vinesqueen

That being true Megan. I can see that by looking at your ticker I don't know if I'm ready for that trama though. I'll probably do it though. So, are we sea turtles or land turtles? Some days I feel like I'm that 100 year old giant Galopogas Tortus... and not just metaphorically...

Oh the extra room in bed is wonderful! We got rid of a 3rd person from our bed, a BIG 3rd person too! as for my program, well I go to school about 800 miles from my home. I'm a recipient of the Scholarship for Service scholarship, which is a full right scholarship to study Information Assurance (think anti-hacker stuff). It's a merit based scholarship designed to increase the number of qualified security professionals, as welll as to improve the overall security of the US Federal Government. After completing my degree, I'll go to work for the Feds for at least 2 years, the same amount of time as my scholarship. Okay, I'm in Idaho, since this is the location of the best program, at least for me. I'm getting a Business degree. My school is the only one that offers the SFS as a business program. Most of the guys in my program are MBA students, we only have 2 undergrads at this point. Why is this the best program? Well, someone has to be able to manage the programs, someone has to understand the big picture and reign in the geeks. And who better to manage geeks than a she-geek? I have just under 2 years to go. What kind of job? Well, a security job of course! As part of the noble cadre protecting our nation's infrastructure. I'm only half joking of course. I don't know what job I'll end up with with the gov't. I'm thinking Dept of the Navy, since there are so many bases in my neck of the world (Seattle). Ultimately, I'd like to be CSO (chief security officer) of a small or medium sized company, or director of security at a large multi national corporation. Hope that wasn't too much information for you

Not all successes are measured in pounds, some are measured in inches. If you needed to buy smaller pants, then it is obviously working You might not be working out, but you are being more active than you were because it is easier to move about. 23 pounds is a lot of weight. You haven't even been banded 2 months! Have your mom call me. Or have her log on and read some of this board. You are doing great! You had the band, not something else.

you are re-arranging your body. Compacting and condensing. You might be putting on muscles, which is important for long tern metabolic gains.

Today I get my 4th fill and tomorrow I take a fitness assessment here at my university. Part of that will also be a consult with nutriton support, whatever that means.

As always, I am continually striving to learn more. Where did you hear that reducing your calories can do this? What research? I don't have a degree in nutrition, so all I can go by is what people I trust to be experts tell me. My clinic told me that I might have to go down to 800 calories to lose weight. I did 1200 calories for month and months and months and lost an average of 3 ounces a week. 3 OUNCES not Pounds, GRAMS not KILOGRAMS. Any slower and I'd be either standing still or gaining.

Hey Das, you have at your fingertips more wealth of experience than you can even imagine. feel free to search the site and look through the thousands and thousands of posts here!

I originally kept a ticker tracker, but it got so depressing because I wasn't losing anything and the ticker would sit there, accusing me, taunting me, making me feel like dog pooh because I wasn't "good enough." Well, I got rid of the tracker, and I feel much better. I really do. I celebrate everyone who does keep a tracker, it makes it much easier to track their successes. I haven't figured out how to track my NSV list in a visual little tab.

I'm bumping because my husband just now fits into size 3X sweats! Woot! Thanks for the link Donali!

Are you talking about a pix for an Avatar? I just post a regular sized pix and ask one of the very smart pix people to fix it for me. If you are asking a different question, well.... I don't know the question.

Oh my gods! I'm speechless.

Most banded women do just fine with 1200 calories, men 1500 calories. I have yet to have someone expain why men get more than women though... Something to do with muscle mass... but there are lots women with lots of muscle mass, so I don't know. I didn't lose on 1200, and I'm going down to 1000 calories with my next fill.

Sorry to hear about your troubles Deb. I'm a Turtle, and haven't been able to convince my clinic that I'm following all the rules. Some of us are just slow losers I guess. Odd about your former port site, but I would think there would be lots of swelling too. I had a problem with scar tissue, not band related. Some of us just had a problem with scar tissue forming.

Oh, and as for the time, well, if I can leave my family, my son and husband, and go off to a 4 year universtity for FOUR years, you can do 8 months. Trust me.

Well, you sure have thought things out! A person after my own heart! I would opt for #1 for a couple of reasons. I'm a tightwad, and don't like to spend money if I don't have to. Also, something to keep in mind is that during this supervised time, you will most likey be also doing an excersize portion. This alone will make your healthier for your banding. It will reduce your "down" time after your surgery and increase your lean muscle mass. Most people don't realize that your after care is just as important, if not more so, than your actual banding. Getting the band isn't just a "Pop down to Old Mexico and your done" sort of thing. That's just the first step, or one of the first steps. You have to understand that where you get your fills is vital. We all know, or should know, that the band doesn't work without a fill. Does Not Work Without A Fill. The Band is about making changes to your lifestyle. A proper supervised weight loss program is about making changes to your lifestyle. Who knows, after your 6 months, it is possible that you won't need the band.

Thanks so much Donali! I searched and searched, but it appears i wasn't looking in the right place!

I'll post a pix for the next tine I see him

Cheers Betty! Congrats on a job well done!

My consult was in Mid-Dec, and my procedure was in Mid-March. The only thing that make it so I had a long wait was tht I needed to wait until Spring beak. I'm a full-time student and my husband has awesome insurance.

Thanks Sue! Megan said what I wanted to say, only she said it better! I'm so sorry you have to go through this, and I'm so greatfeul that you are sharing your story with us. Good luck with your upcoming DS, and please don't be such a stranger

Also, some people start out with really good restriction and don't need a fill for months. You might be one of the lucky ones!

Actually, I can appreciate how how nice 250 is. Hell, I appricate 400 pounds, down from 600 pounds. My DH went from 600 pounds to 400 pounds, he's been on a long long plateau, but I don't think he's ready to move to the 300 pounds realm, not ready to move to Tripoli. My surgeon explained that many GB patients gain because not only do they have learned to compensate for the malabsorttion (their bodies adjust and changes their matabolic rate.) Also they stretch out their pouch and it goes straight to their intestines. He said they are starting to put the lap band on GB folks who are gaining. Wendy, we really appreicate you being here.

WOW Nykee! Amazing post. It doesn't matter is what you feel is unique to you, this is amazing work. The band isn't just about food, it's also about the head. Again, amazing post.

That's exactly what I'm planning to do with my TT scars, when I get one! (the tuck part, not the tummy part, already got one of those...)

Sure thing Jenny. I think the hardest part about being a Turtle, especially for me, is when I read over and over and over about people complaining about how they've "only" lost 35-50 pounds in a few months. I know that I'm jealous and want that to be me, especially since I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do, everything I can do, yet I only lose so little weight it isn't even worth keeping a ticker. A ticker for me, only serves to highly my failure at losing weight. So I don't have one, and I'm not feeling like I have that thing constantly showing the world that I didn't/haven't lost weight after undergoing WLS. I'm rambling again. Sorry