Dancer

Thanks Stacey! That was so such a sweet note and meant so much to me!

Hello everyone! WOW!!!! I go out of town for a few days and look at all the cool stuff I miss! Janet - You are so awesome! Thanks for updating the chart! I love looking at how great we are all doing! Stacey - You go girl! I hope that is the restriction you needed! Sending lots of good vibes your way! Tammy - Way to go on the 9.5 lbs! You rock!!! Nanster - Good for you on learning the skills! You are doing a great job! Keep up the good work! I am still loosing a little a week. My goal was to be at -25lbs. before my first fill. I am at -22 now and have two and a half weeks to get there. Just gotta keep doing the right things! My only downfall is that I have two more business trips in the next two weeks. BUT....I can keep doing what Nanster was saying..keep learning and using the skills! I did make better choices on this trip...scrambled eggs and cottage cheese for breakfast and tuna salad and a small salad (with garbanzo beans and chopped egg) for lunch...Now I just gotta make sure my portions are good. At least they are a lot smaller than they used to be! I think I did ok...what do you all think? I have missed you all so much! Traveling is hard and hard to keep up with the support! Have a great day everyone!

Welcome PJ! Congrats on the weight loss!!!! Tammy - I have taken tylenol... I have the long skinny ones and I break them in half...it takes a while to get all 4 pieces down, but it works. Since you just got a fill, you might want to break them up into more pieces or find some liquid. No sense suffering girl! I hope you feel better soon! Janey and Mikey - Ya'll are officially toooo cute! I think it would be so great to do through this with my hubby. I just don't think he will ever give up food...he keeps saying how he would love the surgery, but he would still want to eat at Thanksgiving and Christmas, etc. I do understand that, but I am hoping to be thinner by Christmas and won't want or care as much about the food! Keep up the great work you too! How is everyon else today? It is 3:15 here...the weather is beautiful and I can't wait for quitin' time!! I can't wait to get outside this evening! Have a good afternoon!

Good morning everyone! Hubby's family has come and gone and no one was the wiser about my surgery. I feel so much better! They are very judgemental, so I just really didn't want to hear it from them. What a relief! Janet and Mikey - Good job on the fills! I can't wait to get mine...only 3 weeks to go! Stacey - So sorry about the pb...yucko! I hope you are feeling better today. Don't forget to stick to some liquids for a couple of days now to let everything settle down. Feel better! Nanster - Glad your fill went well too! You sound like me...scared to eat solid foods! I can't wait to have a fill though. I feel like I have gotten very comfortable with things...time to change it up and keep me on my toes! To everyone else...hello! Off on business travel again next week....hope to be able to check in though. Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!

Wanted to update everyone...Check out my new ticker! I scheduled my first fill!! YAHOO!!! Does anyone remember when I was asking about telling my in-laws? Well, they are here visiting right now. Got in last night. I went to bed last night so uptight. I mentioned it to hubby and now he says it's no big deal and doesn't care if we tell them. I think he wants to wait and see if they ask something. He hates conflict, so would rather just not have to deal with it if we don't have to. I have to say, I feel better about it. I never wanted to tell them. It really isn't any of their business. At least that is how I feel. As with anything and this band, each new day is a new experience...lots of new stuff to learn and adjust to. Thanks for the support!

Wow! I have missed so much! I was traveling on business and now we have family visiting, so I will probably be a crappy friend again this week...sorry! Everyone seems to be doing fairly well. I think we all have our good days and our bad days. Hang in there everyone! We are all doing great! As for me, I hit the -20 lbs. mark this morning! So happy! Plus, I get to start on pureed foods today! Won't mean much different to me, but I will add tuna salad...at least it is something different! Have a good day everyone! Will check back later!

Tammy - Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I only wish that I could do more than just type words here for you to read...like give you a big hug! The only advice I would have is that your sister may want to find out which girls taught her daughter this...they may be doing it to. As hard as it would be to call their parents and tell them it could help the girls. It is a very personal decision and one that will be up to your family. We are all here for you on the boards and always will be. Good luck to you and your family....Just let that beautiful little girl know how great she is! Way to go on not running to the vending machine to deal with the news! That is the best news! Hello to everyone else!!! Sorry I have been MIA....was on a business trip. First business trip that I came back and had lost weight! Yippie...only 1 lbs. from the 20 lbs. mark! Sorry for the sucky personals, but I am doing something just for ME today! I am headed to the spa for a hair cut and highlights! YAHOO! Have a great day all you beautiful people!!!

Donna - You poor thing! So glad that you are on the other side and doing better. Sounds like you had a time of it! I had very bad back pain after surgery. Right in the middle of my back. From the minute I remember being awake in recovery I had the pain. My dr. said it can happen. All I know is that it was painful and I still get it sometimes. Not to scare you, but it will take time to heal. Don't push yourself. You have had some very serious surgery. Like others say, this was a MAJOR surgery...at least to our bodies! Hang in there. I just know that you will continue to feel better each and every day!

