vinesqueen

Thanks Donali, I actually ran accross his stuff last week when I was reasearching information about cortisol. I don't know what to make of the Wilson's Temp thing. My normal body temp is 97.2, not the 98.6 but from what I've read, they are re-thinking the 98.6 as a "normal." that it might be too high. Some sites say that the Wilson's Temp thing is snake-oil, and the site reads like snake-oil to me too. I dunno why. Maybe all the tesimonials are just a little too glowing or something. I have to laugh, in a weird sort of way. Before I was banded I was sure that this wouldn't work for me, because no other weight loss thing has ever worked in the past. Jessie asked me why I thought I was so special that it wouldn't work for me. I guess I showed her, didn't I.

Hey Sue! I'm so glad to hear that you are doing well. I'm with Jack, "we're listening!"

We missed you! Welcome back, and you knwo what they say.. one door closes...

Hey Leener, welcome. Before I was banded I had the worst asthma. Several breathing treatments with my home nebulizer DAILY. Near daily, and definately weekly trips to the ER, steroids, and afraid I would die in SE ID alone and far from my family and frinds. I was banded this last March, and as a direct result of being banded my asthma is practically gone. GONE. It's true that I haven't had the weight loss success that I want, or expected. But I didn't die. Oh, and if you are banded, I can pretty much garentee that you will freak out for a few days saying "OH MY GAWD! OH MY GAWD!! WHAT DID I DO???!!!!" But you get over it. The band teaches you to go slow, to chew to goo, because if you don't, you get hit with the pain stick. Not fun, but after you learn your lessones, it's all good. Eating becomes something that you have to do, not something that you are driven to do. It's sort of like "Do I have to eat again??? Geeze, I just ate 4 hours again. Oh man."

Uhm, just say you had surgery. I wouldn't ever lie about something as minor as surgery. I mean, what happens if you actually need to have your gallbladder out after you told someone you had it out? Talk about awkward! And, well, if you are not comfortable talking about something minor, like surgery, how can you be comfortable naked with anyone? If you must tell a lie, make it completely outrageous. Like you had to have your alien implants removed, or you had alien implants put in. Tell the truth, that you are now the bionic woman. (or man)

Hey Elda, I'm so very sorry to hear about your disapointing time. (((hugs)))) Trust me when I say I understand some of your pain and frustration. Since you are not losing weight, it is very important to start looking at other changes in your life that are related to the band. Are you feeling better? Have you lost inches? can you do things that you couldn't before you were banded? I've lost about 12 pounds since April. Yeah, it sucks, but I have gained back my life. I've gained badk my health. I know there are many days where I a royally pissed off and angry about not losing weight. I don't know if you've been filled yet or not, but if you haven't been, take heart, most people don't start losing weight until after their first fill. You must stop the grazing now. You just have to. But you know this already. Go ahead a pitch a hissy fit. You will feel better, I know I did after I pitched my big fit in July. Oh, and your husband better come up with something major! Absolutely no excuse for not getting you a Christmas gift, NONE.

Jacqui, sorry, but refresh my memory, you were just recently banded and are still on the liquid/soft stage, right? I just spent a month at 700 calories and felt terrible. Of course, over the course of that month I only lost 1.5 pounds in 4 weeks. Once you move to solid foods you might find that 700 calories is not nearly enough. I do know that we have several bandsters that do just fine on 700 calories, and are infact losing weight rapidly at that amount of calories.

Yup, the band doesn't work if the band isn't filled. Oh, and trust me Stephanie, after you are filled to a good point, all you will want is one piece. I know that it doesn't seem possible, but it is. You WILL be satisfied with just a small amount. Satisfied both physically and mentally. (okay this doesn't hold true if you are over-filled. But being overfiled is bad anyway)

I really think the key to excersizing is finding something that you really enjoy doing. I think "excersize" has become a dirty word for most of us. We try to do things that we physically cannot do. We try, but we fail, we hurt, we become discouraged. I don't know if it is differnt for men, but I know that many women avoid physical activity if and when they can. I know that I've been told many times that "ladies don't sweat." I know that I've internalized this at some level, even though I really enjoy working out. I think there is a big hurdle that many of us need to over come, and that is the mental thing. Of course, there are so many mental things for Bandsters to overcome! Now, I have to go and start training to run 6 miles in under an hour. Yeah, like that is going to happen, but I was offered an internship that requires a 8 mile run every friday! YIKES!!! To qualify I need to be able to run 6 miles in under an hour...

