the best me

Cheater!!! See, what you do when you get on the scale twice and see 2 different readings, is get on the scale 2 more times till you get at least 3 that match! You know this, Paula!!!! LOL okay, I'm just jealous cuz you are less than me this week. But watch out...here's my race car! vrooom vvvrrrooooooom!!!!! Penni, you gained nothing this week! How wonderful! I'm so proud of you, especially with being sick and lots less active, certainly less active than the last week with company and all. You go, girl! All you people just blow me away. I love you all!!!! Gone for Good-ers ROCK! :rockon:

Congrats on making your decision Buck...you are on your way, now! Please let us know how it goes and how you do, okay? Good luck!

What a relief! I'm so glad you got more good news. This is just another confirmation for me to work with the fill I have. I could probably tweek my fill and go a tad tighter, but I can still PB with the best of them if I'm not careful, it's just up to me to choose foods that keep me satisfied and away from a junky food "binge". I have a sore throat but I think it's allergies/sinus. It feels a bit like a reflux problem though, so I'm doing my Aloe Vera juice and Tums/Prilosec on occasion, just in case. Anyway, point is, imagine if I were tighter! I hate to think. Too tight is miserable. And if I work my band properly, I have good restriction, so why fill more and cause problems? I'm not borrowing trouble, that's for sure! Thanks for the encouragement you gave me, even if you didn't mean to! Congrats on the good news.

:omg: Mean man, indeed! That's funny, my hubby would do the same with an evil grin the whole way out the door! Tyler doesn't seem to want to poop this morning. I think he needs to...I may end up with a mess to clean up, too! Nap time is soon, and no diaper or pull-up...that's the rules! Wish me luck! LOL

Just the news I was looking for this morning! Thanks for letting us know she is doing okay. Hang is there Jess! We are pulling for ya!!!

Wow doll, you are doing great! Have you joined that "race into Onederland" thread I keep seeing? Check it out if you haven't. You'll be in Onederland in no time! Wahoooo!!!!

Happy Birthday Zoe! We miss you around these parts...you should check in more often or I'll go find that boot...uh...oh, that's YOUR boot...okay, well, then. LOL Have a wonderful day!!!!!!

Hey julie in Getzville! Yep, it's really possible. Take it and run, because that rate of loss will slow dramatically at some point, then the real work begins. You are doing it! Yay you! congrats on your band. I love all you gone for good-ers! (((hugs))) everyone! Okay so not so hot on the weigh-in this week. I'm back up (as Paula cheers and gives a big sigh of relief! LOL) to 185.8. It's a fluke. I'll be back down into the 183's in a day or two. I feel the bloat and water-retention. I've been fighting a head cold, I think, and just feel blah. So, this Sat is my 1-year bandiversary and I'm working on a good picture thread for that one. I'll be back down to 183 by then, for sure. It's all part of the weight loss game. Down a few, up a few, down again, then down a few more, then up....it's a dadgum roller coaster! LOL Goals for April: Curves 3 days a week Minimum (3) 20 ounce bottles of Water a day. 4 is better, 3 is min. Take my Vitamins Daily! (this has become a problem...) Choose better foods daily. No junk. Junk just begats more junk. Happy Wed everyone! C 185.8 (-37.2) I have no idea what this week's loss/gain is....

