Zoe

Kathy and Nancy, between the two of you, you've lost 100 pounds -- and gained hope. Thank you for sharing your stories.

What great news! The next few months will fly. You're on your way now! :banana

Hey, Darcy, if you actually decide to make a quilt from oversized castoffs, I've got just the trousers for the backing -- we're talking California King size!

What an eloquent message, Ryan. Thank you. I think every newcomer to this forum should read it!

Yeah, I have to admit I felt great after hearing that. Mind you, my once skinny mama has become a junk-food junkie since my father died, and has (to my amusement) packed on the pounds in the last several years. She offered me a bag of Cheetos when I visited last weekend, and even though she knows about my band she was stunned when I turned them down. She's become a lot more relaxed about fat issues in the last ten years -- partly because she's heavy herself now, of course, but also out of some genuine regret for being such a hard-ass when I was a kid, plus going through some rough times of her own which have made her more tolerant of others. I'm lucky in that both of us have been able to mend our once-rocky relationship now that she's getting Social Security and I'm middle-aged. Some parent-child connections are so damaged that they can never be repaired, but I'm grateful that my mother, while neurotic, is basically sane, and has been willing to meet me halfway; in my case, "Better late than never" applies. (Sorry, that was kind of a thread hijack.)

Vickie, there are tons of Texans on this board, so I'm sure plenty of people know about the Dallas doc you're considering. That your insurance company is making you pay for medically supervised weight loss (and we all know how well that usually works) just to meet its standards truly sucks. Maybe if you rack up enough bills for everything from cholesterol meds to orthotics, your insurer will figure it's cheaper to make an exception for you than to keep shelling out for those so-called co-morbidities. Good luck. I hope the Dallas doc works out.

Hey Vickie, welcome! You might want to check out the insurance threads (see "forum jump" below); lots of bandsters were asked to document their weight-loss attempts before getting the surgery. Makes me think that whoever is setting the insurance rules is absolutely clueless when it comes to fat: do they really think we haven't tried to lose weight before? Anyway, if your insurer gives you any trouble, some of the threads will give you suggestions for fighting back. "Since it's getting beyond vanity into mobility and health issues, it's time to do something" -- I relate totally! And I think a lot of other people here do too. For a lot of us, the band has been a great tool for reclaiming health. Welcome, and if you have any questions, just ask. There are lots of wonderfully helpful people here; I know, because they sure helped me.

Congratulations on getting banded, Scott, even though it sounds as if you had a rough time of it. Things do get easier after that first week -- even for those of us who didn't suffer the complications that you had. Just one word of caution: not to discourage you, but don't get disappointed or down on yourself if you don't hit 200 lbs. by March 7. It could certainly happen, but that's only a little more than four months after your band. Anyway, no matter what the scale reads, you're on the right track, and now that you're out of the hospital for good you should have smooth sailing. Welcome to Bandland!

Love the NSVs, everyone. I'll add one: A friend stopped by today who hadn't seen me in several weeks and told me that not only did I look fantastic, she didn't think I needed to lose any more weight! When I told her I'd like to lose 70-90 more pounds she said I was out of my mind. (OK, she was being kind, and I don't think average-size people have any idea what 200-300 pounds really look like, but still. . .) People at work have been paying me compliments. Even my mother, who together with my late father hounded me about my weight since childhood, said I looked good. I know I've barely started this weight-loss journey, but it sure is great to know other people are noticing what I've been obsessing about!

Very cool -- just think, you (and Theresa Marie too, before long) can make quilts from the scraps of clothing you've outgrown!

So do the rest of us -- nothing creepy about it! Lurk all you want, and if you ever feel like posting something, jump on in. You might want to check out the thread called "THE moment" (http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3530); lots of amazing stories there about what made people decide to get banded. Welcome!

Glad you're feeling better, Avery. No offense taken by the all-caps message!

Love the health & fitness facts! I've gotta pass them along to some friends who have been arguing that sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and grease are the four basic food groups.

Penni, watch out, or you just might get an ass-kicking Fat-O-Gram (see http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=3639) telling you to stop beating up on yourself. Fat-O-Gram International, Inc., has lots of enthusiastic workers eager to kick the ass of anyone who insults or denigrates a LapBander -- even ourselves. I'm with Lisa and Kim: 30 minutes is just fine. Could you have walked for 30 minutes easily before being banded? I didn't think so . . .

Thanks, Marie. Of course my walking companion might have been asthmatic for all I know, but I'll take whatever NSVs I can get. I bet your upper arms are flapping much less now that you've lost 50 lbs. That's a great milestone!

