Donna113

I'm a lot happier for all the reasons the other posters have stated earlier but the HAPPIEST part is that food no longer controls me. If I'm busy, I "forget" to eat. That hasn't happened in so many years. So far I've only lost 30 lbs but what a difference that has made for me both physically and mentally. Again, the best part is food no longer controls me.

I can't wait until that happens! I have clothes in my closet of various sizes and right now I'm kinda "in-between" anything that fits well. Because I was so in denial over gaining weight, I wouldn't buy bigger clothes until the clothes got so tight, it was life threatening. So now, I've donated several items that got too big but find the remaining clothes are still a bit too tight.

I'm 5 months out and I had a lot of gas after banding (not smelly, just a lot of air). I notice though in the past couple of weeks, it seems to have settled down quite a bit.

Dr. Fran, glad to hear it all worked out.

I'm 5 months out and I've only experienced that painful feeling when I ate too fast or had one bit too much. Since my 5th fill, it hasn't happened at all. I think mostly because I'm very careful to chew thoroughly and I haven't overeaten since the last fill because my appetite has decreased way down.

I'm 5 months out but remember well how hungry I was a few days after banding. Until you get your fills, you may well stay hungry. It took until my 3rd fill 2 months out for me get the hunger to a manageable level, 4th fill helped a lot and at 5th fill I think I'm very close to "sweet spot." Most bandsters here will tell you it takes several fills so don't get discouraged and do your best to control portions--eventually, the band will help but until then, it can be difficult. The key is not to give up and stick to the rules. AVOID high cal/low nutrition foods. Protein also helps to control hunger. Try to get it from solids when you move on to solid stage.

Triple Leaf Super Slimming Tea works very well. It's very gentle and does not have any ill side effects. Drink a cup right before bed and when you wake up in the morning, you're literally good to go.

I've experienced acid reflux only once when I went to bed Thanksgiving night. It was all because I had one bite of stuffing right before bed and in the lying down position, it couldn't or didn't go down. Since that episode, I don't even have a bite of anything within 1 hour of going to bed and haven't experienced it since.

Welcome back loracrose. Keep posting with us, we all get so much from each other here.

Sanin, your post was wonderful and caring. What you failed to mention, however, is that the reason why so many on LBT are upset with Oprah is because of her stance on WLS. While she hasn't all out bashed it, she has made her opinion on it very plain. She clearly feels only those that did it the traditional way deserve credit and those that take the surgery option "copped out."

Halloween was really tough for me. I ate a fistful of mini cholcolates on a daily basis for 2 weeks -- sometimes 2 fistfuls at a time. Amazingly I didn't gain during that time but needless to say, it only extended my plateau. I'm convinced I could be below 180 now if I had been more reasonable during that time. Oh well, no sense in looking back, this band is all about the present, right?

It's virtually impossible for me stop at one cookie unless someone else is in the room. I guess not wanting to make a pig of myself in front of others controls me somewhat but leave me alone with a plate of cookies and you'll be lucky to find a crumb!

Mine starts Christmas Eve and I won't go back until January 5th. Love it! 11 consecutive days off but because of holidays and weekends, only 5 vacation days used. Still will have 12 more days to use through November '09. We have a use it or lose it policy and I've lost vacation and personal days all three years that I've been there. My New Year's goal is to use up ALL of my 17 vacation days and 8 personal days, even if it's only to lie out by the pool sipping fruity drinks!

