the best me

Yep! Don't get too discouraged yet.

WHAT? Cough up the details on this one Penni...I wanna hear it ALL!

Whew! Well done Penni! Glad to hear you made it through...now sip, walk, sip...oh, wrong advice...rest those eyes!! See you on the boards soon!

You are our first!!! I found you and added you...just wanna make sure we keep up with everyone. I don't want to have to think too hard when I get back, lol! Yay Isa!!! It's coming fast!!

Awesome! I think the Dr. B might be Dr Benavides..out of Richardson, right? Yep, I think that's your guy but I'm not local so someone speak up if I'm wrong... Congratulations! Hey...you two new girls, speak up and say hello!

Great idea! That will make the hubby really happy, and less stresed about the bill for surgery! Trish, your poor husband...HA! Beans AGAIN?! I love refrieds.

Oh my word, this is going somewhere? LBT Calendar Girls!!!! Woohooo! Proceeds go to needy LBT band patients who have had more than their fair share of expenses due to banding. I smell a plan....think before and after for each month...

Okay, here I am giving you a hard time and you may very well have some legitimate medical condition causing your discomfort... It would be nice to find out it's h. pylori and all you have to do is treat it, and take Pepcid or Prilosec. But I don't mind feeling dumb as long as you are okay! Good call Madeline's mom...you just might have this pegged! Don't you love LBT?

Yay Norma! You go girl...thanks for taking all the tough love on the chin like a big girl...you are cool! Please post something as soon as you know...wer'e thinking of you!

Oh my gosh!!! Good for you! What a nice surprising NSV...it's working!!!

*******More Tough Love********* What Megan said...buck up and toughen up sister... And what Alex said, the amount of restriction is totally up to you. I know you said you got your band and feel you were totally unprepared, and wish you had better counseling and research before your surgery. But you went and impulsively had band surgery. Now don't just go and impulsively have it removed. Yes, I know you have been really trying and working with it, and your attitude is better about your band. I LOVE the misgivings you have posted here and it's a great perspective for those researching, so your experiences are really invaluable. Get an unfill, take away all the restriction you can, and get "back to normal" as best as possible without removing the band. Then, go to town! Diet and use all that willpower and "do it on your own". You can do it!! Get all your extra weight off with NO FILL. Prove to yourself you can do it and if you are still unhappy with the band, then have it removed. You are barely out of the gate here. I totally understand your frustration with the gas and the changes in eating, all of it. Do your best to work around it. You can do this. And, take the typical nutritionist advice and eat 6 small meals a day, make sure you get lots of veggies and Protein...avoid foods that cause gas, use all that diet knowledge you have, just chew better. I'd be so happy for you if you can do it without the band. I wish I could. But here you are, with the band, so make the best of it. Get your body back to as close as you can to being bandless, and go from there. And give it at least 6 months before you decide to have it removed. That's my 2 cents, from someone who covets what you have and the fact that your insurance paid for it. All said with Love and Understanding.

Great idea! Unfortunately, capris and me just don't, what, gel? I always feel like a dork when I try them on. I'm already dorky enough. Other people look so cute in them!! Maybe it's my wide butt and huge thighs...who knows. I cannot wait to feel comfy in a good ole pair of jeans. I haven't been able to wear them in years. Hopefully someone can put Kristi's jeans to good use!

What size are they? I can't wear short lengths but someone else may!

All right!!! any restriction? feel different? less hungry? fuller faster? just checking. let us know how it's going!

Awww! Couldn't ya just eat 'im UP!!!! So sweet and beautiful! He's swimming in that little outfit...but you just watch, he'll be popping out the bottom of it before you know it! He sure is a cutie-pie!

