lildarlin

Hi Dana, I am on synthroid. For years my GP said my levels were fine and I finally complained about being so tired so I went to see a specialist and he said my levels were too high! I'm down to a TSH of .60 down from 5.0, 6 months ago. I feel so much better, but I have a hard time losing weight. I'm not banded yet, am going through the process, but I wonder if the thyroid issues will cause me to be a non-loser. I was told by my thyroid doctor that once levels are in line, you can't blame lack of weight loss on your thyroid. I'm going to see him again on Monday and am mentioning the band to see what he has to say. He wanted me to target a loss of 1lb per month, since I started seeing him, I've gained 10 :omg: ! I'm hoping that once I get banded it'll help me get this weight off. Who knows, maybe I have some other metabolic issues going on?

Unfortunate for me....the nosiest busybody in our office, who has to know what's going on with everyone all the time.....is stuck up our boss' butt :confused:. Therefore....I tell my boss, she tells her "self appointed assistant", everyone knows. Several years ago my husband got a DUI, truck impounded, attorney visits, the whole thing. I had to tell my boss (who was not the same as I have now) because I had all these appointments. I came right out and asked her NOT to tell anyone. To this day, I don't think she ever did.

Hi everyone....I'm a Human Resources Assistant for an Ivy League university in NY. I worked in insurance for 12 years then they downsized, but I'm much happier where I am now (for 8 years so far!). My husband is a foreman for a construction company.

Here is an awesome recipe. I make it at least 1x a week. The pork is moist, good for a bandster. I'm not banded yet, but hope to be and this will be something I'll make! http://pork.allrecipes.com/az/75861.asp Puddin.....the cranberry chicken sounds wonderful! I don't know why, but I've never liked cranberries but in the past few months I want to try everything with them in it? I've also made the other chicken recipe you posted and it's great too. My recipe calls for a can of cr of chicken soup and I added taco sauce for flavor. The chicken is the moistest I've ever had!!!

Thank you for the ideas! Planning is my biggest downfall. I do plan what's for dinner for most nights of the week, but sometimes things just happen and all bets are off. I don't enjoy cooking much, but do it because I have a family to feed. It's a chore for me! Our big freezer broke (only 2 years old from Sears!!!!) So we have to pay to get it fixed and we've been putting it off. I miss having the extra chicken etc. in there. I never know what you can cook ahead and freeze, if it'll be good reheated. That's where I stand there scratching my head in wonder! I've printed your ideas, thanks!

You want to hear sad......opening the lid on the box of doughnuts sitting on the counter behind my desk at work and sniffing them? I look like a "coke" addict getting high! I haven't eaten a doughnut in a looonnnggg time but they do smell heavenly.

I have a co-worker who started Atkins with me going on 4 years ago. She only needed to lose about 60lbs. We both lost, we both stopped losing at the same time. She's doing the gym sometimes 2 times per day and not losing. She knows how I've struggled and last year I said I would give myself 1 more year and if nothing happens, I'm going a different route. I'm glad she is there to support me, she agreed, after watching me give up the doughnuts, Cookies etc. that are constantly displayed on the counter behind my desk, that I am right in having the band. I'm sure there will be others who have nothing good to say to that and will say it's an easy way out. Screw them......but what I do see going on in my office is a bunch that is always on weight watchers maybe for a few months, going to the gym, then they stop, and they gain back what they lost plus more. I'm not going to be in that cycle anymore! I actually saw someone in the store the other day and had to look twice at her because she had lost a lot of weight, was very thin, she's gained almost all of it back.

HI Janet - maybe he's being conservative so you don't end up too tight? That's what my doctor will do when I get banded. He actually has you come in every month for a small fill, rather than putting in too much, then you have to go back for an unfill. I'm no expert, it was just a thought I had as I was reading your post. Good Luck!

My doctor went over the procedure with me on a power point presentation and he showed me that a portion of the stomach is pulled up over the band on the front and stitched to hold it in place. I had heard that some doctors stitch the backside as well. When I asked him about it he said that you have enough fat on the backside of your stomach to help keep the band in place and it's not necessary to stitch there. But he added it is a surgeons preference. I feel bad for all the eroded folks here that went to Mexico to have it done.....best wishes to everyone.

Hi everyone. I know the subject of erosion is running rampant around here lately, but I have a question for those who have had the band removed (and anyone else who'd like to chime in). I understand erosion can be caused by any number of things. I've heard mention that the body sees it as a foreign object and attacks it, causing the erosion. I think I've mentioned before, that I have an underactive thyroid that I'm being treated for. My dr told me that my immune system is attacking my thyroid, trying to destroy it, for which, I take medication daily. Now to my question....for those who had to have your bands removed, did any of you have an underactive thyroid? I'm just curious. If that's the case....I wonder if that could happen to me when/if I get banded? Something to think about and ask the dr about I guess. Thank you!

Oh my god, that is so funny!!!!! I've never seen that before.

I forgot to mention that I wondered about the Cortisol connection as well. I carry my weight in my mid-section. That's where I gain first as well. He did a blood test for my cortisol levels and they were normal.......darn. I feel like I'm destined to be fat. At least hoping when/if I get banded it won't be like this.

I'm hypothyroid as well and my GP for years said my levels were ok. After complaining of no weight loss and feeling tired I went to see an Endo doctor. My levels were too high and 4 blood tests later my levels have dropped from over 5 to .63. I was still having problems with tiredness so he also put me on 10mcg of Cytomel per day. It helps but alas......no weight loss has come with the new perfect thyroid levels. I was told at my last appointment that if thyroid levels are in line we cannot blame our lack of weight loss on it. At this point I'd wish for him to make me hyperthyroid to kick start some weight loss, but I know that's not a good thing. Maybe someday things will go my way......