Another 1/2 down. After the steady .5 lb a day drop, it stopped for 8 days but it's moved today! Name_________StartWeight___CurrentWeight______Goal________ToGo *****<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = V /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" filled="f" stroked="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe">:woot:</v:shapetype>***********:sad:*************:woot:**************** :biggrin: * agreatknead........204............187...........180............7 areellady..........189............189...........159...........30 BIGB...............342............342...........300...........42 BellaPerdente......253............204...........195............9 Boos02.............258............226...........200...........26 Brandy.............221............200...........191...........9 BrownBear..........240............235...........200...........35 Bunkey1965.........194............167...........170...........(-3) Cadets71...........223.4..........220.4.........189...........31.4 Charlietuna........210............167...........150...........17 Claudine...........250............231...........225............6 CubsGirl17.........172............150...........150............0 Cutiew/booty.......251............225...........220............5 cQQlgirl...........195............185...........180............5 crzytchr...........276............253...........246............7 Donna113...........199............183.5.........160...........23.5 Ekat...............527............172...........152...........19 feefee57...........262............212...........180...........32 FeliciaLevy75......240............204...........190...........14 GillieBean.........304............296...........264...........32 HeatherO...........150............143...........130...........13 Hollie ............l54............154...........125...........29 janesays ..........244............232...........225............7 jazzyywan..........239............239...........190...........49 Jeni85.............182............182...........160...........22 Jillbeme...........235............203.5.........185...........18.5 Josie74............260............255...........215...........40 judy1023...........231............231...........199...........32 klmsilva...........216............212...........190...........26 legster............183............183...........160...........23 linksmom...........251............231...........200...........31 Lindar172.............257.8.....................245.2...............24 0...................5.2 Liquidbluegal......225............214.6.........199...........15.6 Liz_hager..........161............158...........130...........28 Long2BThin.........253............214...........215..........(1) lotzasunshine......292............271...........250...........21 Luu2008............230............199.5.........153...........46.5 Lunabeane..........244............197...........187...........10.0 Mamanmidwife.......295............268...........260............8 Melissa Aguirre ...266............233...........160...........73 Melody2006.........223............223...........173...........50 MiniPearl#2........???............???...........???...........?? Minxz..............299............287...........270...........17 neefam.............238............189...........158...........31 newby23............242............242...........212...........30 odizzzydori........242............242...........199...........43 paige65............252............238...........220...........18 rainer.............236............222...........210...........12 Redtulips3.........180............175...........160...........15 reif78.............294............195...........140...........40 RichardCranium.....338............276...........200...........76 soontobehottie.....201............175...........165...........10 srknepler..........285............249.2.........255..........(5.7) squale.............353............353...........325...........28 SueAZ..............198............193...........150...........43 Sunshine2..........177............166...........160...........06 Suzzzie............305............305...........285...........20 stevegoad..........370............341...........267...........74 Terilynn112........240............224...........215...........6 Truediva...........299............285...........235...........50 thininside28.......255............255...........215...........40 Turler.............219............203...........194............9 youcandoit!........196............182...........165...........17 bjbstoney..........321............153...........140...........13

Their oldest girl is very pretty but it looks like the younger one got all the personality. Kinda like the Bush twins, the prettier girl seems quiet while the other one is seems brimming over with bubbly enthusiasm.

Me too. Once I start with just a bite, I end up with just one more bite and on and on and on until either it's all gone or I'm back to feeling like the kid at a party who gets green around the gills overindulging in sweet, rich treats.

I second that!

OOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhh, I can't believe you said that! The liberals are going to get a posse after you! She made the 4th or 6th hottest woman on some list--maybe fan club of fuglys? I have to admit, I think Barrack is prettier than Michelle.

Being married really sucks sometimes.

I've noticed lately that Oprah's weight seems to be climbing. She's not been a big proponent of WLS but maybe she should consider it? She's been struggling with weight for almost all of her entire TV career and it seems no matter how much she loses or what method she utilizes, her weight seems to creep back up again.

Thinking the same thing.

Technically, Houston never gets a frost, EVER and we're always in shock when we get one. The snow last week completely looped us--in a good way though.

My DH has been researching cars and is shopping for one and is totally disgusted with me because I'm so not interested. It's going to be his car, so what do I care? Anyway, you'd think he'd be grateful that I told him to get whatever he wants. But noooooooooo, he's pissed because I'm disinterested.

See what your vodka talk did? I had to go fix myself an appletini. It was goooooooooooooood. I'm feeling the effects now...

Silly me, I thought political talk was over along with the election...