ohpuhleez

You've gotta let it go. Seriously. Do NOT let anyone take these accomplishments away from you. And in truth? There is something to be said for silent strength in your own achievements. Be strong in yourself and your actions. Their weight loss does not diminish your own. Their achievements do not mean you haven't achieved anything yourself. Lose it fast, lose it slow - just lose it :hurray:. And feel good in your own skin, please - CLAIM IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU know how great you feel - don't let others have that power, don't hand it over to them :hurray:!!

Congrats to all - even JUST 1.75 lbs is great! And look, why not a little of everything in moderation. Eat a big salad with lots of protein for dinner so you're good and full. Then, if you want a few cheetos, or a little ice cream or something sweet, have it. I guarantee you won't even be able to eat half the amount you used to. The whole point of this amazing tool is to be normal, and normal is grey area. Not bingeing but not starving. Not eating no sweets but not eating only sweets. This is what normal people who don't have food issues/addiction do habitually, but we bandsters can only do with the band in place. I'm due for my period soon and even being slightly too full, finding myself ravenous. Well of course, in talking to my non-food addicted friends, I realized they are like that too. Only difference is I used to be like that 24/7, and now it's just at period time. Wow. Normal. Crazy concept! So follow the band rules and get nice and full. Give it some time and if you still have the sweet or salty craving, have a little. That's NORMAL !

Ditto! Also, talk to your doctor if you can about other plateau tips! Stick with it!!

Thanks all :-) Yeah I wrote him a letter and cc'd the doc who suggested him so he would know why I'm taking my business elsewhere. Thankfully my main GP is awesome - so supportive and lovely and encouraging! This guy - why should he give a crap how I do it as long as I do it!? What an asshat! Meanwhile - I have about an extra 5 hours in my day now that I no longer think about food, plan my day around secret binges, and eat three small meals a day. So hubby bought me a bike for the holidays! I love it - been doing about 5 miles a day. And in April I'm going to start training for the Avon breast cancer marathon. It will be my second time doing it (2007 was the first but didn't in 2008 due to surgery). Can't wait to see what it's like with about 50 fewer lbs on my body :-)!

So sorry it's been forever since writing. Been reading everyone's updates and am constantly amazed at this process! WTG everyone !! I was banded 9/6/08 and just hit the 50 lb mark - started at 240 and now 190. Aiming for 130, give or take. My apnea and snoring are gone, tho I'm dealing with a real jerk of a cardiologist who thinks if people applied their passion for the band to traditional dieting then they wouldn't need surgery. To say I was furious would be an understatement. Does he seriously think there is anything I haven't tried??! Ugh - the closed minds!! Ah well - onward and downward !

while I really love him, reaching his support staff to schedule a fill is IMPOSSIBLE! Just met with him for the first time on Wednesday, and I'm really glad I've decided to go with him for local followup. (I had the surgery at NYU in September, but am based in LA). Cuneen took me on as a patient, and he's great. I'm down 42 lbs. since surgery in September and feel great, but haven't found my band "sweet spot" yet. I've now left three messages for the group that schedules the fills, and not one call back! They say they will call you back within 24 hours, so I waited 24 hours after the first call. Nothing. Left a second message and waited 24 hours. Nothing. Left another message today. I am SO discouraged by this - what's the point of working so hard if you can't get the medical staff to work with you?? This was one of the reasons I wanted to find a local doctor, and now once again I feel completely let down. I won't, of course, let this get in the way of my success, but it will be very hard to HAVE success if I don't stay on top of my fills. Anyone else have this problem with Cedars?

Good morning all! Great reading everyone's posts. Teri, not sure which anti-depressant you are on, but I've been on Prozac on and off for years for serious bouts of depression. Well, I've been off it since prior to surgery due to concern with it getting stuck in my band (how do you get those vitamins down - any tips??). I met with my psychiatrist yesterday, who is my prescribing doctor, and it turns out that Prozac comes in liquid form. You might want to investigate that option, since it won't hurt your stomach and will be released properly via a liquid delivery method. I'm down a few pounds to 203.2 as of this morning - slowly but surely - big smile on my face !

