap band (LB) procedure. We began by viewing a power-point presentation put together by Dr. Canaday himself. It told me everything I already knew but was very informative. This was an eye opener for David. He just didn’t have any awareness of obesity and it’s causes, problems or solutions; plus he knew nothing about the LB procedure. Dr. Canaday also passed around a ‘stomach’ and band so we could see how it actually looks and works. Attached to the cord was a hypo. needle that would be used to do the fills of saline as needed. Following this group meeting we then met in private w/ the dr. for only a brief moment as he asked if we had any questions. Dr. Canaday has been doing bariatric gastric bypass for a long, long time, but told us that he no longer does it because he feels it’s too invasive and dangerous (my words) and only does LB instead. I found that to be a rather remarkable thing. He talked about how safe it is and how effective it is, IF you do as you are told. After meeting w/ the dr. we met with the nurse consultant who had gastric bypass many years ago and knows all about being fat. She was great and I cried as she asked me why I wanted this surgery. I couldn’t give reasons fast enough and she couldn’t write fast enough. I had filled out a very comprehensive 6 page questionnaire about my health and diet history and Terry often referred to this as we talked. After meeting w/ Terry, the dietician was next. And of course, this was what we’d been waiting for. Wow. What an earful. She was great and explained all about the changes I would be making pre and post surgery. It all boils down to no more than 4 oz. of food at a sitting, chewing each bite 15-20 times, 2 minutes between bites, 30 full minutes to eat it all. That gives the food time to get to the stomach so I can feel the ‘full’ sensation. If I don’t do things right, I will throw it all up: eating too fast, not chewing enough, eating the wrong stuff….no carbs…that is breads, buns, pastas, potatoes, that kind of thing that has no nutritional value really. I have to take care to get in my protein. Next step is a psychological workup I have to have done. Terry gave me a list of doctors to call and circled one that they especially like to work with because she’s quick and thorough. Dave went home and called immediately to get me an appointment and I go this Friday at 8:30!! It will take about 2 ½ hours and cost me $250.00. When the doctor sends the results to the Weight Loss Clinic, they will schedule my surgery for about 2 weeks down the road. I will meet w/ the dietician one more time pre-op and she will tell me to do all liquids for 2 weeks, I believe. So that’s it for now. Looks like I may be looking at an early July banding. I am so very excited and can’t wait to get started ‘not eating.’ LOL :biggrin2::biggrin2::wink: Hospital Profile - Holzer Weight Loss Center Medically supervised weight loss program - Center for Comprehensive Weight Loss at Holzer Medical Center Gallipolis

I've been hypo for 2-3 years, and I still have to adjust my meds everytime i go to the doctor. I'm getting closer though! My advice, find a good endo who is very up to date...my original doctor was going to let me levels continue to be elevated b/c they were in the "range".

I am hypo since I do not have any thyroids at all due to cancer. Once your medicine is regulated which can take over a year. You will be fine in the loosing weight aspect. You have to be patient with this process and should have your blood checked every 6 weeks or so. If you are really concerned make sure you are seeing an endocrinologist(cannot spell). As for levels being different everytime you had blood work, that is what tipped off the doctors that I had a growth in thyroids. Most growths are beign(90%) of them. Good luck everyone!!! I am also in the waiting period.

I have not been banded and am in the "hurry up and wait" period. I have a hypo thyroid and have been medicated for the last 10 years. Yes it is with me for life, but as long as I stay medicated it will not cause weight gain. Have you been banded?? Are you on levoxal or the generic?? Have they regulated your meds yet?? It took years to get mine to where I was not on too much or too little. Hope this helps..Kimberly

