La_madam

Have any of you taken the time to look back at this thread and see the huge wieght loss you all have accomplished since this started on July 19th, it is truly amazing . For me I started this thread at 229 on July 19th and Iam now 185, 44 lbs in a little less then 7 months..WOW! Just to name a few success stories here: Alexandra you have lost almost 30 lbs since July Darcy you have lost over 40 lbs since it started Bushbaby 30 lbs since July Delarla 23 lbs since July You guys are awesome!! Keep up the great work..I truly believe this challenge works for me..Keeps me accountable

Marie I eat 1/2 chicken fried steak everyday for breakfast with 2 scrambled eggs, it stays in my pouch for a long time..My restaraunt is breakfast and lunch..everything is home made, we have the best homemade corned beef hash and we make our own cinnamom rolls with gooy white creamcheese frosting..It is like a diner type..large portions Thanks Blossom for the compliments on my hair, it was actually just thrown up in a clip that day but Iam getting a new hairdo today and some color..and yes I'm loving the attention I have a 22yrold customer who has a crush on me..it is very flattering but I told him Iam old enough to be his mother and Iam married..he doesnt seem to care about either of them

Maurice.. When we are at the dinner table , my family knows they have taken too big of a bite or did not chew properely because of the evil eye I give them..I have made comments to my husband who is 6'1 and weighs 200 lbs wet... that if I took a bite that big I would die of pain . I also said to them al lthat I never realized how big of bite "we all" take while we eat..hopefully to makethem think about it I eat with a baby ( crab fork) fork now since my last fill..My husband enjoys our "dinner time" together and he knows it takes me alot longer to eat then he does so he has slowed down a bit because once the kids are done they are gone from the table so it is just he and I left which is where we get in some of our best communication. He feels bad if I am at the table alone still eating.

Yes be proud you made it through the day with no sweets...Great accomplishment on a day full of goodies Every day is a srtugle but I take it one day at a time I love my chocolate

Yeah Betty... Good for you.. And thanks to all of you other moderators who take such goodcare of LBT I would be lost without it

If you drink while eating it can be kind of painful..I have done it a couple of times and it feels like Iam getting all backed up and it is painful..I do not do it anymore

I do not follow the 1/2 a cup of food theory..never have and never will.. It has not affected me in any way But my band is at 2.5 cc's and this is a good level for me

I can so relate... I have told my family & friends for months that now I eat to live instead of live to eat. Eating has become a chore...so time consuming

Paula..are you crazy girl? Of course you can see a difference..look at you, you look beautiful, I see a huge difference .Look at your face and your mid section..lots of difference there.... Go to the grocery store and pick up 43 lbs of dog food or flour or better yet ask your butcher to save 43lbs of fat for you when he trims the meat..There is a difference!!!

I tell anyone and everyone who asks. I have even given the books I have on the Lap Band to some of my customers to read, and I am forever giving out web sites about the band. I want the word out..it is amazing to me how so many think I had the bypass until I actually take the time to explain to them No I had the Lap band..I actually have had 3 of my customers have the surgery done and they all have gone to Ortiz and are extremely pleased with their bands..

My next goal is to get into the 170's and to go buy a few size 12's since I only have 1 pair of 12's right now

Katie , liquids suck but think of the weight loss You did the right thing by going back in to have some of your fill removed. Very smart decision..so many wait it out and become sick and dehydrated, have severe reflux and need to be hospitalized.. I'm glad you got some relief and were responsible to know something was not right and took charge to correct it..your band will thank you for it in the long run

Does your Dr. Require a liquid diet pre op? Mine did not unless my BMI was over 50 which it was not. I ate right up until midnight the night before surgery..Yummy carnitas, rice beans and tortillas...

Yes Nancy is right, the bypass patients have a window of opportunity of weight loss, many after 2 years out do start to put wieght back on due to their pouches being stretched and their bodies adapting to the new pouch size..for us bandsters that is what is great about getting our fills for as long as we have the band..we will continue to lose. even if we see a little gain over the years it is controlable by getting a small adjustment

For me personally though.Just my opinion...the entire gastric bypass procedure, the re routing of my insides, the risks, the higher death rate, the longer liquid diet, the malabsorption, the dumping syndrome were things I would never consider, so thank god for the LAP BAND or I most likely would be morbidly obese the rest of my life. . I have a new leash on life..My husband, myself and children are reaping the benefits of my band..I had the same reservations about the band not working or lasting, but working with your band and not making your band do all of the work will help you to maintain the life of your band. Not overfilling, not PBinbg often..are all things that will help with the longevity of your band..however their are rare cases of model bandsters who have had erosion or slippage so there really is no guarantee..but it was worth it for me to go for the band over the bypass..I am almost at goal and have had my band 10 months...

Brenda, that is great news. I'm so happy for you that this is all behind you. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Dr. Ortiz in my opinion is a wonderful, very caring and experienced Dr. I had my surgery with him in April 2004 and as of this morning I have lost 80 lbs. Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez and the entire staff have been there for me every step of the way. Best of luck to you

The Sex is awesome! Not that it was'nt before but it is much more frequent!!! My husband was freaked the first few times after I had lost 60lbs ..he said it felt so different being able to feel my hip bones, my ribs etc...he said he felt like he was cheating on me but now IT"S ALL GOOD!!!! He's gotten over thatreal quick. We also spend more one on one time together out in public..I did not like ot go out much before one on one..

Congratulations to all of you losers.. Greg way to go breaking that plateau Darcy Fantastic Job! Betty as well you should be happy a pound is a pound no matter how long it took to lose, it's not a gain and for us that is a victory! Melissa 5 lbs in 3 weeks.. AWESOME! As for me I lost 2.25 lbs this week to make my total loss 80lbs It has got to be the exercise..going to the gym 3 x's a week is working..its too bad I didnt start the gym sooner then 10 months post op. Have a great week everyone

I have had insomnia for years so I can say it has been any different since I have been banded.

My problem is not with fat people but with how people eat. Owning a restaurant and seeing people eat everyday I find myself staring at them and how they eat..the size of bites and how little they chew their food and how quickly they take their next bite... I am the worst when eating with my family at the dinner tableIam very critical of my husband and kids watching htem chew and their bite size . Some of the bite sizes I see people take, I think to myself I would die if I took a bite that big. I know before my band I used to eat just like all of them but now it is appauling to me to see how people shovel food in their mouths

Went to Mexico so I stayed one night in the hospital and one night in the hotel after release from hospital just to make sure everything was OK

a handful or two of goldfish crackers or a handful of frosted mini wheat squares are my snack foods in the afternoon between lunch and dinner.

OMG Betty You look so great! What a huge difference in your waistline:)

Betty..Wow you got a waistline.. You look great what a difference..Keep it up!