OSuzanna

Anyone else having this problem? Ever since I got banded I just can't get a good burp out anymore. I feel the air sitting there, but it just won't come up and it just feels like if I could just have a good burp I would feel a whole lot better. I've tried walking, jumping up and down, sucking in more air (like what we did when we were kids to make ourselves burp) - nothing! Eventually the feeling goes away, but I long for those good old long deep burps! Sorry if I grossed anyone out.

My biggest problem is exercise, I hate it! How did you get motivated to start exercising? What made you finally actually start to like to exercise? What kind of exercise do you do (minus any kind of equipment, which I can't afford)? For you full time employed bandsters – when do you exercise (where do you find the time/energy?)? I know this has probably been around the forum block a lot, but where can I find a good exercise journal – I'm hoping keeping a log of some sort will help me. Thanks, Suzie

OMG! Good work Girl!! I am so inspired!!!!!

Hi all, I'm new to "blogging" so I don't know how to look at Dolittle's Blog - is it a separate website? How do I go there and see it? Thanks! Suzie p.s. Hope you all had an "unfull" Thanksgiving!!!

Hi Scott: I had my surgery last June. After surgery I went back to the hotel instead of staying the night in the hospital and then the next day my sister and I went shopping on Revolucion Ave for a couple of hours and then went back to the hotel, packed up and went home. I drove because my sister is a horible driver. We drove to Palm Springs, which is a good two hours from TJ and I didn't have any problems at all. When we got home, I just rested for the rest of the day. No problems at all, just make sure your seat belt isn't too tight and you have elastic waistband pants on. Good Luck! Suzie

For a lot of us on this forum it will be our first Thanksgiving with the band. How are you all going to survive Thanksgiving day? I'm cooking and we're having a houseful of approx. 22 people - there will be lots and lots of food and I'm not feeling a lot of restriction right now so I've decided that I'm not going to beat myself up trying to watch carbs or calories, I'm just going to eat whatever I want, but try and keep it down to a spoonful or two of whatever I want. I've got the day after off from work, so if I gain a pound or two - I'm just going to walk and walk and walk it off over the weekend. Hope you all have a great Turkey Day! Suzie

Tara, I went to Dr. Billy's seminar when I was researching the band and was very impressed and would have had him do my surgery except for the cost, which at that time (back in May of this year) was around $18K. If it's the same doctor, he's in Thousand Oaks, CA right? Anyway, if it's the same doc how much does he charge for a fill with flouro and how does he react/feel about have a patient that had surgery in Mexico? Thanks, Suzie

I haven't been on for a while so this may have already been asked and answered so if it has, if someone can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it. Has anyone on this forum gone through the five day pouch test and if so, what was the outcome? Mainly, I want to know if it kick started some weight loss. Thanks! Suzie

How very very refreshing to hear how excited you are about your surgery - you've got such a great attitude, I just know your going to do very well with the band! To top it off, you've got a really great supportive Mom. Congratulations on your new beginning! Suzie p.s. The day after Thanksgiving? What a great day for your "last supper"!

Vix and Jann, I hope you both get better real soon. I have to tell you I thought today was the day from hell for me, everything that could go wrong did go wrong (a co-worker said it was "the reverse Midas Touch"). I now feel so ashamed, because it was all petty stuff! I've firmly been put back in my place! Get better both of you, my thoughts and prayers are for your speedy recovery! Group Hug!!!

To the best of my knowledge OCC patients were never promised aftercare, however, by virtue of being given all kinds of phone numbers including the supposedly cel phone numbers of the docs, you assumed if there was a problem and you called that call would be returned. Just my two cents.

Michelle, Your are so pretty, I love that new picture! My 2 year old nephew would say, "you booful"!

LOL, that's a good question, what is full - is it that feeling after Thanksgiving where you've eaten so much you feel like barfing? Or, is it that you feel comfortable and just don't have the desire to eat anymore? I guess for me I would have to define "full" (post band) as being comfortable and not at all hungry anymore I don't think I've gotten to the point of feeling that if I take one more bite, I'll pb. I have pbed, but it's happended after the first bite or two and I know it's because I haven't chewed well enough. You know what, I take it back. In my post band life I have just decided that "full" is no longer in my vocabulary - how's that? From those of you who have responded to my request for a definition of restriction, it sounds like you think it's that lump in the chest? Oh well, food for thought - no pun intended. LOL Thanks all, have a great evening! Suzanna