Yes, Tess...thank God for air conditioning!!! That is great that you have some input about your schedule. You have been there for long enough, I"m sure you are well respected and hopefully they are willing to work with you. My school has been very understanding. I have one more year until I can retire with 25 years. They are letting me work flexible hours, some from home using my computer. I'm actually the reading specialist, I do mostly training for teachers, test data, etc. They are helping me get to my retirement without having to go the disability route. I"m just not able to teach full time in a classroom anymore. I REALLY miss it though. But I am thankful. I've been at the same elementary school for all my teaching career. THis last setback really caused me to not be able to walk. REally hit my left side from head to toe worse than usual. Whole body is still very weak, but can not walk. the steroids really helped. The doctor was trying to avoid the use of steroids with me, because it can reactivate some hystoplasmosis I had occur in my eye when I was a teenager. So I have center vision in only one eye. But things could be a lot worse. It's just so scary to wake up one morning with complete loss of part of your bodily functions. I'm so use to thinking whatever is wrong, if I work hard enough I can get past it and recover. It's hard to accept I have not got the full control of this one. I"m sure you know what I mean. Sorry for misspelling and typos. Some days just too much effort. YOu understand, I really do know better...ha! Hugs, Friend

My PCOS story............ written LONG ago but I copy and paste it a lot. :Angel_anim: Hey there: Kick up your feet and stay a while, as you read my PCOS story. Hello, I'm Tracy... I was first diagnosed with PCOS while undergoing infertility treatment during my early 20's. (Mid 30's now) ..... Period at age 9, Birth Control pills at age 16-18, Married at 18 no birth control, no babies... finally at age 22 I sought treatment. I was told that I had the thyroid of an 80 year old man, and that I had PCOS.. he put me on synthroid for my HYPO-thyroid, and told me that it was just my body type that caused me to have PCOS... no offer of help or anything... just to accept it. Since I had PCOS, I wasn't able to ovulate.. my periods had NEVER been regular except when on birth control pills...... Treatment didn't work: charting, pills, shots... nothing could budge my follicles to pop out any mature eggs..... so I went on with my life, childless.... then fast forward to 1999... I was surfing the net and came accross an article "Losing Weight With an underactive Thyroid" Well, this peaked my interest, and from this article they mentioned Low Carbing and Dr. Atkins..... I was like "What the HECK" is low carbing???? Well anyway, on my lunch break I went to the book store and bought Dr. A's book, I started to read, and read, and read.. and that night I threw away the nasty slim fast, and made myself a bunless cheeseburger.... I had been starving myself on Low Fat Slimfast shakes and GAINING weight....... I would cry because I was hungry and then to get on the scale and actualy GAIN weight... life just wasn't fair..... ok.... so I took dr. A's advice and decided to devote 2 weeks of my life to the diet.... I did... meat, cheese, eggs, and Water.... I started dropping weight like crazy.. 14 lbs during induction.. my husband was shocked... but as the pounds came off and the sizes went down... everyone soon became a believer. OK...... so, I was about 3-4 months into the program when I realized by looking at my weight chart that my period was starting a pattern of every 28 days... I couldn't believe it.... from the first month my cycles had reset themselves to be just like a regular person!!!! THIS WAS A MIRACLE... my cycles were SO regular that I could set a clock by them... so I suspected that I was ovulating too.... my hopes of being a mom returned.... and BAMM, a few well timed whoopee sessions and I ended up preggo... unfortunately I suffered 3 miscarriages right in a row. So here I was down 80 lbs, PCOS symptoms were non-existant, and I FINALLY saw the little pink link on a home pregnancy test all with out meds or dr's... but life was unfair and I lost 3 precious babies.... all at about 7-9 weeks... one after I even saw the Heart Beat... that one killed me, and I went into a deep depression.. and I started feeding my sadness with High Carb things... I really feel that I was sabbotaging myself..... Lots of other Life events followed... got caught up in a corporate meger/layoff... so my job of 12 years went bye, bye.. and so did my husband my best friend since age 15.... had replaced me with someone who he said was "just like me" just 10 years younger...... so ok..... divorce, heartbreak, money issues... yada, yada, yada..... life goes on! Get your butt up and live life!...... ok so time passed... I hooked up with a new guy... technically my "rebound" guy from hell.... we both started LC'ng, the wieght had returned and my periods were slipping to sporadic bursts at no particular time.... PCOS had taken it's hold again.... anyway I told him, If I start LC'ng I might end up preggo........ he didn't believe me.... but ONE month after starting to eat right again.... I ended up preggo... and now I have a son who is the light of my life! April, 2004 I rededicated my eat life to Low Carb.... it may not be for everyone.. but it is what keeps my PCOS in check and I lose weight as a side effect! Edited August 11, 2005....... my little Low Carb miracle has now turned two years old. It was funny, that during my first Low Carb journey where I had 3 misscarriages.. no one wanted to believe that a formerly infertile woman could get preggers, simply by changing her diet. I had started seeing articles in the Atkins Center magazines for open calls for women with PCOS that had noticed changes in their cycles or had gotten pregnant because of this WOE... I called and told them of my experience.. as so many had done... NOW, in 2005... every PCOS website will lead you to a Low Carb way of eating, also they've developed drugs to help with the symptoms... .I feel proud to have been "IN" on the discovery of this phenom...... you will see LOTS of women popping up pregnant all over the Low Carb Friends website, and many threads where the gals are pregnant and doing a maintenance level of LC'ng to help control the amount of weight they gain during pregnancy.... IT IS AWESOME! I feel like broadcasting to the world.... I AM FINALLY A MOM!!!!!!!!! All thanks to the Low Carb way of eating.

