mona-camille

Well, if you can't get enough fluid in, then you need an unfill for sure!!

My very first thought at seeing a slim person get banded used to be negative. Until I stopped to realize, why wait until problems occur you have health issues that will cost not only a fortune in money but years off your life. Now, my thinking is, great, good for you, nip that sucker in the bud BEFORE it gets bad. DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn't that what preventative healthcare and HMO's are all about? Yeah, and yet, they still won't pay for the surgery most of the time, and then only if you are already huge or very sick. How hypocritical! So, go get it done and if you get a hard time from someone, explain you are just trying to nip all those future problems in the bud before they happen. Thats all it took for me to realize that and shut my big mouth!

You knjow, that is exactly what I am going to do because at this point, I don't know what the heck to eat. Also, I think I am going to take a copy if that to the fill doctor I am going to next week. Maybe I can get a diet plan. I'm someone who needs a diet plan. Jot just, eat 3 servings of this or 3 servings of that, I need real menus. I am just so confused on what to eat. Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. Especially Phoenix for all that research you did, you are so sweet and helpful to me. I really appreciate that. And Lisa, you too are right. The pants ARE big. I even tried on some of the 24's that were my sisters and they are tight, but I got them closed. Course, I couldn't breathe, but I got them closed. I am also anxious to step on a differnet scale. Maybe mine is crap! ANd I could see that since my life revolves around crap, LOL!

I would say, on average, I drink at least 3 flavored water bottles per day. That would be in addition to my protein shake. THink I should do more?

Thanks so much!!!!!! Go check it out friends, new topics to keep more organized. Clothing exchange and not band related for fun friendship stuff! Also, anyone who wants to post pics of clothes and doesn't know how, you can e-mail them to me and I'll do it for you. Just use: ramona29@rcn.com

First - the good news. If you want to call it that. I found the perfect instant weight loss tool - by accident!! It goes like this: spend a great deal of quality time in the bathroom do this as many times as possible in one the span of 5 hours don't eat or drink for fear of NEVER leaving the bathroom And last, step on that dreaded ugly monster scale and look at it! VOILA!! 2 pounds gone! Who says this weight loss thing is hard! Heck, I'm gonna try this every day! I should be to goal in no time, LOL!!! NOT!!!!!!! And now a note about my sister - she's the one who was banded here in the states, you know, the one I am green with jealousy over because she is losing weight nicely. Well, made a trip to the emergency room due to some severe pain in her abdomen. Turns out she has an infected port and will need to have it replaced. She remembers her last fill and how he had to dog around quite a bit to find the port so that was probably where it happened. So she is on massive doses of 2 antibiotics until monday when she goes to her surgeon. She was initially afraid it was her apendix. So, thats been my exciting day. And now, I think I have to go and drop another pound or so, LOL!!!!!! it's always goes back to poop talk!

You're sweet, thanks!! Suicide at 40? That is so very sad! I am so sorry for you and for her. Suicide is so tragic. My sister has some kind of breathing disease. Basically, her trachea grew closed. They never did learn why or where or how or anything. She was the only one who ever had such a thing. She was studied extensively at May clinic and even they couldn't figure it out. Eventually, she just stopped breathing. She never wanted to liver her life on a ventilator, so we had no choice but to let her go. Well, not quite that simply, she was in a coma for 6 weeks first and then suddenly just went completely brain dead. So, that was that. I will never stop missing her. I'm sure it is the same for you! My brother in law called, turns out her port is infected! All that pain for an infected port. They are sending her home with antibiotics and told to call her batiatric Doctor monday morning. They are pretty sure it has to be replaced. THey figure it must have gotten infected when she got a fill. Kind of scary. Haven't heard that happen to anyone yet, but it can. So, she will be fine. Thanks for caring and holding my hand!!!

CRAP!! My brother in law just called and he took my sister to the hospital this morning. Been having some unusual pains in her abdomen below her port area (hers is on the right) and today they just got worse. My sister is not a complainer, so when she mentions it, that means she needs a doctor. She said it isn't like any gas pain she has ever had before, or cramps, just an unusual type of pain. So far they said the lap band is fine and so is her gall bladder. But she is going for a cat scan next to check her apendix. A little worried, but I am sure it will be ok. So, understandlibly, she won't be here today. Just hope she is ok. Just always get a little freaked out (thats so easy for me to do) since we lost our other sister at the age of 42. I only have 2 left and I want to keep them! Oh geez, just as I typed that, I realized that she too is now 42. What the heck???

