Turler

Happy Birthday Gwenn! I'm sorry you're feeling down. Things are bound to pick up! Being sore can be a good thing you know...you are now aware of all those accessory muscles just hanging out inside you waiting to be stimulated! Keep up the good work! LOL ~Carol

Thanks...I'm pretty excited about it. The program starts out pretty pricey, but ends up being more like community college price for one year at the end. I can handle that much better and my clinicals are done in my department (except for the community one). I just want to get this finished so I can move forward, have a career change doing something like what you're doing! ~C

Thanks for the info...I've looked into several programs like that and most are very expensive. More than I can afford at this time. The program I am entering is unique. My hospital offers it one day a week. They pay for 50% of it and it's done in 12 months with NO pre-req's. Your degree is the pre-req. It's being offered by Ohio Northern University. I will go on after this is done. This is the most affordable way for me to go at this time! I'm excited to be finally moving forward...I'm just so far from being done! ~C

I hear ya Gwenn! I'm in the same boat. I was telling my DD and DH about the Couch to 5K Program and they both seemed interested. Maybe if they join me I'll be a little more motivated. My feet hurt something awful. I stand on them all day long for 12 hours and by the end of the day I just can't bear the thought of doing ONE MORE THING!!!! I keep saying that on my days off I will do something, but I never do. WHY oh WHY??? LOL We have got to do something about this! ~C

Welcome Back Mama! I'm jealous of your degree! I'm starting school in a few weeks to finish my BSN. I hope to go on to get my NP also. Are you excited??? You've got to be so glad this is almost over! Are you working right now? What kind of nursing background do you have?? ~C

Good advice Leslie! We have learned so much in only 4 months! Re: Bandster Hell...this one was hard for me. I found that Protein shakes helped a lot! I drank them in between meals to help curb my hunger. After the first fill there was a remarkable difference in my hunger, but it was after the second fill that I'm not hungry much!! I complained a lot about being hungry, but I made it. I followed all the rules and vented on here. This is the best place to let your feelings out and get support!! Good luck to all of you! ~Carol

:blush:Mine are too lazy to get up when they do it. They just hack up their furball (or whatever) where ever they are! Once my cat ralphed over the counter top and into my tote bag!!!! :crying: Good grief..:ohmy:

Oh my goodness, you're right! I am feeling better by the way. I am not having any trouble eating this last week. I am much more at peace with the smaller portions this week than I've been. Thank you so much for all the support you've given me. All of you! ~C

HI everybody!!!! I am so glad to see everyone again! I hope our group comes back to life and stays active. You know 'they' say that the support can help with our success. We can bounce things off eachother and kick butt!! ~C

LOL...C2K = Couch to 5 K program. Leslie is doing it. It's a running program that gets you literally off the couch and out running! I will hopefully engage in such craziness at some point too! Yeah, I am really trying to see all the good things. I really think that saying it all out loud to my friend last night made such a big difference in my attitude. I just realized how far I'd come all of a sudden and could see that I would not have made it this far without the band. I still wish it were faster/more weight loss, but I'm gonna take what I've got for now and keep trying! ~C

It's funny...after I did that math, I felt so much better about the amount of weight I'd lost. I was talking to my best friend last night who will be banded soon, and I heard myself say "If I hadn't of gotten the band, I would not be down 40 lbs in less than 4 months". I mean seriously! I'd tried all the diets, like everyone else, and I wasn't able to stick to it. I could lose a few pounds here and there, but I couldn't lose steadily and certainly not this far out!!!!!! So yeah, I'm starting to see things in a different light. I need to do what Leslie is doing and get on the C2K program! I'm sure that would help. Oh, and to answer you question about the liquid diet....No, I didn't have to stay on liquids. Only the first day in the hospital I had clears, then full for a few days and on to mushies right away. I lost the majority of my weight in (like 24 pounds) the first 2-3 weeks! I love you guys...I'm glad you're here. **warm fuzzies** ~C