Doritos will not kill you, nor should they quash your motivation or spirit. I didn't even see until now in your sig that you're a single mom of three - that you have even undertaken this effort on behalf of yourself is HERCULEAN!! GOOD ON YOU!! The better you are to yourself the better you will be to and for your kids - kids model what they see, and when they see that mommy takes care of herself, they will know that it is important for them to do the same as they get older. So good for you and that it's good for them is just a nice side effect :Dancing_sorry:!

Hi Dot and Teri - thank you for the welcome. Brave or crazy, I'm not sure. I've got an appointment at Cedars next month and hope to start working with that doc on a regular basis - no more feeling guilty about not going to NY if that doesn't keep happening. Teri - three is a crazy age, isn't it? I have a boy and a girl. How is your son with CP doing? Has that been a food stresser for you? I'm definitely a "stress stuffer"...been working on that. Regardless - kids are a blessing, a miracle and a challenge all rolled up into one constantly fascinating (sometimes difficult) package :Dancing_wub:! I just wish someone had told me that the terrible twos were nothing compared to the "Effing Threes" (as my own dad, who also has twins, puts it!) Okay, about the gas? OH. MY. GOD. Had I been banded prior to my kids' birthday in August I could easily have filled up every single balloon in the place, with some to spare. Gas X chewable helps a bit - mostly I just belch like a fiend! And yes, my kids AND my husband think it's hilarious :Dancing_sorry:!

Hi all - I'm new to this group. A few of you posted on my thread about being frustrated regarding fills, and since I'm September too, "followed" you here :thumbdown:. I was banded by Dr. Ren at NYU. Started liquids 8/23, surgery 9/6, more liquids until 9/18, then mushies 'til 9/28, solids finally started on 9/29. I'm down about 34 lbs. as of today, with another 70 or so to go. I am based in Los Angeles and travel to NY for my followups and fills (first fill was 10/12 to 4.5 ccs; second fill was a couple of days ago, now at 6.2 ccs). The traveling is rough - I have three year old twins, a husband, a job, etc - but I committed to doing it once a month for a year. Problem is that I don't feel like I'm getting the greatest follow up care. Everyone at the office is SO NICE, and yet their investment is minimal. For example, since the beginning I 've been talking about getting a local doc, just in case, and they keep saying they'll give me names. When I finally did get the names this week, I learned they just pulled them from the "find a doctor" link on the lapband.com site - I mean, good lord, I could have done that myself! They could have told me that on the phone 4 weeks ago instead of making me wait another month. So... Frustration abounds, and surprises too - like when I was handed a prescription for phentermine to get me through the "difficult days" before I'm due for a fill. The medication thing left me a little unsettled. I could have popped pills without surgery - to me the whole point of getting banded was to have this tool to use to help me make smart choices and know what it feels like to really feel full. Okay, I'm just rambling here, guess I'm grateful to be technologically surrounded by a group of people who really get it, who've walked in my shoes and know the pain of chronic and obsessive overeating. With so many joyful things in my life, it sometimes amazes me that - at age 41 - this is the one thing I just can't walk away from. I hope that this new tool will help me break free from this addiction...and if anyone is still reading, I'm thankful to you. Looking forward to getting to know you and supporting each of you in your own journey as I make my way in mine! OPL

Glad you posted! Wow, we're really on almost the exact same timeline! I realized today that part of my eating issue stems from boredom - when I'm not really fully engaged, eating becomes my "go to" activity. Today I threw myself into a project (work is slow, and I work from home) around the house...all of a sudden it was 5pm, I forgot to eat lunch, and it was time to get the kids. 3 oz turkey burger and a bite of mashed potatoes and I was done for the night. TINY STEPS :thumbdown:!!

You all rock - thank you for some MUCH needed perspective!! It's so easy to get caught up in all of this, I forget that it's all a process, and that sometimes processes slowdown (or stop) but that doesn't mean things won't get going again. Thank you thank you - and I really hope to be here for all of you have the way you have for me - thanks :thumbdown:.

But plus side (SIDE, not size !!!) Look, you're down 54 lbs - that is an INCREDIBLE achievement!!!!!!!!!! Yes, we're headed out of hell - look, anything has to be better than where we started, right :thumbup:?