Kristi

Hello, I went to the Doctor yesterday. I weighed in @ 188... WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!! Which means, I have lost 50 pounds... I did get a fill as well. The last 4 weeks I have had no restriction and have had to really pay close attention to the amount of food I eat. I am good with the food issue, I have also been at the gym working out like a crazy woman. :lb25: It is hard work, but well worth it. Also was very happy to have my blood pressure down to a normal level too. It has been high since I put on so much weight and losing this weight so far has helped tremendously... Now the better news, I pulled out my old size 12 jeans that were up in the garage storage area and... I was able to get 4 pairs of jeans on. :party2: (I have still more to fit into waiting for the extra weight-loss.) So that is my news, oh, also I am going on vacation for the next 11 days.. anyone else have good news going on? Hugs, Kristi

:lb10: I agree with everyone, You look GREAT!! Hugs...

Smiley, =D> Congrats!!! What an awesome accomplishment! I definitely agree with others when they say you look great cuz you do... Hugs, Kristi

Congrats Stormy!!! =D> I am very excited for you. Hugs, Kristi

Hello canuck, Well, I have asthma and had no issues... I took two puffs of my inhaler before they put me out. I have had many surgeries in the last 5 years and I have always been told to take the two puff before and at least for me no complications. My lapband surgery was a quick one, 1 hour 15 minutes, but I have been under for 3-5 hours and still been fine. Good luck, plus you can always check with your Doc on what he/she may advise you to do.

Hello, I got my 1st fill today. :lb17: It was definitely an interesting experience... I did have my Doc numb the area since I was very nervous about it. The first needle he hit the ring part and slighty bent the needle and needed a new needle. The the second one, went right it, no problems. Weird feeling. He found that he withdrew about 1.75ml/cc's that was in there in the first place. Then he put that back in and added another 1ml/cc to it with a total of 2.75 ml/cc. Eating today was interesting. I definitely felt the restriction and having food not seem to go totally down is the grossest feeling. I couldn't believe that I was down to 196.6 when I stepped on the Doc's scale. :dance3: I know my scale needs to be calibrated, but having lost nearly 42 pounds is way cool. Well, I am off to bed now, Have a good nite everyone. Hugs, Kristi

:lb10: That is such a great feeling! :lb24: You are doing Awesome!! Hugs, Kristi

CJen, I had my surgery 6 weeks ago and absolutely love it. Most of my family has been super supportive. They are all really excited for me especially knowing all the medical issues I have had; My mother wants to get banded as well. She has been heavy nearly the last 20 years and with her medical issues, she really needs to lose the weight. She likes to tell everyone and I mean everyone that I have been banded. I finally had to tell her that if I want them to know I will tell them, but let me be the one. Most the people I have told, all have questions about the surgery because they have been considering it for themselves. So I tell them my story, and they are so intrigued... The only issue I have had is with my sister. She is almost 3 years older than I am. She has always been thin and has never known what it is like to weigh more than 150 unless pregnant. We were talking about it right after and she wanted to know why... Why would I do that to myself? Why would I not try to exercise & eat healthy to get the weight off? the list can go on. and according to her, it is the easy way out. She really upset me at the time since she has never had to deal with real weight gain. Heck, she hits a size 8-10 and it is diet diet diet. I told her that I was very happy with my decision to have the surgery and since she has never known what it is like to be big or heavy and she doesn't have serious medical issues that make it next to impossible to lose weight without help, she wouldn't understand. I explained the years of exercising I had done, and once losing my thyroid and gaining over 80 pounds all while eating healthy and exercising, it isn't that simple... Being banded is definitely not the easy way to lose weight. I agree with others, that you should be proud of your accomplishment. YOU have taken control of YOUR life. That is a huge accomplishment as well. And when you are ready to tell people, then you will be ready. I will be 37 in September and I tell everyone my biggest goal is that when I enter my 40s, I will be one HOT mama... I have spent the majority of my mid 20s through mid 30s big. My other goal is to be my husbands arm candy at his 20 year high school reunion next year and mine in 2011. Take care of yourself, this is your time. Hugs, Kristi

