nycm00

Hey Hungry, You've done amazingly well! Congrats on keeping an eye on the goal while going through a lot of change. We are getting a puppy next month. I am really looking foward to it, but nervous at the same time. The whole potty training thing has me nervous! We'll be getting him on Feb 26th! The kids are so excited. Thanks for checking in. It's good to see you around again. Christine

HI Des, Still lots of belly fat here too. I'm 39, so that puts in a bit of a different place...I think?... My belly just sort of hangs now where as before it was hard and out. I have also had 3 kids, 3 c-sections and I don't think that helped things. My arms are not bad, but my legs, boobs and belly look worse to me now than they did when I was 70 pounds heavier, just because of the hang. I also have a bit of a waddle under my chin that I could bear to live without. If I reach goal, I know my belly will go down further, but the hang will still be there. I think whild DH is away, I will put some money away for some PS. Christine

Hey, I'm lurking about out here too. Sorry I have not been posting. My husband left yesterday for a job in Afghanistan. Much of this month has been preparing for his departure and being sick. I've been sick, he's been sick, the kids werw all sick....it's been yucky and now I'm sick again! My husband will be gone for 6 months. Then he gets 2 weeks off then back for another 6 months. He's going to be translating for the US military in Afghanistan. The scene at the airport yesterday was sad...sad...sad. The kids are just so sad. Anyway....as far as eating goes...I'm not hungry at all, so I've been losing, but no excersize....at all. Just can't. Hope to feel better soon and get moving. Special K....glad to hear you were able to get off your project team. I was in a job situatioin like that once and it destroyed my confidence. Took me a year to get back to my old self. So, cudos to you for getting out of there. Good luck with the BR consult. I hope to look into PS when DH returns next winter...hopefully by then I'll be at goal. Des...glad to hear you are back on track...hope to join you soon. Lynn...nice to see your post. I was wondering how you were doing. Christine

Happy New Year all ! I have decided to make my January excersize goal VERY attainable, so that alone will be motivation. I am going to set it at 20 minutes a day 3 days a week. I have been doing nothing for about 3 months now, so let's see if I can surpass that! Christine

Holiday's were great here. Band keeping me in control very nicely. Best wishes to all! I would love to join a group for excersize motivation in 2010. Any ideas? Christine

Not sure if you remember but Ihave a problem with having a lot of pain when the food just sits in my stomach. I had an empty band from February until October of this year and had lots of testing done only to find that I have delayed gastric emptying. So...even with an empty band my stomach has lost the ability to move the food through. You would think this would be a good thing...but it's not, because the food just sitting there causes me pain. I'm fine for an hour, maybe two, then it starts and does not stop until the food passes either on it's own in 4-5 hours or by me making it come back up. So, I do soft foods and Protein drinks. I have decided that I really cannot see this as a long term solution and have finally admitted that the band will need to be removed. I got a fill in October and another in November to see if it makes a difference. I had started gaining some of the weight back with the band empty...17 pounds. The fill has helped, but has also increased the problems. The worst being aspirating on the stuff that will reflux up at night occaionally which causes a day of fever and body aches and feeling like crap. So, I am going to stay at my current fill for a while and see if I can get another 20-40 pounds off before making my final decision. My surgeon has said that I unfortunatly fall into that small percentage of "band intolerent" patients. Christine

The Holiday's are nearing. I am so impressed that you guys are so good about baking and sending it out without doing too much damage to your own diets. Remember what it was like in the kitchen around the holiday's 2 years ago? My band is still giving me the same issues I have been having since about 15 months ago. I think I'm going to have to have it removed, I just can't let go of it yet. I am going to look into the VSG at the time of removal. Have a great holiday and keep up the fantastic work! Christine

Hi Robin, SOrry to hear about your relationship. I have heard that this can happen. I know Harley has recently gotten a divorce, but she has not bee here for a while and not sure how much of it stemmed from band related issues. My DH was very worried about me getting the band, because I think he was always very confident that I would not leave him because of my weight and poor self confidence. Now it comes up when we discuss plastic surgery. Best of luck to you! Christine

Aaaaargh. I just dropped off my kids at school. As I was walking past the open doors after I had dropped them some kid yelled out "Hey look...she's really fat!" Actually he yelled it a couple of times. I am so glad I had already dropped my boys off and that they did not go in that wing of the school. I, of course, just kept walking...It was definitaly me the kid was talking about I was the only one walking past that part of the building at that time. So I came home and looked in the mirror and reminded myself that even though I am still fat....I am not THAT fat....Not as fat as I was 70 pounds ago. We are going to Hawaii next week. My 3 year old daughter was talking about going to a Luau and doing the Hula dance. I told her we would all try it and it would be fun. She started to laugh and said it would be weird to see Aunt Laura doing the Hula with her fat belly. (My sister Laura who is much thinner than me, who is coming with us on vacation). I explained how anyone can Hula and that it's not nice to judge what people can or cannot do based on their body habitus (in kid words of course). The bottom line is where does all this "fat" stuff start? We talk about healthy eating and healthy habits at home. It would have broken my heart if my kids were walking with me while that kid was shouting about me being so fat....not to mention that some of the kids in that area at that time I'm sure know who's mom I am. Anyway...letting it go now...just had to vent. Christine

I too find that when I drop by this site more often, I do better. Sharon, Going back to the gym is great. I wish I could make time for myself to take some classes, but it's just not possible. So it's me and my treadmill for now. In a couple of years, all the kids will be in school and on my days off I should be able to work in some gym time. Everyone keep up the good work! Christine

