Ninja

I can't be the only DC person on this board. Heck, I'll even open it up to the metro DC area. I was banded in Mexico in January, so I'm not familiar with DC-area resources for Bandsters. I'd really like to find a therapist in the area who has experience with WLS clients. I love my fill doctor (Susan Brinkley in Frederick), but the only therapist she recommended is in Hagerstown, which would be at least a 1.5 hour drive for me each way. If anyone has any recommendations, please let me know here or by pm.

Down another pound this morning--woohoo! Name_____________Weight Now____Goal_____lbs lost aJoneen............230.........220.......3....... Bea1128............220.........199.......3.5..... Babs0101...........185.........170.......0....... blesdbyonmzur......159.........148.......4....... BTTRFLI1432........221.........210.......0....... Bunkey1965.........205.........195.......7....... Chocolate_Snaps....260.........240.......0....... Darr5380...........170.........150.......0....... Epm316.............209.........199.......0....... erikadawn..........199.........175.......0....... FloridaGirl........235.........215.......0....... HeatherO...........166.........155.......6....... JennyPoo...........169.........159.......0....... KarenG.............164.........158.......2....... KathyStrick........305.........290.......0....... Lapbandfan.........260.........230.......0...... Leslie2Lose........221.........209.......3....... LessNLess..........144.5.......140.......0....... LilMissBand-Aid....239.........225.......1....... Lunabeane..........212.........200.......9....... Luu2008............219.........189.......9....... Luv2Laugh..........232.........212.......0....... luvinke............206.........190.......0....... mamato3............199.........184.......6...... mcgreen............189.........175.......0....... mdgarcia31665......225.........220.......0....... MollyMolly.........194.........182.......0....... mominlv13..........308.2.......300.......7.8..... MSnika3............228.........204.......4....... NANAbanded.........225.........199.......4....... Ninja..............204.........189.......5....... NukeChik...........221.........199.......6....... Ollie..............242.........210.......0....... Redtulips..........189.5.......180.......4.5..... Renewedhope........176.........155.......3....... ronni_NC...........243.........220.......0....... slgandera..........185.........173.......7....... StartingOver.......220.........205.......5....... Sunshine2..........187.........170.......2.3..... want_so_bad........170.........155.......0....... Sades..............187.........180.......5.5..... Sadie..............216.........199.......4.......

Name_____________Weight Now____Goal_____lbs lost aJoneen............230.........220.......3....... Bea1128............220.........199.......3.5..... Babs0101...........185.........170.......0....... blesdbyonmzur......159.........148.......4....... BTTRFLI1432........221.........210.......0....... Bunkey1965.........205.........195.......7....... Chocolate_Snaps....260.........240.......0....... Darr5380...........170.........150.......0....... Epm316.............209.........199.......0....... erikadawn..........199.........175.......0....... FloridaGirl........235.........215.......0....... HeatherO...........166.........155.......6....... JennyPoo...........169.........159.......0....... KarenG.............164.........158.......2....... KathyStrick........305.........290.......0....... Lapbandfan.........260.........230.......0...... Leslie2Lose........221.........209.......3....... LessNLess..........144.5.......140.......0....... LilMissBand-Aid....239.........225.......1....... Lunabeane..........212.........200.......9....... Luu2008............219.........189.......9....... Luv2Laugh..........232.........212.......0....... luvinke............206.........190.......0....... mamato3............199.........184.......6...... mcgreen............189.........175.......0....... mdgarcia31665......225.........220.......0....... MollyMolly.........194.........182.......0....... mominlv13..........308.2.......300.......7.8..... MSnika3............228.........204.......4....... NANAbanded.........225.........199.......4....... Ninja..............206.........189.......3....... NukeChik...........221.........199.......6....... Ollie..............242.........210.......0....... Redtulips..........189.5.......180.......4.5..... Renewedhope........176.........155.......3....... ronni_NC...........243.........220.......0....... slgandera..........185.........173.......7....... StartingOver.......220.........205.......5....... Sunshine2..........187.........170.......2.3..... want_so_bad........170.........155.......0....... Sades..............187.........180.......5.5..... Sadie..............216.........199.......4.......

