mjsafari

Hi all - just checking in. I haven't had much to say lately, but like everyone else I try to keep up with the reading. I am in a tough spot right now. Since my unfill, I have gone from not being able to eat anything, to being able to eat WAY too much, to just about the sweet spot again. BUT I also have stopped taking my birth control pills this month - I talked to my GYN about it and she suggested I stop, because I felt like they were making me too hungry 2 weeks out of the month (my tubes are tied, so I was only taking them for PCOS control). Well now that my own hormones are in charge, I am hungry ALL the time and craving chocolate and salt. Like Suzzie always says - chocolate goes down just fine, so I have tried not to keep it around. I think about potato chips ALOT, but I have tried to stick to sunflower seeds to help with this craving. Through all this I have stayed between 208 and 210. I finally hit 207 yesterday and today, but I don't know if that will last. I definitely understand part of the reason I gained weight before! Enough complaining, no one said it would be easy! I hope everyone has a good Sunday!

Stef - NO MORE Ambien until you talk to your doctor! Suzzie is right - I would be very concerned about you aspirating while you are sleepeating and PBing. LadyHR -thanks! I was so glad he didn't want to take everything out. Knock on wood I am still doing fine. I am sure you will get a TON of compliments at your meeting. nvalicia - CONGRATS - it is a great accomplishment! Suzzie - I totally can tell changes depending on where I am in my cycle. I don't think it is unusual at all for someone with PCOS to not have a period - I think I only had them because I was on the pill. The only thing that can really control PCOS is - losing weight, so I am afraid you may get them whether you want them or not!

bigbaby - we will have a race :-) I am at 210.4 this morning, I hope my liquid diet and cutting out the sugar will get me going again. It is amazing how well chocolate goes down even when you are too tight. I found out whoppers worked - love the new Reeses ones! But no more excuses of needing some calories!

bcrazy - that is what I think too. thanks Suzzzie! I just noticed I am no longer MORBIDLY obese, now I am just Extremely Obese - I am not sure that sounds any better, but I will take it!

Hey all thanks for the thoughts! Thanks goodness I did NOT have a slip - I was just too tight. No clue why it tightened up after being at the perfect spot for 3 months and losing weight. It has to have something to do with moving, new town, and stress, but I really thought it would loosen up on its own. Symptoms: slime and PB with any solid food, no matter how well I chewed. I couldn't even drink anything without feeling it - no pain most of the time, but definitely could feel it moving slow. Then I started refluxing on liquids, so I knew it was time to get to the doc. It really started when I got to Nashville, so I haven't been able to eat a real meal since Dec 3rd or so. I couldn't eat anything for breakfast or lunch and then sometimes I could get soup in for dinner. I had 7cc in my 10cc AP band, he looked with the full amount in, liquid went through very slow and then would stop in the pouch and reflux up - so cool to be able to see what I have been feeling for a month. He took 1cc out and everything went right through, so he put .4cc back in, that showed the slow movement without reflux that he wanted to see. So I am on liquids for the next couple of days and try to progress to solid proteins again. I hope to get back on track with weight loss again, I haven't lost much through all this. I am SOO close to onederland I can taste it! :tt1: SUZZIE - I know you can get back on track, but it sounds like you definitely need a fill. I have to say I would love a piece of pizza - that new Pizza Hut crunchy cheese crust looks really good! course anything solid looks good to me right now. Steph - I think only you could get that excited about a protein bar!:tongue: I think to get my last 60lbs off I am going to have to get to the gym! Could you come kick my butt?

Okay you Junies we want to see EVERYONE! No matter where you are in your journey you are loved and respected, by your fellow Junies! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/attachments/f93/9527d1187273675-june-2007-bandster-calender-june-2007-bandster-calender.doc This was the last calendar the Heather (HottyToddy) posted for us - We MISS you Heather! It would be great to see everyone on this list. Post what you are comfortable with. I hope to see our leaders start this on Dec 1st!

Wow it is quiet around here or is the website not working? I hope everyone is doing well. JoJo your weight loss is amazing! I hope your wound heals quickly. As for my appointment - well I heard the dreaded words - you might have slipped. I am going Wednesday to have a swallow to see what is going on. The doc will be there and take fluid out - if I am slipped hopefully taking fluid out will let if fall back in to place. If not I am looking at a revision ASAP. Keeping my fingers crossed that I am just too tight! I am off to GA today to visit my facilities down there, so I will check in after my appointment on Wed.