They did the full battery of thyroid tests, and they all came back spot-on. But because I have most of the symptoms of low thyroid, he put me on the meds. He was just a baffled as I am. So, I'll call and make an appointment with the endocrinologist. I just need to check my clinic to see if they have a specific one they want me to see. Apperently most Endos only deal with diabetics, and my sugar levels were just fine.

Okay, I know we have a few banded students, and I thought it would be interesting if we could share some of our experiences.

Jessie is the main fill person for my clinic.

I am very active, but well, you know the rest.

Okay, I've been home for just a few, my DH is out geting my prescritpion filled. SIGH my test results came back spot on normal. My thyroid is smack dab in the middle of normal range. My other test results came back as well. The doctor has no clue why i'm not losing weight. He's baffled. I'm baffled. The next step is to get a referal to see an endocrenologist. I got an unfill last week, so Im back to about 1000 to 1200 calories aday. He really hopes that I don't gain weight on that amount of calories. I really thought I would get some answers, but I didn't. I don't even know if I have a different set of quesstions. But the best news is that I've stopped obsessing about food. Whats' the point anyway?

Well, tomorrow I go to the docs and get either some more answers or more questions. The results of the blood work should be back. I feel weirdly at peace.

Hi Jini, chances are, it will start working for you soon. Trust me when I say that I don't know if you will lose weight. I've lost 13 pounds since April, so that is a chance that you might be a slow loser. I know that there are few things as frustrating as having weight loss surgery, then not losing any weight. I understand the frustration and the feelings of failure that come with slow weight loss. Do not let the scale dictate to you your sucess. I know, easy words to type, but for your own sense of sanity, you must find some other way to measure your sucess. I strongly suggest starting your list of Non-scale victories, your NSVs. You don't have to post them, but I find it is very helpful to look back at them, and I know that other people find them helpful to look at as well. I wish I could make it all better, make it so you had losses in the numbers like you are looking for. But all I can tell you is that you are not alone. As hard as it is, you are not alone.

WOW WOW WOW!!!!! Me next! ME next! Oh wait, I have to actually lose weight first. Amazing!!!

search the food thread for mushie recipies. There are some great ethnic recipes on board as well, you might try searching on that.

oh. oh. oh. All I can think are words that will probably get me kicked from the forum. They all begin with F and end in K. Okay, its' just one word that starts with an F and ends with a K

Yeah, I hope so too!

But what else can you blame if you are doing everything, and I mean everything, to lose weight and you still aren't losing? I spent a full month at about 700 calories and only lost 1.5 pounds for the entire month. I was very active as well. I've had my thyroid levels checked several times, but my regular doc said because they were in the "low" normal range that she wasn't going to do anything about it. One of my nieces was on thyroid meds and 50 pounds just practially fell off of her. My grandmother also has thyroid problems and has been on meds for years. So, if the Thyroid meds don't help, they are going to look at other body chemistry things like my cortisol levels as well. I really really appreicate all the input and experiences with thyroid meds.

