Bright

Lela, come to ireland and live in my wardrobe - please...I NEED you!

**********Michelle************* Yay! so great to hear from you - and such kind words - I'm filling up here! You're a total pet! After a couple of days I knew my fill was "no good" if you know what I mean, I was waiting for this restriction that I see you all talking about - I am actually starting to fantasize about having a pb!!!! I'm doubly gutted as it cost us st£120 ($220) to see the doc, not including flights from Dublin to London and Car Hire to drive the two hours down to where the hospital is.... I just don't have the money to do it again before Christmas which is pissing me off even more... I hear you on the icecream/cookie slip-sliding on down theory! Definitely the easiest thing to eat... Hate having to be strong and have willpower but until I get more money together for another fill trip, I guess I'll have to be! Dunno what I'd do without all you kind people to encourage me - I feel all loved up and motivated now! Ps Thanks too Zoe - cannot believe any newbie taking advice from me! wow! thanks for your encouragement xx

Marie: Thanks so much for your comments - I know you're right, it seems very ungrateful to moan about a whole 70lbs - it IS a lot of weight but I have another 100 to go which seems a mammoth task! The stats my doc is refering to is the European standard - 50% of people lose 100% of their excess weight. They are much more easy going here about the band - this new guy was telling me about a GP (family doctor) he knows who has the band - apparently this man removes his own fill before a special night out, enjoys a lucious feast, then fills himself up again next morning! Crazy! The band has been used in europe for over 20 years apparently so they are used to dealing with it I guess.... Thanks again Marie - you really cheered me up! Leatha - also thanks so much to you! You reminded me of how much better my health is too since losing 70lbs, well 80 down in total. I guess I feel like I have a long way to go getting the rest off... I had "planned" to lose 100lbs in the first year, and feel like I've failed somehow... stupid to set ridiculous goals which are unachievable...I am going to try to take it 10lbs at a time from now on.... I am very interested in what you are saying about the 9.75cc band not being able to take more than 4cc - that is so wierd! I have a friend who was banded by the same surgeon, in fact she acted as liason for me, as she has fluent french, and she had the same band/fill during surgery and is apparently at 7cc now! I am trying to get in contact with her to find out what is going on... Thanks so much for the encouragement - I'm so with you on the two pairs of pants! I have two "decent" black trousers and two pairs of Jeans that are hanging off me! I got rid of all my other "fat" clothes - and now look like a street urchin! Kyleigh - you're right - 70lbs is great, we should be proud xx

Definitely Sarah - well done! I used to eat the extra as I was cooking so it wouldn't go in the dish and be fattening....sigh....things we tell ourselves...!

You know what...I really don't believe in willpower -it just isn't reliable enough - you have to talk to your friend Babs. I have found this journey very humbling - I have had to go to my younger, slim sisters and ask them not to support me in "just having one slice of cheesecake" or "a litte treat" - I ask them to get tough with me, telling them it's the easiest thing in the world to sit beside someone while they self destruct - you wouldn't take an alcoholic friend into a bar, night after night, and hope their willpower kicks in - it's just too much to ask anyone. This halloween I asked my sister to have the family party, and we're going to my in-laws for christmas - I have to do this in advance, or else I will just slide back into old bad habits.... Could you ask your friend to try a detox week with you? Or maybe you two could do a healthy eating week? Maybe she'd like to get to 135lbs for the Holidays!!!!!! This is a really hard journey, and sometimes you have to ask for help! Hope it goes ok - let us know take care xx

wow Michelle, great NSV - most of our huge towels wrap all the way around me now but I'm still holding on to this really grotty bath towel that I used when I was 20 and pregnant with my now 14 year old son - I have a photo of me 9 months pregnant with the towel completely wrapped around me, bump and all - and it still won't go around me yet! One day soon tho! Well done you!

Oh I really need this thread too - have just swallowed most of a tub of Extremely Chocolate MiniBites (anyone from europe knows these from Marks & Spencers!) and am finding it so difficult to avoid all the crap food that goes down so easy.... Like Lisa, I am losing the same 4/5 lbs and gaining it again - just had my one year Bandiversary on Thursday and am so depressed I didn't lose more in the year... I feel so "sugared out" yet not motivated enough to quit bingeing... My new fill doesn't seem to give me much restriction either....moan moan whine whine.....! Anyway....I'm so going to try with the one fun food thing... thank god I don't even know what Cheetos or the Spunkmeier cookies are...phew! Thanks for the thread Lee-La (this is what I call you in my head, Lisa & Delarla mixed...I know, I'm weird...)

