Ginavit

Hello Laura, I am from Carlstadt so we really are neighbors. My husband is from Lyndhurst; he lived there most of his life. I do not get to visit this site as often as I would like but it helped me a lot. All the members really help with their experiences and knowledge. I am coming up on my one-year anniversary in six weeks (June 17th). I am really glad I made the decision to get banned instead of the bypass. I thought I would be able to attend the East Coast bash but it turns out that I have to travel to Dallas for work. Good luck to you.

I spent all day yesterday in the ER! I am having the same type of pain. Every time I cough or sneeze I feel a pinch and burning pain near my incisions. I cannot get comfortable in bed either, no matter how I lay I feel this pain. I never had any problems with my surgery, I am 10 months out so I was really worried. I had many test; CT Scan, X-Ray, Blood work etc.. and thank god everything came back normal. They think it may be a pulled muscle. I recently had a fill for the first time and was not used to such restriction, as a result I PB'd a few times. This is probably the cause of my discomfort. The good news is that I lost over 17 pounds in less than a month so I cannot complain. Good luck to you and I hope we both feel better soon.

I just forwarded the info to my Dr. at Hackensack Medical Center. We can all do the same and hopefully one of them bites. What about Inamed? I bet they get involved in these types of functions. Let's all keep a look out.

I live in the Meadowlands area and would also be interested in a get together. The city is a hop, skip and jump away for me! I will keep looking for additional threads. Thanks.

Very Inspiring To Really see The Success! Congratulations!

I too have been feeling down,I just went to the doctor and only lost 2 pounds. He gave me my second fill so I hope this helps. My husband, god love him, thinks that everytime I get a fill that I am failing. I am feeling so bad already and then he just adds to my misery. My weight problems have been an issue with us for so many years and he feels that I am not taking this serious. I just told him about my loss and he just hung up on me and I dred going home tonight. Why can't they understand? He has no faith left in me and it hurts even though I know why he feels this way. I guess the only way to prove him wrong will be to show him. In the meantime I am thankful I can vent here with all you wonderful people. Good luck to all and have a great Holiday!

* I have a date does not mean your going out. *You have baby food in the house and no baby. * "I'm a loser" is a good thing. * All of your silverware says Gerber. * "Welcome to the other side" doesn't include death. * New clothes fall off in a month. * You get excited about hand me downs. * The scale at Wal-Mart no longer says, "One at a time please". * Getting wrinkles is a good thing. * "Just Water for me please". * Hitting the "Century Mark" is actually a good thing. * You can be touched by an angel and still not be considered crazy. * When your rear end no longer looks like a mudslide. * When the word lap has nothing to do with a strip club. * Other women are calling you "bitch" behind your back. * When you are glared at in the plus size department because you don't belong there". * When you really don't have a thing to wear. * You have to prove you are the person on the driver’s license. * You start being in the pictures not behind the camera. * You want to hug everyone fat and hand him or her your surgeon’s card. * You are never parted from a bottle of water * When you order a doggy bag at the same time as your meal. * Being too small for your britches. * When the only way your nipples are where they belong is to roll them up, position them with your bra and secure with a ponytail holder. * When you got to the mall a take the first available space instead of circling 20 min. for one closer * You truly are a "cheap date". * When one drink makes you flipping floozy! * When you run to the door and don't hear a flapping sound. * You flip your shirt to show complete strangers your scar. * Vitamins feel like a meal. * You go from a 56DDDD to 32AAA in a year and didn't have a breast reduction. * You've just lost 100 lbs and run into a high school friend who asks "did you change your hair?" * You can cross your legs... both of them * Instead of a Wonder Bra you need a Wonder Where They Went Bra * When your obsession from food turns to your scale. * They no longer call 911 for the Jaws of life to extricate you from a turnstile. * No more Velcro shoes * "Checking for leaks" no longer includes your panties * When your Stairmaster is no longer used for drying your fine washables * Your mother says, "You don't eat enough" * Having sex your husband complains that your hipbones are poking him. * You can wear corduroy pants without igniting a fire * When you wave and your upper arms wave back * You safety pin your underwear * Someone phones and thinks your husband is sneaking around with some skinny mistress * Cannot blame the cat for shedding * Cancel your Lane Bryant Credit Card * The kids wonder what happened to the cake and cookie god. Did he die?? Thought some of you could use a laugh!!