I cannot edit my original post, so I'll use this for my continuing list until I can't edit that one any more... I guess there is a limit to how many time you can edit a post! :eek: 12/09/05 Well, tonight I make my semi-professional debute again! We had our dance department dance review Wednesday night, and pix will be forthcoming. We were great, several people told us that we were the best group on stage, so that was awesome! :eek: I went out on stage, in front of an audience of maybe 300 or 400 people, and I OWNED the stage. I wasn't the slightest bit nervous, and I'm quite amazed at that, believe you me! I made eye contact with many of the audience, and I had the biggest smile on my face the whole time. Not only did I look like I was having a great time, I WAS having a great time! The next NSV is my costume... my top was a crop tant top that I've added bead work too to make it sparkle. But the important part of that sentence is CROP TOP! Yes, that's right, I was wearing a belly shirt on stage, exposing my ample belly to the public, with my surgery scars clearly visible! And I did it on purpose! Okay, this next one isn't an NSV, not really, and it properly goes on the "Skniny Bitches" thread, but here it is We had just come off stage after doing our two numbers and we were all still amped up on adrenalline. We were talking about how we had done, bla bla bla. A group of ballet dancers were there, I mean, right there and one of the skinny blond said to another skinny blond the snottiest comment I've heard in a long time. Okay, all the ballet dancers were skinny blonds, but that's besides the point. She said, in a loud voice "well, at least we weren't shaking our Bon-Bons." In the snottiest possible voice mind you. So, I simply said, with sugar in my voice, "well that's because you can't shake your Bon-Bon." And then I smiled so sweetly at her. (then she said that I was probably right, and the group of them walked away) So, I suppose that makes me a fat bitch, but I just decided that I wasn't in the mood to take crap from anyone. So, the next part of the Bellydancing NSV is that I'll be dancing againg tonight at a local restaurant, and yes, I'll be dancing for tips, so Big Paul, you'd better leave now so you get here in time, and yes, you'll probably need to take out a second mortgage So, finally, I'm doing this when I weigh 240 pound and not waiting until I get closer to goal. I'm doing this at size 22/24 and not when I get to my goal of 12/14 12/22/05 I'm less invisible. Last year at this same time I felt so invisible when walking through the halls at school. Now guys hold the door open for me, and men and women smile more at me. Perhaps they just needed a couple of years to get used to me, or perhaps I am more self asured and confident. Confidence attracts confidence. This time last year I could not breathe. I was in and out of the hospital and making near daily trips to the ER, having several nebulizer treatments every single day. Since I've been home just about a week, I've used my inhaler much more often than usual of late. I've used it 3 times in a week. This is a weird NSV, but I finally have doctors seriously trying to figure out why I'm not having the sort of weight loss I should. I guess I had to go on the Supermodel Diet for a month before they would take me seriously. 1/4/6 Today I went skiing for the first time in 5 or 6 years! Woot! It was a lot of fun, and I fit into my ski pants from 5 or 6 years ago. I'm so happy! Okay, this was a MAJOR NSV for the DH too because he went skiing too! Spudboy and I had to talk him into it, but he did it! I'm so proud of him! I didn't use my puffer once while skiing, but was wicked cold because my gloves weren't good ski gloves. Oh, and I didn't have a Water proof jacket either... So, 3 for the price of one. 1/13/06 I just got back from several days in DC, for a scholarship symposium and job fair. I have a conditional job offer for when I graduate, if I can obtain a security clearance! Woot! That's an NSV, since it would be a major job! I have a whole string of NSVs, the very most important one is that I went to DC WITHOUT AN INHALER. What's more, I didn't even need it. This is super significant because this time last year, and for several years prior, I couldn't go anywhere without at least 2 inhalers on my person. I had an inhaler in every single piece of clothing that had a pocket. Last year this time I had spent 10 days of the Christmas vacation in hospital, don't know how many trips to the various ERs. I didn't even realize that I didn't have an inhaler until the puddle jumper from Salt Lake to Pokey, AFTER my trip was almost done. I was constantly being mistaken for a much younger woman, and when I would talk about my son, people assumed I was talking about a baby or a very small boy. Oh if they only knew! 1/18/06 In class yesterday I realized that my belly wasn't even touching the desk in two of my classes!

I just have to brag and make everyone mad at me. I have the BEST mother-in-law EVER!!!!! I suppose it sort of makes up for being raised by wolves.

oh man! I cannot imagine such behaviour! Yeah, at that point I think I would have told the 13 year old that if he doesn't like the MP3 player you got for him, that you are terribly sorry you didn't give him the ipod and that you will have to take away the offending MP3 player. We wouldn't want him to use a substitue, one that is possibly better than the ipod, for goodness sake. Of course, you will have to make it clear that he's not going to get an ipod, but this way he won't have to deal with the pain of using a non-ipod MP3 player. As for the older one, well not sure how to deal with that.

Even though I haven't been a smashing success with my weight loss, I believe I will bite anyone who trys to remove my band. And we are not talking nibbles, we are talking fercious snarling and great big slavering fangs. And I'll give them rabies too, just for good measure. US docs don't just not want to treat MX patients, they are reluctant to treat patients that went to other US docs. And for a socity that is as moble and transient as ours... trouble for all of us. I do know that with my experience of being banded in Seattle and trying to get fills in SE ID has been a trial. The clinic that I use has recently started trying to create a network with other LapBand docs so that when we travel or move to other parts of the country, we, and by extention, others, will have better aftercare.