Post Date: 11/21/09 1:47 am
Topic: RE: Fun *** Curiosity Benders ***
1) Do you like 'rainy' days or 'snowy' winter days?
    I probably like snowy days because I love snow!
 
2) Does your pet know any tricks, etc? 
    My Jack Russell, Eddie, can sit, down, stay, roll over, shake, speak, play dead and dance.

3) If you could trade places with anyone in the world, who would it
   be?
   Hmm... how about Lady Gaga... only because she seems to be having a lot of fun right now and I am going through such hell. LOL

4) What is on your bedside table?  
    Lamp, horoscope calendar, pen, some pills and just a mess of things.

5) Do you have any pet names for your spouse/partner? 
    I am single but my best friend/roommate has many nicknames: chunk, business, biz, squeeze, dorkus, buttface, etc.

Post Date: 11/21/09 1:39 am
Topic: RE: TWO WORDS I CAN LIVE WITH !!!!!
That is absolutely WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats!!!

Post Date: 11/21/09 12:52 am
Topic: RE: How to resolve when stuck?
I take a warm shower...if  I'm home. That usually helps pretty fast.  I also walk and sometimes the gentle pat on the back works, too...

Post Date: 11/21/09 12:31 am
Topic: RE: WARNING! Sickeningly sweet dog alert!
 Awwww lil Sage is soooooo cute! She deserves the whole bed.  Mommy can take the space around her and keep her warm..that is Mommy's job! LOL

Thx for sharing!
Lisa

Post Date: 11/21/09 12:30 am
Topic: RE: I am SO stuffed up!
I had that sort of cold too and it turned into a horrible sinus infection.  At the first sign of pain in your teeth or you jaw or the bones around your sinuses/teeth/ear, call the Dr.  I lasted through the worst 5 days till I finally got some liquid amoxicyllin.    

Hugs
hope you feel better
Lisa

Post Date: 11/21/09 12:22 am
Topic: RE: Had first fill.....starving!
 Since you're stuck on clear liquids !@!?! for two days, I'd suggest you stock some isopure for those days.  Good luck & hugs
Lisa

Post Date: 11/20/09 10:40 pm
Topic: RE: APPROVED and have a DATE!
Congrats.  DEc 17 will be here sooner than you think.  Happy holidays to you.

Post Date: 11/20/09 9:56 pm
Topic: RE: need to vent!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much ,I know I have a 10 cc band but the doc. does'nt like to tell us how much we have in it he does'nt want us stressing I guess I'll just wait till after the holidays to get another fill that' s about 3 months away, and that's alot of excercising, dieting and willpower.

Post Date: 11/20/09 9:45 pm
Topic: RE: need to vent!!!!!!!!
I'm so sorry for the situation you're in. But, you know what, you are doing good. You've nearly 50 pounds in only 5 1/2 months. That is really good! 

Go to the doctor one more time. This time insist that he give you a good amount of fill. If need be, explain to him that you can't afford to keep going back all the time.  

What size is your band and how many cc's do you have in it? I have a 10 cc band and 9 cc's in it. I got that after 3 fills. And it is works for me. I have strong restriction and am losing a lot of weight. 

                                                      

Post Date: 11/20/09 9:27 pm
Topic: need to vent!!!!!!!!
I'm freaking starving, I went in for a fill about 3 weeks ago ,dr. tells me  I usually put in more but let's see how this works if it does'nt just make another app. well of course it didn't work  and I can't afford to be paying for fills. everytime I pay for a fill I have to sell,pawn or borrow the money for it, so now here I am dieting because I can't afford a fill, so with whatever money I have left from my disability check I'm buy healthy groceries,I have 4 teenage kids here and 1 step-grandaugher that eat up everything, I made dinner today ,my nephew showed up unannounced so I gave him my plate, I warmed up a can of chili with cheese I put it down for a sec. and bam it's gone and they all laugh likes it's funny,and their excuse is well mom were kind of helping you, you don't want to get fat again do you.UUUHHH no but I also don't want to freaken starve. it's 11:22pm I hate to eat late at night , plus don't have anything healthy to snack on so AGAIN I go to bed with out eating.Thanks for letting me vent .DeBBIE C.

Post Date: 11/20/09 9:13 pm
Topic: RE: APPROVED and have a DATE!
Fantastic news and thanks so much for sharing.  Let us know how it goes and what you learn along the way, Teagin.

Shannon

Post Date: 11/20/09 9:07 pm
Topic: RE: need vacation advice
You should have a marvelous time relaxing with your DH and enjoying the ports of call.  However, if you booked the cruise because the unlimited food looked like a great way to spend a vacation (eating!) you may have to work a bit more to find the activities to fill the time you would have spent at the endless buffets.

FYI - I have had a glass or two of wine from time to time.  I thoroughly enjoyed them and had no ill effects.  Just remember it is calories. (I haven't tried a mixed drink).

Have fun - that is the best part!

Shannon

Post Date: 11/20/09 9:04 pm
Topic: RE: TWO WORDS I CAN LIVE WITH !!!!!
I've slowed way down too and now we are on vacation but I too will get there eventually.  I had my one year check up and all is good!  I've lost 62 inches total and my cholesteral and glucose, etc. are all in normal range!

Life is good.

Lisa O.

Post Date: 11/20/09 9:04 pm
Topic: RE: Need help with a diet plan
My plan is very similar and began after my first fill.  The only difference is that my NUT approves about 800-1000 calories while a patient is losing weight and it works well for me.

