Heather Joy

oh my goodness you guys,i never expected such a wonderful,supportive response!---although i should have knowing how caring everyone here is! thankyou all so much for those words of inspiration and support,again. today i feel better-i started walking my dog last week and im already walking faster and longer then ever before=-) and feeling those wonderful natural "highs" of exercising outside in autumn=) i cant even begin to thank everyone here-you have been such a help to me and im sure to many many others. oh,i got to thinking after reading a few posts--its seems addiction is not so unusual-considering we all are addicted to food to begin with-and sometimes that leads to other addictions,whether it be to excape our sadness or dull the pain...but one thing i know now-never again taking pain meds!!!! they work awesome,they make you feel awesome,....but the end results are way worse then the high/relief ever was. oh and to answer the age question--im 23--no menopause yet!=-) ***knocking on wood** that WOULD be my luck lol. thanks also for the (((((hugs)))))--those go back to you all too. well,i am off to bed with all the happy thoughts you all gave me.goodnight my friends. p.s--also congrats to all the those who are now sober-that takes such strength and courage to face your demons head on i give you so much credit!

Hello everyone-long time no talk-ive been SO busy-and SO emotional. I had the surgery thing august 29 to take out the stitches-and after about a week i stopped taking the pain meds that i had been on for 5 months...i FLIPPED out and called my surgeon and my PC,they gave me a med thats supposed to mask the withdrawls.i wasnt craving the drug by any means and i only used it for pain but since i was on it so long....had issues. so its been about 3 weeks. since then my anxiety level has dramatically increased,i get really depressed,then really happy and i swing back and forth randomly like this. my docotr mention i might be bipolar about 1-2 years but BEFORE my surgery i had no problems,and now i just...dont FEEL right...im losing weight and im SO proud of myself but for some reason its just not good enough-yesterday i saw pics of myself when i was tiny-i wore this see thru spider outfit for a holloween party in 2000 and i looked HOT-i even won sexiest costume-but of course i had an eating disorder and felt ugly and fat... now i feel well, fat LOL and depressed that i let myself go so bad-i just want all this weight to just go away tomorrow... and losing 100 lbs seems sooooo soooooo far away =-( plus,in the midst of all this ive had stress from work-being short staffed-my hair is falling out SO BAD im afraid im going to be bald by next month and im constantly cold. i take my vitamins,i even started taking iron pills since my count was high last time they checked(im almost anemic,hurray!),and ive "beefed" up the protein and nothing is working. theyre checking my thyroid right now(its constantly being checked so im sure its still fine). I just have this overall feeling of "blah"-thats the only way to describe it-"the blah's". sorry to rant especially after not posting for so long-i just have to get this out one way or the other. Somehow,even if NO ONE reads this or responds...i still feel better actually just writing it. i gotta start a journal... but,to end on a good note-i have come 50 + lbs from where i was and have gainned confidence and strength, but emotionally....im just "blah"-im always just out of it and tired...anyone else experience these things too(or am i just a complete freak?) oh and plus it sucks since we're so short staffed i cant even get to the DR to talk to him and see if this is normal or if i should get on another medication-or increase what im on now,or what. so im screwed,royallly lol. well,sorry again but i need someone to let aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalll this stuff out too.lol.its easier typing it then talking it... thanks everyone,you guys are great and i am so thankful i have you all in my life--or at least my cyber life!=-)

I had that same feeling before my surgery--the stupid lady at my health ins co told me i was approved-i was THRILLED,then my doc called and said that i had been denied because i had no "co-morbidities"-ie. diabetes,etc etc so i called my PC and OBGYN and had them fax over info on my different blood tests ive had showing that i am borderline diabetic and my cholesterol is high for my age,etc and that i have tried EVERYTHING under the sun to lose weight only to gain it back and then some. Plus i wrote my ins co a letter stating that since im so young(22 at the time) i have no co morbidities and that with the way im going im sure i will and then im stuck with diabetes or whatever i get forever,and to prevent that i need it NOW,before i get all those things. and then about a week later i got approved =-) OFFICIALLY this time LOL. I had my surgery less then a month later and all has been wonderful since then--so if you DO get denied-FIGHT FIGHT AND FIGHT SOME MORE! the more proof you show them that you whole-heartedly want this surgery and are ready,theyll approve you (unless of course you dont meet the min requirement of a bmi of at least 40 i believe,then you just have to eat a whole lot.....lol) Good luck!hope that helped at least a little!

i waited about a week-and oh what a long week that was..lol. straight missionary,but he was on his knees instead of directly over me (hope that makes sense),it was a WHILE before we could do anything more wild lol just take it at a slow pace and find whats most comfortable (and not painful!)for you--Good Luck!

Wow Molly! That makes complete sense..Ive been losing hair like CRAZY as well and i know its because of my surgery-the abrupt weight loose/diet change and not getting enough protein, but i never knew WHAT makes this happen- especially the part where hair loss starts 3-4 months after surgery which is happening to me and i had my surgery 4/29! Thanks a lot for the info i feel more educated now!And not SOOO worried!!!

Christine- are you a natural blonde? If not the dye your using may be the problem-or the hair care products your using. Also which Doctor are you seeing about the problem-your PC or Surgeon? Maybe your PC can give you a referral to a specialist who can help you. If neither have an answer to why your having this problem, I would try a second opinion from another doctor. You say that youve been eating a lot of Protein,but have you seen a nutritionist to see if you are eating correctly. You may have a difficiency you are unaware of, since it is a big problem with lap-banders and gastric bypass patients Good Luck!

For me, there is a VERY thin line between comfortable,and uncomfortable--ive learned(very difficulty,i must say),to eat veeeery slow becuase youll fill up so quickly you wont know it until your done eating and oh my goodness i was in agony!!LOL plus,ive had a few fills (8cc now in a 10cc band),and its so difficult through each phase to tell what will happen--to full to quick,or not full AT ALL.lol My advise to you take it REALLY slow and stop and talk to someone,or watch tv ,then go back to eating,....you'll find your "comfortable full" LOL--I HOPE that made sense =-) Heather

aaahhh that makes so much sense! thanks! i have had a couple of those--plus i lost a hoping 7 lbs since my surgery (and fill) aug 29th,but i really havent gone down a whole lot,so i guess thats the reverse?LOL

i would LOVE to get my arms done--i know i will eventually for sure! there swinin' in the breeze now as it is!!!LMAO Codamom do you have pics of before/after? my friend REALLY wants it done and itd be nice to give her an image to go on...plus for me too as well as everyone else im sure!!LOL - If you dont i understand and dont mean to offend in anyway!! but if you do i have to see! p.s.--i think by the time im done i`ll need an "all-over-body-tuck" lol my pore belly is already showing the signs of 50 lbs gone whcih,im NOT complaining btw!!!!LOL p.p.s.-hey what does NSV mean?ive heard it soooo many times!!! sorry,im multi-posting again

oh my goodness what a cute doggie-and what a huge tongue!!!! LOL i love dogs-i have to get a pic of my Dixie(min-pin) on here sometime-nevermind a pic of myself!LOL

ooooooops i guess one reply was enouph for me,little excited? LOL

I am very happy to announce i have met my goal of 20 lbs(and possibly then some!!!) even with the 1 lb gain--yipppppppppy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats to everyone also!!!!!you all did wonderful

I am very happy to announce i have met my goal (and then some possibly!),even with the 1lb gain!!! Yay!This last fill has been a miracle!!!!! 20 lbs for me!!! wooowhooooooooooo!!! Congrats to you all-you did awesome!

mmmmmm those are awesome!!!high in Protein and great taste!of course its near impossible to get away from that chaulky taste but its much better then a lot of the Protein shakes out there! I also love carnation instant breakfast-the low carb ones (blue box)literly no chaulkiness-- those are really good too!

I am doing good-i was banded 4/29/05 and have lost about 47 lbs-monday i had surgery to take out the stitches and had a fill-now at 8 cc and at pretty much the perfect restriction,finally. I too am coming off a few-plus months plateau-i just lost restriction and was eating such bad food. So hopefully this will jump start my weightloss since it was SO good in the beginning. i still am very happy i got banded and would do it again in a heart beat =-) Hope all you April bandsters are doing great!

My last name is Warren. I dont honestly know what it means-i used to but i kinda....forgot: When i get married it will be Twining. I always make fun of it because it sounds so coutry-ish...Say it to yourself with a country TWANG- HEATHER JOY TWINING!!!LOL.... all i know is both names are Eurpean/Irish etc Oh btw,to make you laugh i know someone whos last name is Quackenbush.hehe and he is sO HOT!lol

Honestly I never knew i wasnt the only one feeling this way-it seems somehow if i make fun of someone who was fat,it makes me feel less ashamed of myself,and to laugh it kinda makes light of such a "heavysubject.also i always hated looking at myself in a full length mirror-its almost too painful to do,so i make myself believe im not that big to almost protect myself,from myself. well thats enough inner thought for me!! LOL hopefully it made sense!

Ugh,i gained lb a couple weeks ago,but i just had a fill with my surgery and im FINALLY feeling the perfect restriction,and i have a week(almost) to go so i`ll weigh myself next week and hopefull ive met my goal!

Thankyou all =-) Christina- nope,no walgreen tonight! Laying low for today since i have to go back to work tomorrow ugh=/ I had a fill also and its wonderful!i thik ive finally found the perfect restriction! im VERY excited and am looking forward to losing more weight(finally!)!! well,thanks again for all your concern!! good luck to you all~

Hello all-Im goin in again! August 29th,to take out the stitches. My port area has been so sore,and its gotten worse considering my doggie punched me in the tumy a couple days ago-right in the port! Im not going to be completely under whuich is good because i have a rough time with that-its just like a "twilight"sleep,and i`ll be back home the same day. Anyone else have this happen? Pray for me on the day for some relief!!!!

Hello all!Im back,and smiling!!! Everything went great-i even remember the whole thing.lol. I went home about an hour after my surgery which thrilled me. Something funny that ahppened to me in the OR- I didnt have Generlal,i had a "twilight Sleep"which means i was awake but didnt give a crap about anything!lol, So i was in the OR and i started to doze off,and woke myself up snorring!!!LMAO oooops! Kinda sore,but nothing bad-i even went out to walgreens and did some shopping=-) not the GREATEST idea,but only b/c driving hurt my belly. So,again im happy to report im home and all is well!!!! =-)

you take great pics it Penni!!!That was just too cute!

Wow,look at all you successful women(and some men?)!!!!! Way to go you are all awesome! =-)

good luck!im keeping my fingers crossed for you! theyve never called out on me so heres hoping!

Im not quite sure-go figure-youd think i should ask that first,but no i hear surgery and i freeeze! Im talking to the nurse tomorrow to ask all those questions,fianlly.and i think it would be a good idea to get an xray to make sure everything is still in place from the doggie,and since ive eaten sooo much the past couple days-im not used to my fill and i got full REAL quick! I just want to make sure nothing slipped or is out of place. My Dr did say that the stitches were probably the root of my pain,so it would be better to take them out-i guess they are supposed to be disolving to begin with-go figure.I1ll have to ask how exactly the port stays in place-im thinking either its in a spot where it would stay-being cushioned by the muscles and organs,but i have no idea...lol just my un-professional opinion=) Oh my goodness Landry i have a (really muscular) min pin and OW! i can only imagine how you felt! I felt like i was going to die from pain! Thanks everyone for the support=-) I`ll keep you all updated!