the best me

Oh yeah! Keep him happy, Girl! AND burn some calories!! Paula, I hollared at the kids this morning and thought of you...so I stopped! Changed my attitude, much better. Thanks!!!!!

Great thread!!! Keep them coming everyone!!!

Thanks Darcey. I will, and I have been since you posted all of this! I was always fighting my band, trying to get down food and pushing the kinds of food I'm eating. I will be much more careful. You noticed your symptoms at month 4+, right? After a fill? It just never got better? I am almost at 4 months, have 1 fill and here I am pushing my band. You might be saving my life! I will back off. I will go easy on my band. I will watch my calories and fat and drink my water and get my protien in, even if it's in CIB's and Boost and not hard chicken just yet. I did do well on a Lean Cuisine entree at lunch. The chicken in that is always very very tender and always has some type of sauce or gravy. That's the chicken I can do, not the grilled kind with no sauce. So I'll be extra careful. Thank you so much!!! You have a great attitude that will serve you well these next months. I hope you will choose to be re-banded when the time comes. I will be interested in keeping up with how you are doing without it though. Keep us posted!!

Okay, so now you can change your sig! Congrats!! So glad all went well, even if it didn't go exactly as planned! Yuck! Drains!! Sip, walk, rest, you know the drill. welcome to Bandland!!!! You get a banana! :banana

The CDT? code is 43843 for AGB (Adjustable Gastric Banding) or Lap Band. Good luck!

Yippeee! Prayers for a safe delivery for mom and baby!!! Let us know and post a pic!!!

Wow girl, you look great! Congrats!!!

I think Virgina still has a few Piggly Wigglys? We always went there when we visited my grandparents! I wonder what Mike calls Harris Teeter? I'll go ahead and say it, we call it the Hairy Peter. And the Home Depot on Wendover Road in Charlotte? That's the Homo Depot on Bendover. get it? Love the dancing in the rain pic. Isn't that neat about the camera phone? Just e-mail it! The pics aren't as nice as a regular digital camera. Mine always come out very grainy unless the light is really good. But, it'll do in a pinch!

Happy Monday the 25th everyone! This is week, what? 5? We are halfway there! Only 5 more Mondays to Labor Day! Okay, so still 199 this week. bummer. How's everyone doing?

That's EXACTLY the stuff that inspires me! Thanks! Right now I have some fat pics hanging on the side of the fridge of me. I'm going to switch them out with some more pleasant pics of me and use them for inspiration! Change my head about me. I might even put them on the front of the fridge! Hey, I had a skinny dream the other night! I figure that's a step in the right direction. Now, drawing is not my thang. But that idea is in my head now, and maybe I'll be able to come up with a good hand and mind occupying thing to do...housework? Nah...

Happy Birthday Leatha!!!! I hope it's a GREAT day!!!

Oh Rachael! I'm so proud of you!!!!! Stick to your guns, girl. It only gets better from here! Just wait and see!!! Wahoooo!! Welcome to your new life.

Okay, I'll go first. I started this one this morning. I got up and got dressed then went into the kitchen and cranked up the CD player. This weekend I had raided my sister's CD collection and rumaged up a few "Best Of" collections...Dazz Band, Kool and the Gang, 70's Funk, and Barry White. Oh yeah baby! So I started my day dancing around the kitchen to the Dazz Band...Let it Whip, Joystick, Swoop (I'm Yours). 3 great booty-shaking songs from my teen years. My 2yo was looking at me funny at first, but by the time Joystick came on, he was shakin' his little booty, too!! I figure a little sheen of sweat on my upper lip first thing in the morning will help bust my new 199 pound plateau (3 weeks now!!! augghhh!) It was very "Ellen-esque" but you won't find me boogying on national TV. Some moves were NOT meant for viewing! But it was fun. Then came Barry White. "Can't get enough of your love, babe" That's when I got out my little exercise cards. I got them out of an Oprah magazine last year, and even got 3 sets of hand weights for Christmas this past year that haven't really been put to good use yet. So I grab my 5 pounders and do the monday exercises on the card. 4 sets of 12 each of chest presses and shoulder pulls. It was quick!!! With the right music, anything is more fun and a bit easier. It took the time of a few songs to do, not too bad! This is one habit I'm hoping will last. I'm sure I'll need to change up the music occasionally, but whatever gets the blood pumping for a few minutes will help. What are you doing? or not doing?

Good thinking Mel! You can do this. A good job and some cash in the savings account every paycheck goes a long way toward your future goals. Whether it's banding, kids, a future home, whatever! Besides, if you change jobs, your new insurance might just cover it! What about a low-interest loan from a family member? I know you want to do these kinds of things on your own, but you may be surprised at the support you may recieve from your loved ones, especially when it comes to your health! Good luck!