A friend of mine was diagnosed with reactive arthritis last year. Is your Dr. taking care of your blood pressure and Fluid retention? I know that my friend has an awful time with mobility. Ok...so that was me checking on your health. Now...are you keeping track of what you are putting in your mouth? I know that you say that you don't eat a lot but do you know how many calories you are taking in? You might want to write down all of the calories that you are eating...the amount of Protein...and the amount of carbs. Get an idea of what you are taking in so that you can discuss it with your nutritionist. I know that it's difficult for you to walk but have you considered swimming. My friend says that this is very helpful to her and alleviates a lot of her pain.

I was banded April 23, 2008. I haven't lost or gained anything since. I lost 24 lbs the weeks prior to surgery during prep time but nothing since. My doc said I may not lose during the healing period, and I might even gain after starting to eat again. I haven't been exercising very much. I have reactive arthritis and am having alot of foot and ankle pain. But I also don't eat very much at all. Ive thought that maybe Im not eating enough? What do you think? Is it common not to lose before your first fill. My first fill is tomorrow.

I had this issue really bad at my heaviest. I was on medication for it. A couple years ago I carried my eldest to bed - I'd just laid her down and boom - if I'd have been pregnant I swear my Water had broke. Pee just ran down between my legs and onto the floor. I ran to the bathroom freaking out. I didn't know what was wrong with me. My doctor tried to narrow it down. Blamed a lot of it on my thyroid condition (hypo). That seems to be the "blame catcher". Anytime something is going on weird with my period, blatter, or body it is my thyroid. That's what they tell me anyway. It seems that my 275+ frame was putting excess pressure on my bladder and causing it to spasm. I was eventually weened off of the medication. As I've lost weight I've noticed the - run like hell and unbutton your pants as you go urge has become less frequent.

I'm so sorry you've had problems/complications. I had to have revision surgery as well and my insurance covered my surgery. If you are covered under insurance, will they cover it? It is not anything you have caused - just faulty equipment. I wish you the best luck and I'm sorry this hasn't worked out for you. I love my band and have had problems with it, but I wouldn't change a thing. I don't completely agree with you blaming your metabolism and thyroid on poor weight loss. As long as you are taking synthroid (or whatever meds you are on) it shouldn't be an issue. I am hypo too and yes it is hard to lose weight, but it is hard for anyone that is obese to lose. When my thyroid level is correct I have no problem losing. For years I blamed my thyroid on being heavy. I'd tell myself I had a "hormone problem" and continue to stuff my face. I finally stopped using that excuse and admitted that my eating is what was my problem. If you weren't losing you may want to have your level checked. I'm not a doctor, but I do know when my head is the problem and not my metabolism. I wish you the best.

