live2canoe

I believe I am the slowest turtle on the board. One of the mistakes I think I've made is not being aggresive enough with my fills (it doesn't help that my after care Dr is so conservative - he'll only give fills every 6 weeks, and after you're at 2.4 or 2.5 , he only gives them in .1 cc increments) You have a power tool you haven't plugged in yet - you can't expect it to work right. Get a fill - get several - until it starts to work.

Wow!! What a rabbit! Go, rabbit, go! Size 12 is my goal size! You must be soooo excited!

Go Crystal Go - Venerable Leader of our Tribe! Continue to show us the way with your amazing list of VICTORIES - although it is kinda sad that the jacket with fake leopard collar can't be tailored to fit the new you - or can it? It may be worth taking it to a local tailor and see if they work some magic! That would be cool - to get to keep the jacket in a size more suitable to the new you.

Vines - you're right, of course (it's why I nominated you to be our leader! Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you taking us all under your wing?) Of course we're HOT. I have to admit I was feeling pretty hot when I went out for sushi last night. I wore a nice pair of jeans and a bright yellow button up blouse with a red blazer. I went with a married girlfriend - but if I had gone by myself I could have done some serious flirting with the single guys at the sushi bar. I was feeling very sassy! Another NSV - I went to Cold Stone after dinner (normally this would NOT count as an NSV but) and I got the smallest size they offer and thought to myself - oh my goodness - this is huge! In the past I would have gotten the medium, and felt deprived, and left wanting more. Tht's a big mental change for me. Also, I didn't really feel guilty for going to Cold Stone. It's not something I do very often - and I enjoyed it. Thanks, Vines, for reminding that I AM HOT!

Vines - Just read your latest NSV. You and I are phenotype opposites! I have ginormous thighs and butt that keep me from going dwon another size, but a waist that needs to be taken in everytime I find something that fits the rest of me. Too bad we can't mix and match body parts to come up with one hot chick. We could trade off every other week.....

We feel your pain Apple - welcome aboard the Turtle train! Hey Vines - At 5 ounces a week, your 20% better than me!! My whopping 4 oz a week is really burning up the track! I did have an NSV though. Two, of the same vein, really. I went shopping. I am officially a size 16 now. All the 16 pants in the department store fit. I didn't like the way they looked on me, so I didn't but anything, but the big news is they did fit. So I came home and I went through my closet. Everything fit (clothes I haven't worn in years) - or was too big and looked sloppy. So I took all my size 16W and 18 pants to the tailor this morning and had them taken in. She took in 3 inches off the waist and a bunch off the hips! It's going to cost me almost as much to have them tailored as it is to buy new, but this way I know they will fit me like a glove!

Oh my gosh - those pictures sure do tell the tale! I can see what your family was talking about! You look maaaaahvelous.

Ryan - I gotta say, I love your outlook. And your new avatar is mighty handsome, too!

That is awesome news. I checked out the website - I have no idea what any of that meant, but it looked cool! You must feel like the weight of the world is off your shoulders. Congratulations

See!!! See - I TOLD you we all missed you something terrible. We love hearing from you and could do with some of your wonderfully original thoughts and writing style. So glad to hear that Patty is improving. You are truly her knight in shining armor. Please (pretty please) keep posting when you can.

Oh My Gosh!!!!! RYAN!!!!!! You're back!!!! Sorry to hijack - but it's soooo good to see you. Please post another thread and let us know how you and Patty are doing.

I got 9 out of 10. I actually WATCHED the movie where King Kong fought Godzilla! I had idea what cupachubra - or whatever - was

I wanna be overweight, too!!!! (Only on LapBand Talk will these words ever be heard)

Hey Lildarlin - Our posts crossed in cyberspace. I graze, but not often because I'm hungry. I graze because I'm bored, or because something looks good and it's available (it's a whole head thing that goes back to childhood). A quality small meal will keep me physically full for a few hours - the head hunger is another beast to be tamed. I gotta tell ya - the stomach flu scares the snot out of me. I haven't had it being banded yet - thank goodness. When I was first banded, I told my PCP about my worries and she loaded me up with several different types of anti-nausea medications. Some oral, some suppository. I feel better having them with me and even pack them in my suitcase when I go on a trip. Throwing up with the band would not be a pleasant experience!!

