The Lounge

4,946 topics in this forum

:hippie:Hi all! I am getting banded at 8:30am this coming Monday, November 19th. This site is so great, I just found it and am so excited to have a group of people who know what I will be going through! It is strange, but I am getting less scared and confused the closer it gets... I guess all of the support from family and friends has finally helped me be confident in my decision. I have had some real mind games up until now! I have lost 14 pounds on a clear liquid diet in 5 days and it is freaking me out because I have NEVER lost like that before! I am afraid it will stop! Hope everyone is well!

Just curious to see if anyone is interested in linking up on other sites as well. I have already had a few of you friend me on facebook, which my link is in my signature. I am also on twitter located here: susanhelander (susanhelander) on Twitter I just signed up for Loopt on my iPhone, as well, but am not sure how to share on there yet.

Hi!! I have been on LBT for awhile now. I have been banded for awhile now. For some reason, when one has been around for some time like me - and there are others here who have been here much longer, we tend to move on to other areas. For me it's Facebook - but I still need that support and whatnot from other bandsters. So, if you want send me a friendship request there and let's chat. :sad: My link is in my signature line. PS, please be sure to tell me where you seen me. I don't just accept friendship requests willy-nilly. :biggrin: Thanks!! Happy Banding.

Don't know how many of you know, but we homeschool. We are starting back Aug.3! I'm both excited & nervous. I'm still working with my DS6 on reading & that will be our biggest challenge for the year. I am determined to get him reading fluently on grade level by the end of our school year. We are trying a different curriculum this year because he absolutely hated the Abeka we did last year. He's very smart, but he prefers math over reading/phonics. He loves to add & counting money is his favorite skill to practice (he's just like his dad :lol0:). My dd8 is a wonderful, self motivated student so she doesn't give me much problems. The main problems t…

I am far from perfect--I think I need an apostrophe in my thread title but I'm not going to go back & do it. Some spelling/grammar/usage is so bad that I simply cannot understand the post. I'm not talking there,they're, their issues, I have no idea what you are trying to say issues. Not a rant, just an observation I fully expect this thread to fall and go away very quickly.

Everytime I try to go in the chat room, there are certain people talking as if no one is there I have watched other people come in, say hello, and leave after a few minutes of not being able to get in on the conversation ... if I am wrong then I will own that .... has anyone else noticed that?:smile:

Ok I had seen someone ask what your favorite song is. Well I'd like to know what are your favorite songs to work out to. You know, the kind that get you movin:dance: and groovin:dance:. I am going to download them to my MP3 player so that I have some good songs to workout to! Dont be shy bring on the suggestions!!! P.S. No one will make fun of your song choice ....even if you say the Spice girls.. well maybe we will just a little!.... LOL

My wife&I are going on a 14 say cruise near the end of Sept and was wondering how others hadnle the eating situation whne you on the cruise. any information would be much appreciated as I was banded july 2 and will be getting my first fill July 31. thanks Sean

I was wondering what do you look for in buying protein bars. Do you look for the ones with less carbs and calories&Fat and with most protein?any information would be appreciated. Sean

I haven't been around here for a really long time. Had the baby, returned to work, and 3 days later was told my job was being eliminated. Jobs in my field tend to be few and far between, especially in this economy... so after deciding I did not want to be a SAHM I went into turbo job hunting mode. The baby is in daycare, so that I could job interview, but I couldn't keep her there indefinitely on one income, nor could I pull her and ever expect a potential employer to be willing to wait 3 months for me (standard daycare wait list in my area). Stressful time, but just like week I received a "dream job" offer. Which is where my question comes in. My band is, and alwa…

