Bobbi

Mona really missed you, so glad you are back. The place I go to get my fills say the same thing, stick with one fill center or doctor. The last fill I had was 1 full unit that take me up to 2.4, and I to feel restriction, water going down and the food going down. Kind of cool. Hope this will work for you. By the way the e-mail you sent me for my input on you sight I can not open it up. Could be just me got a new laptop computer and got rid of the old dinasour I had. Bobbi

Just love Clynn's response, wish I could have thought of that when all the supervisors at work told me I took the easy way. I tried to keep it a secret at work but some how it got out, boy was I upset!!!! Just wanted to clobber someone.

As Karen said you may want to talk to your doctors. My weight loss is going very slow but steady. I am a diabetic, but was taken off all medication about a month a go. I do feel so much better now. I was banded in March of this year. As you continue to loose weight it is important to keep a close check on your diabetes and any medications you are taking. The band will help in time and you should see an improvement with your diabetes. Wish you luck!!! Bobbi

I had bad diarreha too. I took immodium and that helped right away. Took benefiber in liquid too. This will perk you up and stop all the running to the bathroom. Oh I remember well! Take care.

Big Daddy This is the place to come for answers to any questions you have about lapband. I pretty much investigated both surgeries (gastric to lap band). I decided lap band was the way for me. Less evasive and less expensive, not to mention some of the medical problems that come along with gastric by pass. All I can say from my experience is it was the best decision for me. As a lot of people know here in the forum, I have lost a lot of wieght, gone from wearing a size 34 down to 22 to 20. I am no longer on any medication for diabetes or hypertension. I still am wearing my mask at night for sleep apnea, but in a few more months I will be off of that too. Two children and overweight, you need to take care of yourself first, then the rest of your living will fall in line. The one thing I can not express more is get some counseling too. This will help in finding the problem areas that you have in your eating. I wish you all the luck, and you will eventually come up with what is best for you.

Mona - So sorry to hear of your issue with the lapband. I have only had two small fills, I have 1.6cc in my band right now. Like eveyone else I have my tight days and not so tight days. It's just a roller coaster ride and all of us are different. I know whatever I say will not help you, but keep up with the new attitude of looking thin, feeling thin and acting thin, it can't really hurt. My thought and prayers are with you.

I had a physical today, saw my Primary Care for the first time since last November. He knew I was going for the Lapband just didn't know when. I got my blood work up done about 2 weeks ago and the nurse called for to set the appointment. When I got there today I waited in the waiting room, the nurse came out and called my name. I got up and all she said is "Is that really you Bobbi". Made my day. I got to the scale which has always been my enemy, stepped on and Oh my goodness another 5 pound lost since my last time on the scale. The Dr came into the room and was very surprised too. All in all I had a real good talk with him about the lapband, and my goals for the future. My blood work came back excellent. No more insuline for the diabetes, no more meds for the hypertension and no more meds for the asthma. I feel like a new person and have such a better out look on life today thanks to my lapband. Before I get off for the night just one added jabbed that made my day. I wear a lab coat at work, mine was a 4X, but you know what it has just been getting larger and larger (oh wait a minute maybe I am getting smaller), anyway I asked my boss if I could try her coat on (hers is a size 2X), she said go ahead and guess what hers was even to large. I asked my manager to please order me up some smaller coats. I just had a great day all around and wanted to share it with everyone else.

I have watched Young and the Restless since it began many many years ago. I DVR it now a days so I don't have to work swingshift. My other favorites are 2 1/2 Men, NCIS, CSI, Criminal Minds and House. During the fall and early winter Seattle Seahawks Football, never miss a game.

No Ping for me, but boy the gas on the south end can really be dangerous. I have more gas now then I did before banding. Oh well, I get the bed all to myself, husband and cats just leave the room.

I do what Denise does a manicure and pedicure, it makes me really sexy.

I keep a food diary, so here is a typical day for me. B. Light Fat Free Yogurt/ Protein Bar (I buy these at Walmart they are called Pure Protein). L. Salad with a vinergrette dressing, 3 oz protein (I work in a fish plant so have protein available to me at all times) Anwhere from shrimp, tilapia, pollock, cod, halibut, crab you name it, we have it. I love it when we do the salmon burgers, 25 grams protein and 180 calories per burger. D. Salad with a vinergrette dressing, vegie (squash, cauliflower, brocolli, whatever I have available to me) and a protein, chicken, pork or seafood. Mostly seafood. Can't take in beef anymore. Snack Milk with 2 graham crackers. I try to fit in 2 fruits throughout the day.

You look wonderful, congrats on all the hard work. It is really paying off.