It's not annoying at all - we're happy to answer any questions. After all, it wasn't all that long ago we were in your shoes, looking for our own answers. Good Luck with your research and feel free to post any questins you might have.

lildarlin - As one of the slowest losers here on Lapband talk, I feel like I'm qualified to answer your question. I've lost a little more than 35 pounds in 13 months. Am I disappointed? Sure - I figured I would be at the 50 pound mark or better by now. Would I do it over again? Absolutely. The thing I like about the band, better than another diet (and you're right, I could've lost the same amount of weight or more on a diet) is this time, it's staying off. The band never rests, it never lets you forget it's there. You can eat around it - but for the most part, the band is a 24/7 diet buddy always reminding you to not overeat. Why am I such a slow loser? A couple of reasons - one is that I didn't acheive any real restriction until I was 5 months out of surgery. My after care doc is very conservative with fills, and to be honest, I'm still not at the 'sweet spot' yet. Another reason I'm a slower loser than most is that I'm a grazer - not a binger. The band doesn't work as well if you're always eating little bits all day long. This is a behavior I'm trying to modify. As I'm sure you've read over and over again on this board - the band is not a magic bullet, but it is an effective tool in managing your weight. Good luck with your research. I hope you find the answers you seek.

Thank goodness your still in the hospital! At least there they can help you. If you'd gone home you'd end up in the ER where they have no clue about the band. I'm sorry you're having a horrble time, but I'm happy your safe and well taken care of.

Well - I posted this on the slow losers thread, but it definitely counts as an NSV. I have been banded for 13 months and this week is the first time any one has noticed my weight loss (I'm a closet bandster). Two people, my hair stylist and my neighbor, both said I 'looked good' and asked what I was doing different. I just shrugged my shoulders and said thank you.

Only a fellow turtle can relate to this one - I've been banded for 13 months now, and I'm a closet bandster (thank goodness!). Anyway, for the first time, someone has noticed that I have lost weight - and two people this week, my hairstylist and my neighbor, said I 'looked good' and 'are you doing something different?'. They weren't quite sure what it was - just that I looked better. It's taking a while, but I guess I'm getting there!

I've had my appendix removed when I was 20, then 16 years later I had a combo gallbladder removal and tubes tied at the same time (hey, I was going to be under anesthesia anyway - might as well kill two birds, you know?) Then the lapband The anesthesia is no problem. I had quite a bit of pain after both of my previous surgeries, but virtually none after being banded.

Be Very Very Happy that there are no Taco Bells in OZ. It is an evil, viscious place filled with food that is horrible for you and impossible to resist at the same time. And they keep inventing new and better ways (weighs?) to get us to eat more and it's even worse for you than it was before. Satan owns stock in Taco Bell, I'm convinced.

Hey Vines - Aren't you sweet, encouraging those rabbits to even greater success. It would be very easy to watch and snicker behind thier backs while they start to struggle as we have, human nature being what it is sometimes! I am very happy that you have led the way again along the high road. There were several former turtles posting on the slow loser thread looking for a home. I think it was Zoe who proposed the "Ex-Rabbit Auxillary" . OK you wascilly winded wabbits, we got your ball rolling for you. We know how much our the support of our fellow turtles means to us. We're figuring you could use your own place, too.

Carrie - Welcome! and know that we HEAR you! We're right there with ya, sister! That's why we 'banded' together (pun intended) and started this thread to support one another in a journey, which for us, is going to a be a little longer and a little harder than it is for most bandsters. Keep posting. We're glad you're here.

Just saw your post on the other thread - I guess you're doing pretty well!

I'm glad you survived - and with shining colors! I'm telling ya - nitrous is a wonderful thing.