Apples2

Did your doc check you at all for pancreatitis? One of the symptoms can be a stabbing pain between the shoulder blades.

Sorry about the food issues, Janet. Thinking that if you were able to eat 1/2 a bagel, maybe you are correct in needing a fill. A message from me to your cookies: "Naughty Cookies....stay the heck away from Janet". Hope that works! Hugs back at ya!:tongue2:

Jenno2...You are doing the right thing by letting your doc check this out. Always better to be on the safe side. Hopefully it's just gas. Like 1Day said...maybe try to walk it off. Let us know what you find out. Hope your pain subsides soon.

Awwww....so sorry you had to go through that. People can be so insensitive. Good luck on your LapBand journey. It's work but you will get there. Just follow all the rules provided by your doc and you will be successful.

I have lost: ...the tire around my middle ...those awful elastic waist black pants and closets full of Lane Bryant clothes ...a shoe size ...a couple of friends ...the ability to wonder what my next meal will be an hour after eating a full meal ...the worry about people behind me looking at my back fat

Meredith....missed the 50lb. Congrats!!! Great job!!!

Susan's suggestion of looking into doing the 5 day pouch test is a great one. It just might give you what you need. After that, go back to basics: ie, journaling your food, following the LB rules your doc first gave you. As ParrotheadCathy stated, go back to your doc....maybe you do need another fill. Good Luck!!!!

Michelle....I agree with what others have said. I was also told at my initial LB session to wait a year or more after goal to consider any kind of cosmetic surgery. I was not at all happy looking in the mirror once I reached goal (Oct. 15, 2008). I will be 54 yrs old in a couple of months and I can honestly tell you that my skin did amazing things in the last year. My boobs looked like tube socks and are now sitting up nicely again. My tummy is in good shape. My thighs look a little like melted butter but a lot of my friends at the same age as myself look similar. Be patient...see what comes a fair time after goal and then decide what you can or cannot live with. Wishing you the best on your LB journey!

Happy Monday to all! Janet...sorry to hear about your Auntie's passing. You have my sympathy and will be thinking of you. Hope your household has calmed down some....aren't teenagers just the most fun?????? I don't know how many times my DH made the statement "I cannot wait until these boys are on their own and out of the house". Being the motherly mother that I was (am), I thought DH was terrible for uttering those words. Thinking back...not so terrible! Eva...love the photos of your hard shelled babies. My boys loved raising snapping turtles and then releasing to our pond. IF....congrats on the great fitting, reasonably priced slacks. Julie....hope your future appts can get to the source of your pain. Also, thinking of you and your struggles dealing with DD quiting her job. Do you have a Job Force office she can check with? Laura....damn on the knee thing. Just when a person thinks they have enough on their plate. Hope your visit with SIL is not too much for you. Just smile and get through it. Know where you are coming from on the high maintenance thing.....Any of DH's five sisters would qualify. But, his gay brother and husband and two DS of theirs are a dream to have visit. Anything goes. Also...hope your dad gets some answers with his visit to Baltimore. Get him healed up and back in the air again. That is what would most likely make him happy. Great photos of Nelson. Such a precious little face. Arlene...thanks for the info on the blow test. I am certainly going to check into it. Would love to know and not guess what mine is. Think it would be valuable info. Doctor Phyllster.....good going on DD's diagosis! And, have fun on the road. DH and I dream about a life that includes: motorhome, campgrounds, meeting new people. Enjoy! Great...again damn for your rib thing. I truly hope you are somewhat (or totally) healed up so you can deal with your knee issues. Beautiful photos of the elk. All I can say is wow. We have a few large elk farms in our area. I love to pull over and just watch them. Meredith...what a busy girl you are. Good luck with the house thing and congrats on the acquisition of all the great "stuff" from your friend. I totally get the shoe thing. I collect them and have designated 1 1/2 closets just for them. I know it sounds selfish but I am a "sale girl" and hardly ever buy if they are not a really, really good price. OK>....I know I missed some of you guys...not intentional. Just trying to catch up with what I can right now. We will have one more weekend for sure at the lake this week. Maybe more if the weather holds. We are in full-blown harvest mode. Just got done pealing 2 dozen eggs and made egg salad and have a stock pot full of white chicken chili on the stove. Need to get a couple of pies or something baked this afternoon....I am thinking good ole' easy Rice Krispie bars would work too. Talk to you all later.