I did! I had an old fashioned cake donut for breakfast this morning! I'm full and satisfied. And, I'm so excited again. I know, you're thinking...so what?! A year ago I would have eaten 2 donuts, a pig in a blanket, AND a dozen donut holes! And, I would have had a large cappuccino to wash it down!! So, for me, this is major! No, I won't be eating them every morning, but today it was exactly what I wanted. And, I'm not suggesting that others eat donuts for breakfast. I know the program and I follow it. But, my band isn't a diet program, it's a lifelong process of learning how to eat in moderation. The rest of today I will still be on program because I haven't cheated!!…

:biggrin0:http://www.toilette-humor.com/cartoon.html Have a great day - hope this link works :lol0: and remember ...SMILE -- it makes people wonder what you've been up to

I opened the email account that I use specifically for writing projects (outside of fan fic) and was greeted with a pleasant surprise- I was chosen as a Featured writer on Raffter Jump On.com for my article on hearing loss and deafness. I'm on the front page of both the site and their Facebook page. Here are the links: Rafter Jumpon - New York, NY | Facebook (you may have to join the group to see the page) and RafterJumpOn - Featured Rafters (this goes directly to the article that resulted in me being featured) I think it's going to be a good day.

Hiding from the camera. I can't wait to feel comfortable enough to stand proudly in front of a camera. I take the occassional pic, but do my very best to stay behind the camera. I swear the camera puts 30 additonal pounds on you. Is it my imagination (probably) that we often feel and perceive ourselves differently from the image the camera projects? People often gasp when I tell them how much I weigh (currently 222) - I hear "you look great!" "why are you trying to lose weight?". I actually heard these very comments from my General Practioners receptionist. She pulled me aside and said that she saw the letter my dr was sending to the surgeon and really didn't know wh…

Hi everyone! What a nice place Alex has set up for us here! As much as I love Spotlight and the Yahoo groups, it's nice to have a message board format just for us Bandsters. Let's spread the word! Alexis :twisted: :shock: Fun emoticons too. lol

ON Wednesday, I went with two friends to visit another friend in the hospital. We were all talking when the nurse came in and began doing something, I'm not sure what it was. She seemed friendly enough, but at one point in our conversation, she stopped, came very close to me and asked, "What's wrong with your eyes?" I should explain that I have cataracts, and had cornea transplants when I was a child. The cataracts have given my eyes a filmy appearance. One of my friends said, "She's blind." The nurse said, "Yes, but what's wrong with your eyes? What happened to them?" My friend said, "Well, that's really rude." The nurse patted me on the arm, and sai…

Hi Bandersters!! The is my issue!! I got banded on 5/23/08, Mexico. Lost up to 20lbs with no fill. In 4 months my family ran into financial problems due to hubby losing job...caused us to sale house just to keep oldest son in college. Therefore, me getting fills was just not in our budget with still raising two other kids in middle school...money was just not there priority wise. I was the only one working and housing in Florida is really bad. Finally, after about a year and moving to a condo...my hubby and I are seeing some daylight!!:thumbup: My problem is that I have never got a fill since surgery and of course weight came back wih all the stress,,,I would like to kn…

I didn't know where else to put this. I am just curious about this. They are always saying the sleeve is the first part of DS. What is DS anyway? I know what the letters stand for, but I don't even know what that surgery involves. I just know that WASa said they have an problem because that surgery causes issues with people smelling bad.:001_tt2: I never cared enough about this to find out, but now I am curious. What is the difference between DS and RNY?

As posted on TMZ: Michael Jackson Dies Posted Jun 25th 2009 5:20PM by TMZ Staff We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50. Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back. A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. LaToya ran in the hospital sobbing, after Jackson was pronounced dead. Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II. Story developing...

I crochet and scrapbook. I have tried just about every craft out there but these are the two I still do. Use to do alot of sewing(had my own bridal business for years) I'm teaching my two grandaughters to crochet right now.