With restriction, I am held to 1/3 cup of food for each meal which is darn hard to do.

Please do not expect to lose a steady 2 lbs a week because you won't.  If you made a chart of your weight loss, no matter how religiously you follow a plan, it will still have ups and downs but the cumulative effect should be steady weight loss.  Many freak out and say "I have failed; this isn't working" when they have gone just one week without weight loss.  It will happen so buckle up for the long haul.

Good luck and congratulations on the 25 lbs.  That is awesome!

Shannon

Post Date: 11/20/09 9:02 pm
Topic: RE: Stress is not a good thing....
Thanks, Sabrina,

I just got a fill 2 weeks ago- nothing!  The training is Motivational Interviewing. It was fantastic.  But my schedule is usually more flexible and my daughter is really depressed.

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:59 pm
Topic: RE: Stress is not a good thing....
Thanks!

The stress will be less because I will be back to flexible hours so that I can respond to my daughter's needs but the stress of her condition ebbs and flows.  It's bad right now.

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:57 pm
Topic: RE: survey- do you love your band?
Like my fellow "bandsters" I am also a band lover.  My selection was based on the type of procedure (laproscopic, easy recovery, low risk) and the characteristics of the band itself.  The band is endlessly adjustable, removable and will allow slow steady weight loss if you are willing to commit.   I am nearing the end of my 15th week and have lost around 37 lbs so far.  Believe me, this is more than I have lost in years.

The band is not a silver bullet and I still have to apply the same principles required to lose weight without the band.  I must choose the right food, eat a low carb diet and exercise.  The band helps me be more successful because it helps to control the quantity of food I eat.  I control the quality.  I have lost weight dozens of times; I believe with the band, I will keep the weight off for good.

I also wanted to avoid dumping, the need to drink protein shakes every day and the malabsorbtion concerns of some other procedures.

The band is far from perfect.  Without a strong desire to understand your own body and your emotional issues with food, you may not achieve your goals.  The band is also a bit temperamental and it is something I have to manage.  Fills, unfills and the variances in restriction require awareness but it does become second nature pretty quickly.  Surgeons also give an annoyingly large amount of varying direction so we all deal with the questions around what one doctor has said is a rule that another doesn't.  I think I speak for most when I say that we wish there were one standard pre-op, post-op, weight loss and maintenance protocol.  There isn't, so thoroughly research your surgeon and the program he offers.

If band patients don't follow the guidelines for quantity of food it can cause problems over time, including inflammation of the esophagus and possible band slips.

I knew all of this going in and I encourage you to research your options.  My life has improved exponentially with the band and I wish I had forgiven myself for needing help sooner so that I would be farther on the journey.

Good luck finding your way.  This community is a great place to learn.

Shannon 

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:57 pm
Topic: RE: Stress is not a good thing....
Thanks, Kristi,

That helps.

Katie

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:47 pm
Topic: RE: surgey
Insist on liquid pain med from your doctor.  It amazes me that they want us on a liquid diet after surgery but some docs prescribe pills for pain when they send us home.  Getting stuck on a pill (or even a piece of a pill) during the first couple of days after being banded is no way to begin this journey. 

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:39 pm
Topic: RE: OT: The newest member of our family!
SHE IS ADORABLE!!! I'm so glad you guys decided to keep her. It sounds like Ella will have a wonderful forever home!

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:38 pm
Topic: RE: survey- do you love your band?
I sooooo LOVE my band. And they only use very small incisions in placing it. The best thing to me, before being banded was, they can always take it out. I don't know why that made me feel better, but it did. Of course I would never want it taken out. Sometimes I am a little jealous of the faster WL with RNY but it all evens out in the end and I personally would never rearrange my insides. The best part of any WL surgery is, it's helps you not gain the weight back. Good luck.

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:27 pm
Topic: RE: TWO WORDS I CAN LIVE WITH !!!!!
Hey Lisa O. Good to hear from you. Thanks, I'M still trying to get below 200 pounds just to see what I look like. With the strength training I started about three weeks ago, my weight lose has slowed down, muscle weighs more than fat. I feel good and I'm still loosing inches, just not as many pounds. BUT, I WILL GET THERE EVENTUALLY. 

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:20 pm
Topic: Private insurance ??? Is there one out there ?

My job is cancelling the health insurance for their employees due to the economy.

I am looking for a good HMO company that I can sign my family up with ?

Does anyone have any ideas ? 

What does one do when they need to have family coverage ??

Is there any chance for Blue Cross Blue Shield ?

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:12 pm
Topic: RE: survey- do you love your band?
I Love my band!!!  I researched all of the weight loss surgeries.  My decision for the band was it was less invasive, granted you will lose at a slower rate, 1-2 lbs per week, but you will always have this tool.  Everyone is different and with all of them you have to follow certain rules.  The rules for the Lapband are doable.  It changed my life.  I have lost 125 lbs since July 8, 2008.  I no longer have high blood pressure, my cholesterol levels
are great, I no longer have sleep apnea.  My health is the main reason for my decision to have the surgery.  I can now do so many things that most people take for granted.  I can walk without my back killing me.  I can play sports, ride bikes, run around with my grandkids.  Sex is better. 

I would recommend the lapband to anyone, but everyone is different and you have to be able to follow the rules.  I've lived with my band for a while now and we get along great!

Good luck in your choice.

Brenda C.

Post Date: 11/20/09 8:08 pm
Topic: RE: Impatience
Good to see another Kansan here, too. Did you have your surgery done at Saint Francis Hospital or Tallgrass? How long did it take you to recover?