Band_Groupie

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LOL, I just blogged about this today. FYI for others reading: Severe reflux, reflux with increased tightness, and new reflux at night are all signs to call your surgeon. Mild reflux is the most common banding side effect and can be treated. Here's my blog link about reflux: 10/21/09 Feel the Burn - LAP-BAND

First...'only'...that's 45 lbs. you'll never see again!! Celebrate! I can't tell you how many blogs and posts I've seen with the same amount written on it with the same problem. I'm there too. I think our bodies just have certain weights they 'like to be' and we all have points where we plateau. As a seasoned former dieter I can tell you the best way to get things moving again is to shake things up with what you're doing...eat a little more for a few days then cut back again (your body will think it's going to get a feast everyday and it will start reving up your metabolism...or cut the calories way back for a few days...go to a low cal liquid diet for a day or two...try a different form of exercise completely, or if you're a gym rat take a break for a few days. Your body just gets used to what you're doing and wants to maintain the status quo...because it's happy with where you are, what your feeding it, and the exercise you're doing...shake things up a bit and see what happens.

WELCOME to LBT! There should be a whole group of people who were banded in Sept. (my April group has almost 400 people). Click the 'Home' page-top left here, then go down to 'LB support groups', then 'Monthly Groups', then '2009', then 'September'. Click HERE for a link. Jump in there or start your own thread. Good luck and congrats on your banding! -BG

CONGRATULATIONS Bander! It's a whole new life for you now! -BG

CONGRATULATIONS Bander! Scooching over on the Loser's Bench to make a spot for you! Keep us posted! -BG

Yep, I think you know that you can't do this on your own. You need the help of someone trained in eating issues to help you through this. If your willpower isn't enough to stick with what you've been told to do then seek some help. Call your docs office and ask for the name of someone who can council you.

Great job!!! -BG

I don't eat a lot of the SF stuff (all those ethyl...aren't great for you), but I'm a chocoholic, so I always have the individually wrapped SF Russell Stover's chocolates in the house. All kinds of insides; peanut butter, carmel, toffee, etc. and they come in dark chocolate as well. I have one most nights after dinner and it gives me a treat to look forward to all day. For me I can't make anything completely off limits or eventually I'm doomed for failure. If I know I'm allowed and I'll be able to have it soon, then I'm good. If you eat more than a little of any of these with the sugar alcohols you'll pay the price...gas and diarrhea (that helps me keep it to one LOL). SF fudcicles & popsicles help me out too. I also agree with the 'the more you have the more you want'. Try cutting sugars out completely for a few days and then see how it goes.

I’ll have to say I’ve paid more attention to the flu this year than any other…well, except the years we’ve gotten it. How can you not pay attention…it’s been on the news for almost a year now. I knew that the Swine/H1N1 flu was going to be worse this fall (because the news told me so), but how much can you really do to ‘prepare’? I’ll have to confess that I’m the one in our family who’s best at the medical stuff…I don’t freak out, but calmly go about treating minor things or running to the ER for major ones… DH…not so good…remember that whole ‘parents that are a doctor & nurse’ syndrome…and remember how he was suddenly ‘having flu like symptoms’ each time I went into labor…yeah, I caught on the third time…strong man, but medical stuff…not so much. Need a patient advocate?…I’m a good one…given time, I find out the right questions to ask, I don’t waste the docs time with things I can find out on my own and I’m an informed Mom who feels better about what’s going on because I know what’s going on…DH…not so much…I had to give him the short list of questions to ask when I woke up from my LB surgery…only because I was afraid I wouldn’t remember talking to them. The one thing that secretly (shhh!) freaks me out a little bit medically…pandemics…I blame it on that movie ‘Outbreak’. Ever since I saw that I’ve been secretly (shhh!) afraid that it’s going to wipe out the human race…and hey…boo-boo’s I can see...I can butterfly and steri-strip a deep cut like a pro (I had a nurse mom too)…but germs…I can’t see those. Now I don’t want to add to the mass-hysteria…I’m not overly freaked about this flu…just aware. DS2 and I both have Asthma…we’ve both had pneumonia…him; several times and me a half dozen. I’ve had some major respiratory incidents; notably a 12 week continuous BAD cough that had me about ready to curl up in a ball in a padded room from sheer exhaustion. DS2 has had some weird (not severe) auto-immune things in the past. He seems to get sick easier than the rest of us now…and he’s not a complainer, so when he gets sick he’s usually really sick. So hearing that this flu strain can have rare severe respiratory problems associated with it made my ears perk up. I’d been calling our Internist, the Pediatrician and the Doc I set up for DS1 at his school since early September trying to schedule all our shots (we always get the seasonal flu shot). The Ped. won and got the seasonal flu shots in first and DS2 had his at least 3 weeks ago. DH got his seasonal one at work last week. I believe DS1 had his already as well (I forget the schedule I sent him). I’m going this morning for my seasonal shot as they finally got it in...and DD, well she's off traveling again so she asked me to make an appointment today...airplanes and flu...yikes. and this is how we all got Swine Flu I picked DS2 up at school yesterday afternoon for his annual physical, PFT (breathing test) and H1N1 shot and stood in the office listening to all the moms there to pick up their kids from the nurse. Apparently, the Swine flu is now rampant at the school. DS2 greeted me with an ‘I don’t feel so good.’ Uh-Oh. The lastest celebrity victim...as if there's any question 'who done it'. Off to the Ped. we went. The huge waiting room was as full as I’ve seen it. Coughs and sneezes were sounding off everywhere. Darn, I wished I’d bought those masks that Dad recommended we get (he’s got lung problems too). Side note: At last year's neighborhood Halloween party I went as the Stock Market and DH went as a banker wearing a golden parachute. This year, I'm SO making the next one (maybe add a curly tail?...or maybe I'm still too fat and someone won't 'get it?!! Might be risky!): They were so backed up we had to wait 45 min. to get in. DS1 was about to kill me by the time we got in as I was using the wait as a 'teachable moment' reminding him not to touch anything, not to touch his face, how long/best way to wash your hands, how the kids weren't using their elbows to cough/sneeze into, how many MPH a sneeze comes out at and how far it goes...and I threw him some hand sanitizer. So we went through his long 2 part PFT testing…no problems (and no fever…whew)…and then I made sure we got in his H1N1 shot before leaving; we had another appointment and so we rescheduled the physical for Friday morning (it was now 1.5 hours past the appt. time). I asked her if they could do anything for all those kids here with the flu and she said they were only seeing the ones with severe respiratory problems…hmmm. Well, here’s hoping he got that vaccine in time…and that I didn’t infect him by taking him to the Ped’s! He was complaining of a headache this morning, and the slight sore throat is still there but no fever so I had to send him (I'm waiting for that call from the nurse). Stay well everyone…I’m off for my seasonal flu shot…

