Parvathi

My grandmother has owed $10,000 to the hospital for years now. She pays $5.00/month and they're unable to send it to collection department...

How much fill did he put in? If its any consolation, I didn't feel any restriction at all until my fourth fill .. Sorry to hear your first experience wasn't so swell. It does get better though. I don't even notice it anymore.

Finances permitting, I'll see ya there

I wouldn't worry about it at all. Like many others said, you're still in the healing stage. If you're allowed mushies at this point, it should be fine If you're not allowed mushies yet, no harm done, but I'd stick to doctor's orders from here on out... There's a baked potato bar down the road from the office and about once a month, on a cold and rainy day, I indulge myself for lunch there. I usually eat a bit of a tin of tuna first, just to make sure I have my protein in. Doesn't leave much room for the tater, but these days, just a few bites of something I'm craving does wonders

YaYYY LOL. That first one, especially after you've been on pain killers, can be tricky.

My doctor doesn't require it, so I didn't do it for the first two fills, but since then, I've been sticking to liquids for atleast 24 hours after a fill and they've gone by much smoother.

hahahaha, while a bit embarassing, that would have been an absolutely great feeling. Congrats!! Enjoy that shopping trip

Thanks everyone! It all had me so happy hehe Paula, you're so right! Jaz (my lil one) realizes that this time last year I couldn't have done that. For a 7 year old, she's been extremely supportive and is always telling me how great I'm looking. Jachut, I was looking around at the room left in the seats and I noticed that even on Jaz, there was only 2 inches either side of her lil bum. Even the super skinny girl beside me was touching the edges of the armrest. Those seats are unbelievably small :/

Have your eating habits changed in the past few days (ie eating faster, chewing less, eating more solid protein)? If so, this could be the culprit. Or it could be just a nervous thing, or maybe even pms (my band gets really tight around that time of the month, even though I have cravings like mad lol). I would probably go ahead with the appointment, but speak to your doctor about your concerns. Try to stick to liquids for a day or two after the first fill, as it really does help it go smoother for most people. Good luck and let us know how you go

My family doctor scares me lol (she's a great doctor, but very opinionated), so I waited til she was away on holidays to ask for a referral to a surgeon and her associate gave it to me gladly. After the surgery, when I went for a check up with my family doc, she had seen the note in my chart and commented on my weightloss. Much to my surprise, she was really excited for me and was glad to have a good surgeon to refer future patients to for lap banding. I've got to ask her next week for a referral to a plastic surgeon (for tummy tuck/boob lift), so I'm interested to see her reaction to that. But I'm not scared this time heh.

Couldn't have said it better myself Lisa, you've inspired soooo many people here, myself included. If you and your body need a bit of a break, take one, have fun - but know that we're here for you and so is that new port, if and when you decide to get it. Until then, enjoy where life is taking you at the moment, cause it sure sounds like things are starting to go your way

I like the Musashi product, but not the premixed stuff. I generally make fruit smoothies with it. Your local vitamin/nutrient/supplement store should be able to recommend something specifically for you and your situation though.

It's Sunday evening (Sept. 11th) in Australia. Going to Sea World with my daughter tomorrow, for a couple of days, so thought I'd post this now (haven't decided if I'll take the laptop or not). Parvathi 205 Pounds Under bust 36 Waist 38 Hip at fullest 49 (thanks Gran for that huge hip and thunder thigh gene! lol)

It's Sunday evening, in Australia, but I'm not going to be around tomorrow to post, as I'm going to Sea World for a couple of days (haven't decided if I'll take the laptop or not), so thought I'd do it now. Weight this morning - 93kgs/205lbs So down 1kg/2lbs since last Monday. I'm sure I'll pile on a few during the next few days away though LOL.

I'm extremely happy with my decision to be banded. To date, I've lost 58lbs, since March 4th. I haven't had any problems with the band, as some others have. The frustrating bits for me so far have been:- the liquid diet before and after banding PB's (they don't happen often for me, but gosh when they do I know it!!) having to choose to eat or to drink, when going out - I can't fit in both not hitting restriction on the first fill - while I knew that wouldn't happen, it was still a bit of a bummer the rate of weight loss - I'd love to lose faster, but realize that's not realistic for me These things are all things I can live with though and I'm happy to put up with all of them if it means I'll lose weight. I would do it all again, in a heartbeat. Good luck with your decision.

