Bright

I was practically addicted to Diet Coke pre-banding, six or seven cans a day, it was my favourite thing in the world - but I knew from people's testimonies on the boards, that it was out of the question after being banded, and it's wierd, but even before surgery, I accepted that, and have never touched a drop since. I don't even miss it, and now, 15 months later, I'm really glad I dropped it - it's so unhealthy! Carbonated drinks are really bad for bone density according to a new study, so I'm delighted that the band "made" that decision for me!

ditto from me Babs, best of luck quitting the cigarettes - my sister swears by the Allen Carr books for getting her to quit her 20+ a day habit.... Glad you're thinking more about the surgery - sounds like a difficult procedure, requiring a lot of aftercare and rest.... take care xx

I missed this the first time too - this is awesome, thanks so much Donali - I really needed to read all the above - if I'm not losing weight, I am almost crying every day, and hopping on the scales, four and five times a day, skipping meals and then binging... My food addiction/obsession really scares me sometimes - thanks for turning on the light!

thur 17th breakfast: Low Fat Natural Yogurt with Live Stuff (!?!) - I added blueberries and pumpkin and sunflower seeds Lunch: Chicken Caeser (sp?) Salad (In Cafe) and a coffee Snack: Scoop of Ben & Jerry's at the cinema with kids (Midterm Break here) Dinner: nothin - have to rush to psychology class so will dwell on the evils of having the Ben and Jerrys later....

Thnx for the info Marie, my, what a wonderful adventure that was...for a few days anyway!!!

ohmigod...does that mean I'm left with 16 rep points with no chance of getting any more?????????!!!!!!!!!

wow you look fantastic!

oh crap - this post is freaking me out - am I supposed to be counting calories/protein/carbs etc? No wonder my weight is going off so slowly.... I have been pac-woman today... Breakfast: smoothie = 2 scoops protein powder + a banana + some blueberries + actimel yogurt + water.... Lunch: two pieces of chicken in breadcrumbs (2" long) + litre of water (2 pints) Dinner: tuna salad + 4 low fat crispbreads (15cals each - I know that much!) Last hour and a half hoover snacking: half a brownie, low fat cherry yogurt, low fat chocolate mousse + mug of coffee with milk + three plastic cheese slices aaarrrggghhh my band hurts....

This is so funny!

I'm getting paranoid! Somebody rep me - honestly, according to my psychology class tutor, I'm excessively approval seeking!!!

everyone looks fantastic - Michelle - you are beautiful!!!! Gorgeous face!

oh my god - I'm completely confused! I dunno WHAT'S going on - so I'm posting to keep up and find out more!

Here is a picture of me taken last night, with another "during" and a "before" Penni, feel free to delete the last post of my photos! Congratulations Everyone - we're looking great!!!

I totally agree with all the above - the biggest thing for me, is how proud my husband is of me! He has always been very loving and supportive of me but today, his valentine card said "I learn a new thing from you every day, and am in awe of all you have achieved". I have gone back to school studying psychology which I NEVER would even have dreamt of doing before gaining the confidence, losing weight with the band brings! Yay - I love my band - and my hubby!!!

Hi Sharon I have my band now for over a year, and and have had no problems - I had the band placed in Europe, (In Paris, France) where band surgery has been performed for over twenty years, as we believe here, it is the safest weight loss surgery. I had full confidence in my surgeon here. In the USA the FDA approved the band about 6 years ago, I think, and they have such rigorous testing, I would feel very confident getting it over there too! The band surgery is a very minor operation, rearranging none of your organs, and is completely reversible, even tho the band is designed to remain in place for life. hope this helps!

Yay Darcy!!! Well done - so proud of you!!

Welcome Joan! Best of luck on your band journey - this is the best support forum, you will meet great people and learn tons of information, especially if you read as much as you can of all the old posts! Great to "meet" you!

So glad you're getting to the bottom of your fill problems, Vera - hopefully, with not too much discomfort, you'll get it all sorted out, and get back on track thinking of you xx Definitely EGBOK

Thanks for the info re gurgling Alex - I am grabbing any info with both hands here! I am going to stay on mushies/liquids for a few days to give any inflamation a chance to settle and next week I guess I'll find out if i'm very tight - I can't tell you how much a lift it was, emotionally, to meet other bandsters - Watch out Alex - hubby has been in Morristown twice already this year and is heading over there soon again, I may turn up on your door step - I'd LOVE to meet you xx Blacknamaste - Please give us an easier name!!! Would you believe my surgeon in the UK banded about ten irish women in 2004 alone? Where are all these bandsters??? Good luck in work xx

