karenlynn79

Hey Alexandra, I am glad that you are ok! I had to have an emergency unfill last June I think because of stress, I got so tight I also couldn't keep water down. It's scary but you handled it well and got it taken care of asap!

Karen

Hey Kristy,

I totally know how you feel. I have stretch marks on my stomach (had 2 kids though), thighs and other areas. I only have about 18 lbs to go and they are still there. I kind of think they always will be. I've never heard or seen anything that will actually help, though I know there are a ton of phony products out there. Sorry! I also have some small ones on my upper arms too. Let me know if you find something!!!

Karen

I only live 2 hours from Tijuana. My wife and I have 3 small children. I would like to drive down to the clinic and have the surgery and drive home the next day by myself. Skip staying at the hotel since I don't live that far away. Is this unreasonable? Should I stay one night in the hotel just in case? If my wife went we would have to leave the kids with the in-laws, and I don't want them to know that I am doing this. And the in-laws don't really like watching all 3 at the same time let alone over night (their older). Thanks for any advice.

Hey Scott,

I don't think that any doc would advise you to be driving the day after surgery. You will be groggy and tired and disoriented. I have kids so I know how you feel- my family doesn't know either and it's been 2 years! My hubby and I said we were going to Monterey for 3 days and went to TJ and left my son with my mom. I would say at a minimum, come down by yourself and then stay 2 nights and then go home. But I would definitely ask one of the surgeons how soon you could make the 2 hour drive. I wouldn't consider doing it the day after though, personally.

Good luck!!

Karen

Thanks guys, I was so mad!!! And overall my experience with Kaiser (Stockton) has been great for 4 years. Hopefully I do get refunded and they get reprimanded or something!

So in California we have this medical place called Kaiser. Long story but in Sept I asked if they'd do my fills. They had me go to tests and have an upper GI, all of course were fine. They had my op report from OCC and were aware that I had it done in TJ. Made an appointment for this morning. It's 2.5 hours away, rush hour traffic and Evee screaming the whole way... Got there and met the "doc" who talked to me for over 30 minutes going over all this band crap that I've known for over 2 years (and probably know more than her!). She made a few rude comments about TJ which I expected. Described how they do fills. Then says, "I don't tell people this because they leave, but we can't do your fills here." I was stunned. I said what? She said since I wasn't approved in the U.S. (and supposedly wouldn't have been) they won't do them. I was so pissed. I told her that they should have told me that in Sept when they were testing me and knew full well where the hell I was banded. I told her she was unprofessional and I am making a formal complaint. She was even ruder and said if I had a problem with it I should talk to my regular doctor (why??). I left and drove another 2+ hours home. I did call immediately and made a formal complaint against her and that department. I cannot believe they knowingly get people in there and then go through all that to say, nope can't do it. Anyway for anyone with Kaiser don't bother. I am also going to call my local Kaiser and let them know because the Fremont facility is the only one I know of to do "fills". And this sham doc kept making comments like "gastric bypass is better because."... BULLSHIT!!!! Anyway I have been so angry and frustrated that I wasted 5 hours of my day with this crap..... and 50$ out of pocket which I said I expected back.

Hey Congrats!!! You will not regret it....

No I am certain you can't stretch it out. I drink water all day long. I don't chug but I do drink about 16 oz at once over a 10 or 15 minute period. I do also feel full off water at first but it doesn't last. I think this is normal for everyone though.

Karen

Hey once you guys all try it out let me know if it is worth it. I have the Fit and finding it a little boring, though we haven't unlocked like half the stuff...

Post-op the focus is not on weight loss. I know, you are anxious to lose!! But you are healing. Until you get fills you probably won't have significant loss. Some people do lose a lot post-op on the liquids, others don't. Just be patient, work on getting enough calories in liquids now, then you'll be back to solids before your fills. THEN you'll start losing!

Wow Kim great work!!! I wish I could wear boots like that!

Cara,

I am kind of surprised that fill docs/nurses are telling people that they'll lose restriction in 2-3 weeks. It's just so personal and everyone is different. I have always heard that if you are losing and have restriction, don't get another fill. I've had the same fill since April, lost like 59 lbs, and I still have restriction totally. I just wanted to mention that you probably ought to just wait and see how you are doing, instead of rushing into another fill, assuming of course, you still are restricted.

Good luck!

Karen

Good work!!! You are really getting this journey off to the right start. It'll only get better....

Thanks everyone! I have been waiting to hit this goal before posting new pics. I cannot WAIT to hit my real final goal and go shopping!!

Benefiber powder with water!!!!! I use it daily it is great

Because it is a week since my 6th fill and I AM STILL RESTRICTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH ME!!!!!

Can you imagine being HAPPY that it hurts to eat? Well, I am!! and every time I go above my full limit, I have to smile because I freaking finally have restriction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I know what all the hoopla is about.

If I was a cheerleader, I would be jumping up and down by now!

That's great Mona!!! Now you get to learn about all the tiny little bites and getting tired of eating!!

You look amazing! And happier too!!

So I finally hit the 160's today, been waiting so long!!! I have 24 lbs to go for goal and I am trying to do it before Jan 1 but not stressing if I don't.....

Today, 169 finally!

June, around 195 ish I think

Highest while not pregnant: 235

Thanks Jann! As I was reading this I was drinking another glass of water anyway!

Wow Misty you look so incredible!!!!!!!! Congratulations!

I have always felt that overeating made my moods improve (temporarily) and that I had to eat more to experience the "joy" of something tasty compared to my husband. So this does make a lot of sense to me. I could look at him just eat a few bites of cake and be done whereas I would eat 3 big pieces. I hope someday they have more information to support this and perhaps even some sort of dopamine response pill to help people!!