Hi All - boy I have missed you guys! The new job is time consuming, plus moving the family has kept me away. JoJo - You can say what ever you want as far as I am concerned related to the band - no one said this would be easy! You know my hubby has been there - no port problems though. I am so sorry you are going through that on top of the H.Pylori. Hubby got a fill last month and still has burning almost every time he eats, I think it is his stomach's way of telling him to SLOW down, chew and eat smaller bites! He has to sit for a minute, then it will usually pass and he can eat a normal amount of food. Insurance wouldn't pay for a breathe test to make sure his Pylori was gone, and with moving we haven't had time to get him in for another scope. I think he is fine, but would like to know for sure. I have been having my own issues. Ever since I got to Nashville, I have been very tight. (Rhonda - very much as you described) The past week has been worse - enough that I called for an appointment. I can get liquids in, but very slowly - nothing cold. I was able to eat some meat tonight, but I am going to keep my appointment on Friday - I haven't had a fill since Sept and haven't seen a doc since Nov, so I am due, I think. I hope to be more regular - I miss you all! Missy

No you are not a thread killer. I totally can relate. I have done well, but I am hunger most of the day depending on what time of the month it is. Today I was starving - is was 2:30 and I hadn't had lunch. I was out so I pulled in to McDonalds - I ordered a chicken nugget kids meal and forgot to ask for apples instead of fries. So of course instead of not eating them, I shoved 2 in my mouth immediately. I got through about 1/2 a nugget and thought I was going to have to pull over and PB. I managed to hold it down, was in pain and STILL hungry. I had a NSV today, but also a very sad realization. I needed new pants because I am walking around holding mine up all the time like those kids that walk around with their pants hanging and their hands on their crotch! I went to Dress Barn and picked up a 20W - but was surprised to find I really needed an 18W (I started at a tight 32W). That of course is wonderful, until I looked at my legs in the full length mirror - YUCK! Unless I can afford a thigh lift, I will never be able to wear a swimsuit or shorts above the knee again. Maybe if I could get my butt in gear and exercise, I could make some improvement, but that is so hard for me! I hope everyone can get back on track in the new year. It is a daily battle for me to make good choices and I often don't, Thank goodness I can't overeat anything! Well I can eat chocolate pudding with brownies I found out - but I am not a sweets eater and only want chocolate about once a month.

Suzzie - I bought my Stevia at the State Line wal-mart in south KC - so you should have it in the walmart by you. I bought two boxes of the packet at the time, but I still have a ton. I mostly drink water, but I use it in tea when I have that. Stevia is great and doesn't have an after taste. I hope they start making diet stuff with it, I still don't like the pre-made things with Splenda, I think they have an aftertaste. I do use splenda packages in tea and have learned to like the taste. CONGRATS on the Jeans, it sounds funny, but it is a great feeling to be able to buy wal-mart jeans. I TOTALLY understand! Hope everyone is having a great start to the new year.

Name.............S.W.........C.W........G.W......T o Go Dakota1984 ..... 246 ....... 242 ....... 234 ..... 8 MJSafari ....... 237 ....... 220 ....... 227 ..... -7 Wombat712 ...... 162 ....... 157 ...... 150 ..... 7 SueMagoo ....... 243 ....... 230.6 ..... 230 ..... 0.6 Missrhondalynn.. 255 ....... 255 ....... 235 ..... 20 MM ............. 213.4 ..... 207.6 ..... 205 ..... 2.6 BeckieT ........ 248.8 ..... 247.8 ..... 240 ..... 7.8 Suzzzie. ....... 312.1 ..... 301.2 ..... 299 ..... 2.2 HUNTERSMOM...... 170 ....... 170 ....... 165 ..... 5 LULUC .......... 182 ....... 169 ....... 170 ..... -1 SWEETY ......... 188 ....... 180 ....... 180 ......0 Joeygirl........ 226 ....... 220 ....... 220 ..... 0 FarmerE......... 182 ....... 177 ....... 172 ..... 10 Finallythin..... 235 ....... 235 ....... 220 ..... 15 Holliwagz....... 386 ....... 291 ....... 286 ..... 5 I was 219 yesterday dang it! I ran up and down the stairs several times moving boxes and didn't eat anything but dinner and was up a pound! I just don't get it, but I exceeded my goal, so I can't really complain. I was happy to see a loss after the week of Christmas - I hadn't weighed all week, because I left my scale in Nashville, while I moved the family. Good Luck everyone on your final weigh in of 2007! What is our next challenge - Valentine's Day?

Happy New Year everyone (almost in central time). I hope everyone has had a great holiday season! We have made it to Nashville and are just waiting on our stuff to be delivered. I don't know which is worse, packing or unpacking. I can't complain though, my husband and son have done most of the work. Here's to a great 2008, with much less worry about losing weight!

