nycm00

Strange...I have not noticed this myself, but congestion is on ething my MD's office has told me can make the band feel tighter. Must be something to it. Christine

I too am having trouble with reflux when I go to bed at night. I have instituted a new plan of nothing to eat after 7PM. I found I was doing a lot of my eating after 8PM when the kids went to bed because it was easier to chew, chew, chew and swallow without rushing when not eating with the kids. I'll let you know how it goes. For me I really don't think I am too tight. I know I have been tighter than this and feel fine until I try to lay down to sleep. I will discuss it with the doctor when I go back in October. Christine

I too have been cold for the first time in my life. At work I have always dressed in layers so that I could strip under my labcoat because I was always HOT. Now I can not get warm. It's really strange. Christine

Losing my hair like crazy here! I've thought about going short, but my hair is so curly, it will look crazy for sure! Congratulations Amanda for making it to the halfway point. I hope to be there by my 6 month point....I have a couple of weeks to get there. I would love to set a goal for being 60 pounds down by the 24th. Let's see if I can do it. Hopein April...congrat on getting under 250! I am so happy for you. I love crossing over into a new weigth point. I can't wait to get out of the 230's. I too miss many of our March Bandsters. If you are out the post an update. Christine

Sharona...congrats on the new little grandbaby! I love the picture. You look so very, very proud! Christine

Congratulations SpecialK I know that test meant a lot to you! I am so happy that you made it. Congratulations HopeinApril! In the beginning of this journey I felt like everyone was passing me by, but once I hit that sweet spot things became so much easier. Congratulations on hitting that point. Christine

Harley...loved the article. I could on ly see one picture. Is that your back? If so, I can't imagine where you will lose the rest of your weight from. You look great. Christine

Why we want Fenton back: 1. We need some testosterone to help offset all the estrogen from us lady bandsters! 2. We want to hear about life in the big city --NYC! 3. We want to be able to Celebrate with him when he changes his ticker to say -100 lbs lost! 4. We want to know how his new book writing is coming along. 5. We want to hear about Paris so we can live vicariously through his adventures and gourmet meals. 6. We want to hear all about your first fill!! 7. We want to hear about his cat and his blender...of course never in the same sentence...Fenton would never do that! 8. The suspence of not knowing if he's back on the wagon or not is killing us. Fenton if you are out there....please come back.... Maybe you'd like to meet one day in NYC. We could chat. Christine

Amanda...before my last fill of 0.5cc I was not sure I really needed one or not. I was more hungry than I had been and I was not making the right choices with the same ease as I was before. I spoke to my MD and she felt I needed a fill. I trusted her and now I am amazed at how well things are going. I am finding it easier to make the right choices and getting full on much smaller portions, but I am not having PB problems at all. Talk to your doctor and see what they suggest. Christine

BTW Rhonda, I love the pictures in your signature. You have really transformed yourself. Christine

RHonda, good to see a post from you. I've been thinking about you. Sorry to hear you had a bad day. Thank God tomorrow we get to start all over again :thumbup:

Anniedub...are you out there lurking about? Just thinking of you and wondering how you are doing. Christine

I found myself sprinting down the stairs the other morning. I used to grip the railing as I would slowly go down the steps in the morning, each of my joints creaking and aching. I laughed when I realised what I had just done. What a wonderful feeling! Christine

I really hope Fenton finds his way back to us. I miss him. Fenton, if you are out there...go get a fill. Use the tool. You can do this! Christine

I can't tell you the number of times I have questioned my decision. I can honestly say that I have not let go of the whole "I wish I could have done this on my own" feeelings. I tried for years and years, I needed to get healthy for my kids (if nothing else). I bothers me to no end that my 7 yr old DS knows if I am stressed I can't eat or eat too quickly I will be running for the bathroom for a PB. For me the relationship with the band is love/hate. Love losing the weight, but not some of the side effects. As time has gone by I am learning to use the band and my restriction level right now is comfortable. I work in the medical field and have been obese for all of my adult life. It is scary to not be invisable anymore....and I'm not even halfway to my goal which is still in the overweight catagory. PS, I did not even realise I was invisable before....ouch! The wonderful thing about the band is you can have it removed. Not sure if WCM ever got a fill...know you did not for a long time, but not sure where you are now as far as fills go. After time at goal, have all the fill removed, see how you feel. See how you are able to manage the weight and if you feel you really need to, have to band removed. This is a huge decision...as big as getting the band, but no one knows if it is right except you. Funny, I have read and re-read Special K's post and don't see an attack or judgement. I see a respect for your honesty and a statement that for her the answer to many of the doubts is to seek couseling. I too agree that life with the band should not be about getting comfortable with PBing. WCM, I have missed you and appreciate your post. I am always self reflecing all over the place, so feel free anytime. Taryn, sorry you felt attacked. I hope the remainder of your journey is smooth. Christine

