RayLandry

Hey Carrie! Way to go! Your are on a roll! We were banded on the very same day and you have left me to eat your dust!! I've lost about 47lbs.......but no where near your 65lbs! I am jealous........just kidding! You are an inspiration though!

I'm a VGer. I have had 4 fills and still not the sweet spot yet! But after comparing the two bands, I am glad that my Doctor chose the VG. He said it is a matter of anatomy and not so much weight.

I had it done.............no pain at all! Best of all it was free! My wife works for a dentist.

I buy the Balance bars. They are decent in taste and have about 15 grams of prorein and 23 grams of carbs. Not ideal, but not bad either. Best of all, I find them at my 99 cent Only Store! I buy about twenty at a time!

The Bowflex is awesome..............if you don't mind shelling out the $$$$. It is a great piece of equipment, but like any other piece, it only works when used consistently! I am trying to be more consistent! The bottom models are about $700 and the upper models are about $2200. I paid $1500 for mine and haven't regretted it a bit!

I went to my Doc's office today for my monthly check up and mentioned the subject of erosion. He informed me that out of 1000+ lapband procedures he has performed, he has only seen one case of erosion. This case was before the newer technique of "buckle" placement. He kinda of let it be known that I should watch where I got my info from. lol He has suggested that reading too much about these "issues" will cause unnecessary worrying. There is some truth to that. But I guess like everyone else, I have my concerns.

Male here.

Hey guys, thanks for the challenge. I have enjoyed the competition, but I am bowing out as of now! I am not normally one to quit anything, but I feel it is only fair that I do this. I have been very sick the last couple of days (the flu) and have lost about 15lbs. This isn't the way that weight is lost! I have finally broke my fever and am feeling a little better. But it wouldn't be right to report that kind of weight loss with only a week remaining in the competition. Since I am getting a fill in a couple days (I hope that I still can),and will be on liquids for a few days, this false weight loss might just be around next week. Not fair to Nana or anybody else! Thanks Again, Ray

Before, I never gave much thought to the NSV's that everyone talks about. But before, I was enjoying consistent genuine scale victories, so I wasn't in tuned with the importance of a NSV! Well, I have kinda hit a wall at losing the pounds,but my recent NSV has giving me positive reinforcement to my whole Lapband experience! My job requires a yearly check up that includes: eyesight, hearing and blood pressure. Last year my blood presure was 164/94. The nurse made me lay down to see if my BP would drop a little before she would allow me to get back to work. It only dropped very little, but I had to agree to get it checked by my PCP. Well today I had my annual physical and my BP was 122/ 76. How cool is that! The weight loss and the exercising that I am doing are really paying dividends! One side note..............during the hearing test, we are placed into a soundproof hearing chamber. During the test, I could hear my stomach making some really weird gurgly noises! Noises that up until now, I wasn't aware that were happening! I mean some funny sounding noises! Anyone else ever heard their tummy "sing" like this? I was cracking myself up just listening!

11/21/05 Wt. 249 chest 44 waist 45 1/2 hips 46 I've gained 3lbs this weekend! Not too bad, considering that my wife and I spent the weekend in Reno/Tahoe..........buffets and booze!! Nana, if for some miracle that I won the contest, I guess I would chose black! With Thanksgiving coming up, I doubt if that is going to happen!

Okay Jess.............what kind of Doritos? Plain, Nacho cheese, Cool Ranch, Salsa, etc. LOL At times (most of the times), I also feel like I have no restriction whatsoever! I have to remind myself that I have a lapband!

11/14/ Wt. 246 chest 44 waist 46 hips 46

Thanks to all my banded friends! Y'all are too cool!

Thanks a bunch guys! Too cool!

Hey Beanie and Cindy! Cindy the Eagles, in my opinion, are perfect in concert. I have had the good fortune to have seen them about 10x! When I was single, one of my hobbies, was to fly to concerts (I fly for free). I've seen Dan Fogelberg and JT 20x also! I play guitar, so I guess you could say that I am a MUSIC LOVER!!! I met my wife at a Dan Fogelberg concert in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was seating behind me, and got to talking.....the rest is history! She has moved down Texas to make Fort Worth her new home. Together we had about 800 CDs.............although many were dublicates! LOL Music plays a big part in our lives! Ray