Was banded yesterday. Everything went well with the exception of getting the damned IV's going. My veins are really tiny and they roll. After five tries I asked them to just put it in the crook of my arm. Other than that, pretty uneventful. They took me in at exactly 1pm but didn't get done with me till 4pm because of a "monster" hernia plus the doc dealt with a bunch of adhesions. Actually, when I woke up the only place that I had pain was in my chest. Felt like an elephant was sitting there. They gave me a hypo and sent me home. That shot lasted way into the night. Took some liquid Tylenol and slept really well. My DH wedged a pillow behind me so that I could somewhat lay on my side. (Stomach sleeper and have NEVER slept on my back). Swallowing is going good and have gotten in quite a bit of Water since I got home. I was told I could start with cream of wheat, Soups (non-chunky) tomato juice tomorrow. Thought that was quick but doc says with new band it's OK. Next Tuesday I can start with scrambled eggs, soft veggies, tuna, cottage cheese. July 1...onto real foods. Seems like a pretty fast transition to real foods but will test the waters as my doc gives me the OK. I am so excited to think that there may be a chance that I no longer need to take medication for acid reflux. I took nothing last night and it went well. Will have to see what today brings. That's it for now. Going for a walk and then back to the couch. Hope everyone else had as easy a day as I had yesterday.

cool! I am apparently in need of some oxytocin. If you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, it's that bonding hormone that women release when they're getting support from each other. It calms down your stress reactivity, etc.

You know guys, this is turning into a bit of a bash session and I don't think that helps anyone in the long run. Just as the band itself is adjustable, there are many different ways to approach living with it and many paths to success in losing weight with it. Jachut's approach has been to keep restriction light, eat well and throw herself into exercise to compensate for the higher calorie intake. Wasa's approach has been to keep restriction tight, eat 600 cal a day and exercise too. Both have done well and have lost weight successfully, but that's not the only possible approach. There's no doubt that fewer calories + more exercise = fast weight loss, but some of us prefer to take our time and get to our goals in a little more leisurely fashion. While Jachut is my personal band-hero and I admire Wasa's success, I'm not following either of them faithfully on every point. Personally, I can't see myself ever running a marathon, whether it was for pleasure or hating every minute of it but doing it for the benefits. I couldn't bear to live on 600 cal a day and I chose the band BECAUSE I didn't want to spend the rest of my life dieting or on an extremely restricted calorie regime. I try not to "diet" but focus on healthy eating, exercise sporadically but am finding I can increase it as I get more fit. I'm not going to win any speed races in losing the most weight in the shortest space of time. I plan to take at least 18 months to get to goal and at my current pace, I'm right on target for that. That doesn't mean that Jachut's or Wasa's or my approach is the right one for everyone. Each of us needs to work out for ourselves how this band works best for us. Now Brandy had an unfortunate start to her bandlife. For whatever reason, she was unaware that the band wouldn't help her limit her intake of slider foods and and struggled to find the right balance for her between restriction, food choices and exercise. She knows better now and is trying to find a pace that suits her. She knows her own mind and has stated that focussing directly upon diet and exercise causes her to become obssessed and then rebellious and she defeats her own efforts with that approach. Fine, I can relate - say the word "diet" to me and my immediate reaction is "Oh my god, where's the chocolate!!" If she feels that she will get better results by NOT triggering those reactive emotions in herself, then good luck to her. My advice to you, Brandy (and remember it is only advice, take it or leave it as you will), is to chill out a little and stop stressing about calories, diet or "focussing" on anything. Keep restriction light, aim to eat good healthy food, and let the band do it's job in helping you to not feel hungry all the time. Don't forbid yourself anything, because you know that will only make you crave it all the more, but keep in mind that it was the junk that got you to where you are now. A little treat now and then is good for the soul; icecream, chips and chocolate every day is not going to get you to goal. When you are not hungry, because you've been filling up on good quality food, it's easier to make good choices and limit the treats to the occasional small one instead of binging. Exercise when you can - look for easy ways to start this, rather than throw yourself into a strenuous routine that you can't sustain. Use little tricks like taking the furtherest carpark space at the shopping centre, instead of the closest, using the stairs instead of the elevator when it's only 1 or 2 flights up. As you get fitter, increase this at a pace that suits you. You won't see the pounds melt away with this approach. Accept that and embrace it. They WILL drift away slowly, a pound here and there, and that will add up over time. As you see it start to go, you might find that you become more motivated and want to put more effort into dropping the weight faster - you can do that too! It's all up to you and your choice. Take the examples of everyone in here and find the bits that fit with your own personality. Work out what works for you and change it to suit your needs, when it feels right for you. Good luck with your journey!

