o2bthin

Suzz, you're looking good! I can definitely see a difference in all the sets of pics. Awesome!

Thanks for the compliments on the quilts. I don't make all of them, I just do the quilting on them for customers. I haven't updated the webshots in ages....too busy. Java, nice to see you checking in. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Don't blame me for this!! Nanaimo Bars Recipe & Photo - Joyofbaking.com

You could look at my quilting webshots while the cat plays with your yarn! lol StudioPanache's photos and albums on webshots

Still here Suzzz! Waded through my last customer quilt...had 21 to start and was scared I wouldn't be able to do it but I did!! First day off, I spent taping out and painting all the moldings in my upstairs. All the doors to the kid's rooms, baths, etc. What a job! Then I did a door downstairs and realized I'd been using the wrong paint...an exterior flat. Ugh. Hubby was nice and painted over them today. I would have but I got hammered with a head cold...and I'm SHARING!! Achoooo! So my computer was out of commission for 2 days while I painted...and I'm out of commission now. I'm getting great restriction though so can't whine about that. Nothing showing on the scales yet though, but I'm hoping for a big ol' whoooosh! So, should I bake any holiday treats? Hmmm..........what are you all doing? I do have company coming.........and kids......and I do want that one little Nanaimo bar!

Thanks guys! To the next 50#!! Bigbaby, I'm still frustrated about my restriction, but at least I have some. Not what I want, but I don't want the overfill either. Today was my fill day (semi locally) but I'm skipping it. I get some restriction with dry meats, like the smoked salmon I tried yesterday. I can see a difference too in my pics but my body still feels big and chubby. I think it's from stalling so long. When I lose 10# I feel thinner immediately and sooooo good! Bigbaby, I put my photos in photobucket.com and resized them to the message board size. I don't know if that's what makes them come out they way they did or not. They were just regular pics taken with my Kodak digital.

These are my 6-month pics. I actually dug up one from the Hotel Lucerna in TJ, Mexico the day before surgery. I wish I had done a bit better in the last 6 months, trying to get restriction with this 10 cc band and getting frustrated over and over, but I could also get more exercise. No excuses, right!

Hey I guess everyone must be shopping their hearts out. I think I'm about done with that...only a few stocking stuffers closer to Christmas and taking the kids to get things for each other and pets, etc. But, I'm dying to get the tree up....it's the latest it's ever been. Good news! I have restriction kicking in. My coffee was even squeaking this morning! It seems if I skip a meal or so, then the next time I eat I have even more restriction. Case in point, I had some coffee today, and then around 2:00 I got some chicken strips, and could only eat one. FF to dinner, and I ate about 3 bites and that was eat. I waited about 1/2 hour.....a bit embarrasing because I was at a dinner with friends...and then I picked on my food a bit more....had a few more bites and I was done. Then later at home had a small bowl of cereal. By then I was pretty wide open so I had to exert some willpower! Anyway, I'm okay with skipping my fill appt. for the 19th and wait until January. Hope everyone else is well! Cheers,

And just WHERE are you? No excuses just because your date passed!! If anyone I would think you'd post, you look so damn good!!

Wow Insub, MM and Lucy! You guys are kickin' it! My bandiversary is on the 18th. Since my weight has crept up about 7 pounds in the last month, maybe I'll repost last month's pics? <G>

Congrats Karla!! Awesome!! Glad you're back!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hey O2B...how you feeling this evening? I just noticed this when I was scrolling around....I posted earlier today that I felt some restriction when eating chips and drinking milk. Some restriction is kicking in finally, but not much. I am burping, so that's a good sign. Eating slow, trying not to eat what I shouldn't and trying to curb the head hunger. :hungry: I'll definitely be getting that fill on the 19th though. It's all part of the journey.

It's baaaaaacccckkkkk!! Call Ghostbusters! Apparently I can't eat corn chips and chug a glass of milk....hmmmm!

Salad is what makes the tough stuff go down for me. When I had restriction, a little bite of food...a bite of salad....a little bite of food.....helps the medicine go down...the medicine go dowwwwn!!

Thanks Loving, but I don't think that's what it is. I've had several fills since my banding in June, and two unfills, to get to this point. Usually, I just roll with the punches, but after my fill on Saturday, I'm just stymied. I had Cereal for Breakfast, no restriction whatsoever. Over the past 5 1/2 months, I've always had restriciton in the morning. I had some rice crackers, no restriction, slowing, nothing. I swear...I could eat a toasted bagel and get nothing. There has to be an explanation. I'm about tempted to fork over the $500.00 to get fluoro. That bar....Stef....what's that bar called?? Huh? Huh?

