BrandNewLisa

Ewww, I am so with you guys today. I really tried, but my Monday was Purgatory. My other-work-half is on vaca in Florida this week (yes, I hate her life right now), so I was slammed from the moment I walked into work until the moment I left. Let me rephrase, 'the moment I left' means the moment that I walked into my front door and plugged in my laptop, only to continue to work until well after 7pm. I was actually in my gym clothes (I am lucky to have a fully equipped gym at work) when I received an asap order for 12 people, to start tonight. Oh well, there goes fate making sure that I don't get to the gym yet again. I am trying to take solace in the fact that my eating was very much in line today, and I moved around every chance I got. Tomorrow is another day (thanks Scarlett!), so I will change into my gym clothes yet again tomorrow and pray for at least 30 peaceful minutes. Good luck this week ya'll!

aJoneen.......................075 pounds LOST! Bandana......................-2 92 lbs lost BrandNewLisa..........-1 80 pounds LOST forever!!! evelas5000................-2 Desdemona.................0 Fenton.........................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! HarleyGirl..................-2 80 pounds LOST! Hopeinapril................0 Lynnt1215...................+ 2 UGH!!! NurseNiki...................0 Nycm00.......................0 Potatie.........................0 100 POUNDS LOST!! Scrappy_Friend..... 0 150 POUNDS LOST!!!! SpecialK......................0 Sugarbean..................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! Sharona......................0 stellabella............... 0 HALFWAY TO GOAL! Tess415......................0 Thin2bme............... 0 WestCoastMom........0 Wishin4......................0 Kpodski............-1 BRATZ98363.......0 Okay, -1 or -2, not quite sure, as my siggy and this format together confuse me, lol. Not sure if I forgot to update my sig or not. Either way, a loss is a loss!

Lol, thanks you two! It was not a particularly inspired food day, salad and chicken is pretty boring (although tasty!). Some days are wayyy more creative.

Quick question all. Does anyone have any experience with Acid Reflux? I have never, and I mean never, had heartburn in my entire life. But after my last fill, I have Acid Reflux with almost every meal. I ate 3/4 of a pack of oatmeal this morning, and it gave me heartburn. Reflux with oatmeal is so not cool. I know that heartburn can be a sign of an overfill, but I have no other symptoms. I can eat a regular amount (3-5 ounces) and I stay full for at least 4 hours at a time. No pb's or sliming. Any advice? I called my surgeons Nurse today to find out what I should do, but I am hoping that you guys might have some pre-emptive advice. Thanks!!!!

Happy Belated Cathy! Congrats on the trainer Fenton, a good trainer is worth their weight in gold. Use her! Ummm, boobs vs. midline? The girls are so totally not winning that fight right now! Thanks for the drivers license tip! I have had 260 lbs. on my license as long as I can remember, I am actually below that now. Yay for a nsv! Harley, the tat is HAWT! One of my rewards for when I hit goal is to get a cover-up on my shoulder piece. It is about 4 inches high and and two inches wide, and it is black! I need to research this one, but I am excited to get some new ink! And Kathy, I would soooo rather have some 'junk in the trunk' instead of the Linebacker Neveau effect I have going on now, lol. Bottom heavy works in my world.

aJoneen.......................-2 75 pounds LOST! Bandana.........................0 BrandNewLisa............-2 80 pounds LOST forever!!! evelas5000..................0 Desdemona..................0 Fenton........................-1 100 POUNDS LOST !! HarleyGirl................ -6 80 pounds LOST! Hopeinapril................0 Lynn1215.....................0 NurseNiki...................0 Nycm00.......................0 Potatie.........................0 100 POUNDS LOST!! Scrappy_Friend.....-1 150 POUNDS LOST!!!! SpecialK......................0 Sugarbean..................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! Sharona......................0 stellabella...............-.4 HALFWAY TO GOAL! Tess415......................0 Thin2bme...............+ .2 WestCoastMom........0 Wishin4......................0 Kpodski............-4 BRATZ98363.......0 No CLAW for me again! Long life THE FILL!!!!!