Yeah Kathy, I'm always afraid that someone will take my irreverant humor as if I'm making fun of a serious issue...the perils of blogging. Swine Flu is serious...get those shots peeps, I need you all here for support!!! Oh and when I got the seasonal shot yesterday at the PCP she told me they had just gotten in the H1N1, but she couldn't give it to me as the doc wanted to "look over their order first"...so there's another appt. I'll need. Thanks Con! X- LOL...I think I'll scope out the office before we go back on Friday (I felt like opening the windows last time, but it was about 40 degrees out)

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

Your deep fryer and waffle grille have been replaced on your countertop with a Magic Bullet and a mail scale You can speak Bandster fluently...and no longer have to think about what PB, Sliming, Fill, Mushies, Onederland, Twoterville, Bandiversary, LB-APS, Port, Slip, Stuck, Bandster Hell or Sweet Spot mean. Your Goodwill side of the closet has more clothes than the ‘still fits’ side. You can rattle of at any moments notice exactly how many ounces of Water you’ve had today When you run out of holes in your belt…the good way You go shopping with your 22 year old daughter who is pencil thin and she oogles your stack of new tops and says ‘Oh goodie…new tops I can borrow!’ The teenage boys in your house have started to complain about your loud burping “MOM! That’s SO gross!” (but it used to be funny when they did it!) When you no longer are afraid to sit in one of those flimsy plastic outdoor chairs at your neighbors You have the sense of touch with your insides now and you feel exactly where that piece of chicken is as it goes down You start looking for a wristwatch with a stopclock feature on it so you don’t have to remember when you can take a drink again You get mad when all your supplements don’t show a calorie count You carry papaya enzymes with you at all times like heart patients carry nitroglycerin You’ve just slimed descretely into a mug while eating with friends and you now have the technique down of chewing off that last ambilical-cord-slime-string attaching you to the cup (…because twirling it around your finger like a spaghetti noodle…well, that would just be gross) and no one knows any of it happened You eat out of weird containers that are the right size (or the measuring cup itself) because your sick of measuring and cleaning those cups (me 1/2 C punch cups) Great thread!

Glad you called and got things rolling again. You'll have plenty of time to get it all together before the New Year/New You! -BG

Great plan...it's never too late! Good luck! -BG

CONGRATULATIONS! Hadn't seen the eye one mentioned before...I don't think they use eye drops or anything while we're out do they? Feel better soon, and congrats Bander! -BG

If I had to go on another diet, I wouldn't have gotten the LB (been there, done the yo-yo for 20 years...very successfully...for awhile). The only thing in my house that I'd say is a 'diet' food is SF sweets (Russell Stover's chocolates, preserves, toppings, etc. and even those I don't eat often as all that 'synthetic' stuff isn't good for you. But I try to use Stevia when I can.). I actually avoid the LF stuff because I learned from doing Atkins that they replace the fat with more carbs so it tastes like something. First time I've made it past 50 pounds lost without dieting LOL! It's great. Now I do eat very 'healthy' with lots of fresh foods. That said, there's many here who continue to use specific diets and we all have to do what works for us.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know what a tough time this has been for you and I'm so impressed with the beautiful eulogy you wrote. 'Put your best face forward' and find strength in her love. -BG

Love Willamsburgh and touring the boats in Norfolk. Nice pic of Kirk in the stocks LOL!! Glad you had fun! Welcome to the April Group Donna!!! You're doing great...75 lbs. is awesome! -BG

Hey Nicole...WELCOME to LBT!!! Your son is adorable...and good for you going to college! Best wishes on your journey! -BG

Awesome...and just the place we all want to get to...where food and our weight now has a backseat to life!! Great blog GF!!! -BG