Okay so I have been banded now for almost 5 months, I have been following the eating guide you know protien, vegies, fruit then ..... Well anyways last night I was in the dulldrums, just finished with doing the exercises and it hit me, I was all alone in the house. My youngest moved out about 2 weeks ago and my husband works nights. Getting to the point. I wanted to eat and real bad anything I could find. I remember my husband's big jar of Hershey's cany bars, all I could think of was getting to that jar. Found the footstool, found the hiding spot and low and behold a big beautiful jar of chocolate. Now remember, I have been very good, no cheating, I want my band to work for me. I opened the jar and this putrid smell emmitted out of it, this is the stuff I use to use for my dull drums, (who have I been kidding). Man I had to shut the lid fast, the smell from the chocolate just about made me head for the bathroom. The reason I am telling you this is because...The band is helping me adjust to eating the right foods. I can no longer eat bread, rice or even a whole potatoe. I use to eat and eat and eat. I could eat a whole loaf of bread in one night, a whole bag of Hershey's Minitures, a whole bag of the largest chips. A little at a time, my mind and body are adjusting to band life and you know what "I LOVE IT!" I can say that instead of the chocolate bars, I ended up eating a small garden salad and it made me feel so much better.

Hi I am 50, was on numerous medications for... High blood pressure 2 different kinds of med for that, asthma 4 different kinds, Diabetes on 150 -175 units daily of insulin, allergies 1 type for that. They gave me meds to protect the kidneys and liver. What more can I say I was a walking talking breathing pharmacy. I can actually say now the Dr's have removed me from all meds. With the weight loss and exercise and am feeling so much better. But, I still have the challenge of loosing weight, with my addiction to food. This will take time.

You are just smoking!

Hi Painter - I have been on the low carb since I got banded. I stay with the 1st stage of the South Beach Diet. I am in my early 50's so I know what you mean. Weight does not come off very easy. I have pumped up my excersises now. I walk 3-4 miles every other day and do arobics everyday except Sunday. I just know that this will take some time to loose the weight, so am just enjoying the ride. I feel so much better these days then I did a year ago. I say whatever we can do to help our band work for us, go for it. Bobbi

Was reading on the internet that they are going to tie it all up. The new season will start after the new year. Too long for me. I just want to really find out what happen to Sun's husband. And why the dr and Freckles never married.

Julie - You really need to get in and see the Dr asap. This issue is not one to sluff off. I was having the lows too, went in and saw the dr, he took me off of all insulin. The way I am eating has it under control. Best of luck and take care of yourself you deserve it. See the dr okay Bobbi

Banded March 24, 2008 53 pounds That makes about 11 pounds month.

I had the same issue after getting banded. I was crushing up my blood pressure meds too. I finally realized it was my body getting use to the band. Something new in the system and your body will react. It took me a few weeks to adjust, but now it is just a part of me. I hope that this is the problem with you. If you still do not feel like you are getting any better go to the doctors. They can address your problem. Best of luck. Bobbi

I hit my low point last October when the eye doctor told me I would loose my eyesight in the next few years if i didn't get the diabetes under control. I couldn't loose weight no matter what I did at 305 pounds, I couldn't even walk down the side walk without loosing my breath. I am a diabetic at the time I was taking 175 units of insulin a day. Taking meds for hypertension, asthma and allergies. What a mess I was. I started looking into gastric bypass, but to much could go wrong. Found out about the lapband and started investigating this. Had my surgery March 24 of this year and have been on the down slide now. All I can say is I LOVE MY BAND!!! 2 months after surgery I am off all meds(YEH!!!) Whatever you decision, if you do have the band we are all here to help answer question or just help bring you up when you are down. We have a bunch of wonderful people!! Bobbi

Oh girl - Go down or have someone go down to the store and get Imodium AD Liquid this should help. I had the same problem for about a week after banding this stuff helped me out. Then when you start on solids again you may have the reversal effect. This is not great either. But once you body adjust to the band everything will get back to normal. You will start feeling better soon. Just remember to drink enough liquids and walk, the walking helped me a lot even if it was just down the block and back home. Everyone is different. Only time will tell. Again sip, sip, sip and walk, walk, walk. Best of luck Bobbi

Shasha - I am an overeater. I was banded at the end of March, as Kittykat says it is not a magic band. I went through over a year of counseling before I got banded. I had to find out what triggered my binges. I can not stress the importants of seeking out help for the addiction before the band. I still once in awhile want to overeat, tonight has been a toughy for me. But as time goes by the overeating has subsided. I have it under control for the most part. It is very easy to eat around the band if you want to, and then the band is not doing the work you wanted it to. Eating around means drinking while eating, this washes the food right through, eating high calorie easy foods, milk shakes, puddings, ice cream and the such. This is a life long commitment to get better, loose weight and not let food control you. But, you can now control food. Best of luck Bobbi

Mona - You look fantastic. You can definately see the changes. Your back end is gone. Keep it up! Thanks for the pictures. Bobbi

My hair is still falling out by the handfuls, I am taking Biotin now, washing my hair with Nioxin, doing whatever I can to help. My hairdresser told me not to worry to much, she herself has lost a lot of hair due to weight loss. When she got to her weight she is at now, she has gorgeous hair. She will keep my hair below the sholders, I will go in about every 6-8 weeks to get it trimmed. Nothing more I can do, hair loss or weight loss. I will take weight loss for now.