DeLarla

Viactiv? Are those the new chewy ones I'm talking about? Are you saying Flintstones are better?

Let's try this once more: Tuesday 1 packet oatmeal coffee w/ cream 1/4 cup tuna salad 1/4 cup egg salad 4 crackers carrots, bb tomatoes, celery

This is weird, but when I first replied to this post, the rebuttal letter wasn't showing so I didn't see both sides to the story. I'm a little miffed that this post came 4 years after the fact, but I'm also miffed that the rebuttal letter didn't mention the complications. I'm not going to change anything I said, but one very important issue that rings out in my head is that many places are now offering LapBand surgery on an outpatient basis where the patient goes home the same day. I totally disagree with this practice and think everyone should be required to stay at least one night in the hospital. Too many things can go wrong. This is major surgery in my opinion.

Betty, I think the Cabbage Soup Diet was actually the Beverly Hills Diet... if memory serves me well, you got to eat as much of that cabbage soup as you wanted. Mabye it wasn't the Beverly Hills, but as soon as I read your post the smell of pungent stinky cabbage soup flooded my memory all too well. They say that scent is the strongest sense for memory, so I apparently remember the cabbage soup very well! And I remember the first few bowls were really tasty, but after living off of it the smell could gag you!

Kat, if you think about erosion (say for example on battery cables) then you'll see that the band has to be removed. It actually errodes into the stomach, so it has to be removed. Some of my friends have had their bands removed due to erosion. Yes, the doctors will usually allow you to have a new band placed after you are healed (at your own expense.) But there's not a lot of research available yet to see if someone who had eroded once will erode with a 2nd band. It's a matter of personal choice to take another chance.

Michelle, I was thinking ovulation, too, but I've felt it for a couple weeks now. The Urgent Care doc said that if it was a cyst, it should pass with my next cycle. I'm not sure I believe her gas theory, but I have a regular OBGYN appointment 3/7, which thank-you-for-reminding me that I now have to cancel since that will be right in the middle of my red blob!

Has anyone tried the new chewable ones? I'm gonna buy some when I see them cuz it looks like a little caramel candy. I've tried liquid and pills, but I HATE taking them so I often go days without vitamins. Maybe if I try one in candy form I'll eat the darn thing.

I've been banded 9 months and still fear failure. The Band is a miracle on one hand, but on the other it's just a tool that helps us find control. But the Band is fickle, so sometimes you can eat enough to keep you obese. Regardless, I'm still happy I did it.

I forgot to factor in your personal trainer when making the weight loss challenge. You win, cause I've really been struggling to get regular exercise and can't afford a trainer to get my butt going. Plus I've been using the rain as an excuse not to walk. Damn, I hate losing (unless it's fat and inches.) Waving the white flag and hate it for me, but happy for you. Boo Hoo for me, Woo HOO for you!

Sorry, but I just gotta do a quick hijack after Donali's story. A strange man started telling me his life's story in line at the store. He said his name is W Dot (W.) His mom wanted to name him William, but his father refused to have a son that would be nicknamed Willey. So his birth certificate says W. and he pronounces it W Dot.

Leatha, you should do your "after" shot all dolled up in that dress and cha-cha heels!

243, have another bowl of ice cream.

My dogs are my entire heart. I can't imagine life without them, and I can't imagine your pain right now. When it's time for me to deal with the inevitable, I don't think I'll sound as graceful as you. I hope you have lots of pictures of Niko to keep him alive forever. Peace.

I only paid $7500 for the surgery in Mexico. Mexico was my only option since it cost $23,000 here, which I did not have. I just ran into a local LapBand surgeon who told me the cost has come down to $12,000 here in Vegas. Even so, I would not have qualified for a $12,000 loan, so Mexico is the only option for a lot of people. I have dual insurance, and neither of my insurance companies would pay. Dwane, your story horrifies me. Once again, I think it's important for eveyone to make sure they have the procedure done in a facility that has an ICU. Some of the best surgeons in Mexico operate in facilities that don't have an Intensive Care Unit. Not that it helped you in this situation, but your experience is a sad awakening that proves that there's potential for anything and everything to go wrong, even with this procedure. PLEASE contact INAMED and report this abusive, negligent behavior. I've had many conversations with Inamed, and they refuse to take responsibility for anything their surgeons do, but I think it's time they take a look at what's going on. I think there should be stricter standards for surgeons placing the Band. Are you healing well? How are you feeling?

