jetti

I was wondering if any NJ banders know of any support groups in NJ. I am ashamed to say that I have never been to a meeting held by my doctors group or the hospital that the surgery was performed at. I was looking to finally attend a meeting but both the groups that I know of hold the meetings the last week of the month and I was looking to go sooner then that. If anyone has any groups that they know in the area I would appreciate it. I dont have any friends that have the band so I dont really have anyone first hand that I can talk to about it - good and bad stuff. This board has been a great help but sometimes its good to acutally talk to someone in person. thanks for any info!!

I would suggest maybe another 30 minutes of exercise it may help your body boost up again and start losing weight.

most people say they can feel it and some can even see it under the skin after weight loss but I have not found mine yet. With all the different places that it seems to be located on everyone I dont think I will ever find it on my own. I suppose if I ever get a fill then I will know where it is but for now I will just be in the dark becaus I cant seem to get the guts to go searching yet :-)

No I have not had a fill yet. My weight loss is still going strong so I dont want to get a fill if its not needed. I try to gently rub along my left side but never seem to feel anything - maybe its still buried under all my fat?? Im a little worried about pressing to hard to locate it and if it is located around my largest scare then I would have alot of digging to do because that is where my shrinking spare tire resides

I am sure this sounds odd but I have no idea where my port is and I have been banded 6 months!! Is the port generally located near the largest scar? Im not really looking to go feeling around for it - sad to say but I think I would be grossed out if I felt it. I was just wondering where its located...because I dont know where it is I feel like my doctor played a trick on me and didnt really band me!!! But whatever he did is working so I am not complaining just curious.:confused2:

I agree with everyone else that if you only have a few then it would be fine to drink them and switch to the low carb when youre finished with the optima. They low carb ones are a little more expensive then the optima and I find that they are a little harder to find at most supermarkets but if you have a Sam's club around your area I would suggest buying them there. In my area if I find a 4 pack at the supermarket its about $7 and at Sam's you get 15 cans for about $17. I drink one a day so buying in bulk and saving money is a big deal. by the way I too started out drinking the Optima because that is what my nutristionist suggested but when I noticed the carb count was still very high and not much Protein I switched to the low carb which of all the Slim Fast drinks has the most protein - even more then the High Protein shake

I love swedish fish and have been wanting to try them for a while now but I am worried about them getting stuck. I dont have problems with any food ever getting stuck so I think I might be OK but I am too scared to try. I would love to be able to eat skittles too but that awhole other isssue!

Kat I have been going to games since I was about 4 and I love them!! I try to get to as many games as I can but seeing as this is the last season at the old stadium its really hard to get tickets. last year I was able to get to some games by buying tickets that day of the game but I dont see that happening this year. I also hate that I miss out on the gym by going to a game at night - WOW I never thought I would say those words!! haha have a great day all!!

banda when you were training for the triathlons were you trying to lose weight? you may have been adding more muscle and that will keep the numbers from going down on the scale. Im a believer in working out with the band helps more then anything. you just have to find something that you enjoy so that gives you a better chance of sticking to it.

Banda Its good to read that you are doing much better now. Im sure the weight gain is hard but it probably your body adjusting to eating more and keeping it in. do you work out? that may help you start losing again. you will probably also notice that once your body adjusts that you may start losing again. good luck with everything

Sheesh I feel like such a fuddy duddy with all of you ladies. you are all bikers and fishers - ok thats not a word but you understand - and I have never been on either a bike or a boat!!! how are all my lovely ladies doing today? Its a beautiful day her in NJ. I got free tickets to the Yankee game tonight so I am excited because I also have a ticket to tomorrow nights game that I bought a few months ago so YAY 2 games in a row for me!! have a great day everyone!! HUGS to all

such a beautiful picture of Susie...HUGS!!!! I just wanted to stop in and tell you all about my NSV today. I just completed the 5K Susan G Komen Race for the Cure at Branch Brook Park in Newark NJ. Not only did I finish the 5K of the race I also walked 1 mile to the race and about 1.5 miles home from the race!!! So in total I walked about 5.5 miles and I AM STILL ALIVE!!!! Granted my feet are a little sore but hey I will take that over not being able to breath any day! I didnt feel out of breath at all through out the race. Now I didnt run because lets be serious I would have passed out 3 minutes into it but I did keep up a fast pass walk and was even sweating even though its a chilly cloudy day here in NJ. So...YAY ME!! have a great Sunday ladies!