WoW - looks like ya'll are having such a great time!!! Everyone looks wonderful I want the recipe for that toxic tea hehe.

The few weeks of liquids/mushies following surgery are definitely a time for healing. Any weight loss in this time is just an extra bonus. After the swelling goes down, many people feel very hungry until they can It's frustrating, but it's necessary in order to allow your body to heal and to allow your band time to settle in. Keep your chin up - it'll be over before you know it.

Yep its the port. Mine felt really weird at first lol, but now I don't even notice it.

Back in June, my wonderful hubby gave me a gift voucher at my favorite plus size shop (sizes 14-26). I've shopped and shopped and shopped and shopped since then lol. When I first started, I was a size 22. Every time I'd grow out of something, I'd just run over there and pick up something else. I'm going on a mini holiday with my daughter on Monday, so this morning I ran over to the shop for some summer clothes, looking to finish off my gift voucher. Well to my surprise, everything was too big. Not by a huge amount, but enough so that it didn't make sense for me to get stuff. I ended up with a skirt (it was on sale and one of those long flowing ones, so it didn't matter if it was a bit big) and two tops that were exactly the same, only in different colours lol. Then I finished off the voucher by picking out a few accessories. As its a plus sized shop, the sizes are bigger than a regular store (a 16 is not really a 16, if ya know what I mean). So I'm in this funky in between stage, whereby I can't wear anything from that shop anymore, as I'm below their 14, but I can't fit into any of the real shops 16s .. bleh. Happy that I've made it this far, but not so thrilled with the prospect of not having anything to wear for a couple of months while I try to get into regular store clothes... Oh, and just for reference sake - Australian sizes are way weird lol. My little sister was visiting earlier this year. In the states, she's a size 4, here she was an 8 or a 10?!? My mom's an 8, she was wearing a 12 or 14 here. LOL, so I'm not sure if I should do a happy dance or curl up in the fetal position and pout heh.

With TickerFactory.com, you have to create a new one when you want to change the weight (its dead easy though, so no big deal). With TickerCentral.com, I've been told you can just login there and update it, but I haven't tried that one so I'm not sure.

I wasn't really given a list of things not to eat - was just told to give everything a try and see what works. I have rice on occasion, if I have room after protein and veggies. Haven't had an issue with it yet, but I never eat much of it...

LOL .. Fantastic, katerzz. I bought a pair of jeans a few weeks before surgery. Loved them to bits! I shrank and when they didn't (even after sticking them in the drier), so I went and got a pair one size smaller. Same thing happened with those, then another, etc. I've now owned these jeans in a 22, 20, 18, 16 and now, a 14. It's a plus sized store, so they don't go any smaller than that lol, I'm gonna be so sad when I have to give them up. Luckily, I've still got my favorite sweatpants with drawstrings that I'll always be able to wear.

She'll come around, when she sees you becoming healthier and happier. Right now she probably feels like because she could do it on her own, you should be able to. That's not necessarily true (or atleast I know it wasn't for me). Unfortunately, when you lose weight through dieting, you're predisposed to gain it back, mainly because diets are so restrictive - they're not a life/health change and people won't stick with them forever. With the band, that's so much less likely to happen. Try to keep your chin up and if you know this is something that's right for you, bugger what the rest think. We're all here if you need to vent.

Fantastic news, Alex!! But no making promises that no one can keep LOL - we all have our days Important thing is that we keep our eye on the goal and remember to get back on the wagon when we occasionally fall off hehe.

At the moment, I don't count calories. If I hit a plateau, then I'll start. I've been losing on average (some weeks less, some weeks more) 1kg/week. That's 2.2lbs. I'm content with that. Sure I'd love to lose 4kgs/week, but I realize that not only is that unrealistic, it's unhealthy. My average day consists of the following:- Breakfast - a small Protein filled banana and strawberry smoothie with skinny milk, after my workout lunch - 1/2 cup tuna salad with a bit of a small mixed green salad dinner - 1/4 - 1/2 cup of meat (sometimes salmon, sometimes beef, sometimes chicken - just whatever I've fixed the family for dinner) with a bit of veggies on the side. I don't really eat between meals, unless I'm home alone lol. Then it's out of boredom, so I try not to be home alone If I see something that I want though, say a few chips, I have them.