ValleyGirl

Sorry I posted this then went out of town and forgot to see if anyone replied! If you ladies still want to meet up, pm me at sabrinadelray@yahoo.com and we can make a plan to meet! I don't come to the forum often and don't want to miss your messages.

Sabrina:)

Does anyone want to go to this with me? Maybe a bunch of us from the Pacific Northwest area could meet up? It's $75 for the weekend but you get $35 off using the code "chef dave" upon registering.

http://www.chefdave.org/events/details/obesity_help_fabulous_in_seattle"

I am truly happy for all of your successes. Personally, I have stopped coming to this forum for a while because those of you who have lost 100+ pounds are the only ones posting. Is anyone else out there struggling? I have found the whole process of lap band surgery in Mexico to be one LONG, HARD journey. Nothing about it is easy. I didn't get to be obese because I was healthy emotionally. I am still the same person as I was before surgery with the same issues and addiction to food. There are no follow ups or care for how one is doing psychologically. Some of us aren't strong enough to "take the bull by the horns". If I understood how to utilize hard work and determination within me, every diet I ever tried would have worked. I don't know of any support groups. I have no family members or friends who are overweight and I am just out here drowning alone. It has been 10 months since lap band surgery and I have lost 55 lbs. I have about 88 lbs to go still. My knees are killing me so excercise is hard and painful. After how much weight loss were you able to excercise Kristi?

Loves Maui... 55 pounds in ten months is AMAZING. It's taken me two and a half years to lose my 100 and, believe me, I still have food issues too. One day at a time, it is not a race. You WILL get there and if you can't find a support group, use this as your support group. Good luck.

Sabrina:)

ps- Kristi YOU ROCK!!!!

OMG Linda!!!! I haven't been on here FORVER but thought I'd come update my stats since they changed recently. This is GREAT news!!! I'm sure I wills ee you one of these days as I fly with (And LOVE LOVE LOVE) Allegiant all the time. I probably catch flights from Bellingham six- eight times per year. I have to admit I am a little jealous too as that is a job I have always thought would be right up my alley but don't think I could get on as a Canadian. WAY TO GO!!!

Sabrina:)

I haven't been on here forever but wanted to say hi and was so happy to see your post. You were one of the people who inspired me and now I suppose I have become one of the success stories too! I have maintanced my 96-pound loss for 16 months now. Congrats on the baby and keep checking in now and then. I will try to too.

Sabrina:)

Hi Deb!

Good to know someone in Phoenix. I just bought a vacation property there that I hope to use a few times per year. Next trip is in January. Let's stay in touch. Do you have someone for after-care there?

Sabrina:)

As you can see by my ticker, it can take MANY fills to get to your sweet spot...happily I have been at mine for months now but it took more than year to get there. Good luck.

Sabrina:)

Try warm liquids but also please make sure you call OCC right away. There is always a doctor on call.

I got a second job and saved for three years beacuse my husband didn't think we should spend "family money" on this. It caused a big divide between us and I still haven't forgiven him 100% but, at the same time, if the money was just "handed to me" and I didn't have to work so hard for it, I don't think I would have taken the surgery so seriously or been so successful.

Sabrina:)

I haven't checked in for a while and wanted to say hi and let you all know I'm still maintaining my 95 pound loss and feel great! I was hoping to lose 100 and know I will when I get off my butt but I'm just so thrilled where I'm at anyway. I wake up every morning and hop on the scale certain that I'm going to have gained all my weight back. I still can't get over the fact I am "normal" for the first time in my life. I have to do a double-take when I see pics of myself and it's so nice not to have to delete them all. Of course I still struggle with all the same baggage I had when I was bigger, (marriage is the same, work is the same, kids don't magically start behaving themselves) but it's certainly one less hurdle in life, a big weight off my shoulders, literally! If you are trying to decide and worry this is the "easy way out" I say at least it's a way out! I don't regret my decsion at all and thank all of you who encouraged me way back when.

Sabrina:)

Hey Nicole! Just read your good news. You must be so excited to be gettng this second chance. Can't wait to watch your progress.

Sabrina:)

I would think there is always risk of infection with any surgery, but most of us on this forum had our surgeries at OCC which is a VERY clean facility- not a dirty hospital. I have no regrets at all...especially since I found out my port was pressing (actually left a dent) on my liver. I can't imagine that can be healthy long-term. Yikes. We all have to do what is best for us but, yes, any surgery involves risks.

Sabrina:)

Yes, I don't know why I got so bruised...but there is no new scar- they went through the old port incision.

I was also told three weeks.

