Jim1967

I have not used my CPAP machine in close to a month. With it I sleep very very poor now and no doubt I am getting too much pressure from it now. I no longer snore (according to my Wife) and I sleep pretty sound and feel rested. I have a new sleep study scheduled in January just to ensure I am in the clear.

Amanda, you might get better results if you post an actual direct legitimate link and not use bitmarks. URL redirection is threatening especially since no one knows you.

"The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best." All others can step the F$%# off!!

One of my Wife's friends told her she thinks WLS is a form of cheating. That's right cheating. Exercise and dieting and watching what you eat is the only way it should be done. She posted a bit about it here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/176454-disappointed-in-my-friends-reactions/#entry2052871

Sometimes the risk of doing nothing far outweigh the risks of doing something....but only you would know that.

Patience can be tough at times that much is certain. Need to remember as well that you are working out a lot and while yes you are burning fat but you are also building muscle. Keep an eye out for NSVs because even if the scale is not moving doesn't mean your body isn't changing. I could go a month without losing but drop a pant size or two. Scale can be an evil thing at times but NSV's go a long way when it comes to morale. 23lbs is great by the way so you're doing fantastic. Weight loss is not going to be rapid no matter how much you work out or stick to strict dieting. Our chemical balance yo yo so frequently.

I pretty much agree with the others and I do avoid milkshakes however the name of the game is not deprivation. If it is something you can have in moderation or a once a while treat then no big deal but you need to keep tabs on those calories. As the others have said those suckers will slide on down. I am not much of a milkshake drinker but once in a great while I will splurge on a cone from McDonald's. I only go to the drive thru though LOL. McDonald's cone is the perfect size for me and I drive away satisfied.

I couldn't imagine being in a position where I am afraid or better yet a Doctor is afraid I am losing too much weight. Doctor tries to unfill me we're going to throw down. LOL

Seminars in my area are all inclusive. They discuss each and every surgical option they provide. So I doubt you'll be alone but you might be among a smaller group of band seekers. Seems we are getting to be endangered species. Surgeon's seem to push more toward the Sleeve then the band.

Everyone's experiences are so different and that what makes everyone's journey unique. I can tell it is different for me. I no longer have cravings and I do not snack. I have not had potato chips or cheez-its in such a long time and they were my go to snack food. Thanks to my band I just no longer want or desire. So I am with B-52's assessment however I am leaning on the side of caution and past personal experience I am afraid to say I have it licked. B-52 you are doing so awesome bud and I am very happy for you indeed. You've been a good role model/motivator. I appreciate your postings more than you know and I can always take something useful away from each and every one.

I agree and for me personally, I have said in the past (referring to my Atkins years) "170 or so pounds gone forever". I will never utter the word forever again. I'd like to think I learned my lesson over the last 10 years and this time it will be different but the word forever almost sounds like a guarantee and one thing we know nothing in life is guaranteed except eventual death.

You hit the nail on the head...at least for me. In 2003 at 393lbs I embarked on the low carb Atkins journey and I managed to drop 174lbs in 19 months. I was 219lbs and on top of the world and I felt so good I let my guard down and I gained it all back plus another 90. I am not going to get into the whole low carb debate but in short while I was determined and I have great will power it was not a way of life for me long term. That being said when I started this journey I was asked by my weight center to lose 24lbs preop. I managed to lose 38 and they were over the moon happy about it. My feeling was big deal... Again, no problem you want me to lose weight I can lose it. Again, not a lifestyle change but merely a diet. I have some pretty excellent will power when it comes to losing weight but long term it is always challenging. I have posted several times throughout this site that I have a fear of hitting goals because what if I slip back into bad habits like I did before? This is a lifestyle change so in theory that shouldn't happen but when the state of mind plays such a factor it is not easy but it is easy to be concerned. I think back about the Atkins days and compare it with now and I can tell you I have much more control with a lot less effort. I was depriving myself all those years ago and now my band helps me control portions and cravings. Sorry for rambling. I could write a whole blog on this stuff if the blogs were working

Everything you're feeling is normal and I had reservations even as I was being wheeled into OR. For me at my weight the fear of doing nothing far out weighed the the fear of doing something. I was a walking time bomb and needed some serious help. This by far is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I would not change a thing. I am a new man a proud one at that!!

Hi Jill and welcome aboard

Alex, I would pay if I could get ad free access to the site C'mon we'll call it premium access membership!!

I am not yet at goal but close. Perhaps, going back to basics for a bit might help you figure it out. Do you journal your intake? If not perhaps journaling for a while might help. I know when I over eat or as some say 'eat around the band' I get that really sick bloated feeling. That feeling which I do not enjoy serves two purposes. 1. It tells me my band is working and 2. My band is not happy with me. How do I know you ask? Because overeating now with the band is nothing like overeating without it. I simply cannot scarf down the food like I once did on a daily basis without batting an eye. If I ate now the way I did preop I would physically hurt myself. How many hours can you go in between meals before actually getting hungry? Another thought is when was the last time you saw your Doctor? Maybe you might need a little primer but at the very least he/she could check your current levels to make sure what you are supposed to have in the band coincides with what your records say. Good news is you've identified a problem before 6 pounds turned into 50 pounds.

I'll have Kelli take one when I get home.

Today's NSV is not only having to put a belt on to hold up these size 42 jeans but the belt being so long it wraps 1.5 times around my body LOL

My Friday song.... "Getting paid by the hour but older by the minute......"

Most of us go through this. I was sold on it and got a date and started reading the OH band bashing. Way I see it is the ones who are struggling whether the issues are legit or not are going to scream the loudest. For every successful bander there are 6 or more screaming it doesn't work and it's bad for you. Mean while there are plenty of successful people who just too busy enjoying their new lives and not posting much. I agree with Lisa that is good to hear about the good, bad and ugly but just remember this is an individual experience/journey and no two people are the same. Again. legitimate events could occur as with any type surgical procedure but your personal dedication to the process is a huge key in defining success.

WooHoo!! Congratulations

I like watching this show but I constantly remind myself that these people are only eat, sleeping and working out. No jobs, family or problems. Just focusing on the weight. I often times wonder how many actually keep it off and are they doing anything to actually address the reason they put on all that weight to begin with. I do tend to get a little tired of "I am fat because my parents didn't want me" or "I am fat because of this or fat because of that" I really hate it when people can't OWN their ****. My preference is to watch Chris Powell's Extreme Makeover Weight loss edition over the Biggest Loser but I do watch both. At least Chris seems to focus purely on the individual and not so much the numbers. Chris is also very active with his fans and reaches out on Twitter and Facebook. He actually comes off as caring for the person he is working with as oppose to being a slave driver who just screams and yells.

I am with you. I didn't want to be permanently altered and band was the only option for that. If anything happens to my band I hope it will be a scenario where it is replaceable. Erin, Hang in there. At least you are self aware of your upward spiral and is looking to do something about it. Weigh all your options and research the heck out of each and every procedure. It is such a personal decision to be made. At least you are catching it now rather then packing all the weight back on and a lot more. That would be rough and I lived through that and I still beat myself up about it from time to time. I wish you the best in what decision you make.

Wow these are all great!! Keep them coming... Crazy you mention seeing your collarbone. That's a good one. I have found myself poking and prodding my bony self as of late. It has been a long time since I have felt my own rib cage and my shoulders are quite bony. My Wife is not thrilled with the boniness as it affects her cuddling. LOL

My Wife had surgery on 9/16 and she has a lump as well and it is hard like a hernia. She is going to get it checked out. She has classic hernia symptoms. Hard as rock and hurts when you press on it.