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Good morning, or is it afternoon already? We are still in the process of moving. We are trying to get the house ready before we move anything in and it's going too slow for me. I wish we could do everything in one day but it's impossible. We work in the evenings after work and on the weekends. We're halfway through painting the interior of the house. We've got a guy coming out to install tile floors this weekend and wood floors next weekend. Hopefully after the wood guy is done we'll be able to move. The hard part is that I'm almost all packed at my current house. I only left some clothes, some towels, bath toiletries, some kitchen stuff. So that means that i'm not cooking and that means eating fast food almost every meal. It's driving my boyfriend crazy. He really doesn't like fast food. He preffers home cooked meals. But no time right now. Luckily we've been trying to make good choices. Salads, grilled chicken sandwiches. It's still bad for you but I try to do the best under the circumstanses. No weight gain but that's because i'm working my tail bone off. I really need a fill... Terry - how you doing on the Chantix? Any more weird dreams? Denise - I would hold off on the fill. Wait one week. You'll probably be tight anyways because of the stress. Sending you a hug! Tracy - Thank you for your inspirational comments. I really needed that today. I felt like poop. Thank you for always being such a cheerleader! Pam - pooped your pants? What the heck did you eat woman? Tracy (Galveston) - I don't know if I told you but your hair looks awesome!! The darker shade makes it look thicker! Your face looks so thin! Kat - How's your head feeling? You going to the doctor today or tomorrow? Let us know how it goes. You've been complaining about your head and your sinuses. Hope it's nothing serious. Sending you a big hug... Ok ladies, I'm going back to work now.

I am also currently pregnant. Due Sept 19th. I did have a complete unfill at 10 weeks due to horrible all-day sickness. I was very anxious and worried about weight gain, but after getting ahold of myself, really I'm doing all of this for my baby. I can always get filled again and jump back on the weightloss track. To be completely honest I don't really have the ability at this point to even eat as much as I did at my most filled state. The baby is taking up so much room, so I am back to eating small meals/snacks throughout the day. My surgeon wasn't worried about the calorie intake while pregnant he was more worried about calories during breastfeeding. It is your decision maybe just a slight unfill as the months go on will work for you. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!!!

Hello all Im sorry I didnt post for so long but I went to London, let me tell you I got a bit shopping crazy and bought lots of stuff...Skittles as well...I ate lots of it and also Ben&Jerrys icecream, because we dont get it here and I gained like 3-4pounds but I have my period right now so Im not sure about the real weight gain:-) But the 5days of shopping were great, of course I saw some sights but shopping is my thing now:-) Im adding 5 sessions to my challenge cause I was walking like 8hours each day:-)

Yeah, a lot of my issues were based on poor lifestyle habits...lots of simple/processed carbs and not eating ANYTHING all day sometimes until dinner at which point I'd pig out almost all night until bedtime because I was starving. We all have different things that got us to the point of needing surgery! But once I made up my mind that I was ready to change my old habits I lost weight, gained energy and greatly improved my health. So, it is worth it to me to forego those old pizza and Pasta pig outs!!!!

I actually gave baby food to my dogs the other night and they totally loved it! I finally returned mine to the store today. It was annoying cuz I threw out my receipt (I honestly never return groceries!) but I bought like $40 worth of baby food and was definitely not going to eat it so they let me return it. To you girls that are having trouble moving the scale: I think I actually gained 7 pounds from surgery. Preop I weighed 138; 140 at the most. I have never weighed more then that. Then after surgery I suddenly weighed 145.5! I think during surgery they pump you with fluids and also your body is in shock because of the surgery so it halts weight gain, which sucks cuz we arent even eating anything! I actually had 2 dates today (I scheduled them before) and they were good. I went to this great brunch place that I love and ordered tomato bisque. It was great. The guy was looking at me weird because it was taking me so long to eat each bite. Anyway, my scale is finaly going down a bit, but since I weighed 138 preop, I really only lost a pound and a half. So dont worry, it will get better. I dont see how we can be so restricted with what we eat and not have it have a big cumulative effect within a month.

Oh, I'll tell you what I also liked.... When I met him the first time, I was asking about the pre op diet and saying that I have no confidence in my ability to stick with ANY diet. He said that he figured if we could stick with it we might not need to be banded....and that the only pre op diet he would ask of me is to not act like it's the Last Supper and try to eat everything in the world as if I never will be able to again. He said a weight GAIN before surgery would not be a good sign. That was all. Now I'm sure if he thought I had a fatty enough liver that it would get in the way of surgery, he would have asked me to do things...or if an insurance company had required it....but I liked it that he understood.

