ReneBean

Oh yeah. The Joy of fighting with the insurance company. I started that battle in the fall of last year. I will say only this - it is totallly worth the fight - even if it takes you 4 mos like it did me. Just knowing that even though I broke EVERY bandster rule this Thanksgiving, I still only ate less than HALF of what I ate last year - it was great. I felt like I was eating NON STOP - and I sort of was - but it was Bandster portions. No deprivation with half the food. Just think about that while you fight. It will make you all warm and fuzzy. Hugs!!

Becka - if you weren't sure - then you probably made the right choice. The band will be availalbe later on if you change your mind. Hugs and good luck with the D&E plan.

It depends on who is asking - and why. If it's a weighty woman (or man) that is asking because they truly want to know and try what I am doing, I tell them the truth. I know that it is true that the loss depends on diet and exercise - but I feel it is not really helping to tell our Sisters and Brothers that they have to do what we all tried and failed to do pre-band. If they might need the band, or benefit from the band, and they are sincerely asking for help - I feel the need to tell them about the band. Now - if it's just somebody asking in passing - or somebody just throwing a question in with the compliment - I tell them it's hours on the eliptical machine - and that is no lie, either. :]

Good info, Wheetsin! thx

I know that most men are dogs - and certainly your friend hitting on you out of the blue must be somewhat disconcerting. Hopefully - if he is truly your friend - you will be able to discuss this with him. Try to keep in mind that some of these other peripheral men might be hitting on you now because your actions have changed. Maybe you are smiling more, maybe you are more outgoing and they are noticing you for the first time NOT because you are thin - but because you are shining - because you are bubbly - because you are crossing your legs or walking like a woman.... Try to keep an open mind - even about your friend. Maybe he always liked you but was afraid because you were so depressed - or maybe you were always giving out such strong "buddy" signals that he never saw you as a girl before now. I know that I do not feel sexy - and I never put out any "sexy" signals because I don't want all the men in the room to run screaming from my huge fatness. (trust me - I have seen this reaction from men). But sometimes I wonder if I did start putting out the "sexy" vibe if I wouldn't get a reaction from some folks - even as fat as I am. Now - maybe none of this applies to you - but it's another train of thought. Hugs and good luck with the whole "man" issue. I wouldn't panic about the baked cheeto episode, either. I understand that self sabotage is always a concern - but it's not like you ate a half gallon of Haagen Daaz.... :] Maybe a counselor could help with your concerns. The "man" thing is scary for everybody - even normies. For those of us who never really did girl things in high school - who never had a normal social life - it's terrifying. Hugs!!

Kelly Ann you rock! So - tell me - what size clothes are you wearing? Can you shop at normal stores? How tall are you? 153 is actually right on top of my 'goal' weight - but that number will fluctuate with whatever size clothes I can wear. My goal is to be a true size 14 - or maybe a 12 if I get really motivated. Maybe the number on the scale needs to be re-evaluated? Or maybe you do need to get an unfill and then really focus on the old rules... Protein first, low carbs, lots of Water between meals. Hugs and good luck~! You have come so far - it must be frustrating to just be stalled - and to have that weird coughing thing, too. I am thinking good thoughts for you.

Wowza!!!! Lookin' good, Telly!

Hey All I am just dropping in to catch up on my reading and say "hey". No time for personals, again. The gal that was out for a month and a half for her foot surgery called in sick today. Hmmm. Dang - I have GOT to win the lottery. I must confess that since we got the one toilet working, we did not actually take the time to fix the other one this weekend. I stopped and got all the stuff on my way home - but we spent the entire weekend slugging around. It was nice. The house was clean, there was plenty of food prepared and ready to heat-n-eat and we didn't have anyplace we had to be. I suppose I will be sorry about that whole slug business later this week when the joy of showering in what we lovingly call "the coffin" wears thin - but for now, it was well worth it to enjoy a completely stress free weekend. I did spend the entire weekend eating - and it was not a good thing. So, either I am totally retaining water - or I took in 24,500 calories that have been converted into 7 lbs of fat. I am hoping for the water thing - but we will be returning to the gym starting tonight! I love you guys! TTL

:girl_hug: :party: :happybday: :party: :drum: Happy Birthday, Cindy!!!

