Search the Community

Good morning gals~ I've been up since 6, it's 1130 now. Put up 8 loads of laundry and been puttering around the house, playing with the little one. DH took him to see a movie (G-Force), about guinea pigs who are police. I politely passed on that adventure. (I would rather clean!) Meredith~ Naples is across the state..LOL :mad:, BUT... I used to live near there and we LOVE that area of FL. To me the west coast of Fl is the best! It's not that far, only 2.5 hrs. I would LOVE to meet you. We are always looking for a reason to get out of town, I could leave the boys at the beach and join you for a band friendly lunch. Something to look forward to! Julie/Mrs. B~ Good morning to you. Your pontoon ride sounds so beautiful! I have never seen the Missouri river, or that area of the country for that matter. We must put it on our to do list. I LOVE your new profile pic! SOOOO cute! Doodlebug~ Your DGS is so lucky to have you and your DH in his life! My DH was raised by his GP, and he wouldn't have had it any other way. The love and wisdom that was instilled in him is priceless. They had a special relationship. I pray that your DD does well with the program she is in. I am sure knowing her son is loved and cared for helps her. Wow. I can feel the love & pain through the computer. <hug> I was talking to my DH about my weight gain this week. He said I really really did not eat that much. Some of the meals did have sauce and there were certainly a bit more calories than normal- but he said not representative of 4 lbs weight gain! He said he thought to himself at meals at how lucky I was to have my band. He would find himself really hungry and unable to resist the bread for example. I couldn't even get one bite in. He said it was night and day how I would have eaten before WLS. It was interesting to see the event through his eyes. Basically, I went on vacation- I ate pretty well but had some treats- and now time to get back in the swing of things. :tongue2: We have a baby sitter tonight! We will go see a movie. Usually we love going out to eat, but I am so sick of restaurant food- think we will skip eating out!:mad:

Well I have a new tactic tonight to avoid the munchies. I put my PJ's on at 530. LOL I so wanted chips, ice cream, whatever but none of that in the house so I thought well Walmart is close I will just take a quick drive up there. So I put my PJ's on so I won't go out of the house. LOL DH won't be home til 9 tonight and it was just more of lonely, bored munchies. Melissa, as your quote under your names says love life be brave or something like that. Be brave and face the stressors w/o the candy. It'll get easier each time. Arlene, I had never heard of epidural shots causing weight gain, interesting. I knew steroid pills did. Hope the tylenol works for you. I just got a trim but guess my hair is sortta 'bob' style. I never know the right terms either ,which is probably why I never get what I ask for LOL Just got a call from DS...HE GOT THE PROMOTION!

And...soon to be TOM would explain the Zippety Doo Dah all day yesterday!!!! There were times when I knew I was getting a visit. Just had to get on the scale. I would flucuate up to 6lbs during that time. Ugh! Just keep your foods good and healthy and try not to let it upset your way of eating...and, drink plenty of fluids. Good Morning Everyone! Happy Monday! Back to my "normal" self. Just a little bump in the road with the stones. I hate the word hate so I will just say I REALLY dislike when my life gets interrupted by them. Julie...hope you were able to sleep. You really do need to get to the bottom of this. From the sounds of it, your DH is missing one of his butt cheeks and I know you don't like being that way. I would be a b__ch on wheels and insist on some answers. You need some action on this pain you are having. We have a busy week around here. DH and DS have a few pre-spring meetings to go to and I was signed up to go also but an overnight with a friend looked a little more apealing. Heading out early Wed morning with a friend to help her find a MOB dress. Her DS's wedding is May 1. Time to get on it. She is about a size 14 (has put on about 60lbs in the last few years) and just is having a tough time making herself look for a dress. She feels "fat" in everything she has tried on this far. She knows I will be honest with her on how things fit, so she invited me to be her guide. Should be fun. She's a beautiful woman that always had mega self-esteem but she has now lost that with the weight gain. I feel her pain. The trouble with living in the sticks is that we always have to drive 3-4 hours for any quality shopping. We'll get er done! My stone incident made me tight over the weekend and notice it's not much better this morning. Got my cals in though with soups, etc. Always have a stash of homemade soups in the freezer for times like that. Was able to get in a protein bar and a bowl of oatmeal with dates this morning already. Well, need to get to the books. Been putting them off for a week and they just won't do themself. You all have a great day. Eva..miss ya. Come out, come out, where ever you are!

There's no telling how many computer games I have been addicted to over the years. Bookworm was definitely one of them! I'm not the greatest at it b/c I freeze up! I'm better at puzzle-type games. Do we need to watch for your to vaseline up or take off your jewelry? :thumbup: OK what does pwnd mean? Busted out laughing at this one!!! First, I completely admit that I have no memory!! Tell me again how you know you have a thyroid condition; has the doctor done the TSH blood test? If you you have hypothyroidism and are not on meds yet, then the weight gain can also be caused by the thyroid condition b/c that's where your metabolism comes from! So if you aren't on meds, your metabolism could be in the crapper! I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 17 years ago and am 5th generation - partay! Gloucester - you hussy!!! Danggggg! Tell them that they aren't promoting you nearly quickly enough! That's awesome!!!

Thank you for sharing. I am not a physician but consider myself literate and pretty well educated, but I too had trouble following much of what he was trying to say (and I have read up on the study/studies? he seems to be relying on). For instance "gaining the weight". Does he mean gaining weight? Gaining some weight? Gaining more weight? I could go on... Another big piece that is missing is how the medical community in general treats obese patients. There is a recent thread on BariatricPal that has some real horror stories. Unfortunately, they seem to be more common than not. I agree that General Practitioners and other MDs need a great deal of education about obesity, weight loss surgery, and post-surgery care, however far after surgery. You are spot on when you note that too many post-op patients are thrown to the wolves post-op when it comes to mental health issues. I will definitely have to think about this to see what additional response I could provide.

I was banded 2/9/09 my journey So far has been very depressing ever since I got my surgery I have had nothing but bad news in my life 2 deaths & now I got laid off my job last week. they gave me a exit date of 6/19/09 thinking they are doing me a favor but I know they just need me here to clean up. I've been very depressed I gained 5pd that week eating, yes I do eat less but I eat a lot all day, everytime I could which make me feel terrible getting me deeper into depression I know it's all a mental thing but it keep my mind off things, the fullness & the getting sick if I do over eat just stops me from thinking of what's going on and about what the hell I'm going to do. I'm actually in tears right now. I get to the point when I just want to give up.My life has been nothing but hell since the age of 26 I had a brain tumor in my pituitary gland that is what caused the weight gain,that cause my diabetes and so much more there was so many complications do to that. blindness for over 6 months but with surgery I got some sight back but I'm still legally blind out of one eye. Any way it took me 2yrs to recover & still trying to get my life right but it just ain't happening I think I'm done trying. I have one more doc appt on the 17th to get my third fill I will go to the appt but may not get the fill because what if it's to tight & need to get some let out my insurance will be termed by then and i could never afford to pay for it myself so i'm at a loss of what to do and the more i feel bad the more I want to just throw my hands in the air and say f_ck it I guess I will just feel miserable with myself and live this life as it is. Damn I just want something good to happen in my life one thing to make me smile & laugh not just fake it in front of family so they don't worry about me.they've done enough of that.. I thought this was a start but ended up making things worse at least for me. I don't know my next step. Sorry I may not have made any sense. that's nothing new. well I guess i vented enough. As you can see on my wieght chart I haven't lost much weight then people I see on thuis site. I haven't even updated the chart to the 5pds I gained it make my sad to have to do that.

Hi everyone, Thanks so much for your responses and helpful suggestions! I really appreciate your enthusiasm and feedback. Your positive reactions have made me confident that BariatricPal Local Chapters can become reality in the near future. Below, I’ll try to answer a few questions that were raised in this conversation. Can BariatricPal provide help finding local venues where meetings can be held? Yes! We can provide a general list of suggested places to try, such as local church buildings, schools, parks and hospitals. We can also provide a letter or email that you can send to local contacts to ask if you can hold Local Chapter meetings at these places. We can work with you more if you need it. How long is each meeting? It depends on the meeting’s agenda and on the group dynamics set by the group leader and the meeting’s participants. A meeting with a simple lesson and discussion might be as short as an hour, while a meeting that includes a group walk and a cooking lesson might take two or more hours. Are “+1’s” allowed? Spouses and other close supporters are absolutely welcome at special events, such as any national meeting or cruise that BariatricPal might sponsor. Some weight loss surgery patients are uncomfortable having non- weight loss surgery patients or candidates present at meetings, so we are still deciding whether they are welcome at regular Local Chapter meetings. What are your thoughts? How will we know if meeting locations are accessible? Since many weight loss surgery patients may be dealing with mobility issues, accessible Local Chapter locations will be marked with a special icon to indicate that they are wheelchair-friendly. You have suggested a lot of great ideas for BP Local Chapter meetings! These are some of the activities that it looks like you may be interested in. Grocery store visit Lessons led by your group leader. Topics may include: Reading nutrition and ingredients labels How to start and keep a food journal Getting back on track and how to battle plateaus and weight gain. Replacement and transfer addictions How to beat mental/emotional hunger (“head hunger”) What to do when your friends or family are not as supportive as they could be Food choices: what to eat, what not to eat, and healthy meal ideas Workout support: how to start exercising and stay motivated for the long-term. Meet at restaurant so that everyone can work together to figure out healthy food choices Lectures from a visiting expert, such as a bariatric surgeon, nutritionist, skin removal surgeon, or psychologist. Periodic clothing exchanges Outside activities, such as walking for fun or training for charity runs/walks which your entire Local Chapter can participate in together. The consensus so far seems to be that most of you would like some guidance on agendas for Local Chapter meetings, but some flexibility would be helpful, too. That way, BariatricPal Local Chapters everywhere can feel more unified and group leaders are supported in their efforts, but Local Chapters can have the freedom to customize their meetings to their members’ needs. Again, thank you for the discussion and your enthusiasm. Please keep the ideas coming!

I had mine July 26th... I am 5 days post op. No one told me to expect weight gain after iv fluids.i appeared to have gained 5 lbs. Apparently this is common. I am hypthyroid though. I didnt need to be discouraged. I am 5 days out now and scared to weigh in. I will wait another week. Any hypothyroid patients out there having success?

I can finally see the posts again on the website threadJ. Jods – I am so happy for you & your progress! Enjoy the man & feeling like a kid. Just sit back and have fun & let it take shape. Have fun! Have cleaning up your room & good luck with the last 10 lbs too. Charlene – keep up the great work! It is tough. Apples – just read you post about the weight gain. Don’t beat yourself up as overall you are still ahead. Just get back on track. Have a great day! Kristi xx

Suzzzie I can relate to your weight gain. I have not lost any weight in such a long time. I have gained just a little bit of weight and it is so hard to take off. I am not exercising so I know that is one of my problems. I do not choose all the right food. I like junk food too much especially chocolate. I am at a point now that I almost wish I did gastric bypass. I don't feel like I will ever get to my goal weight. I realize that the band is just a tool. I need a little butt kicking around here. I don't even look like I have really lost any weight. I can still fit into all my clothes from pre-surgery. I am down 40 pounds and that is it. I hope your puppy gets better. My two cats has or had a case of fleas and it seems they will never stop scratching.

Main Entry: en·abler Pronunciation: \i-ˈnā-blər, -bəl-ər\ Function: noun Date: 1615: one that enables another to achieve an end ; especially : one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior (as substance abuse) by providing excuses or by making it possible to avoid the consequences of such behavior food ADDICTION Food addiction manifests itself in the uncontrollable craving for excess food that follows the ingestion of refined carbohydrates, primarily sugar and flour substances that are quickly metabolized and turned into sugar in the bloodstream. Due to those uncontrollable cravings, a food addict's quality of life deteriorates when he or she eats sugar, flour or wheat. It can deteriorate physically, emotionally, socially and/or spiritually. If any of the following symptoms are familiar to you, you may be a food addict: Physical Symptoms of Food Addiction • Do you think you cannot control your intake of food, especially junk food or high sugar foods? • Have you tried different diets or weight loss programs, but none has worked permanently? • Have you found yourself vomiting, using laxatives, diuretics, or exercising a lot to avoid a weight gain after you have eaten a lot? Many food addicts are obese and have tried numerous methods for weight control (diets, drugs, surgery, etc.) yet nothing has created a permanent solution. Other food addicts have never been obese. Their physical weight has been controlled by extreme measures such as excessive exercise, purging through vomiting or laxatives (bulimia), or the severe and unhealthy limiting of food substances(anorexia). No matter which version of food addiction fits you, all of these symptoms become more severe with time and eventually lead to physical problems that can create an early and sometimes painful death. Emotional Symptoms of Food Addiction • Do you find yourself feeling depressed, hopeless, sad or ashamed about your eating or your weight? • Do you find yourself eating when you are upset or reward yourself with food when you do something good? • Have you ever noticed after eating sugar, flour, or wheat that you become more irritable? Food addicts notice that their emotions become more severe, intense, or unreasonable when eating the addictive substances. For many food addicts, emotional life may deteriorate into despair, depression, or thoughts of suicide. Social Symptoms of Food Addiction • Do you eat in private so no one will see you? • Do you avoid social interactions because you feel you do not look good enough or do not have the proper fitting clothes to wear? • Do you steal other people’s food? • Are you more interested in what food is served at social gatherings than looking forward to the warmth of being with the people attending? A food addict’s social life is affected by intense obsessive thinking about food. Making eye contact with people and taking an interest in developing friendships or intimate relationships become secondary to locating and eating addictive foods. Food addicts often hide or steal foods and eat in secret.

I am home, safe and sound! We had some snow packed roads and drove in snow for awhile, but nothing too bad. Got my fill, he was not smug about my weight gain, he actually said for a year unfilled, with the surgery in the middle, it was not bad....shock! I have the 9.75 band that holds a max of 4 cc.'s and he gave me 1.5, water is a slow go today, but I figure part of that may be that I ate lunch prior to the fill and that can make it extra tight for the digestion time he said. So happy to get back in the right direction!!! Judy, when my parents celebrated 25 years, they planned a trip to Hawaii, and the month before they left, my brother was critically injured, and was actually still in the hospital long after they had planned to go. So the trip got put off. They ended up going for their 35th or something, and the tour guide at the Fern Grotto, included them in a marriage vow renewal! They loved it. Then they went back a few times when Manda lived there--we all did!! Was the only affordable way to do it frequently! If you get the chance to ever spend time on Oahu hit the Polynesian Culture Center, and the International Market Place. They also have an incredible flea market (although it is all new items through vendors---not used yard sale type sellers) at the Aloha Bowl football field. We spent most of our vacations on Oahu because that is where they were based, but I loved Kauai the most, for the tropical feel. The year the hurricane hit it, my Aunt & Uncle were on the island!! But all in all I had the most fun on the beaches of Maui. I wish I was going back with you!!! No sign of the guy out back. He has no idea where we went today---we left before 7----and just got home, I am sure after I have been so mad at him, he is concerned....makes me smile!!! Well I am exhausted, and going off to bed. Will catch up with all of you tomorrow. Haydee, so glad you are home and had a wonderful time!!! We listened to a Sue Grafton book on the way home---so Ifeel like my bedtime story has been read to me, time to sleep!!! Feel better Jenn! LOVED, LOVED the pics Pamela!!!

I think it is knowing what I did that sabotaged me is the key. I got back on track yesterday. I told my lap-band buddy at church what I had done wrong. I told my support group what I had done wrong. Yesterday, I did every thing that I was supposed to do. I felt much better about myself yesterday than I did in all of the holidays. What is funny is that I felt smaller at the end of the day. I even stayed away from here because I was embarrassed. I will not let the weight gain defeat me. That was the old me, and I would have given up. This is the new me. I will WIN. I was up on base doing my grocery shopping yesterday, and the commissary has started selling Pure Protein Shakes in the can. These are actually good, but the only place I had seen them before was at the Vitamin Shoppe and HEB. They average any where between $1.50 - $2.00 per can. They had them for less than a $1 a can on base. I got me a couple of boxes of them at that price. Plus all of my new Leslie Sansone DVDs have shipped from Amazon. They should be here Thursday. I can't wait to get them.

Hi I had surgery on August 16th. My surgeon had me on clear liquids for 2 days, pureed foods day 3- 14 and regular food, small portions chewed to applesauce consistency. I had so much trouble on day 2 with what was most likely gas pain and swelling that I didn't eat or even drink for close to 4 days. The Dr. took out all of the fluid in my band on day 4 hoping it would help with me being able to swallow. Now--I've been perfectly fine for two weeks and I'm so hungry. I can eat just about anything as long as I chew it up well. Bad thing is, I KNOW some of it is old habits creeping in and I have nothing that is preventing me from eating. I'm so frustrated and I have 3-4 weeks before they will put in a fill. I initially had lost 35 lbs, but have gained back 5. They tell me my metabolism shut down from not eating that first week after surgery and the weight gain is my body's way of self-preservation. But it's SO hard emotionally to gain weight and struggle with feeling hungry all the time, when you thought, maybe incorrectly, that you'd have some relief from the constant desire to eat. So--I'm looking for some support. If you have any words of wisdom, let me know. I'm pretty discouraged right now.

@ Jazma: I had my lapband removed last April. I was scheduled to have the bypass at the same time but changed my mind the morning of the surgery and just had the band removed. I gained about 35 lbs since it was removed, which Dr. says is quite good for typical weight gain after is much more. At any rate I feel really good about the sleeve and can't wait Till June 5th when I get mine. Good Luck to you! Also, Do any of u take Probiotics? Last year before my surgery I went to costco and bought " Advance Probiotic 10" By Nature's Bounty. They are capsules and give u 10 probiotic Organisms and 20 Billion Live Probiotic Cultures. Of course being concerned about surgery, it was important to me to give myself a boost in my recovery process, so I started up on these two weeks before. Right after surgery I broke the capsules apart and them in my Water. On my follow up visit after my surgery my Dr said I had so much scar tissue and removing my band was a challenge. He was surprised I had no complications but I believe it's my secret gem, these probiotics that made the difference. Needless to say I just bought some more to prepare for this surgery as well...

Stress, stress, stress. My how we are all so stressed. My DH just took himself back to bed because I'm having grandkids dropped off at my house around noon while my daughter goes to Chicago for some more appointments or tests. This is his day off and even though he got plenty of sleep last night, yesterday, and the day before, he thinks he won't be able to get in his usual naps before going in to work tonight at midnight. I can see he's mad at me but I'm basically at the eye-rolling stage and am ignoring him. This is my vacation and I spent the entire day with him yesterday. This is the only day I'll have the grandkids over instead of going to their house because he normally sleeps during the day. I've never met a guy who needs as much sleep or worries about getting his sleep as much as my DH. Great, I'm sorry you are so lonely. Do you think that's really what your trip down memory lane is really about? Do you think it would help you to become a volunteer again or find a part-time job now that you're settled? Or do you like being free to fly places whenever you want to? It's OK to reminisce but please don't get stuck there. You seem to have established friendships already and renewed some old ones. I envy you. When I'm working I have no time for that, just for my family, so when I'm off, like this week, I have no one but family to do anything with and they're all tied down. Fortunately, my grandkids are also on spring break and I'm needed to babysit. My friends are the people I work with, but we all have lives when we're not teaching so we don't get together outside of work. Eva, I admire your well-balanced lifestyle. I'm glad you were able to retire but still find a part-time position to keep your hand in and income coming. You have your projects and school and friendships that also involve your DH. Mine is such a loner that it's actually led to isolating me as well. Julie, what can I say. Mother/daughter relationships are some of the most complex in the world. Especially when the daughter is pregnant. You got the band to save your life and she needs to continue to hear that from you. This isn't about looks, its about living. Looking better is a bonus, but the health is primary. I don't think I'd allow anyone to hold me to a promise made under such duress. However, you do not do well with abdominal surgeries if your past history is any indication. Janet is right. Ultimately, its about making healthy choices. I'm thinking that seeing a counselor together with your daughter about your weight might be good for you and your daughter. Making the weight thing a mutual project was a good idea. Ask your daughter if she wants to be around for her children and grandhchildren. I'd also suggest that you get physical therapy for your knees and so on. Water walking is one of the safest things you can do to regain strength safely. It takes the weight off your knees while still exercising them. Also, percocet is likely to make you unstable and lead to falling again so you want to get off that asap. Strengthening the joints without inflaming them should be your goal to reduce pain. You're probably feeling these pains more now because your primary, overwhelming pain has been taken away. Using this whole situation as an incentive to lose more weight on your own will also help your physical pain. Did you know that every lb you weigh puts 5-10 lbs of pressure on each of your knees? So every lb you lose removes that much pressure on your knees. If you were to lose 25 more lbs it would take at least 125 lbs of pressure off each of your knees. That's what I keep telling myself. Even my 5 lb weight gain is affecting my knees. I can feel it. It's 25 extra lbs of pressure that they're carrying. My fake knees will last longer the less I weigh. Charlene, keep on keeping on. We all have our days of indulgence (except Linda, LOL). Getting back on track asap is the trick. For you, I would think the incentive would be that your FM symptoms are likely to improve as you lose more weight. You've done great, however, and you need to give yourself credit. Our addiction not only hurts us, it hurts the people around us. That's the hard part to remember. Our kids don't want us dead, or incapable of being there for them and their children. Hopefully, our husbands don't want us dead either (most of the time). LOL. Melissa, loved the "Green Things" e-mail. Too true. Hope you're doing well. Tell us more about your counselor. One of the simplest things I've done to automatize my meals is to always have a Protein shake for Breakfast. I buy pre-made because I have no desire to shop for and try to keep ingredients in the house, and as someone who works outside the home I need simple solutions. I have no desire to spend hours in a grocery store being tempted by all the food. For supper I prefer simple foods, like pan frying (in olive oil spray) fish, hamburger, steak, pork chop, and having a veggie on the side. My DH makes any sides he wants that are carbs (like potatoes or rice) for himself. Or I have a salad with mixed greens, cheese, nuts, a little fruit, and a flavored olive oil and vinaigrette based dressing. (Favorite-raspberry). For lunch at work I have peel off cans of tuna or chicken available, or Protein Bars, or Protein shakes to grab as Snacks or meals. I am very much a keep it simple person precisely because I am ADHD. That's why keeping rotisserie chicken in the house is another easy solution. Great Protein, always tender, fix it with various condiments. Take a small mouthful whenever you start craving carbs. Throw in a baggie and take to work. It's the KISS philosophy of food. Keep It Simple Stupid. People like Linda and Apples seem to be able to be around food and cook and bake it for others without over-eating themselves. I am not one of those people. People have to eat what I'm eating or make it and take it somewhere where I'm not around it. It's hard to stop feeling guilty about not feeding everyone around you but it can be done and its an enormous relief to stop cooking for others. You'd be amazed at the reduction in stress. You don't have small kids anymore and your son and husband can easily make themselves a pbj sandwich or something else if what you're eating isn't enough for them. One of the biggest reasons why women get fat is because they cook for everyone else and feel guilty if they don't. That's another reason why I gave up guilt for Lent. Cheri

Phyl - That Kind of weight gain is water - hell even when I have pigged out I haven't ever gain 4 lbs - you would have had to eaten 14000 extra calories to gain that much - I'm know you haven't done that - I know it's still hard when you see the scale go up like that - but like you said - it will be off next week - and I agree with Apples - you did get to onderland and you deserve that purse... I haven't watched the News tonite - didn't sit down till after 7 - took Andrew target/winco shopping anyway - i know this morning they said wind today - but I haven't seen any yet - some clouds when I left work but that's it... Hopefully they will be wrong - but I know they said tomorrow 74 and you know cabazon will be a little cooler - so bring a lite jacket yes for you northern/eastern girls 74 isn't cold but for us desert Rats.. 74 high is cool - long pants - and closed in shoes ;0) Melissa - Exercise is a great stress reliever - I am glad you are doing something for you.. LauraK - my new gym has the class but it's too crowded and looks more like jazzercise - I hope to get to one at my other new gym 24 hr fitness - I have a gf who has gone and said it kicked her butt - so I want to try it too.. Julie - Hugs Hugs Hugs !!!! I could only imagine how hard this is for you with the constant health issues you have had and now this constant pain issue.. I agree with apples - you may just need to go back to the doc - I think you may be just a tad depressed from what all you have going on - constant pain like you are having can drive a person crazy. Right not consintrate on finding out what's going on and causing this pain - ck out that pain management center and getting well - the rest will fall in place and all the worrying in the world isn't going to help the family issues... I gotta say since I had that talk with my Uncle and let my anger go at my sister - things have been better between us - at least on the surface - we have talked a couple of times and the tension has gone - I am wary - but things seem to be looking up - and I think it's cuz I had let go.. Sweetie we are here for you - I think you have done and execellent job on your weight loss - I think you may not know how to pat yourself on the back - So we are all giving you those pats - you have done an excellent job - and will continue to do so - you have a set back right now and once that gets figured out you will be right back on track...

LORI, Sounds like you made out like a bandit on the leather jacket. I did not got shopping. I am not going to buy until the scales start moving down again. I need a fill, but my appt. is not until Jan. 19th. I am going to see if I can get worked in next week. I here ya on the weight gain. It is probably water gain from the salt and carbs. You can shake that off in a day or so. Glad to see you had a good Christmas. I was blessed too to have all my kids together and enjoying each other's company. I am especially blessed to have had my mother for another year. Well, girl, we better get back on the bandwagon! We have a whole NEW YEAR to reach our personal goals.:thumbup::thumbup::smile:

Hi all. Had a pretty good week at work. New schedule is working well. However, 3 new students starting at our school Monday. One is just pre-school. However, 2 of them will need to be added to my schedule. One of them is coming to us from Wisconsin. Her mother "homeschooled" her and then died. A foster family put her in school where it was discovered that, though she was old enough for third grade, her academic scores were at kindergarten level. The school was providing massive help for her but grandmother, who lives in Chicago, sought custody and had to prove to the courts that she would provide good schooling where she would receive equivalent help. I couldn't promise equivalent help, but I wrote up what I could provide and talked to her sped teacher and compared methods. So grandma got custody and she's starting Monday. She is in second grade and currently tests at beginning of first grade. The other child has been out of our school since first grade and is returning as a 5th grader functioning at a mid-third grade level. Two weeks ago, I started two new kids I'd tested who also need help. One is testing at the 98th percentile in reading but below the 10th in math. Fortunately, he's only in third grade and I should be able to catch him up but I suspect a genuine learning disability in math. His half-sister is very high in computation but very low in math compreshension, so she is seeing me, too. This is the way it's like with every new kid we get. I think, when the parents find out about my program, it's one of the main reasons they send their kids to RCS. As long as RCS can keep its doors open, and some fool doesn't shut down No Child Left Behind or stop funding it, I have great job security. It means I work 10 hrs/day in order to accommodate these kids but that's my choice. I've reduced my group sizes by putting kids in before and after school and as long as my groups are small and I've neutralized behavior problems by making sure those kids are on the computers or are coming before school and not with their peers, I can just keep teaching. I do have at least one light period everyday where I just have 2 kids on the computer. I have an assistant two days a week, and another woman who comes in and tutors a couple of days a week. She is a theology student at McCormick Theological Seminary and is paid by them to tutor at our school. She got assigned to me to supervise so she comes in as her classes allow her. So, my food is OK, not terrific. The small weight gain has led to me being tight, which makes it hard for me to eat as much meat as I'd like. My high blood Calcium problems are also affecting my food choices. The Atkins products I like for treats all have high calcium in them. It's difficult to do 3 days of very low carbs when I can't use any of the products that worked for me while losing weight. Just the milk I put in my coffee contains almost all the calcium I need in one day. Add one Protein drink and I'm over the top. None of my parathyroid tests has come back abnormal. My blood calcium is only a small fraction above normal and they haven't found a cause, so I'm thinking it's just a physical anomaly of my body, and the amount of calcium I consume is probably not the cause. Nevertheless, I'm trying to at least not go over 200% of what I need. Woman my age are supposed to be taking 150% of the daily recommended dose to prevent bone loss, which I do have-though very mild-despite my high blood calcium. This is a very wierd thing. I've cut back my Vitamin D but I'm not eliminating it because its helped me so much with seasonal affective disorder. It's very hard for those of us of Northern European extraction who live in northern climates to get enough of it. My blood levels are high but not too high. However, combined with too much Calcium it could still be the cause of the high blood calcium levels. Especially since I use a laxative which can also lead to high blood calcium. So I'm trying to cut my laxative use as well, but I've been constipated since childhood. I eat a salad every night and take ground flax seed in the morning and at night and it makes no difference. So I'm frustrated. I have no time and no desire to cook. I don't enjoy eating out because I can eat so little and my husband can eat so much. Plus he eats extremely slowly because of his false teeth so I'm sitting there forever watching him eat. For an ADHD compulsive overeater, this is not a good thing. So I'm venting. If you didn't understand half of what I said, that's OK. The gist of it is that my calcium problems are causing me food choice problems since what works for me weight wise may not be good for my blood calcium levels. In addition, the slight weight gain has tightened my band enough that I'm having trouble eating enough meat and protein to satisfy me and keep my cravings at bay. This leads to eating sliders, which are always fat and carbs combined-a deadly combo. So I need to lose weight in order to loosen the band in order to eat right, but my tools for doing that have been compromised by my blood calcium. So I'm frustrated which is something I always used food to medicate. I'm not enjoying my meat because I start pbing so quickly on it, so eating is frustrating. I can't eat out because of pbing on meat and having to sit there and watch my husband eat for another half an hour while my food is cooling in front of me. Aargh. Cheri

Oops...don't know why that last one posted b/4 I was done. Long...maybe part of that weight gain is Water weight? Really push the fluids today, when you fly and while you are on vacation. You might notice that the weight falls off. But, absolutely don't let it be a cloud over your head while you are on vacation. Eat healthy just like you would at home and you will do just fine. Do have one foo-foo drink for me though! (That is if you partake...not sure). Good Morning to everyone else....I am buried deep in book work, farm stuff, cooking, gardening, etc. today and then heading for the afternoon at volunteer job. Think I need to cut back on that a little during the summer. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed and they want me to take on more. Nope...can't swing it. Still maintaining my weight which is very important for me. Can't gain though. It will come. Being very patient. Yesterday had 2700 cals. and was not easy to get it in. My DH says he knows I eat more now than b/4 surgery. At least I am not continually thinking about getting that weight back on. Just amazed that I am only maintaining. And...what's really weird is that even with no weight loss, I have gone down a pants size in the last two months. Now, don't get the wrong idea. I DO have meat on my bones and feel good and DH and most friends say I look good and healthy. You have all seen my photos and know I have some meat. I am VERY small boned. Even when I weighed 249 I wore a medium yoga pants. I am down to a size 0 or 2 in my pants now. Long...you talk about finding a good fit...I need at least a 34' or 36' inseam due to my pony legs. I think you have mentioned that you need talls also? I really like NY & Co pants for that reason. OK...enough about me....hope everyone has a great day. I need to get my A$$ back to work and keep my fingers crossed that I don't get called out to the field to pull out yet another tractor out of the mud!

Here's a great article by Kaye Bailey re snacking: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 No Snacking. It is the rule that works. Rule #3 - No Snacking Excerpted with permission from Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test by Kaye Bailey Pages 43-45 - Copyright 2009 - Kaye Bailey - All Rights Reserved "Without a doubt, the "No Snacking" rule is the most divisive in the weight loss surgery community. In fact, I've received more angry letters on this topic than any other of the Four Rules. One school of thought is that snacking is absolutely forbidden. The other school swears that three meals plus two Snacks a day are essential for the nutritional survival of the weight loss surgery patient. "I am not a doctor and I am not a nutritionist. But I work on the front lines with weight loss surgery patients every day, patients who are many years out from surgery; patients who have lost touch with their bariatric centers. What I do know for certain is this: patients who snack and who are not engaged in extreme athletics gain weight. There is a fine line between snacking intelligently and grazing and few, if any, of us have the self-control to toe the line. In my experience and in my opinion there is no reason for the average person post-WLS to ever engage in snacking. If we follow the I {heart} DIET we will not be hungry in the 4-6 hours between planned meals; there will not be a blood glucose emergency and there will not be a physiological need to snack. "This may be a very unpopular stand for me to take. But I have spent the last six years working with my fellow weight loss surgery patients and in every case of weight regain snacking has been involved. And in most cases the initial instructions from the bariatric center were for the patient to eat every 3 to 4 hours and somewhere along the third year things went wrong. Snacking on Protein Bars or nuts became grazing on pretzels and crackers washed down with soda, coffee or tea. Slider foods overruled sensibility. "No Snacking. It is the rule that works. "Now, I'm obligated to tell you to follow the very specific instructions given you by your bariatric center. If they instructed you to have three meals a day and two snacks a day that's fine: please do not feel I'm beating you up here. But please, go get your original notes and instructions. Review the list of approved snacks. Copy that list and post it on your refrigerator to keep your memory refreshed. The snacks your center permitted during the phase of weight loss are the only snacks you are allowed for the rest of your life if you want to maintain your weight loss. "I personally feel the "NO Snacking" rule is a tremendous relief. For several years of my adult life, prior to surgery, I had a 40-minute commute to and from work each day. My morbidly obese irrational thinking had me convinced that I could not last that commute without a large soda and giant cookie: both morning and night. Looking back that was about 1,200 calories of snacking I was taking each day just to "survive" my commute. Twelve hundred calories is equal to our full day caloric allowance after surgery! How was it again, that I became morbidly obese? Hmmm. My car was always full of crumbs and the back seat littered with empty cups and cookie wrappers, not to mention the expense of my snacking habit. What a relief when "No Snacking" took that burden from me. "One reason we are prone to break the "No Snacking" rule is because traditional snack foods are ever present in our society and they tend to set more comfortably in our stomach pouch than protein dense food. Have you found yourself able to eat an endless bag of crackers or chips yet struggle to get a few bites of roast chicken down? The crackers are soft and when consumed with liquid create slurry that never compacts in the pouch the way protein does. The cracker slurry slides right through in a steady stream: slider food (more on this in Part II: I {heart} DIET Basics). Solid protein, on the other hand, settles in the pouch like an unwelcome second cousin on your sofa and lingers just a little too long. So naturally we prefer to eat something that gives us comfort, not discomfort. "But the fact is, the pouch when it is used correctly, is supposed to be a little bit uncomfortable. The discomfort is the signal to stop eating. When we are snacking on slider foods we do not get that signal and we do not stop eating." LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife. LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest The Four Rules: #3 No Snacking When snacking hurts; When snacking helps February 9, 2011 Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you warm and well this second week of February. Today we continue our discussion of the Four Rules - we are at Number 3: No Snacking. It's a tough one and I dare say most of will or have struggled with snacking following weight loss surgery. And, as you will see from the articles in this newsletter, not all bariatric centers follow the same Four Rules that include no snacking. But what is consistent, across the front lines of those of us living with weight loss surgery, is that out-of-control snacking on poorly chosen foods leads to a stall in weight loss and may possibly lead to weight gain. So please, take a look at the information here and revisit the information you were provided at the time of your surgery. Find your personal position on the "No Snacking" rule based on knowledge, experience, and environment -- it is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself in this ongoing battle of weight management in a world where it is much easier to be fat. Happy 2011 - We are all in this together! Kaye KayeBailey@LivingAfterWLS.com A Note: We have received the fourth printing of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood cookbook earlier than anticipated. We are processing backorders as quickly as possible - so look for yours in the next few days delivered by US Postal Service. Thanks for your patience! Link to view the previously published Weekly Digests in our 2011 Four Rules Series: Rule #1 - Protein First: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest January 20, 2011 <P style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> Rule #2 - Lots of Water LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest February 2, 2011 The Four Rules: Before surgery most of us were taught the Four Rules we must follow in order to achieve the best results with weight loss surgery - any procedure. Those rules (with minor variations from one bariatric surgeon to the next) are: Protein First Lots of Water No Snacking Daily Exercise In order to maintain weight loss and keep the obesity from which we suffer in remission we must follow these rules for life. When we meet patients who have maintained a healthy body weight for several years with weight loss surgery we learn that in most cases they live by the Four Rules. If it has been a while since you have given consideration to the Four Rules I invite you today to spend a little time refreshing your knowledge and enthusiasm about Protein First. Actually, this is my favorite rule because it means good food without the guilt! Link to the articles of interest and take a look at some of our great WLS recipes. There is something for everyone as we get excited again about the Four Rules! Every now and again it serves us well to step back into our pre-op mindset when we were hell-bent on making surgery work to achieve weight loss and improve our health and quality of living. Take a look at this article with your pre-surgery eyes. I think it will help renew your enthusiasm for working "the tool" and living well today: Understand the Four Rules of WLS Before Going Under the Knife Weight loss surgery is frequently perceived as an easy means to weight loss that requires little or no effort by the patient. However, patients who undergo bariatric surgery are prescribed Four Rules of dietary and lifestyle management that they will follow for the rest of their life if they wish to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Here is what you need to know about the Four Rules of weight loss surgery before going under the knife.

Apples~ (or if anyone talks to Karen) Get a John Deere Green waterproof cast like Nelson had! You can still shower and get it wet! What bone did she break? Goodness gracious- enough is enough! We are going to wrap you in bubble wrap from now on! Julie~ WTG on throwing out the food. I had to do that too with some chocolate DH bought. Luckily I don't like most of the "snacks" Nelson has (goldfish, gummies, fruit rollups, entenmann's CC mini muffins, pretzels, pushups & popsicles) They could sit in front of me all day- zero desire. Lori~WTG on the PJ defense! I like that one. : ) I read your comment to someone about steroid epidural. (missed the posting about that). As a general rule, weight gain is NOT a side effect from Steroid epidurals. It works locally and is injected into the epidural space. It has a very low risk for having the side effects of systemic steroids (pills or injection just into the muscle or trigger points). The systemic (not epidural) can cause increase in blood sugar and hunger- which will lead to overeating. One reason people who have had Steroid epidurals say they gained weigh is usually b/c of limited/no activity/exercise b/c of the initial pain. And as Julie can tell you, chronic pain and the subsequent anxiety and depression it can cause can lead a person to stop exercising and start overeating. Hope that helps. : ) My mom is having back pain- 2 months now with meds and PT not working. She is going to pain MD today and will likely get a steroid epidural. If they screw around any longer I will bring her down here and get one of DH's partners to do it. Losing my patients with her drs. (sooooo tough to communicate with them when you aren't there). Oh, and congrats on DS getting promo!!! LauraK~ wow- 5 miles! awesome! Keep up the great work! Thanks for the compliment re: Nels. : ) Eva~ your work is so hot and strenuous. Hope the weekend will recharge you. : ) How was date night, where did you go? Post the red hair! I go on tuesday so I will look "young" for my trip. This will be the first time Nels sees me getting my hair "painted", usually I go while he is at camp/school but just didn't work out. I remember going with my mom when I was young. Of course back then it was for wash and poofing it out and curlers, then she wouldn't wash it for days. Memories. Jessica~ Glad u are back on meds. As you know, the side effects will gradually get better. It will be fine by the time classes start and you will be glad you went back on. Did you try looking for a used stethoscope on ebay? What kind do they want you to have, Litmmann cardiology II? I still use my very first one I got in nursing school. The tube and other soft pieces can be updated for cheap. They are worth it and the sound is outstanding. I know Amazon usually has good prices too. Search online, most of the med supply places have free shipping too. It's a good investment. I think you will do great! It's a perfect profession to have as a mom. When you start working they have such flexible hours and pay is great. I LOVE being a nurse. You should do a profession that you are passionate about- I always said I would do it for free (and i did when I volunteered in the Peace Corps!) I also volunteer here in the free clinic, we are on a rotating schedule, so my name comes up every 6 weeks or so. You will never regret getting your degree. Are you doing the ADN or BSN? Speaking of nurses, Phyllser~ How are you feeling? Is your back any better? Also, sorry to hear bout the dentist stuff. Ouch with the amt of that bill! Not sure if you have a dental school/program near you. The students have CONSTANT supervision by their DDS/DMD and the procedures can be done at a fraction of the $. My maid goes to the dental school here and got a root canal and crown for $100! Might be worth checking it out. Arlene~ wtg on the exercise!!! Janet~ You have me craving butternut squash, may have to go buy one. : ) Hugs on the GS stuff. So proud of you and the exercise. I am sure I missed someone- not intentional. CRS. :tongue2: I am cleaning, laundry, changing beds, cleaning toys after that playdate, took Nels to camp. Plan is to go to the gym 1.5 hrs before I pick him up. Yeppers! : ) Hope everyone has a good day.... until later. peasout.. Laura

Found this in my email from some site I am signed up to.. how smart women lose weight Sure it’s important to have a healthy diet plan to lose weight, but if that isn’t enough, then consider this strategic plan used by smart women. The first time Jenn set out to lose those 20 pounds, she gave up sugared sodas. The second time, she ate only protein. She fasted, overdosed on raw carrots and counted fat grams. All of the diet tips and healthy weight loss plans she tried worked, but only for a while. Sheer force of will didn't keep her from chowing down when the impulse struck; nor did it get her into the gym. Not until Jenn approached her excess weight the way a new CEO might a faltering business did her 20 extra pounds disappear for good. Here’s the problem-solving approach that Jenn used to successfully supplement her healthy diet plan. The technique Jenn used is a systematic problem-solving approach developed more than 50 years ago to improve industrial production. Called "quality improvement" or "systems thinking," it means you: look at your problem as part of a larger system find things that contribute to the problem experiment by changing the system in some small way After you've seen the result of your change, you alter the system again to incorporate the new change, then look for other causes of the problem. Then you experiment with the other solutions until the problem is solved. If your problem is too much weight, you can use this method to change the behaviors causing it. Farrokh Alemi, Ph.D., associate professor of health-care management at George Mason University School of Nursing in McLean, Va. and his colleagues have tested what they call continuous self-improvement on 400 people seeking personal change, including healthy weight loss and exercising more. Not only has it been successful in changing daily habits, the changes have been long lasting. Here's how it could work for you. Step 1: Look at the big picture Shift from seeing your weight problem in personal terms and instead see it as part of a larger system that includes your family needs, social life, work hours and whatever else affects your exercise and eating habits, including any ethnic-food preferences and peer pressures. Once you discover how many outside factors affect your healthy diet plan and exercise, you'll realize that losing weight with willpower alone is almost impossible. "Using willpower for self-improvement is like applying brute force," Alemi says. "Using a systems approach is applying intelligence." Step 2: Define the problem Before coming up with solutions, you need to identify the real problem, says Linda Norman, M.S.N., R.N., associate dean at the School of Nursing at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and one of Alemi's research colleagues. Say your favorite jeans are too tight. Instead of telling yourself you need to lose weight, Norman suggests you ask yourself a series of questions, such as "What's associated with the weight gain that's made my jeans tight?" (maybe the underlying problem is boredom at work or the pain of a bad relationship) and "What's contributing to my weight gain?" (maybe you don't make time for exercise, or you eat in response to stress and need to learn other stress-management techniques so you can successfully follow a healthy diet plan). "The more questions you ask," Norman says, "the closer you'll get to the root of the problem." "It also helps to 'frame' the problem positively," Alemi adds. "For example, you might look at weight gain as an opportunity to get fit." Finally, it's important to define the problem in a way that lets you monitor your progress and measure the outcome by how well you're dealing with the triggers that cause weight gain. Step 3: Brainstorm solutions Clearly defining the problem that is preventing you from achieving healthy weight loss will lead you to the solution. If you've stated the problem vaguely -- "I have to eat less" -- you've biased yourself toward dieting as a solution. But if you're specific -- "I need to change jobs or reduce my stress to protect my health" -- you'll probably think of several good answers to your problem, such as seeing a career counselor or starting a new exercise program. Write down every solution that comes to mind, then arrange the list according to priority, starting with the ones that contribute most to the problem or will have the greatest impact on the outcome. Step 4: Monitor your progress Make the first item on your list your first experiment. "Say the problem is that you're sedentary, and your first solution is to work out with a friend after work," says Duncan Neuhauser, Ph.D., a professor of health management at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland and another of Alemi's research colleagues. "You might experiment with using your noon hour to make exercise 'dates.' " After a few weeks, add up the number of times you exercised. If your first solution didn't work, try an evening exercise class or find a park where people walk or run after work. Win or lose, keep notes. "Measure your progress every day," Neuhauser says, "and put the results in chart or graph form. Visual aids are helpful." The data you gather will also make you aware of your normal variations. You may be more active on certain days of your menstrual cycle, for example, or you may always gain 2 pounds when you spend weekends with certain friends. "The data gathering is not just about keeping track of your weight," Norman says. "It's about tracking the process that affects your weight." Step 5: Identify barriers "There are going to be crises, external influences, times you have to eat Grandma's cookies," Neuhauser says. You'll have days when you can't exercise and days when you'll be tempted by holiday meals, and because you're tracking your progress, you'll be able to detect which events actually cause weight gain. "Overwhelming evidence from many areas, including substance-abuse research, shows that situations trigger relapses," Alemi says. "You need to find out which situations make you return to old habits." Once you're aware that working late makes you too tired to exercise, for example, you can test strategies for leaving work on time. If you blow your balanced healthy diet because you dine out with friends who always order too much, try hosting takeout at your house and make sure you order healthy foods. Step 6: Build a support team Some people lose weight with the help of a diet buddy, but for the best chance of success, you need the support of people whose decisions will affect your efforts. "When you make systemwide changes, your actions affect many people," Alemi says. "If you plan to lose weight by changing your food-shopping, cooking habits and strategy for a balanced healthy diet, then everyone at home will be affected. You're better off to engage them from the start." Start by educating these friends and family members about weight loss in general (including what lifestyle changes are necessary) and your goals in particular with regard to a healthy weight loss, then involve them in your daily experiments. "The whole group needs to agree to rely on the data," Alemie says. As results of your changes come in, including new, healthier habits, share them with the group. After all, when you finally do solve your weight problem, these people are the ones who will help you celebrate your success. They may even thank you for helping them, too.

hope its ok for a sleever to jump in DOS, i was one month shy of being 58 years OLD - today i turned 64 years YOUNG!! dealing with 8,3 weight gain, still continue myself at GOAL with my 105 lb loss from 6 years ago. @gowalking nice to see you. you are a hard worker, i know those few nasty lbs will come off sooner than later- i recognize others too from the old days @Julie norton - peek a boo - always great to see you run run run if can - my 6 years won't ever catch up with your 11 successful years!! who loves ya baby!! congrats to all WLS survivors!! lets continue to see less and less of each other!! thanx for letting me drop by congrats to all life IS good kathy

I'm Julie. Born and raised in Louisiana but married a Mississippi man and moved here to be with him. I'm 40 y/o. Married to my soul mate and mother of a 17 yr old son with special needs. I work 2 jobs. So life is stressful. I was thin and even a beauty queen in my younger years but weight gain begin in my early 20's. my first consultation is Jan 14 w Dr Borland in Louisiana. I'm self pay ($9800) and I am hoping to schedule my surgery Feb 26. I hope to lose 130-160 lbs.