GirlBarb

Unless people are blind, they will see a huge difference, keep it up you are looking great

There is one part of drinking while eating that hasn't been addressed: If you drink, you dilute the stomache acids that aid in proper digestion of your foods.

Hang in there, we have all gone thru the dreaded "Bandster Hell"! It is that time between surgery and your first GOOD fill. I say GOOD fill because it took 3 fills for me to even know what restriction felt like. I was banded 6-6-08 and did not get restriction until late August. Then my body went into a platue!!! But all and all, the band is such a help. It will keep you from binging. I have only lost 40 pounds, but someone who got banded with me has lost OVER 100 so far. Listen to your body and keep doing what you are doing, you might have lost a ton of inches, how do your clothes feel? Keep up the good work and I hope you get a good fill on the 3rd.

Mona THANK YOU THANK YOU Your post is just what I needed to hear. I think that I have lost the least amount of weight of the 5 ladies I keep in touch with since meeting them on banding day in TJ. I was down to 170 in Sept and stayed there until last month when I dropped 5 pounds, but I think that I gained most of the 5 back by being discouraged and eating too much "cheating the band with chocolate and cheesecake" I am so down on myself for "sneak eating" behind my suporive hubby's back! I have been so good at staying away from that crap until now. I felt like a loser....but in the wrong way. Your post has motivated me to let the band work in it's own time and to just do my part. I needed that boost right now and you have given it to me. I will also go back to logging to food intake and my nutritionist has also reccomended me getting my BMR taken to determine calorie intake.

Mine were a DD on Surgery day and now I am between a C-D and I love it. They feel so comfortable in my clothes and when I sleep or lounge on the coach. My friend lost 165lbs and calls her boobs: "bananas"

Wow, I liked all the honesty in this post. Here is mine: My husband is proud of my for loosing the weight, although I have more to go. He also didn't notice that I was as big as I was when I got banded. He said so when he looked at the TJ pictures before surgery. My BIGGEST fear weakness that causes problems is that I stop focus on the band lifestyle change, I slip back to old habbits and thinking when anything and I mean anything disrupts my attention I am back to square one and have to get motivated all over again, and in the meanwhile, I gain weight. example: I am planning a move and my focus is on everthing except me. I don't seem to mind until I realize that I have all the steam and motivation to continue with the new way of life that helped me loose the weight post banding is gone as if it never happened, I even forget it is there 90% of the time. But it freaks me out that I can't keep the band lifestyle going. I want to exercise and don't becasue my feet hurt and I get body aches that discurage me doing what I should. I look to food for comfort and it works for the time being, but I know that this is going to hurt me worse in the long run and I will only feel worse. Why do I do this to myself?? Why do I listen to what ever is throwing me off goal and not to my loving voice of reason? I'm not trusting myself at all today, because I have been out of control. I wish I could be better to myself. On the brighter side, writting this post is helping me get back on track, thank you all for listening. Barb

I can go weeks without slimming and start to think that maybe I need a fill because everything is going down too good and too much. Then bam!! Something like rice or bread or a tiny piece of really good chewed meat will get stuck. Last week I had the worst ever, it lasted for 3.5 hours and I slimmed the thick clear mucus in the amount of three full cups before my band release the food to my stomache! I was ready to go to the hospital when it finally stopped. I stayed on liquids for a full two days after that. My band is very unpredictable, with exception to a few things that will not go down, eating is a bit scary. no ground hamburger...steak is okay no hard boiled eggs...soft boiled or watered down scrambled are okay no to bread no to rice whole wheat pasta is okay no fish with a chewy texture YES to eating other healthy things and losing weight, being off BP meds and fitting in a size 8 stretch jeans YEAH

Lori Becky knows how to do this, just give her a call. How do I reach her, how do I get her telephone number? I looked on the home page and didn't see her there. Barb

lisa, thanks for the encouragment, I also looked at your photo gallery and was blown away with you! You are one of the few bandsters that hang in there for us, it seems that 99% of the people are new and then after a few months they disaper. Thank you for suporting us all. Barb

What do any of you know about writting off the medical costs of the band on our taxes?

