Sunta

For me, the main thing I needed was appetite control. Yes, Weight Watchers is a great program, but I was always hungry on it. Sure, some days I could eat very bulky foods like beans and whole grain bread, and on those days I was not starving, but it's unrealistic to eat "perfect" foods all day every day. The band lets me eat everything and anything in small portions, and that's how I want to live. I don't want to live on beans and vegetables every day. My diet now consists of 75% healthy foods (beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, lean meats, sugar free protein shakes) and 25% "normal" foods (pizza, pasta, hamburgers, chicken wings, sweets). It's very, very varied. I eat everything under the sun and am thrilled with the variety and choices I have. If I ate like this on Weight Watchers, I would be starving constantly. One small slice of pizza on Weight Watchers, pre-band, would have me starving an hour later. For me, the band is crucial to the appetite control I need to be succesful.

Throw the following ingredients into a pressure cooker: 2 cups mixed lentils (any color) 2 cups Water 1/2 teaspoon extra hot chili powder 1.5 teaspoons tumeric good dose of salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic 2 tbsp butter 1/2 teaspoon cumin one onion Now turn the heat on medium and let the whistle blow three times. In 20 minutes you have a nutritious, high Protein, high Fiber, scrumptious, band-friendly meal! Let me know if you try it!

I hope that man rots in the eternal fires of hell where he belongs. Karma will come to get him eventually. Well, at least we can take pleasure in the knowledge that he must be a very unhappy and depressed person to be filled with so much rage for no reason. I admire your ability to remain composed. In encounters like that I tend to flip out pretty badly. People like him always get what's coming to them in the end. He must have suffered pretty badly in his life in order to act like that with no provocation. I hope that as much as he has suffered, he suffers ever so much more...

Firstly, I am so sorry to hear of the tremendous struggles you are going through. I just wanted to write and say that you have every reason to have hope! The beauty of the band is that it's adjustable and removable should someone have problems. If you want your band taken out, then no doctor should be able to tell you that you can't do that. It is your body and your life and you must take a stand and demand that they remove it if it is not working for you. However, it sounds as though you've only had one unfill this entire time, and have not really had the opportunity to properly adjust the band. If the band were properly adjusted, there's a good chance it could work for you. Can you find a fill provider closer to where you live? Sometimes it takes alot of fills and unfills to find the sweet spot. One unfill and then one re-fill is not enough to adjust it the right point for you. Please don't give up. If all else fails, the band can be removed and you can persue other weight loss options. Seeking therapy will help you alot too. We're all here for you!

I just got back from traffic court and the impoundment lot. I had to pay $335 to get my car back. I just got to work and it's 3:40pm! I accidentally let my registration expire October 31st. I don't ever remember seeing a renewal notice but really it's my own fault for not being on top of it. Anyway, I got pulled over for going 78mph on I95 in the left lane, and got a speeding ticket, then the cop found my registration was expired and he called PPA and they towed my car away! I had the cop drive me to work, where all my co-workers came out with video cameras and regular cameras and took pics of me in the back of the cop car. He even let me pose with an "oh no!" face while getting out of the car while they took pictures! Then, I renewed my registration online, and had my co-worker drive me to traffic court. After 3 hours and $335 I got my car out of impoundment and I have to go back to court on January 7th to get reimbursed for the registration ticket and make a plea bargain for the speeding ticket and hopefully have them wave points on my license. Let this be a warning: DO NOT let your car registration expire!!!

I am always so hungry that I can't seem to ever eat enough during TOM. And the cravings are out of control! Last night, for example, after eating chips, nuts, and doritos, I seriously, and I mean seriously, considered just pouring salt on my tongue and eating it. I was even salting my already-salted chips! I never lose weight, and sometimes even gain that week.

HOORAY! Maybe now we can begin to stop the last greatest human rights violation of our time in the United States! If I ever get divorced from my husband, I will marry a woman! Yes I will! How DARE the government tell me who I can or can't marry (as long as it's consenting adult!) I knew it was WRONG to deny Gay people the right to get married when I was four years old! I wanted to marry my best friend Kristin and my mom said I couldn't because two girls could not get married and I was like "WHAT?!?!?! WHY NOT?????????? WTF???" GAY MARRIAGE NOW!!!

