Zoe

Excellent post, Miss Darcy. You're right -- it's so easy to get stuck thinking about how far we might be from our goal weight, instead of how far we've come, even those readers who are not yet banded but who have come a long way in their emotional journeys. Brava!

Amoro, Darcy is absolutely right. The weeks between your surgery and your first fill are meant for healing. Some people lose weight like crazy during that time -- even if it's just water weight -- some lose a little, some stay the same, and some (gulp) gain. Yes, it's frustrating when the scale doesn't move or creeps up in the wrong direction, especially if you're not eating much. But please try to remember that any gain is temporary, and you're in this for the long haul. Give your band a break and follow your doctor's instructions on what you can eat and when. Your body will then be ready to start losing fat when you get a fill. Hang in there.

Darcy, you're so close -- next week oughta do it! Last month I was about to give up my goal of getting to 199 by April 5. I was crawling down the weight charts, able to eat huge portions, and posted a 3-lb. loss over the holidays only because I exercised like mad. Then I got a new fill on Jan. 21, and what a difference. I can't eat much. I don't really want to, most of the time -- but I sure miss thick juicy rare steak! And, miracle of miracles, I lost 4 lbs. last week. Goodbye, 220s. That 199 goal still seems pretty tough, but if not by April 5 then sometime later in spring, so if all goes well I can start the summer in Onederland for the first time in years.

Congrats, Rachel! I went through the same rush of emotions during the days before the surgery; I was grateful for the anaesthesia because I finally got some sleep! You're about to take a big step in your life, so it's perfectly normal to be nervous and excited. Please check in with us after your surgery. A number of Aussies are on the board, and you may find someone in WAus who knows the medical scene. Good luck, and welcome!

Amen, brother! Extra worship room -- hallelujah! Loved your other post, Ryan; Jack's too. Hey, Donali, look what you started!

Everyone's given great advice about distracting yourself. How about taking an old picture of your ex and gluing it to a punching bag for an upper-body workout? Also, remember that if you do give in to emotional eating, it doesn't mean you're a failure or a bad person, just human. Do whatever you can to make it easier for you to make healthier choices for yourself, and if you slip on occasion, remember you get to start over not just the next day but the next minute. I hope you feel better.

Vinesqueen, I think you've made one thing absolutely clear: No one on this board will want to go to SE Idaho! I'm sorry you have to live among such small-minded people. The "Christian Diet" phenomenon is news to me. Fat people won't go to heaven? What's up with that? The bigger the body, the smaller the soul? Gluttony may be one of the seven deadly sins, but what about the others? Anger, avarice, envy, gluttony, lust, pride, and sloth. . . heaven must be sparsely populated indeed if anyone guilty of one of the SDS is barred from the gates. Good grief. I hope you don't have to stay there long, V.

Rock on, D! I hope everyone who has been instructed to lose weight before banding has a chance to read your post. You speak eloquently for legions of angry fat people who have been made to feel weak, self-indulgent, inferior, and unworthy of respect. Thank you for kicking ass.

Oh, Lauri, I hope you get answers soon, and also relief for your pain. I have had several lower-body MRIs, and they aren't bad; you just have to lie still. Some facilities will let you bring in a tape or CD to be played during the procedure. The machine is pretty loud, so it's not enough to block out the noise, but the music will give you something to concentrate on while your body is being scanned. Good luck. We're all glad that your doctor is taking your health seriously.

Pati, Dr. Rumbaut gave me a similar report. I presented my local doctor with a copy of it, both to keep it in my medical records and to prove that I really was banded by his proctoring surgeon. I admit that if I hadn't received the report, it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask for it.

OK, I just got a huge NSV and I had to tell y'all about it. I participated in an optional health assessment at work today. My weight was 217 (but I'm not going to count it because the scale was probably off) -- but never mind that, my blood pressure was 136/84! That's almost normal, and by my standards it's effing incredible. Last August it was 170/105. Enough rejoicing. I gotta get back to work, because if I get thrown off the computer while posting this note my pressure will go sky high!

Amen to this thread. Thanks, DeLarla, for posting this for newcomers. I'm one of the lucky ones who had both a good Mexican surgeon and good aftercare options -- but then, I live in a big city and was lucky enough to find one of the surgeon's proteges in town. If anyone is considering getting banded in Mexico, please take DeLarla's advice and arrange your aftercare doctor -- local or in Mexico -- before you take the big step.