Okay, I have been looking in the Texas Forum, so you should search around in there. KyleighP used Dr B in Richardson at the Surgery Center (?) and Tambonzo (Tammy) used Dr B as well. I was not able to find where his web address was posted but at this point you may be able to do a Google search for it! Good luck!!

This is not correct I'm sure but it might get you closer if noone else posts the "Real Deal" soon. I'm pretty sure Dr Benavides is in Richardson. Sugical Weight Loss Associates? Maybe? Lemme see if I can dig around and scare up something for you ...back soon unless someone beats me to it!

DeeJay, I was surprised, too at just how small a sip had to be. Don't worry, you will be able to guzzle again soon enough. Just give it some time. A sippy cup will work great! Or you could just use a small liquid med cup. Holding that little thing helps you to remember to slooooow down! Darcey, how are you? Feeling okay? I, like others, am concerned about my own risk for slippage. Anything you can post here would be SOOO appreciated! Right now, my fill is pretty tight, even after my unfill. It's $200 for another unfill, so I'd rather avoid it. So my plan is to just eat around the band for a little while longer, like doing mushies and soft solids for a few more weeks until things loosen up a bit. I keep trying to eat like a big girl bandster with my solid protiens and end up stuck or PBing. Too tight!!! I know that things loosened up post-surgery enough for me to need a fill, so I'm banking on the same happening with this fill. But your slippage DOES have me concerned for myself. I'd much rather spend 200 buckaroos on another small unfill than to lose my band by not thinking with my mind, as you said, and letting the band bite back several times a week with a good PB. I dunno. Hanging on your every word and any piece of advice you want to pass along for us!!

Awright Rachael, lets get an update on Mr Man. I read in another thread that you broke up with him Friday. How'd it go? Is he out? We need the scoop, girl! ((((((hugs))))))) for you!

Cool pics, I love all the pictures you post! Thanks!

Jacqui, I lost 15 pounds the first 12 days and didn't lose another ounce for about 10 weeks. I didn't gain it back, but I didn't lose ANYTHING else. I think our bodies just need to adjust a bit. don't be scared of plateaus. They happen. Just press forward and throw out the scale if you have to. It can be very distracting. I personally love mine and get on it every morning, but I find it helps and it doesn't frustrate me. I have been 199 for about 3 weeks now. But I'm not worried. It WILL come off! Your scale WILL go up as you increase muscle mass. Keep working out, keep building muscle, put away the scale. Also, take your measurements today! Check them once a month. And you know how your clothes are fitting. Your body is morphing. Give it a minute! You JUST got banded!!!!

It's my understanding that the duodenum is below your stomach, not where the band is...am I correct? I can see something like that causing problems but not ones that aren't fixable. Unless you wait longer. Can you get out to see Dr Kuri? I'd imagine a complete unfill would be the first step. But, I don't know. Rest your band, rest your esophogus, rest your stomach before it gets worse! Please keep us posted on what happens. I was banded by Kuri on 4/8 so I like to follow his patients in particular! Anyhow, let us know!

Hey Jamie, you home yet?! Have you seen these cute pics? Where are you? I'm thinkin you need to update your avatar...I love the second pic with you and Trish...great head shot and really shows off the changes to your face with your weight loss. Check in girl!! I keep thinking of you because NJChick has your pee-pee dancer for her avatar now!

NJChick, your avatar is an old favorite around here! When Jammin Jamie (Jammin' and Losin') first joined, she chose this little guy because he looked like he was jammin and losin! Some said he looked like he was doing the pee-pee dance, then we called him the pee-pee dancer. I used him as my avatar during my 10-day countdown to band surgery because I was SOOOO excited and nervous! He just FITS doesn't he?! Anyway, Love that little pee-pee dancin, jammin and losin fella! OH, he's a she, now! It's NJChick, getting nervous and excited!!! Yippeee!!

Bastard is right. The reporter quoted the owner that people who hurt animals will hurt people and children. He's right. This is a psychopath. Unbelievable.

Aw Darcey ((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))) I'm so glad you are okay! You can get that ole band back anytime, thank the Lord! I'm just glad you feel better and didn't perforate your stomach! No more reflux, no more PB's, no more liquids only for days, no more worrying. Thank you Dr Ortiz!! I'm so glad he made you do the right thing. You will heal, you will be better, and you will have the opportunity to give it a shot at maintaining your great weight loss without the band! You can do it! Start saving money though, set it aside just in case you want your band back later! Ya never know! So happy to hear you are okay! Let us know what he said about why your band slipped...everyone want's to know how to avoid this!