Now ya'll are talking about something that I happen to know a little bit about!! Music!!! Here are the concerts that I can remember! Some are a blur..........if you know what I mean! Classic Rock The Eagles Chicago Dan Fogelberg James Taylor Styx Heart Santana ZZ Top Boston Fleetwood Mac John Mellancamp The Cars The Police Eddie Money Jimmy Buffet Foreigner Cheap Trick Don Henley Joe Walsh Glenn Frey Stevie Nicks The Beach Boys Poco Firefall Supertramp Journey Steely Dan Gordon Lightfoot America Stephen Stills Paul McCartney Kansas Sammy Hagar 90's Rock Hootie And The Blowfish Toad The Wet Sprocket Gin Blossoms Edie Brickell And The New Bohemians Shawn Colvin The Wallflowers Sarah Hickman Collective Soul Tonic Bruce Hornsby Amy Grant Cowboy Junkies Jackopierce Modern Rock Duncan Sheik Iron And Wine Ryan Adams Whiskeytown Calexico Ellis Paul Glen Phillips Amie Mann Wishlist The Beatles Led Zepplin Stones Jon Denver Elton John Paul Simon Sting

11/7 weight 249 chest 44 waist 46 hips46 plus 2 lbs!..........but down in inches! I had better get going! Y'all are going to smoke me!

Personally speaking, I have been so much more active since my Banding! I play golf once a week and since I have lost about 35lbs, my swing is alot different! I have alot more range of motion..............not resulting in lower scores, but definitely more flexibility! I am having to learn a different swing! As for working out........I am lifting weights with no discomfort whatsoever. I do all varities of lifts including squats. When I use heavy dumbells (65lbs each) for bench presses, I roll the dumbells over my torso to get into position (a weight lifter would know what I am talking about) with a little discomfort over the port site (but tolerable). I am also jogging about 3-4x/week about 30mins each session. I also ride my bike about 2x week for a total of about 40-50miles. All this activity...........and only 35lbs lost! I'm still consuming way too much food, but that is another subject. I still have little restriction! Anyway, to answer your question and concerns, the band has only helped in acheiving my current fitness level! I am preparing myself to enter a duathlon sometime in the near future! I know that once I reach a more optimum level of restriction, my weight loss will start to rock and roll! Oh, I forgot to mention, I have a pretty strenuous job with lots of lifting, bending, twisting.etc. No problems with the band! Yet (knock on wood)!

Dude.............you just sang my song! I too, have felt that I have lost a friend! Somedays more than others. Time heals all sorrows..............time is ticking! Thanks for the inspirational testimony! So true...so true!

10/31 same............no change (I'm late for work,sorry Nana for not posting numbers, they are the same as last week) Ray

Eileen, How's it going? I fell your pain (hunger).......Luckily i didn't have to do 2 weeks of Clear liquids. Actually, I was blending up Taco Bell stuff a couple of days after surgery. But all doctors are different! My Doctor said "anything" that was a thick paint consistency! Lucky me.......I don't know if I had made it otherwise! Isopure, in my opinion, is the best tasting Protein drink out there! The Green Apple rocks! Tastes like a Jolly Rodgers candy! It ain't thick and chaulky like many of the other protein drinks! YUCK! I think they have about 40 grams of protein also! Good Luck NJ Chick! Ray

Hey Kare, Sh*t happens! It will be a great conversation piece in years to come! shake it off girl! Next time they'll get out of the way! Years ago, I was my brother's best man in his wedding. While on the alter, the Pastor asked for the ring, in which I was holding (still in the ring box). I opened the tight little black ring box and the dam ring goes flying out!! I let out a big 'ol G..DAMIT in front of God and everybody! The Pastor looks at me with that "no you didn't look"!! But yes I did! I look towards the audience (what ever you call people at a wedding) and my wife and my brother-in-law are about to pee in their pants! My parents and the bride's parents didn't look a bit amused! In fact, there was some people giving me some serious "go to hell" looks! Mainly the bride's family. I was red as an apple! Well needless to say, I caught plenty of crap for that one! At the reception, all our friends and family were having a good time with it! Now that time has passed by, it was just one of those things. My brother's marriage didn't last too long, but that story will last forever! Ray

Monday 10/24/05 Weight 247 Chest 44" Waist 47 1/2" Hips 47"

Hi Vonnie, I didn't use Dr. Carter, but I did use Dr. Snow, who also uses the Specialty Surgery Center in Hurst. The staff at the center are awesome! Dr Snow and Carter, along with a couple of other Doctors are part of the AIGB Group. Good luck! Ray

I am very sorry to hear about your loss. Our pets become much more than "pets". They become part of us. I feel very sad for you and I can only imagine how hard it would be to say goodbye to my dog (Landry). It depresses me to just think about it.