Sabrina:)

I just had the port revision surgery and it was quite uncomfortable after. In fact, I was really, really, really bruised (black and blue tummy) even though I didn't bruise at all after I got banded BUT it was SO worth it! I can't feel my port at all any more (mine has rubbed on my ribss since day one) and I am SO much more comfortable. Do it for sure, especially if it's free. OCC charges about $1500 for this procedure which I just had to payout of pocket:(

Cottage cheese is a mushy that is full of protein. Mushed up tuna with light mayo might work as well. Don't be surprised if you can't eat eggs.

Sabrina:)

Sending onederland vibes your way!!!

Sabrina:)

What I am wondering is if you can "eat around" a sleeve too? Since I have so much trouble with fills, I've often thought a sleeve would be my Plan B if I ever had to have my band removed but can't you stretch your pouch just as easily with a sleeve if you over-eat? I don't really understand how it is any different than being banded except for the not needing fills part?

Sabrina:)

I have done the same (binge) on a few occasions since being banded and my pouch has never stretched; however, I have seen many, many, many people end up with stretched pouches and slipped bands so I consider myself very lucky. Don't beat yourself up (if we all had great self-control none one of us would be banded) just beware that there can be serious consequences and keep telling yourself that before putting that food in your mouth. Just like sleeping with an ex you know is bad for you, it can take a while to "break-up" with food too!!! Eventually you'll get over them/it....especially once you see how much better your life is without them/it, haha! Hang in there!

Sabrina:)

As a radio announcer myself, I have been very open and honest about EVERYTHING in my life over the years (frustrates the hell out of my husband who is a very private person) but I have never, ever, discussed my weight and don't think I ever could. It has been such a source of shame for me and part of what I love about radio is that nobody can see what I look like. You are SO courageous. I'm sure so many people will benefit from your honesty. Keep up the good work.

Sabrina:)

Don't feel too bad about the doughnut. I remember the first time I was unfilled, I had a bagel. I hadn't eaten carbs in over a year.

It was orgasmic, lol!

Sabrina:)

I had my first unfill a year ago today. Since then, I have spent the year trying to get to a good restriction level for me and trying to learn not to depend on the band so much. The first six months proved very difficult for me, at one point I gained 14 pounds in three weeks with an unfill!!! On top of that, I've had major port problems. I decided that until I could get to OCC to have the port fixed, I'd stop getting fills so for the past five months I have been doing my best, trying to make good choices, just living my life really. This time (after learning my lesson the hard way with that earlier 14 pound gain) I have only fluctuated up and down the same five pounds the entire time.

I consider this a huge success. I know that when I gave up on diets in the past, I could (and did) gain up to 50 pounds back in five months. At the end of the day, with all the ups and downs, I am still 26 pounds less today than I was a year ago today!!! I didn't realize that until I was adjusting my ticker right now. I had been feeling like this year was pretty much a write-off so that makes me so happy! If I can do that with all the problems I've had, imagine what I can do now that my port is fixed and I can get fills again? I'm so excited!

Sabrina:)

Cindy-Lou, you said it! The band is like my mom used to be when I was a kid, watching over me as I eat, saying "are you sure you need to eat all that?". Except I don't resent the band for the reminder, lol! I appreciate it. I have eating issues and if I didn't, I would not have a band- I would just do weight watchers. The proof is in my ticker below. Every time I am unfilled, I gain a small amount of weight back but I still have much better habbits than I did pre-band...it has forced me to really look at my realtionship with food and make healthy changes. When I "quit" diets before I would gain all my weight back plus more. Maybe one day my relationship with food will be so solid that I won't need to rely on the band, but right now I am getting my money's worth from the investment I made while slowly changing a lifetime of bad habits.

Sabrina:)

FYI- for anyone else considering relocating their port- recovery from this surgery is harder than the recovery after getting the lap-band. I had it moved MOnday night, flew home Tuesday night, have been caring for my two kids and my niece and nephew (3,5,6,7 year-olds) all week and, boy, I think I have over-done it. My tummy is black and blue....I look like I've been man-handled pretty good and I am EXHAUSTED. Again, this might be because I am so sensitive to pain meds and going under (was under more than an hour) but I'm thrilled with the result. I can't see or feel my port. In fact, I don't know if blind fills will be possible anymore because there is no way of knowing where the port is. It is much deeper and much smaller than the old one. Dr. Martinez insists my local fill doc will be able to find it. We'll see. Back to work Sunday, let's hope I feel better by then.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sabrina:)

No, not icluded. The price recently went up from $695 to #1395 plus hotsl and transpotaion. I stayed at the clinc since I didn't want to pay for hotel two nights. Buying bus transoptation is very convenient for me so I Paid $130 usd for that. They gave me the new lower-profile port! NO golf ball bump under my boobs now!

Sabrina:)