Hello Ryan -- 1-1/2 days down, 12-1/2 to go? Look back two weeks and think how fast that time flew. We know you can do this. The liquid diet after the band is a piece of cake (sorry, poor choice of words) compared to the pre-surgery regimen, when there's nothing restricting your hunger or appetite. But look, you're already down 14 lbs.! With no in-laws at Thanksgiving! Now that's something to be thankful for. Good luck -- you have everyone at LBT in your corner, and we'll be thinking happy liquid thoughts for you over the next 12 days.

How horrible to lose dear animals after already going through so much. You seem like a very compassionate and strong person. I am sure you can get through this, although it can't be easy. I hope you can walk your grief away.

Elizabeth, you might want to check out the "scale challenge" thread on this board. Between Water weight (regular and hormonal), constipation, and lord knows what else, weights can vary a lot just over 24 hours -- and that's not even taking the band into consideration. Try not to weigh yourself every day. Another thing to keep in mind is that there is no way that those 19-20 pounds you lost in ONE WEEK were pounds of fat. Our bodies simply can't metabolize fat at that rate, even if we're eating next to nothing. I lost lots of weight during the first two weeks after banding -- but most of those pounds were water. I'm sure that's why my ankles and feet were the first things to slim down. As my body started to heal, even though I was burning fat, naturally some of the water came back, so my weight did not change and even went up a couple of times. For those of us who are focused on those scale numbers, this can be incredibly frustrating. My advice is: chill out and don't be discouraged. These fluctuations are normal. Remember, during the time between your surgery and your first fill you should concentrate on healing your body, not weight loss. (Of course that's easy to say and hard to do.) Your fat cells are shrinking even though that scale might imply otherwise. Before you know it, no matter what the scale reads, your clothes are going to be looser, a sure sign that fat is going away -- forever. Regarding travel, let your own comfort be your guide. Sitting in a tight airplane seat for hours might be more of a strain than figuring out how to get around the prepared meals. You can always just sip water or juice and tell anyone who asks that you aren't feeling well. Good luck!

Katie, the water aerobics class sounds great! Just another two weeks and you'll be able to swim (or just relax in a Jacuzzi). Here in Chicago, our glorious early fall weather is over; we're starting the cold, gray, rainy season. I've still been walking the dog for an hour each morning, though! Last weekend I walked through a dog park with an average-sized woman about my age; after we climbed a small hill, she was winded -- and I, the classic couch potato, was breathing normally! Of course my thighs were still jiggling when I stood still.

Our first recruit! Look out, world.

Fat-O-Gram's corporate office sez: You're hired! And I really am laughing this time. Here I thought MY family was wacked out. We're little leaguers. By the way, Fat-O-Gram, Inc., allows its employees to kick ass in the costumes of their choice.

DeLarla, I don't know whether to laugh or cry or both after reading your post. But you've given me an idea: So many of us get crap from co-workers, family, doctors, and so-called friends that I think we should start a fat-o-gram service. In person or on the phone, seven days a week. Someone messes with a LapBander's mind, he/she gets his/her ass kicked. I have been blessed with support from family and friends, but it pains me to read of the garbage so many banders have thrown at them. Who's up for going to Belgium to storm Bright's doctor's office? Next stop, WhippleDaddy's workplace!

Hi Bright -- I'm a new bandster so I have no advice. Your message reminded me of an old Monty Python bit where a smarmy game show host offered a prize for the best insult to Belgians, and one of the winners was, "I can't think of anything worse than 'Belgian.'" I intend no offense to the home of Hercule Poirot! Yes, 70 pounds is a lot -- but I can see why you're discouraged if you've been coasting at the same weight for a while and plagued by those haunting diet-head thoughts, especially if your cold-fish (is that poisson froid? ) of a doctor offers absolutely no help or support. I love reading your posts and learned a lot from you before I was banded. I hope your new fill is making a difference. Let us know how you're doing.

Here's something sent by a friend in Belfast: 1. Why does your gynecologist leave the room when you get undressed? 2. If you own a piece of land do you own it all the way down to the core of the earth? 3. Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer? 4. Why does mineral Water that 'has trickled through mountains for centuries' have a 'use by' date? 5. Is French kissing in France just called kissing? 6. Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here and drink whatever comes out'? 7. What do people in China call their good plates? 8. Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is? 9. Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup? 10. Why is it that when someone tells you that there are over a billion stars in the universe, you believe him, but if he tells you there is wet paint somewhere, you have to touch it to make sure? 11. Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out of the window?

Fat-free Fudgsicles for everyone! I'm with Darcy -- I can't keep cartons of ice cream in the house. Ben & Jerry are my two favorite guys, now that Ernest & Julio are out of the picture. I have a relative who got through his first year of AA by eating a pint of vanilla ice cream every night, and soon found himself hooked for life. (Thirty years later, he's still sober, but had a quadruple cardiac bypass last year. 'Nuff said.) Ice cream is a perfect example of how the band is just a tool, not a quick and easy fix. We have to work on our food choices, and for most of us it ain't easy. Now I'm going out for a salad before I get carried away.