A modest suggestion: Might our wise moderators consider one thread for pictures only, and another thread where we can comment on them? I'm thinking that a pictures-only thread would be an impressive wordless testament to everyone's success with the band, and would be especially encouraging for newcomers. While it's fun to be able to write notes back and forth commenting on everyone's photos, the thread is getting pretty long, and it's only just started. Each picture generates about five messages; now that so many people have added tickers and slogans, we have to scroll through a lot to get to each set of pictures. So how about giving us a virtual slide show with photos only?

Way to go, Leatha! You can probably wear petite sizes now. I love your story about the mysterious legs in the tub. I'm wearing the same three pairs of pants throughout the winter, so I guess I can brag that my wardrobe (not to mention my body) is 50% bigger than yours. They're going to have to see me through the season, then it's on to 1980s revival wear for spring. Are shoulder pads coming back in style?

Good luck, Brenda. Let us know what your insurance company says.

Yes, give us details! And photos! Have you reached your goal weight?

Thanks, Donali. I'm on liquids today; I PB'd at work yesterday after eating a salad, and barely made it to the bathroom. You've given all of us an important reminder of why PBs are more than just uncomfortable or an inconvenience -- they can cause serious damage.

Betty, I have a watch NSV too. The metal-link (not stretchy) watch that was a little tight before banding is now a little loose. My wrists aren't exactly Audrey Hepburn's, but it's great to have a very real indicator of success that I look at several times a day.

Oh, come on, Greg -- you can make it by 2007, I just know it! You'll probably drop a lot of pounds all of a sudden and make us all envious.

Dr. Rumbaut gave me paracetemol, which worked OK -- but I don't think it's available in the US without a prescription. Glad the wound passed inspection. Hope you have more good news soon.

Welcome to Bandland, Jonathan! It probably doesn't seem like a fun place right now, but everyone's right: Things do get better every day. Try to force yourself to walk whenever you can; it will help dissipate the gas & you'll feel a little better. Hang in there -- the first few days are the toughest. Congratulations!

That's a wonderful, and rare, quality in a trainer. Wish she moonlighted in Chicago! You're doing great. Congratulations on your loss.

Hi Kathy -- There are lots of old posts here -- some of them hilarious -- from people who are Mexico veterans. Promise your husband you'll pick up a bottle of tequila for him and set his mind at ease. Seriously, the main thing we Mexican bandsters need to worry about is after care. Who will do your fills? Who will you see if something goes wrong? Line up your US connections before the surgery and your life will be much easier. You might want to start by searching for Dr. Kuri on this site to see who he's operated on and how they have managed their after care. Good luck, and welcome!

Hi Paula -- I know exactly what you mean by the "ribbit" noise. I've been frogging all the time since my last fill. I never know when a new weird noise is going to emerge. I don't have the "crackle" you describe, but I'm constantly croaking -- in fact, I'm doing it as I write this, twenty minutes after lunch. Ribbit. Ribbit. It's not easy being green . . .

Natalia, I had a similar experience with a tight fill, but I'm on a much slower timeline than you are. After my first fill of 1.2 cc I didn't have much restriction; it would come and go, and I was able to eat pretty big quantities, although certain foods (like eggs) always got stuck. I was exercising a lot, so I was still losing a few pounds and quite a few inches, but I was baffled as to why I could eat full servings of just about everything instead of the minute portions I had read about here. So the holidays ended and I went in for another fill. This time not only did I get instant restriction, but I could feel every single swallow. I even made an appointment for an unfill after I had trouble swallowing water one night. That problem resolved itself, though, and now I think I have the normal restriction I had heard about. Yes, it is a real shock after having a pretty loose band for months! For me, the key is chewing the hell out of every bite, and avoiding dry meats. I also allow myself the occasional indulgence; for me, that means dessert. Yes, I know melted liquid goes right through the band, but even with one scoop of super-rich real ice cream twice a week, I'm still averaging 1000 - 1200 calories a day, well below my metabolic requirement of 1750 (that's how much I burn just sleeping and standing still). Give yourself a few days to get used to the restriction, and stay away from those eggs!