CapitolChick

I weigh myself almost every day. HOWEVER, I do not recommend this for people who may get into a addiction/cycle. The scale does not define me. I sometimes forgot to weigh in and don't have the compusion re-weigh.

Way to go!!!! In regards to the diary thing.. I think so. I had made it to a comfortable wt when I was in my early 20's and did the diary tracking - boy did it help. I would honestly believe I had barely eat'n anything and yet was already pass my caloric intack. Or better yet, my brain would like purposely forget that I did eat half a donut etc. and so since I 'forgot' I wouldn't count it..

Are you covered under FMLA U.S. Department of Labor - Employment Standards Administration (ESA) - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Family and Medical Leave Act I have used this many times --at differant employers. But with new jobs it is scary to have to tell your employer. I had my surg on a Friday and then went back to work not that following Monday but the next. I did the same thing for my gallbladder surgery I just had and I am fine..but everyone is different.

:w00t: So we just wear the boots right? LOL (thanks for clearing up this mystery for me!!)

I love reading stories like yours! Congatulations on your success!!:hurray:

At first my insurance would only cover GB-RNY. I was desperate and almost did it. I knew the whole time that if I did the GB there was never ever any turning back. I cried a lot b/c I really did not want to do it..but again I was desperate. I even subscribed to this site and bought a bunch of products I would have to eat/drink for the rest of my life! OMG, after 'walking in their' shoes and literally trying to NOT eat any sugar -- I could not do it!! http://beforeandafterhelp.com/ After much soul searching realized that paying the 17K out of pocket was really the only choice I could live with. The things I could not reconcile with the GB was: What if I got cancer and had to go thru chemo - At least with the band I could unfill it, take all the meds and eat all the high calorie good I could get down. You can not do that with GB. what if...I wanted more babies... you never know what life has in store for us. You have to go dang near sugar free for the rest of your life.. Every single GB patient I know personally, has had to wack off their hair they look like chemo patients or their hair is so frizzy thin it is awful. It is not reversible unless you are willing to pay thousands and find a surgeon who will do it. I cried when I saw you tube videos of RNY patients with regrets (everything from complete mal nutrition to seizures. ..anyway those are the main reasons I chose the LB...it is a personal decision you will have to make.

What the heck are hooker boots!!!!!! Sounds kinda kinky - I wanna pair!!! (seriously, are they red or something?)

1: I AM SOOOOOOOOO (did you get that?) having a myspace page with tons of pictures of the new skinney me, my family and friends!! 2: Wear my super hot size 8-9 varsity cheerleading outfit for Halloween and go to a party!:tt2: 3: Wear some hot jean shorts at work. I have more.. 4: Take up running or cycling. 5: Learn to fly a small engine plane - maybe even buy one. (seriously!)

Hey! who let the smart hot guy on the boards!! LOL:tongue2: ~keep blogging, we can all relate!:tt2:

That is a clever game! I love drinking Water and man have I fallen off the horse since getting my band. I used to drink 64 oz a day easy. Now I have to really work at it. Thanks for the idea!:sneaky:

Hi Julie, I have ups and downs just like you are describing. It will passs. One thing I have noticed is: If I can have just 1 day where I am 'back in the saddle' persay for some reason it gives me soo much hope and I get excited again. So if I fall off the wagon I try to, pick a day were I drink all my Water, eat within my points (I am doing Weight Watchers) and walk at least 20 minutes. Generally I lose .25 or .5 pounds and that gets me all jazzed up to keep going again and before I know it, I am off the pity party.:sneaky: Also, Because photos or window reflections upset me, I avoid EVERYTHING. It is just such a hard thing while I am 'loosing'. I do look in the mirror and make sure I try to think only good thoughts about my progress and that seems to help. Keep up the great work chicky!

To gain money by deception will cost you more than not having the money to begin with. Contact BodyBug - tell then you were contacted by this 'acai wt loss thing' and although you turned them down, it got you thining - pitch yourself. Tell them that you had an idea for being a 'before and after' spokes person for them. Your are smart cookie, figure out how to work it were you sell your success and get paid for it.:sneaky: Or, write a book. eBook it and charge for downloads. What you have done IS an inpiration.

Sory to hear your ill. I have not had the flu while banded. But my nurse said she did last year and the policy at my doctors office is: call them right away. They will schedule you off hours, have a spouse drive you and they will unfill you immediately. After you have recovered, they will refill you. Hope you feel better soon!

Wow it is very interesting to read everyone's response. I can totally relate. I have worked at differant places over the last 5 years and at each place, if I was 'dieting' or whatever the response is varied. Some would ask you every five seconds how much you lost or what are you eating--blah blah.. Right now where I work, I have noticed an interesting thing: When I eat a very little and far more healthy, my co-workers who are all smaller than me are pounding down french fries, burgers and soda. I see them kind of be a little embarrassed about the type of food they are eating and the volume!! LOL (I would rather have this situation then the former) No one where I work is snotty about the eating thing. Any catty-ness would come from a couple gals who are just your typical cats. But luckily those gals 'diet' and closet eat - so they don't have the guts to say anything to me.:tt2:

Yah, it happened to me too. I have lost over 55 lbs and my bad cholesterol only went down like 4 points. So now I am taking a prescription medication (no side effects which is great!). I will go back into get my blood work done the end of march 09. I also just had my gallbladder out last week and there is a correlation between high cholesterol and a gummed up GB. Then there is the genetics - both my thin father and heavy mother have had struggles with their cholesterol levels at different times in their life. It sucks tho. :tt2: I had hoped my cholesterol would improve after losing the wt. But I do have more to lose, so it may take longer for me to see results.