Happy Friday!! Dianne - congrats on both the 4 lbs AND the referral for the reduction. Talk about getting the weight off your chest... haha. I feel you on the water main. I managed to plug up my kitchen sink the night before TDay - and when I took my shower in the morning, it flooded the bathroom and the hallway and blew the seal out of my toilet in the bathroom we use for company. Yep - it was special. Tomorrow we get to spend the day ripping that toilet up and putting in a new wax seal and stuff. Yippee.... So did you ever get your Orange? Uh, your family must be easily distracted. Oh - and I thought of you all day yesterday. My sister got a puppy about the same time you did - and named her - you guessed it - Lucy! So every time she talked about her Lucy - I thought of you. :] Eileenie - I did eat two bites every fifteen minutes - although I did eat a lot of veggies and not just stuffing! I was full all stinking day - cause you know, you have to eat the imperfect veggies and nibble as you put those relish trays together - and then there was the dinner - and after the dinner, those deviled eggs started calling my name...and my Sister made LEMON pie - my all time favorite and, and, and..... In the end - I had to sit for about an hour before bed drinking water and waiting for the gas to pass.... But, I survived to tell the tale....Sounds like I survived better than you did! Poor baby! I hope you are feeling much better today. Chris - Sign me up for those mini Calzones... Either sounds great! Oh - and I would rather cook the feast than clean up after, too! :] Keep on Dancing! Sherry - Hope your hubby gets BIL moved without mishap. Congrats on your DS's report card. It always feels great when the loved ones do well. And no - no Christmas shopping here, yet. Not even for myself. :] I do love to go out into the Holiday crowds, though. I would be singing along with you - although, I favor "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" when the snarly faces are all over the place. :] "Here we are as in Olden Days, Happy Golden Days of yore.... Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us, once more.... Cindy - just Vanilla and Nutmeg for flavoring, huh? Hmmm. I expect if it was properly creamy, it would be fabulous. *PIE* Mmmmmm. Hope you are having the best Birthday ever! Does your Birthday feel more special when you are only weeks from retirement? I would be having a very hard time being motivated right now - but I guess it is easier when you are dealing with people instead of paper. Mandy - Poor Abi - nothing like REALLY itching all over. *sigh*. But it sounds like you had a great time decorating. I am planinng to pop the box on my tree tonight. I can't wait. Cass - how did you do on liquids, hon? I hope you are feeling well. The cobwebs go away as soon as you stop taking the pain meds. That stuff REALLY knocked me out. Glad to hear the doc took a look at your incisions and that they are doing well. Hugs!! Pat - I surely hope you are feeling a little better - and I am thinking the best possible thoughts for you to kick this whatever it is for good. You are so organized... and how cool that your office gal is willing to come to your house and help out. Hope you get your tree, soon. Hugs!! Darcy - I know a lady who loves to do the quilting part - but doesn't want all the fuss and bother of making the tops. She is always looking for tops to quilt in front of the TV.... I could hook you up?!? :] She is here in TX - a co-worker. Hope you have a great day of sewing. Whatcha makin? Still working on the quilt top? Betty - I am so sorry you had a less than stellar Holiday. I was afraid all day that I would have a PB while the toilette was broken and the whole family was there... but I was lucky. I hope you are feeling better today. Well, my darlings - I heard a rumor that they might let us go early again today - cause it's VERY quiet here. All our mtg brokers took today off. Keep your fingers crossed. I got a powerful hankerin' for a turkey sandwich - and I didn't bring any leftovers in..... :] Love you guys!! **PS - they are letting us leave! YaHoo!!!. And just for fun, I went in and recalculated my BMI. At my 298 - I am JUST under 50. So, finally, I am thin enough to get the LapBand! lol!