Hello Kim, I found this on another WL Site! It made me laugh so I thought I would share it will all of you. I am witty but I have to confess that this was not my work! Have a great day everyone. Gina

Great thread, as I sit here with tears rolling down my face I will try to add my tid bit. In 2000 my husband had five massive heart attacks and I was told to prepare myself because he probably would not make it. The doctor's had very little hope for him. To everyones amazment, after five days unconcious in the ICU he pulled through. Since that horrible day, he takes really good care of himself, eating well, excerising, he quit smoking the whole nine yards! Now here I am, 305 pounds, 37 years old and on my last leg! The larger I grew the more scared my husband got for me. Well, one night while I was sleeping I caught him putting his hand over my face (not to smother me) but to check if I was still breathing! He is so scared I will die in the middle of the night. The guilt I started carrying around was more than I could bare. We have been through so many bad times and I just could not do this anymore. It was effecting him as well as myself. (To date he still does not know that I was awake that night, I am too embarrased to tell him) Anyway, after many conversations, seminars and doctor visits here I am! Happy as ever that I made this choice. My life, even though it has only been four months has improved more than I could ever imagine. Good luck to all of you and thank you for the wonderful chats!

I know that it is common but I am loosing a lot of hair. It is all over my house, clothes and most important my husband who want's to kill me. He said it is on his towels in the shower in the bed everywhere. My doctor said that this can go on for up to nine months. Is this right? My god I will be bald by then. I am finally giving in and going for a hair cut tomorrow. I have never had short hair but I think I have to do it. Don't get me wrong I am happy with my band and my weight loss but, this part stinks. I am a little down right now and I know this may sound trivial and silly to some but I am sad about cutting my locks off. It has been hiding this fat face my entire life. My husband added his two cents to cheer me up saying that it was OK because I will be skinny and bald and he would buy me a wig. Then added that the hair does not cover anything anyway so why am I stressing. Don't men just have a great sensitive side? Anyone have any comments or recommendations? Or, do I have to just ride this one out? Thanks for listening.

Alright, so I started this thread when I was really stressing out about my hair loss. So, I went and had is cut last night above my shoulders. My husband loves it and I think it is just OK. I know this is not going to stop the hair loss but at least the hair is not so long. I am sorry if I scared any of you fellow newbies but I did not know this could happen to me either. It does not happen to everyone and it does grow back. Good luck to you all. Thanks for all the support and information.

I thought that hair loss only occured with bypass patients - stupid me. Anyway, I am cutting it to try and minimize the amount. Right now my hair is just above my rear end. I am going to cut it just above the shoulder and layer it everywhere else. I am praying by the summer it will grow back. I have not had short hair since I was 5 yrs. old. Since the loss started my hair is looking horrible anyway. All I can do is pull it up so I guess there is no loss. Good luck to all of you, I hope you can avoid this part of the chapter!

Want to laugh? This is a piece out of my journal that I am just going to copy because I do not think I can say it any better. "May 17, 2004 - My final appointment is with the psychiatrist. Oh boy, this is going to be a good one! He will surely think I am nuts after spending a few minutes with me. Again, we review my medical history and then came the questions. What is today's date? My answer - 15th and it was the 17th, what month is it? June/ it is May. What year is it? 199? Pause could not answer, it is 2004 moron! Who were the last four Presidents? Oh god I thought now we are getting into history questions, I am now dead! No idea went totally blank. Then I turned beet red and asked for a do over! I am thinking to myself after all the appointments I have been through I am going to be denied because of this? I was expecting weight related questions and he really threw me off. Anyway, we finished the questions, he laughed and wished me luck and off I went.Thank god that is over" Guess all the Doc's are different. Be prepared for anything.