Thanks for the challenge Tess, I need all of the motivation that I can get! I fully hoped to be 100 pounds down by the time I hit my Bandiversary, but alas, that dream seems to be lost. But I am dedicated to getting as close as I possibly can, 90 pounds down maybe? I accept the challenge, and will work my butt off to see how close I can get! I posted this question in the weekly weigh in post, but just to make sure that everyone can weigh in (ha) with a response, I will repost it here: Yay to me for avoiding The Claw for yet another week! Quick question tho......is anyone else losing unevenly? I am wearing a 22 shirt, and an 18 pant. I looked at myself in the mirror yesterday, and I looked like a Ms. Potato Head with the wrong parts, lol! Sooo thick on the top, and slender on the bottom. Ugh, the trials never end! Any hints on how to bring my top half in line with my bottom half? I do mostly cardio, but I do try to tone as much as possible, since I am deathly afraid of excess skin. Any advice is appreciated!

aJoneen.......................-1 75 pounds LOST! Bandana......................0 BrandNewLisa............1.3 75 pounds LOST forever!!! evelas5000.................-.5 Desdemona..................0 Fenton........................-3 100 POUNDS LOST !! HarleyGirl.................. -3 75 pounds LOST! Hopeinapril................0 Lynn1215.....................0 NurseNiki...................0 Nycm00.......................0 Potatie.........................0 100 POUNDS LOST!! Scrappy_Friend......-3 150 POUNDS LOST!!!! SpecialK......................-2 Sugarbean..................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! Sharona......................0 stellabella...............-3.4 HALFWAY TO GOAL! Tess415......................0 Thin2bme................- 2 WestCoastMom........0 Wishin4......................0 Kpodski............-5 Yay to me for avoiding The Claw for yet another week! Quick question tho......is anyone else losing unevenly? I am wearing a 22 shirt, and an 18 pant. I looked at myself in the mirror yesterday, and I looked like a Ms. Potato Head with the wrong parts, lol! Sooo thick on the top, and slender on the bottom. Ugh, the trials never end! Any hints on how to bring my top half in line with my bottom half? I do mostly cardio, but I do try to tone as much as possible, since I am deathly afraind of excess skin. Any advice is appreciated!

NSV, I got ignored today! I work as an Onsite Recruiter with my firm, which basically means that I get people work. Which in this economy means that I am contacted by people every second of every day. I was working remotely at my firms office instead of at my client based office today, when a guy came in to register. He is the best friend of one of my best friends, we have known each other for years, but have never been close. I recognized him immediately, and smiled when I saw him. He looked me dead in my face, said "Good morning" and then sat at the testing computer. Ten seconds pass, and he stops typing, and looks at me and says "Oh sh*t, Lisa???". He actually didn't recognize me! One of my coworkers recently told me that if he had known me previously, and hadn't seen me in a year, that he would walk right passed me on a crowded street. I didn't believe him, but evidently he was not lying! Yay for the little things!

Yay Fenton, way to go!!!!!!!!!

You guys are killing me with your speeds on the treadmill! Go Fenton with the 3.5!!! I am at 2.6 for 35 minutes and I thought that I was doing something, lol. I think that part of my problem is that I just can not let go of the rails. Every time I do, I feel myself instantly beginning to fly off the back of my treadmill, into the dryer of course. Visions of grotesquely broken necks start the second that my hands let go! I feel like I am at the point where I can actually jog, and I want to, so badly. My Mom was at the checkout in Walmart a week ago, and realize that she had forgotten lemons. I jogged to the complete opposite end of the store, grabbed lemons, and jogged back without breaking a sweat. I actually made it back before her order was finished being scanned. Didn't even realize I was doing it until I was done! Ok, long story short, do you guys walk without holding on? Do you feel that this what helps you reach higher speeds? If so, how the heck do you do it without vivid visions of your imminent death flashing before your eyes?????