For the last couple of years I've been working as a contract attorney on cases where firms know they're going to need extra help and so hire on extra attorneys on a temporary basis. It's grunge work and lots of starting at a computer screen trying to decipher spreadsheets, but it pays the bills for now. I thought before I began this work, and after a few years of practice out there in the world, that a person had to be relatively smart and have at least basic social skills in order to become a lawyer. I was wrong. A few of the more memorable incidents: There was a guy who sat next to me who picked his nose and ate it. Out in the open. While singing along with his headphones. And playing solitaire all day. There was someone (never figured out who) who regularly peed in the corner of the men's bathroom. We called it "On Golden Pond." There was a woman who wiped feces all over the stall of one of the women's bathrooms. Twice. There was someone who ate half of my friend's lunch out of the refrigerator, then put the container back exactly where he found it. The moral of the story is: there are some messed-up people out there, and we've all got to work with them.

Oops, I got dropped, too, but I'm claiming my hard-won loss! Name_____________Weight Now____Goal_____lbs lost aJoneen............230.........220.......3....... Bea1128............220.........199.......1.5..... Babs0101...........185.........170.......0....... blesdbyonmzur......159.........148.......4....... BTTRFLI1432........221.........210.......0....... Bunkey1965.........209.........205.......3....... Chocolate_Snaps....260.........240.......0....... Darr5380...........170.........150.......0....... Epm316.............209.........199.......0....... erikadawn.................199..............175............0.......... FloridaGirl........235.........215.......0....... HeatherO...........166.........155.......6....... JennyPoo...........169.........159.......0....... KarenG.............164.........158.......2....... KathyStrick........305.........290.......0....... Leslie2Lose........221.........209.......3....... LilMissBand-Aid....240.........225.......0....... Lunabeane..........221.........200.......5....... Luu2008............219.........189.......7....... Luv2Laugh..........232.........212.......0....... luvinke............206.........190.......0....... mamato3............199.........184.......0....... mcgreen............189.........175.......0....... mdgarcia31665......225.........220.......0....... mominlv13..........316.........300.......1....... MSnika3............228.........204.......4....... NANAbanded.........225.........199.......4....... Ninja..............207.........189.......2....... NukeChik...........225.........199.......2....... Ollie..............242.........210.......0....... Redtulips..........191.........180.......3....... Renewedhope........176.........155.......3....... ronni_NC...........243.........220.......0....... slgandera..........185.........173.......0....... StartingOver.......220.........205.......5....... Sunshine2..........187.........170.......2.3..... want_so_bad........170.........155.......0....... Sades..............191.5.......180.......1....... Sadie..............216.........199.......4.......

SNT, I've been there, and it sucks. The truth is probably that he likes the attention you give him. You said he knows you have feelings for you, and that's a nice boost for anyone, so my guess is that he relies on attention from you to keep stroking his ego. If you've gone through periods of ignoring him then warming back up to him, why should he think you mean it now when you tell him to #@%* off? Unfortunately, if he were interested in more than that, he probably would have acted by now. I'm sorry it's frustrating you. You deserve better than that, and I hope you find it. Oh, and Go Vols!

Susan, I'm really, really sorry that you're going through this. I'm hoping you and your husband find a way to get through it.

I don't understand where people get the idea that they're somehow going to have to "bail out" all these people who are struggling. I must have missed the announcement that said the government was going to pay the mortgages of everyone who's defaulted, as I don't recall anyone, anywhere proposing that. The only proposal I've seen that would actually benefit the homeowners, rather than the mortgage companies themselves, is one that would have frozen interest rates just before they switch to an adjustable rate (and thereby increasing significantly). How, exactly, would that have negatively affected you? I know it's really easy judge people for being stupid enough to agree to loans that, in retrospect, were a terrible idea. I admit my first thought when reading some of the stories has been to wonder why on earth the person didn't just ask a few questions about what they were signing. But let me ask you this: did you closely read and perfectly understand every single document presented to you at the closing on your house? At my closing a year and a half ago I was presented with a stack of papers an inch thick and told where to sign. I'm a lawyer, so I knew to insist that they at least let me skim things, but I'm willing to bet most people just sign where they're told. And if a mortgage broker or lender has glossed over the details and given them the wrong impression of what they're signing, it's too late at that point. References in newspaper articles notwithstanding, I doubt most of the mortgage brokers were former drug dealers. Some of them, however, along with some of the mortgage companies, were greedy and unethical, and those are the people at whom you should direct your anger. Scarlett, if it makes you feel any better, try to remember that your property value is largely irrelevant until you decide to move. If you're planning to stay put for several years, chances are that the value will have bounced back by then. I understand the frustration of uncertainty, but trust me when I say that the people who've been foreclosed on are far, far worse off and that they will be paying for it for a long time.