Happy Birthday, Cindy!!!!

Hi. This is a message for all the newbies and want-to-be-newbies out there. Just a little message from a 9.5 month Bandster. I won't say I am a veteran - I am still a relative newbie myself. It's a long term process - learning how to eat like a normie. I wanted to make sure that everyone is aware that living with the band is a unique process - different for each individual. Some people drop huge amounts of pounds right off the bat and then slow down. That has not been the case for me. Here is my tale.... After a long and arduous battle with my insurance company - during which I was a model citizen, eating better, exercising and spending countless hours on LBT, I finally got the Golden Ticket - Insurance approval. I had my consult with my surgeon and started the pre-op diet. I had been and continued to be "Gung Ho" for the lap band. In the first week of February, I lost 16 lbs prior to and I had my surgery on the 6th. I gained the usual water/surgery weight - and I was not distressed because I was well prepared by my surgeon and my Band Buddies for this temporary gain. The Water weight dropped off, I healed up and I was on my way. For me, the liquids in the first week were easy... for about 4 days. After that, I was hungry. I went to mushies at the earliest possible moment and that was better. I could eat a lot of mushies. But I was told that solids would be better - that I would start to feel the effects of having the band. I found that once I started eating solid foods I was able to eat anything and everything. I had none of this "restriction" you hear people talk about. I had to eat more slowly and chew my food - but everything passed right through the band. I was told by one and all that it was ok - I just had to heal up and that restriction could not be expected until after the first fill. I accepted this with as much patience as I could muster and proceeded to eat everything in sight - just because I could, and because I thought that after that magical fill, I would not be able to do that any more. I relaxed and enjoyed every bite. After the 6 weeks of healing time, I scurried off to the fill center to get my first fill. I found that I had actually gained a half pound since the surgery - but being a philosophical and somewhat realistic person, I knew that based on my eating behaviors for the last 2-3 weeks, it was a miracle I hadn't gained back the entire 16 lbs I lost prior to surgery. Apparently - (and thank God) slowing down was helpful in and of itself. The fill process was expertly done under the fluoroscope - and I made sure not to freak myself out by looking at the needle (to this day, I have never looked at the needle. I don't want to know). I trundled along home and did liquids for 1 day, mushies for 1 and then soft foods. For the first day or so, I had a glimpse of what restriction could be. It was glorious - after only a small portion, I was quite happy to stop eating. This was what it was all about. Of course, once the swelling went down - I was back to what seemed to be no restriction. I was careful about chewing - but I could still eat anything. I continued to relax and enjoy. I did get back to the gym - and frankly, that was the only thing I did right for the first several months. I found that, since I was eating more slowly, I did fill up faster. I did eat less. This didn't help me make any better choices about what I ate - but it kept me from eating as I had before. I found that, while eating pretty much anything I wanted, I was losing weight. Slowly losing - but losing. I had lost all traces of my prior "Gung Ho" attitude. I was just living my life and eating what I wanted - which was less than I had wanted before the surgery. A while down the road, I had another fill - with much the same results - a couple of days of restriction and then the swelling went down. With continued exercise and some sporadic motivation to eat properly, I lost a few more pounds. Needless to say - my Surgeon was less than ecstatic about my progress. With a starting BMI of nearly 60, I was expected to lose many many pounds right away. I was screwing up his curve. So, off to the fill center I went to get yet another fill. With much the same results as before. Now, each fill was making me a little more restricted - just a little - and each fill made me slow down a little bit more. Over the first 9 mos I got 4 fills and lost 27 lbs on my doctor's scale in addition to the 16 lbs I had lost prior to the surgery for a total of 43 lbs. It was very gradual, very comfortable. People were starting to notice that