nurse7263

Hi all! I know it's been...forever. I am NOT a Lapband success story. In fact, I haven't had a fill in a YEAR. I had some issues and was unfilled and am just now starting again. I had surgery at 252 and am now 233, but the fact remains that I'm not where I want to be. I got a fill today (am now at 5 cc) and am hoping to get started again. Look for me around here much more often!

Hello all! It's been a while since I posted and I've had a few (minor!) setbacks! One, I didn't get to my sweet spot very quickly - and two, I ended up on crutches for a while for a ACL cyst - YUCK! But I'm finally at a point where I am cleared to exercise, and since my last fill (July 10th) I'm down 6.2 lbs. Thank goodness! I was starting to think that I was a big non-loser. :wink_smile: My MD was great about it - I followed the pre-op diet to a T and only lost 3-4 lbs - I'm just a slow, slow loser. But even if it's slow, it's still progress, right? It's so much more encouraging to see the scales moving downward instead of staying stuck at 251! :thumbup:

Wow - there aren't many people hanging out in here anymore. I'm STILL a slow loser - down 34 lbs at my 1 year mark. I'm okay with that - I work out with a trainer twice a week and am in the gym on my own three other days out of the week. Do I wish I lost more quickly? OF COURSE! But slow and steady wins the race :laugh:

Hi! :cursing: It's been...well months since I've been here. I haven't done well at all - in fact, I actually changed surgeons, because he wouldn't fill be very tightly. In the last year, I'd only have 2.3 cc in my 10 cc band! :frown: When I went to my new surgeon, he about laughed himself out of the chair and said, "NO WONDER YOU HAVEN'T LOST ANYTHING!" Well. I needless to say I'm now at 5 cc and am really for the first time feeling restriction! I eat a few bites and am full. Really full - for hours. It's amazing what a difference this new surgeon made. He even made me make an appointment before I left instead of saying, "Well, if you feel like you need one, call us." Hopefully now I'll see some real results. When I weighed in, I'd only lost 11 lbs since pre-op almost a year ago!!!

Hi friends! Contrary to popular belief - I have NOT fallen off the face of the Earth! Life here has been ridiculous - my boyfriend is being deployed, I'm working full time and in school full time - I barely have time to breathe, let alone post! Since my last MD visit, I had to have an unfill - I was unable to pretty much keep anything down, so I am currently down about 22 lbs. I was refilled and started back to Jenny Craig today. I'd like to lose another 10 lbs by Christmas. My LB journey hasn't been easy..but hey, I'm still down 22 lbs that I wouldn't have been without it. Hope everyone is well!

Hello friends! :tt2: I'm still alive, I promise. It's just been a hectic few days. I've been working a lot, I met someone new, I had a run-in with the other guy last night...just...craziness. Sometimes I wish I could forget the last few months and concentrate on me, you know? But my crazy girl brain doesn't let me do that. I do have to say - last night, other guy said, "Did you weigh yourself last week? You look like you've lost more weight." HOORAY! :thumbup: But then - new boy? Told me about twenty times that I'm beautiful and that I've "got this great body"....well, let me tell you, that's the best lie I've ever heard! This week will be crazy too - I started classes last week and I am in school Monday-Friday mornings, then I'm working a 12 hour night shift tonight, 7p-11p on Wednesday and Thursday nights, off Friday, then three more 12 hour shifts in a row on Saturday/Sunday/Monday night. Busy, busy, busy. Plus...I kind of fell off the wagon this week with all my stress - thankfully, I didn't gain any real weight - just a LOT of water weight, so I'm really pushing the water for the next few days. (I can't even get my ring off and usually it's quite loose. I must have 3-4 lbs of water on me!) Alright...I need to go shower and get ready for class. Blah. Hope everyone is having a great day and Leslie, I hope you didn't get blown away by Gustav! Bea - I'm going to check out that Greek yogurt - what kind of container does it come in?

Hey all! I remember when I went to Kindergarden - I think my mom was more upset than I was! I don't have kids (yet), but I can only imagine. I am going to a new gym today to check it out - they are running a 3 months of Unlimited Personal Training for $499, up to 5 sessions a week. I think it would be a great opportunity for me to really get into good shape, along with toning and hopefully combating the extra skin problem. Plus, it would be a great stress outlet for me, and I always work out better when I know that I HAVE to be somewhere, you know? I signed up for another 5K! I ran two of them last year, and decided I want to go to St. Jude's again this year to run again. It's for a good cause (pediatric cancer), and it's a goal to work towards. I'll be setting up a donation page if anyone would like to help out! Well, I'm off to my first class - espanol! :thumbup: See you all later! (PS: And thanks for the kind words, guys. I really appreciate you all being in my corner. Things will work out, one way or the other, it's just hard going through it.)