Hello Darcy, I was banded around the same time as you 6/17/04. I also fell off track for a little while. I went on vacation the end of August and drank & ate way too much. For the following three weeks I did not exercise and continued to make really poor food choices . I could not seem to snap out of it and get back on track. Needless to say I got myself into a bad depression. I thought this time would be different and I am acting the same ol' way I have in the past with continued failure. My poor husband took the brunt of my anger. I abused the crap out of him and when I finally snapped out of it I really owed him an apology. One day I just dusted myself off and said OK you screwed up now cut the shit and get back on track. I fasted for a few days and started eating small portions and most important I got on the friggen dreadmill and sweat my but off. Well, this past Friday I went to the doc for my weigh in and lost 10 1/2 pounds. It really gave me the boost I truly needed. Do not be so hard on yourself, you lost 44 pounds already! Just have a "do over" and move on. This site is great and always there even when you do not feel like talking sometime just reading the conversations help. Take care and be well. You will be fine, you are already a success. Gina "We cannot change the past but we can start a new beginning and change the ending"

Thanks for all the great reply's. A special thank's to you Alex for the downsizing. I was so embarrased by the size (as if I am not big enough already). Good Luck "LOVEMEACB4E", get ready for a new life! Thanks again and good luck to all of you. Gina

I just wanted to thank all of you girls/guys for the educational and humerous conversations. This site really helps you cope and move in a positive direction. I work in a very fast paced office with little time for the internet and wish I could spend more time here! I had my first fill on Friday the 10th, I was banded 6-17-04 and I am down about 42 pounds. I lost six pounds in six weeks on my last weigh in and I really got myself down. I know how ridiculous that sounds but I am very impatient about weight loss. This is why I always failed before. I love the band because it does not let me give up. Even when I am feeling down it is there reminding me why I did this. I finally made someone take a picture of me so I could see for myself what I looked like before my banding. I wish I could share it with you guys but I do not know how to do it. I am computer challanged. Thanks again for the great site, Gina

Acutally, if you scroll to the right you can see both my honey's. These are my two brother's, all the way to the right is my older sister! Yes, they are quite handsome if I do say so myself. I am so sorry for the size of the photo's! How embarrasing, they were not that BIG on my screen. So funny. Guess that is the last time I post a pic. Thank you for the nice words.

SORRY FOR THE LARGE SIZE PICTURE (HA, HA) THIS IS MY CURRENT PHOTO.

I AM TRYING TO ATTACH MY BEFORE PICTURE.

Hi everyone, I thought it was time for me to introduce myself. I joined this site early July and I have been checking it out for a few weeks. I was banded on June 17th, 2004 and to date I have lost 33 pounds. I am embarrassed to say that I really have not participated much. I really wanted to take this opportunity to say "thank you" to all of you guys who keep this web site going. Your questions, answers and advice has helped me so, so much. I found more information from your forums than I ever did from the doctors. Aside from feeling like a stalker, sitting back and reading all your conversations, I have to say I am so glad I found all of you. I never knew this many people were banded! Good luck to everyone and Thanks again! Gina June 17, 2004 Dr. Ballantyne, HMC 294/261/God only knows No fills

-DeLarla, I am a libra too. (37 feels like I'm going on 90) Hey, Passaic is in my backyard. Do you remember the Capital Theater? Those were the good ol' days of my teenage years.

I live in Meadowlands Area and work in Mahwah. Greetings!

Terry, Funny you should say that! I was so thrilled when I went to the doctor (today) because I lost 11 pound in three weeks. And the first thing the doctor said to me is are you vomiting?? I said no and he looked like he did not believe me! He said I was loosing faster than they anticipated. I have been eating three very small low calorie meals a day, no snacking, 1/2 to 1 gallon of Water a day (my employees think I am having an affair in the bathroom) and excersing five days a week and cleaning a big house on the 6th day. If these pounds were not going away I think I would shoot myself. That was the first time in my life someone told me I was loosing weight too fast. If my husband was with me I think he would knock the doctor off his seat (HA! HA!). Anyway, thanks for all the nice comments. You guy's are really nice and my kind of people. Have a great weekend, I am off to the Jersey Shore. Stalker

I was banded June 17, 2004 so I am still new to this. I have not been adjusted yet so I really do not know what that feels like. I find that when I make an effort to drink lots of Water between my meals, I feel full a lot sooner when I eat than when I do not drink. I am sorry you are having a hard time but, that is the beauty of the band, it can always be made smaller! Good luck to you I am sure you will get over the hurdle and back on the right track. Take care, Gina

Greetings - I have a freind who is interested in getting banded. I was banded June 17th at Hackensack Hospital but she lives in Momouth County. Does anyone have a surgeon they can recommend near Momouth County that is in the Blue Cross-POS Insurance plan? If so I would love to help my freind get on the band wagon with the rest of us. Thank you in advance for any suggestions! Gina