vinesqueen

Hey Charlee, chances are you are not a turtle. You haven't had a fill, so you can't really be expected to lose weight. The band isn't designed to work without a fill. You wait and see, once you get your restriction right, chances are the weight will just fall off of you. Any weight loss between the time of surgery and fill is BONUS and not an indication of how much weight you are going to lose, or how fast you are going to lose it.

I'm with Alex, I never felt defined by my weight and size. I have fat, I am not the fat. Banding has given me an opportunity to explore some head things, through the help of eveyone here at LBT. Banding has also just about cured me of my asthma, which is something I never thought would happen. I seem to remember a short period of time where I wasn't dependent on my inhalers, on meds, but "seem to remember" isn't quite good enough. I've gone from using up a puffer in 3 weeks to not needing a puffer more than 3 times a month or less. Because I can breathe again, I can do many more things again.

You know, I don't have a clue, but I figured I'd better bump this before it fell off the front page. I Know we hae some folks who know the difference because they've had them done.

Kristi, stop thinking of this in terms of dollars to pounds. That is a loosing proposition. Start tracking your NSVs. You spent that money to get your health back (nag nag nag).

Congrats Jess! You have just reached my Goal! Woot!

I'm sitting here reading everyone's NSVs and I just wanted to tell all of you how proud I am of you. Not only for having the wonderful NSVs but for learning to see what they are, to notice the changes. I congratulate each of you! I of course didn't lose any weight My NSV is that I"ve started training to run. Yes, you heard me, I'm training to run. I was invited to apply to a computer security internship through the Air Force, and it's an actual hacker boot camp, complete with actual military boot camp. The head of my program said that he could waive many of the requireents, (like the age thing) but it was up to me. So, I'm going to go for it. Just being asked to apply is a major coup

Yeah, what Kathy said! If you need anything, just send me a PM! I"m so glad you are back!

welcome to LBT! I don't think that anyone but you can make that decision, only you will be able to say if this is really the right choice for you. Just about eveyone on this board will tell you the same thing, that it was one of the best decisions we've personally made. But once you decided if you are going to be banded, then one of the most very important things to figure out is your aftercare. The banding, the operation, is only the very first step in the process. You wouldn't buy a car that runs on hydrogen if there is not hydrogen filling station near you, right? If you can't fill the car, it's pretty useless, well not getting fills in the band is pretty close to the same thing.

I think it's just timing.

Wow, congrats on everything! You are my hero, packing up and moving to a strange place. I thought moving to ID was a foreign country, but wow, you really are moving to a foreign one! Congrats on the bar thing, that mental stuff can be harder than the physical.

yay! you! Wow! this is great, congrats and well done!

I would be open and honest. I would not tell someone that it was just smaller portions and more Water, etc, without telling them about the band. I wouldn't feel honest. But that's just me. But what do I know? I've only lost a net of 15 pounds in 10 months. It's not like I'm in any danger of anyone asking me how I lost weight.

The other day the lovely Delarly posed a question for a fun Friday thread -- what are you afriad of. Well, I'm afriad that I have Cushing's but at the same time I'm afraid I don't have Cushing's. I know that doesn't make sense, but that's where I am. If I don't have it, then I have something even more rare and weird, possibly something call something like "metabolic disorder X..." Oh good. But if I have Cushing's then what kind do I have? I'm afraid I have a brain tumor. I'm afraid I have some tumor on my adrenal. I'm afraid I have lung cancer. Tumor. That word echos in my brain, in my head, in my very soul. I'm not used to being afraid. I picture myself as more the fearless type, but I cried myself to sleep lastnight. I'm afraid that if I have Cushing's I'll be part of the 20% that isn't cured. I'm afraid of more surgery. I'm afriad that the recovery will be as awefull as it has been desicribed by some of the folks that have recovered. One woman said that she was in constant pain and it was like she had fybromyalgia. Okay, I had to laugh at that, if the worst of her recovery was feeling like she had fybromalgia, then sign me up. You see, I have fybromalgia. It it worth walking through fire? I guess the real question is more along the lines of why wouldn't it be worth it to become healthy and have no more symptoms.

The other day the lovely Delarly posed a question for a fun Friday thread -- what are you afriad of. Well, I'm afriad that I have Cushing's but at the same time I'm afraid I don't have Cushing's. I know that doesn't make sense, but that's where I am. If I don't have it, then I have something even more rare and weird, possibly something call something like "metabolic disorder X..." Oh good. But if I have Cushing's then what kind do I have? I'm afraid I have a brain tumor. I'm afraid I have some tumor on my adrenal. I'm afraid I have lung cancer. Tumor. That word echos in my brain, in my head, in my very soul. I'm not used to being afraid. I picture myself as more the fearless type, but I cried myself to sleep lastnight. I'm afraid that if I have Cushing's I'll be part of the 20% that isn't cured. I'm afraid of more surgery. I'm afriad that the recovery will be as awefull as it has been desicribed by some of the folks that have recovered. One woman said that she was in constant pain and it was like she had fybromyalgia. Okay, I had to laugh at that, if the worst of her recovery was feeling like she had fybromalgia, then sign me up. You see, I have fybromalgia. It it worth walking through fire? I guess the real question is more along the lines of why wouldn't it be worth it to become healthy and have no more symptoms.

