i know there are the usual people who support this board.  i know many of you are lurking out there.  you cant support yourself w silence.  (ok off the soapbox)

Right now I am at 3.6cc in a 10cc band. 

• When you say you know what restriction is what do you mean? 
• When you feel "full" or like you know you can't eat anymore where do you feel full - throat/chest area or stoma?

does anyone vblog? i enjoy watching others videos.  I found lapbandking.com (funny)

Since my insurance doesnt pay for any of this: $125 a visit. I have a contract for the unlimited fills - 1 yr (as of July07, $250 pre pd)

does anyone have a reaction when they get a fill?  every time i get fill, i feel faint.  i have tried to eat at least 2 hrs prior.  the fill does not hurt.  i get the local shot then the fill.  yet i can not get up and just leave after drinking my water.  not sure what is the real problem.  could be scared since i am by myself.  when getting a fill, does the new fill go in and the doc withdrawal "all" to measure and put back the saline?  just wondering what others go through. 
i have an up coming visit on 3/18.  i would like a fill.  i know if Dr. Peters agrees, i will have this reaction.  i have had it every time i have gotten a fill. 

Lkng for a wrkout partner.  Anyone belong to Kirkwood Fitness?  Anybody doing upcoming 5Ks? www.races2run.com

Ceil

So What. . . . and your point is????

May be boring reading to some.  To others is could be connecting their thoughts.

Taking stock of how i got here:

Right now I am at 3.6cc in a 10cc band. 
When you say you know what restriction is what do you mean? 
When you feel "full" or like you know you can't eat anymore where do you feel full - throat/chest area or stoma?

I get full on just a few bites of dense protein.  I mean really uncomfortable in the throat/upper chest area.  I stop eating when I know I better but I swear it doesn't take 60-90 minutes until I am really hungry - not head hunger - tummy growling hunger.  I have been so used to eating the slider stuff that I haven't lost any weight for quite a while.  I haven't gained any either but am sure that is due to exercise and can't possibly last forever.  It's an easy habit to form and a horrible one to break.

Since my insurance doesnt pay for any of this: $125 a visit. I have a contract for the unlimited fills - 1 yr (as of July07, $250 pre pd)

Lkng for a wrkout partner.  Anyone belong to Kirkwood Fitness?

Full for me is:
not finishing my plate
not waiting for the food to "back up" in my throat
not waiting for the uncomfortable feeling
is stopping when the hunger pains stop
is stopping immediately when I feel that one bite that says, "if you go any further, you'll feel stuck."

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies.  ~Author Unknown Ceil
So What. . . . and your point is????

Where is everyone?  I see a few of the oldies here but not as many as when I first had the surgery.  I haven't been able to get to meetings so I don't know how everyone is doing these days.  It would be nice if you could drop in and say hi.....e-world is nice and warm...just the way I like it. 

I guess I go first since I am the one creating this post.  I am still battling post herpatic neurogolia....which I have had for almost 2 years now...too many narcotics for my liking and its all because I can't take the other meds due to the RNY.  One good thing is I have lost weight - YEAH - all that stressing over a few pounds.  I will say exercise helps.  I don't do as much as I did before but I still do some.  I find my eating habits are weird these days.  I think I kicked the chocolate habit but now all I want is veggies.  Love Lima Beans......Tim has been a great supporter even on my bad pain days he is so patient and understanding.  Gotta love the man for that...he put up with me at 425 lbs. and now at 209 lbs and all drugged up he still manages to want to be around me.  I am still working which in these times is a good thing.  Looking at trying for a promotion.  I am working with some very knowledgeable people and I so enjoy learning.  The Aircraft we build and sell are awesome.  I did training on it this past year and it was a lot of fun.  So where do I go from here.  I need to get my butt in gear and get back to support groups to hear about other items to eat, how people are coping with stressors, and what they are doing for exercise.  Another learning experience I guess you could say. 

So you guessed it...Yes its your turn.  Looking forward to your replies and hearing from all the people that I miss so much

Hugs and Fleece Blankets
Debbie

Hi Debbie,
It's great to see you pop in from time to time.  I can really relate to your "father time" theme and the fact that time and the surgery changes all of us.  I am ever grateful for having the surgery and losing the weight, but with that came some not so good changes that I must deal with every day.  Although my obesity related co-morbidities have either gone or been significantly reduced, age and irreversible disease processes still haunt me every day; osteoarthritis in my back, hip, and ankles, rheumatoid arthritis that so far only affects my hands and feet, chronic low iron/anemia that makes me feel wiped out most of the day, and the newest diagnosis of Raynaud's Disease.  Even though the weight loss has enabled me to be more active and mobile, the RA, OA, and RD severely limits what I can and can't do.  The fatigue makes me look like a lazy slacker, but when I just don't have the energy to do something, I have to depend on family to do things for me.  I feel like I traded one bad for another.  That alone makes me depressed which carries it's own set of issues.  I just feel like I am trapped in a vicious cycle that can't be broken.  I am young and in my mind, I *want* to be able to do for myself but I just can't, or I have to stop before the task is complete and wait for someone to fini**** for me.  Most of the time, it never gets done---they have lives to live too.

My heating pad is my best friend since the narcotic pain relievers just make me loopy. They take the edge off but I'd rather not take them.  I can't go winter camping any more because of the Raynaud's...sustained oxygen depletion from the fingers and toes can cause tissue damage and I could lose them.  I can't even carry food from the freezer to the kitchen without my fingers going dead on me.  My big toes are already permanently damaged and are numb all the time.  Not much can be done about that except to be extra cautious and protect them from the cold that I can't even feel.

In summary, the weight loss has added years to my life but the other health problems that persist make me feel like I am 80 years old sometimes. It's very depressing.  I DO take advantage of my mobility and get around and am more active but I have to limit myself.  I have never had to place physical limits on myself and that is very difficult to cope with.

My food issues are easy...I know when I've been bad and correct myself.  I might gain 10 pounds because I felt like being a pig but getting back to basics puts me back in the right place.
Keep dropping in and posting....we love hearing from you.

Debbie, I found out about the local's package at Francis Scott Key  last year from a friend at church. I took my grandkids there last year for their Birthday.  It was cheaper than a party and they loved it. They each got to take 2 friends with them. I have 3 responses so far. See you lighter. Joanne