I love to cook so don't have a problem with coming up with meal ideas. But, have a few tips for on-the-go items or high protein fill-ins when on the go. Beef Jerky (I love the Worlds Kitchen brand...Amazon.com) Seapoint roasted Edemame and Seapoint roasted soynuts...also ordered from Amazon.com Pure Protein and Myoplex Lite bars...Walmart or Amazon.com

Lori...try not to panic on the 5lb issue. Just try to make REALLY HEALTHY choices in these next days b/4 surgery and concentrate on what you have going on at the moment. You have done such a great job with your weightloss. Just recognize your success and use those same tools to help you maintain. Also....could you email me your address please?????

To answer Janet's question on what I would do if I lost my band. I think I would try it on my own for a bit to see how I did with hunger, etc.. If I felt I could not deal, I would do whatever I could to get the sleeve. (I guess that would depend on whether there was not too much damage from band). Cannot say it this point that I would do self-pay with sleeve. Would depend.

Gitrdone...congrats on your test results and weightloss. I am sure you feel so much better. Arlene...I was once diognosed with FM but it was actually osteo (sp?) arthritis and ALL symptoms disappeared with weight loss.

Arlene...I have similar symptoms with weather change and have had numerous adhesions also. But, good thing you are getting it checked out. I feel it or something pulls and I have visions for having to have docs go back in to take care of things. I have had a number of surgeries because of adhesions and fibroid tumors. :bored: Hope everything turns out OK. Hey Laura....forgot to mention....hope the solution to your problem is an easy one!

Laura...sorry you didn't get through to me...I have your #'s now and hope you don't mind if we wait to connect next week when Nelson is in school. Just need to get through some things this week and then will hit the trip planning. OK????

Hey Gang!! Julie...sorry you are in so much pain and soooooo frustrated. Hoping you find some relief soon. Have fun on your lunch date with your GD, Phyll! Let us know if you found band friendly food on their menu. Never even hear of a Red Robin....a chain? Had a nice weekend and overnight trip with my friend. Closing up the lake place on Sunday. Will need to take some extra time for myself to deal with the deep depression that goes with closing till May 1. (Always happy when it's done and I get home for the long haul though) Anyway, after taking care of things, I start fall housecleaning and helping with the harvest. No time to put the bottom lip out and pout. Will be doing a wake and funeral Friday and Sat. My cute little neighbor guy from the resort died this morning. He had some heart troubles...76 yrs old. I could always catch him sitting in the sun doing cross stitch. He was soooooooo cute and funny and had the deepest giggle. He has done a cross stitch (huge) table runner for each of his grandchildren to give them when they got married. He knew he didn't have much time on this earth and was frantically trying to finish one for his youngest grandchild. That was his only wish in the last couple of months....finish that last one. I could sit here and cry but he is in a better place. I am sure St. Peter has already ushered him in. Have a question for all of you....is there a certain food item(s) you eat that make you feel full for an entire day? Yesterday had the best grilled salmon for lunch on my trip back with my friend. Didn't overeat...maybe 5oz of salmon and a couple bites of veggies. I could not shove an iota of food in until this morning. Just so strange. I am used to eating every couple of hours if not sooner (have to in order to keep my weight where it should be....saying this for newbies who might not be aware of my eating habits). Anyway, absolutely love salmon but not worth feeling that way all day and evening. I wasn't stuck...just things were not moving through band. In case you were to ask....yep...chewed it really good. Found a new love...mangos. We have never had them available in our area grocery stores until this last summer. Yes, we are very rural and lucky have any fruit in our markets in the winter. I caught up on posts from over the weekend but nothing too great to add. Better hit it. House needs my attention for the afternoon and then off to a wake for a father of one our friends we hang with. Take care and hope you are all doing well. Again, Julie, hope you can get things figured out. No fun to be in constant pain and no good to be on pain killers for too long. Sending good vibes your way.