Sharon...Glad to hear you have scheduled an appt for a fill. I bet it will get you back on track. I am finally making some serious movement in the right direction. Finally below 220 again!! It just really stinks that it takes serious pain for me to make progress. If I stick to Protein drinks, and smoothies, I feel no pain, but I get hungry. If I eat real food I feel satisfied for about an hour before the pain begins and then the rest of the day I can only get in sips of liquids. It really stinks! I am going to ask about the gastric sleeve and the bypass at my next appointment. I know it's not that I am too restricted, because there is no sliming, no need to vomit. In fact I try to make myself sick to relieve the pain and nothing comes out. It's as if the food won't go down and can't come up. Not stuck in the pouch, but the stomach beyond the pouch. Anyway....glad to be losing again. Christine

Potatie, been thinking of you. Hope you are feeling better soon! Can't wait to hear how things went. Your before pictures were amazing. I can't wait to see the after. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Christine

Hi Potatie.... Just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you. Not long now! Christine

((((Sharon)))) As I got out of the shower this morning I was thinking the exact same thing you said in your post....I still feel fat, fat, fat. What will it take to get us back on track? I really wish simply wanting to do it was enough. I think you should go see your doc and maybe get a small fill. Maybe just 0.2cc will put you on the losing side of things again. For me I just don't know what I'm going to do. Even with my band totally unfilled I could not eat meat and hard cooked veggies (carrots, broccoli etc). After all the testing they decided it was delayed gastric emptying. After 6 months of being unfilled and gaining back 16 pounds, now I am getting fills again...I have been labeled "band intolerant". I get a lot of pain about 1 hour after eating any food that will stick around in my stomach. So I am sticking with liquids and mushie foods (and not making the best choices...ice-cream, high calorie liquids). It's not as bad as before my un-fill, but can see it moving that direction. So, I'm still not losing weight because I am making bad choices.....what I wouldn't give to know that I could eat a salad or a piece of chicken without being in pain for 3-4 hours after I eat. I feel like a failure. I spent so much money on this tool that I cannot use properly without being in a lot of pain. And I am still fat....only down 53 pounds since the surgery, the other weight was the pre-surgery diet. But I am so grateful for the normal blood pressure and blood sugar (no more pills!) I could not have done it on my own....wish I could lose another 40 pounds! So today I will do better. Today I will not chose ice-cream. Today I will start to lose more weight. Christine

Special K....Ihope that 0.25 is what you need to give you more restriction. Chrisitne

Brand New Lisa....I am married, so not going through the dating scene. I have not lost any significant weight since last winter, so I won't be much help on the topic. I wish you well and hope that you find yourself able to enjoy your new body. If you have already gone there and he keeps coming back for more, he's enjoying it, so you should too. I am planning on a tummy tuck and breast reduction/lift when I lose another 40 pounds. I don't like the way I look naked or in a bathing suit and I deserve to do this for myself. Please keep us posted on how things are progressing. Christine

Hi Potatie.... I actually am Ok with my loss so far. I had a lot of issues and was unfilled for over 6 months. In those 6 months I gained a total of 16 pounds back....that is really good in my opinion. I am happy to be back on the losing side of things again and hope to keep doing what I need to get where I want to be. Even if I cannot get to 175 pounds....which is my realistic goal, I am happy to no longer have high blood pressure and normal blood sugars. Christine

If you can, I would wait until lunch to take any meds. I can't handle taking a gulp of any drink to get a pill down in the morning. I also find I am very sensitive to meds sitting in my empty stomach....add some coffee to that and for me it's an instant recipe for pain, swelling and a couple days of liquids. I have a history of gastritis and delayed gastric emptying, so your story is likely not the same as mine, but I'd still say wait a bit before taking meds if you can. Chrisitne

Michelle...I hope you find this post....Your pain sounds a lot to me like Gallbladder pain. It can cause epigastric pain that radiates to the back and nausea and vommiting. If you still have a gallbladder, see your GP, or your surgeon, anyone can order a Gallbladder sonogram for you to check it out. Good luck! Christine

Wow Potatie...you have done very well! GOod luck with the PS. I can't wait to see pictures. I could use some positive motivation. Christine

I bought the candy that holds no temptation for me this year. Tootsie roll goodies and Skittles bags. The kids picked them out. I usually go for all the chocolate stuff that I love. I usually end up eating much of it. So glad I've shown control so far. My band has gotten VERY tight the past few days. Since Friday I have pretty much been on mushies and liquids. I was getting very concerned, but today I got my period, so that explains the tightening. I remember back to before my un-fill, I would get super tight the week of my period. (sorry to all the men out there) Christine Finally losing again....almost down to my signature weight.....

The opposite has happened to me. Sorry to hear you are going through this. Sounds to me like you are too tight and having things get stuck causes more inflammation/swelling. If you been doing liquids for a couple of days with no relief get a bit taken out and give your tummy some time to heal and you'll be losing again soon. Hang in there. Christine

Whay am I sabbotaging myself?.... I am never going to lose anymore weight if I keep up the evening eating. During the day it is better since my fill, but my evenings I still find myself doing mindless grazing. I've got to get this under control. My restriction is better, but still not where it was before my unfill last March. AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH! I am so frustrated with myself. Christine

Jencys...You are doing really well. I had gotten down to a size 16 pants (which are very tight now with my 16 pound gain) I can't wait to feel comfortable in my pants again and I really can't wait to get out of the women's department on tops. I hope we are both there by the Holiday's. Christine

I too think I've hit a good place as far as fills go. I got a half cc yesterday and I have not felt very hungry and I fill up quickly. I hope this is it for a while. Christine