Hello <!-- google_ad_section_start(weight=ignore) -->mommakatx2<!-- google_ad_section_end --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_547534", true); </SCRIPT> I have not been banded yet but plan to in Oct.07 or Nov at the latest. I have about 85-90 pounds to lose. I felt as if I were reading my own post when I read yours. My insurance will not pay one cent so I am going to have to get a loan to pay for it. I have already talked to my regular physician and was afraid he would be less than supportive but to my surprise, he was very supportive. I am anxious to start my journey. I have quite a few things that being obese is not helping. I have asthma, arthritis, high cholesterol &triglicerides. The arthritis has gotten much worse over the past 9 months or so and my rheumatologist told me I have to "lose weight, lose weight, lose weight". So I am planning on getting banded and hopefully put a stop to the weight gain and be healthier.Good luck to you. Hang in there, you will do great.

OK what am I doing wrong? I was banded on 9-14-07. On the pre-op diet of shakes and salad I lost 23 lbs. Since the 14th. I have gained 5lbs. back. I figures that since I am on the liquid diet that I have probably had too much broth (sodium). I can't find the fat free and the low sodium broth so I chose the fat free. I was told that this is a time of healing and not to worry about the weight gain but I don't like it. Has anyone else gained weight after the surgery? :help:

I got the surgery in order to lose 40 lbs and happily I have lost almost 50! I am post-menopausal and I had watched my weight gradually creeping up over the years. This seemed to be a one-way road going in the wrong direction and so I wanted the band for both for weight loss and for prevention of weight gain. I did try the exercise route but that only resulted in firmer fat and I sure didn't want to get into the diet yo-yo thing. The weight losses and subsequent gains which we go through when we diet are hard on our bodies and hard on us emotionally, too.

Another good point. I'm frustrated right now at my lack of restriction, but the plus side is I'm not gaining. And I know for a fact from past dieting, for every 1lb I could lose, I gained 5lb more. I gained nearly 80lbs in one year before I decided to do the band (after losing quite a bit from Atkins), and it was only getting worse. Even on my bad months, right now where I'm not restricted and losing, I'm not gaining. That's a bonus. My great g'ma was morbidly obese and bed ridden by age 30. She weighed around 500-600lbs and died by age 35 from diabetes. I felt like I was heading that way with my gross weight gain and predisposition in my family to be diabetic.

Why would you be ashamed? Did you have a setback? Yes, are you human? Hopefully! If you were able to do this completely on your own, you would not have had the surgery in the first place. That is true for most of us! Think of yourself before it gets out of hand. Do what is right for you to get the weight back off. Admit that you had a weakness and the weight gain was preventable, or not. Get back on track and quit beating yourself up! A little secret....I bet you are not the first to have a gain....a bigger secret...you are probably one of the few that admits it! I admire you for that. Now, do what's right for you!

I've put on 10 lbs in 7 mos. and too ashamed to go back to the Dr.

La Bella were you referreing to me?? It has taken me a long tim to lose the weight because 8 months after my band I got pregnant so I also have a band baby that is 16 months old and it took me after he was over a year old to want to start lossing again, its harder than when we first have the surgery because its all by will power and the motivation is gone because of the weight gain with the pregnancy. I went back in July (7/19) to get a fill and I was 191 and as of today I am 177 I am starting all over and feel great. I am also happy about my separation because it was just full of problems and I was unhappy for a long time before I made my decision. Thanks for the support everyone.

I have always been so pale that I am pretty much fish belly blue. A lovely aristocratic skin tone to have at one time but summertime was always a humiliation for me. I hated lurking in the shade and I hated hearing the same old comments about my lack of colour. Ugh! And my skin has interfered with a number of activities which my mate and I could have shared. I had to drop out of our sailing class because my skin couldn't deal with it. And when we spend time in the tropics I often lock myself up in our hotel room for a sizeable chunk of the day. Snorkeling, something which we both love to do, is complicated for me. I have got to be dressed in order to go snorkeling. And the truth is that while a plump individual with a warm skin colour can look absolutely lovely women who are as white as the moon will never look pretty. The payoff which I am now experiencing is that my skin looks awful good for my age. Oh well.... It seems that good things sometimes come to those who live long enough. As for pregnancy and permanent weight gain, this seems to be how it works for most women. I have run across the occasional individual who can produce babies and remain as thin as a whippet but this is rare. (I knew one woman who had 7 kids and weighed about a buck ten. I was a very envious Green.) Most men and women begin to gain weight as we edge into middle age. Our hips widen - yep, men's hips, too - and our waists grow much thicker. Our proportions change and this is why a slim middle-aged individual will not have the same shape as a slim teenager. And much of our personal futures are hooked into our genetics. I figured I would escape my mother's exceedingly strange post-menopausal figure. I had never been pregnant and she, on the other hand, had undergone three pregnancies during her 30s where she carried enormous babies to term. (I was the lightest at 9.25 lbs.) Nevertheless, I found myself stuck with exactly the same disasterous weight gain as my mum once I hit menopause. And exactly the same thing happened to a friend of mine, a tall and willowy young woman; she is now a stocky overweight post-menopausal woman, one who has also never had children. Her weight history exactly parrallels that of her mum. The weight issue is such an extremely complex subject, isn't it? There are the cultural attitudes to which NanaR and others have referred, there is this very complicated biz of genetics, and there is the question of the natural weight gain associated with ageing, childbearing, etc. And psychological and social issues also play their part. Ugh! It is a fine thing that we are able to cyber-meet and discuss this stuff.

CNN REPORTS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PROOF THAT Gastric Bypass Lowers Risk of Death TIME MAGAZINE AUGUST 22, 2007 By Sora Song Whether one regards bariatric surgery — last-resort weight-loss operations such as gastric bypass and stomach stapling — as an essential treatment for obesity or as a failure of the fat person's will, the fact is, it works. Studies have shown that after surgery, patients often lose 50% or more of their excess weight — and keep it off — and symptoms of obesity-related conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea are improved or eliminated altogether. Now, two new studies in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) show another long-term benefit: a lower risk of death. The larger of the two studies — the largest of its kind — led by researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine, looked specifically at gastric bypass surgery, also known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which accounts for 80% of all bariatric surgeries in the U.S. The operation involves creating a small walnut-size pouch at the top of the stomach, which is then stapled off and connected to the small intestine lower down than usual; the result is that patients can eat only an ounce of food at a time, and the food bypasses most of the stomach and the top part of the intestine, limiting the number of calories the body absorbs. In the Utah study, researchers compiled data on 15,850 severely obese people, half of whom had undergone gastric bypass surgery between 1984 and 2002, and half who were from the general population and had had no surgical intervention for obesity. Overall, researchers found, the surgery patients were 40% less likely to die from any cause during a mean 7 years of follow-up, compared with the obese controls. What's more, the mortality rate attributable to obesity-related disease was 52% lower on the whole in the surgery group: after gastric bypass, patients were 92% less likely to die from diabetes, 59% less likely to die from coronary artery disease, and 60% less likely to be killed by cancer. Results like these have got some doctors intrigued enough to start thinking about bariatric surgery as a treatment for conditions other than obesity —especially diabetes. A growing body of research suggests that the surgery may reverse the disease, a potential solution that could help some 20 million American diabetics. Though the current NEJM study did not specifically study the impact of bariatric surgery on diabetes, it did reveal a 92% reduced risk of death from the disease in surgery patients —findings that support what has been emerging in other experiments. "In more than 80% of patients who are severely obese and have diabetes and then have gastric bypass surgery, the diabetes is cured," says Ted Adams, professor of cardiovascular genetics at the University of Utah School of Medicine and lead author of the new study. "The interesting thing is that the resolution of diabetes happens within a few weeks following surgery, long before patients have lost their weight." Like some other researchers in the field, Adams believes that the surgery triggers other biological mechanisms, separate from weight loss — perhaps an interruption of a crucial biochemical pathway or a change in the release of certain hormones in the stomach or small intestine — that may have powerful effects on diabetes. "The gastric-bypass patient is really providing a source of intriguing research related to all kinds of disease treatment as well as weight gain and weight loss," says Adams. The second study, led by researchers at Gothenburg University in Sweden, involved 4,047 obese volunteers, 2,010 who underwent some form of bariatric surgery and 2,037 who received conventional obesity treatment, including lifestyle intervention, behavior modification or no treatment at all. Ten years after surgery, researchers report, the bariatric surgery patients had lost more weight and had a 24% lower risk of death than the comparison group. Though the overall number of subjects in this study is much smaller than the first, the results confirm general benefits of bariatric surgery, and gastric bypass in particular: after 10 years, bypass patients had maintained a 25% weight loss, compared to a 16% loss in patients who had stomach stapling, and 14% in those who underwent a banding procedure. In both studies, surgery patients had an overall lowered risk of death, but an interesting finding in the Utah study shows that these patients were 58% more likely to die from other causes, such as suicide and accidents. The authors speculate that as people lose weight and become more active, they also become more prone to accidents, which may up their risk of death. Surgery patients may also have pre-existing psychological problems — a history of abuse, perhaps — that can't be resolved by losing weight. "There have been some studies reporting that following bariatric surgery, some individuals may be more prone to chemical dependency, such as increased alcohol use," says Adams. "There's some speculation that certain addictive behaviors that are in place before the surgery — with food, for example — are transferred to alcohol or another addictive behavior." "Hopefully this research will stimulate additional evaluation of what the optimal approach is for evaluating candidates for this surgery," says Adams. "I think we should never lose track of the importance of individual evaluation of benefits and risks." Last year, an estimated 177,600 patients underwent bariatric surgery, a figure that's likely to grow as Americans get fatter and fatter. Though modern surgery techniques have become more sophisticated, less invasive and safer than in the past, the bariatric procedure still carries all the risks of any other operation. Patients have a .5% to 1% chance of death. The risk of gallstones goes up. Sometimes a second surgery is necessary. And all patients must be careful to make up for Vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The surgery isn't for everyone; current guidelines recommend it as a last resort, only for the morbidly obese who have a BMI of 40 and higher, or for the obese with a BMI of 35 and higher plus a serious weight-related illness like diabetes or hypertension. This should help. Gary Viscio Viscio Law and The Obesity Law Center - Welcome

Hello. Everyone. About 5 years ago when I stopped smoking. I gained so much weight. i tried everything. Nothing seemed to work. After gaining over 50 lbs . I had a baby putting on another 21 lbs. Family and friends try and spare my feelings by not telling me how big I've gotten. Well I finally came to the decision about getting banded. No one knows. I will tell my husband after I get it done. Because I know he would freak out the thought of a weight loss surgery. I told him that I'm getting a procedure done. I'm doing this for me. I'm 5"3in 248 lbs that is not cute. I'm only 35 yrs old. I want to enjoy my children, my husband and my friends. I went to a bachalorette party I was so out of breath with just seconds on movements. I went with my daughter on a out door trip with her school I had to keep stopping the walking was killing me. I love having sex but with the weight gain, I'm limited to one position all others tire me out. I want my old back. Give me 9"s and 12"s not 18"s and 20"s. So I will keep my secret until its over. Oh god I hope nothing goes wrong. Sep 6 is my date. Guys its no longer a secret, today I felt really bad about not discussing my surgery with my husband. He said he had and idea I was up to something . He said I had been getting so many eob from the insurance company and he knew I wasnt sick. He was relieved that it was the gastric bypass. Well I took him to meet my doctor. Believe it or not he wasnt angry. He did admit that he was a little hurt that I was planning something and out of all people I couldnt come to him. He said that he would have tried to talk me out of it, however if this surgery was that important to me than he would support it. I told him I was gonna tell him write after the surgery. I just didnt want him to stop me from doing it. He read all of the responses from u guys. Some he thought was funny but he did say he was glad that you didnt support my madness about keeping it a secret. He agreed not to discuss it with anybody. Sincerly Mrs and Mr Essence 36

<p>Hello. Everyone. </p> <p>About 5 years ago when I stopped smoking. I gained so much weight. i tried everything. Nothing seemed to work. After gaining over 50 lbs . I had a baby putting on another 21 lbs. Family and friends try and spare my feelings by not telling me how big I've gotten. Well I finally came to the decision about getting banded. No one knows. I will tell my husband after I get it done. Because I know he would freak out the thought of a weight loss surgery. I told him that I'm getting a procedure done. I'm doing this for me. I'm 5"3in 248 lbs that is not cute. I'm only 35 yrs old. </p> <p>I want to enjoy my children, my husband and my friends. I went to a bachalorette party I was so out of breath with just seconds on movements. I went with my daughter on a out door trip with her school I had to keep stopping the walking was killing me. I love having sex but with the weight gain, I'm limited to one position all others tire me out. I want my old back. Give me 9"s and 12"s not 18"s and 20"s. So I will keep my secret until its over. Oh god I hope nothing goes wrong.<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)" smilieid="8" class="inlineimg" /> Sep 6 is my date.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Essence36</p> <p>Long Island , NY<img src="http://www.LapBandTalk.com/images/smilies/kiss2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Kiss2" smilieid="154" class="inlineimg" /></p>

Ya know Terry, for the short time I was married to my 2nd husband, I simply prayed for, wished for, a normal, boring life. I began trying to gain weight back at that time, and girl I founs something I was good at!!! We passed an overweight woman in the store one day, and he told me if I ever looked like that he'd leave my ass---I bought weight gain products, I started packing it on! Pretty easy thing for me to do! Years later, I don't in any way consider my DH or our family, or life in general, boring in a negative way. But I love that there is not constant drama. We are kind to one another. We spent this last week working very hard...as I said on the other thread, but it felt good! Much of what we did was for our parents, and today he worked with my handicapped brother---he is anything but boring in my heart---but to others our lives may be just that...boring---and I love it!! I am not sure I would consider myself warm and loving all the time, but when you experience the worst, you truly do appreciate the best...at least I think I do. I appreciate the love of a good man. I appreciate the caring, supportive, friends I have in real life and on here. I have healthy children and grandchildren, and am alive to be with them. I won. It may seem childish, but I won! Kat

Hey Girls!!! I have survived the week---omg, I am so tired, and so sore, I can hardly move! Monday, we mixed and poured a 4 foot by 30 foot section of cement, about 6-8 inches deep. To do that it takes 800 pounds of cement mix, and over 1 ton (yep 2000 pounds) of sand and gravel, as well as all the water. Tuesday we hauled a truck and trailer load of firewood in for my parents. It was in the neighborhood of 2 cords. Wednesday we poured another slab of cement, same dimensions as above. I move all of that a can at a time!!!! Exercise done!!! Thursday, we repeated Tuesdays wood hauling only this truck/trailer went to my inlaws, and I unloaded most of it, while Rick dealt with a problem bull. Friday was my birthday, and we got the hell out of town!!! WE rode to Colorado with our friends,and camped out at a lake up there, and went to a nice dinner, then Saturday night we hit the casino, I come out $187.00 ahead, subtracting the $13.00 I spent getting there!!! We hung out at camp, and played some dominoes, had some serious down time!!! We took some scenic rides, got some amazing pictures of elk---they are getting ready to mate, and the bulls were bugleing, and banging against one another--very cool!! We come home Sunday, went to a family dinner---for all of us with August birthdays, we had a big Navajo taco dinner. They are made with fry bread....similar to a deep fried tortilla, a bit heavier. Smothered with chili beans, lettuce, onions, tomato, sour cream, guacamole. I had a wedge about 2 inches by 3 inches. Others were eating plates full---the fry bread is about the size of a plate---I used to do the same!!! Today we were back at it---we hauled in another 2-21/2 cords of firewood, this is for us. So when we got it home, we split it and stacked it in our new (and fully cemented) woodshed!!! Tomorrow is Ricks last day off...we were supposed to take our DIL to Albuquerque to the airport, she is flying to Tuscon to see her Granndma/Mom---technically her Gma, but she was raised by her so considers her Mom. Our son is in Houston at a work seminar for 2 weeks, and she refused to stay home alone, so is going to visit at the same time, which will work out well. But she decided to put her car in the long term parking so she will have it when she gets back. I have to admit, I am very glad!!! I was not thrilled with going! Sara---your pics look wonderful! Were you nervous to post them? I was! I loved reading about all of your NSV's---I am so glad you guys are hanging in there---it will happen for all of you! I know it!!! Terry--- I quit smoking on April 1st, 1991. I began when I was 15. Smoked for 15 years---and decided as aNew Years resolution to quit. I had read that you pick a day and tell everyone, then do it. So I picked April 1st. In the back of my mind, I knew if I wimped out, I could say it was an April Fools joke!!! Then my DD come home and told me her Dad said I would never be able to quit. Told her I complained too much about quitting when I was PG with her! That was it, I HAD to quit, I credit him with giving me the gumption needed to really quit. Smoked my last one, at 11:58 PM the night before! Cold Turkey! My best friend (the one we bike with) quit with me, and she only made it 3 days---she too is now taking the Chantix, and had her last cigarette on last Thursday. This was the first time we rode anywhere and did not have to wait while Becky smoked! My DD also quit using Chantix. It worked for her! She said she had some really wierd dreams, but no issue with weight gain. Becky said she is having problems with constipation, and digestive issues. But that is temporary! It was not easy, but so worth it!!! I quit back when they were a buck and a quarter a pack---they are truly outrageous now!!! Good Luck, we will understand a bit of grouchiness, and whining---we will support you fully!!! Tracy glad you are back---thanks for noticing all the new avatars!! I was a nervous wreck while Terry helped me post my new pics!!! How are wedding plans going??? Well girls, Rick has patiently waited to check his ebay things, so guess I will let him have the computer. DD has my laptop---so we are sharing!!! Will talk to you all soon---Terry thanks for missing me girl--you are so sweet!!! Kat

Dcprincess...often times I feel undeserving and it seems unreal that I have lost weight. I had an epiphany last week when I realized that "yes, I had lapband surgery but no one put an exercise band in me!" Really, the band has helped get me started but the continual success in exercise and fact that I continue to run in 90+ degree weather here in Texas is MY accomplishment and not because of that band of silicone. I like to mull over that from time to time. BTW I ran in Houston last weekend early in the morning and even at 0700 it was HOT. Way to go with your exercise down there! I had a strange experience several months ago. I was out with some friends in a club and was feeling pretty tipsy (not something I usually do anymore!) Well, I went into the bathroom and when I looked at the mirror I felt real strange. I hardly recognized myself. Surely it was the alcohol speaking but at any rate it was a freaky experience. I wonder if we have all failed to have good body images even before our weight gain years ago and consequently it was what got us to where we are today. I had a very good friend (also a shrink) tell me that I was ignoring my obesity because it protected me from being hurt by others. When I finally came to the conclusion that I could no longer continue to be overweight just the admission that I was truly morbidly obese was an extremely painful experience. I cried for days after I scheduled my surgery. I guess I was fearing losing another (in)effective coping mechanism. Dcprincess, have you ever thought of posting side-by-side pictures of yourself somewhere you can look at them on a regular basis? I just might try that myself....although I find looking at the former pictures very depressing. I just think of the years I put up with lugging all the weight around! Anyone else have any ideas?

Hi Everyone. I had my post op appt. and everything went well. I found out that I have the 4cc band and I'm scheduled to have my 1st fill in a month. I had a rough weekend but I got through it and I'm now trying to rebuild. I ate almost all the wrong foods and didn't excercise a lick. Potato chips were my downfall but what was nice is that I didn't eat the amount that I would have eaten pre-banding. I just hope it didn't cause a weight gain. Today I got back on track (screw the weekend and all the people who made it suck...whats done is done)! I woke up today and took a 55 minute walk through my neighborhood. I was shocked that all that time past but glad I did it. I ate 1/2 a chicken chimichanga and 1/2 cup of seasoned black beans. I had not problem tolerating the wrap that it was made with so I think I'll have the rest for dinner. I hope everyone is doing well. I'm all caught up on our posts and its nice to see that we have a great community going here. You guys are the best.

Thanks, Tracy...no, it's not the medication. I've only been taking it a few days and it's not known to have weight gain/loss issues. Neither is the anti-depressant I'm taking. Prozak is the one that is notorius for weight stalls; I don't take that. It's just my slow metabolism! Thankfully I have my old LC journal still online and this is just my pattern: stall for weeks, lose a few pounds, stall for weeks, lose a few pounds...etc. I can't believe how you are just losing like a maniac now!! You're a FILL believer now, arent you?!

WOW! Everyone is just doing so great!!! I'm so proud of all of you, and I have to admit...a little bit jealous. Judy - I hope you catch this before you leave...I know you've been looking forward to this trip for a long time! I know ya'll will have a wonderful time...enjoy every minute and recognize all of the reasons to celebrate! I am facing quite a challenge here in the next few weeks. And I gotta let you all know what's going on so that you can help me when I start whining!! That's your job, right? :car: Ok, so here's the story: Back in the fall of 2003 I quit smoking, started menopause and fell off the low-carb wagon. Triple Whammy DeLuxe. I went from 158-200# in about 18 months. I was pretty frantic but nothing I did helped with the weight. At some point my screwed up, desperate brain decided it would be OK to start smoking again to help control my weight....so I ruined my quit. It did help slow down my weight gain...but now, of course, I have to deal with quitting again. I've been taking Chantix (a new drug to help you quit) and it's working pretty well. Today is my first day without cigarettes and so far, so good. The REASON I mention all this stupid stuff is that I kind of expect over the next few weeks to be a tad bit cranky, maybe a little depressed, I'll probably even have MORE of a struggle losing weight, and might even gain! I'm going to try real hard to keep it under control and just DO what I need to DO, but I don't know if I have it in me without the crutch of cigarettes. We'll see. So, wish me luck on all fronts!! Ultimately I'm really hoping that with improved lung capacity I can kick up my cardio workouts...but that'll just help me 'break even' metabolically. It could be a rough ride. <sign> :help:

Hi Micki. Your honesty will serve you well on the next leg of your journey. So many of us get stuck, and digging out of old behaviors we thought we had conquered can be disheartening. They say with alcoholics, one of the goals is to fall off the wagon for shorter periods of time each time. For us, when old behaviors crop back up, we shouldn't be surprised. We spent a lot of years cementing them into our brains. The nice thing about the band is that it will essentially allow you to be a laggard for awhile without that rapid weight gain we USED to get when we screwed up. Catch your breath for however long you need to, and when you are ready, get back to work. List the basics of living with the band, and figure out what you want to tackle first. Keep a log of your calories for a few days and see what bad stuff has snuck back in. This is all about how we learn to live permanently with new behaviors, and sometimes it's hard work. Don't kick yourself. It's just all part of it for some of us. I had a stretched pouch. I went in for a fill and was already full, but she could see from the fluoroscope pics that my pouch was bigger. She says it happens from things we do wrong, or even from doing nothing wrong. I'm very restricted in the morning, so even liquids in the morning could take too long to go through and stretch the pouch as they sit there. Many people then get a complete unfill or a partial unfill and let the stoma rest. With mine, I went back on liquids for 3 days and I was good as new. I also started sipping rather than guzzling my Breakfast. I guess the big deal with stretching is that if you try to live with too tight a restriction for a long time and with the subsequent stretching, you can get into a more chronic problem. I know when she told me I had a stretched pouch, I thought the world as I knew it had ended, and it turned out to be an easy fix and a cautionary tale. I keep a list of the rules of living as a bandster taped on my refrigerator, and I'm always finding something I need to do better, or that I just didn't do for awhile. Congratulations on your journey so far! Oh, and I also found out that for me, I am the worlds best at talking myself out of going to the gym. But I put Tony Horton's 30 minute routines on my portable CD, turn the sound off and turn the TV on, and I watch 1/2 hour of TV while I do his worout routine, and it's over before I know it. I find that I'm not going to be a major athlete in my life, so I need to have lots of different strategies for getting in exercise. I also found that sitting and watching TV is my worst emeny, so exercising in order to give myself permission to watch seems to work.... I hope you get lots of responses to this thread. I'll be interested to see what others are doing.

Hi All, it's been raining here for 2 days. We need the rain. Before surgery we planted some grass to fill in the bare spots in the yard and we have been having to water them for weeks. Now we are getting a good soaking rain. I feel sorry for DH, he has to work out in it but at least it's not cold and raining. I am feeling a little better each day. I am stull very swollen, but have no weight gain ????? Maybe I will be a few pounds lighter when this is all over. We ate at Cracker Barrel today, I had turkey sausage and a biscuit....yum! With my band empty I can have a bit of bread, that's nice. I have never been a bread junkie, but sometimes I miss it. My mom and dad came over and we played dominoes until almost midnight last night, but it was welcome company, Dave was at work and they left about 20 mins before he came home. I'm still not sleeping very well, and I plan on talking to the doctor about that on tuesday. Maybe hormones will help, if not sleeping pills are going to be needed. I am sooooo tired, I know that is also from the surgery, but I am 20 days out and still need naps like a baby. I can't sleep more then a few hours at a time. It stinks. I listed a bunch of stuff on Ebay this week, spending money for Disney! WooHoo! My mom and I are going to hit the outlets while we are there. I'll check in later. ~Mandy