TG- Yes, Cedar Point is in Ohio, on a lake! LOL Good memory! It's a great place...the best! I used to ride the coasters all the time, but got fat a few years ago and haven't been on them. I can't wait to be able to ride them again! I just can't get over how many of us are in school! It's awesome! ~C

D you are too funny! I'm gonna miss seeing all your posts when school starts back up again for you! Oh, and I like your new avatar too. J- I'm going to Cedar Point in September. I don't know if I'll sit it out until next year just to be safe. I just can't bear the thought of not fitting. It used to be posted on the website that if you were larger than a size 18 you wouldn't fit, but I heard that number has changed. Their site isn't working right now, so I don't know what the new guideline is. You and BG are so much smaller than that, so you probably didn't have any troubles! We are still missing ZZ and Steph...anyone heard how they are doing? ~C

Gwen/Leslie- You know, I get what you're saying. But I'm with Gwen, I might like to hear it once in a while. I only told a few special people and I hadn't seen the one in months. I would have thought a encouraging word or shock and surprise at my new look would have been appropriate! LOL Even if she had to lie, it would have been nice to hear. I guess I just feel like I'm behind the 8 ball somehow. Even though I'm really not. You're right about the statistics...I know that in the end things will balance out. I did some math today to try to psych myself up and this is what I came up with. It's been 17 weeks since surgery and I've lost a total of 40 pounds. That averages out to 2.35 lbs. a week. That's not too bad. I would like more, but I'll take that for now. It's steady and in the right range of healthy weight loss. Now if I can keep that up, I could technically lose another 40 pounds by the end of the year! I haven't measured myself since surgery. I wanted to save that for a long plateau. I need to do it though for giggles anyway! Might be a way to lift my spirits. Oh, and my hair is falling out. ~C

You are so sweet! I really will be fine! I know it! I know I'm losing, and I know that clothes are loose, but I want more! I do agree that maybe the band being too tight is not helping. Most would think I would be dropping weight like crazy , but that's not happening. I think that's weird. I SHOULD be melting. Why aren't I melting? The NP and I discussed these issues and are waiting for the lab results to see if I'm having any malnourishment issues. I'm thinking I'm going to be fine, but we'll see. After that we will see what to do. I'm afraid of screwing myself. You know? If I piss him off by calling again, and he agrees to an unfill, he might take it ALL out! I would be so pissed. I'm more afraid of that than staying miserable like this. I'm so torn. Thanks so much for everything. I am so proud of you! You have rocked this thing from the beginning and I don't doubt that you'll continue to amaze us all. I am blown away that you are doing the C25K for crying out loud! I wanna do that too someday. I swear, I don't have that kind of energy. I can barely get through the work day! ~C

Okay okay okay!!! I give!! LOL I love you girls! There is ALWAYS room for more musketeers, so please join in anyone and everyone!!! You are right, I've had a strange experience with my doctor. He has been out of the country most of July while I was having some of my problems and prior to him leaving, he suggested "behavior modification" to me. As encouraging (warning, sarcasm here) as that was, it didn't seem to make my body respond to the band any better!!! He got back a week ago and I haven't seen him yet. There are some weird things happening at his office and I'm no longer comfortable talking with him about all of this. The adjacent office that manages the pre-op diets and post-op care (excepts for fills) is still involved. I will most likely be looking for a new surgeon or someone to manage my fills. I know on paper my weight loss is right on target (for now). But I feel as though I should be farther along. I am disappointed in myself more than anything. I still don't have this big surge of energy so many of you have and can suddenly exercise and love it. I wanted all that to happen to me too, but it just hasn't...YET. I am still hopeful, just discouraged. I try to exercise, but it's no fun. I still hate it and feel self conscious. I saw a friend the other that I hadn't seen in a few months, and she is one of only a handful that know about my band. She says to me, "Now, are you still planning to lose more weight or are you done? The last time I saw you you'd lost about 20 pounds. How is it going?" WOW. It's depressing that 40 lbs doesn't show. I've been trying to stay upbeat about all this, but am feeling like I'm spinning my wheels a bit. I'm not going to give up. It's not in me. I know I need support and that's why I keep coming back here everyday! Maybe my energy level is a lasting effect of my cancer. I don't know. Thanks so much for your encouragement! I love you all! ~C