Just last night I had a dream that food was falling from the sky and everyone had grocery carts and they were running around picking it up off the ground, it was all processed foods.

Thanks so much for letting me know about your experiences with the product. The cost is the biggest issue for me. Since Sept 08 I have not lost any weight and have even gained 5 pounds. I was looking for a jump start that might get me going in the right direction again. I like the idea of going to a health food store and getting the products cheaper. Barb

I have been hearing so much about the health benifits of this program, does anyone know anything about it? Three people that take it swear that they feel so much younger in many ways. I was told it was a drink that you have 1 or 2 times a day and some other items you can purchas like cleans or waffers for appitatite control? No I do not sell it or have I bought it yet, I think that it is sold sort of like a piramid business. Barb

Hi Trina, Can I ask you a question? What does it feel like when you know you are full? Another ? Do you ever slime? I stopped losing in Aug. Going for a fill today at 3 pm I have about 1.5-1.7 in my band. All I think about is eating. when I was losing weight and inches, it kept me motivated, but I am going back to wanting to lean on food for everything. Barb

Thanks for the kind words, I have been going through a bad patch and not measuring, the whole band thing was (fun and exciting) at first. Now that I am not changing weight or sizes, it's feels like a diet once more. I need ot get the band around my brain. I am so sorry if this sounds negative...I am in a funk It may even be my hormones, I am waiting to get results from what was drawn on Monday. Barb

Hi Trina, Can I ask you a question? What does it feel like when you know you are full? Another ? Do you ever slime? I stopped losing in Aug. Going for a fill today at 3 pm I have about 1.5-1.7 in my band. All I think about is eating. when I was losing weight and inches, it kept me motivated, but I am going back to wanting to lean on food for everything. Barb

I too could use OA, I am having serious issues with emotional hunger. I feel like I failed because I still want to eat all the time. I lost over thirty pounds between June and Aust...it got me to my half way point, and since then, I not only haven't lost, but have acctually gained five back. I am not liking myself at all and that only makes it harder to what I need to do and get the rest of the weight off. I am going for a fill today and wonder if that is what I really need or if I am asking too much of the band? Thanks for listening to my problems, depressed Barb

B- 1 t butter 2 eggs 1 cup fresh spinach cooked soft L- 3-4 ounces chedder cheese 10-12 whole walnuts D- 3 ounces of turkey 2 T mayo 1/2 cup icburge lettuce Drinks - 20 gram protien drink 40 oz water 3 cups of coffee

Wow Kimmy, I never haerd that before. I know that they like you at the goal weight or very close, but not 6 months out! Can you get another consult? Barbara By the way, you look great. All your hard work is paying off!!

i was banded in June 08 and my big one is a little raised and is rosie pink. b

those are the things that keep me motivated, I hate back fat! I don't know if mine will ever go away??? I do know that at different weights, different body parts shrink, I have seen this happen to my friend, she can tell exactly what will melt away next according to her scale. For her, the chest, upper back area are the last to go. interesting, b

3-4 weeks for me, the longer that they are on, the better...don't look at them or you'll want to pick at them. b

Hi, I am 5'6" and 55 years old. I weighed in on surgery date at 207. I am about 172 and fit into size 10 stretch jeans. Dr Miranda put me on her fancy scale and said I should weigh in the low 140's. This was a surpise for me because I have been told by multiple doctors that I will never be a thin person. b

Hi Alexandra, I am so sorry to hear that you got sick and needed medical attention. But I am glad that you are taking care of yourself. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us all, we can watch out for too much restriction if we get sick. You are a beautiful, sweet lady and I wish you would share your before and after pictures with the group, the transformation is amazing!!!! I was looking at our pictures from the OCC just yesterday and the changes are remarkable. Hugs, your girlfriend, Barbara

Has anyone ever had their pouch stretch out and need to take action because of it? Has anyone heard of anyone having the pouch stretch out too much to work on anyone else? Does the right fill prevent this from happening? Just curious because I have never heard of it happening???? Barbara