Hey Eliza! I have attempted Yahoo but so many pop-ups, and it's difficult to navigate...not worth it. LBT is the best site, bar none. Everyone is so nice and friendly and helpful. No need for other support boards...well, maybe for research but I'm fine here. Do a post about OA here, I know some folks here have done that, may still be doing it...but I agree about a support group, invaluable, and such different issues from gastric bypass groups. My child care is an issue for showing up to WW meetings and other "in-person" group meetings. My son just tuned two in Feb. and my daughter is 5 and in Kindergarten. I'm a stay-at-home mom for now, but will return to work in the Fall, maybe Spring if we can swing it. Going to MX, I will arrive Thu 4/7 around 10am and spend the afternoon doing pre-op labs, etc. and then meet with Dr Kuri that evening. The next morning is surgery (Friday) and I'll get out of the hospital Sat am and hit the plane home that afternoon...if a hospital in TJ is a mini-vacation, I'll get one!! I just want to come home. My sister, on the other hand, will be getting a massage Friday afternoon at a spa, and will have plenty of quiet time, which she doesn't get alot of, so for her, yep, mini-vacation. She is worried about being in TJ "alone" though and will not venture any farther than the spa. She'd just as soon hang out with me, anyway, so that's good. I saw you invite Hope/Officegirlblues here, I hope she comes! Hope!!! Where are you?!!!

Wow! You go girl!!! Nope, you won't see those 300's again. Bye-Bye (in my best SNL flight attendant voice) You are doing an awesome job...keep up the good work!!! I just reread your post, and that's why I thought about the SNL goodbye! Ha! You write it better...Buh Bye!

I do the same thing!!! 'Cept I think of some type of colon cleansing procedure...go figure. I already have something fairly similar at home but I'll check out the website anyway...great idea! Tanya, you are ready to go!!! I'm so happy for you. You will do great and everything will go just fine. Good Luck to you!!! We will be praying and looking for your "I made it home fine" post. Until then, see you on the Boards... Oh! do you have your heating pad yet? That is on my list of purchases, an extra large one and small extension cord for the hospital just in case it doesn't reach the plug...

Yes, thank you for the update. post another pic when you can. Babies change so much the first months, I'd love to see Nolans sweet little face again...so cute!! Thanks Chicagoboy, continued prayers for your family

Aw Hope, let me just ditto everything you just said, I feel exactly the same way!!!

The only bandsters I know are on here. I would not be doing this if I didn't have this site to help. I feel so much more confident and prepared. My weight soared with two pregnancies, high weight was around 260 pregnant, 240+ after stopping nursing. I kept eating like I was nursing and packed on the pounds. I have managed to lose and keep off 20 lbs, but when there is at least 80 more to go, and I'll be 40 in May, well, I just give up. My husband is very supportive now, very leery before. I have showed him this site, and the Inamed site, other online info, and once I did my price shopping and digging around for dirt on my Dr (couldn't find anything regarding his skill in placing bands) we both felt comfortable. I didn't realize Ponce could do it outpatient for 13K. hmmm. But I'm scheduled and have paid my deposit and purchased plane tickets for me and my sister (hubby staying home with the kids, same as you) and here I go! I admit I hesitate to mention MX to most folks. Some close friends know, but anyone else who I tell about getting surgery, well, that's all I say, I'm having weight loss surgery, not gastric bypass, but the adjustable gastric band...that satisfies them. I see you on here so I'll submit and let you read, it's bedtime anyway...don't go far! We'll stay in touch here...see you later!

No minis here either! I do want the inner thigh baggies to be gone in a good pair of size 12 pants or shorts. Those extra bulges...eewww. Getting out of a size 22/24 will seriously help! I'll post what I find out about that tummy tuck procedure...sounds interesting!

Sounds better than Campbells, that's for sure! That's a good idea to freeze the leftovers. I'm kind of like Crystal though, the less time in the kitchen, the better. However, I do get a wild hair occasionally...I'll keep these handy. Thanks!

Thanks, Christine. It means alot that he sees how special we all think she was, and how sad we are for the loss of Blossom. Somehow it helps to know he knows...

Blame it on a new man, a better one, one that makes you feel so good about yourself you are losing weight! Name your Band...Brad, or some other sexy name, and talk about it like it's a he...you wouldn't be completely lying, right? hehe...just a thought. Great NSV! Knock 'im dead! And tell us how it goes...