If anyone wants to posts pics of clothing and doesn't know how or doesn't have an on-line photo account, you are welcome to send them to me and I can post the pics for you. That is, if you want to post pics. Not sure we need to do that with everything, but if so, I can help. Just use my regular e-mail account of: ramona29@rcn.com My sister is coming over to my house shortly wanting me to post her outgrown clothes on e-bay but I am going to try to talk her into joining up here. Selling on e-bay can be a pain and why not exchange since she needs new sizes too! She is the one who was banded in the states and that I am very jealous of, LOL!!! So, hopefully, we can get her in on the action too!

Have a safe trip and good luck and WISHING YOU GREAT RESTRICTION!!!

Good for you, you look great and can definitely see a difference.

Good for you, thats great!!!

Defeated. Thats exactly how I feel, defeated. I want to cry, but I refuse! I weight 265. I've gained. My pants shrunk, but I have gained. I am walking between 7-10 miles a day and eating right but I have gained. I know, I know, I am building muscle from walking and muscle weighs more than fat, but this is still very hard to take. Here is a sample of what I ate yesterday and is indicitive of what I eat most days. ( I avey the meat and veggies but basically I keep it the same) 1 cup of coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 (my only fat indulgance) 1 GNC 100% whey protein shake 1 string cheese (sometimes 2 depending on how much I walk) 2 of those prepackages fruit cups (1 for lunch 1 for dinner) 1 single serve flavored tuna with 5 whole wheat crackers 1 ground turkey patti (sometimes 2 depending on how much I walk) 1 cup mixed vegetables and 3 times a week I have a glass of orange juice that I have to take with my iron pill On the days I do EXTRA walking, I get much hungrier so I usually eat more protein The only thing I drink is flavored water with no calores, fat or sugar. Now, of course, that one week when I had good restriction from my fill, all I had was a 1/4 cup of meat 3 times a day, or one of those Gerber Graduates meals because they are tiny but have all the necessary veggies/meat/carbs in them. I go for that 3rd fill Wednesday and am very hopeful. But I am absolutely open to anyone who has any suggestions. Spell out a meal plan for me if you want, I will try it. Just make it very simple. See, this is why I call that scale an UGLY SCARY RUDE MEAN MONSTER! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

But I rock! I had 28,000 steps yesterday before I crawled into bed. And my legs are sore! That is 14 miles!!!! Geesh, no wonder I didn't get anything done at work yesterday. We took too many steps, LOL!!! If you remember, I'm the one in that walking contest and am terribly competetive. Last time we did it 5 years ago, my team won. This time we are in 12th spot out of 66 teams. So, We have a huge task to complete if we have any hope of winning. Got to get this big ole butt in gear!!!!!!!

Looks like it was you huh? Thanks so much!!!!!

Hey, good idea. Why not go post this is the new topic area? Our wish was granted and there are 2 new topics!

You have such a nice smile, I think thats a perfect fit!

I was never much of a drinker with meals my whole life. So, I thought it would be easy for me. Boy, was I wrong. Since I've been told I can't, now I want!! How crazy is that? But what I do, is right before I eat, Itake a few good sips of ice cold flavored water and that really helps. Then I don't drink anything for an hour. Obviously it is a mental thing with me since it was fine all along til I was told no. But, that just made it harder. Yeah, I know - I'm whacked!

Oh the horrible bloat lasted for weeks on me! It was yucky. But with time, it will pass.

Good luck with your adventure! You'll get lots of info here.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH cutie, you can most definitely see a difference girl! Wow, good for you, you rock!!!! You are doing absolutely fantastic!!!! And you are right, those clothes are tooooo big, so, e-mail me your address, I got some 24's from my sister. I'll send them to you. But, are you sure you are a 24? YOu look msaller than that!

Good luck!!!! I hope this works out for you!!!!!!!

Yes, take gatorade, that is very important!!!!! The doctors wanted me to drink 3 gatorades and 3 diluted apple juices a day, in addition to sipping constantly. And about the weather, it's weird. I have been there in March, May and June and all 3 times the weather has been a perfect 70's. One time, a week before I got there, it was in the high 90's, but I think that was a fluke. I actually did some research on the their weather and September is considered the hottest. Go to weather.com the day you are ready to pack and you can see the 10 day on there.

Don't write them, get one of those on-line logs, like SparkPeople.com, it is so easy to keep track of what you eat using that!

Even e-bay. My sister has gotten some gorgeous items for under $5.00