ValleyGirl

...by the way, that is a shadow behind my butt, I don't have big lump on my ass, lol!

After seeing this photo, I've decided I really really really want a tummy tuck and breast-lift. The rest is fine, but you can see that everything is just hanging from my breasts to the top of my thighs. Ughhh!!!

Carrie, Do you guys have Jugo Juice or Booster Juice where you are? I'll bet one of their frozen yogurt protein shakes would taste just as good as a Blizzard. I had one a while ago and it really was like dessert!!! Thanks for chiming in. Sabrina:)

I actually loosen during my tom- but this wasn't my TOM- just a random night where I could eat and eat and eat...and did! I guess what worries me (besides stretching my pouch) is the fact that I KNOW I ate because of feeling deprived. Because I physically can't eat most days, I go overboard, or make up for lost time, when I CAN. I think this is precisely why all diets have failed for me in the past. I would stick to the program for as long as it took to get to my goal, and the minute I got there, I'd start rewarding myself (really sabotaging myself) for all my hard work with all the foods I had missed so much. The pounds came back fast and furious every time. I'm scared to fall back in to this pattern. I want to feel like even if something happened to my band, that I have enough self-control to do this thing once and for all. How do you get there???? I guess if you knew, you might not need to be banded. Has anyone got there, where you feel like you make good choices 99% of the time? I wouldn't say I'm an emotional eater, but I would say that I am a rebel. A soon as somebody says I can't do something/have something I want it more!!! Thoughts? Sabrina:)

Wow Lisa! I didn't know you had your tt at 200 pounds...I'm 183 now and feel like it would make a HUGE difference for me. I thought I'd have to wait until I wasn't technically overweight anymore . I'll post a pic soon and when you see it, I think you'd agree that I have a slender face, arms, legs, even my collarbone is sticking out, yet the skin on my boobs and tummy is so stretched out- it's just hanging there and seriously has to be "tucked in" to a good bra, spanx etc. I hope I can find a way to do this sooner rather than later. On another note, I'd be interested to hear what kind of training one needs to work in your industry. I've been a radio broadcaster most of my adult life (perefct job for hiding out behind a mic where nobody can see what you actually look like) but as the pounds melt away, I'm really getting my confidence back and am looking forward to re-entering the work force when my kids start school more or less full time in the fall. I've been thinking about a career change and find it interesting to talk to people like you that love what you do. For years, I loved my industry but I really feel ready for a change right now. Plus, I suppose I'll need a full time job to pay for all the PS I want, lol! Sabrina:)

So, since my fourth fill (and even after an unfill) I still can't eat more than a few tablespoons at a time without feeling that horrible crushing in my chest. Although I feel totally satisfied with that small amount of food, I can't warp my head around not eating more than that. I start feeling so sorry for myself (especially if I'm at a restaurant and can't enjoy what I've ordered). I know the purpose of the band is to help you feel full on less- but I still get frustrated when I want to eat and can't. Anyway, over the past seven months, there have been a handful of days where my band seems to loosen right up and I can eat and eat and eat and never feel the signs of getting full. There are so few of these days that I know exactly when they were (once when I went for crab legs in Florida in February, once at a family bbq in June and LAST NIGHT). When I "open up" like this, I can't control myself. I feel like I need to make up for lost time- that I better eat NOW `cause I might not be able to later. I started with almost a cup of gumbo (which actually was enough to feel satisfied) and when I noticed the chicken and shrimp and sausage were ALL going down okay (I usually can't eat any flesh even if it's in soup or sauce) I thought, "maybe I'll try that delicious-looking meatloaf I couldn't eat at the restaurant and brought home three days ago!). I just wanted to eat it because it was there and looked so good...I wasn't hungry. I slowly ate the whole piece. I was shocked that it went down too...and there was NO discomfort at all. I knew it was one of those rare days (no rhyme or reason) that my band was giving me a break. I proceeded to eat about a half a bag of Smart Pop and a bunch of baby carrots with dilly dip! Oh yeah, three of my son's TRANSFORMERS freezies too! My husband and kids were out of town so it was a big eating party that only I was invited to! I wasn't depressed (in fact more relaxed than usual) so I wasn't emotional eating- just eating because I COULD. Of course, this morning the scale was up and, worse, I'm worried that eating so much could have stretched my pouch. Can you do that without feeling any pressure from eating? I could see it stretching when you have the stuffed feeling but keep eating anyway, but I seriously felt like there was no band in there. There is no moral to this story. I guess I just needed to come clean. I feel better now (outiside of my worry about pouch-stretching). Thanks for listening! Sabrina:)

Well, I want the same ring, but I wouldn't mind a bigger daimond Another thing that doesn't fit anymore is the hat I'm wearing in this pic. Did my head shrink??? Sabrina:)

http://www.northwestfills.com.

If you fly to Vancouver, you can drive 2-hours to Northwest Fill Management in Washington. They're nurses, not doctors, but they offer fluoro. Sabrina:)

Interesting about yuor bracelet Lisa...my wedding ring doesn't fit anymore! Sabrina:)

Yes, your ass looks great!!!!