Gwen/Leslie- Yeah, we three musketeers can stick together! I've noticed too that our group doesn't post much. Some of the groups have formed life long friendships and even travel to see eachother! That is awesome! I don't know where everyone is...hope we didn't bore them to death or gross them out with our PB'ing stories! LOL I too love this board. I think it was more fun in the beginning though. I was always researching and looking for something new. Now I'm just trying to keep up with the many pages of posts I have to read to stay with the program! I kind of feel like there isn't a place for the unsuccessful, or the marvelously successful here though. I struggle more than I would have ever guessed I would. I don't feel like I belong here anymore. It's like you either are amazing at it, or you should just go. I don't know why I feel like that. I wish I didn't. I still stay though. I'm not ready to leave! I want to be amazing too!!!! LOL ~C

Heather, I'm glad you saw the doctor today. I hope the slight unfill is enough to give you relief and get you back on track. It's scarey to think that things like esophageal stretching can be happening to us without us really knowing about it. Ugh. I am really hoping to make it Saturday, but like I said I'm not sure. The Highway Patrol's 75th Anniversary Celebration is on Saturday and I need to be there to support my husband. I don't think I need to be there for very long, but I don't know if I can get away. Just not sure. Besides, I hate to go so far for only a little while. LOL Everyone: I am in the market for a new surgeon. Can any of you recommend someone to me? ~Carol

Hi Gwen, I have the same problem. I am unable to eat solids in the mornings. I usually drink a Slimfast or other Protein shake for Breakfast and that takes me quite a while! I can barely eat lunch, but by the time dinner comes I am better. I still can't eat much, but it's a huge difference from morning to evening. I prefer to eat dinner now around 8 pm, but then I can't go to bed at 10 because it feels like it's in my throat still! L2L: Girl it's been forever since we've talked. I love your avatar pictures. It's like watching a slide show! LOL You are beautiful! I am doing fine by the way. I haven't vomited in a few weeks now, and I'm starting to get the hang of these little tiny meals. My nurse practioner is running a few labs on me in the morning to be sure I'm not malnourished. She thinks I could use an unfill too, but has agreed to wait a few more weeks to see if it's my "behavior". We will wait and see what the labs read and go from there. ~Carol

Wow Heather, I sure hope you get some answers. Maybe the doctor will be doing a fluoro check. Maybe just an unfill until things settle down a bit. I'm sure everything will be okay! Hang in there and take it easy like you've been until you know what's happening. ~Carol

Good job girls! I can't wait to have big victories like that! Hope I'll be able to come and see you all this weekend. So far, I'm obligated for a little while, but may be able to come a little late. ~Carol

BG and J- WAY TO GO!!!!! I love the pictures! You can really see on your faces just how much fun you were having! Maybe next year I'll be in the game! I'm going to school too! I start on the 26th. I am finishing my bachelor's in nursing. I am ready for a career change (still within nursing) and I figure this may open a few doors in my field. I am really excited. It's great that so many of us are going to school! I'm having seat troubles too. ~Carol

Relovlee, I'm sorry your husband has a different vision for you. Your health should be top priority. You need to be comfortable with how YOU choose to lose the weight. Is he uncomfortable with how you look currently? Is that why he is in a hurry? There are a lot of risks with Roux-en-Y. I'd talk to your doctor and do some research to find out which surgery is best for you. By the way, you may need a tummy tuck with a Lap Band too. It's more about the weight loss in general, not the surgery. You'll find several threads on here related to all sorts of plastic surgery due to the weight loss. ~Carol

Hi Gwenn, Yes! I felt nauseous after this last fill I had. It lasted a day or two if I recall. It was kinda weird. I didn't actually need to vomit, but just felt funny almost immediately after I sat up from the actual fill. I just took it easy until it passed. Stayed on liquids. I hope that doesn't mean it'll be too tight. I've felt too tight ever since. ~C