Holly Dolly

I could barley feel mine when I was first banded, but now you can see it. My hubby says he can feel it all the time....

There isn't much either that I can't eat. I can't eat too many raw carrots and snow peas also get stuck at times. I will eat grapes but spit out the skin, but go figure that I will eat the whole skin from a baked potato! If something gets stuck, it is usually from eating too fast when I am really hungry.

and WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think I have ever been called beautiful, tiny and fit!!!!!!! Did I tell you that I love you girl?!!!!

funny though because I still see a round face in my pics. Doesn't help when my hubby has a narrow thin face!

great job! And lucky you, I don't think I will ever have a small face! Cursed with the Kronquist noggin side of the family!!!

if you are already measuring and logging I am sure you will do fine!

I didn't feel much of a difference for a long time. It took many, many fills for me. But one thing I did from day 1 was measure and weigh everything I ate and stuck to what I should be eating, well 99% of the time that first year!

I had 3 put in my band at surgery and it still took a few fills before I felt any different. Everyone is different as you will see.

When I had my first unfill she took out .4 which was the amount of my previous fill. I went back 2 weeks later and she gave me .25 and was fine after that.

We offer carecredit at my dentist office. You should have been given your card # on the reply to print out. We don't have much success in getting a higher credit limit for patients. They base that off of your credit scores I believe. When we fill out the online application for patients we put in a dollar amount for the credit limit. The terms of the loans they offer vary. It just depends which ones your dr will accept. We only allow 12 months interest free. If we offered the 18 or 24 months plan then the percentage we have to give to Carecredit goes up substantially. So if you haven't found a dr yet, make sure they accept Carecredit and which monthly interest free plan they accept if going that route.

how exciting for you Cazzy! Can't wait to see updated pics!

You had me at cupcakes..........

woo hoo, congrats to you!

great idea! My friend shared this recipe on facebook but it was made into patties and fried with some pam. I think the muffin idea is much better!

woot, woot!!!

Missy, I am excited for you! I really want my arms done and was planning on it for next year. But now the more I look at them I may have it done this year.....depending on how good Uncle Sam is to me!

Even though I now log my food on myfitnesspal, I still love my journal. I have all my weekly weighins logged, all my dr appt weights and fills and have put various milestone pics and even tags from my size 4 pants!

I've been banded for 2 years and I don't consider myself to be part of some miserable club. I have been successful, but the band isn't so black and white with me. Following the rules isn't a struggle at all, finding a perfect balance in getting to a sweet spot has been. I think you are fortunate that you have found that balance. Believe me, it's not from lack of trying to get my fills right. I am self pay, $150 each pop and have made many a visits to my dr trying to find it. They have told me I am just one of those ones that wont have hunger fully controlled for 4 hours. But better to not be tight and cause any problems down the line that would result in having the band out. So as for me, I am listening to my dr and dealing with the hunger. I realize that it's better to just accept this, sometimes I may whine about it, but I couldn't be any happier with my choice in getting the band.

I found out that GNC now carries Quest Bars, I only saw them online before. They actually are pretty filling. I bought the brownie and didn't care too much for it, I could really taste the artificial sweetener in it. I really liked the cheesecake bar and it is sweetened with stevia.

63 pounds is a great job in a year. Think of how much you could possibly be weighing if you didn't have the surgery!

woot, woot!!!

I would hope by now you can! I was allowed at that point. I just started eating Quest bars, really like them. A few of the flavors do not have artificial sweetners, which is what I prefer.