Hey guys, back from my hellish trip to LA. MIL is still in a vegatative state, but stable so far. It is good to be home. I will most likely have some plasitc surgery in my future. Probably a tummy tuck...don't know that I would do much more than that. Maybe a reduction, since the girls are in rough shape already. I have an incisional hernia on my right side at my c-section scar. The more weight I lose, the more pronounced it becomes. I had asked about having it fixed when they did the lap band, but was talked ito leaving it, so that some of the tummy tuck would be covered because of the hernia involvement. At the time I thougth...there is no way I am doing a tummy tuck, now it seems like it would be a good thing if I could afford it. Amanda, sorry you are having a hard time with the self image thing. I have been so overeight for so long, I cannot imagine ever being trim enough to go below a size 18, but I think it's in the future...since some 18's are swimming on me now. I will always know where I came from and that is what matters. Even if I did not lose another pound...I am down 51 pounds! I walked through an amusement park yesterday carrying my 28 pound daughter on my shoulders for a while. I can't believe I was carrying almost twice that around constantly for years. No wonder my feet were aching and swollen. Sure people still look at me and think..."fat chick", but I know I'm not as fat as I was a few months ago. I look better and younger, and best yet, I am healthier. Christine

Saw the doctor today. When I described my experience from Friday night she explaind the process to me. She says from what I told her, something was stuck and stayed stuck through the PBing. When I layed down and experienced the whole drowing feeling with cough my saliva was refluxing into my lungs. I felt so badly on Saturday because I had "pulmonitis as a result of the reflux into my lungs"...thus the fever and feeling horrible. She said I did the right thing by switching back to liquids on Sat and mushy on Sunday. She gave me a small fill 0.5cc today. I was surprised, but she felt it was an isolated incident and since I had increased hunger for 3 weeks before Friday she was comfortable with giving me a fill. I now have 6.5cc in my 10cc band and I have lost 50 POUNDS!!!! Leaving tomorrow with the kids for California to be with DH. I'll try to check in. Christine

Not sure if I had a virus or a horrible PB...anyone ever experience this? On Friday night I had steak for dinner. When I don't chew well enough it usually hits me straight on the spot. This time it took abut an hour and I started sliming and I got myself into a position where I could PB. Well, I PB'd a couple of times and then straight on could not stop. It kept up for a few hours. When i would try to lay down to sleep I would wake up with a horrifying feeling like I was drowning and cough and run to puke some more. It was a horrifiying night. The next AM I felt so sick I was feverish and achy all over. I am not sure if it was because of all the retching I did or if it was a virus. Could I have felt so bad the next day just because of the PBing? By Sunday it was like nothing happened. I am supposed to go for a fill tomorrow. I will talk to the doc about it then and see what they think. I'm not sure if I wil get a fill or not. Flying to California on Weds with the kids to be with DH. I know I'll be good in California, so I may put off the fill. Christine

Tahnks for the support guys! I am sorry I have not been able to check in more often and offer my support. Just trying to get by for a while here. Thank you so much for the well wishes! Christine

Having a hard time here. I need a fill and have an appt for next Tues. Had a mental breakdown today, but doing a bit better now. Talked a lot of stuff over with a friend and think I have a bit more direction now. DH is still in California...he's in a bad place right now, his 7 sibs and he cannot agree on how to proceed with taking the mother off life support. I totally get that it's probalby the hardest thing he's ever gone through. I feel horrible about the whole thing. He's been gone between work and his mother for about 6 weeks. 6 weeks of being a single mom of three, doubling our childcare expenses, getting an excellent job offer and turning it down because life is too stressful to make a big change right now, taking care fo the yard, the pool, the kids and working, and supporting DH through this hard time....it's just a bit overwhelming. Anyway, in time this will pass. I had good restiction until last week. I have not had a fill since May. I have one scheduled for next Tuesday and I am so glad to have that appt. Tess, I have downloaded a Couch to 5k from iTunes...I plan on starting this Friday. Amanda, what was the name of the book you suggested about getting started with marathoning? I hope to be able to do a mini triathalon next summer. I used to be a strong swimmer, just need to get back in the Water. Fenton, When I travelled internationally my band really tightened up, so it's a good idea not to get that first fill before your trip. I do think you should plan on posting while away to keep yourself on track. Christine

OMG Amanda! I am so glad all turned out OK with your DH. Sounds horribly frightening. Rugman, glad you got the halter monitor. Always better to check it out than to worry....we all have enough stress without needless worry. Fenton...sorry to hear aobut your kidney stone. Not a fun trip to go on! Be sure to drink lots and lots and lots of Water. Christine

Congratulations Amanda, SpecialK and Scrappy Friend! You guys are pure inspiration!! Christine

Good luck Amanda! Hope the weather holds out. We should keep in touch, maybe next year I can attempt it with you! Christine

Welcome back Fenton. You were missed! I actually started to worry about you because I could not figure out how you could stay away for so long. I'm so glad to see you back and getting back on track. I think I'll join you on that mission. Things have been uber stressful here. Last week I did so well, managing it all, now I just feel overwhelmed. My DH is still in California. His mother has no frontal lobe activity in her brain....she's brain dead except for the part that keeps her heart doing what it's supposed to and her other vital organs at the ready. Now DH and his 7 siblings spread out over 3 countries are trying to make a heartwrenching decision and going full tilt at the blame/guilt game. It's so sad to watch and listen to from 3000 miles away. They should be supporting and loving eachother right now, but that's not what is happening. So sad. So I'm here with the kids, working and taking care of everything and I got an amazing job offer close to home, but decided to turn it down because there is just too much going on right now to focus on that whole transition and all involved. I am hoping the door will still be open when the right time comes. Anyway, I have not been on the treadmill since Friday, but I will get back on. That Cto5K sounds interesting and I will check it out when I have some time tomorrow. Christine