yes, you can rub coconut oil on them as your described them! It is a natural antibiotic, hypo-allergenic, and promotes healing of all kinds.... I was rubbing coconut oil on them 4 days after surgery..... just do it 2-3 times per day if you can.... also eating coconut oil can contribute to the healing as well... work your way up to 3 tablespoons per day... you have to work your way up as it can be cleansing to some people and you may get some stomach aches and loose stools with too much intake initially.... it won't hurt you, just cleansing, but can be uncomfortable.... starting with one tablespoon for 3-4 days then increasing it .... it is truly amazing stuff... don't use it if you are allergic to coconut though.... not too many are, but some may be. Any more questions, let me know! Kammi in Everett, WA

Honey congrats on the amt. of weight that u did loose.. U have to realize that most people get more than 3-fills in a year after time goes on the fill evaporates over that much time... Make an appointment and go get another fill... U can do this u already have the tool inside u just have to reactivate it... :incazzato:

I believe there are Protein powders you can mix with fruit juices ? Also it does not have the MOST protein in it ,,, i am not sure if there is any dairy in the mix itself. you might try Carnation instant Breakfast mix. Anything "Whey" will have dairy in them . So careful with that. Check out "Celiac Forums" for Celiacs disease . They have to stay away from dairy . Just did a quick search and found these .. Protein from Rice, powder, Dairy Free, Vegetarian / Vegan, Hypo Allergenic, Plain - 1 lb. 5 oz. Go Dairy Free | beverages - smoothies & Mixes If you find a mix you can mix it with Lactose free milk could you not ? Can you drink that ? If you have a whole foods near you they should have tons of info or stuff. HTH mindy PS I just googled " Dairy Free Protein Mix" and came up w/ quite a bit Mindy

mary it sounds like you went into a hypo glycemic shock ....were you a diabetic before this ?you should start carrying some hard candies to suck on but becareful if you feel faint dont suck on it there is stuff called glucose that is a thick liquid you can but under your tounge and it will disolve you wont chock on it .... dr the dr check your sugar ..

I am one of ones here that can honestly remember being both skinny at 5'9" 112 pounds---I was skin and bones, not much muscle---just skinny. It was not intentional---it is how I was. I ate everything in sight, and never gained an ounce. I fought like crazy to gain up to 123 pounds so my wedding gown fit! Then I had a baby---and for the first time ever I gained weight. I went home in jeans I wore before the baby. But it soon ended! When I stopped nursing, I was hospitalized for a mastitis infection that hit my blood stream and caused sepsis---I gained 80 pounds in 3 months time! Seriously! I was not eating different. It was extreme! From there I went through bad marriage, abuse, and more serious weight gain! Ironically---some of it totally intentional! (shaking head at self here!!!) Before long, the weight was totally out of control. I could lose pretty well, but it would not stay off. Then it got to where losing so much as a pound took weeks of HARD work---and even then any semblence of normalcy and it come back! I found myself facing very close to 300 pounds, and being morbidly obese. In the time since being banded, I have had to have most of my thyroid removed, and in the medical processes for that, I learned that the inability to gain when I was younger was my first sign of thyroid trouble----and the hormone change of pregnancy, and sudden cessation of nursing, flipped the switch he said from hypo- to hyper thyroidism. Not an excuse, but an explanation---it was pretty scary to be young and out of control like that. But with no insurance, I had no real options for figuring things out. Both extremes, as well as the years I spent in the middle, at a normal weight are both well in my mind, and I can say without a doubt....no questions ask--------morbid obesity brought with it much, much more personal heartache, peoples cruel comments, and open disgust from not only yourself, but even medical personel! I do remember being told I needed to gain a few pounds--by assorted relatives I seldom saw and a Dr. None of which saw me eat! More people by far were envious of how I could eat without consequences---and for the most part I ate healthy enough, just more than you would imagine for remaining so bony! My hip bones jutted out so far, I would have to sew the front pockets of my jeans closed, because the white pocket was forced out and showed! I could have ---not based on looks, but on build---beenon any magazine cover with todays stars....I was EXTREMELY thin---I referred to myself as skinny. The word did not bother me then, nor does it now. None of it compares to morbid obesity. I do not mean to be argumentive Jachut----but as I went up the scale--it got worse the higher I got. The heavier I got, the more invisible I got to parts of society, and the more others thought they could say hateful things without issue! Every single thing you have health wise, is an easy call for a Dr. It is all due to your weight! Until you have felt/heard others talk about you based on nothing but your weight...had a room fall silent when you walked in, simply because they were staring, then jerking their heads away---seen them share looks with who they were with--or been "mooed" at, (and these just a few among many, many ways people find to be cruel) morbid obesity has not touched your life. These did not all happen to me, but I have read about them right here at LBT. I have read the pain involved in each of the situations---and experienced similar things personally, or similar enough situations to know the shame, the hurt, and even the anger they invoked. Should I have gotten control much earlier, of course! I am willing to bet most of us by far wish we had found help before reaching the morbidly obese category. For many of us it didn't come until further down the path of obesity though. Depression, lack of funds, lack of availability all figure into the issue--but having seen and lived from one end of the spectrum to the other----I do believe that unless one has lived and experienced morbid obesity, it is hard to understand or explain. I also believe it is hard to explain to someone in that position (obesity in general) how much better life is, or how much better they will FEEL---at a normal healthy weight. I am quite sure it is difficult for both to see or understand the other --obese vs. thin- without ever walking in those shoes. I think we all want to be accepted where we are--not just at where we want to be. Whether we all strive to be a perfect BMI, or if we are happy elsewhere, if we are working hard where we are, or if we have arrived at goal, and are thrilled with the newfound freedoms of not trying to lose weight still, we all just want to be accepted and have our efforts recognized. Belittling one another, whichever direction it goes is really kind of sad, and usually indicates an unhappiness in ourselves. My experiences show that people usually tear others down in an effort to build themselves up. Maybe the next LBT banner needs to be our own Dove commercial---but without me!!!! LOL Kat