On my way out the door, girls. Hope everyone has a fun but safe weekend. Going to enjoy my weekend at the lake. Only two weekends b/4 closing up. Heading for an overnight with a GF in the cities Sunday night so will talk to you all Tuesday. Julie.....GET SOME SLEEP!!!

Laura...if you feel like making a call over the weekend, just use my cell# that I gave you...Otherwise, I will be home Monday. Cute Nels photo. Looks like he is enjoying himself. Sorry about your dad. Hopefully they get to the bottom of what is going on with him and he does not have such a long hospital stay this time. Take care.

First of all...welcome to the couple of newbies I came across while catching up on the pages and pages of posts. Have been away from the computer since last Thurs. Cannot wait till we have wireless service available at our lake place. Hopefully next year. Had planned on coming home on Monday morning. Got hit by the flu at 4am on Monday morning. DH had gone home Sunday afternoon. A couple of our little visiters from the lake had the flu last week and one had a very snotty cold. Of course, we both spent a lot of time playing with them over the weekend. I got the flu and DH got the snotty cold. There was no way I could drive home till today. Did not throw up but butt was attached to the toilet (tmi) for over 24 hours. Also had extreme dizziness. Completely sapped me. Was not easy trying to get the calories in but forced myself. Still weak and shaky but much better. I was just bragging last week that I NEVER get a virus. Not saying that again! I did think of you all and worried that you guys would be worried that I wasn't posting. Too many posts to respond to...was going to try. Just want you all to know that I read them all but I'm too lazy to respond, catching up on laundry, cooking, etc. Surprised DH with a chocolate/strawberry cheesecake that I made this morning. You wouldn't think something so simple could produce such a big smile and big hug. Sharon...so happy you have your DD back in your lives and Eli's life. Wishing for her a LONG and HAPPY recovery. Cheri...sorry to hear of your job worries. Hoping for you that your job is yours again next year. Great.....cannot wait to see photos of you in your MOB dress. I am sure you will be beautiful. Have a great time on your camping trip. A little destressing and enjoying nature. Laura...hope gyn can get to the bottom of your troubles. Would be great if you did not have to have such painful monthlys. Cute photos of Nelson. Good going on putting aside your feelings with your "friend" for the sake of Nelson and his buddy. Phyll....good to see that you are off and running and looking forward to getting down south again. Meredith....you rock! Don't know how you keep up with everything and still stay focused on your lapband life. Yep....condiments can have so many hidden calories. When I was in the weight loss stage, I used a lot of chunky salsa for dressings....mixed it with a little FF sour cream. I know I have missed responding to most of you....sorry. Need to run and catch up. DH is sooooo good about keeping everything perfect around the house while I run off and play. Plan on heading back to lake in the morning. Have a friend that is coming that is going through a "surprise" separation. Didn't see it coming and she needs me for support for a couple of days. Will talk to you all later.

Yep, Janet, you caught me lurking........Got home about 2pm today...long story...finish later. Missed you guys!!!!!

Hey Margaret...all depends on what hoops your doc and your insurance company make you jump through. A lot of companies require a six month medically supervised diet b/4 insurance approval. Mine did. Had to see a nutritionist, psych and needed a complete physical with my primary physician. Good luck on your Lap Band journey!

Laura...my friend is a chef at a restaurant and can store the food in their coolers. She's trying to save her son and new DIL some $$$ and she is a single mom so that is why she is doing food. I did all the food for our wedding with 475 guests 30 years ago. We come from a community where everybody knows everybody and most are related to each other and everybody that knows everybody are invited to weddings. Large families...large groups of friends. Will talk to you next week, Laura. In the mean time, let's get a number on exactly who is coming so we can get going on the FL trip. OK, girls....let's get the count!

I was just curious. Proves that it pays to keep a check on any symptoms.

Hey Great, do you know what kind of symptoms were ignored by this patient??????????

Great tips, Janet. Thanks