ericsmom

Congrats on entering bandland! It's great you found LBT - the support here is second to none! Good luck in your journey!

I was on Phen Fen and I agree, it was great...it worked...until a heart murmer was detected and we stopped it. Thankfully my murmer went away, but I, too, didn't crave foods while on it. Carlene hit the nail right on the head - The big difference is that with appetite suppressants, you don't WANT to overeat and with the band, you CAN'T overeat. If you do notice that you can eat a lot, then you need a fill... Remember, this is a tool and you have to WANT to use the tool - if you fill yourself with liquid calories, you aren't using the tool for it's true purpose. Eat to the point of SATISFACTION, not to the point of being FULL.

Thank you for sharing your story...I am sorry you had to have it removed. I believe that with the support of family, friends, and LBT, you can keep the weight off. Good luck with your journey.

Jack - I could read your responses all day - you have a lot to say and say it wonderfully... Thanks for educating us all in your own special way!

AMEN to that!!!

That is one of my favorite quotes!! I have a small book of many of his quotes... And yes, 40 lbs is a GREAT accomplishment! :clap2: Give yourself a hand! Congrats on the impending nuptuals, too! You've got a lot to celebrate!

Hello everyone - finally found some time to check in. I went for my check-up Friday and got another fill...I'm at 7cc's now. I have to do liquid for three days now, so I'm enjoying my Slim Fast shakes that I like so much. They have me down 63 pounds I am hoping that now that I'm at 7cc's I will have the restriction I've been looking for. The PA had trouble finding my port access again, though. It turns out I've grown some thick scar tissue under my skin and so it's deceiving as to where the access is. It's worth the many pokes, though, as if that is the worst I have to go through, I'm okay with that. A co-worker (teacher) had the band surgery last Tuesday and said he's doing great. He is supposed to come back to school tomorrow. He's very excited about starting this journey. He lost 13 lbs on the liquid diet for the 2 week pre-op. I had lost 14.5, so it's in the same ball park. Tomorrow is Boss's Day, so I made something for my boss (the principal I am secretary for) today. It's a 6-panel accordian frame with the poem "All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten". I hope he likes it. I hope everyone is doing well this week. Sherri - if you need to or can, I think you need to leave this abusive environment you're in...you're scaring me with talk of leaving this world. PLEASE get some help! Beth - your pains you're experiencing in your chest are concerning as well. Please check into that... I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Checking in again - Yes, Beth, I hope to be able to be on here a bit more this weekend. I miss talking to you all, but since school started back up, and I had to go back to work, it's harder to make time. I go to the doctor at 3:30 today. I am hoping for another fill - I think if I have another 2 cc's I may have the restriction I'm looking for. I went to a visitation last night for one of my best friend's dad and saw an acquaintance I haven't seen in quite a while. She knew about my surgery, but hadn't seen me. She said I've lost a whole person...I said 62 lbs, not quite a person. She said her son weighs 62 lbs, so I did lose a whole person - a little person! Never thought of it that way. I was up 1.6 on Wednesday, but this morning I was down...so I was happier. I'd better get going - have to take my meds and gather my stuff. Hope all is well with everyone

Hello all --- I'm about to head to bed and wanted to say hi. I weighed this morning and I am up 1.6 lbs! It's my first gain since my surgery and I am so depressed about it! I go to the doctor this Friday and hope to get a bit more of a fill. I feel like I can eat anything still... Sherri - I am so sorry you are going through the trials in your marriage. I don't think I could take the mental and emotional abuse you are going through. Stay strong. One of my best friend's dad died last Saturday, so we are going to the visitation tomorrow night. I am going to try very hard to come home and get on my recumbant bike and see if I can kick myself into gear. I got my ID that I have to wear at school today - the picture was taken Sept. 7th and I don't look like it anymore. And when you look at last year's picture on my ID it's REALLY not like me anymore. I'll have to scan them sometime. Hope all is well with everyone. I hope to get on here and talk some this weekend

Lost 7 the week after banding - 14.5 the two weeks pre-op liquid.