This, like everything else about being banded, varies by doctor and by individual. My surgeon cleared me to work out after two weeks. I think we waited that long before resuming sex, but it wasn't any longer than that. Do your discharge papers give a timeframe for physical activity? If not, I think you have to go by how you feel and take it very, very slowly and be very, very careful at first. You know how well you're healing and how much your body can handle. Your port site, especially, might be very sore, so you'll probably want to avoid any pressure on it (like, say, from the missionary position). Happy birthday! I'd say this is a perfect opportunity for your man to spend a loooooong, sloooooow time pampering you and making you feel good. Test things out, then see where it goes. Have fun!

Ooh, count me in too if it's not too late! This is just what I need--my best friend is getting married on September 27 and I want to wear a size 14 dress! NAME ____________weight now____ goal___ lbs lost *****:cool2:********** **********:biggrin:******:tt2:***** aJoneen............230.........220.......3....... Bea1128............220.........199.......0....... Babs0101...........185.........170.......0....... blesdbyonmzur......159.........148.......4....... BTTRFLI1432........221.........210.......0....... Bunkey1965.........209.........198.......3....... Chocolate_Snaps....260.........240.......0....... Darr5380...........170.........150.......0....... erikadawn.................199..............175............0.......... FloridaGirl........235.........215.......0....... HeatherO...........169.........155.......3....... JennyPoo...........169.........159.......0....... KarenG.............164.........158.......2....... KathyStrick........305.........290.......0....... Leslie2Lose........224.........209.......0....... Lunabeane..........221.........200.......0....... Luu2008............219.........189.......7....... Luv2Laugh..........232.........212.......0....... luvinke............206.........190.......0....... mamato3............199.........184.......2....... mcgreen............189.........175.......0....... mdgarcia31665......225.........220.......0....... mominlv13..........316.........300.......1....... MSnika3............228.........204.......4....... NANAbanded.........225.........199.......4....... Ninja..............209.........189.......0....... NukeChik...........227.........199.......0....... Ollie..............242.........210.......0....... Redtulips..........194.........180.......0....... Renewedhope........176.........155.......3....... ronni_NC...........243.........220.......0....... slgandera..........185.........173.......0....... StartingOver.......220.........205.......5....... want_so_bad........170.........155.......0....... Sadie..............220.........199.......0.......

You guys have been so brave to post your progress pics as you've gone along, and I've finally worked up the courage to do the same. The pic with the solid green shirt was taken the day before surgery at 259 lbs. The lavender shirt was in early April at 230. And the one of me with my boyfriend was taken last week at 209.

I have 3.5 cc in a 5 cc band (last fill little less than 1 month ago). I'm really happy with my level of restriction. When I eat solid protein it's usually at least 4 hours before I feel hungry again.

WLS = weight loss surgery. You'll probably want to post here, in the Pre-Op Questions and Answers Forum, or here, in the General Lap-Band Surgery Discussion. Good luck!

ReadySteady, you know your friend better than any of us here, but I wouldn't necessarily assume she's been lying to you all this time. I understand where you're coming from, but I think it's more likely that how she views herself has absolutely nothing to do with how she views the rest of the world. She's clearly got some body-image problems, but that doesn't mean she transfers them on to you. We are all our own worst critics and beat ourselves up for things we wouldn't think twice of in other people, and it sounds like her feelings about herself might be an example of that. You've known her since kindergarten, so think about which explanation is more in line with what you know about her. FWIW, my best friend of 10 years is 5'8" and a perfect size 4. She tells me I'm beautiful and I know she means it, and at the same time she complains that her ass is fat and I know she means it. It's all a matter of perception, and all you can do is internally roll your eyes and do what you can to help her see past her own perceived flaws.

Is that a WLS provider? I'm sorry that I don't know them and so can't offer an opinion, but wanted to say that you'll probably get more views and more responses if you post in the main part of the board. This section is mostly read by people who were banded in Jan 2008. Good luck!

Hi everyone, Yesterday the bf and I hauled off to Goodwill four big plastic garbage bags of my old clothes. It was almost as if I felt an actual burden lifted when we drove away. Those bags had almost every piece of clothing I had that doesn't fit anymore, including all of my 'safe' outfits--the ones I felt I looked my best in at my highest weight. The only thing I saved was the pair of size 28 jeans I practically lived in for the few months before surgery (and that were almost too tight by the time surgery came around). It was amazing to shed myself of all that and embrace starting fresh. On the way home we stopped in at Old Navy because I've been trying to find a black or denim skirt and Old Navy carries up to a size 20 and I figured I could probably get into those. I ended up getting an adorable little black skirt in a 16! Holy crap, an actual, not women's size, 16! Yay! (Of course when I got it home and tried it on again I decided it was too short, at which point the bf told me I'm just going to accept the fact that I have legs and get over it. I'm wearing the skirt now.) ETA: As of this morning I'm .8 pounds away from the 50-pound mark, and yesterday was my 5-month banding anniversary. It seems to go so incredibly slowly sometimes, but I've got to force myself to sit back and realize that's a good rate of loss. Patience has never been one of my virtues. Sigh.

