~Michelle~

I agree 100%. I also believe some kind of community service should be mandatory after collecting welfare for so long. Welfare should be something to help people get back on their feet, not something to live on.

I don't think people act like it is the primary reason they pay taxes. There are just some people like myself that don't like the idea of their hard earned money going to someone who did not earn it. And If you want to look at it from that point of view, then people should not complain about their tax dollars going to National Security or Defense either, because more money goes to welfare programs then defense, it's only the 4th biggest peice of the pie.

Have you seen a pie chart? From what I understand 1 in every 7 tax dollars goes to welfare programs, and is the 3rd most expensive government program.

I agree that the benifits are abused. I see and have seen people using their welfare to buy cigs, beer, drugs, and whatever else they want, and not so much need. There are poeple out there having one child after another, even though they can't care for the children they already have. But why should they worry, the government will make sure they are taken care of. Absolutely no accountabilty for their mistake. Why should I have to suffer for their mistake! Mrsojacks very well said. :rolleyes2:

This is completely off subject....but I gotta say that Republicans, Democrats, the media, and Hussain, took us into this war. Bush/Cheney did not do it alone. . Also a huge majority of Americans were on board. Congress authorized the 2003 use of armed force against Iraq by votes of 296-133 in the House and 77-23 in the Senate in a Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq. This is every bit the Congress’s war, the Democrats war and the people’s war. Problem is Democrats don't want to share responsiblity. It is easier for them to claim they were lied to, and misled, oh and threatened....but come on...you really buy into that. Because our politicians are so honest right??? I am not saying that Bush did not have a hand in it, but he DID NOT act alone.

No... my dad does not own a huge corporation, but he will fall into the tax bracket that Obama wants to tax more, so it will affect smaller corporations also. Not just your huge oil companies. Even so why should the huge corporations flip the bill for me, I did not do anything to earn that income. Here are some recent poll outcomes in regards to the health insurance issue. I would say most Americans do not want the government involved in their health. Hope I post the link right.. CNSNews.com - Poll: More Than Half of Americans Say Health Reform Is Not Worth Increasing the Deficit Health Care Reform - Rasmussen Reports

Sooo it is Bush's war.....and no one else is to blame for that...ummm interesting..oh that's right everything is Bush's fault, including natural disasters. For the record not a huge Bush fan either, but come on really your gonna pin the war on one man alone????????? My dad owns a corporation, and I work as the office manager. I know how much his business has to pay towards taxes, really the tax breaks he gets is nothing compared to what he pays out. Trust me he pays more then his fare share. Not to mention that he has to collect all the taxes for our government, and doesn't get anything in return for that. Also he busts his ass to make a profit, why should someone else get that. He lives and breaths his business, and he does have nice things because of it, but no one pays for his insurance....why should he pay for someone else's insurance. Why should he bust his ass for someone else to enjoy. Why should anyone bust their ass to make a living and enjoy nice things, and have to give it someone else who did not earn it. Plain and simple just because your successful does not mean you owe anyone anything, and no one is entitled to something they did earn themselves.

I feel this way about Obama...He talked about change, and told people what they wanted to hear, and boom he's president. For the record I am not a Republican. I have conservative views, and liberal views. I am 100% against government run health care...first off look at Social Security, look at public schools compared to private schools. The last thing I want to do is put my health in the hands of the government Democrat or Republican. Second.. if you tax the super rich (and $500,000 a year after taxes, and overhead is not super rich) do you think for one minute they are going to just take the loss, no they are going to pass it on the their comsumers....and who is that????? Stealing from the rich to give to the poor has never worked. Why should someone else pay for my insurance or anybodys elses. Why should the government decide how one's income is spent. I did not earn that money, and the government surely did not earn it.

Congrats!!!

I need to get a better understanding of some of the complications that other people have experienced. I am not sure if I should be worried about what is happening with me right now or not. What exactly is night coughing, do you cough stuff up, or just wake up coughing? What does acid reflux feel like? Does tightness in the chest mean your too tight or could something else be wrong? If you overeat will you always PB or vomit?

I have had some issues going on the last couple of days, and I am just not sure what's going on. It started yesterday with what I am assuming was really bad gas pains. Never had gas pains before, so not really sure, but it was really sharp pains, that kind of went away after taking Gas-x, and burping. So after the gas pains kind of went away I still felt tightness, and pain in the area of my band. Actually I wouldn't really call it pain, but more discomfort. I can eat and drink just fine, but still have some feelings of tightness around the band today. I don't know if it's gas, or if my band has slipped, or if I am too tight or what. I just had a fill last week, but everything was fine until yesterday. Any ideas on what could be going on?