Greetings all...I haven't been here in a couple of days...crazy, busy... All is well with me...I got some new pants again, and these are a bit better. I go to the doctor for another 4 week checkup on Friday. I am hoping for just a bit more of a fill. I still feel like I can eat too much. I have a co-worker that is going in at 6am tomorrow for 8am surgery. I pray it all goes as well for him as it did for me. Beth - sorry to hear you aren't able to eat very much...sounds like you've been very uncomfortable... Sherri - I am so sorry to hear of your marriage/family issues...as someone said earlier - take care of Sherri most of all. Shame on them all for speaking to you that way! Kari - Sounds like things are going okay for you. Keep up the good work with the exercise. Everyone else - keep it up! I love how that even when life gets in the way for a couple of days, you're all here waiting to support one another and to lean on your friends for your own support. Thanks all!

Thanks for the uplifting words, Kari! I use FitDay.com as well. It's a great resource. Beth - sorry to hear you're having a bad day. I crush all my meds and put them in liquid Tylenol and then they go down well. Maybe you should try something like that. Brandy - keep up the good work! Any movement to a new size is exciting It's very late - so I'm off to bed. Just wanted to check in and say hello.

I had a little bout of depression yesterday - I had bought a couple of pairs of "real" pants a couple weeks ago. Well, two of them fit great as long as I'm standing and are actually big, but when I sit, they get very tight around the knees (which doesn't feel good on them). So I determined that the other two pair are too big and brought them back. They are the same brand and size, but nonetheless, too big. I went to go try on pants and pick something else out and got very depressed. My thighs and butt are smaller than my stomach, so I fit in a 24, but the 26 fit my stomach. This creates major bagginess around my butt and top of my thighs. Now I know most of us have an apron that is growing by the week. I just really discovered how much it is still there, even though I've lost 61 lbs and got a bit down. I talked to a friend and now I'm better. I have just reserved myself to wearing my regular pants, as baggy as they are, until my stomach goes down some more. Has anyone else had this frustrating experience?

Kari, you totally crack me up!! I can't believe my rep on here and you haven't even seen my work! I'm taking orders at work for these accordian frames I make out of coasters. Seems people want them for Christmas gifts. Go figure Congrats on the lb!! Every pound should be celebrated And Chris, I'd be happy to scrapbook your progress

I have had two fills and I don't feel like I'm totally there yet, but close. I have found that things I used to crave I don't anymore. I had a Subway last week and I've decided that you have to have the whole experience of biting into the sandwich for it to be enjoyable. I ate the chicken and bacon and Ranch dressing with a fork and then had a bit of the top of the bun and it wasn't exciting or satisfying at all. So that's out of my system. I was offered a chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven at school last week and I let it sit on my desk for quite a while and then savored it as I ate a bit at a time. And that was enough for me. I would have been finding a way to sneak more before the band! Regarding eating at work - I just keep the fridge stocked next door with cottage cheese, peaches, string cheese, SF pudding and applesauce. I also have my water in there. So when everyone is eating their left overs or Quizznos from up the road or a school sub, I eat my stuff. Hang in there!

Congrats on the NSV's! Doesn't it feel good when people notice! We haven't seen an updated picture of you lately...

PLEASE don't let them do this to you, Hon! We're all here for you...you can PM me, too. I can't imagine what it would be like to have people sabotaging what I'm trying to do! I have a friend who is very self-absorbed and hasn't once said even a "look at you!" to me. It's always all about her and what's ailing her. I have talked to close friends about this and told myself to let it go...my sister is the same way - I had surgery July 5th and I saw her for the first time on Sept. 3rd and she didn't make any comments whatsoever and I don't look anything like I did, so I talked to my mom about it and moved on. Talk to friends you trust, talk to us, and let them help you through this.