Hi All, Now that I've had my second fill, I'm experiencing some of the same reactions I've read about in some of your posts. After band surgery I couldn't eat as much as I used to, which is normal. After my first fill I didn't feel any difference; now I've had my second fill and wow, what a difference - almost to much of a difference. I have a lot of trouble even drinking my morning cup of coffee. Throughout the rest of the day, I can eat, but if I don't chew the hell out of what I'm eating it gets stuck. I slime quite a bit and have pbed a few times. :bad: What I feel is whatever I eat goes down to about the top of my breasts (right in between) and just sits there like a lump. To me it feels like I ate a big spoon full of something like mashed potatoes and it gets stuck and just sits there. I try to walk it away, sometimes that works, but most of the time I'm over the toilet spitting up slime - not the food I've eaten, just slime. I've even tried to stick my finger down my throat to get rid of the "lump", but the food does not come up. Is this restriction? Is this what all of you talk about when you say you have great restriction? I thought restriction was some sort of full feeling, like when you guys talk about only being able to eat 2/3 of a cup of food and if you ate more, it would come back up. I know I can eat more than 2/3 of a cup of food, I certainly can't eat like I used to, but more than 2/3. And I can't say that I've really felt full, it's more like I eat two pieces of pizza and I know I could eat a third piece, but I just don't have the desire. That's not really feeling full - it's more like I'm satisfied so thats that. Anyway, what is restriction, is it that lump feeling or is it getting full? I'm confused!! Suzanna

Julie: I had my second fill 9/13/08 and I'm still struggling. Mornings are the worst for me, sometimes I can't even get my coffee down, it sits in a lump right in between and a little above my breasts. It's 11:20 a.m. here in California and I'm trying to get a Yoplait down and it's giving me problems. At night I try and eat a small salad and some protein and I have problems with that too; sometimes it's so bad I throw it out and grab a yogurt - this puts me in tears because I am hungry and the dinner looks and smells so good. It's very frustrating, but I've decided to give it a couple more weeks to see if it relaxes a little - I hope so, I would hate to get an unfill. I'm slimming and/or pbing at least once a day. I have 2.5 cc in my 4cc band. Hang in there girl, I hope for both of us it gets better! Suzanna

WTG - that's fantastic I hope I can do as well as you! :lb10: :lb16: :lb13:

Thanks so much Lisa, What's the recovery with the Peels and the microdermabrasion - is your face red for quite a while? After the face and another 30/40 pounds I'm going for a TT and a Breast lift - I'm gonna be a star!!!! (like you!)

I know I should have posted this under the Plastic Surgery sub-forum, but I'm hoping I'll get more answers by posting here. Has anybody had any facial fills, botox, lazer, plastic surgery at Cosmed, by Dr. Quiroz? From years of sun worship (I still worship!) and from when I used to smoke, I have those vertical lines between my lips and my nose and they're ugly! I've also noticed some age spots recently that I'd like to have lazered away. Anyway - love to hear from anyone who's had any of those kind of proceedures done by Dr. O's buddy? Thanks all - hope your all having a great weekend! Suzanna

Stormy, I was not yelling, I was just trying to make you understand that you can screw up your band if you don't follow the rules. Also, I wasn't talking about your milk shake, I was referring to your comment in the first post about having real food. A subsequent post from another bandster said you just sucked on some chocolate, which I didn't know. So for that I apologize, I thought you did in fact eat "real food" and that concerned me. I too paid out of pocket, I actually raided my 401K and that made my DH pretty upset, but this was something I wanted so badly that to me it was worth it. He now sees how much it's doing for me, not only my weight, but my self esteem - I'm just a happier person and he supports me 100% now. The 21 days after surgery suck - no question, but it passes and when you stick to what your supposed to do, it's so satisfying. To me it was like "hey I made it through the first three weeks, if I can do that, I can go all the way". I'm not saying I'm perfect either, I have major problems not drinking something when I'm eating and for me that is a huge struggle and a lot of times I fail. Everyday has it's struggles that we all have to endure and this forum helps tremendously, but take the praise, the encouragement, the LOVE along with a kick in the butt once in a while - isn't that why we "confess our sins" in the first place, so someone will step up and say "hey, stop screwing up and get back on track!" Suzanna

WTG Girl, 50 Pounds, that's an average two year old, a chihuahua and a automobile tire (MamaMichelle's post of 8/30/08) So proud, yet so jealous! You're Awesome!!!!!

Oh Misty, How cool. We have three daughters and each one of them was an "oops" (not planned), but so welcomed and so loved. Now, I can't imagine my life without them and the youngest is 18! They are truly a blessing (and a pain in the butt!). There's a gal on another lap band forum who got pregnant right after her surgery; they left the band in place, just did not fill it. She now has a very healthy baby boy! Congratulations - it's overwhelming, but such a blessing! Suzanna

Okay, I know I was being harsh, but I guess I just can't get past anyone even thinking about real food after one week and I know everyone is different, but come on - 1 week? At 1 week post op I was still so excited and so determined to make my band work, plus at 1 week your still so bloated and for sure not hungry - were you? Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, but this entire proceedure to me is so huge - such a big step and totally life altering, I just get so sad when some bandsters don't seem to take it seriously.

"I have not touched any REAL food. ok, I have once." Okay, I'm going to be blunt........... OMG, it has just been a week since you got banded and you're already eating real food????? What are you thinking, your tummy is still healing - do you want to screw up the whole thing? If the commercials bother you, don't watch tv - go for a walk, get your mind off of it! Stormy, your lap band is a gift, it can change your entire life - be good to it.

I resemble that remark!!!

Hey Chad, I hope your the right person to address this post to. We need more emoticons! That OTHER lap band forum (you know the one I'm talking about!) has dancing bananas and all sorts of other neat stuff to put into posts. I love using those little things and ours are getting old! Thanks!