MeganA

Hey everybody! I FINALLY had a chance to check out all the great photos from the Vegas Bash. Thanks to everyone for their kind words! My sister Bridget and friend Brigid and I all had a great time. I'm sorry we left early...we stayed up way too late the night before and needed a nap. It was a great pleasure to meet everyone, and have a chance to talk to people face to face that have the same challenges and successes that I have. I was thinking on the plane home last night that every one of you that I met on Saturday seem very strong and confident and I wondered if it was a coincidence or not...maybe it takes a strong confident woman to choose a better life for herself and her family and friends? Maybe the band helps us with our strength and confidence? Maybe it's a combination of the two. Thanks to all those who either lugged your old clothes to Vegas or had the fortsight to send them. I found lots of great stuff that I wll love fitting into on my way down. I didn't get a chance to talk to everyone, and not very in depth but I just want those I did get a chance to get to know a little that I think you are all very special and I'm better for having met you. Special thanks to Lisa for hosting the party. It's a hell of a lot of work to make an event like that happen and I very much appreciate it. Also thanks for sending me the clothes. I know it's a big pain in the pattotie so know I appreciate it a lot. Donali- have I known you all of my life? I felt an instant bond with you. Penni- thanks for all of your hard work in getting us organized. You and your husband are so much fun and very welcoming. Vera-your enchiladas were awesome and your happy spirit is contagious. Carol- My sister and friend had a wonderful time chatting with you, and your margaritas were yuuummmy! Michelle- your strength is amazing. So are your eyes- but it's not just the color of them, but the strength I saw in them that made them beautiful. Leatha- what a sweetheart. I didn't have much of a chance to talk to you but you are very warm and your smile is beautiful. Ginny- Glad you found a pile of clothes too. Your story is amazing and I commend you for the choices you've made. I'm sure it hasn't been easy. Teresa- I still can't believe you and your husband drove so far. It just shows how determined you are! You seem very kind and sweet. I hope you found some cute stuff to take home with you in that huge pile of clothes! Texas Babs- Thanks for bringing your before pictures. You inspired me! Karen- besides your beautiful teeth, you are very charming and have a great sense of humor. I could have talked to you all day! Vika- I only chatted with you for a second...I think you look amazing and I love the way you carry yourself. I hope I remembered everyone. I look forward to the bash next year- and this time I'm leaving the sister and friend at home so I can party with the rest of you! I was just thinking= can I get the recipies for all of the yummy food and drinks? Everything was sooo good. Bandsters sure know how to cook! Love to all... Megan

So, how excited is everyone to go to Vegas? I'm so excited I can't stand it!! I just can't decide what to wear. I'm pretty sure that I will have to get new clothes because everyone in Vegas would be able to tell that I had worn what I have before. And shoes, new shoes, too! Megan

Couple of things sprang to mind when I read the original post here. First of all, lunch meat and cheese (any other than sliced american) is very hard to eat- especially at lunch. I have PBed several times because it just doesn't make sense that I can't eat it! The other thing- once you PB, you really MUST take some time off. Otherwise it's a vicious cycle. PBing is actually a serious thing. It causes your stomach to swell. It gets irritated and needs a break. I'm not say you don't take a break, I just want to make sure it's clear. While you're getting used to your strange levels of restrictions, you are going to PB, it's a fact of having the band. Some people are lucky and don't, but the majority do. So if you eat roast beef one day at lunch and you PB, don't eat it again for lunch! One of the hardest things to do with the band is to make new habits and to find new things to eat. Since I'm so much looser at night, I stick to the same kind of things during the day that I know are good for me, don't make me PB, and are yummy. I'm sure other people have some ideas, too. If you're hungry for roast beef- have some at supper. I promise that you will find patterns in your restriction levels and it will get easier. Hang in there! Megan

I wasn't able to eat eggs in the mornings either,and boy did I miss them. Then I saw a post on smart bandsters about adding cottage cheese to them and scrambling. I put in a spoon full to one egg, a little bit of cheese and they were so delicious and kept me full for hours...but didn't plug me up. I like the suggestion of cream cheese, too...I guess they just need something that makes them a little more moist. I also find that I have to cook them very slowly so they don't even get browned at all- then they are too dry. Cook them over low heat for a little longer and they will be moist and yummy. When they are no longer shiny they are done. Eggs rule. Megan

Fantastic job, Lisa! Is that sunburned pool going to be all healed up for the party at your house? woo hoo...bandster pool party! Wait...have any of your seen what your newly flabby skin looks like in a pool? It takes on a life of it's own!!! Mine likes to try to swim in the other direction...and it's very floaty. Megan