I had surgery in June, so I don't think the tightness in my chest is related to that. I went to my surgeons office today, but did not get to see him. The PA took some of the saline out, no change at all. So waiting it out a few days. She talked with the other surgeon about what I am experiencing. Said he doen't think its acid reflux, or a slipped band, but I do feel like there is something wrong, just no clue what. It almost feels like I have heart burn, without the reflux, or like something is stuck in my cheast or throat, and like I want to burp, but just can't, and then when I do burp there is some relief. I have taken Gas-X, ant-acids, and some other OTC stuff, to see if it would help. Things were going very smoothly until I went up to 4 cc's, and the last time I went up to 4 cc's I had problems, but when I am at 3.5 cc's have very, very little restriction. Guess I am just going to wait it out and see if things don't go back to normal. I am really hoping that it's just a little too tight.

I have lost over 50lbs, and dropped about 3 sizes, and very quickly getting ready to go down another size. I am thinner than I have been in very long time. I am (for the most part) happy with results, but I have a lot of extra skin, and my breasts have changed also. When I was heavier I was pretty secure with my body, but now I am not. I am terrified of how I am going to look when I get to goal. I do exercise, and have not really seen results. There are some places like my arms, and breasts that I don't think anything but surgery can fix. I really don't want to go through surgery again, and really not even sure that is something I could pull off financially. I almost wish I had my fat back. Because at least I didn't sag when I was heavier, and I had more cleavage. The other thing that has really been bothering me, is when someone tells me "you've lost so much weight, you are so pretty now." I thought I was pretty before, and I really want to knock out the next person who says this me. I don't mind the wow looking good, or keep up the good work. I don't even mind when people ask me how much I have lost. It's when someone makes me feel like because I am/was fat I couldn't be pretty. I know that it is just the way things are, and people can be shallow, but it just angers me so much. Especially when they themselves aren't super models.

Has anyone tried Curves, and if so how did it work out for you? I just started going, and I like it so far, but not sure if I am going to get the resluts I want. I already have a lot of sagging skin, and want to try to build some more muscle.

Thanks for all the encouragement. It helps sometimes just knowing that others can relate to what I'm going through. I'm just going to keep working out, and hope for the best.

Jumping up and down worked for me. I have only been stuck once though, so not sure if it will work everytime.

My first fill I had 1 cc added, then the second fill had 2 cc's added which brought it up to 4 cc's. A few days after the fill I got stuck, and felt very tight several days after that. I decided to have some taken out, my Dr got me in right away. They took out .5 cc's and I felt much better. I am not as tight as some people would prefer I guess, but I don't get hungry between meals, and am still loosing weight. I am loosing slower, but for me that is ok. I think you did the right thing. My Dr is 2.5 hrs away, and it really sucked to have drive back just 5 days apart, so I will do fills .5 cc's at a time, just so I don't have to do that again. I guess some people would like to have more restriction that I do at this time, because I can still eat just about anything, but I prefer not to feel stuck. Your Dr doesn't have to live with it, so he should do as you want.

I love my band because now I don't have to take Metformin, and my blood sugar levels are under control. I love my band because it has helped me loose 56lbs, and drop from a size 24/26 to a 18/20. I love my badn because it gave me the push I needed to exercise. I love my band because I feel healthier than I have in a very long time. I love my band because it helps me stay away from fast food 4-5 times a week. I love my band because I don't get as hungry as I used to, and even have to remind myself to eat sometimes. I hate my band because I can't eat cheeseburgers. I hate my band because I can't enjoy a buffet the way I used to. I hate my band because it makes it difficult to go out with friends for dinner, and drinks. I hate my band because I worry about the things that may go wrong if I do something I shouldn't...like eat a cheeseburger.

I just recently started getting excited about my weight loss. I think it mostly had to do with the fact that I can get into a size 20, and I don't have to go to the plus size section anymore if the store carries up to size 20. Before that I really couldn't see a difference. My clothes were getting looser, but I didn't realize how much, until I went shopping. I haven't worn a size 20 in forever. Now it will be getting under the 200lb mark.

I think I am going to have 1 cc taken out, and then I have another appt on Sept 22nd, and if I need more than I will have the Dr put in .5 cc. Thankfully even though I am self pay my surgeon has 1 year aftercare, with 15 fills. I really don't like this tight feeling, I have it even when I am not eating. I would rather be comfortable, and be able to eat solid proteins too, as long as I am loosing weight I am happy.

I had my 2nd fill last Tues, my doc added 2 cc's which brought it up to a total of 4cc's. Thursday I had what I think may have been getting stuck. I wasn't paying attention to my chewing, and I had terrible pain. It went down on its own, but there was a lot of bubbling noise, and it felt as thought I might vomit. Since then it seems that I get a little discomfort everytime I eat something that isn't soft. I don't know if I am eating to much or too fast, or if maybe I am just too tight. If I am eating too much than I can't eat more than maybe a 1/2 cup of food. I had very little to no restriction before my 2nd fill, so I have not experienced these feelings before now. I am really not sure what is going on...is what I am feeling getting stuck or being too tight?

Wow, congrats!!!!!!! You look great! Its nice to hear form someone who has had the band for more than a few years that is happy with it.