Beckie

My port tipped also. The fill I had in April was very difficult. Multiple sticks and pushing and pinching to get the fill. Even had to stop to clean my stomach off (blood). Made me nervous to go back in and when I did two weeks ago all was well and back where it should be. One poke. Hope that helps.

I have fibromyalgia. i take amitriptaline (spelling?) at night (It's an antidepressent that helps me sleep) and tramadol (a pain pill) when I really hurt. Sometimes I go in and get shots in my "trigger points". It's all so frustrating. I'm too afraid to drink soda. I sure have had a craving for it though

I'm confused. I have a 10cc band and was told I am almost at max-2.9cc. I'm not feeling tight and am kind of frustrated that my doctor told me they can only go about .2 cc more

This is the first time I have been here in days. i am soooo sorry to hear about your debanding Misty. My heart sunk when I read your post. I truely hope you will feel better physically now. You have really had a time of it. Please keep in touch with all of us.

I absolutely do understand. I just got another fill last week because I only lost 3 lbs last mth and feeling hungry. So got a fill and I don't feel like I did. I have gained 2 lbs since then. Could be water weight from period but ugh. This is not suppose to feel this way. I took a month off from Curves though. I went on vacation then got sick and better, but broke a toe. Hopefully the exercise will be the trick. I'm going back again today. What a difference a month makes. Yester was the first day back and ooohhh, it was hard to get around the circuit the second time. Loved seeing the pictures by the way. I wish I could come meet you all at Disney. Maybe next time.

I have a 10 cc band

I don't have UHC, but my insurance will not cover the fills either. I don't quite get that, so I paid $5,500 upfront which gave me 5 years of aftercare, including fills. Insurance covered my operation only. Would do it again though.

I hear ya! I so know what you are feeling. It all can be a bit confusing. I have to admit it is good (strange way to put it) to hear someone else getting same feedback as me. And your right, they don't see you with your clothes off. I see my belly and the extra weight above my butt. They look at it all covered. We do need to tone, but our skin needs time to catch up to our quickly reducing bodies. It took a long time to get that big, it takes time for it to snap back. (Hopefully without surgery, but I'm not opposed to that either if I need it in the future.)

Tom- That is one of my biggest pet peaves. I am about 45 lbs away from where I want to be (which by the way is about 10 lbs more than what my surgeons want and 5 less than what my reg. physician wants) and people always say things like, "You aren't going to loose anymore are you?" "Where are you going to loose it" "You will be way too thin" , etc, etc, etc. I, like you, think it is because they are used to the fat me and/or they don't want to feel bad about themselves if I get thinner/more fit than them. I only hear those comments from women. Go with your gut (no pun intended). If you get to 220 and feel like you need to loose more and your doctor feels you should, go for it. You need to feel good about you. Ask someone you trust and know well be honest if you want feed back and don't worry about the others. I think your doing great.

Misty, that sounds so scary. I am glad to hear you are doing better.

Angela- I would love to talk sometime. In the mean time I will pass those suggestions along. I have a food question for everyone. Do you eat oatmeal? In the papers I got from my doctor it said oatmeal was a no-no and I'm not sure why. My regular physician wants me to eat it for cholesteral issues and I don't see my surgean until next month to ask. Might have to give them a call, but interested in what you've been told/or if you eat it.

Thanks Angela. That did the trick. You look so beautiful and relaxed in your photos. What a beautiful place to visit. I saw on that sight that you reversed your M.S. using hollistics. I would be interested in hearing about that sometime. My mom was diagnosed with M.S. a couple years ago.

Thanks Betsyjane. I really just try and get all my protein in first, drink lots of liquids, and exercise. I don't think I am I doing anything differently than anyone else. When I do crave something I try to only have a bite or two and then stop or like this week when we were traveling and staying at my brother's house I allowed myself to have a few things I normally don't. Now I am back doing my normal eating.

It's giving me an error reading. I will try again later.

Way to go Betsyjane!

Hi everyone! I am back from a trip to Salem, Oregon to visit family for Easter. I had a great time, ate some stuff I shouldn't have, did a lot of shopping and am extremely happy to get home. There really is no place like home. I hadn't stepped on a scale for 5 days (I weigh every morning faithfully. I know I probably shouldn't but I am obsessed.) and didn't gain anything!! Yippee. I was sure I had gained a couple pounds and was shocked to see the scale hadn't gone up. I am back to regular eating habits today and hoping to make it to the gym today. I hope you all had a great Easter. Angela- I didn't see the link to your Paris pictures on your post. Will you post again? Beckie

:clap2: Celebrate every victory!:clap2: Soon you will need new bra's! Yeah for Betsyjane.

Marni- I just really try to eat the right things and get exercise. Protein first, making sure to get atleast the recommended 70 in and usually getting a lot more than that. I do have to confess that this weekend I have been a bad girl and gained 2 lbs. I knew I was being bad and now I will work extra hard this week to get in the exercise I need to get rid of it. My worse area is my lower belly. I am hoping that all the exercise will help the saggy baggies on both sides. Flat in the middle, saggy on the sides. I think that is an order from my McDonald days. LOL.

You know I hadn't really thought about that. We are about the same size right now and I guess she could be uncomfortable with that and with the fact that I didn't like what I was. I do try harder to look good now and wear more attractive and age appropriate clothing. (I don't want to look like I am an old frump anymore, because I don't feel that way anymore.)

Thanks Angela. I am just taking a multi-vitamin (for bariatric). I do have some Vitamin C that I will start taking too. I haven't been taking those. I hadn't heard about biotin for the hair. Good tip. I appreciate the help and will use it. I'm going to Oregon next weekend and hope to buy some new slimmer me outfits to get me through the next month or two. Will keep the bright color thing in mind while shopping. Hope you had a wonderful time on your trip. Would love for you to post pictures!

Hi all! Well, my daughter starts our conversation yesterday by saying, "Can I tell you something without you getting offended?" When someone starts the conversation that way you know it's not good. Me: "Sure." Her: "Well, you don't look good. Your pale and have bags under your eyes and your hair looks bad." Me:"Well, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I have major allergies right now. (My eye lids are red and puffy and I can't stop the drippy nose even though I am taking 3 prescriptions) The hair thing I am working on. Don't understand the hair loss. I'm taking vitamins and calcium and eating healthy." Her:"Well, you don't look good." Thanks. Just what I wanted to hear. I am finally losing weight and feeling better about myself just to hear how horrible I look. Now I can't stop looking in the mirror and thinking about what people are saying. Does everyone else think I look bad? Are people thinking that and not saying anything? Self doubt has taken over. Ugh.:faint:

I agree. We usually don't watch but this season we have. The girls are incredible. He is still there because he is a likable kid and teen girls are voting like theres no tomorrow!

We don't have Whole Foods or Trader Joes either, but I will keep looking for a chewable that will work and not taste like chalk. I really have a hard time getting it down. I'm gagging just thinking about it.:phanvan

:clap2: Way to go Conniesueb. That is a huge milestone. Congrats!!! I haven't tried them yet. Might be a nice treat if taste like candy. How many calories?

I get more than my share of protein and take my vitamins but I have had some hair loss, though not significant. What I do find hard is getting my calcium. I have chocolate calcium chewables, but they taste like chalk and make me want to vomit. So, I bought pills and they are monsters and they get stuck. I bought the chewables from my surgeon and can't find chewables at my pharmacy. What calcium supplements do you all take? :girl_hug: By the way, it was good to come back on and see some of you back and hitting the buttons. :mad: