Car

Wait, wait, wait!!! Now. Make sure that I'm in. 187/177. Car

Huh, I won't say that it sounds like fun, but why not. Count me in.

Don't need to know French. During the summer, English abounds. Would you believe that $1 = 1.43 Euros? It's killing us. That's why we do as much business in Euros as we possibly can. How are things going for you band-wise. Car

Hi Crew!, Life has been very hectic lately. A computer software package we installed quite a few months ago is just not playing nicely with the big computer it is installed on, and I've been fighting it tooth and nail. It takes all of my energy for 10 hrs. a day. On the bright side, I have had 3 fills ranging from 0.50 cc to 0.25 cc . It seems so strange when I hear of 2.0 cc+ fills, but the last one certainly was effective. yippee!! I'm down to 187 lbs. and smiling. I think that working out is really helping, and my dog now stands on the treadmill waiting for me to crank it up. All of the leaves up here have changed color and dropped off the aspens. I enjoy the rare red leaves best as they remind me of the glorious oaks and maples back home. Fall is fully installed which means winter will be here in a very few weeks. At this elevation in the Rockies (the mountains, not the award winning baseball team. GOOOOOO ROCKIES!!!!) we have a saying that we have 4 seasons....WWWIIINNNTTTEEERRR, spring, smr, autumn. It loses a lot in the printing, but you can get the general idea. Our frost-free season is June 1 through Sept. 1. Not great for tomatoes. I'm trying hydroponics as an alternative. Anyway, glad to read you all. Car :ranger:

Dini, no you're not! I had a similar thing with the gas in our place in Narbonne-plage. Less than 30 Euros/month then "whammy" 400+!! What is with the estimates stichk? Ugh. By the way, you are really trucking away with that weight loss. You go girl! I noticed your Irish leprechaun ..."and the rest of the day to you". Car (this is what I look like most of the day)

Cherea, When do you get a chance to breathe? How about doing something early in the morning with the big stretchy bands or something similar even it it's only 10 or 15 minutes? Dance to your favorite tunes... or there is even a series of Vinyasa yoga moves you can do while you are still in bed. They take about 10 minutes and keep you lithe. Also help with energy level. Hope you find a solution. Car Don't give up!

Yup. Right on the snoot. Do you ever swing by southern France? We have a house right on the beach in Narbonne-plage. Wouldn't it be a hoot to "beach-it" together? We rent it out during the really sunny times, but try to get over there 1 - 2 times/year. If you have a second, check out No. 7 Promenade . That's us. I've always wanted to tour Ireland, but with these stupid/deceptive airfare taxes/fuel tariffs (aka increased ticket prices that the airlines are too chicken s!@t list in the basic ticket price) it's getting harder and harder to just jump the big pond on a whim. Car

Hi Dini, I'm a carpe diem girl, myself. Wow, how did you get everyone into your one mail? Later, Car

Hi Lindaa and all of you newly filled, As someone who started off completely closed off (I'm just soooo sensitive, cough cough), worry when you cannot handle liquids. Anything else is incidental. As to the PBing, I learned to carry Kleenex with me and find a vacant area to burp. It is not nearly as gross as the real thing. Just remember the days when our stomach were just all too happy to eat everything in site. Later, Car

Hi SS, If you are pan frying, especially using something like olive oil and pat off any excess oil, it should be just okey dokey. You have to have some fats (of the right sort) to feel satisfied and also for those flowing locks and gorgeous skin. Car

Dear Unruly.., I understand the tired after work thing (I work 10 hrs days commute 1 hr each way). I never have the energy to lift a finger after I get home. The only way I can get my ass in gear is to exercise early in the morning. I found that if you start really early you're pretty much though the awful part before you really wake up, and by then it's too late to rethink going back to bed. If you're into treadmills at home and you are a dog owner, try getting your pup up there with you. It is a real motivator. Car

Hi Ruby! I had been waiting to see how your fill went, as hopefully I'm in for one tomorrow. I know that "hopefully" is a strange term to use in conjunction with "fill", but my doctor's associates don't seem very good at giving info without asking specifics. Of course, I can't think of what to ask until I'm on the road home. To all the Lucks-- I got a great motivation for exercising, at least on a treadmill at home (I don't think most gyms will allow this). I have watched several times on the Dog Whisper when Ceasar has put dogs on treadmills. I tried it Monday morning with my youngest Brittany and she loved it. Last night, it was Big Boy Bobby (aka the Bobs) turn and he too appeared to think it was a hoot. Now I have exercise buddies, even at 4 AM. My husband is currently on the road, so I want to surprise him with a trained Bobs when he gets back. Now, if only I can train them in Vinyasa yoga.....

Hi Breadlady, Glad to hear the Chinese food went down ok. Up until very recently, if I chugged down the food my jaw sort of locked. Talk about psychosomatic! Unfortunately, everything is going down too easily now. I think I having a fill at my appointment Thursday, but my surgeon's office is so vague about these things. Sigh. Anyway, enjoy your dinner. Mine isn't for several hours yet.

How low can you go. Stealing from an accident victim! Hydroplaning is the pits. On the highway that I take part of the way home, hydroplaning is not unusual. Also, watch out for roads at the very start of a rain. That's the time that the oil on the road gits ya.

Thanks CeCe, I would really like to maintain that feeling I have had up until the past week or so of not wanting to eat. Maybe I should get my courage up and call the surgeon to make sure that my upcoming appointment includes a fill. If it doesn't I'll probably eat myself into oblivion. Now I'm really stressed out. Guess I'll go walk the stairs (13 flights). Car

Hey Ruby, We must be twins. The effects of the anesthesia have worn off (it takes a while for me) and I could eat a whole Big Mac without breathing hard. I'm hoping that I get a fill on 9/13 when I next see the dr. laurend- where are you going to school? I did my masters online, and A.B.Ded. before I wore out. I am A LOT older than you http://www.lapbandtalk.com/images/smilies/omg.gif :omg:, and was done-in by major surgery. As a former microbiologist, I totally understand the chemistry in the biology class. One of the things that prevented me from attempting GRE in biology was the amount of chemistry included. Being a byte jock is much more fun, anyway. So instead of the Phd, I'm going to attempt the CISSP, an advanced certification in computer security. Hopefully, banding is coming up soon, or those cows in the pasture by our house are in trouble. Later

Hi Ruby, That Water really did the trick!! I live in a semi-arid state (Colorado) and allowing myself to get dehydrated took the stuffing out of me. And you other guys....all the exercise talk got me off my duff and with my newly hydrated body got in 30 min. of brisk walking. Thanks.

Hi Guys, Thanks for the ideas on getting in the extra water. I think that for me, the important word is "water". It tastes so bad at work, I put off drinking the stuff. And the ice, blah!!! Anyway, maybe I'm the eat out "maven" of the group. As I work 10 hr. days and commute 1 hr. each way, eating out provides some nice relaxing time. I haven't fast-fooded, but seem to do really well with grilled fish, salads eaten really slowly (yum, could do with one now) and soups. Where I really have problems is eating (aka grazing) while I'm working. Maybe I had better just bite the bullet and drink the excuse for water here. I also use the "burp" technique for knowing when to stop, but today it failed me at lunch. That lovely piece of fish just slid on down with nary a burp. Anyway, maybe I should do some more work at work....your tax dollars at work. Have to keep our computer systems safe from the bad guys. So ta, ta for now.

Don't give up. I find that I handle the same food differently depending upon the environment. When I'm really stressed, my jaws almost lock and I get a slimy Iron ball in my stomach. Slowly, relaxed, and with concentration seems to do the trick.

Hi CityGirl, I was also banded on the 31st. I'm still not sure that I am ready for my first fill, but kinda feel left out. On the positive side of things, I still am reacting to the anesthetic and haven't felt really hungry yet (did the same thing after having my knees replaced). I'm sort of skating on that. I'm having a very hard time getting in enough Water. It seems that waiting for at least 1 hr. after meals really gets in the way of drinking water. Yesterday, I stood up and nearly keeled over. Also, has anyone else felt like they have a urinary infection, but don't really have one? Of course, when I make an appointment to have it tested, everything feels great and I cancel the appointment. Anyway, I think that it is time to buy a new bathroom scale. I see the dr so rarely, that I don't know what my status is. I think I pitched my last scale many years ago when I was on WW. Best to everyone.

I'm hanging in there, eating a pretty good cross section of foods. My surgeon hasn't even mentioned a fill to me yet, but with no real drive to eat, I'm not sure that I am ready yet. Sunny, I've lost too many animal friends in recent years, cats, dogs and horses, and it doesn't get any easier. I still pine for Brittan Ruth who at the age of 13, passed on at least 4 years ago. It's ok to give in to the loss. I even get upset when one of our koi dies.

Hi Lynette, As a mother of an almost 26 year old (I was going to say "boy" but really should say "man"), let me shorten a very long story. My son was born in September, which put him in the end of things, time wise. When he was in pre-kindergarten the headmaster suggested that our son stay back one year. I was devastated!!! My brilliant, beautiful son, stay back a year!!! Well, after checking with family members who were both in the educational and psychology arenas, my husband and I decided that allowing him an extra year maybe was not a bad idea. Ah, the shortened story...my son just entered Penn State graduate school on a completely paid ticket through Phd. Each child marches to his/her own drummer. Bah, humbug on the pretesting. My son used to scream every time a teacher put an 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper in front of him until at least the 2nd grade. He just turned down a Fulbright Scholarship marching to his own tune. There is no rush out there, when it comes to kids education. Just because they march slower initially does not mean that they won't wind put leading the band in the end. :whoo:

Wow! I made enough noises to be the full orchestra for the 1812 Overture...complete with guns and canon.

After leaving surgery without being able to swallow water, the idea of checking-before-departing sounds like a winner.

Hi Guys, I'm a July 31, 2007 bandee. Life has been interesting since banding with highs, lows and things in between. The high was losing 6" off my waist. The low was having to spend 4 days on IVs to do it, after an emergency admission to the hospital 3 days post surgery. Twenty days after banding, I still have no appetite. I enjoy reading all of your trials and victories. I too have tried pizza (1 small slice fine initially, but weighty in the stomach after 15 min.), pasta (ok), and the less mundane (1000 mg niacin out of the capsule, stirred into water and quickly PBed). I have found that acetaminophen just sits at the bottom of the constriction and irritates the heck out of it; flat soda tastes pretty good; and a stitch in the side may save 9 (tongue in cheek), but it hurts by the middle of the work day. Later,