NewYearNewMe

I too broke into the 170s this week. It was 9 long months at 184 to 186. I developed chronic bursitis in my left greater trochanter and could not exercise due to excruitating pain. The bursitis is gradually receding, but the fear of the pain is still there. I finally had my third fill after almost two years and the doctor did not really want to add any "because you are doing so well". I insisted and I think I am at my sweet spot finally and am losing again!! Can't wait to start exercising again. I think the Couch to 5K is my new plan. Good luck to you!

I am one year post-banding and am having terrible back pain with a possible herniated disc. I need to take a Medrol dose-pack (oral steroids) to decrease the swelling of the disc. I have searched the site and can not find anyone with experience taking oral steroids. If you have taken a Medrol dose-pack or any type of oral steroids would you please let me know how it worked out. Did your surgeon even allow it? I know they can be hard on your stomach and I am hoping to be able to complete this course of treatment. Thanks in advance for your stories.

I was not nervous before my surgery either! You will be so happy in a couple of days. I went back to work a couple of days after surgery and have not looked back since. I wish I would have had the option to have my band when I was 30 rather than 46 (now 47) - but it was so worth it.

The Vitamin Shoppe carries the Jay Robb. I just tried the whey and I like it, but do like Unjury much, much better. I just discovered the SF pudding trick and had vanilla, SF cheesecake and frozen whole blueberries all mixed together for dinner tonight. Yummy!

I just had my third fill (or tweak as my surgeon calls it) and definitely had the numbing. I can't really imagine it without, but it may not be so bad. This fill was the best one, one stick - found the port, fill, and out. Surgeon said that it is easier as you get skinnier but on the other hand then you don't need as many. Oh well. Good luck with yours. I would just ask for some Lidocaine and see what they say. You are the patient!

BBK; Day Three and doing great. I think I will have a glass of champagne at midnight, but only one! To all of you scale addicts - I would like to get a little of that please. I can't stand to step on the scale, even now. I will go weeks and can't force myself. I guess because it was so mean in the past and I can't stand that little mechanical contraption laughing at me or gasping. NYR - step on the scale every Wednesday morning, like I started doing. Thanks for the support and hillarity!

WOOHOO, it is day 2 and I feel great. Keep up the good work everyone - the new year is looking good for the bandsters!

BBK; I posted on another thread that I was going to start before the 1st also. I was going to start Monday the 29th, but you have me ready to start tomorrow. I am going to do the 10 day liquid diet. I did this last year on the 1st just to see if I could prior to pre-op and I think I will every year to just get it started right. I so want to lose 100 by my bandiversary - February 27th. So count me in and let's get over the holidays early! Way to go everyone!

LilMiss and all the other VVs; I have been at a complete and utter standstill for 6 weeks now. I am scheduled for my third fill on 1/6/09 and can't wait. My bandivsary in 2/27 and I was so hoping for 100, but don't think so. That would make me just overweight and out of this obese category. I think that starting 1/29/08 I am going to do a 10 day liquid diet just like I did last year (just as a test to see if I could do it pre-op). I think I will do this every 1/1, but am going to start early this year to see if I can make my goal and keep the band in the front of my brain for a while!! Good luck all and Happy New Year.

You are all correct, it is so very subjective. My friend and I call Isopure - Isopuke, because to me that is exactly what it tastes like. I love Unjury, except for the chicken soup. If you belong to a support group, you might suggest a protein powder swap night - everyone bring in the stuff they can't stand and trade with someone else who can't stand the one you like. At least you, could try another brand. Good luck, I just found Slim-Fast Low Carb, 20 grams of protein and only 4 grams of carbs and tastes okay really, really cold.

Hello Everyone; Yes, Ezma it seems like the marriage part has truly set in. I don't feel like I have lost control, but I have really slowed down. My dietician says that I still have at least 15 good months of weight loss ahead of me (I guess after that the "7 year itch" sets in). I had been scheduled to speak to our support group the first Tuesday in March, since that will be my bandiversary. So that is my motivation to keep going through the holidays. My big goal is to drop out of the obese BMI into your common, garden variety fat category! Merry Christmas everyone!

This new board is distressing, wanted my signature to show, let's try again!

Good Luck to all the other NC bandsters! I think success is individual. For me any weight loss after a lifetime of failure is great. I was self pay so I have complied with the plan, I exercise at least 4 times a week, AND I go to support group, which is completely outside my comfort zone. My bandiversary is at the end of February and I have been asked to speak at the March meeting, so that keeps me very motivated. Most of the group is still bypass oriented, but as the surgeon does more and more lapbands our numbers are growing and may branch out into our own group next year. Keep up the good work over the holidays!

Thanks for the poll Kelster!! I have been wondering the same thing. I was banded when I was 46. I wish this option had been available 15 years ago when I was SURE that I had failed at every diet out there and just gave up.

I was using a Low Carb Slimfast and adding a scoop of Unjury either vanilla or chocolate and it was delicious. I like Unjury in anything, the only kind of powder I can stand the taste of and there is no smell. Walmart was the only store in my area to sell the Low Carb Slimfast and they ran out. So here is my new recipe and I love it! Freeze nonfat yogurt - remove and place in refrig when you go to bed at night 1/2 cup skim milk 1 scoop of Unjury Blend with stick blender It is great, a lot less money then $2.11 can of LC Slimfast. There are more carbs from the yogurt, but I bought Food Lion brand 10 for $4.

Wow! You are so brave - I don't know that I know how to run, even with all the guidance from the couch to 5K site. I did do the elliptical today for 45 minutes and 3.5 miles so maybe I could. What is the Nike + Sport band?

Contrats! Isn't is the best feeling to have your ticker show that you have less to lose than you have already lost? My halfway point was also when I got to onderland. What a great day that was. I hope the LAST half goes as well as the first for you!

Great NSV. My recent favorite is sitting in my desk chair and crossing my legs! It has been so, so, so long since I was able to do that. Thought I might scream, but thought my employees would be alarmed. Today's NSV was going to Stein Mart and buying a size L skirt at 75% off. It feels so good to be an L!!!

I think that when I get to goal, I will leave it as it is. If I do go under goal (that would be amazing) I will try adding calories before taking out saline. Those are my band plans. My body plans are a breast lift and probably a brachioplasty. I seriously can't wait to be thin enough and lifted enough to go braless. Good luck to all!

All of you who have pictures to post - GREAT job. The only before picture I have is the one in my file at the nutritionist office (and it shall remain hidden). No progress pictures either - I still hate the camera, almost as much as I hate the scale. Neither relationship is better yet - I am sure that will come in time. Mac - I have really picked up my losses by ensuring that I am getting at least 0.37 grams of protein times my weight. I had to add a snack to get it, but have lost 3 pounds in each of the last two weeks. I was not sure that I believed in the protein amounts until I have followed it closely these last two weeks. Continue success to all the VVs!! Happy long Labor Day weekend.

Barbara; I have no doubt that you will reach that Christmas goal. I do not know how to make the cartoons in your signature line. I can only add the smiley guys. Tickers are not as hard as they look. There are several great threads on the board on how to accomplish this. I think everyone loses differently. I was losing about 2 pounds a week, but the last two I have lost 3. I have been concentrating extra hard on enough protein. I was not eating any snacks, but have added a snack of high protein - usually pudding made with sugar-free, fat free jello and Unjury protein powder.

I did not realize that tomorrow is my 6 month bandiversary. Wednesday is weigh day for me (still a day I dread a bit - my relationship with the scale is still not too great) and this morning I hit two goals in one day. I am now in ONEDERLAND and past the halfway mark! I think I would have shed a tear if I had not overslept by 45 minutes. I am not sure which one I am most happy about. Plus - we are actually getting rain in North Carolina (some places way too much, but not here)!!!!!

Welcome! I can not think of a single con. The list of pros are huge. I was self pay and I can honestly say that this was the best money I ever spent. I am 6 months out today and can't believe how fast the time has gone. Surgery was pretty painless. Recovery was a breeze. I had it done on Wednesday, went home on Thursday, and back to work at 11 hour days on Monday. I have only had two fills and have good restriction. My favorite pro at the moment is - I can no longer shop at Avenue or Lane Bryant!! Good luck on your journey.

Thanks for the kind words. I think I finally feel like it is going to work and not just another temporary fix.

My husband has been very supportive during this whole process, but when I said I wanted a tattoo of a downward arrow the number of pounds I lost and another downward arrow, he was not all for it. He said he would follow me around with a sharpie and write is on my hip everytime it started to wash off. Guess I will just keep working on him since I have a way to go to goal.