Hey guys I have a friend that got bumped to 3rd place on Mycurves.com most amazing member contest. I need you help... Like we helped Susan win her phone Ok go to www.mycurves.com and register U will need to use code TSPL68 Click on Contests on the top tab and vote for MELISSA O IN JUNCTION CITY, OR Lets bump her back to the top

I have a id that allows you to keep medical information current online so that first responders have access to your info. I got it cuz I am diabetic and cuz I ride motorcycles. This little gem has come in handy because I don't have to fill out numerous questionnaires about medical history when I see new doctors--it's all accessible by my giving the person the website and my code and password. It is called RoadId.com if anyone is interested.

I just rented that movie. The stupid DVD keeps getting stuck in the same spot. I guess it's not going to play the end for me. It stops right where the dog gets sick. If you don't want to ruin the ending for someone else, please pm me with how this movie ends.

Okay readers, here's one for you. I got banded a year ago this past May. I have lost 45lbs. I don't know when or where, I stopped caring or became discourged. I had a total of four fills. At first I felt the restriction but it seem like two or three weeks later, it's like I had no fills done at all. I drink a protein drink in the mornings and I drink water or juice with protein until about 4 p.m. then I eat a little something. Like meat, vegatables and maybe pinto beans. (this changes daily. This is an example) About 8 or 9 p.m I may eat a half bowl of frozen yogart. I weight myself every morning and either I weight the same or may have lost or gained one pound. This …

Do you have one and are they really worth the money? I just bought one on sale at Khol's for 40.00. Now I just have to convince my husband that I REALLY need it!

Preface: This thread is not one for fighting. I am starting it, I can request that it be locked if it gets out of hand. This thread is to discuss modern versus traditional Christian and additional religious ideas regarding social structure and economics. This is NOT a thread for bashing religion. If you cannot contain yourself and feel you must bash someone's religion, go to another site to do so. There are plenty on the net. Earlier today I was reading through a thread, and came across something DevilMayKare stated. Instead of hijacking the original thread I asked DevilMayKare if I could quote her here and discuss this topic. It is an interesting one, and on…

Does the chat feature still work on this website? I haven't been on in a long time and when I went to the chat, I only get a blank screen. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

This is total off the subject of lapband or anything to do with loosing weight. I am just so upset and home alone with nobody else to talk to. I hope nobody minds my venting about this on this site. If anyone does, I am very sorry. My 2 kids dad and I are divorced. They are spending a month of their summer vacation with him and his new bitch of a new wife. I want and need to go into just a bit of detail about their relationship. They met on the internet while I was the only one at work and supporting our family. While I would be at work, he would be on the phone with her and out seeing her. They were sleeping together when we were still married. I come home fro…

:smile2:I have been banded a year on the 23rd of this month. I have lost a total of 73 lbs. My husband never wanted me to have the lap band, because he stated that he liked the way that I was. Unfortunately, I didn't. I was at 323 at my highest, with high blood pressure at the age of 26. :lol:This was not the life I wanted for me. Lately my husband has been very insecure. I now like to go out with friends, and just enjoy life. I also still wanted to save my marriage. It now seems that my weight loss has caused my husband to be extremely jealous, in which he would just go into rages. Don't get me wrong.....this has been going on for sometime now. I finally got tired and I …

Now I can get on the right food plan and get down to business. It's been the last 2 weeks of hell in my life. I am glad WasA sugested I get my surgery early, and she was right. My dad needed me. It would not have been good if they had to track me down on my cellphone. If would also been difficult to follow the post op diet plan over the last few weeks. Nobody in my family knows about this surgery, other than my friends here and couple in real life.:thumbup1:

Well, I have 10 days to go before the band. I started my liquid diet monday and have lost 20 lbs so far, however, it is a struggle when the family wants to eat normal gfoods and I am stuck on these liquid diets - Protein. Tonight my wife said that she was hungry and she was going to DQ, all I thought of was popcorn chicken. Man do I miss that stuff.

