crabcake

Could be. When Wellbutrin first came out I remember hearing something about it being used as a stop-smoking aid. Maybe the two combined would be too much? But neither my shrink or my pcp had a problem w/ me taking both, so maybe the Chantix interacts w/ something else Green's taking...but then, the AMA asked me to stop practicing medicine unless I got that little piece of paper saying I could do so! So who knows?

I take Wellbutrin as well. I was also taking a truck load of others, but since my sugery, I've dropped 3 of my high bp meds and cut back on the Wellbutrin (well, we're giving that a go...the vote's still out). I also dropped my acid reflux meds and my high cholesterol meds too. Even if I don't lose the weight (oh please, oh please, oh please!) it'll have been worth it just to get of all these meds! I know what you mean about everyone at the pharmacy knowing your name. I too was torn whether to feel flattered or embarrassed! I'm sorry your doc won't swing for you taking it. I don't know what the interactions to the other drugs would be, but I would think getting you to stop smoking would be a huge incentive! But I'm sure she has her reasons.

Green, I can't recommend Chantix enough to help you quit. You need a doctor's prescription for it, but it works!

green...i am sooo w/ you! i'm just lazy, lazy, lazy!!!

my doctor only had me drink liquids the day before. all these doctors are different!

Yeah, it always seems to be the sweets that the head wants huh? But you're right. I just quit a 3rd high bp med, so I really can't complain. I figure even skinny folks have problems w/ the sweet tooth, so I'm not really any different than them (oh, well besides the 70+ pounds!). :confused:

I too have that problem. If I don't focus entirely on what I'm eating and slowly chewing every bite I put in my mouth, well, I can pretty much promise you I'll end up in the b'room pb'ing! Ugh! I have to say though I think I've figured out one reason I've always eaten so fast. When I was little I vividly remember my mom having to coax me to eat (no joke!!!). There were too many other things going on that I wanted to be involved in. So...I learned to wolf my food down and then I could go back to what I wanted to do. Now, most of the time since I have to eat slower, I get bored w/ the food before my meal is done. I wish this were true for everything I ate (like desserts!), but it is for many things and the band is helping me re-learn how to eat.

When I told them I was having lap band surgery, they put my account on hold. I had my surgery in May and they didn't charge me that month and didn't start charging me again until August. I didn't even ask them either! And they didn't ask for a doctor's note. I imagine when they get to know you, they aren't as stringent about the rules. And I was surprised because one day about a month after my surgery, one of the instructors called me just to check on me! I thought that was really nice.

That's great! I'm glad you had a go at it and like it. It really is fun and w/ the short time you spend on each machine, it doesn't seem like such a chore. Another note regarding the fees...I signed up w/ some ladies I work w/ and we were given a corporate fee which was $37 (I think...Sr. moment!) and is $29/month. It was part of a year end special. Anyway, if you can get a couple of friends from work to go w/ you, it'll be lots more fun and cheaper to boot!

Thanks, that's my sweetie Tess. She loves me just like I am! :dance:

See, that's the problem. My sister is retired and she has the time to do that kind of workout, but for us girls who're still schlogging along, who has that kind of time? That's what I liked about Curves too. Twenty minutes and you're in and out and you feel good mentally and physically! p.s., Linda, love your avatar!

That's interesting. We didn't have much of that, mostly 60's, 70's and 80's. Although, now that you mention it, I think there was one tape similar to that. It doesn't bother me as long as the beat's pretty good. And we always asked them to change the music when it's not to our liking, mostly due to a slow beat, unless someone objected and I don't recall anyone ever doing that. I think MGIAAG is kind of slow anyway. Ok, I have a NSV (non-scale victory for the neophytes) to share. I knew I'd lost a little and am very close to Onederland. My clothes have been a lot looser, but when I try on the next size down, it's a little snugger that I want to wear. I work at a college and today we had a convocation where faculty march. A few years ago the chapel was refurbished, and whoever the idiot was that put the seats in thought we could just all be mashed together (I mean even the smaller folk aren't that comfortable). Frankly, I'd like to mash his head in one of those tiny little seats :heh: ...but I digress. Anyway, when we march, I usually have to kind of scoot along w/ one foot in front of the other or walk sideways, but today, I could actually walk like a normal person w/out any sidling or scooting! I was so proud I wanted to yell hey, look at me! I'm not as fat as I used to be!!!! :whoo:But, that's what you guys are for!!! Thanks for letting me share. I haven't lost a whole lot, but wow, I was smiling like a jackass eating briers!

I do Curves, well, I did before the surgery...I work at a college and during the summer we only take 1/2 hr lunches, so I've been negligent. However, school just started back so probably in the next couple of weeks, I'll start back to Curves. The 6 week program is something separate. I haven't done that, but they go over eating plans, etc. I think. The exercise program is great though. They have several machines (can't remember exactly how many) and you do 2 circuits of those. You stay on each machine 20 secs (again, rusty mind, but I think that's right). It sounds like a ridiculously short amount of time, but staying on them that amount of time, doing 2 circuits on the machines (resistance), works out to 20 mins (you do the math! ). Oh and they encourage you to go 3 times a week. There's a changing room there, but I usually just change before I go so I can start right away. The women that run it are just oh so nice. Both of the ones I've met lost 60-100+ pounds and are so encouraging. The women clients are usually in their 40's to 60's. There are no guys! What else can I tell you? I would say definitely visit and see what you think. The first time you go they give you a little training. After that, they're there and will coach you if they see you doing something wrong or if you ask for help. There's usually fun music playing and a voice in the background telling you when to change stations. People can chit chat as they go. Hope this helps. I will say that I always feel better after I work out and I was definitely losing inches before I stopped for my surgery. Let me know if you have other questions and I'll try to answer them. Good luck!