There is no doubt that Michael Jackson was an icon. I wasn't a huge fan of his 90s music and lost interest in his music all together after that. However, I loved his 70s & 80s music and still listen to it now and then...Billie Jean, PYT, Thriller and so on rocked! I do hope he is at peace now too. On another note, Farrah Faucett also passed away the same day. I loved her in Charlies Angels and the lifetime movies she made. She is also another Icon that will be missed! I didn't have the same type cancer as she did, but cancer takes so much out of you. Now she is no longer in pain and I also wish her to rest in peace. Kristi

Thank you all for the encouragement! It definitely is a morale booster..... After seeing the trainer at the gym, I realize I have a lot to do to get to my goals, however, not as much as I thought. Apparently I already have a very good portion of lean muscle mass in my body, now I just have to get it working right. I have a plan and I am ready for it. It is so motivational to start seeing results. well, I am off to start my day. Have lots to do. Again, thank you all. Hugs, Kristi

:lb10: How exciting for you! It is awesome to hear that you have wonderful support. The gas was painful for me, but walking helped and I did ALOT of walking soon after & when it didn't, I had to take pain meds to at least take the edge off. All in all, it was manageable though. Have a safe flight and a speedy recovery, Hugs, Kristi

:lb10: Congrats on becoming a bandster! Take Care and keep us all updated with your progress.. Hugs, Kristi

:lb5: LosinItInQ8, Congrats on becoming a bandster! I was banded about 6 weeks ago and personally lovin it! I agree with Alia to keep everyone posted. Hugs, Kristi

Hello all, Well, I am very very excited this morning. I finally broke 200. I weighed in this morning at 199.6. It has been a while since I have been in the 1's.... Yippeeeee............ :cheerleader: Today I also get to go see a trainer at the gym so I can get my workout plan going. I am looking forward to that as well. I hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to share this accomplishment. Hugs to all, Kristi

BellCurveBabe, How was your first day on real food? What did you have yesterday? Mine is in 2 days and I am excited to eat again. Hugs, Kristi

Congrats, =D> This support group is an amazing place to get advice and encouragement. Everyone that has already posted, has given great advice too. So I say Ditto to all. The pain in the shoulders will go away, I had to take pain medication for mine, because it always showed up right before bedtime to take the edge off. And I walk all the time. Also, Smiley gave some good advice for the Vitamin E oil. I have used Vitamin E oil for every scar, whether surgical or not for the last 10 years. I have a scar on my neck from my thyroidectomy and it is barely noticable, infact most people don't realize its there. I have used it on my belly scars from my surgery and my highest one is barely there. the others ones are fading pretty fast too. Great stuff! Good luck!

Hello All, :lb14: I have not experienced the PBing to the full effect yet, but last night, I was burping for quite a while. I really like the ideas of carrying zip-loc baggies with me just in case. I will have to put some in my purse and some in both of my cars and the truck. Heck I think I will add extras to the camper too. I have had a bit of burping yesterday for about half an hour, but not sure if it was PBing. Thank you all for reponding and giving really Great advice. Most appreciative. :lb13: Hugs, Kristi

I was approved to have the surgery on March 25th, but had to lose 11 pounds before it. So for nearly 2 months before my surgery I watched everything and I mean everything I ate like a hawk. However, I did go and have a last meal at Chick-Fil-A. It was very tame, but I had been craving it for a month and felt that since I was three days before the surgery, I would go anyway. And of course my mind would not order the fried chicken strip or nuggets. I had the 2-strip kids meal and they were grilled strips, with fruit instead of fries and a non sweetened Ice-Tea, which I added splenda to for my own sweet- tea. It was the best meal ever and I was techincally still being good. I have 2 more days to go before normal foods again and cannot wait. I am so very very tired of soups! I like the idea of haviing a cheeseburger, but kind of worried. I like In-N-Out protein style, animal style cheeseburgers without the sauce (a weekness, probably cuz I didn't eat them much even before, but love them.) Hugs, Kristi