Thank you! I appreciate the input so far....but....I am wondering why my band is acting like this. I agree I need a fill. But, why am I going backwards with these two fills I just had? I am wondering if I didn't have a slip or a fold when I got closed off, and the unfill released it? So mind boggling and FRUSTRATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope it's not a leaking tube......or another complication. Stef, what is that bar?!!!!!! Inquiring minds you know.

I have a problem! As you guys know, I had another fill on Saturday, making .8 in the last 10 days, the first on 11/24 and the second on 12/1. I have been good with following the fill with liquids and then mushies because I don't want a sensitive reaction that causes me to be too tight and have to get an unfill. Before the first one, I had some restriction, but very little. Only with wrong foods (bread, ,etc) and not going slow, which for me is almost like eating regular, not like many bandsters describe having to eat very slow....chew chew chew......etc. After that 11/24 fill, I had no additional restriction, just the same......but I still had *some restriction. After my fill on Saturday, I have NO RESTRICTION...at all. I haven't tried to test by eating a lot, but I can tell you I have had a piece of pizza, dry chicken, eggs, cheese....all which would have normally caused a PB or stuck episode. Today I ate at a potluck, a very modest 1/3 of a plate (I'm still trying to be a good bandster), and I waited to get full.....and ate......slow and steady....and waited.....and nothing! HUH???? I am beyond mystified. At this level last month, I was totally closed off and had to have 1.0 cc removed. I called my nurse practitioner tonight, and she said she'd draw out again on the 19th and measure. She did this on the 11/24 visit, and it was all there. I'm so frustrated (can you hear my frustration?) that I feel like my band isn't working. Frustration is leading to snacking...constantly. I really need you guys. Help! Does anyone have any ideas on what could be going on with my band? My ARNP said if the band slipped, I would be in total pain and not be able to swallow. Thanks for hearing me out. :help:

Well obviously!! @@ Poor choice. I went elsewhere, which was good based on other things I've heard.

I was at Macy's on Saturday, and Forver 21, Ambercrombie, etc.....okay, I love Zumies and PacSun too!! There's no way I'm going to buy myself anything in the Women's department at Macy's.....they actually had that department on the 2nd floor and you had to take the escalator up. Grrrrr! I'm going to be hard core and wear what I have until I get down. I've probably spent 2K in the last couple of months in my excitement of getting my weight down this much, after struggling 15 years and no success. I'm actually thrilled to be in an 18...but I can see the light!

Stef, I think 188 is awesome! And I'd be happy in a 14 at that weight, and I'm shorter (5'8") than you. It's all relative to the clothing though. I'll be focusing more on my BMI when I get near goal and any jiggle of course!

I'm off to top off my fill tomorrow. I didn't have any more restriction, so she'll put in some more. Please hold good thoughts...wish me luck....I do not want to get *tight* again.

Suzz, you're doing great. From the sounds of your meal plan, you have some good restriction going on. How about the rest of you that are losing? How's the restriction? I'm about ready to scream and rant and cry and throw a tantrum....I have no friggin' restriction. Even after a .4 fill on Saturday....less than before. I'm so sick of this. I can eat a burger and fries, a salad with raw veggies, a whole apple, 2 glasses of milk, rice, peanut butter and jam on toast. I swear I had more restriction at Thanksgiving than this. What the heck?

Thanks for the info Stef. I remember seeing that some time back, but forgot about it. It's good to keep reminding myself of the basic principles of lap banding. You seem to have hit a stride after getting under 200....finally! I'm happy for you. I wish I'd stop getting too tight to swallow water and having to go back and forth. Grrrrr! You'll be at goal very soon, girlfriend!

I agree with an unfill. Your band should just decrease your hunger by making you feel full longer, but it can't do that if you can't eat solids. Before removing the band, I'd try the unfill and go on Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig. No liquid calories! Good luck.

My favorite meal at Outback has over 6000 calories!!!!! One of my favorite restaurants too. I used to order either a Fosters or a Wallaby Darned, blooming onion to share, Outback special steak, add 3 coconut shrimp, jacket potato and salad with blue cheese. Even skipping dessert it's over 6000! I can't believe I used to eat this way normally and wonder why I was fat!