That's the only thing that does it for me. I have the laziest metabolism ever and unless I exercise, it just gets slower and slower w/out me ever losing anything. It's so frustrating. But that's what's nice about this group, we all pretty much have the same or similar problems. :faint:

you're so funny! (i'd never have the nerve to swim anywhere but in the privacy of my own pool. being fat has made me lose out on so much!) my brother in law jokingly called me a sea cow once (this was in my thin days. he wouldn't be so callous now or i'd beat the ever lovin' tar out of him!). i didn't know what that was and he said a manatee. now whenever i look at myself in underwear, that's what i think of!!! oh well. thank goodness i have friends to talk to about it! :blah:

You must be kidding! I have almost 70 pounds to go...no where near goal. However, I haven't been exercising since surgery until the last week or so. I feel so much better now that I am. The pool heater's blown, but now that it's so darn hot (yep! triple digits here in Alabama too!) I've been swimming every night anyway. I think I was a mermaid in a prior life! Too, I don't feel fat when I'm in the water and it's easier to move (must be how those manatees feel!).

Good for you! That's great! I've been playing w/ the same 5-6 pounds up and down and know how frustrating it is to be so close to that next goal and not able to get there. You s/b extra proud of yourself! :whoo:

I had a problem w/ my first fill. I was feeling pretty restricted, but Lisa (fill nurse) thought .5 cc's would work ok. It didn't. I was pb'ing left and right. So, 3 weeks later I went back in and had .25 cc's removed. Then 2 weeks after that when my regular fill was scheduled, I had it put back. I waited another 5 weeks and went in and had another .5 added for a total of 1.0 cc's. That's where I am now and am doing well w/ it. As you can see, I've been going in every 5 weeks. Usually they tell you to reschedule for 5-6 weeks ahead for your next fill. I'm at a good place right now, but it's only been a couple of weeks. I've found that my body takes a couple of weeks to adjust to the fills. By the time I go back, I may be ready for another, or not. I'm losing very slowly, although more so since my last fill. I'm trying to use the band to learn to eat 'normally' (whatever that is!). I'm not 'dieting' per se, but am trying to eat the Protein first, then veggies and then fruits. I just ordered a GI diet cookbook. That really works best for me, although I'm not religious about following it. Basically, I'm just tired of rushing from one diet trend to the next and want to learn how to eat healthily. Too, I haven't been exercising until a couple of weeks ago. I'm a member of Curves, but haven't been able to go during the summer because we only take half hour lunches. We have a pool, but it's in the shade and our heater has been on the blitz lately. However, with these 100 plus temps we've been having, I've started swimming w/out the heater on! I'm hoping to get that fixed tomorrow (but hey, I thought it was fixed last week! :tired) and I pray we have a mild fall and winter. Maybe that way I can make up for some lost time. Either way, I think I'm going to join the Y so I can use their indoor pool. Boy, I bet that's more than you wanted to know! Anyway, if I can answer anymore of your questions, please feel free to email me. I have to say I'm happy w/ my band experience so far and don't regret a bit of it even though I haven't dropped a lot of weight. Dr. Schmitt told me to look at 2 years and since I've been hauling this blubber butt around for 50+, 2 seems like nothing. Especially if I learn to eat normally!

Hi Judy. I was banded by Dr. Schmitt in May and got a 10 cc band.

Thanks IndioGirl...I think so too!

Southerngal, you STOP that right now! (Don't I sound like yo mama?) I'm serious though. I was self pay. I could've waited 6 months and had my insurance pay, but I wanted to be that much further along. I talked to my husband when we found out that the insurance would pay if I'd wait (when I first started looking into the lapband, they wouldn't) and he said 'no...you should do this now...you might not be here in 6 months if you don't!' So, that's what I'm telling you...if you don't do this, you might not be here to regret it. Be good to yourself and be glad that you can be!

Laura, I checked the american bariatric association's website and found this doctor in Decatur. Have you tried them? If you have and can't/don't want to use them for whatever reason, go back to the bariatric association's website. You can search by zipcode for a doctor. Surgery Consultants of Decatur

Unfortunately, we were out of sf/lite...so....it was the real thing! :eek: Honey's bad about bringing home the good stuff! I'm right there w/ you on those Reese cups! I could eat those 'til I foundered! :hungry: LadyHR, I'm going to try this...IF I can keep them from the dh. We'll see if I have the willpower that you do! Maybe it would be enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Part of it (at least for me) is that sugar is so addictive! It's like smoking (for me)...once you have the habit of smoking a cigarette w/ a cup of coffee, every time you have coffee, you think about a cigarette. Now that I've quit (whoo-hee! :whoo:), I've turned my addiction to sweets. Well, that's not exactly true...I always had that addiction, now it's just worse. I tried the Sugar Busters diet years ago and it really helped. Whether you follow that diet or just try to cut back on the sweets, it seems the less sugar I eat, the less I want. I say this after I just had my evening 'fix' of ice cream! :faint:

Thanks. That's nice to hear. Glad to help!