mellissa this is more or less what I eat everyday - it changes a bit on the weekends but during the week it pretty much stays the same 9am - hard boiled egg 11:30am - Slim Fast low carb shake 1:30pm - small grilled chicken salad or 4oz of tuna fish 4:30pm - banana or 100 clalorie snack 6pm - small grilled chicken salad or small portion of whatever was made for dinner 9pm - I will occasionaly have a small snack of a few pretzels after the gym but not all that often also through out the day I am drinking plenty of water/crystal light

Kat its so good to read the good news on Manda!!! fingers and toes are crossed for the cardio clearance. and I would agree the Rick is definitely a keeper. have a great day everyone

I feel the same way as your family does and im the one that has the port!! I have yet to feel more port and I will NOT search aound looking for it. For the first 2 months or so I was afraid to touch the area because I didnt want to feel the port. Im not sure of the exact location of my port but I sure dont plan on finding out by feeling around...it gives me the willies!

I never had to use an extender - even though I probably should have last time - but I am sure if I didnt have the band I would have had to use one this time and that would be assuming I would have wanted to take this vacation being the weight that I was

This past weekend I experienced one of my greatest NSVs yet. I flew out to California for a little mini vacation and when I got on the plane and fastened my seat belt I still had about 6 inches of belt left!! I kept looking at the belt on both of my flights just in shock that I have all that belt left. Now it may not be all that much but to me that is a big deal because last time I flew in 2005 I had to suck in and force the seat belt to close while it was all the way extended. so YAY me!!!! :smile:

Hi everyone! I didnt have time to read everyone posts but I wanted to fly in and say hi and that I missed all my lovely ladies! I will be back later to read.

I was worried about the reports that most people only lost about 30% of there weight but as of right now I am only 5 1/2 months out and i am down 50% of the weight that I want to lose and I am still losing. I have not had a fill yet so if I do stop losing I know I can go in for a fill and that should help me out a little bit. Im not going to the support meeting because I will be out of town but it would be great to meet you maybe at the next meeting.

he is not my type but he is very nice on the eyes and he is very nice too. I knew going in exactly what surgery I wanted so he never even mentioned another type of surgery to me. You have to just go with what you feel is best for you. I was really nervous about "failing" with the band but so far so good. I am only 5 1/2 months out but I am proud of myself for how I have been doing. its hard but not in the way that I thought it would be. I cant tell you what surgery to pick but I can suggest that you just go with what your gut is telling you.

hey nicole how did your consult with Dr Bertha go? any news on a date?

kat please keep us updated on Manda you are both in my prayers daily! I am started to be very thankful that I dont need a fill because all that I read is about this damn acid reflux. I have never experience it and i dont really think I want to!! pretty bike sherry - scary but pretty - I have never been on a bike and I am not sure I could do that but YAY for all you biking ladies YOU ROCK!!! does anyone know if I am allowed to carry on a can of Slim Fast onto a plane? Im flying to cali tmrw morning and I have a very early flight so I know I will not eat Breakfast before I leave the house and probably not while Im at the airport either. I wanted to bring a Slim Fast with me to have on the plane but I am not sure if they will let me through security with it. Im not a big plane food person and now with the band and hearing stories of people getting tighter on the flight I am not really sure I want to risk eating whatever they offer.

how are you healing Mandy? hope everyone is doing good...have a great week!!!

Kat you and Manda are both in my prayers...HUGS to you both!

You can do it!!!