I thought I'd repost today's blog here in case any music lovers have some ideas for me... 6/8/09 Name That Tune DS1 decided to have his graduation party next month (they go on all summer here). I’m making a DVD slide show set to music that plays music clips in the background. We set it up to play continuously where the food tables are so people can watch some/all as they arrive. I’m putting together the elements of it now; about 10 pics from each year of his life set sequentially and about 10-11 song clips; about 2 min. each. I have to finish soon as I send the scanned pics and music to an expert who makes it all look pretty. I did the same thing as a surprise…

So I have decided I need a new scale. I went out and bought a HomeMedics digital scale today and got on it. I was SHOCKED! It read the same as the scale I've been using---the one that I swear up and down is about 10lbs off. At work we use a digital scale and it consistently weighs me 10lbs heavier than I do at home. I am SO confused! I dont know which scale to believe. I havent been to weigh in at the surgeon's office in over 4 weeks so that scale is out. I guess I will try to get in there this week just to see but its driving me crazy trying to figure how much I actually weigh :blushing:

I am having a good day. First today is the last day of school for my daughter. I am on vacation for a week as of tomorrow. Then when I got to work I found out that my main supervisor is out sick today. Oh what a shame. Now I was just told that the other life sucking form of management had to leave because she lost a crown. Maybe I should play the lotto today. Or hopefully someone will discover a way to make Mexican food fat free. Anyone else having a good day? Thanks for letting me brag, my office can be such a drag. :confused:

OK, so the video is not about my losing weight, but it is the first video of me since lapband - so the first public showing in over 100 pounds. The video is a song called "Pray In the Eye" a song I wrote on September 13, 2008 as hurricane Ike was passing over my home. The video features pictures of the storm, as well as video of me playing "The Ike Special" a three-stringed box guitar I built from debris from the hurricane (siding from a house, a fence board, carpet, sticks, etc.) the thinner me can be seen at Let me know what you think. Thanks

To all those that have served and their families: THANK YOU! Words alone cannot express my sentiments for your sacrifice. You've protected us all with your service.

I saw the issue of People with her talking about her weight re-gain last night. My heart goes out to her. . and I really hope that she considers getting banded. HOWEVER, knowing that she is 5'8 (2 inches taller than me) and claims to have been 230 at her heaviest . .and only 210 when she was interviewed/photographed, I just have got to call B.S. on her claimed weight. I just don't see how she could possibly be telling the truth, and I also thought she was not telling the truth the first time around. Does anyone else agree? I thought that all of us who also struggle with our weight might have good insight about the truth of her numbers! Catherine

Ann Curry is interviewing Brad Pitt at the Cannes Film Festival and the woman won't let him answer the questions...she keeps talking and talking. Geesh! I've seen many interviews and when a correspondant asks a question- they let the subject answer....not this one. I couldn't believe it and she kept touching him. Wow, it was one more unprofessional moment for the Today Show.

But does anyone here know the hourly pay rate of a pharmacy worker in California? I've no idea what the technical name for it is, but the person counts the pills out, does inventory, answers the phone and sometimes handles customer orders. Actually, if anyone can just give me what the technical name is, I'd be happy.

it annoys the crap out of me when people post 15 pictures of their dogs...cats...sand...nails...its like what does this have to do with weight loss???????? did ur pet get banded?????? or when people post pics and (i'm sorry) you have no idea if they r b4 ...after...or what....or when people post pictures and dont tell u how much weight they have lost....i understand weight is a personal topic...but you are on a support group site whose member were or are overweight....