I'm not 100% certain that monogamy is a "natural" state for a human being to exist in. If we were to add up all of the people who cheat, all of the people who have open marriages, all of the people who have open relationships, and all of the swingers, etc. I think the sheer percentage of people who are not monogamous would be staggering. Therefor, I believe it is a natural behavior to be non-monogamous. That being said, I think it is wonderful for those who wish to practice it. I certainly don't condone it if a couple has made a promise to be monogamous and then they break their promise, but I don't think it makes anyone a "bad" person if they fail to conform to a societal norm that's not really a natural state to be in. It makes them a disappointment to their spouse because they failed to keep their promise, but it doesn't make them "bad". Every couple must decide what works for them and then do their best to honor their agreement.

So far I've lost 63 pounds. I can't believe I have under 30 pounds left to be in ONEderland!

I drink all the time! But I always count the calories into my day. Recently I found sugar-free drink mixers online that only have 10 calories per 8 ounces!!! I got sugar free cosmo mix, appletini, raspberry martini, and margerita! I am soooo excited as they are made with Splenda and are delicious! Otherwise, I drink wine.

I just wonder how people who watched four planes murder over 5000 innocent people say that WAR was not needed???? Wait.. now exactly how is Iraq related to 9/11?

I smoked from the time I was fifteen until I was 23. I then quit cold turkey and remained a non-smoker for almost 14 years until after banding surgery, when I picked it back up. I'm now 36 and so disappointed in myself. I have it down to about 1-4 cigs per day, but they say it makes no difference if you smoke few or many cigs, the risk of lung cancer is the same. I don't know if I buy that, though...

Leatha I am terribly sorry but I can't resist teasing you about your Freudian slip up there. Yeah... a tray of sex sounds great for lunch any day of the week! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

If I absolutley had to eat fast food I would try Beans of some sort, from Taco Bell or chili from Wendy's. I have tried fast food four times since surgery (nine months ago) and have PB'd horribly every time, thus leading me to the conclusion it's not really food at all. The worst is french fries. I feel my esophagus shutting off even thinking about them!

I agree....but wish it were otherwise. A Clinton/Obhama ticket would insure the biggest landslide victory we've ever seen....for the Republican party. Carlene, every time I tell anyone I fear Hillary Clinton or Omhama running, they look at me like I'm insane (as they know what a liberal Dem and feminist I am) and I have to explain to them why I feel that way. You said it best. I want a Dem in office and if either of them run, it will ensure a Republican victory. Unfortunately the reality is that America is not ready for a Black or female president. It's sad, but true. If only it weren't that way I would be so happy. Canada is looking better to me all the time...

From Wikipedia: Loop Gastric Bypass The first use of the gastric bypass, in 1967, used a loop of small bowel for re-construction. Although simpler to create, this approach allowed corrosive juices from the small bowel to enter the gastric pouch, sometimes causing severe inflammation and ulceration of either the stomach or the lower esophagus. It was soon abandoned by its originators, in favor of less troublesome techniques, but has recently been employed again by a few surgeons, as the "Mini-Gastric-Bypass", mainly to simplify the challenge of reconstruction, when performed laparoscopically. Although mini-gastric bypass has been asserted to have a low complication rate, there are now multiple reports in the medical literature of serious long-term complications with the technique, necessitating major revisional surgery.

Canada RULES! I could not agree more with everything you said!

The economy runs in cycles of 8-10 years or more. What a President does in his administration has little to do with what happens to the economy on a day to day basis. I've heard this rationale before, but I think it's a really large generalization designed to take the blame off of the current president. I can find lots of economist's articles on the Bush economy and how it affects jobs, the general day-to-day economy, etc. Regarding gas prices, I don't believe for an instant that basic supply and demand has a thing to do with the current rip-off at the pumps. I think the cause is not the supply, but the extreme greed of oil companies.