Way to go on the weight loss! I hope that your hubby is feeling better. It might be gallbladder? I have heard that gallbladder symptoms kick in after eating. Gallbladder problems seem to be pretty common in weight loss patients...especially those that have had WLS. I am no doctor, but, the gastro will be able to tell you and schedule the necessary tests. If he suspects gallbladder, a sonogram would be in order. Best of luck to you!

You might try calling your insurance and get them to send you a list of the Dr.'s that are covered. From there you could find out which ones work with lap band patients. Kind of the hard way though. Also, have you call your surgeon back and asked for more names? I used Dr. Michele Steigleder as well. She is so nice...you might even be able to call her, explain your situation and find out if she has some recommendations. Good luck to you!

Just wanted to pop in and say good morning everyone! Haven't been feeling well over the week, so talk about crapy moods! I thought it best not to subject anyone to it!:faint: I hope you all have a great day! Check back in later....

Thanks for the picture Janet! Ya'll are a cute couple! Kim - You are too funny!

So, how will we know the group? Do any of you already know each other? (Besides Janet and Mikey!) I am a super big chicken about meeting new people, but I am really excited to meet you all! It will be great to finally have more people like me. (read: banded) It will be so great to share stories in person and not just through the board! Looking forward to it!

I was reading some other posts about Biotin....was considering getting some. I know it is vain, but come on! I don't want straw for hair either! Talk about vain...I am supposed to get highlights next week and don't want to damage my hair! Has anyone here taken Biotin or known someone?

On another board my user name was Fire Fly, so I did a google search for Fire Fly's and it came up with this! In my signature that is supposed to be a fire fly fairy....I just thought it was pretty!

Hi all! This sounds like fun! I prefer the weekend of the 25th, but could come this weekend if that is what we decide!

Tammy - I have the same hot/cold problem. I am SO senstitive to the cold now. I have a friend (who is banded) and her hubby had gastric...I asked them about it. Her hubby said that for him it was a side effect of loosing the weight. He also said that most people he knows that have WLS done go through the same thing. I just hope it keeps up b/c I HATE to be hot and summer is fast approaching in Dallas!

Ok, so would this explain why my hair is drying out and feels like straw now, too? I am so good about getting 60 grams of Protein a day but my hair is awful!

I have asthma too and they gave me a breathing treatment before I went in for the surgery. I got another one when I got up to my room after recovery. It might be something to mention when you get the hospital...or call your surgeon and ask. Sorry about the yucky period. I am 1 month post op and I really didn't think I was going to get a period. It came 5 or 6 days late. My doctor said that was normal, so don't be surprised if your cycle is wonky next month. Good luck to you! You will do great! Don't forget to keep us posted!

Elena - What was your surgeon's recommendation? My surgeon told me that the band is designed to work with 800-1200 calories. I am not on solid food yet so I am usually below even the 800 mark. Good luck to you! You sound like you are doing really good!

Tammy - What is a blood clot filter? I had three shots of blood thinners into my tummy while I was in the hospital for surgery, but that was all I had done. I hope you are feeling better soon! While we are on the topic of more than we bargained for...has anyone noticed their hair drying out? I have been SO good about getting my 60 grams of Protein in but my hair is feeling like straw! Anyone else?

Elisa - Congrats on 20 pounds gone FOREVER!!!! You go girl!!!! Nanster - I have one more week to go on the post op diet as well. I have cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, and crackers in Soup...plus my Protein drinks. I can't tell you how much I HATE SOUP!!!!! I went and got my favorite soup for dinner last night and I didn't eve like that!!! UGH! I can't wait for Monday the 20th to get here. In terms of what will be off your diet forever...I don't know for certain, but I would say that a ton of it depends on what you can tolerate. I personally won't every try pizza again (and it is my ALL TIME favorite) b/c I am way to scared of PB'ing. I think this is something that we will have to figure out together and as individuals. I do feel you on the hunger....plus, I have been getting what I can only assume is low blood sugar. Driving me crazy b/c I end up feeling like crude most of the day. yucko. Happy 1 month bandaversary to me! I can't believe that at this time (9:20am CST) one month ago today I was already in the recovery room and my surgery was over! WOW! Check back later, but have a great morning everyone!

Sunta - So happy that you go good news from the Dr. and you are feeling better about things! Such a relief I am sure! Glad he is being safe and going to send you for the scan on your calf. I love any dr that is careful and safe. Keep us posted! Janet - I second what LbDancer said...you are doing a great job! Stacey - Congrats on the fill! Thanks so much for "filling" us in!!!! Sorry...dumb joke but I couldn't resist! Weighed this morning and I am down another half pound, for a total of 16 post op! Very happy! Hello to everyone else and I hope you are all having a great day!

Happy Birthday Stacey!!! Dena - I have lost 15.5 lbs. since surgery and I am almost one month post op. I wasn't required to go on any kind of diet before surgery. My first fill won't be until the end of April - per dr's orders.:faint:

Forgot to add....I did start working out again last night! Hubby and I went for a walk. Wasn't too long but it is a good start. The last time hubby and I lost weight we did it with diet and exercise...duh...so we started back on the same work out routine. We have a very pretty pond that is a block or so from our house. We walked over there and made it one time around and then home. It wasn't much but it is a start. At least I could let go of some guilt about the days I eat over my 2-3 oz portion!