Suzie

Well, I have gained 12 pounds. I know I am eating the wrong foods. What do you eat in a days time? Thanks in advance for the info. I was banded in Sept. 07

Sassy, I have been emailing you. It must be going in your junk box. I am getting yours. Suzie

Let us know what you find out about the cost. I am going to need a tummy tuck for sure and possibly a face lift, brest lift. Thanks

I too was so scared I cancelled. I decided I could do this on my own. I wasnt going to spend all that money to lose weight. That lasted about 6 days then I was right back where I started. My husband came to me one night and said I just watched a special on lap band and the effects on diabetics. The group that did not have the lap band had a 92 percent higher death rate. He then said I really wish you would reconsider. I sat and thought about my life. I felt awful, I had no energy, I did not want to live the rest of my life the way I had. I felt I did not have a choice. It was either take this chance for a better life or continue the way I had. I signed up again, had the surgery and it has been the best thing I could of ever done. My regular doctor asked me if I was ready to give up my best friend...food. I said food has become my enemy. It is killing me slowly. I still look forward to meals only now I do not have to worry about overeating. I still plan on eating a lot I just can't. It is so wonderful to have something helping my control. I hope this helps. Good luck to you. Let us all know how you are before and after surgery.

I went to a Lap Band website before I had my surgery and it had a BMI test. After you filled in height and weight it would say yes, you are an excellent canadate for surgery. Mine said that until I hit 175. Then it said no. I80 it still said excellent canadate and I am 5 5 also. I think if you try to get your insurance pay for it probably not. If you pay cash you can probably get it done in the us or Mexico. The best way to find out for sure is call a doctors office that does lap bands and ask.

Shanny, if you have lost 11 lbs. then something is going right. When did you start this diet? You will always lose weight fast at first. Then it slows down. Don't give up!!!!! Don't give up!!! You will end up back where you were. Once you get the band it really helps the hunger. Hang in there.

I went for my first fill and cannot tell I have one. I am eating too much. I go back again the 20th of Nov. so I am trying to maintain, but want to lose. Can you tell you have one. I think she said she put in 4.9 Why in the world can t i tell I got a fill.

I went for my first fill last Wednesday. I was so excited about having some restriction. I had some after the surgery and had lost 24 lbs. before my first fill so I could not wait. It was a blind fill which disappointed me as I had heard people say they could not tell they got a fill or they were too tight. I did not want either of course. I think she filled the band first and then ask me to drink water. She told me to tell her if I could feel it. I thought I did. She said if you fell you are going to throwi it up go to the sink. Well, here comes me not wanting to bother her by throwing up so I thought I felt something. She then drew some saline out, I drank again. It went down. She messed with it a litte more, I drank more. She started telling me she wanted to make sure I could swallow my spit. I said "What?" I had not heard this before. To make a long story short I guess I did not do such a good job feeling the fill. I cannot tell I have had one and now I am trying to use my own will power which is not easy. My question is why do people do blind fills? And, should I tell the nurse I cannot tell I have a fill? Have any of you had this happen? Does fluro work all the time?

Thank you, I have not had that happen yet but I was just banded in Sept. and had first fill a week ago and cannot tell I got a filll. I did get a piece of pasta stuck the third week after surgery and I did not understand what was happening so I drank water to help the air bubble I thought I was feeling and all the water came back up. It was very surprising. Thanks again.

What is slimming and people have used an initial that I cannot remember now in the same sentence as slimming. Begins with P??

Hello Kym. This is Suzie again. I so understand where you are coming from. I was very nieve about men and their thoughts. My husband has taught me quite a bit about how men think and many of the things he has taught me I could of gone my whole life without knowing. My first husband was not blunt but had an affair where he declared his love for the woman in front of her and I and I divorced him. My husband now is very blunt also. When we married 17 years ago he moved me from my family and I gained 40 lbs. within the first year of our marriage. I missed my family so much. I moved to a new depressed city, took on 2 new step kids that he had custody of, ages 3 and 5, took on a new teaching job in a very challenging school system, and had his ex-wife walking in and out of their previous home any time she pleased which we were living in. I had two kids also, ages 5 and 7. I sometimes wonder how I survived. I know there was a part of Bob I really loved and wanted but with all our new changes neither of us was at our best and I was steadily gaining weight. I was so resentful of him for moving me to his horrible city. He could be generous and so kind. He took me home whenever I wanted and would stay the weekend with my parents and not complain. I knew though, he did not like the weight gain. He didn't have to say it. I knew. He would do other things. He would bring home diet sheets, books, tell me about diet TV shows and my self esteem fell way down. To make a long story short I knew I was going downhill. I decided I was not going to continue this spiral. I had to get strong and not let his words hurt me. I started looking at him clearly, asking myself why would he say such a thing, I knew it was not all his fault. He was not happy either and he felt guilty for mvoing me. He didn't like the weight gain and I didn't either. I finally started telling him I was getting his message and didn't like it. When and IF I decided to lose weight would be my decision and he could not make me until I decided to do it. Everytime after that when he would imply something I would stand up to him firmly yet with a certain amount of understanding of where he was coming from. By this time I was diabetic and had high blood pressure. I knew he worried about my health too. It was not a good time but slowly I regained my self esteem with no help from anyone but myself. I did not lose weight and in fact gained more but somehow I knew I was not going to let HIM get me down. The strange thing is I think he started to love me more. I remember one time after an argument I said Bob I am not crying this time. All these arguments do is drive me further away from you. I think that statement said it all. Things steadily got better but I had to change it. The point of this is talk to yourself. Build your self esteem and do not let men or anyone else make you feel bad including your ex. Tell him the damage he has done to you is in the past and you will never let him hurt you like that again. He does not have that power any more. Tell him also to keep his thoughts about your body to himself. You don't need them. If you want a relationship with him again it is possible. Just ask him who in the hell he thinks he is talking about your thighs? Then ask him why in the world would you make such a comment to me? Then let him squirm. Make him realize he does not need to tell you things like that. My husband still has a mouth with other people, still blunt , but he is more careful with me and he has learned a few things and I love him all the more for trying. I still struggle with low self-esem sometimes and better self esteem other times. I guess I think that is what life is. ,