Well, I am almost to the point where I will be allowed to eat food again. I am getting excited about that. I am tired of soup and pureed tuna..... What kind of foods did you eat right when you went off liquids and mushies? Anyone just get off the liquids/mushies, what are you eating? What kinds of foods do you eat on a regular basis now? Hugs, Kristi

Wow, your message really got to me. From January through April I really didn't want to socialize with family and friends becaue I felt so out of place. I was in my best friends wedding, she married my brother-in-law, and I was in horror after the pics came out of how truly big I had gotten. This was only back on April 24th. After that I hid myself again, trying to finish losing the 11 pounds the Doc told me I had to lose before the surgery. It is only now that I am ready to be around people again. I totally understand... Anyways, You look so great. What a wonderful accomplishment you have made! Your photos are wonderful! Congrats!!

You look absolutely Fabulous!!! I also agree with Sabrina that your confidence is oozing out of you. Way to go!

For a while now I have read where people say they have PB problems. I didn't know what they meant. As I was looking at the website for OCC and read the nutrition page and then the Complications page, I now know what it is. Productive Burping (PB'ing) I was gonna ask if I could not figure it out-- after a while at least. I feel like a Dork. LOL Hugs, Kristi

Wow, this is what I am starting to go through. My weightloss has not changed since Friday and my tummy is now starting to rumble more and more. I am still on liquids and mushies and I am ready to eat so bad. I get to eat foods in 8 days, well, a week from tomorrow. Soo READY... It is difficult trying to find new things to eat when you are on liquids and mushies.. I have pureed meats and soups, and it is so boring now.... Anyone have any new ideas for mushies/liquids? Hugs, Kristi

Congrats! I am sooo happy for you. Keep up the good work and I hope you have a fast healing time from your recent surgeries! GREAT NEWS!!!

Hello All, I thought it was about time I formally introduced myself... My name is Kristi. I am married to a Chief in the Navy and we have a 10 year old son and a near 14 year old daughter. I have been struggling with weight for years. In 2004, at that time I hit my ultimate high in my weight. That scared me. So in September of that year I joined weight watchers. I was actually doing very well in my weight loss and went from 215 to 152 by August 1st, 2006. ( Hard work but worth it.) Within a week from Aug 1st. I felt like I had gained weight & by the 3rd week, I weighed in at 173. Which meant I had gained 21 pounds in 3weeks. None of my clothes fit and something was wrong. Saw 1st doctor who blatantly told me that he wanted me to keep a food journal for the next 3 weeks and then see me again to see what I was or wasn't eating that would cause the gain so fast. So I reached into my purse and pulled out my food & exercise journal and asked him to explain to me what I was doing wrong. He couldn't explain it except that I might be leaving out some things. He asked me for another food journal starting that day and I left PISSED OFF and ANGRY to say the least. My 2nd opinion Doc, 4 days later, decided to do a full physical & blood panel to see what wrong. She went straight for my neck and realized I had a lump. Of course she said it could be nothing, but it could explain the malfunction of my posible metabolism issue which caused the weight gain. In September, after the ultrasound revealed a mass (found that mass on my 34th birthday), and lo and behold, In October the biopsy was Pappillary Carcinoma..Cancer... Had Thyroidectomy on November 28th, 2006. Also to find out that the pathology report proved that my weight struggle was not in my head because I had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis disease.(a Hypothyroid condition) So with the last few years and the doctors trying to figure out the correct dosage of my thyroid meds, I hit 238 pounds. Ouch.. Working out the whole time too... Talk about frustrating. The good news, is that after 2 whole body scans, I am CANCER FREE!!!!!!! Yeah... So now I am actually on the right meds and doing much much better. As for my surgery, it was done at Balboa Naval Hospital. I hope no one is upset or feel betrayed that I didn't have it at the OCC. It sounds like such a wonderful place. But being a Navy wife for the last 16+ years, this is where they sent me. The support group that I could go to is in San Diego and I live in Riverside County. Really far to drive. So I called the hospital at Camp Pendelton and they said to look for a group online. So here I am. I found this site and immediately loved the support that everyone had for each other. I am really grateful to have found everyone here. Hugs to all, Kristi