awwww, our little men are growing up so fast! congrats you potty-training Moms out there! This work we do now is the stuff that lasts a lifetime. They won't be grown men pooping in their pants in the Wal-mart, right?! Well, let's hope not anyway! LOL Amy, maybe bribery is in order at this stage? Do the big monster truck at Wal mart or the fishing pole or some toy and tell him he can have it after a certain amount of time with no accidents? You know what will speak to the little guy, and how he understands it. I think missing out on the shopping fun was a great consequence. sounds like you handled that one perfectly! Keep at it. Another thing that helped us was communication between me and hubby. We finally took some time the other night agreeing on a plan of action. We took the time to discuss Tyler, what he understands, what he's ready for, and just agreed about what to do. One thing we agreed on was wearing the pull-up at night. I'm not the least bit inclined to think that Tyler is ready to get up out of his bed, go to the potty on his own, and then the important part, go back to bed! We are being selfish with our sleep time, but it's the compromise we are willing to make. If he does go, the pull-up is easy to get up and down. If not, well, we aren't changing sheets at 3am, or getting up for the day at 5am. Nope, we are all sleeping, blissful, blessed sleep, until at least 7am. So if a pull-up makes that possible, we are going for it! LOL Anyhow, this thread is very helpful. Thanks for your input everyone. Keep us posted on the potty progress being made out there!

Yay! He really did put a little 3yo sized "Tyler Turd" in the potty today! Boy did we have a party. Here's what worked. 1) waking up and putting on big boy undies in the morning. no diaper, can't tinkle in it. So he was tinkling on the potty with no issues! 2) toothpaste demo. "the poopie comes out of your fannie, not your peanut (what he calls it, isn't that cute?) the tinkles comes from your peanut. The poopie comes out of your fannie and goes 'whoop!' just like that in the potty and then we wipe and flush it! Yay!" 3) okay, so then I bring in the big guns...his sister. I spaced out on the sofa and heard them playing in Rachel's room, only they were in the bathroom, and Rachel demo'ed pooping for him. She made herself poop and showed him the poop in the potty and flushed it, then he got on, and dadgum if the little fella didnt' poop, too! 4) I gave him his toy fishing pole. he wanted it when he saw it, and I told him he could have it when he pooped on the potty. Took 1/2 hour. Okay, the world is falling apart over here...kids everywhere. Just wanted to give you all the good news! He pooped! Yah, I know it's only just begun, but we have begun!!!!! Thanks everyone!

I'll be looking for an update, Angiebell. Take care of yourself and that band, okay? Too tight is not a good banded life! Fine for weight loss, but the expense is too great. Keep that banded tummy healthy! Less fill and proper eating (not soups and mushies all the time) is healthier weight loss. Keep us updated, okay? (((hugs)))

Heather, there's another thread posted from Jess but I don't think she has posted back from her surgery yet. She went in Mon morning, AU time, Sunday morning States time. I'm looking for updates, too! We are thinking of you Jess!

Yup, I take phentermine on occasion. My fill is fine, but sometimes I get this obsession with food and can't quit nibbling past my band, or I'm just stuck on a plateau and need to shake myself off of it. I usually only take 1/2 tablet and it does me right. I can't take it 2 days in a row, either, because of the jittery feeling. I don't like that. But, yeah, it helps.

I'm so sorry Shanna. I would feel just as devastated, I know I would. Heal up and feel better soon. Did Dr Kuri say you could get another band down the road? just not right now? Dr Kuri is my doc too. I'm hoping you are happy with how he took care of you. Would you PM me with the cost of your surgery this time, just in case this happens to me? I'd love to know, if you don't mind. Whenever you feel like discussing it. Take your time. (((hugs)))

You have received excellent advice so far. I concur! You bite is too big, or you didn't chew enough, or you ate too fast if you get that pain. That pain is a sign that one of the above has happened. You may also want to adjust your diet a bit before running back for an unfill. In your mind, go back to post-op and kind of start over, without the evil Clear liquids, anyway. Do Soup for a meal, or get your protien shakes back out for Breakfast. Take advantage of this extra restriction! Watch your calories...don't get into the empty liquid calories habit. Just ease back into "grown-up" bandster foods. You will lose some weight and that fill will lossen up a bit. Be careful, your band is biting back, and it will win if you don't eat properly! Good luck!

Oh happy happy birthday dawg! I hope it was a wonderful day!!!!!

So, you took your turn at 3 weeks post-op? Doesn't it seem like about 6-8 at least?! You had a tough start, but I'm so glad you made it through and are on the mend. You got your hunger back...great! You will keep this at bay lots better when you can eat like a big-girl bandster...protiens first, then veggies, then starches if you can. BUT, you are not done healing so only eat foods that are comfortable and ease in the solids slowly as your doc advises. Heal now, lose more weight later. Yay Leenerbups!!!! I'm so proud of you!!!! Look for my 1 year bandiversary thread coming soon. Before you know it, you'll be posting one, too!

Amazing. Girl, you ROCK!!! :rockon: Congratulations everyone!!!

Excellent! Now, post the pics, Heathergurl!!!!!

Okay Jules, I have to chime in here because a few of your comments are very familiar to me! The lethargy and self-absorption that comes from the weight. The "how can I blame him when I find myself repulsive?". The "more weight I gain the less control I have". The "rebellion thrown in" (big one for me!) And the "I won't know until I get my health back and am able to survey the landscape with a clear head". Boom. Boom. Boom. All, me too!!!! How can I be "me" in my marriage when I feel so outside of myself? I'm NOT me at 80-100 pounds overweight! It's an emotional nightmare, really. I was stuck. So very stuck and not growing emotionally, spiritually, in any way. I had no hope. What a terrible state of being to bring to a marriage. I hated it. I hated me, and I didn't trust him to love me. He could never do it right. And forget about a healthy sex life. I couldn't breathe, it was a chore to turn over or shift or move, my belly was in the way in soooo many important ways, I was sweaty and my armpits stank, talk about distracting for me! and not much about sex was comfortable or wonderful at all at 240+ pounds. And then there's everyday life. I was exhausted, unmotivated, helpless, mad, frustrated...so many terrible things. Now, don't get me wrong, my entire life wasn't totally horrible, but when these emotional issues are below every surface of every facet of my life, I was sure having a difficult time. I'd imagine what I describe is a bit of what is true for you, too. So, yes, 60 pounds down from 2 years ago. 20 on my own, 40 with my beloved band in the past year, and so many things are better better better. For me, losing this weight has been the key to being able to handle the rest of life...my REAL life. My marriage, family, my relationship with God even, has improved! I can actually believe the things I say I do, I can believe it when hubby says he loves me. Oh, and sex is waaaaay better. I feel alot more like me. I always knew that was a good thing, I kind of like me! the one that was locked inside all that fat and flab. I'm still no skinny-minnie, but it's much improved. So, that wonderful person you are is there, and don't forget her. She's smart, capable, intuitive, content, and giving. Unlock her, if you dare. (((hugs)))

Exactly what I was about to post...and you posted it for me! Check your band papers, Cheri, I think you might be halfway filled! Good call, omamoon! Oh, and I second what Alex said about the swelling, not the fill, causing the tightness...

Oh yeah, baby!!!!!

Janet...shot in the dark idea...nix the benefiber and switch to Milk of Magnesia? Get moving, don't fill up the colon with fiber just yet, unless, of course, it's with real food. I'm not a fan of benefiber. No real reason, but if regularity is an issue, MOM is helpful and doesn't cause similar bowel issues as the benfiber. I don't know. Just a thought. ???

I get a little burp or hiccup. Time to slow down, time to wrap it up. Time to end the meal. Works great!

I'm not sure what the GPers are eating, and I'm not sure about pouch-stretching. But my band is doing it's job when I can comfortably eat 1200 calories a day and not feel deprived AT ALL. On occasion, I'll get out my Richard Simmons food Mover and start moving my food windows. It helps me stay on track with good choices and a well-balanced diet. When I do that, I am totally satisifed. Even on the Blast-Off week, which is 1000 calories, I'm pretty sure. If I'm eating more calories than that, I'm not getting my fruits and veggies in, for sure, and not eating enough Protein, so I'm filling in hunger slots with junk. And not losing. My fault, not my band's. My band is at it's best when I eat well. I'm at my best when my band keeps me satisfied, which wasn't possible before. Not for weeks and months on end, anyway. Does that help?