JaimeSTL

I think a little sweet revenge is in order. :thumbs_down:

Crystal, make sure you take a picture of her face! LOL No, better yet, give it back to her and say, I thought you might like this, it is just way too big for me now. :smile:

I haven't been doing anything on a regular basis. Yeah, I suck. My sister in law offered me her barely ridden bike so I'm hoping to get that this weekend and start riding. I'm also planning to get a treadmill in a couple of months when I have some extra money. I almost joined a gym but I had a really awful experience there on my first day and I just don't think I want to go there yet. Maybe eventually, I don't know. I'm very self-conscious. When I go to the local high school and walk their track, I can walk about 30 minutes now. When I first went, I was dying after 10 minutes. My PCP said I can expect the exercise thing to get much easier after I get under about 250, so I'm looking forward to that.

Do they have a written policy on the probationary period? I would find out. If there is a policy on 90 days probation then they offer benefits, etc., they have to honor that. Check your employee guidelines if you have them and if not, ask your boss or HR for a written policy. I also like Ezma's approach. Most companies don't even want to hear the word discrimination whispered so it might be just enough to get them to move ahead on this.

The purpose of the pre-op liquid diet is to shrink the liver. When the band is placed, your liver has to be lifted out of the way and when it is too large, the doctor risks bruising, tearing, or otherwise damaging the liver. I think for some doctors it is also an exercise in compliance because they can tell from your liver whether or not you followed the diet. People have been closed up on the table without getting the band because their liver was in bad condition. My doctor usually does a three day diet, but he had me do it for five days because my liver was very large. I had to have gallbladder tests before surgery and ended up having the HIDA scan repeated because my liver was too large to see the gallbladder well. I didn't have to do a 6 month diet for insurance or anything like that. I lost 11 lbs on liquids and the other 67 lbs since surgery. I didn't lose anything prior to my liquid diet, and in fact, I gained 5-6 lbs in the month prior because of my "last meals" of all the things I couldn't just freely eat after surgery.

Happy birthday! And congrats on 75 lbs lost! I hit that milestone this weekend also. :thumbup:

Ugh, that is so ridiculous. I'm sorry you have to put up with that Gibson! I would make another appointment and go back in and DEMAND a fill. My doctor tried to pull that crap on me and I explained to him that I lacked restriction and was eating more, not full as long, etc., and he gave in. I wasn't supposed to go back until August but I've been struggling for the last month or so and I'm going in on Monday. I will not take no for an answer because I didn't go through all of this to essentially be on a diet and neither should you! If he isn't helping you out, is there any possibility of seeing a different doctor or going to a fill center?

That is how my doctor explained the no drinking thing to me also. It was hard to get used to at first, but now I don't really feel the need to drink while I eat. My doctor is pretty strict about it, 30 minutes before and 2 hours after eating before drinking.

I don't think that's really fair, Crystal. She realizes that she may need an unfill. After my first fill experience, I think it would be jumping the gun to get it after just two days. She might have just had extra swelling or something, and in a few days she can eat better. If she goes ahead with an unfill now, and then ends up losing restriction in a few days, she has to start all over. I don't agree with being so tight you can barely eat either. It does get better after a little time though, so I see no point to rushing off for an unfill, just to need another small fill in a week or two when the swelling has gone down.

I had a similar experience with my first fill. I was really tight the first 3-4 days then it seemed to settle. As long as you aren't PB'ing or vomiting, and can eat some and drink, you could wait it out a few more days and see if it settles. If you are really uncomfortable, call right away, since this is a three day weekend and you'd have to wait until Monday. If you don't call, just make sure to eat very carefully, take small bites and chew well.

WTG Melissa! Halfway to goal in under 5 months is amazing!!

Here are my four month pics, taken tonight.

I bought a sleeveless sundress that I hope to wear next summer. I wouldn't dream of wearing something like that before, or even now.

As of June 28th, my 4 month bandiversary, I have lost 72 lbs. I have had 2 fills for a total of 5.7 cc in a 14 cc band. I will have my third fill (hopefully) on July 14th.

I was banded at Des Peres.

Congrats on all the victories! That's awesome!

Your husband is setting himself up for a self-fulfilling prophecy. He's insecure, so he accuses you of messing around, which then pushes you away continuing the cycle and ultimately if you leave him, he'll say, see I told you so. My husband and I have to deal with this on a smaller scale already because he's convinced that I will leave him when I'm thinner. He first thought that about me going back to school when I started back a couple of years ago (that if I could be financially independent I wouldn't need him). I think that you two should see a marriage counselor, both together and apart. My husband and I saw one a few years ago when things were pretty rocky and it did wonders for us. I'd go all the time, even when things are fine, if I could afford it. A good counselor can really help you open the doors of communication and see things in a way you wouldn't have seen them before. I think that we can only go so far with making our SO's feel more secure. After a point, it is just basic trust (and this is coming from someone who used to be insanely jealous). It isn't our job to stop living our lives and being ourselves to make them feel better and they don't have the right to demand such a thing. If you are doing your part by being affectionate, making him feel loved, etc., then he needs to do his part and trust you. Good luck, BBK. I've read lots of your posts here and you are truly an inspiration!

Mine are definitely narrower. I can see the bones in my feet now. I took a picture the other night. A few weeks ago, my ever observant 6 year old son told me, "Mommy, your feet are skinny!" My hands are much smaller now too. I used to swell in my hands and feet frequently but not anymore.

I'm glad to hear it went well! I hope you feel better soon!

1-2 lbs a week is an average weight loss. The least that I have lost in a week, excluding a 2 week plateau, has been 3 lbs. I've lost up to 10 lbs in a week. How does one control the pace of their loss? Eat more? The band keeps us from doing that. I know that I could slow my loss by eating more but a) I physically cannot take in more than I do unless I start adding junk and b)I feel GREAT so why do that?

After my experiences with my two pregnancies, I wouldn't even consider it until I was below 200 at least, preferably at goal (160). I was about 240 when I got pregnant with my first. It was a relatively easy pregnancy, save for massive morning sickness and reflux, then I was induced at 36 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. Not easy for most, but compared to the horrible experience with my second, I call it easy. My second was born 18 months later. I had a pre-preg weight of about 270. I developed pre-eclampsia at 14 weeks. I was told my baby might not make it, that she might be sick/small due to the restricted blood flow caused by the pre- eclampsia. At 23 weeks, I was admitted to the hospital for a few days because my BP was no longer controlled by the meds and bed rest. They told me that they didn't recusitate before 24 weeks so if I had to deliver then, they couldn't do anything for her. Fortunately they tweaked my meds and put me on strict bedrest and let me go home. I developed gestational diabetes. I went into preterm labor at 32 weeks and was hospitalized until delivery, which ended up being a week later. My liver and kidneys were failing due to the pre-eclampsia. My DD was born at 33 weeks exactly, 4 lbs 5 ozs. She was VERY healthy, only needed oxygen support for about 18 hours and spent 12 days in NICU. She has suffered no lasting effects from her prematurity. It took me a good 2 years to recover from the pregnancy, get my BP stablized, etc. Yes, these things can and do happen to moms of lower weights, but the risk is much higher when you are obese.

I had that problem before I was treated for my sleep apnea. Since then, not so much. I just have to pee all the time because I drink so much water.

I have quite a few food police around me. The worst about is my 6 year old Autistic son. He perserveres on everything and he has made my diet one of those things. It drives me nuts. I can't eat anything without him asking if I can eat it because he seems to think I can only eat popsicles, soup and jello and all the rest isn't allowed. My 16 year old SIL will sit and stare at me while I eat, and my husband's grandmother (who has always harped on my pickiness and my son's food issues) will ask about the things I can eat to no end. It is to the point that I don't want to go to family functions anymore because I can't stand it. I want to be normal and they make me feel like a freak!

I don't/won't do low carb. I just don't think it is a healthy way to eat at all. I know that I couldn't maintain that for long. I don't eat refined sugars, sweets, etc., but I do eat potatoes, a little Pasta, rice. I also try to avoid things that are processed and out of a box, but sometimes I do like convenience things because our life is hectic and I need something quick. My surgeon is mostly worried about calories. By cutting my calories I naturally cut the fat and carbs that I used to eat. That books sounds interesting. I think I'm going to look for it. I prefer to buy fresh foods and organics whenever possible, so I think this is something I would be interested in.

Mine is MySpace.com - Jaime - 29 - Female - Fenton, Missouri - www.myspace.com/jaime920. Let me know you are from LBT if you add me. I love to make new friends.