I had lost weight. (when you start near 350 - it takes folks a while to notice). My clothes all fit again and I was starting to be able to walk without any knee pain. I was happy with the overall result. I figured it would take me about 3 yrs to get where I want to be - but that would be ok. I thought maybe I just didn't understand the concept of restriction and that maybe this slowing down and chewing was going to be all that I got. It was working - slowly - so I was ok with that. Even on days when I didn't care and ate everything, I didn't gain weight. It was ok. My life was not dramatically changed - nobody thought I was eating strangely or asked me anything other than the standard "what are you doing" type of questions. I had no side effects - I have had a total of one PB - and that because I was eating very dense bread, walking, talking and not chewing first thing in the AM when I had the best restriction. So, basically, except for the fact that I was losing a few pounds a month, my life was the same as it ever had been. And that was good. I thought I had pretty good restriction and that I was making some important strides in getting my eyes and my mind to adjust to what my pouch could now hold. But my surgeon (bless him!) knew that I still didn't have restriction and basically insisted that I go in for yet another fill. I resisted a little - cause I worry about erosion and - on some level - I don't want my life to change,... despite knowing that it must if I am ever to lose the weight and keep it off. But, in the end, I went in for the fill. Per my doc's instructions, I went in the late afternoon - since I have restriction in the morning - but none at night. Now - after 9.5 mos and 8.2 cc's in my Vanguard band - I have the restriction you hear folks talking about... even now after the swelling is down. I eat much less than I did at the beginning of this month. Even at dinner, I eat and I fill up quickly - in fact, I have to stop and I am uncomfortable if I take one bite too many. So now, after 9.5 mos - I have to start following the rules... Protein first, sip water all day except during meals, test each bite and keep on exercising. Does perfect restriction help me choose to eat the correct healthy foods? Nope. I still have to do that part myself. But, I broke the 300 pound barrier on my scale at home yesterday and I am still dancing around like a maniac in my mind after 24 hours. What I have now is renewed hope and motivation to eat better. It was no problem to get my protein in when I could eat anything I wanted. Now, I have to pay attention - and I couldn't be happier about it. Now, some folks might say that I had endured a trial - had a less than satisfactory Band experience - and I am finally going to get what I paid for. I don't feel that way at all. For me, I think this was the best possible way it could have come down. I don't adjust quickly - I don't like drama - I like change to come at me slowly. So the fact that I had 9.5 mos of gradually increasing restriction was perfect - for me. For you, it might be different. The Point of this very long post is to let all of you know that at some point, restriction comes to us all. Even if it takes 5 fills - or 6 or 7 - someday it will come. Do not despair. Most of all, don't give up. I was lucky - because in my dark moments when I felt despair I could console myself with the fact that my insurance company had made the biggest financial investment. Even if I never lost any more weight, I wasn't out too much. For those who have spent the thousands out of pocket - it would be much more distressing to think that maybe it was just another diet con. So, don't think that. Because it isn't. It isn't a Quick Fix, either. It is a long-term investment in our personal health. We still have to decide to eat lean chicken instead of cheese sauce. We still have to drag our butts up off the couch and move. But, the hardest part, the eating less part, gets easier with every fill. So, if you are considering this surgery, or have recently had it - GO FOR IT. I believe it to be the best decision I have ever made. Has it been all rosy and perfect? Well, yes, at least from my point of view. Has it been Instant Gratification? Not so much. But that isn't why I got this particular surgery. Just a thought to keep in mind as we travel down the path of life with the band. Every body is different. Every experience is different. You are a unique individual with unique talents and beauty. Try not to judge your progress on the progress of others. In this case, it really IS all about you. Hugs and Love