Same thing is happening to me. I don't lose for 2-3 weeks and then I drop 5 or 6 pounds suddenly. The only difference is it sounds like you can eat more than me. I'm having a hard time with most solids since my 4th fill (and then unfill) and you would think that with how little I eat, the weight would be coming off faster but I guess the opposite happens- my body hangs on to all the calories cause it's in starvation mode all the time. When I say starving, I'm not actually hungry (ever) but the body still needs fuel. This is not an ideal situation for me (very socially awkward and surely not healthy) so I would stick with a looser fill...you'll get there! From 200 to 184 took me about three months. I'm now stalling again:( Sabrina:)

Pammie, I didn't know you were getting your arms done. I hope you're not in too much pain. Did you use Dr. Nyte again? Also, when you had your boobs done, was that a lift? They look good. Sabrina:)

Let's see, let's see........sabrinadelray@yahoo.com!!!

Very good info for the newies. One thing that caught my attention, though, was the low weight you are shooting for. I'm 5 foot 6 and after losing 72 pounds, I'm now about the weight you are now- just going in for your surgery!!! I can't imagine having major surgery at your weight. I feel so "normal". I wear a size 14, have curves in all the right places. The only reason I'm going to try to lose more (down to 160) is for a healthier BMI, but I feel fantastic! I wonder why Dr.Mairanda told me I should weigh 160 but you, at the same height, 130's? Sabrina:)

Linda, you're so sweet. I have a place in The States too but I don't think we're aloud to get mail there. I'll ask when I go down tomorrow. I'm at The Glen in Maple Falls. Sabrina:)

I had teh sahakes for breakfast and lunch but I'm not a big fan of Lean Cuisines so I asked Dr. Miranda if I could make my own dinners and she have me the calorie/fat/protein guidelines and I found I had a lot of options and was able to eat larger portions! You just have to make sure you measure and weigh everything if you're making your own....the pre-mades make it simpler to keep track and maybe that's why they suggest them. You might want to ask her about this as the diet is difefrent for everyone. Sabrina:)

I don't think I eat particulary well, so I'm not one to ask for advice. On the other hand, I eat better than I did when I dined on super-sized meals at the drive-thru 2 out of 3 meals per day!!! Breakfast- coffee (usuallya tall skinny cinnamon dolce latte from Starbucks) snack- yogurt or a protein shake (not because I am hungry but because I feel I should try to eat breakfast and get some protein) lunch- usually a salad with some kind of meat and maybe some nuts dinner- whatever the family is having (minus any pasta or bread) Basically, I don't eat any carbs and try to watch my fat and sugar although I do still struggle withe eating junk now and then just because it is there Also, I wasn't drinking enough water but since I bought some Crystal light to-go singles, I drink way more. The cherry-pomegranite is SO good!!! I also take a chewable multi-vitamin every day....and add benefibre to my morning coffee. Sabrina:)

That's exactly my size now but it might be too expensive to mail to Canada. How can we find out? I'd love some new bras! Sabrina:)

Not sure what his background is except that he is a really nice GP that has done over 200 fills and unfills (got me with one poke that didn't even hurt) for patients that were banded in Mexico (he thinks Dr. Ortiz is a great surgeon), Toronto (apparently a lot of people around here had surgery in Toronto), he does fills for some patients that fly in from northern BC and ALberta, bandsters that are new to Van and don't have after-care locally, and even visitors to Van that sometimes need emergency unfills. Not sure how he got in to it but I'll ask next time I see him. I felt very comfortable with him! His receptionist runs his very busy walk-in clinic and family practice I don't think she knows much about the fills except that he does them! Sabrina:)

Thanks for the pm Pammie- it's nice to know so many people care. I ended up going to a local fill doctor for the first time (Manchanda in Surrey, BC) and he was AWESOME!!!! I was prepared for a complete unfill but he thought that was going overboard so he took half of what was put in at my last fill (.2 of the .4) out and I feel like a million bucks so far! It's funny, I was ggoing to ask for .2 at my last fill, but the nurse suggested .4 and I said yes even though I thought that might be too much. I should have trusted my gut....my ever-shrinking gut, haha! Sabrina:)

It sounds like the egg or toast may be "stuck" and it can take hours for them to pass. Both bread and eggs are very hard for most bandsters to eat when we are tight and, yes, stress or sadness will make you tight. I would do liquids the rest of the day and mushies tomorrow so you don't irritate it more. Sorry for your loss. Sabrina:)

Wonderful post! Sabrina:)

Just when I was so excited to have good restriction again, I closed right up on the weekend. I haven't been able to eat or drink for two days (today is day three...I was hoping it would loosen) and my morning coffee won't even go down- which has never been a problem. I'm going for an unfill with a local doctor I have never seen at 2:45. I'm not sure if he'll take it all out or just some but a this point I don't care- I feel so weak (and GRUMPY) from not eating. I was panicking because the fill ocentre I use is closed for vacation and I didn't know what to do- then I remembered seeing a local guy's name on here. Again, this forum has helped me tremendously! Sabrina:)

I'm so jealous that you've been able to get plastic surgery. I know it would make a huge difference for me, but hubby thinks it is totally vain (I'm trying to convince him there is some legitimate medical reason I need a breast lift and tummy tuck!) so unless I go back to work full time (which I'm considering) it's not going to happen:( On that note, you single girls need to make sure you have some of your own "fun money" saved when you get married!!! We budget for each of us to have x-amount of spending money every week but it's not the kind of cash yuo'd need for something big like plastic surgery or a trip to Europe etc etc. Just set a little asside just for you. You deserve it! Sabrina:)