I've lost 48.5 pounds so far, and I swear 30 of it was in my boobs. I've lost 6 inches there...but only 3 around my enourmous hips! I'm going to have to have liposuction and a boob job, I'm pretty sure. The sad thing is that it's getting harder to find clothes, not easier! My hips are a size 26, but my top is a 18/20. I'm ok with it, just think it's funny and just a little ironic. Megan

I have a neck too! Since I discovered this, I've been buying necklaces like crazy. I've always wanted a neck!!! Megan

What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease. -- George Dennison Prentice

Alex, Amen, sister. I did the same thing a couple of weeks ago...I had a family reunion coming up and I thought it would be fun to be able to say, "I've lost 50 pounds" instead of 45. Well, what a disaster. I ate everything in sight, felt like crap about myself, and totally lost sight of the fact that I had lost 45 pounds already; all for that allusive 5 pounds. And you know what? Not one person at the reunion said, "only 45 pounds?"...they all said "holy crap, that's almost 50!!". Megan

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I'm pretty sure all of us can be sympathetic because we have been there/are there. The others that posted have some great advice...so I won't repeat that. I just wanted to share what worked for me. If I eat a whole bunch of sweets and candy and chips- I'm hungry in an hour. Even if I eat a whole snack sized bag of chips I feel hungry very shortly after. So I'd eat more- and think- my band is broken! It's not working!!! Well, then I realized that I got stuck in the vicious carb-aholic cycle. As soon as I switched to Protein I felt so much better and wasn't hungry and my band worked! So- go to the store and get your favorite source of protein- and eat to your hearts content. I swear you will notice a difference in how you feel. The other peice of advice I have is to try and stop the negative thinking you have going on about yourself. It's very very hard to stop the thoughts from coming that you've had for so many years. It takes a lot of work to do it...but it starts with baby steps. Set a non-food goal for yourself today...make it one you can do easily but probably wouldn't have if you didn't have a goal. And then do it...and then Celebrate the hell out of it. Tell yourself you are fantastic and what you set your mind to- you do. Do the same thing tomorrow- and the next day, and the next day. Small goals add up quickly! Pretty soon you will be walking with your head held high and shoulders strong. Then you can start setting weekly goals, and monthly goals. But I still recommend that you keep them NON FOOD related. Something I did- if I drank my Water for a day, I'd celebrate, if I walked for that day, I celebrated...see- lots of celebrations! Once I got to the point where I was doing weekly goals- I'd give myself something- a magazine, a pedicure...and the monthly goals- I'd buy a magazine subscription, or a ring I spotted in a catalog- cut out and taped to my fridge- and then bought when I did yoga for a month. Now ever time I wear that ring I think of how successful I am. It's too hard to make weighing a certain number a goal- because it's so out of our hands. So make your goals something that you have total control over. OK, so I just counted up the weeks since you had surgery- and you are AVERAGE!!!! You are down 25 pounds in 20 weeks.....ok, so most of it came off right at first, but honey- you have kept it off!!!!! This is what you can tell people who ask- I am losing an average of a pound a week which is where my doctor wants me to be. You don't have to tell them WHEN you lost it!!! Think of this- you have five more weeks to maintain your 25 pounds lost to still be average. You can get your act together in five weeks...start some new habits- clear out those negative tapes- and you'll be on your way. You can do this! If you want to come back here to set a goal and get some cheerleading- you'd be in the right place!! Megan

I was not self pay...so take my words with a grain of salt :-) I would have, however, been self pay if I had to... And I would have paid extra to have the surgery done in the states - my rational would be that the travel expenses to and from Mexico would add up quickly, my fills would be more expensive if I could even find a doctor to do them, and the biggest one-god fobid something bad would happen- and it could have been prevented with better follow up, or surgical whatever- I KNOW I'd be willing at that point to pay extra to have it all go away. But that's me...and just my opinion. I think you are all very brave to take the bull by the horns and do what it takes to get yourself healthy. Megan

Thanks Donali for trying! I read so much that if I don't clip something immediately it's lost for good. I'm still looking for it, so I'll let you know if I find it. I agree though- Water is vital!! Megan

I've had fills where he got me with one poke- and I'm back in action right away.... But my last fill took him over an hour and I had to go home and take a nap...I was emotionally exausted (I'm not going to cry...I'm not going to cry) and physically exausted from trying to help by tightening my stomach muscles. I err on the side of a few hours off afterwards. And I'm one of those that's on liquids for a few days after because my stomach gets very angry. In fact, it's been angry for a couple of days so yep, back on liquids. It's my excuse to drink chocolate milk. Yum. But, did you know that one of those little bottles you get at the gas station is actually two servings? Nasty milk company. Megan

