samanthazzz

Shirley Jones?

John Belushi?

I don't use a straw, but wouldn't be adverse to if I was out and the straw came with the drink once in a while. hair is on a 3 month cycle, so I don't think anything you eat or do will make a difference if it is falling out. It has to run it's course. I took Biotin, but I don't think it really made a difference with the falling out. It may help it growing back, but I'm not sure. As for the lack of protein/nutrients..that isn't proven either. Plenty of folks have lost hair and still been consuming all the Protein & Vitamins required. I think if your hair is going to fall out, there isn't much you can do about it. My hair fell out for about 3 months and is growing back. The way you can tell is to pull your hair back tight and you'll see the flyaway hair, that's the new growth. Hang in there, it does grow back eventually As for exercise, how about the Wii? I have not used the Wii Fit (yet) but I hear alot of bandsters do it. Go to library and see if they have any walking in place or fitness videos you can try. I am still trying to work up the nerve to go to Zumba..lol

ray romano?

felix the cat?

The question should be, who doesn't have a problem with body image...lol in clothes I look pretty good, naked is another story. Of course I look better thinner, everyone does. Do I necessarily see that all the time...ummm no! I bet other people see you differently than you see yourself. You said you can't see a change because of the lose skin or flab...but I don't think that could be right, do you? If you lost 140 lbs, there would be a difference, are you in smaller sizes? Of course you are! Don't let this mess up how fantastic you have been doing. The band is not a miracle, you have worked hard to lose that wt. People will comment on my wt loss and I while I know I lost alot of inches, I always want to turn around to see who their talking to. I think this is very common. Hard to wrap your head around being thin, when it's been years we haven't been. I would like cosmetic surgery as well. Is it feasible? Maybe if I sell off a kid or two. lol

Russell Simmons?

Just curious to see what people's trigger foods are, and if after banding, they still present a problem. I'll start, I have two. Pasta and Tootsie Pops lollipops. I haven't eaten pasta since banding, been afraid I couldn't limit myself. At Halloween, I thought let me try one lollipop, afterall I was 5 mos out at that time and figured I had everything under control. I had one lollipop one day, two the next and you can guess the rest. Bag gone, felt out of control, trigger still there, lesson learned.

Better to get banded before Christmas..think of what you'd normally gain over the holidays. I would do the majority of my Christmas shopping before the banding. Not because you won't be able to shop afterwards, because you will, it just may be cutting it close. Consider it an early Christmas present for yourself. Those of us who have been banded know what an awesome adventure awaits you. Good luck! Samantha :-)

2.5 years to get them to approve northern mist? I admire your perseverance. When is surgery date? no guess yet...waiting for another clue.

oops day late ad a dollar short on the last post...didn't see the last pic......the lady is Winona Ryder?

George Clooney? PS-still impressed with the person who got Freddy Kreuger..lol

is the pic upside down?

I am definitely in the minority here. I only weigh myself at the DR's office when I get fills, every 6 weeks or so. I also refuse fills (with the DR's approval of course) if we feel I don't need them. (yup, I know what your thinking ....weirdo) lol I have enough restriction and have only had 3 fills so far, I am banded almost 7 mos. I prefer to take it a wee bit more slowly (yup, she's definitely a weirdo now) lol I have gone from a size 18/20 (well the size 18 waistband was right under my bra line instead of at my waist), so I probably was closer to a size 20 if I had ever bought new clothes. But then, who buys new clothes when you fat? I am now in a size 12 jeans and a medium shirt (though sometimes a lg, cause I'm busty). I know this is an unorthodox way to live the band life, but is working for me. I would obsess about my wt fluctuations if I weighed myself daily. I guess I don't care as much about the actual weight loss numbers as I do about the inches lost and the smaller clothing sizes. My friend got the surgery 2 weeks after me and has had 5 fills so far and is not doing as well. She eats anything and everything and complains she is always hungry. Everyone is different, that was the first rule of thumb I learned with the band. Initially, she was doing a wee bit better, but in the last 3 mos not so good. So far, it is working for me and that's all that counts. It's not a race, but a destination! Samantha :-)

lucille ball?

Alot of interesting answers. I guess certain foods just can't be eaten in moderation. I found the babysitter comment intriguing. Maybe I should start a thread about the people/situations that cause us to overeat. You could have "cake" in the house/office everyday and not eat it, but then someone or something sets you off. What do you think? Thanks for replying. Samantha :-) PS- I was having a conversation at church yesterday about my Tootsie Pop addiction. One of the two ladies I was talking to, excused herself and then got her purse and pulled out a Tootsie Pop to see if I would be "tempted". I wanted to say something very unladylike, but didn't. But I must tell you, that did hurt. (sigh)

you are going to be thrilled to have had that extra month of banding by Christmas...consider it a well deserved early Christmas present.

well said and congratulations at being at goal.

I don't eat rice, bread or pasta. Don't miss the bread or rice at all. Once in a blue moon, I may smell some pasta dish at a restaurant that tempts me. DR says pasta expands to a dough ball in your stomach and that visual has turned me off. I could eat dry toast, even rice & pasta in tiny amounts per the DR once in a while. But I choose not to. Being Italian, pasta has always been one of my trigger foods. I have always ate two platefuls as a normal meal. (those were the days) lol For me, success with the band, is based both on restriction and my mental attitude on how I now view foods. What I know I can eat, should eat and quanity. I'm banded 6.5 months. It has worked well for me so far. The lapband process is ever evolving over time. One has to learn to go with the flow and trust your judgement. What you eat today, you may not be able to eat tomorrow. What you don't eat today, you may be able to eat next week. Listen to your DR and nutritionist and your own body. As a former overeater, I never listened to my body. I just shoved as much food in at a time. I only ever stopped eating when I got that bloated full feeling. Even sadder still, is to think that I thought that that grossly, stuffed feeling was normal. It isn't normal! Good luck!

First off, I agree with an earlier poster who called this medical privacy. You are under no obligation to tell anyone anything. (and don't let people tell you it's lying either) Alot of folks on here consider it lying if you don't share your surgery with anyone who asked. That's total BS. Don't fall into that trap, what may be good for them, may not be good for you. Work, is not close friends or family. As to your co-worker who had the surgery and didn't tell, I wouldn't say anything to him. He obviously made the choice not to share and may be uncomfortable if you bring it up. Maybe he wouldn't be, but why take the risk? There are so many diets floating around, so whose to say how you are losing weight? I wouldn't worry about people immediately assuming you had the lapband. If you want to throw them off the track, maybe you could start bringing in Slim Fast shakes or other diet paraphenalia. I never mentioned any kind of medical procedure (my business). Though lots of folks mention hiatal hernia, which is true for lots of us. Maybe you have to go out of state for a wedding? You could go shopping on your lunch hour for a "gift". ....and I wouldn't wait for January if I was offered a date in Dec. Consider it an early present for yourself. I felt like crap the first 3 days and needed the pain meds, afterwards I was fine. Tender, but unless you are lifting heavy stuff at work or there is a chance of one of your co workers punching you in the stomach(lol), you should be okay with a light workload. I'd shoot for a total of a week off, if you can swing it. Making some of that time be over the weekend is smart. Your going to love the band, it is an exciting adventure! Good luck, Samantha :-)

EAS pre made choc shakes ( I get them at BJ's) I bring them everywhere. Unjury...shudder Jay Robb...not so bad, but I got sick of them I am on my 4th brand of protein shake. As times go by, you may need to change things up. Health food stores may give you samples to try. I have 2 cans of Unjury in pantry, so be careful not to order or buy too much, if you end up not liking them. It gets expensive to waste it.

no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a nice group to belong to! :thumbup:

I got a surprise call from my DR, saying they had cancellation and did I want to move up my surgery. At this point my surgery was scheduled for 6 weeks away. The new date was in 8 days. 8 days!!!!!!!!!! Talk about trying to wrap your head around that. My head was spinning! I had one day to get all my pre-op food and then immediately started my pre op diet. I was nervous, scared, excited and in shock. lol Immediately, after surgery, we had mine and my daughter's b-day parties. A wedding, Mother's Day brunch and our anniversay. +While admittingly, Christmas & Thanksgiving will be tough, there will always be some holiday or function we may not be able to fully indulge in. My experience is who cares? I had plenty of years of stuffing my face at celebrations behind me, and only success in front of me. Take it one day at a time, find support, either at home or online when temptation rears it's ugly head. *I will share one thing that may help you put it in to perspective. This will be the first holiday season that I am thinner than both my sisters...and that tastes better than any food I put in my mouth. Good luck, be smart, don't cheat (hate that word) and know that is the greatest gift you can give yourself this holiday season. Samantha :-)