Brain's reaction to yummy food may predict weight

Drink a milkshake and the pleasure center in your brain gets a hit of happy — unless you're overweight. It sounds counterintuitive. But scientists who watched young women savor milkshakes inside a brain scanner concluded that when the brain doesn't sense enough gratification from food, people may overeat to compensate.

The small but first-of-a-kind study even could predict who would pile on pounds during the next year: Those who harbored a gene that made their brain's yum factor even more sluggish.

"The more blunted your response to the milkshake taste, the more likely you are to gain weight," said Dr. Eric Stice, a senior scientist at the Oregon Research Institute who led the work, published in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

A healthy diet and plenty of exercise are the main factors in whether someone is overweight. But scientists have long known that genetics also play a major role in obesity — and one big culprit is thought to be dopamine, the brain chemical that's key to sensing pleasure.

Eating can temporarily boost dopamine levels. Previous brain scans have suggested that the obese have fewer dopamine receptors in their brains than lean people. And a particular gene version, called Taq1A1, is linked to fewer dopamine receptors.

"This paper takes it one step farther," said Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institutes of Health, a dopamine specialist who has long studied the obesity link. "It takes the gene associated with greater vulnerability for obesity and asks the question why. What is it doing to the way the brain is functioning that would make a person more vulnerable to compulsively eat food and become obese?"

It's "very elegant work," she added.

First, Stice's team had to figure out how to study the brain's immediate reactions to food. Moving inside an MRI machine skews its measurements, which ruled out letting the women slurp up the milkshakes. Yale University neuroscientist Dana Small solved that problem, with a special syringe that would squirt a small amount of milkshake or, for comparison, a tasteless solution into the mouth without study participants moving. They were told when to swallow, so researchers could coordinate the scans with that small motion.

Then they recruited volunteers, 43 female college students ages 18 to 22 and 33 teenagers, ages 14 to 18. Body mass index calculations showed the young women spanned the range from very skinny to obese.

Brain scanning showed that a key region called the dorsal striatum — a dopamine-rich pleasure center — became active when they tasted the milkshake, but not when they tasted the comparison liquid that just mimicked saliva.

Yet that brain region was far less active in overweight people than in lean people, and in those who carry that A1 gene variant, the researchers reported. Moreover, women with that gene version were more likely to gain weight over the coming year.

It's a small study with few gene carriers, and thus must be verified, Volkow stressed.

Still, it could have important implications. Volkow, who heads NIH's National Institute of Drug Abuse, notes that "dopamine is not just about pleasure." It also plays a role in conditioning — dopamine levels affect drug addiction — and the ability to control impulses.

She wonders if instead of overeating to compensate for the lack of pleasure — Stice's conclusion — the study really might show that these people with malfunctioning dopamine in fact eat because they're impulsive.

Regardless, most people's tongues find a milkshake quite tasty; the brain reaction is subconscious.

But if doctors could determine who carries the at-risk gene, children especially could be steered toward "recreational sports or other things that give them satisfaction and pleasure and dopamine that aren't food ... and not get their brains used to having crappy food," said Stice, a clinical psychologist who has long studied obesity.

"Don't get your brain used to it," he said of non-nutritious food. "I would not buy Ho Hos for lunch every day because the more you eat, the more you crave."

That's what I've always done. You should be fine just mention to the driver and Claudia what time your return flight is. I've even done a 9a.m. land and left at 2:30 but it was close! You just never know with the border. This is your first fill right? I doubt you'll be too tight. I think typically when and IF someone is too tight it's 2nd or 3rd fill.

Hi everyone!

I have decided against the lapband surgery. I have requested my deposit back!

The entire time since I chose the lapband I had this nagging doubt in the back of my head. Now that I have canceled, it is the same- Can I do this on my own etc...

Guess I need some feedback from some neutral people that have dealt with weight issues.

I agree with Cathy, there is no way I could have lost 52 pounds since April without my band. Every day I seriously am thankful that I was able to afford to do this and I know that for the rest of my life, I have a tool to help me first to lose the rest (only 28 more lbs) and then keep it off. Could the nagging doubt be because you are afraid to give up food as a comfort? Trust me, I went through that and still sometimes do! But, I am in size 14s, almost 12s now, and I am SO much happier than I have been in years. I can run around with my kids and my husband has to ask me to slow down on walks now. Do you have the means to see a counselor/therapist to maybe help your indecision? It might help to get to the bottom of how you are feeling. Good luck! I hope you figure things out for yourself!!

Karen

You look great! And much happier too!

Karen

ok, since last thurs. it's like i have about a 3.9 fill. all of a sudden i can't keep anything down. and i mean anything. i have tried eating a bite or two, just a shake, ice cream, mashed potatoes etc, etc and nothing is staying down. i did lose about 5 pounds over the weekend, but now it's all coming back. why has this changed on me all at once.? i haven't had a fill since 7/15/08 and i am at 2.8cc in a 4cc band. Has anyone else had this happen? i am afraid my body will go into starvation. i tried to eat a sucker today and pb'd that too. sometimes i feel that i can't swallow my own spit. can anyone tell me what's going on?

thanks,

reneej

Hey Reneej, I only had my band tighten on me once and it was due to pretty bad stress. Can you not keep water down? Thin soups? If not you need to get an unfill immediately and give your band time to relax. Are you stressing? Major life changes? These things can affect our bands. It's been a week, I would start making plans for an emergency unfill. You don't want to get dehydrated which can happen much quicker than you might think!!!

Good luck,

Karen