I am so glad I am not alone on this one! I have been doing the WW points since about the 3rd month in. I was losing wt with the band only, but felt really unsure how to 'eat' healthy with the band. I would eat too many calories or not enough etc. I HATE HATE HATE being stuck so I am NOT getting another fill for a long while if ever. I was getting stuck if the wind blew the wrong way! So I was heading down the: "slider food, wt gain slope" It was all too much.:tt2: So for me, doing WW points and having the band is working great! Now, I know what I need to 'target' to be eating healthy and so it makes things more manageable. I do the same thing Kathi does (Kastoner) --I have like 3 pts calculators so I have them all set to the lowest range (about 20pts per day) and use my flex points each week <=35. I walk about 20 minutes, 5 days wk. The choose to eat like this: 1st Protein, then add a vege. Then have a Calcium and fruit and last I do a carb. That is about it. So far so good! If I am hungry I eat more. If not then, I have to deal with head hunger. But the biggest motivator is loosing just that little bit nearly every day--by the end of the week I am down 1-2 pounds.:tt2:

Here are my favs. I eat cheese, but when I get the items below I remove extra calories/fat, like extra cheese or white flour items in order to try to eat reasonably so I can have a steady wt loss. Some of the following may be in my area only (western Washington) Wendy’s: Value meals, order chili and sour cream baked potato (no cheese) scoop the chili onto the potato and enjoy. The SC is FF and to the cost here is: 2.80 with tax. McDonalds: 1 grilled chicken chipotle snack wrap (no cheese) – I eat the meat and chuck the tortilla. (cost is under $2) Panda Express: If I show my surgery card they let me order a kids meal, I don’t like rice so I get the noodles and an entrée (nutritional is here) – My fav is the orange chicken or the new bejing beef http://www.pandaexpress.com/menu/nutrition.aspx -. I eat half of the kids meal and save half. Skippers: Clam chowder (<$4) Taco Time: white chilli, crispy shelled chicken taco (from their light menu) Taco Bell: pintos and cheese, hold the cheese .99 cents, cina twists .89 cents Starbucks: Tall, quad, sugar free vanilla, nonfat carmel machiatto Baskin Robbins: $1 scoop Tuesday – any healthy choice Panera Bread: Soup and ½ sandwich (kinda pricey tho) Burger King: Light Minute Maid, apples, and grilled chicken (again I toss the bun)

Thank you for sharing your story. There is so much you posted that I can related to. You are a real inspiration and a five star bandster::star::scared2::star::crying:

Based on what you posted..the things I would change if I were you are: 1) eat more Protein, cut the out the baked potato and continue to eat your veges. 2) Do not drink fluids when eating and since you have not lost anything, you should wait at least 45 minutes before drinking anything. 3) Make a list of all your slider foods and calorie rich items you are consuming and get rid of 'em. If you don't know what 'sliders' are you..search the forum. They are real sabotagers! 4) Are you moving? Exercising? 5) And yes, you have to work the band. It is a tool, but won't make you lose weight without your committment. 6) Ask your doc, if he thinks a fill would be a good thing for you. Good Luck!

I totally agree lellow with the pizza thing.. same thing happened to me..it WAS SO weird considering pre-banding I could eat a whole pizza hut pizza myself!!:thumbdown:

I attended this seminar before I got my band and one of the nurses for my doctor got up to speak and talked about how she and other band patients find that 'their relationship' with food chances after getting the band. I have to tell you I thought she was on crack LOL. I'm sittin'n in this seminar after having the same 'relationship' with food I have always had for 34 years and thinking to myself: "Yah right. What does she know. Just cause it happened to her..I LOVE food. Is she freaking insane?!" :thumbdown: But..then it has happened to me.. my relationship with food has changed ..so will yours.. you begin to live in a differant way..food becomes part of it, but suddenly pizza and spagetti and bread aren't your priority...each day I am amazed at how weird it all feels.

Sounds like you have made up your mind. I hear the desperation in your writing. You have not responded to anyones suggestion about the mental health part of this equation. Is it possible that you are also suffering from significant depression and anxiety - that is not a result of your weight? Meaning, it will be there regardless of which sugery you choose and how much wt you loose. Just a thought. Good Luck with your endeavor!

sometimes doctors - for all their worth, don't think before they tell their patients the same 'ol mantras. :confused: My personal opinion is: it is easier for them to tell us not eat or drink certain things than actually having to deal with any variations in patient progress/care. It is all about moderation: 1) don't drink a bunch of coffee, get all jazzed up and eat more junk, not drink water or have your blood sugar spike and fall.. 2) Don't go get an over sugared over fatted 6 shot venti starbucks drink, then wonder why you aren't loosing any wt. 3) Don't use coffee as a substitute for eating right - the appetite supression will not last long term. 4) If you have ulcers or stomache issue or HB- use you head. Coffee may not be the best idea. Coffee will not erode your band. Unless the doctor put your band on the inside of your stomache, in which case you have bigger problems than the topic in which we are discussing.:sneaky:

I find people's true colors come out blazing. Truly kind people that either I am friends with or who I work with, are supportive and excited for me. Others, who I tried to be friends or work with - only "liked" me when I was near 300lbs because it made them feel better about themselves and their own issues. I always knew people could be like this, but when it actually happened to me. I have to say I am a little taken back and it kind of makes me pissed (and makes we want to try harder and to get to my goal wt). In a way I look at these women who are so catty and see how ugly they are. If you have ever seen the movie - Shallow Hal.. that is what is happending to me when I look at these former "friends".