Hi everyone - here I am again with even more apologies for not posting for so long....! :nervous :nervous :nervous Things are really busy for me and I never seem to get two seconds to spend on the computer - last few times I logged on, I have been perusing all the Vegas photos which took me ages - wow you all had a brilliant time - I was sick with jealousy - I thought of you all on that weekend as it was my sister's 30th birthday and we had a huge surprise party for her - she was absolutely thrilled so it was (nearly! :cool: ) worth missing the bash for her! Well anyway - my big news is - I am finally getting a fill! Two weeks from my one year bandiversary! For those who don't know, I have a 9cc Inamed band, which was filled to 4cc during surgery, and have never had a fill. I have some restriction but not much - I have a problem with some breads but that's about it! So rather than go back to France to my french surgeon, I sourced a really good band doc in the UK - a belgian guy who has fluent english (unlike my surgeon!) who can answer my questions and most importantly of all - GIVE ME A FILL! I am a bit apprehensive, and wished I had paid more attention when y'all were talking about fills - now what was it you all were saying again???? :nervous :nervous :nervous - I am coming up to my one year anniversary, and wish I'd lost more than 70lbs in the year, but hopefully I'll get a lot more off in the next year - I am 80lbs down from my highest weight so I guess I shouldn't be whining... The other big news is, I decided to go back to school! It has been so long since I have felt depressed and unable to cope with life so I peeped outside my rabbit burrow, and decided to get back into the world! I rummaged in the back of the cupboards, found my brain and headed out into the world of acadaemia! I am doing a university certificate in Psycology, and am hoping to get into college next year to do a degree as a mature student. I am loving the course so far - and my new found knowledge will really come in handy with my bonkers family! This is my NSV - there is no earthly way I could have concieved doing anything like this in my old body. I feel so focused and energetic, it seems like a miracle.... Last week, we walked to the nearby village, during the lunch break of our lecture - I was smiling to myself as I walked with everyone else - I wouldn't have been able to "stroll to the village", over half a mile, a year ago. The whole day was a triumph for me - my concentration, my confidence, and I walked!!! Wow! Anyway just wanted to say hi to everyone - i'll try to be around more xx

so glad you're back safe and sound! Sounds like they took really good care of you - wishing you a speedy recovery xx

Ps Babs - defo going to get to the States next year - think I'm just going to rent a Winnebago at the airport and go around and visit you all!!!

Leatha, Marie & Babs, thanks so much for getting back to me...I'm not really nervous about the actual fill - just want it to go smoothly, and not have any immediate problems - like finding out I can't swallow water on the plane ride home - I'm so far from any one band-aware, that I can't afford anything to go wrong - I am hoping my fill will bring me to 5.5cc or maybe even 6cc in my 9cc band - I REALLY need to actually feel the band working for me, instead of depending on willpower most of the time....! Thanks for the tips - I presumed I shouldn't go in with a full pouch but wondered about measuring restriction etc.... oh well - I'm just looking forward to this time tomorrow when I'll be back at Gatwick airport waiting for the plane ride home!!!

oh and just saw your message Michelle - thanks so much for missing me! I'm chuffed!

hi guys - Am heading off to the UK tomorrow for a flying visit to meet my new doc and get a fill - just wanted to know if there are any special preparations you need to do before going? I have all my x-rays, info from France, have fake tanned my stomach (!) and am wondering about fasting? Are you better off not to have eaten before the fill? Or should I have done a naked rain dance? Or what? Nervous and wishing I knew more about fills!

