nightingale2u

That's wonderful Rachel! I'm so glad everything worked out!

Okay... that's it Becky... you really do need to run for office! Ryan... I hope your underpants aren't as baggy as your pants... that could be a tricky situation. Congrats on your NSV!!!!

Ryan... I have always put mine in the dryer... then again... mine are not of the super boulder holder nature... more like pebbles in a hanky.

Becky... I'd swear... I'd vote for you if you were running for president.

Paula... I had my surgery July 1st... which was our 1 year anniversay...lol... needless to say there was ZIP romance for the 1 yr... but hope to make up for that on our 2 year anniversary. We LOVE our cabin... can't wait until spring so we can start going there for the weekends again! I'll admit... not having running Water or a toilette is a bummer but it is still a wonderful place to get away to! I planted a gazillion bulbs this past fall... can't wait to see all of the flowers pop up! Spider man... nobody know who you arrrrreeee... yep... the tune is still running through my head.

Whoops... meant to say wouldn't ... BUT... have had the Spiderman theme going through my head every since... thanks Babs...lol.

I guess that's one tune I wouldn't mind having run through my head all day long Babs!

I went through a grieving process for the loss of eating huge quantities of food... but it was short lived... the satisfaction of eating small amounts and being able to stop with the help of my band buried those silly thoughts I had. I was restricted during the liquid stage... but lucky for me... my surgeon allowed pureed foods starting on day three post-op. I was actually restricted right up till a few days before my first fill... and very thankful for that! THe full feeling is much different than before but just as satisfying for me... the only part that still isn't satisfied at times is my brain but that is getting better too.

Yep... especially if I eat that one bite too many... it happened more in the beginning... now it's just burping and farting. Oh the joys ahead for you....lol.

Usually having a BMI that is 40 or higher qualifies the procedure as medically necessary... you can have a lower BMI if you have other co-morbidities such as high blood pressure... high cholesterol... diabetes... arthritis... etc. Hope that helps

Hi Katie, I was told that the band would not be effective if one tended to be a sweets/icecream eater... Well... I am an ice-cream FREAK and the band is working pretty darned well for me! I had also heard that the band was not appropriate for those in the super obese catagory that also appears to be a non fact. At one informational meeting I attended... the surgeon said... "Well... it's obvious you all have a problem with self-control so the band is most likely not a good option for you" Needless to say... that did not end up being my surgeon.

Brenda...I really do know how you feel... I was 213 lbs on October 7th and it has been an up and down ride all the way to Onderland... having a good fill is really helping me now. Hang in there ... (((hugs)))

I Loooooveee Popcorn... and can eat it easier than a lot of other foods. As far as the PBing... I have only had one sever PB since being banded and that was on dry chicken meat that wasn't chewed as well as it should have been. The other episodes I have had were uncomfortable... a lot of saliva and a whole lotta pacing but over with within a fairly short period of time. In short... I have been banded for over 7 months and have had some months without any episodes and the total episodes have been minimal now that I pay close attention to chewing well and stopping when I am full. Good Luck!

I finally bought a Tanita... it's not the fanciest model and I found the best price on it at drugstore.com... it was a little pricey... but... if I get on it three times in a row... it will give me the same weight every single time. Now... If I were to get on it at different times during the day I'm sure the weight levels would vary and we have differing fluid shifts as the day progresses. Another reason I love my Tanita is that the numbers it gives are right in line with my Dr's scale(Tanita)... his is much fancier but they both tell the same story.

I'm saving a seat for EVERYONE in Onederland... the climate is perfect... the sun shines all the time here... it's heaven in a handbag! Yup Lisa... I did... and if you need a tutoring session on putting together a 3 way... just let me know.

What a butthead! I swear... I wonder how they turn this around to a situation where we are paying a HUGE amount of money and end up having to PAY to be humiliated in the process!!!! I sure hope there will be enough competition out there at some point that leads the surgeons to have to WOO us to them. I want to complile a HUGE application that any surgeon will have to complete with a list of varying activities to prove their worthiness!

Welcome to LBT Joan! You'll find oodles of support and information here and wishing you the best on your journey towards being banded!

Miss Vera... they are going to fix everything as good as new and you'll be back on the bandwagon before you know it! Good luck!!!!!

*Group Hug* I know what you mean Jonathan... there is a support group that I attend occaisionally but most of the information and support I've needed has come from the great people at LBT... I don't know how I ever would have made it through without this wonderful site! I tell every bandster I come in contact with because I know they will love it as much as I do!

Blushing here guys... I would encourage everyone to take the before pics regardless of how difficult it is to get in front of the camera... when it feels like you're not getting anywhere the pics are a good reality check! I remember feeling so horrible when my hubby took those first pictures... I cried when I saw them... but... I cried happier tears when I saw the comparison to the pic that was taken last night.

Okay guys... my hubby put this together for me... the before picture is 13 lbs lighter than my heaviest... the after was taken tonight.

I can't tell you how many times I've asked myself the same darned question! I think I will question my sanity if a day arrives that I say... "I can't wait to exercise!" Besides... if we loved it maybe we wouldn't be all that proud of ourselves when we did it??? If I had y'all here with me... I'd love hitting the streets for a walk... but until then... I'll settle for a good butt kicking to get me in gear.

Okay... now I'm crying... thank you for making my entry into onederland even more special! Wow... it's just such a wonderful feeling saying goodbye to the two's and knowing that with the band I am likely never going to see them again. I think the scream of joy from my room in the doctor's office may have started a rumor for my little family practice Doc....hehehehe. Having all of you here makes every happy moment in this journey even more wonderful... Thank you!!!!

I never thought that this journey I've taken would lead to so many discoveries about myself personally and the behaviors that have become so much of who I am. I think that I've always known that my relationship with food was not a healthy one... but the need to feed that hunger and surround myself with a protective layer was beyond my control. I would always say... "My problem is that I just love food". My problem was and is that I am addicted to the temporary relief that food brings... that fleeting moment of joy that accompanied a frozen custard turtle sundae. But then... shortly... empty again. I am sure this is what an alcoholic must feel... this inability to stop... this loss of control once the consumation begins. I think the worst part about having a food addiction is that one can never eliminate food from life... can you imagine if an recovering alcoholic had to have some alcohol in order to sustain life? So... I am thankful everyday that my band puts the brakes on when I am simply not able to ignore those impulses and urges to binge. My brain may not say no... but my band surely does. Hopefully one day my brain will get involved and join the program... until then... fill er up!

Rachel... I sure hope that everything works out and that you are able to get your band as planned. Try not to worry... (((hugs)))