jcbydesign

Hi, I started Curves 30 days ago on a promotion and then just the other day actually joined on the Smart Machines. I really loved the first 30 visits and had much more energy. I'd love to hear from others who have been going longer.

Does anyone know if an overfill can cause you to cough? I have been coughing for a couple of months and the doc says I do not have an infection and I am not asthmatic or have allergies...so I was wondering if by band could be causing it? Anyone else experienced coughing??? Thanks Janey

Just checking in after waaaay too long. I am so glad to hear about how most of you are doing really well and that the rest are getting in there are handling their problems! Speaking of problems, I've had some of my own. You might remember how I was having bleeding problems and got put on hormones that caused weight gain. Well, finally had surgery to correct that problem (yea!) but I am 14 pounds heavier and ready to get back on track. It's very hard to get my 'head wants to eat even if I am not hungry' under control. I've decided to return to the beginning...just doing Protein drinks for a couple days and then gradually add back the protein. I found it was too easy to let my hormone hell take control and I'd find myself buying ice cream or 'just eat a little'...all day long. Now that I have confessed :thumbup: I feel much better and will be checking in to keep myself in line. Janey

Please don't give up! I think that your plan to have the whole family eating healther is a great idea. It seems that sometimes it's too little or too much...you need to have a long talk with your surgeon to plan on taking tiny fills, perhaps every two weeks, to sneak up on your perfect fill. I know that I don't have any phyical warning symptoms to let me know I am getting too full so I have to measure (roughly) out what I know I can eat and stick to that. I have also learned that I absolutely have to eat slower than I thought I needed to and take much smaller bites. I had such a tough time before I had the unfill with all the golf balls, PBing and such, so I truly understand what you are going through. Stick with it and keep coming back here so we can support you! BIG HUGS,

Me, too...I am a walking advertisment for the band and think it's so much safer. We are ALL living proof that there is a way to healthier and happier lives.

OK! Fourth of July Challenge it is! Everybody jump on board with us....

We all did so well when we had weight loss challenges...shall we do another one? Open for suggestions! :director:

Hi guys! I am so glad I found you again. This is a very exciting month for us all. I have had some troubles...my band was too tight...I didn't quite 'get it' and was sliming, vomiting a lot and lots of golf balls. So, did I go in right away? Nope...was a dummy I was. I gained eight pounds due to eating less and less dense foods and finally when I ended up buying light ice cream...I realized I was in trouble. I had .5cc unfill from my 2.5cc's on Monday. I sure do feel better already. The doc wants me back to eating fish by Friday and today I ate a crab cake with no problems. Hurray! I am so glad I am back on track before my 23rd bandaversary date. I've lost a total of 55lbs since the surgery and hopefully will re-lose the eight pounds and then on to goal from there! Congratulations to us all for our weight losses. We have to remember that we are making changes for life and not let the bumps in the road stop us from that. I want us all to be bragging about how we've reached and maintained our goal on our two year bandaversary.

I tried this recipe because it's Thomas Keller's. There's a reason Keller is the number one chef in America. This is the most basic recipe in the world, yet his techniques make all the difference. By far, the best roast chicken I've ever had. I'm so sold on this recipe and so is everyone I've make it for. You've simply got to try this as the breast meat is so moist that I could eat it with no problems. Make sure you do it EXACTLY as per the instructions. Dry the chicken and then dry some more, inside and out. You won't be disappointed. I added the thyme to the cavity of the chicken and didn't baste it with juices as it was so moist it didn't need it. Thomas Keller's recipe and commentary: One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional) Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better. Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird. Now, salt the chicken — I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper. Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone — I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board. Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip — until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the midddle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.

Think about this seriously. If you have the RNY you won't be able to simply take it out if you have similar problems. I can't tell you what to do but I know too many people who have serious problems with the RNY...which doesn't mean you would. Now, isn't that helpful?

What did the doc say about the protein levels? :phanvan Could there be a physical reason for your throwing too much protein? It could be that your body is getting enough protein in (which seems likely) but not able to process it properly? I'm having the same problem but with calcium...and will be finding out what all the tests mean in a couple of weeks. Please follow up on this so we don't have to worry!

Finally! I've broken the 50's pleateau! 149.5 whoo hoooooo! Isn't it amazing how 1/2 pound can make you feel on cloud nine? I've been riding the 50's yoyo for almost three months! Have a losin' good day!!!

Nope, don't give it a thought. Plenty of us out here who have had the band and are doing really well. I was 58, had the surgery May 23, '06, have lost 77 pounds and have about ten to go. I feel great and when I saw the pic of me that the surgeon took just before surgery I almost didn't recognize me. Talk about a shock!