There's NOTHING lumberjack about that dress baby! You go, Amazon Woman!

Now you are getting it! I'm so proud of all y'all! The only time I've been really uncomfortable with my weight was walking into a gym class where the room is filled with skinny minnies and all the walls are lined with mirrors. But funny, hmm, dance classes never made me feel this way. Hmmm. Anyway, I suppose because when I was 18, I accepted that I would probably be fat my entire life. My mother was/is MO and she was always desperately dieting but never successful. Well, except for at my biggest, because that was when I was sickest with my asthma, strangers have always complemented me on my hair, or something about me. Perhaps it is because of the rule of three, what you put out you get back threefold. You see, I try to give three complements to strangers, complents from the heart. But I have noticed that because I'm not so sick, because I feel like "me" men flirt with me, folks hold the door for me, and women complent my hair. I really am so proud of you guys! Now you are starting to understand!

Well, I have a tentative diagnosis. The interist thinks it is very likely that I have cushing's syndrome. So, I go for a new round of tests Friday to find out what kind I have, so i can start a treatment plan. I'm in a weird place. This sort of makes it real, but yet not real. I don't want to go to work, but well, I have to. I just want to go to bed and sleep, which is what I usually do when depressed. I thought I'd be happy with an answer, but I have a head ache. My DH reminds me that it is only a tentative dignosis, even if it makes sense. Cushing's Syndrom http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/endo/pubs/cushings/cushings.htm Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol. Sometimes called "hypercortisolism," it is relatively rare and most commonly affects adults aged 20 to 50. An estimated 10 to 15 of every million people are affected each year. ... Treatment depends on the specific reason for cortisol excess and may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or the use of cortisol-inhibiting drugs. If the cause is long-term use of glucocorticoid hormones to treat another disorder, the doctor will gradually reduce the dosage to the lowest dose adequate for control of that disorder. Once control is established, the daily dose of glucocorticoid hormones may be doubled and given on alternate days to lessen side effects.

The spoon theory is what one woman came up with to describe what it's like living with Lupis. http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/2004/11/the_spoon_theory.php I don't have Lupis, but I do have cronic fatague. I sort of thought everyone one felt like this, that they had a limited amount of things they could accomplish in a day. Her theory broght me to tears, I guess mainly because she is telling my story on one level.

oh exactly Leatha, exactly. I was diagnosed with fybromyalgia, and there are days when I run out of spoons, but I make sure I hold the spoons.

this is very interesting. Not sure why, but I'll have to think about it. My friends are always surprised when I feed them something delish... I mean really! Do I look like I eat bad food?

this is what I decided to do about being a turtle. I'm not sure I got the answer I was looking for, but beggers can't be choosers. Except I am. I started screaming, yelling, crying. I demanded that I be heard, because what I am experineceing isn't "right". Notice I didn't say fair. My mother's words "you are only given a ticket at birth that says 'admit one' it doesn't say anything about being fair" ring in my ears. For a crazy woman, she makes sense sometimes

Hi ShavieLou, well, I'm not Christian, but I have studied it. I've looked at joining several sects from Baptist to Mormon. I think this is a very interesting question you pose. I suppose one has to figure out if your God is Vengful or merciful, leaning more old testiment or new? Different churches have different view, and I don't think there is ONE Christian view, all views are just as valid as any other. There are some that say that everything comes from the Devine, that new inventions are guided by the Unseen Hand. So. I would like to change your question slightly. Instead of asking about WLS, ask about glasses or Lasik surgery. Perhaps I'm nearsighted because I'm supposed to do more intraspection, to pay attention to things close to me. By using corrective lenses, am I thwarting the will of the Devine? This reminds me of the old joke where the man is in the middle of a huge storm, raging flood waters. The TV reports tell people to leave the area, but the man knows that he's protected by god. State Troopers come and try to evacutate him, but the man knows that he's protected by god. The flood waters rise and he's forced to his rooftop. A progression of boats come by offering to resuce him, but each time he turns them down because the man knows that he's protected by god. Finally, a helicoper comes but the man refuses to get in. So he drownds. At the pearly gates he's met by St. Peter, and the man rants and rails about not being saved, about not being protected. St. Peter looks at the man as says, "Look, God send the TV News, the State Troopers, 5 boats and a helicoperter, what more did you expect." I think WLS is one of the boats, or maybe the helicopter.

happy bandiversary! Okay, your turn, what are your top 10 NSVs for the year?

I've had this happen once or twice, but for future reference, make sure you use a good anti-bacterial soap on you face after your next treatment. And I would say that depending on how bad you've broken out, a little bacitracion before you go to bed wouldn't hurt, that's what I do when I have tis happen.

I'm in such a weird place myself. It's hard for me right now. I want to pitch the biggest fit, but I know that it won't be productive. I know that I need to be supportive of our rabbits, but right not I don't want to hear about their successes. I know I'm being petty and small, but I guess I'll have to be petty and small for a while. I think we need a Turtle Role call. I'll start a new thread. I miss live2canoe and Candy, where are you two?