aJoneen.......................-3 BrandNewLisa............-1 evelas5000.................0 Desdemona..................0 Fenton..........................0 HarleyGirl..................0 Hopeinapril................0 Lynn1215.....................0 NurseNiki...................0 Nycm00.......................-3 Yippee Potatie.........................0 100 POUNDS LOST Scrappy_Friend........0 SpecialK......................0 Sugarbean..................0 100 POUNDS LOST Sharona......................0 Tess415......................0 Thin2bme...................0 WestCoastMom........0 Wishin4......................0 No CLAW for me!!!

I so feel you guys on the whole PS thing. I am seeing the skin already, even though I am toning as much as I can. I have to face it, I have been obese most of my life, I don't see much bouncing back after the loss, lol. I am 101 pounds down from my higest weight, and almost 80 pounds down from surgery, and damned if my skin is not feeling the pain! One of my coworkers got her stomach skin removal covered by our insurance, with a very cooperative surgeon. It turns out that the whole skin rubbing rash thing is reason enough to get the surgery covered. I figure that if I can at least get this procedure paid for, I can get my thighs and arms done by living like a pauper for a few years. I am doing it for the band, why not for the skin removal? My arms are the biggest necessity, they are very small in the forearm area, but I have upper arms like plump Christmas hams, I definitely see major batwings in my future!!!!

Cake and ice cream? Gah!! Man how I miss sweats. Type II will throw a chick into withdrawal rather quickly......

God fear the claw!!! I am looking forward to the Friday weigh in, poundage be damned!!!!

Sliming is when you are totally stuck, and can not swallow saliva naturally. If you lean over a sink while sliming, your mouth will drip like a faucet. It is pretty foul. PB=productive burp, you will belch up food and fluids. Almost like vomiting a little with every belch. None of this is pretty, but it means that you have eaten way to fast, to much, or have not chewed your food enough. It happens to the best of us, it has happend to me, but it will pass! There is a learning curve with eating and the band, and we all go through this process. My advice? Walk, even if it is just up and down the steps. If you have it, many people have reported that pineapple juice will help disolve what has stuck. Others have suggested that small sips of warm Water, or hot tea, helps whatever is stuck to pass. Once whatever is stuck passes, think about going light with your food choices for the next day or two, even going to liquids if possible. Getting stuck irritates the band and your pouch, and it is prudent to let your pouch heal and recover. Good luck!

Welcome to Bandster Hell! I was lucky, my surgeon totally prepared me for this, I wish yours had done the same. You probably don't have much, if any restriction at this point. Most bands are only injected with a small amount of saline when they are installed (.5cc-1cc) depending on the surgeon. We have to fight, hard through the liquid and mushy phase. It took sheer power of will for me to not fall off the wagon and eat a cow during my first 6 weeks, and that is pretty common. But please know that this will get better! Once you start getting fills, the band starts to work. It is not easy, but just muscle through until you start getting fills. You will be amazed at the difference. I was also lucky regarding the gas, I had very little of it. But my suggestion is walk, walk, and when you are done, walk some more. According to the people I have talked to in the past, walking will help it pass the quickest. Good luck, and maintain faith in your decision! You did a great thing for yourself, and with a little faith and alot of work, you will see amazing results. Good luck!

Boy, I sure wish I had your dedication Lynn! Exercise is my weakness right now. I try, really get on a roll, and then I get busy for a day or two. Once I miss one day working out, it gets very easy to miss day two. And so on.... What's sad is that once I start working out, I love it! I feel great afterwards. But just getting dressed and actually walking down to the basement to get on the treadmill, man, that is harder than actually working out! I try to talk myself out of it at least 5 different ways. I have yet to understand why. Very nice NSV potatie! I can't wait to buy myself something obnoxiously expensive when I hit goal. Maybe a hot, very expensive pair of stilettos???