I'd stand pat and ask him to do the repair when he does the lapband. Just because he is very experienced doesn't mean they don't have their prejudices. I'd ask him why, with all the post op problems of the RNY patients, he'd want you to have that drastic a surgery in place of the lap band when he has to do the hernia repair anyway, no matter which WLS procedure he does?

Woooowoooowoooo....good going! :clap2: Isn't it great busting into onederland! It's been so rainy here...I am jealous of your nice warm mexican winter.

I forgot to ask...are we doing another weight loss challenge? How about going to May first - May Day? May Day Magic? May Day Miracle? May Day Madness? Let's find a cute name for our challenge! I need a shared goal! Janey

Sounds like you are having a blast! Can't wait to see some pics. I also got another fill and am now at 2.5! I hope I start to lose some more weight...I've been stuck in the 150's for a while now! I can't believe that we are at or almost at the nine month mark! Wow wow wow....and we've all done so well. Yep, ups and downs at times, but just think about what we looked like nine months ago...not to mention how we felt! We can actually move our bodies without pain and lack of breath. When I was at the doc's last week I saw my 'first day' photo...and was shocked! Did I ever look like that? Could I have been that big? I almost couldn't believe it but there was that darn photo....at least I had a cute hair cut on my pea head. LOL! Now I have to take a deep breath and 'know' that I can make my final goal! Janey

Great to have you post. You lost a LOT of weight since may....that's really great. PB's are horrid...and the few I've had have all been my own fault...eating too fast or not chewing enough. :nervous Keep coming back...

I hope this is the last fill I'll need to get to goal. (I'm at 2.5) The doc told me today that he wants me to get down to 131! That's six pounds more than I estimated...sigh. But I am not changing my ticker because I want to get to 137 and then re-evaluate what I look like. He reassured me that my hair loss will stop once I've lost my weight and stablized...and that he's never had a patient go bald! Don't know if that waas reassuring or not...

That is so fantastic....I know I was in heaven when I finally reached the onederlands for good! :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

I didn't make the 'I have a dream' challenge...for me it was just a dream. :phanvan My weight just kept yoyo-ing. But on to the next challenge and I used January 15th as my start date. I have a very bad chest cold and feel like a used rug...but my weight has started coming off again so not all bad. Glad everyone else is doing so well. :clap2: Hugs, Janey

Well, I am missing this one by a mile. :eek: But the weight seems to have started moving again so I am encouraged for the Valentines day challenge. Do we start that one on the 16th? Are we choosing our own weight loss amount? If not, what is it this time??? I'd like to know and get myself all psychologically prepared. I have 15.5 lbs to go till goal weight and it's going soooooo slow. :phanvan Plus I am having some tummy issues...sometimes I can eat a lot and sometimes practically nothing before I am PBing. I don't get any warning...and wham, pressure, burning and yucky stuff and OCC. vomiting. Any suggestions on what to ask the doc when I see him in a couple of weeks? Any suggestions on how to handle this? Glad the rest of you are doing so well! AND looking so good, too. Janey

Glad to hear everyone is doing so well. I've been on a plateau and was very worried that I was going to be still stuck at the end of our 'I have a dream' goal...but I finally lost two pounds! My hair is still falling out by the handfulls...and now I can really tell how thin it's gotten. Gulp! :hurtI just had some blood tests so hopefully I am not anemic or anything and that it's just the hair loss from the surgery and weight loss. Keep up all the good work 'cause I am proud of you all! :hug:

I know this must have been discussed a miillion times but I need some advice and reassurance...big time! Once your hair starts falling out: 1) How long does this last? 2) How much do you generally loose? 3) When does it start to grow back? 4) Is there anything to do? Use? Not do or use? Anything to help to stop it and start it re-growing? 5) Is there anything to take or eat to help? Such as amounts of Protein to increase to or types of Vitamins or minerals to increase? Where's the big hairy shedding dog hiding? Oh, no, that's ME! Thanks from the the gal who wanted to be thinner, everywhere, BUT her hair! :think

It's odd that you brought this up because I was just having the same experiences everyone else seems to be having, too. That misses section is almost scary...and I still feel like people are looking at me and wondering what that fat lady is doing here! Then it's another shock to actually be thinking 'this will never fit' and it does! I am in a bit of a stall...haven't lost an ounce (well not true, I've lost the same pound a couple of times now) since we started the 'I have a dream'. Now my dream is to get off this plateau and get moving down again. I think my body isn't used to the carbs I've added to my diet. So, it's no more added carbs for me for a week to see if that's the culprit. Glad everyone is doing well and that we all seem to be in the same places... Happy Christmas shopping everyone...and don't forget to buy yourself a new 'smaller sized' special outfit.