Devana

I hope that people look outside the box and consider for just a moment that the photo may not actually be what a media group is implying that it is. Question everything!

I get a pedicure occasionally. I always intend to have them more often but not knowing ahead of time when I'm going to have the time makes it not often enough. I get out for lunch and coffee with my girlfriends whenever I can. I play in a women's marimba group once a week. I drive the long way to work, through the little windy roads. It adds only about 5 minutes onto my trip and it's worth it. I listen to my favourite music REALLY LOUD on headphones. I get out on my little sailboat if I happen to be home when the tide is high enough. I feel so happy on boats.

I would like to see a film of this event. Knowing the manipulations of the media, it would not surprise me if it was just the beginning of the anthem or just the end and he either put his hand up a second after the others or put it down a second before. And if indeed he stood there like that the whole time, are you seriously making those assumptions about his intelligence and motives? Could there possibly be other reasons than those you stated? My hope is that more and more people question what they're fed by media interests.

Nice to see you back Vines. Looking forward to hearing all about your surgery.

BJean, I talked to my BIL and he told me he found it online. It's Buckthorn soap, not cottonthorn. I looked it up and there are several sources. Expensive for soap... One of the aging things I hate is that I've got little age spots on my hands. I'm thinking of having them blasted away with a laser or something.

Melissa Lea, that's the kind of logic that makes total sense to me!! Leila, you were a goddess then and you're a goddess now. Good to hear from you again.

I was watching a documentary on three people who had lost substantial amounts of weight and managed to keep it off for a couple of years. It was stated in the show that only about 4% of obese people who lose weight manage to keep it off. I had this realization that I would never be in that 4%, that no matter how much I lost that I would always regain. That's when I began to research the band.

OK, you guys are good. Now can anyone help me with this, it's been driving me nuts for years. I heard this in the early 80's and I remember it as being kind of bluegrass-y and the line I remember is "You've got to praise the Lord when you see them flying saucers, it could be the coming of the judgement day". Ring a bell with anyone?

Mark, sounds like you were a young hipbone way back when. I'm the same age as you and I can remember a period of shoelessness in my teenage years, you know, the sweet hippie-chick waif look, or so I perceived myself. It took stepping in dog shit a couple of times to get me back into sandals.

Devon, dang, that's too bad about your slippage. I'm glad you're getting the band again. About Dr Greene, why don't you try asking in the doctors and hospitals threads, I'll bet there's someone who has had him. All the best.

I haven't given up my almost nightly glass of wine, but in the same way that I switched to tiny plates bowls and cutlery, I just got myself a tiny wineglass. I realize that it's empty calories and I am indeed a slow loser, but I feel a fair bit of stress with major lifestyle alterations. Just having the band and being careful about how I eat is enough for me to deal with without eliminating all my comforts.

I, too have an impressive schnozz, which I have learned to live with. It's funny, I find large noses on men somewhat attractive. I dunno, must be a phallic thing or something....... As for rosacea, there's some evidence that it's sometimes caused by a tiny parasite that lives in skin pores. This is why antibiotics may clear up a secondary infection but it usually returns because the little buggers are still there. There's a soap, Cottonthorn or Buckthorn, something like that, that works on killing the parasites. I told my BIL about this a few years ago, he used the soap and was cured. It's worth a try.

Welcome to LBT, buzimom. You may want to check out the threads in the "US local support" threads for someone in your area. I'll bet you'll find the information you need there. Good luck with it all.

Hi Bente and welcome to LBT. There are a lot of us who had to pay for our bands. And there are lots of ways people have managed it. I took out a new low interest credit card and had my surgery done in Mexico. It took me a year to pay it off butt I still consider it to be the best money spent. Good luck with your plans.

Welcome, anita. Have you decided to get banded for sure? Hope all goes well with your dr visit.

Hi there ladyd, congratulations on your banding and welcome to LBT. You may want to check out the UK threads to find local bandsters. Also, there is a lot of support on this site. Check out the July bandster threads or even the August bandsters and hang out with them. All the best to you on your journey!

My buddy Jane and I were banded at the same time in Mexico a year ago. She had a low BMI and mine was high. She has been at her goal weight for a few months and is now concentrating on toning and fitness. She has told me on several occasions that it was the best $7000 she ever spent and doesn't regret it for one minute. As for myself, my loss has been much slower, and I've been frustrated by a several month long plateau which I'm slowly coming off of. I believe this is totally my own doing, in that I've not been carefully following the "bandster rules". However, the interesting thing is, is that during this time I haven't gained, and in my past life if I wasn't actively dieting, I was gaining. So I, too, have no regrets. My weight loss so far has made a tremendous difference in my activities and ability to do things and I know that eventually I'll reach my goal. All the best on your journey.

Hi there, Anu, welcome to LBT and congratulations on your banding! I know there's a fill centre in northern Washington State because I was considering using it. (I'm using someone here in BC instead.) You may want to check our the "Fills" section as well as the Washington threads in the "US Local Band Support" section. If I find the name of this place I'll let you know.

Welcome to LBT. Congratulations on your decision. It sounds like this may be the beginning of a good turn in your life. It's great that your GP is supportive, I'll keep my fingers crossed for your insurance company to come around.

Hi Ruth. I'm kind of in the same boat as you, I lost a lot at first but not much in the last few months. I'm beginning to follow everyone's advice when they stall: go back to the bandster rules and as well start counting calories on FitDay. It can't help but get me back on track. Come on and join us on the over 50's thread if you feel like it. We're not the only ones going through this!

Welcome to you both. My bandster buddy and I were both done a year ago. She had a low BMI and has transformed her life this past year. She has been at her goal weight for a couple months now and it getting fitter all the time. She says that it is the best money she ever spent. So all the best in your choices. Getting banded just may be a new lease on life for you.

You're welcome! Let us know how you're doing.

You're ever so welcome. Let us know what you decide.

Hi Jan, welcome to LBT and congratulations on your banding. Some people on this site have reached their goal weight without any fills and others have required many to reach that "sweet spot". And for many of us, we feel fluctuating tightness throughout the day or month. I read somewhere on another band site that having a skilled fill doctor is as important as the band placement. You can work carefully with your surgeon to get it working. I have had 5 fills and feel I still haven't reached as much restriction as I like. My surgeon told me that if I go for two weeks with no weight loss that it's time for a fill. I think that's a good plan in general, however, I do know that it's entirely possible to not lose weight or even gain it if the "bandster rules" aren't followed. What a lot of bandsters do when they're not losing is to go over the rules again and make sure they're following them, as well as counting their calorie intake per day with help from sites like FitDay. Don't lose heart. It's early days yet.

Welcome, good luck with your surgery and let us know how it went.