Thanks for checking in Amanda, a diagnosis will at least lead to a plan. Plans, I can work with, the unknown, not so much. Still praying for you and yours, I hope all is still well. I feel you Kerri on the whole 'To Fill or Not To Fill', that is the eternal question. I had my last fill 7/31, and have been good for months. But the last 45 days or so, I have noticed that I could eat way more than I should. Way more than I care to admit to you kind folks. But less than 1cc later (last Thursday), I am living in a Band new world. Restriction rules!!!! Have you looked into Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test? I have not used it myself, but I have read great things about its ability to diagose or rectify a streched pouch. Again, this is 3rd party info, I am just hoping that you find something that gets you back on track. Your Doc can also diagnose a streched pouch with a Fluoro... I am also joining the Friday Morning Weigh Crew for an adjustment, lol. They will keep me honest! And besides that, who really wants to deal with the wrath of THE CLAW......

Amanda, thanks for checking in with us, we worry about our own. I am saying a prayer yet again for you and yours, I hope all is as well as it can be. Keep the faith. Fenton, you make me drool more often than not over your food escapades. I live vicariously through you, good or bad, lol. That dinner sounded AMAZING. Courses? I can barely choke down a few ounces right now, lol. You are totally my food wet dream! However, you know where you messed up, you are incredibly intuitive, fix it and move on. On to other things... Ladies and gentleman, we have restriction! I had a fill on Thursday, and I am now at 10.5 in a 14cc band. Boy, I thought I was at restriction before, but man, was I telling stories! I was totally in the dark as to how much I was actually eating, since it was so much less than I could consume pre-band. I can now eat comfortably 2-3 ounces, nothing more. And I have to eat that very slowly, super slowly. Slow to the point that my fam is worried that I am not eating enough. However, I am reveling in it! I am totally ok with eating so little, as I have spent my life eating soooo much. I have dropped 3 pounds this past week, and am officially over 100 pounds lost from my highest weight! Yay meeeeeeee!!! Granted, I am just under 80 punds gone since surgery, but I take my victories where I can get them. I am also less than one percentage point from being merely obese, as opposed to morbidly obese. Let's raise our glasses to being Obese! Obesity, here I come!!!

I had a huge bald spot the size of a silver dollar on the left side of my head. Balder than a baby's azz! It started at maybe 4-5 months after my surgery. I started taking Biotin along with a chewable multi-vitamin, and it has grown back plus some, and my nails look great! It takes maybe 4-6 weeks to kick in, but the Biotin works wonders. Good luck!

I had UHC when I had my surgery in March of 2008. They were painless, for me anyways! I didn't have a full 6 months of dieting history, but I had a long history of high weight, as well as Sleep Apnea and Type II diabetes. Document everything you can, UHC loves paperwork. Good luck! Feel free to ask any other questions that you may have.

k_pod, love the optimism, welcome back! Also, I thought that I was the only one struggling with the same 3 pounds. Up and down, up and down, sheesh!!! Goin for a fill on Thursday, let's hope there is a change.

k_pod, I am really sorry that you are in a dark place. We have all been there, and I am really glad that you turned to us. I know that it is easier said than done, but it is time to let the past be the past. Everyday is the first day of the rest of your life. Wake up tomorrow, decide that you are a Bandster, and then live the life. What is already done, is already done, period. Look at how you can move forward, no matter how small the step. Walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes. Turn down one snack, one sweet. Just remember that you started this journey for a reason, but also remember that you are human. To err is inherently human, just accept your frailty, and figure out a way to make it change. I say this all not from on high, but from familiarity with being low, just like you. I live so much of my life there, that I want you to rise above it! As much for you, as for all of us. You can do this! Keep the faith, remember and turn to us, and know that we are here to catch you when you fall. Good luck!