I had quite the experience on Friday - As many of you know, I am a secretary in a middle school. I went to work on Friday and got a phone call from one of our art teachers alerting me to the fact that on his way home after shool THE DAY BEFORE, he witnessed one of our students remove a gun from his right pocket about 1.5 blocks from the school. This teacher was going out of town and thought the principal should know before he left. H-E-L-L-O!! He should have called someone the night before! So I grabbed my walkie talkie and walked to the other end of the school to find my principal. I told him exactly what I had been told and then whispered the name of the student in his ear. I then walked back to the main office. The head secretary said to come in her office and close the door. She proceeded to tell me that the high school that is about 1/2 mile from the middle school was evacuating because there was a bomb threat. Someone spray-painted on the side of the building "There is a bomb in the school 9/29/06". It was Homecoming day. My son is at the high school. So they cancelled school so they could check the entire building. Nothing was found, but all Homecoming festivities (pep assembly, parade, and dance) were cancelled, except for the football game. I later found out that my son wasn't even evacuated as when his ride dropped him off they found out there was no school so he stayed with his ride. Meanwhile, I'm telling the secretary what I just told my principal. She radioed him to say that the campus officer wasn't on site this morning, but available and did he want her to get him. He said that would be a good idea. So this was about 8:00. At 8:15 everyone is in homeroom and about 5 minutes later the head principal comes over the loudspeaker and calls for a lockdown. We're assuming it's precaution because of what happened at the high school. Then the head principal comes into my office and asks for the student's locker number - the student I told them about. Long story short... he had an air gun (or as they referred to it - a toy pistol). The news said there were two kids with the guns, but I only know of one. I'll find out tomorrow if there is any truth to that. I fielded phone calls from parents constantly for almost 3 hours. About 15-20 kids went home because of the incident. Parents insisted on taking them home and I couldn't tell them they couldn't do that. I just did the best I could to ease the parents down from panic to understanding. Needless to say, it was a crazy day. I can't believe I'm the one who started the whole ball rolling with the student and the "gun". The teacher who called it in could have prevented the entire lockdown episode by calling someone, anyone the night before. Well, my eyes are starting to cross, so I'm off to bed.

Hello everyone - mysherrijo - don't let anyone tell you that you took the easy way out...I can't believe people are that cold and forward enough to say things like that. Everyone I have told has been super supportive of what I have done and are always asking how I'm doing. I wish you had the support that I do...I firmly believe it makes a world of difference. Hang in there, Hon... Jessica - welcome back! We've missed you around here. Hope all is well with you. Beth - sorry to hear you're still battling the rash. I hope it clears up by the time you go to your swimming class.

Checking in before I go to bed. I've been straightening up my craft room, putting new shelving/drawers, and making Christmas gifts. I was pretty hungry and knew I'd feel icky going to bed that way, so I just had a Slim Fast Meal Bar. All I've had today are 2 shakes, Chicken Cesaer Salad for lunch (went out with a girlfriend), and the bar. My exercise was shopping with my friend. We walked around Target for 1 hour. Good night!

Leona - we were banded the same day...I, too, can't believe it's almost 3 months! I am 3 lbs away from 60 and I hope to be there by October 5th... Beth - I'd definitely get your stomach checked out. I don't think it could be the port this far out from your surgery. Arcael - congrats on the great grades and the new look! Be proud of yourself :confused: Kari - Just what are those rules about rough sex LOL :eek: Greetings to everyone else and congrats on all the NSV's!!

Join the rest of the July Bandsters over here: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=19235

I am at 5.5 cc's in a 10cc band and I still haven't had any problems with food getting stuck or not going down well. I eat fish, steak, chicken, pork chops, etc. Hopefully the drinking of warm water before you eat will work for you. I'm sorry to hear you're having so much trouble

Congratulations on your approval! Your adventure is really begining now! You will find lots of support here, too!

Congrats on the approval Deb! Keep us posted