LMFAO, these are bringing back memories. Remember Hypo or Hyper shirts? I vcant remember what they were called but the heat from your hands or pits or something changed the color of the shirt. Like a mood shirt. Good times.....good times....

Hi there... I am type 2 diabetic. The symptoms you describe sound like beginnings of a "hypo" which happens when your blood sugar drops too low. If you are not getting carbs, this is entirely possible if you are prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Before the surgery you may have always had enough carbs so that you never reached the point of feeling symptoms. Best to see your doctor to be on the safe side.

Where is that statistic? Geez, I'm gonna get the meanie award I know it but your port coming out of your skin WAS YOUR FAULT! You need to address an infection ASAP...no matter what the cost. I do not know the makeup of the band but in other implants.....we use silicone, titanium, silastic tubing,silk, nylon etc all NON REACTIVE to MOST people. There have been people who rejected knees/hips. Hell, I know people whose teeth won't hold a filling. This is your lot in life. It sucks yes. And I KNOW I would be infuriated reading replies here....its the nature of the beast. The beast being text on a screen without voice, tone and inflection. B U T, you posted here....I assume you wanted to have this conversation. One of the replies suggested you make a blog....that's a great idea...you can go on and on and no one will bother you. you can disable comments if you so choose.

Welcome Roxie. All of us have our reasons for being slow losers. If all the medical options are ruled out such as "hypo thyroid" then I suggest you track everything you put in your mouth. For instance, I cook by tasting. Amazing how many calories go down the tube. Also, try not to equate exercise with losing weight. Exercise is great cardio, muscle building etc. but to lose weight you still have to consume less than you take in. Exercise does consume calories and is part of the equation but not the only one. I can't exercise very much, but still have managed to loose one or two pounds a month. The other thing is to assess your "head hunger". Do you have any? Do you give in to it? What are the rewards you give yourself, is it food or do you try a warm bath, etc. Just a few ideas. Certainly not the complete answer but to get you started back on side. Doddie

I have Reactive Arthritis and Osteoarthritis and take Azulfidine for it. I finally was able to get off prednisone Jan 25, 2008. I am getting banded April 23 and have been wondering if I can take the azulfidine without cutting or crushing it. (since it's enteric coated) Any thoughts?