Cissy - The gazelle I have has 3 levels of resistance, I've only been able to get up to the 1st level and within 20 minutes I'm sweating. I feel the elliptical is better for your rearend and legs, you can really feel it. The gazelle just doesn't compare. I find that my feet get cramps in them, I don't know why. It's too bad, I spent $450.00 on this machine and now I can't sell it, nobody is interested in it. It's brand new. I've talked to people on other websites who absolutely love it. So I guess it's either something you like or you don't. Anyone here interested in a Gazelle? Jachut - I know what you mean about the hair...I absolutely cannot let my hair dry on it's own. I don't get frizzy, but it just dries in the strangest styles!! :rofl: I have a fitness center at my work (I work for a university) and have a basket and padlock to keep all my stuff there. It takes me at least 45 minutes to get showered afterwards and do my makeup and hair, then I can go to work. My hair is very thick and it takes forever for it to dry even with a dryer. I hated having to tote all my stuff so I recently got myself stocked up on what I need. The only thing I can't bring with and keep there is a towel and the ones the gym provides would wrap around one leg!! I almost forgot it the other day, I would have been mortified to discover I had nothing to cover myself with after my shower. The girls in the locker room would have gouged their eyes out! :omg: Hey FunnyDuddies - I felt the same as you at first. Then I realized that we're all there for the same reason and some women that go are as large as me. First I had a suit that had a skirt on it and I found the skirt would float up and get wrapped around my hands. So I bought a 1 piece and a pair of cover up shorts. That works great because there is no way anyone, even my family, would see me wearing a one piece suit!!! Not with the fat in my lower stomach hanging down!!! The shorts hide that and I feel good wearing what I have. The part that makes me laugh the most is when you're jumping around in the Water your fat bobs up and down I told my friend one day that I was afraid I was going to start a tsunami :omg: in the pool. At least I can laugh at myself!! I actually think I would try Billy Blanks when I get some of this weight off. Just watching his workouts makes me tired!

I have the option of doing the Water workouts at 7am on MW and at 12:30 Tue/Thurs during my lunch at work. It depends on the weather, if the roads aren't snowy I like the morning workout. Otherwise I'll do the lunchtime routine. The sad part is....I have a complete weight system that we had to take down (it was in our bedroom) because we put up sheetrock, new carpet etc. in our bedroom. I didn't want that huge thing in our room, so my husband hasn't put it back up. I also have a Tony Little gazelle which I bought and used about 5 times. I really didn't like it after I tried the elliptical machine. Our house is much too small for all this stuff and we have a damp basement so we can't put it down there. We're thinking of getting another shed and putting up the weight machine out in the bigger garage. It's too bad to have the equipment and not be able to use it.

I agree, Water aerobics is awesome. I love it. I have been going 2X a week but am thinking of going more often. The strange part is that the nutritionist I just saw told me that water aerobics isn't enough! She said it doesn't get your heart rate up. I didn't disagree with her, but I work up a sweat and come out of there red-faced (that's how I know if I've gotten my heart rate up in addition to sweating and a feeling it pump harder). Other than walking outside, I find land-based exercise boring. I have done the elliptical but overall it's just no fun. That's why I stick to the water and walking outside when it's nice. I'm not banded yet, and intend on doing water workouts afterwards as well.

What I mean is, for a Protein drink, for example. How much can you drink at one time? Do you just sip on it for a while? I bought a shaker bottle that holds 16 ounces for making a Protein Drink and I'm thinking you aren't going to be able to just drink that down, sipping til it's gone?? Thanks!

Thanks everyone

I hope my doctor doesn't shop eBay!!!

I was wondering if you struggled to lose weight, pre-band, do you still struggle post-band? I'm not banded yet and do not, as a rule, lose weight fast when I'm being 100% good on a diet. If any of you were like that before the band, do you lose at a slow pace after the band as well? I know everyone loses at their own rate. My sister, when she follows a diet well, can lose quite quickly. I'm not one of the fortunate ones that loses fast. I'm just curious..... Thanks

I do Water aerobics 2 days a week. They offer classes through my employer, but the lunchtime instructor sucks. They have a 7am class that I've gone to and really enjoy it. I think now that I'm back to work from vacation, I'll be heading back in the a.m. I really find that it is my workout of choice. I can do the eliptical for about 30 mins before I feel like my legs are going to fall off! I remember the Richard Simmons tapes, I think I still have one!

Hi everyone. I'm starting the banding process. The message boards are a wealth of information but where else did you do your research? There is so much information out on the web and one never knows if it's all true. Does anyone have some excellent sources of information I could check out to add to my folder of information? Thank you!

Excellent points! I think that is what I'm looking forward to.....a continuous downward trend. I did Atkins for 1 1/2 years, lost 45lbs in the 1st 6 months, then stopped dead on, hit a brick wall. No efforts would get me below a certain weight. I got so frustrated and mad at myself, thinking somehow I was doing something wrong. Now....I've gained back almost everything :cry . I know I can make the right food choices, I know what choices to make, South Beach helped me see that. I hope that I can do this and that the band will help me. I think it's great that there are so many people having good luck with it. I think the point I have to keep fresh in my memory with every meal is to follow the rules and I will succeed. Thank you!

Thank you everyone! I guess I'm on the right track then. I will be attending my 2nd local bandster support group tomorrow night. I asked to be signed up for smartbandsters but nobody has confirmed my registration :confused: I'll keep researching probably til the day of my surgery! (keeping fingers crossed there will be a surgery!)

I hate that word too. That's why I'm working on not being "morbid"! According to my son, I'm fluffy :confused: On the other hand, I have a sister who is about 120lbs....hugging her is like hugging a bag of bones! So I'd like to be just right