I just wanted to say that I just read an article about that poor sad soul, Haggard, and it seems he's going to do some three-five year "restoration" process which will include "laying on of hands" and praying, and I feel like they're going to be trying to drive "demons" out of him or something. They stopped short of saying that in the article but it's the impression I was left with. It is so sad. He can never change who he is. God made him and loves him the way that he is. It's so abusive what they're going to do to him. You can't change being Gay. There's nothing wrong with being Gay. His whole life will be miserable because he'll deny who he is (if the "treatment" works). It is so sad. I wonder how many other kids come under the influence of these barbaric practices (trying to "cure" Gay people)? How much self-hatred will be inflicted on them, these innocent beautiful souls. How many will we lose to suicide because of these practices?

It seems that the uneducated think that the economy, gas prices and the decrease of jobs in the manufacturing and software sector to LCC (low cost countries) are the fault of Bush. Uh... who's fault is it, then? It seems to me that the uneducated think that Bush's adoration of big business, big oil, and corporate greed are unrelated to gas prices and the economy.

I spoke personally to a representative from Inamed on the phone, and he said that there is "no way" that carbonation can hurt the band. He said the reason some doctors forbid carbonation is because of the potential discomfort it can cause. He said there is a "theoretical" risk of pouch stretching or band slippage, but that it is "very, very, very unlikely" and that the risk of band slippage is much greater from hicupping, coughing, sneezing, and especially PB'ing, than it is from carbonation. That being said, you know the old tagline, "follow your doctor's advice". I myself indulge in a Guiness now and again and have no discomfort from it. Beer is fermented, not forced, carbonation anyway, and thus is different from soda. I stick to the beers with less carbonation just to be on the safe side. My doctor did tell me I could enjoy an occasional champagne or beer, so with my doc's advice plus Inamed's final word, I feel ok with that.

RE: Text-messaging teens lose their seats at movies YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Today is a great day indeed!!!!!! That article makes me soooooooooooo happy! Let's bring manners back to our society! I myself have yelled at many a teen over this very issues, not to mention them actually TALKING on their phones during the movies. But yes even text messaging is very distracting due to the lit screens. Who wants to invest with me in the following idea: A movie theater where no one under the age of 21 is admitted: 1. No talking strictly enforced. If someone talks once, they are evicted FOR LIFE. 2. Sofas and comfortable overstuffed chairs will replace traditional seats. 3. Discussions after the film to be lead by staff members 4. Full bar and restaurant 5. No cell phones, no noise of any kind 6. No coming in late at all. Must be seated before the movie starts. 7. People who think they will need to get up during the movie to go to the bathroom should have special seating close to the exits and should be seated on the end. So, who's in? There is nothing like this that exists as far as I know. I would love to frequent an establishment like this. Maybe it could be a membership only organization, where one pays a membership fee for the year and then movies are $5 a pop. Ok, I'm SORRY to be soooooo vastly off -topic. I really am. Back to Gay marriage: YEAH!!!! Today is the beginning of the end for ultra conservatives! Soon, Gay union will be enacted and chaos will ensue! All straight couples wedding rings and marriage liscenses will spontaneously combust! Gay couples will be running nude through the streets fornicating in front of children! And the downfall of our entire society will begin! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I can't wait!!!! Just kidding. Can anyone tell I'm happy the Dems are back in control?

Hi, I called Inamed and talked with them about this issue, and they told me that the band is made out of the same material as artificial knees and joints, and they last for about 15 years, but because the band does not have any moving parts that can "wear out" like artifical knees and joints, that it should last "much, much longer" than those items. He didn't give me an exact number of years, but he said basically it was "indefinitely" since the material is very durable. He also said that the longest known patient to have the band in was 14 years with no complications.

If you're allowed to have full liquids (in my case my doc said that meant anything I could get through a straw), why not try some gazpacho with cilantro whirred in the blender? It would give you the Mexican flavors you're craving so badly while still adhering to your post surgery plan. Add some hot sauce and it'll be delicious!

There are sooooo many obnoxious things people do these days. I, for one, am just waiting for the moment I snap and take someone's Nextel phone with that horrible loud beeping, and smash it on the ground. I also hate it when people talk in movie theaters. And so many other things! It's as if the idea of polite behavior and decency have escaped us. But now that the DEMOCRATS WON THE HOUSE, maybe everything will get a little rosier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, I just couldn't resist random gloating.