Oh Jackie, that's a funny one! I remember doing that when I was on Nutrisystem, which is basically the same where they give you pre-packaged space food. I'd eat all the Desserts by "borrowing meals" from the next day. I'd be in so much food debt the first night that I'd just say, "screw it" and blow the whole diet. NUTRISYSTEM alone was the biggest joke! They called it a hamburger, but it was a dry sponge. You set it in Water for a few minutes and it came to life. That's pretty damn scary!

I'm glad I went now. I guess the pain was getting worse because I became increasingly more anxious and probably more tense with all the worrying, which probably just made the pain worse. It's weird that I could barely move yesterday yet today I can barely feel it. I'm pretty sure we are all just a bunch of cross-bred aliens. Thanks for laughing along with me. Jamie, get some rest before you hurt yourself!

Rainy weather always tightens me up.

Awwe, Tina, I think you need to spend a weekend with DeLarla. I grew up in sunny Southern California and spent my entire childhood, teens and 20s hiding on the beach under huge t-shirts and shorts. I was so embarrassed about my body. But then one day I decided that THIS IS MY WORLD TOO. This is who I've always been, and who I will ALWAYS be. I have the same rights as anyone else, so I don't hide any more. You have to come to terms with how short life is, then decide to spend the rest of it happy and free from the bondage that hurts you. Now rip your top off and run through the house. Love yourself, hug yourself, embrace life and be free. As far as your husband goes, that's a tough one considering we don't know the whole story. My gramma once told me something that made a lot of sense about love. "Do you want to be loved, or be right?" She told me that no men are perfect, and no relationship is perfect. So if you have a guy you love, and he loves you, then you have to make compromises. So only you can decide which things you're willing to compromise on. I would hate for my husband to look at other naked girls - so he doesn't. Ha ha, joke's on me, cuz I'm quite sure he looks at naked girls every chance he gets, he's a man, afterall, but he doesn't do it in front of me. I'll tell you exactly what I told my husband recently. "Chris, I love you, but I love ME more." Once you love yourself as NUMBER ONE, the rest will come naturally.

GOOD BURN! Cracking up here! I'm supposed to be doing my taxes, but this is more fun.

Awee, Kathy, that's awesome! Jamie, I'm laughing WITH you, not at you! I think you're jammin&losin, and what a cute girl you are Ms. Blondie!

Michelle, I can breathe now! I've always meant to ask you what your name meant, but I kept forgetting. My step-mom's name was Mola Reba, and she finally told me it was the name of a boat. This is a fun thread.

So you guys understand the kind of pain I'm talking about? This ain't no cramping, this feels like lightening bolts slicing through my girly region. I couldn't stand up without grabbing onto the wall. So I got to blow a wad of dough and ruin my 3-day weekend. It's either hide in the closet in shame or laugh at myself! Who-da thunk that Gax-X would have worked? Maybe next week I'll rush to the ER for a pimple.

baking cookies in the shape of the Iron Cross.... wet my pants with that one!

This is going to go off topic as well, but I need to share about this beautiful 14 year old in my neighborhood. She's one of the girls that visits me (last night I had all the teens and their parents here for a little party.) Sarah honestly looks like model material, but she has "gauges" in here ears. Gauges are the huge plugs that kids are putting in their ears now (like African tribes make huge hanging holes in their ears.) Sarah's wears huge bolts from dad's garage in here ears - the holes are like dimes now. So last night I ripped of my bandage to show her my hole (I was trying to prove a point.) She freaked and thinks my hole is so disgusting but I asked "what's the difference considering what you've done to your ears?" I doubt I made any impact, but at least I tried.

But you forgot to tell us about your own name! I just imagine someone's aunt riding a Harley.