Chris, I was rereading posts this morning and saw where you said you sent me an email. I did not get one. Can you send it again. I have been wondering abou tyou. You haven't left for Mexico yet have you? I had my first fill and cannot tell it.

Donna, have you learned anything about your band? Are you okay?

Thanks Kari, I am glad to hear that. I too have gone down on the insulin. I too took quite a bit of insulin before surgery. 120 units of Levimer at night, 60 units of Novolog short acting insulin at each meal and it still woudl get a lot higher than needed. I was also gaining weight. Now I am down to 60 unit of Novolog Levimere at night and morning. If I still eat cookies it will go up just like it use to so I am backing off them for awhile. They looked so innocent. I guess I had high hopes. I know it will get better. Just needed to hear someone say so. I am also on metofromin and glimizide. It was 177 this morning so I took some regular short acting insulin. I am going to get it down today.

Thanks Judy, I am only 6 and a half weeks out from surgery. I have lost 24 lbs. and still on insulin. He thought he could take me off insulin after the surgery and I remembered thinking WOW. Well, I am still on it and I realize it might take more lbs. off before I can come off from it. I am taking much less. I am also on meteformin.

Good Morning, It is 3:09 in the morning and I am wide awak. I think I am still on the other time. We just changed our clocks last weekend and my body has not made the change yet. I had my first fill two days ago and cannot tell I have had one. I just ate a hot dog on half a bun. It all went down fine and I do not feel full yet I have never felt that with this surgery. For some reason I do stop long before I use to when it comes to portion size. Not sure why. I always start out thinking I am eating this whole thing and somewhere after aout half I start giving my dogs the rest. They may start to gain! I do seem to be having lots of gas and upper back pain behind the shoulder blades. It is supposed to be 73 degrees today here in Arkansas. I love this weather and want to stay home. Have a good weekend everybody!!!!!

How is the pain Brenny? Has it let up some? I sure hope so. How are you doing otherwise?

I was wondering if this lap band and the weight loss has helped improve diabetes. I have lost 24 lbs. so far and wondered about how much weight people loss before it will improved blood sugars.

I think you will find that doctors differ on when to get a fill and what to eat after a fill. Mine wants liquids 48 hours after fills. She told me some doctors let you go back to eating. I ask her why liquids and she said the fill irratates the stoma...not sure I believe that but the next line got me. You don't want anything to get stuck. Oh yea! I stayed on liquids for 24 hours and then tried a cracker today. Chewed it real well and it went down When I got home another Emmi was waiting on my email and it said you can eat within 24 hours and this is a program that my doctor approved and sends to my email so...... tonight I ate a baked potato with cheese on top. Sounded soft and it went down. In fact, it went down so well that now I am wondering if the band is tight enough.

I do not know where some of my messages have gone either. Glad to know I am not the only one. Also, I do not know how to send personal messages. I didn't even know that was possible until today. Let me know what the doc says. I hope your port is okay. I had my first fill today. I was just a tiny bit nervous but it was fine. They put in a little medicine that deadens the site and never felt the fill. After they put a certain amount in she had me start drinking small sips of water. She would adjust it according to how I felt. I sure hope it is not too tight. I have to drink liquids for 48 hours. That is fine....I guess. I grilled hot dogs last night and they sure sound good right now.

I do not know how to send personal messages so I will use this. Can you tell me how to do personal messages It is so nice to know someone out there is strugging with the NCLB act. I am also in a low income school with lots of low achieveing children. Education is not their first priority. Paying bills and eating is. NCLB does not take that into account. We enjoyed our trip to Mexico also. We drove around and saw a school, a church, and houses. I do not handle the heat here very well either so knew it would be a problem. We almost went with some friends last winter. I would love to go during a cooler time. We ate breakfast at a place on the Texas side right before we crossed over that was out of this world. They had the best salsa I have ever had. I would love to talk to you more. My email address is Kellco@conwaycorp.net Either email me if you would like or let me know how to send personal messages. Suzie

Forgot to add I was also on reflux acid meds and I had a hernia also. Now I am having gas almost everyday. Constant pressure and bloating. I am taking Gas X and trying to wait it out. What were your acid reflux symptoms? Would you like to exchange emails? Mine is Kellco@conwaycorp.net if you'd like.

Going for my first fill tomorrow. I will let you all know how it goes.

Hello Brennie, I am so glad to hear from you. You posted a message to me right before you went in for surgery. How are you feeling?????? I took GAS X last night and I guess it is what helped. I have had this a few times and when I have it I have gas like I have never had before. I understand for the first time why my husband releases gas every so often now. Ha!! The surgery was still worth it!!!! What are gas x strips? I took chewable tablets.