FeliciaLevy75 .......240.................240............190...........50 Hollie ...................154 ................154............125........... 29 areellady............. 189................189............159...........30 klmsilva................216................216............190......... ..26 Boos02................258...............226.............200........... 26 Dionna113...........213...............199.............160............4 0 BIGB....................342...............342.............300......... ...42 Liz_hager.............161................161.............130.......... ...31 MELISSA AGUIRRE....266................233..............160..............73 Liquidbluegal...........225................225..............199....... .......26 Jazzyywan.............322................255..............190......... .....65 nurse7263..............254................234..............199...............35

Hello all! I am still alive - I've had a really trying week. I've been stressed and frustrated - guy troubles. There's this guy that I just have this feeling about - a gut instinct that says stick around - but our timing is just so off. I'm working on being thinner and confident, he just got out of a three year relationship and isn't ready to just date one person...I'm just at my wit's end and crying like a madwoman because I wish I met him six months down the road, you know? *sigh* I know, I know, things always work out the way that they're supposed to, and guts don't usually lie and all that, but it's so hard to sit back and watch the person you care about see other people, too. Anyway. I haven't lost much this week - in fact, I've GAINED. I think it's mostly water though, as my lower legs/ankles/feet are SO swollen I can't believe it. So, I guess I might actually have lost a little. I took a Pamprin today hoping that it helps, plus I'm really pounding the water. I started classes yesterday - my Spanish class seems like it should be okay, my Philosophy class might be a little rough, and my Criminal Justice class might be a little rough, too. Who knows? Well. I don't have to work today, I guess, so I think I'm going to take a nap and then head to the gym. Talk to you all soon!

Hello! I am 23 and am working on losing 90-100 lbs. I work out 4-5 days a week doing cardio/toning/weights, and would like to know if anyone has lost this amount and NOT had the extra skin. All I hear about are those with it - as I'm said, I'm in my early 20s and want to enjoy the rest of my twenties wearing cute clothes and swimsuits! I also take Vitamins and drink lots of Water - any thoughts?

Hey! I'd like to be added --- 8/22/08 235/-19

Hopefully all my working out will have some good results. I don't see any trace of sagging skin yet, but I'm still a good 70-80 higher than my goal of 150-160. I carry a lot of weight in my hips and butt though, so I'd like to lose THAT. For the person who asked - I'm 5'5, and my highest was 254. I got down to 219 last year and didn't see any extra skin then, either. Well, I'll just cross my fingers!

I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am now an official CERTIFIED PEDIATRIC REGISTERED NURSE!!!!!!! :huh2::tongue::hurray::ohmy::wink::wink2: Okay, done with my personal party. :mad2: Bea; I too am in school and will be back in school during the last 10-14 days of August next year. Maybe we should plan on something during the summer instead? July or June maybe? I am in St. Louis - pretty much central to everywhere there is a port!

I don't know how serious you all are about it - but I'm off today and would be happy to start looking around! I vote somewhere fabulous like the Virgin Islands! What are we thinking - 5 days? Well, I'm eating a yummy breakfast of string cheese and egg salad - I'm really trying to increase my protein. I do well eating healthy (Jenny Craig), but I lack on the protein end. So, this week at JC I'm going to do just the breakfasts and some lunches, and the rest on my own. I'd like to eat the breakfasts for dinner and my protein early on. Alright - time to finish breakfast and head to my exam! Cross your fingers for me! I'll check back when I get home and see what the general consensus is for where to cruise to! UPDATE: This is a cruise I found on vacationstogo.com: ARRIVE DEPART MonAug3Galveston, TX 4:00pmTueAug4At SeaWedAug5Merida (Progreso), Mexico 7:00am3:00pmThuAug6Cozumel, Mexico 8:00am4:00pmFriAug7At SeaSatAug8Galveston, TX 8:00am