Hey guys. it's me again (many weeks later!!!) with a question - for anyone who doesn't know me/my story, I live in Dublin, Ireland and was banded in Paris, France about 15 months ago - I am down about 70lbs which feels great but obviously, I could have lost more. Last October I found a band surgeon in England willing to do follow up care and fills etc for me, and went to him for a fill. I have an 11cc Inamed band which had a fill capacity of 9cc - I had 4cc put in during surgery - the fill doc found there was only just under 3cc in my band when he removed all the fluid - I gather this is pretty normal after a year - so he put back in 3.5cc but I was really disappointed to find I have pretty much no restriction still. I have never had that "golf ball" sensation, pb'd or had any discomfort really, but I do drink with my meals often - SO, here's the question - (at last!) - as I have to travel so far and so expensively ($160 for fill, + flight + car rental!) I don't want to get too little of a fill, which will make very little difference - on the other hand I don't want to get too much, and be back in Ireland spitting up saliva - all alone with no medical awareness of the band here!!! My new doc says he'll fill me to "5cc or 6cc or whatever you want", which doesn't exactly answer the question - I want to lose another 50lbs at least, and do it quite agressively, as I have been working on willpower all this time.... I have plateaued for AGES, and am getting so depressed and despondant, feeling like a big fat failure - I'm afraid to rush into a big fill, and starve myself for the next few months - can anyone tell me what a "good fill" feels like - what is the most we should be able to expect from "hitting that sweet spot"? Apologies this is so long and boring....I would really appreciate anyone's advice....

Hi guys - I'm back from my fill in the UK - he removed 3.7cc from my band and put back in 6 - so I am FULL, people!!! The (v nice) doc was really helpful, and was pleased I had proceeded cautiously with my fills, happy to go slower if necessary but suggested I have a tighter fill now to see if this will get my weight loss going again - I have only had soup and yogurt since, so don't know how tight I am until I eat solid food I guess - eating a yogurt this morning was bizarre - my whole digestive system was clanking and gurgling - all new for me!!! Felt like a newbie all over again! The best part was I GOT TO MEET OTHER REAL LIVE BANDSTERS!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it - I was begining to feel like Tigger, The Onliest One, when I met a fabulous IRISH woman in the waiting room - she has lost ten stone (140 lbs) in two years and is thrilled - in typical Irish style she had basically lost the weight and GONE SHOPPING! We're big into shopping here! She has been to New York 5 times in the last year and is thrilled with herself - she took my email address and hopefully we can remain in contact. The other banded person I met was Vicki from WLS (english support site) and she was just banded in December, AND WAS ASKING ME QUESTIONS - like I knew stuff! I almost burst with happiness - the poor surgeon didn't know what to do - he couldn't get a word in edgeways with two mental irish women screaming in the waiting room! Ah it was great! Such a buzz, and so needed at this blue period of being banded for me! So hopefully my weight will start moving again and, sorry DeLarla, I may even get a ticker tape to highlight it!!!!

PS - how about posting some photos? LOVE to see what -150 looks like - ah c'mon!!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!! Well done Babs - I'm thrilled for you - you are such an inspiration to me and loads of others I'm sure - I hope you and 184lbs make friends, and stay together happily and healthily for years!!!!

Thanks for translating me Kathy! Here in Europe, The World we always measure weight in stone (not stoneS, weirdly!) or kilos - in fact everything is pretty much metric here too except for body weight - so losing a stone (14lbs) is considered a huge achievement! When I was in Weight Watchers, they give you a little glass stone every time you lose a stone - see what they did there!!! I was so hungry I nearly ate them (only ever got 3!) But now, funnily enough, I think in pounds since I do most of my weight talking here on Lapband Talk or Spotlight - my scales is set to pounds not stone, and my diary/charts are in pounds too - I tell people here I'm down 80lbs from my highest ever - they go "ooooh wow.............em.......what's that mean in stone?" So I go, almost 6 stone, and then get the appreciation!!! Also want to make clear that i'm IRISH not ENGLISH, in case that wasn't clear from Kathy's post! Top of the morning to ye....

Thanks for this post Donali - it makes me feel recognised and respected, albeit, among my "own kind" - Like I have mentioned before, I have an anorexic/bullimic (sp?) sister, and I myself have been MO for about ten years yet my family railed around my sister, whispering about her, trying to get her help, advising her, worried and upset about her... whereas no one recognised MY eating disorder - I gained 100lbs in a year and people just said " Oh she can't say 'no' to herself". Until I gathered up my fragile ego and abused body and went to see my french surgeon ALL ON MY OWN, I felt guilty and greedy about being fat. When the surgeon looked at me and said softly "you are suffering", I began to realise that there was more to MO than gluttony. I came here to Lapband Talk and now, from all of you great people, feel empowered, respected and validated as a human being, recognising a problem and trying, imperfectly, to cope with it. I say the words Morbidly Obese like someone else says "Depression" or "Flu" - I'm not ashamed anymore....But like Donali, I am REALLY ANGRY at how little help and recognition there is for us....I just came back from having my first grown up fill (!!) yesterday, and found out from my doc in the UK that he has banded at least 10 other Irish women IN THE LAST YEAR - none of them want to be public with their disorder, and prefer to let the world know, they are losing weight by the time honoured, correct and dignified method of "diet and exercise".....Like I said on another post - where's our Rehab? Where can I go for 28 days to be detoxed of sugar??? We are the sufragettes for morbid obesity people, kids will be studying our posts in 2045 when they've figured it all out.....