Any news on Betty? Hope you are in bandland now Betty, and not in too much discomfort xx

Michelle, I had no idea you have been/are going through so much - my heart goes out to you. I wish you nothing but the best for the future and am thinking about you and your son. take care of yourself xx

wow Karen, you look like a different person! I am so impressed - well done xx

Thanks everyone! Alex - no my bloody DH did not bring back the few things I requested! I had forgotten about it and am all mad again :angry :angry :angry All I wanted was a lousy bottle of oil and a Pottery Barn catalogue but apparently that was too much for him to do (rant rant...) He's heading back there before Christmas so I will "reorder" with him! He loved the hotel tho, and had a giant steak there - he was telling our son about how huge it was, and my son said confidently " oh, the cows are MUCH bigger in America than they are here..." :cool: He has a trip to Morristown planned for March 05 too, and I'm hoping to go with him - wouldn't it be great if we met up???!!!

em sorry Penni - I will reserve my guest bedroom for you if you ever get to Ireland! And you can have my children as slaves if you get everyone else to come !!!!!!!!!

Megan I love your story, and have loved being on this journey at the same time as you - my bandiversary is in two weeks, and I always loved your posts - I am so proud of you for getting so far, both physically and emotionally....well done xx Ps I put you beside yourself in the attached photo...hope you don't mind xx

oh you guys.....don't even play with me...I know you're kidding but I have a lump in my throat with happiness/excitement etc....what can I say....Come to Ireland!!!! Thanks for missing me Vee.... I have been eating crap for the last few weeks so my weight has see-sawed from 245 to 255lbs but hell, I'll get back on track, I guess I'm having a diet vacation! And I was so envious when I saw all of you in the pool! In the sunshine! It's definitely autumn here - cold, raining, put away the flip-flops, get out the boots kinda weather :ermm :cool: Penni - I will defo bags you my guest room if you get here!!

Well done Vera - brilliant photo jam! Wow, you guys had a ball! I'm so jealous here - wish I could have been there! PLEASE PLEASE have the next bash somewhere on the east coast - New York would be amazing - at lease I could make that relatively easy! Or of course Dublin is an amazing party city!!!!:cool: :D Lisa, your house is gorgeous - and all of you looked fantastic xx

WHOOAAAA! Donali - We're not worthy, we're not worthy.... I am amazed at your fabulous work! Only 12 days - omigod! So how long will it be before you're back online after "reconnecting" with Indiana?????!!!!!!:mad: :D By the way, I'm almost catching up with you - I bought a tin of white paint yesterday AND some polyfiller stuff....siiiiggghhhh - I'm more YDI than DIY - You Do It!!!

Wow Lisa you look fantastic - I thought the first picture was the AFTER!! - I weighed 315 on the morning of surgery, and at 5'8", looked WAY bigger than you - you have such a great hour-glass figure - lucky girl - great "chassis" to start with!!! You look wonderful in the "during" pics - well done - I'm so happy for you xx :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

Penni: 4/6/04 -- 47 lbs Lisa: 5/5/04 -- 51 lbs Becky 6/03/04 -- 53 lbs Denice: 8/12/04--20 lbs Leatha 05/29/03 - 67lbs Michelle 4/6/04 -- 49.75 lbs Marie 5/26/04 -- 39 lbs Donali 1/23/03 -- 102 lbs Kathy 5/21/04 -- 41 lbs Cindy 7/22/04 -- 40 lbs Teresa 5/8/04--63 lbs Kyleigh 9/23/03--60lbs Bright 10/28/03 -- 70lbs Total Loss = 702.75lbs

Hi Nancy - I definitely try to include a lot of omega 3 rich foods in my diet such as mackeral, herring, tuna salmon, nuts and omega 3 supplements! I also use estate bottled extra virgin olive oil but would not advise using canola oil - it is incredibly unhealthy - with most of the "good" omega 3 destroyed during processing and turned into trans fatty acids. Happily it is not easily available here in Ireland! (and the rest of europe I would guess....) A typical lunch for me would be smoked mackeral with rocket (arugula) or spinach - I rarely have red meat or chicken, perfering to stick to organic fish or turkey....I definitely notice a difference in mood swings, and have not experienced a recurrance of depression since I adopted this way of eating - trying to cut out sugar too! I may not have 7 servings of vegetables every day but will have spinach/arugula/mustard leaf salad most lunchtimes, and find it a really easy way to eat important vegetables as salad instead of just boring lettuce. I eat a lot of pumpkin seeds and macadamia nuts and/or brazil nuts too! Apparently Macadamia Nut Oil is the healthiest oil of all....but if it's not available use Olive oil - but definitely NOT canola! If it wasn't for those damn cookies I'd be REALLY healthy!