On the day of my surgery, I set a goal of 230 pounds. My reason was simple... On surgery day, I weighed 370. Going down to 230 meant I could easily celebrate making the halfway point, and getting to 300 in one whack. But now that I am within 40 pounds of that goal, my looking at my saggy body, it is time to renegotiate that goal... and drop it down a bit. So why a new goal of 212? Also simple. On January 1, 2008, I woke up New Years day weighing 412. :eek::thumbup::confused::wink: Between then and July 25th when I had surgery, I lost 42 pounds, but that 412 is as real to me as my surgery weight. To reach 212 would mean 200 pounds down. So my new goals... …

Maybe it's just me, but it really annoys the crap out of me when pre-band people post on here complaining about how they will never get banded because they have no money, no health insurance, and no credit. If you already know that, then why the heck post about it? You can't pay for the band with wishes and prayers. I mean really, it's not like there are people on this board who will read the post and offer to pay for the band!! Maybe I feel this way because I was self pay. Maybe I'm just a tiny insensitive, but there are MANY of us who found a way to pay for the band when insurance wasn't an option. Anyone else feel this way when they see those particular post…

I'm listening to Pat Benatar, We Live For Love. Oh yeah! :mad2:

My insurance company basically tells me that I am not sick enough yet to qualify for thier weight losss surgery program :smile2:. I guess if I continue to gain weight and my sleep apnea becomes uncontrollable or I have a heart attack or become diabetic then they will admit me. It seems ironic or maybe moronic that the very things I am trying to avoid though lapband are what will qualify me to receive one. Anyone else have a similar experience? Just seems so crazy to me I mean I weigh 300lbs, BMI 46, sleep apnea moderate,mild high blood pressure. Guess I shouldn't have eaten all that oatmeal and lowered my cholesterol 17 points. ARRRRRG! SIGH.....

Just wanted to share a new catalog that I got the other day. The name is long tall sally, their website is www.longtallsally.com. They have some really great stuff for us tall gals and though most of their "regular" price stuff is a little high, it looks like they have really good sales. I've really grown tired of the limited selections from Eddie Bauer and JJill....

Hey all - after much debate and discussion with my recipe book publisher - I have decided instead of just doing a recipe book - we are now going to do an actual Weight Loss Surgery Magazine!!!!! It will be in print. While I am breaking the news to ya'll first -I wanted to see if anyone would like to share their stories for the first issue expected to be in print in June. Also, if you are a writer and would like to be one of the writers/contributors for the magazine (paid) - please contact me by email ASAP. THE MAGAZINE BY PRINT WILL BE FREE!!!!!!!! We will be shipping it to doctors offices around the country (USA) and will be a free publication. If you want it shi…

I have always heard that drinking hot or cold Water makes your body work harder (to either cool it down or warm it up). Recently on food Detectives, there was a segment about it, and it reaffirmed that theory, stating that ice-cold water was best because it burns more calories trying to warm up the water to body temp. Today, my boss was telling me that her doctor and another website she goes to says to ONLY drink room temperature water because too cold will shock the body and you won't lose weight. So, it got me thinking...what do you guys think? I know with the band, sometimes ice cold water and I don't get along well, but I do like ice-cold water in place of room…

Ok guys, I was fed up with all the spam, etc. I was getting on myspace. So, I recently created a facebook account. I wanted to see if any other LBT'ers are on facebook as well?

WWDD: What would Diva do? Hey all you bandsters to be, current bandsters and former bandsters! I have always admired Dear Abby. What a gal! I have always wondered what it would be like to be her, so I’m offering up my services to anyone here who has a question… about anything and everything. Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only. If my reply causes you to lose thousands of dollars by gambling your life savings away, stuck in a whale’s belly, a body full of ringworms or other negative responses, please remember – the right answers lie within us all! I take no responsibility for your actions. :cursing:) And with that, let’s begin.

HI! guys I am not yet banded but, hope to be soon. Maybe the fall. But, this is a true story about a girl that was not use to putting on weight than one day slowly but surely found herself unable to fit into the Misses size 18 any longer. Off to the plus size as it is called (so I heard) and there were size 14W, 16W. 18W, ect. You guys know what I'm talking about. Well, after several attempts and trying on different things needed one in the size up. Go up to the girl and ask her, "Do you have this in an 18 Wide" The girl looked at me and said, Honey this ain't no trailer lot........ I said, what do u mean. She said, this means "WOMENS" not "WIDE". OH! I said,…