I read an article a couple of weeks ago- and of course now I can't find it to site it specifically-that talked about Water. It was a study that measured the metabolism of people who drank water vs. people who didn't...the people who drank cold water had a 30% increase in metabolism for an hour over those that didn't drink any water . It specifically said cold water- the reason being that the body has to actually counteract the coldness...whatever that means... Anyway, I wish I could find it for more info- does anyone else remember seeing it in a national newspaper or Time? Megan

Mack- Sorry to hear your having some issues... But- GO TO YOUR DOCTOR!!! Acid reflux should ALWAYS be checked out with your doctor. It could be absolutely nothing, but it could be something, too. Let us know what you find out! Megan

In situations like this I always try to think of what I would have wanted my friend to do- and it sounds like you've done it already. I'd want them to be patient with me- because I would be watching like a hawk to see how things go for them.... It's hard when I'm so excited about my weightloss that there are nights I can't fall asleep- I want to tell the world! But I know that before I was ready to even discuss WLS, I would have been defensive and the message wouldn't have gotten through. I'm sure that has you have success, he's watching your every move...and one day just when you've resigned yourself that he will never ask about it for himself, then it will happen. You sound like a good friend :-) Megan

Whippledaddy- I am at a loss for words, and that NEVER happens. Ok, the words are back...Your wife is a very lucky woman in so many ways. You are a brave man, too- to stand by through all of the events since her accident. I'm sure there have been times when you've had to put all your needs aside. I can't help but think the band would be a great option for you- especially with the troubles she has. She needs you to be around and be as healthy as you can be. Where do guys like you grow up, anyway? I'm a single girl and would very much like to find one like you :-). It's awefully hard to find a MAN these days...lots of boys...some guys...but true men are very hard to come by. Best of luck with your decision, you certainly deserve the freedom that loosing excess weight gives you! If you have any specific questions for us, let us know! And thanks for being so honest... Megan

Hey everyone...I have a question I've been thinking about for a few days and I just can't figure out on my own. What is your experience in knowing when you're full? I eat, and when I get that "full" feeling, I stop. But then a few minutes later I can tell that some has fallen into my stomach and I eat a few more bites. I probably am eating 1/2 - 3/4 cup of food this way. I'm wondering if I should be stopping right then...cause I'm not. I PB only once in a blue moon (or a time or two during the week before my period when my band goes into lock down). I think I'm at a good restriction because I'm still loosing as I have been...but I'm wondering if I need a fill to keep the food in my pouch longer... What is everyone else's experience with this? When do you say "I'm done!" Megan

Whippledaddy- I'm with everyone else about the dog thing.... But I have a question or two for you... What was it like having a spouse who lost so much weight while you didn't? There is a thread on here somewhere about support at home and I was just curious what your experience was like. You don't have to share if you don't want to, but I was curious. About the leeching- in all of my research I don't remember finding anything like that. I do know that the band can be tighter or looser depending on several factors- my hydration (or lack there of), my hormone levels, and if I have thrown up. The explination I've gotten for that is that our body fluids change and they can apply more pressure to the tube of saline. Also, if you iritate your pouch it can swell and cause more restriction. If you do find another answer to your question, let us know! Megan

Gosh, sorry you're not getting what you need from the people closest to you. The double edge sword to this is that I'm sure you trust and love these people and ithat makes it hard when you feel you are going against their thoughts and ideas. One of the things I did before surgery was I held informational sessions at the kitchen table with anyone I told. I made copies of photos of the band, stories of people with the band, I included links they could go to for more information, and I never once tried to hide the things that could go wrong. Instead, I talked them through with people- including what I would need from them if it did go wrong. And I told EVERYONE- aunts, uncle's, cousins, friends, co-workers... I'm a consultant by trade, so this kind of thing comes pretty naturally to me- educating adults. So if you need any tips or tricks, let me know. I will say though, that after I had explained everything and given people time to soak it all in, their concerns where generally more about them than me. I had given them the same information I had, so they couldn't make a poor judgement about the band...and that got us to the heart of the matter more quickly. For example- when I told my mom I wanted this surgery, she looked at me and said "Why would you need to have that?" I was 308 pounds at the time. Her comment was more about how she had loved me unconditionally for my 31 years, and hadn't seen how I had gained so much weight. My sister eventually told me she would be really pissed if I ever weighed less than her. The interesting and sad thing is, she's putting on every pound I'm taking off. That's her struggle and I'll be there for her as she has been here for me. I don't know if this is helpful information or not...and I agree that it is, in the end, your decision. This is one time in your life you may just have to stick up for what YOU believe in and fight for it. You'll be so much stronger for it! Keep us posted, Megan