B Vitamins are just nasty tasting. There is no way around that. Sorry. If you REALLY feel that you have to cheat - eat raw vegetables. They have no carbs and they have the all important texture that one craves when one is on liquids. **and if you can't force yourself to drink the nasty B Vitamin shakes - look at the label. Determine how many carbs, how many vitamins - and see if you can come close with a better tasting product. I like Six Star powder - you can get it at Walmart - and Atkins pre-mixed shakes. Good luck. Stay tough.

Thanks Guys. Glad you like the post. I just know that I had some pretty high expectations when I was fighting the insurance company - and while the instant gratification factor has been low - I am certainly grateful for my band every single day. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! Kat - on your 30 year old "kid" - next year - just ask her what she is bringing - pointedly. She will get the message. It's past time for her to step up.... :] Oh - and we don't cater too much to picky eaters at my house. If you don't like it - don't eat it. Amazingly enough - folks always seem to find something they can tolerate. :] Oh - and the poundage in the signature is the "Official" weight as of my last doctor's visit. I will change that when I go to see him again next month. Jules - glad to hear I am not the only one who doesn't know about Chess Pie. Hope you are having a great day! Mandy - non-alcoholic wine is about the same thing as decaffinated coffee. I guess they can suck the alcohol out of anything.... I will have to try the pork thing. We are big into pork at my house. Chrispy - Calzones? I want some! What a great non-traditional feast food. Do you put meat in them? Do tell. It's all about food porn today, anyway, isn't it? I mean Geez. We have already read about Caremel Pecan pie... how much more hungry can I get? :] Eileenie - cute card! Have fun cooking. Just in case I somehow don't get back here before Friday - HUGE hugs and much love to all of you - I will be thinking of you as I take my two bites of stuffing every 15 minutes. Hugs & Love Irene

I don't think anybody is 100% against surgery for this girl - it might be a good thing for her. The problem is that the Doctor's and the Insurance Companies won't do it because she is so young. Personally - having been in her shoes - if my parents could have gotten me a band instead of sending me to fat camp for the summer - I would have wanted that and been so glad to have it. There is also the maturity issue. The band requires some self discipline - if only to get thru the healing process. A 12 year old just might not have that self control - and unless Mom is going to lock her up for 4-6 weeks while she heals - our girl will have to be able to control herself. That is probably half the reason that the docs won't do the surgery on children. I know that I would have done anything - anything at all to have a chance to be normal. I wish there was any easy answer. *sigh*

Hey - I guess enough of us have beaten them about the head and shoulders to get them to change their guidlines, Huh? :]

I'm no good at self deprivation. With the band, I eat what I want - but I want less than I did before. The weight loss isn't something I focus on every minute of every day, like I had to do on any of the other plans. And, the added bonus is that this isn't a "plan" that I will go off of. I am just going on about my life with my little friend to keep me from eating zillions of calories a day. If I am blessed enough to be able to keep my band for the rest of my life, I certainly will!!

Dr. Fox is great. He is at Medical City and at the Surgery Center of Richardson. I really can't recommend the surgery center enough - the people there were all fantastic. Congrats on your decision and good luck finding a surgeon. I know there aren't any shortage of great ones here. :]

hahahahaha Great. Tomorrow it's two bites ever 15 minutes from Dawn until Dusk! :]

Alicia - you ROCK! Dang - size 14 is like my goal.... I am so excited for you! Congrats and Great Job!

I mix flavored Water and filtered tap water and drink that. I also make use of my morning commute to drink water. I have a 1 liter bottle that I carry with me. I try to drink one on the way in and one on the way home. I haven't had any problems with dehydration. Good luck.

Take your pain meds - even if you think you don't hurt. Take them for at least 4-5 days as prescribed. It will help - if only to knock you out enough to sleep. The other odd thing I heard was to kneel with your butt higher than your head. Something about gas rising to the highest point. I am not sure that you will be comfortable doing that position so soon after surgery - but it might help. Good luck. Remember - this too shall pass.

That burping thing get's a little less over time - but you will find that without so much food in your system your stomache will growl a lot. I just deal with the burping. It's the only real "side effect" that I have other than the stomache growl. :]

IF everybody already knows - take the attention. Lap it up. You have earned it. Lookin' Good!