I am right there with you Phyl - 5' 1" last I checked. 150 sounds good to me, I can't believe I could ever get to 120-125 to be "normal". I am amazed at people that are over 200lbs and in size 14 or 16. I am still a size 22 after losing 104lbs. I have not idea how much I am going to have to lose to be able to shop in the "normal" clothes!

thanks MM! I probably should have shot a little higher, but glad I didn't - I am tighter than I ever have been ( except the unfill time) and I haven't lost a thing this week. Not sure why I am so tight - I haven't had a fill since Sept.

missmonaaz - I honestly drank liquids whenever I was hungry during the first week, I did try to watch the carbs though. You will hear time and again - now is not the time for losing weight, it is the time for healing. It is very true - drink liquids if you are hungry so you don't move too fast and damage your band.

Rhonda - You are looking great! thanks for posting. Photobucket.com is the best place to manage pics for the website.

I am up for a trip to Texas - we could stay with my nephew and partner in flower mound! I am sorry I missed out on the secret santa thread, I would have loved that! I saw someone else mention it. I guess I need to get around a little more!

Thanks everyone - it feels pretty good. I am proud, but it just proves all I had to do was eat less. I couldn't have done it without my band though. Best decision I ever made. I have been so lucky with it also. I have not had a fill since Sept and am tighter now than I have been - stress of a new job and moving probably, but it is working. Keep at it and do NOT wait on your fills, the restriction is really key. Tann - WOW you are almost there - :whoo: - I wanted one that bows, but I couldn't find it - You ROCK! I posted my pics on the June thread if you are interested. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f93/6-months-pics-junies-june-07-bandsters-46084/index4.html

I decided to post my Thanksgiving since I am not going to get 6 months any time soon. I am down another 13lbs from the last one, but it is close. I feel like I should be able to see more of a difference, because of how I feel. I guess it is just hard to look at yourself. Where else in the world would I feel comfortable enough to put my actual weight out there! BigBaby - WOW what a difference - very noticeable on the front shot! Captain Dan - I am a married woman, so I will remain quiet :-)~ .

I am hoping to still make it, but dates don't matter to me. I am not sure with my new job if I will be able to take off, so I am just trying to keep up with the plans and be there if I can.

nvalicia - I do snack between meals, because I am still hungry quite often even with good restriction. I eat sunflower seeds, peanuts, and cheese mostly as snacks. FarmerE - Congrats - what a great NSV!

Just wanted to give everyone some encouragement, since many of you are new on your journey. Today is my 6 month Bandiversary - I am officially down 102lbs. I had my own private goal to make 100lbs by 6 months, but I couldn't believe it when I got so close earlier this week. Then I got to do a happy dance this morning! I treated myself to a real pair of jeans and belt today. I still have more to lose than a lot of people do when they start, but I am certainly happy with my journey so far. Keep up the good work - it is worth it!

I DID - thanks Wombat! I was so surprised to see that number this morning. I had not lost for a week and half. I made my own private goal of 100lbs in 6 months also! Next one is to be under 200lbs

Thanks Insub - I thought Holliwagz was already there?? I am not sure about the pure hard work - although I am proud of myself, it really just proves to me all I had to do was eat less - especially less carbs. I could never have done it without the band though, I just don't have the will power. Proof of that is I have yet to exercise. I definitely feel better. I have more confidence. I am not sure about the center of gravity. I was always banging in to things before - the psych said it was because of body perception. I never really thought I was as big as I was. I am still huge and have more left to lose than most have when they start this process, but I feel pretty good right now. Skin - I am pretty sure I could win any contest for extra skin! :-) not one I want to, but as Lucy said, I have resigned myself to plastic surgery when I am done. I did treat myself tonight - I bought Real Jeans and a belt. I can't tell you the last time I wore real jeans. 22WP down from 5X stretch pants. In other news - hubby got a call from a photographer yesterday, they want him to come in to take pictures for our surgeon next Tuesday - which is his birthday also, so pretty good gift! I told him to be sure to take his size 54 fat pants. I made him keep one pair. I know I started the picture thread and I really wanted to post today, but I don't have my camera with me. I will get something posted soon. I am disappointed in my Thanksgiving pics, so I am reluctant to post those. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Hi everyone! I will have to catch up on the post later, I am supposed to be headed to work! I had to let everyone know that I am officially 102lbs on my 6 months Bandiversary! I was so worried after sitting in a meeting all day yesterday that I would get there (eating M&M's was the biggest worry really :-) ) but I did it! I love my band!