Hey all! I should be sleeping - I have a huge certification exam in 9 hours, but I can't sleep! Life has been very stressful lately - lots of boy issues, etc, etc, etc. Anyway. I didn't check in after my JC appointment, but the verdict was - 235.8, just like my home scale. I thought about it after I left and remember I weighed naked before I went, so my tee and shorts probably made up the extra .8 of an pound. Now that I'm consistantly losing, I've decided my long term goal is to hit my goal of 160 by Valentine's Day. Yes, I know that's in 6 months, but I think it'll give me good motivation to keep on moving. If I'm honest with myself, I'd LOVE to be 140 in the end, but I'm afraid if I drop that low, I'll have to deal with the extra skin. I got down to 218 last year, and I didn't notice skin, so I don't have to stress quite yet, but I've always been overweight and I do have a lot of stretch marks, so I know the skin there is damaged pretty badly. But, hopefully my age and genetics and good skin care will make a difference and it won't be there? Any thoughts, anyone? I went to the Gyn today and we talked about my girls...one has always been smaller than the other, but now that I'm losing weight, I think she's shrinking at a more alarming rate. I asked the MD if she thought that it would continue that way and she basically said that there is no way to tell, but the option of having an enhancement on one of them is always there. I say...hell, if I get one done, I may as well get 'em both done! I already started a PS fund, just in case. If I don't need it when I'm done, I'll just take my lump sum and pay a good portion of my surgery, seeing that I'll be paying on that for five years! This week my goal is to step up my workouts from 30 minutes 5/week to 30 minutes 3 days this week and 60 minutes two days. Today I jogged/walked in place during an entire episode of Lost (40 minutes) and did toning exercises for 25 minutes. I'm really busting butt on the toning. I can actually feel the muscles a little bit under my chubb now! :cursing: Now if I could just LOSE the chubb! hahaha Alright ladies - I vote for a cruise next August! And you can take this now and remember it: NURSE WILL ROCK A BIKINI ON THE CRUISE. So it's up to you all to keep my exercisin' self in line so I can meet my goal of losing 15 lbs this month. (10 is my usual goal, but I'm already at 10.8 this month with 10 days to go, and I was at 235.4 this morning!)

Thanks! It's so freaking cute - too bad there's no one to check it out! hahaha I about died - I wear a size 20-22 jeans, why a 14 fit is beyond me, but I tell you, I'm not complaining! :tongue2: I'm hoping that being young and firm will help me with the extra skin after surgery issue. I really REALLY want a cute body when I'm done - what's the point of being skinny and healthy in your twenties if you don't have good toning?? RIght now I'm really focusing on toning, so hopefully I won't have to worry about it. Tomorrow at JC I'm going to ahve them take my measurements so I'll have something to compare it to. I do love working nights, but it's hard when I'm sick! That makes the 12 hours seem sooo sooo long. Usually I work Sat-day, Sun-day, Mon-night, but this week I switched with someone and did three nights in a row. I do love my job though! :cool2:

Hello all! :cool2: A weekend away? So, I'm not a mommy, but I enjoy tropical wonderful-ness too! I'm in Missouri, so it can't be THAT far! Anyway - tomorrow I go get weighed in at Jenny Craig - I did really well this week, so I'm hoping that the scale moves in the right direction. Okay, so I KNOW it will, considering I'm on my scale multiple times per day. I'm hoping to be about 235.0 according to their scale. (Mine was 235.8 this morning.) I have done SO well with working out this week - every day!!! Tomorrow I'm taking off, but I'm going to a spa to get a body wrap. They help you tighten up the extra skin - so it's not a permanent thing, but man, you feel so good during and afterwards! Plus, I'm dustin' off my singing chops and heading to karaoke tomorrow night with this guy I like - hopefully he'll see my singing prowess and be blown away! :clap: Just as a side note (and more info than you guys probably need to know! haha) but today I was shopping with a friend and I found this fabulous red and black negligee - it was ridiculously sexy...but only in a 14/16. It was on sale from 50 to 20, so of course I bought it, thinking that it would be too tight to wear any time soon, but at least I would have something by the time I lose a few more sizes. WELL... I came home, tried it on and IT LOOKS GREAT!!!!! :tongue2::w00t: Talk about a NSV!

Hi all! :thumbup: I'm also a St Louisan - I was banded in Denver with Dr. Kirshenbaum because BJC's insurance doesn't cover WLS. :wink2: I've lost nearly 20 lbs - I had a rough start, as I wasn't getting any restriction, but boy let me tell you - after I got my second fill, it's been amazing! The weight literally drops off...with my first and second fills, I lost...3 lbs! THREE! But now, I've lost another 14 in the last month, so I'm a happy girl. I'd love to get to know some StL bandsters a little better - because my surgery was so far away, I don't have an actual support group, rather just what's on here. Good luck everyone! :thumbup:

Just checking in - now that I'm actually losing weight,I feel more like a bandster! :thumbup: Before I felt like I just was inching along...but woohoo watch me now! So, tonight I have to work a 12 hour night shift, and I always end up getting off on my eating schedule when it changes nights/days. Tonight I'll be eating my dinner at about 3 a.m., and breakfast in the "morning", lunch around 5 p.m., you get the picture. Tonight is the first of three nights in a row! Yuck! I find now that I am also scale obsessed! I guess I need to step on it at least once a day to keep myself in check. When it's the same weight as the day before, I know I just have to work harder. (My scale goes by .1's) Plus, it's always a little bonus knowing that I'm doing well. Just as an added bonus - I just started doing Yoga Booty Ballet. For anyone who wants to switch up their toning routine - try it! I did it last year and was too out of shape to do it, now I feel like I'm actually doing something good for my body! It kicks my butt though, so I do the first two sections (cardio and yoga/ballet), and then lift weight for extra toning in my arms. I've been struck with a nasty upper respiratory infection/bronchitis this week, so I'm trying to stay off the treadmill, that is, unless I want to fall over dead from an asthma attack! Bea; I hope things start looking up! The good news is that little kids arms' heal faster than older kids. Just make sure you check her fingers and circulation every six hours or so! Off to work, all...wish me luck, I have a feeling it's going to be a crazy night!

Does anyone have Natalie's email address? I had it once, but can't find it!

WOOOO! I am now allowed to post in the 50+ to lose! I used to be in the 100+ . Now I've got about 79-89 lbs to lose, depending on whether I want to be 160 or 150 when I'm done. I've been walking a lot, and am going to start doing Yoga Booty Ballet twice a week for toning. I've been chubby and overweight my entire life, so I'm very worried that I'm going to have loose skin. I've started a cosmetic surgery fund, just in case, for afterwards! :biggrin: Now that I'm at a good spot with my fills, the weight feels like it's falling off. I hit a huge roadblock right after surgery (losing only 3 lbs in 4 months!), but now am down another 11 lbs since July 10th. Hopefully by the end of the week it'll be down 14 lbs. :cool2: Off to work out!

Hey girl, I had the lapband on April 16th, also against the wishes of most of my family. In fact, I wasn't planning on telling them, but my stepmom went and let the proverbial cat out of the bag, and I came home from the hospital amidst nasty phone calls from irate family members. What I've learned in my experience is that it is YOUR life and YOUR decision. I am SO happy that I decided to do it - I'm down 14 lbs (now that I hit my sweet spot! YES!), and am so happy. I am looking forward to the day I fly home (Family is in Pennsylvania, I'm in Missouri) at a size 10-12, and see the looks on their faces. Good luck with everything!

Hello all! Not too long ago I was in the same boat you all are floating in. I was banded on April 16th, 2008, and during my pre-op phase had only lost about 4 lbs. My doctor was disappointed, but after surgery, he said my liver looked excellent and that I must just be a slow loser. Well, after surgery I found out just HOW slow I am! Between the surgery (April 16) and my last fill (July 10th), I lost a grand total of..... 3 lbs. Are you KIDDING me?! I was so discouraged - I was self pay, and will be paying it off for five years, and that was all I had lost?!?!?! Come on now. So, despite the fact that I had a band, and I was eating healthy and walking a lot, I was down less than I could do on my own in four months. Since my band on July 10th, I've lost another 11 lbs. I'm down 14 now, and hoping for 18 by the end of the week. I can't say that it was definatly my fill, but I also just measured out small amounts of food and told myself that was all I can have. (Because you can stretch and shrink that pouch, remember!) I would do everything I could to stretch out my dinner time - getting up and getting something from another room, watching a little television and then coming back to my meal, etc. I just resigned myself to eating over a period of 30-40 minutes (Not easy when you're a busy nurse!), and that I could only eat a little. Now I find that I'm not that hungry, and if I eat too quickly, my stomach feels bloated. I am now eating the Jenny Craig meals, which are great because the sodium is low and they're healthy, as well as I go in once a week for an "official" weigh in, rather than my own scale. It will pass. I promise. This coming from someone who thought, "My gosh, I'm a diet loser, and now I'm a lapband loser?!" *hugs* and good luck! My mantra? Progress, not perfection.

Hello all! Once again, it was weigh in time at Jenny Craig --- and ta-da! I'm at 239.8, down from 243.4 last week. I am SO excited that I've finally hit a sweet spot with my band. My goal this week is to be 236 when I go back - and a goal of saying GOODBYE to the 230's by the end of August. I have my next fill scheduled for September 18th, so hopefully the doctor will be much more impressed this time. :tongue_smilie: Hope all is well with everyone!

Bea - hello! You've made magnificent progress since our band day! I have recently gotten a fill where I feel a difference, and have since lost 11 lbs! Finally! I was beginning to think that I was NEVER going to lose anything! Today, I went to Jenny Craig and weighed in, hoping to have lost 2 lbs, but imagine my suprise when I was down 3! Yay. Good luck with getting moving again - that's a huge hurdle. Take care! :ohmy: