May 2007 Banders

[Manatee 4]

Legster,

It's not that they overfill, it's just that I always have a pretty severe delayed reaction to a fill. The stomach swells almost shut for a day or two. I seem to be past it now, the reflux has eased off and I can now eat small portions of solid soft Protein.< /p>

[legster 2]

That's great to hear. Glad to know you're already feeling better!

[Manatee 4]

It's all about the lighting

I don't -really- look like this, but I surprised myself in the mirror this morning and had to take a pic. Now I'm starting to understand why the celebrities always look like hell in real life -- there's an art to that photographic stuff

[Manatee 4]

Next stage?

Well, I went ahead and made an appointment next Tuesday with a plastic surgeon. Going to see if this blob about the middle is something I can fix with more work and even less eating, or if it will need a chainsaw and hoovervac.

Not throwing up much anymore. Reflux is still bad, but not keeping me up at night anymore. I actually got a small chili/cheese potato down (or at least most of it). Best part -- I, me, myself -- made it in my very own kitchen. For those who know me, you know what a step that is :crying:

Weight is STILL stuck at the 180-185 range. Seriously, WTF?

[Manatee 4]

Nobody else posting? Ok, fine....

Traded one clothes hanger for another

So, I had a garage sale a few weeks ago, and sold the Bowflex and the ElliptiKILL.

That gave me enough money (almost!) to buy this

It's a brand new 2007 Fuji Professional 3.0, all carbon and other goodness. My buddy J has been trying to get me into this for a while. This poor thing was sitting dusty at the bike shop, and since the 2009s are almost out and the 2008s on discount, I got a pretty good deal on it. All together it weighs 20 lbs.

Took an easy 11.25 mile ride on it right after I bought it, will have to work up to real distances. I also got the geeky padded shorts and a jersey. No, I will NOT be posting pics

[RAYSBABE 1]

I haven't been on here in FOREVER...here is where I am right now, and the reason I just haven't been posting~~~~~HELP ME!!!

I can do just fine until 2-3pm!!! What the heck??? I was 204 one year ago and today I am 215...this has taken me a long time to admit, but I'm going the wrong way. I lost all 49lbs (started at 253 and made it to 204 in 5 months) BEFORE my first fill!!! Nothing happened for about a month, so i got fill #1...NO difference. Then I finally got fill #2 after about 5 more months and I have slowly gained 11 lbs since then. I eat like a freakin horse and almost nothing gets stuck. I have to eat slowly, but I put down ALOT! And of course, icecream, chocolate and Cookies are NO problem at all. I paid over 18,000 dollars for this surgery and I just thank God I have a good husband who isn't hanging it over my head that I'm gaining. I feel like such a piece of crap failure! I want to get another fill, but we are SO in debt from all this in the first place that I can't even afford one...part of me doesn't want to pay for one anyway since the first two did nothing! My surgeon left the hospital where i had surgery and so did the head of the weight loss program...The dude that did my last fill was SO mean! I don't want to go through that again either. I really want to find someone else that can do my fills. i don't even know where to start. I'm losing my mind...starting to think that I'll be fat forever. I changed my goal weight to 195 a couple weeks ago. I just knew I'd be below 200 like a YEAR AGO!!!!!!!!! Now I'd be happy to be 199!

[violeteyes37 0]

Hello everyone, as you can tell I havent been on here in forever either. Im back now so ashamed. I was doing so good. I had gotten down to 154 and thought I had this thing licked. Im back today at about 175. Im gaining and dont know how to stop. I know what happened. I let people get into my head. I heard people telling me that I had lost too much weight. Can you believe that. How could I had lost too much weight. So I started to believe it and I started to eat and drink alcohol. Oh yea they had also told me that I was boring now that I wasnt drinking and eating with them every weekend. So I listened and fell right into their trap and known Im stuck and cant get out. Im so afraid that Im going to gain all of the weight back. Im hoping that by coming back on here and reading everyones post that I refind the motivation that I once had. Thanks for listening. :thumbup:

[RAYSBABE 1]

dear violet,

i'm sorry to hear you are struggling...i wish i knew what to tell you...i haven't even made it to where you are, but i always wondered if the weight would be hard to keep off. you sound like someone with extreme character to have made it to 154...you can get back there!!! just remember it's only 21 pounds instead of 100!!! I stand in awe of what you have accomplished! don't give up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RAYSBABE 1]

Hello all!!

Well... we figured out where the sudden tightness came from....

I'M PREGNANT!!!!

We are so happy! So far so good... feeling tired and a little sick when I dont eat on a regular schedule. My first Dr's appt is on 9/8!

congrats, Melissa! Let us know how your appt goes!!!

[realmccoy 0]

Cool bike Manatee! I sold my Bow Flex and my Elliptical too! Bought an Ab-Lounger and new clothes!

Good luck with biking!

[sue11 0]

Well...that was an interesting Dr Apt.I had an unfill about 7 weeks ago and it's been awful not having my band all this time. The Doc thought he had done a partial unfill (3.3 to 2.8), but evidently after he pulled the Fluid out (to measure) he must have dislodged the needle, because the was NOTHING in my band. The only other explanation is that I have a leak. He tested it in the office and though that test is not conclusive, it showed no leaks. I'm kind-of glad to find out my band was empty 'cause I had NO restriction what-so-ever! I did OK for the 1st 2 weeks, but then was rear-ended and haven't been able to exercise...that's when I lost control...9 #'s in 4 weeks. A true confirmation that I NEED my band!I'm back to 3.0 in my band today, and I know I can handle it...WITH my band!Sue

[Melissa S 1]

Hello all...and thank you for all your well wishes!

We had the first appointment today... all went well. Still too early to hear the heartbeat (7 weeks... due 4/25). They said I'm in perfect health to deliver at the Birth Center (which is all holistic..run by midwives) She even said I have the BP of a runner!... yeah I'm thinking... you see the size of my rear?? I dont run!! HA! I'm having bouts with nausea and I get tired pretty fast...but I went to my chiropractor and got adjusted and feel 100% better. They also have no worries about the band and pregnancy. They just want me to visit my Dr and have him write up a little note saying that he agrees to treat me as needed if any complications (too much restriction) arise. So far so good... I'm able to eat small meals...and quite alot at times. I still have good restriction but I'm able to eat without any trouble at all.... meats, breads... everything goes down fine. I'm a little tight in the morning with my Cereal but I'm able to eat a cup with no problem. And funny thing is... I'm craving proteins! Mostly cheeses. And all of a sudden I hate fish and seafood... something I've always LOVED! Very odd...

I didnt weigh in today so I'm not sure where I stand with gain/loss... and honestly... I'm really not worried too much. Dont get me wrong.. I dont want to gain nearly what I gained with my first pregnancy (nearly 80 lbs) but I'm looking to have a normal, healthy weight gain. I'm still walking and just trying to take good care of me and the baby!

[Manatee 4]

Scheduled for another surgery

This time, it's purely cosmetic.

Every time I drop into the low 170s I start looking and feeling sick, but the damned roll won't come off the middle. I finally broke down and went to talk to a plastic surgeon today.

He said that I've done a great job, but that the best way to get rid of that roll is to take it out via Lipo. Fortunately my skin has rebounded well, and so no major cutting will be required.

His work looks good, his own staff has had him work on them and is happy, and the price was pretty decent. So, I'm scheduled for 9/22 -- which is just under 2 weeks away!

We'll see what happens.

[violeteyes37 0]

Thanks. I keep trying to tell myself that Im better than what I was but its hard. Im sure you will make it too your goal also. We have to just keep trying.

[Manatee 4]

Pre-op meeting with the plastics guy

Had my pre-op meeting for the Monday surgery. I was given a ton of prescriptions for pain control, which concerns me quite a bit. In addition, I found out that I'll have to be in a full-body compression garment 24-7 for at least 3 weeks following the surgery to control the swelling, and then have to sleep in the thing for another 6 weeks afterwards. That's fun. I made the decision to buy a few extra, seems only civilized

No exercise for at least 3 weeks, no weight lifting for 6, only "light physical activity" for 3-6 weeks -- and yeah, that leaves out exactly what you think it does :thumbup:

On the positive side, he's very confident that we'll get the results we want, and if there's a little bit of dog-ear left on the sides he'll go back in later to clean that up, included in the original price.

It turns out he's done band patients before, so there's no worries for the tubing and port and such.

Speaking of, I managed to get in today for a complete unfill of the band. Thank the (non-existent) gods that the pressure is finally gone. I'd forgotten what it was like to not have constant pain in the stomach. The acid is gone, the pain is gone, and not a moment too soon: I was vomiting blood again this morning :frown:

Turns out that my band doc knows the plastics guy and had good things to say about him. That relieved a lot of anxiety for me.

So here we go!