I was reading Smartbandsters tonight and someone included a link to the RNY memorial page. http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/wlsmemorial.phtml I don't know what possessed me, but I decided that I would take a look. WAKE UP CALL...anyone who is currently struggling with the "I've only lost..." or "I'm a failure" needs to take a look at these pages. Not because of the RNY factor- but because these are the beautiful faces of people who had so hoped to be where we are today- and were willing to risk everything. We are the lucky ones- we survived surgery, we are living the lives they hoped to live. I guess it stopped me from feeling sorry for myself. I'm alive, and I'm down 43 pounds...and I bet if we could ask any one of those people who sadly passed away what they would have given to be down 25, 30, 40, 50, 100 pounds...they would probably say "anything it takes". I don't intend this email to sound preachy at all...I just don't want to take my band and all the gifts I've been given for granted, and I thought maybe we could use their stories as inspiration and solace along our paths. Megan

I wanted to chime in here on the plateau issue. By tracking my weightloss over several months I discovered something very interesting about my metabolism and the way I loose weight. I don't loose for two to three weeks...and then in the fourth week I will loose 4-5 pounds. Then I maintain again for two to three weeks, then I'll loose about 3 pounds. I've been watching this happen for 8 months now. Now, if I'd follow Jesse's advice (from Smartbandsters) about getting a fill if you haven't lost in two to three weeks, I'd be way too tight. But, because I keep track and weigh myself once a week- I can see that I just have to hang in there a little longer to see results. Right about the time I start to panic, that fourth week will hit and I"ll be down. The only time I've gotten fills is when I've actually gained weight for more than two weeks. That seems to rule out Water weight gain and that time of the month stuff. I just thank God I got the band because I always thought I was a failure at dieting...when really if I would have stuck with it for another week or two I would have seen results. But my band doesn't let me quit and it helps insure my success. I have to keep plugging along. Megan

You are perfectly normal! You don't have any restiction yet, and your stomach is healing up nicely, I'm sure. In the beginning, it is just like you have nothing there. Some people are lucky to come out of surgery with instant restriction...but that is the minority, not the majority. Now is a time to let your stomach heal fully, not loose weight. You may even gain a little during this time. Once again, YOU ARE NORMAL! A few tips to curb that hunger- drink lots of Water, eat whatever kind of Protein is listed on the stuff you got from your doctor- protein fills you up faster and holds you for longer. You might try drinking protein shakes- I add a half a banana and some Peanut Butter to my vanilla one and it's so good. I'm sure there are others out there that have better ideas for curbing the hunger during this time... I just remember eating a lot of cottage cheese. Good luck, and know we are here to help! Megan

Birdee- It sounds to me like you need to rethink your friendship with that person. Right now you are beating yourself up because of her comments and you know what? You deserve friends who are positive and careful with you during this time in your life. Rethink your friend, not how you feel about yourself. YOU ARE WORTH IT. Megan

Birdee- I don't know if anyone can make you feel better but yourself. But I'll try. I am a slow looser, too...and at times it makes me really frustrated, and then at other times I cry for joy that I"m loosing anything at all. Decide what your attitude is going to be about it- you are 50 pounds lighter than you were a year ago. 50 Pounds!!! That's one huge bag PLUS one little bag of dog food. Look around your world and see what weighs 50 pounds- your tv, 10 sacks of potatos, a tire, 50 1 lb packages of hamburger...and then think of that being gone off of you forevor. It sounds to me like there may be some negative self talk going on - "I'm not as good as everyone else. If I would have only..." STOP IT RIGHT NOW! Instead of comparing yourself to other people (where you will ALWAYS come up short) compare yourself to yourself and how much better you feel, how your clothes fit better, how you can get out of the car without needing a crane. The most important message I can give you (because I have to remind myself a lot!) is that this is your weight loss story. This is about YOU...not about anyone else. YOU are a success. YOU have lost the average amount of weightloss that the band studies show. YOU have done it already! Ok, so there are other people who have lost more- but there are also other people who have lost less. STOP THE MADNESS. In five years it won't matter how long it took you to loose it. Look forward, not backwards!!! Hang in there! Megan