Chickie and Jachut and others at or near goal who may be reading but not posting, I just wanted to say that I think there are many more of us who have a realistic view of what this process takes and respect and appreciate your efforts to inform and advise. Perhaps we're the silent majority, the people who would never post a complaint about how the band isn't working because, well, I know how the band works and I know that if it isn't working it's because I'm not making the decisions that make it work. I think there are probably many more people like us on here than there are people looking to be coddled and told that whatever they want to do is okay, and perhaps we should try to be more vocal. Please don't let the fact that some people are unable to look past themselves or to accept that they actually have to work at this make you think your contributions aren't valued. I think the larger question is why are we (as fat people) so self-defeating and so unable or unwilling to see that things can be different? I'm still pretty new at all this, and therefore hardly an expert, but I'm amazed at the extraordinary lengths some people go to in order to avoid a mirror being held in front of their faces. What is it that we're so afraid to see? What is it that keeps us from accepting that finding reasons to blame the band for our failures won't make a damn bit of difference if we still die from obesity? Your gravestone won't say "She died at 40 but it wasn't her fault because her band didn't work." It is your fault, or at least your responsibility, whatever hand you were dealt and whatever issues you have going on.

Great, great post, Flipper. Many congratulations on all your success, both with losing your weight and with figuring it out.

I'd like to point out that this thread, which I've followed closely and really enjoyed reading, has for the last several pages been a discussion completely separate from the issues that Sades and Jasmine and BJean decided to reintroduce. Again. The Brandy brouhaha has been thoroughly hashed out on at least two other threads and your points were made equally well there. The fact is that others disagree with those points, so perhaps it would be best if we just leave it at that and return to the discussion that was going on before the threadjack.

B-man, I agree with Chrisann: you shouldn't be in pain every time you eat, and certainly not if you're chewing things to the right consistency. Go see your doctor. And on a related note, I'm really happy with my level of restriction, 3.5 cc in a 5 cc band. I pb if I'm not careful, but when I pay close attention to what I'm eating it works just the way it's supposed to. I'd like to lose a little faster (who wouldn't?), and I get frustrated because my body's way of losing weight is to drop a couple of pounds at once, then bounce around for a week or so, slowly settling back down at the low number, then drop a couple more, then bounce, etc. It prevents me from being able to closely track what does and doesn't work as far as loss goes. Overall, though, I'm thrilled with my loss (I'm thisclose to the 50 pound mark) and with my band.

Blue Eyed Girl (you might want to watch it on the caps lock, by the way--it looks like you're shouting at us), people have been complaining about "the youth" since the dawn of time. It only seems like they're that bad because we're no longer among them. I admit I find myself getting annoyed sometimes, but I try to remind myself that archaeologists have found graffiti from ancient Rome complaining about teenagers driving their chariots recklessly. It's the way of the world. Good idea about the paper on taxidermy. That might at least inspire someone to come forward and name the guilty party.

Out of curiosity, why revive a post that's well over a year old? Obviously it was quite a heated thread at the time, but I'm really not sure it does anyone good to bring it up again.

Uh, aalves, dude, who are you talking to? I don't think anyone in this thread has said anything to contradict you.

Not insensitive, larinshine, but petty and mean. How hard is it to skip over a rant you don't like rather than telling the poster she's not wanted here? I don't see that anyone gains any benefit from that, other than possibly making yourself feel better for a moment at the expense of someone else. It sounds like you're going through a rough time and that's a pretty common reaction, but that doesn't mean it's a good reaction. You may disagree, and that's fine. I'm truly sorry about your friend and wish better times for you and yours in the future.

Misty, I think you'll find that many, many people who went to Mexico were thrilled with their experiences and some were not. All of the questions you asked vary according to the surgeon. Some offer financing, some don't. WasABubbleButt wrote a really excellent guide to finding a Mexican surgeon: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f200/researching-mexican-lap-band-doctors-101-a-43575/index3.html If you'll do a search using the search function at the top of the page you'll be able to find lots and lots of threads about the topic. As for me, I used Dr Rumbaut in Monterrey and was incredibly pleased with the experience. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, and the only thing I would emphasize is that you MUST line up a fill/aftercare doctor before you go. Good luck!