hagerteresa

Welcome Nancy, It is nice to meet you and hope we can get to know each other better in the future. Good luck with everything, Teresa

Hi Heather, Nice to meet you. It sounds like you are doing a good job researching. Ask if you have any questions about anything in particular. Somebody here always has an answer. I personally love my band, have had it 4 months, found this site by accident also and freaked when I thought I had lost it on my favorites list one time. I am 30 years old, no kids yet but lots of pets. Good luck in your decision, Teresa Dr. Lopez (Tijuana Mexico) 5/8/04 362/302/???

Bread items will be a thing of the past for the most part. I can still have a little toast or a little bit of a muffin or something but otherwise I couldn't imagine trying to eat a sandwich. I can do tortillas slowly though. Bread was not a good starter food. Sorry about the PB. Best wishes and hope you feel better, Teresa

The U.S. Medical system doesn't help with people with high bmi's either. I once went to the doctors to have him look at a suspect mole and an ingrown toe nail. I happened to ask him something weight related and the next thing I know, I am getting the bill for the entire office visit because my insurance doesn't cover anything weight related. It was absurd and I went rounds with them. You don't want to know my opinion on insurance companies and medical politics including the drug manufacturing industry. T

The POOR kitty!!! I had: Breakfast: 1 veg sausage 1 egg iced sugar free mocha Lunch: bean burrito Dinner 1/2 enchilada snack 1 nestle crunch bar I am going to stay at a beach house with a friend this weekend so will miss you all for a couple of days. Teresa

Actually I remember reading something about the lapband being the answer for those people with lower bmi's that don't want to do anything as drastic as the bypass. It is such a minimally invasive surgery (compared with the other options) that if people like Kelli and Angel eyes really feel like they need it then it should be an option if they are willing to self pay. I haven't given up all those things you listed, I have just altered them. I still eat fast food though not as often and it is ussually a much smaller healthier selection, soda is a no-no but I do still eat baked potatos once in awhile with the butter and sour cream, I still eat rice and Pasta on occassion. It is all just a lot less often and much smaller quantities. My BMI was 62.2 (I was a self pay) so trust me, I wasn't sure when I read their initial threads with their low BMI's either but after remembering that article and remembering my LACK of success with all the diets, I once again say, "Why not." Teresa I rechecked my BMI the other day and I was at 52.2 exactly 10 less!

Ah- what happened to just plain old Water? We do get ours delivered in those big 5 gallon jugs because the town I live in has crappy tasting water but otherwise 99% of the time I just drink regular water. I did recently discover kool-aid packets and use splenda to sweeten it and I do like the propel drinks a lot. I like to freeze my water bottle so it keeps my lunch I packed cold all day and then I'll still have really cold water to drink later. My doctor was very concerned about me going to Mexico too but that is what they get if people can't afford it here in the good old U.S. The hospital I was in was perfectly nice and clean. Never had any problems from infections or lack of healing. Best wishes on whatever you do Angel Eye's. Teresa

Hi Ryan, I can't wait for when your banded! You inspire us all with your words. I too love to write and wrote poetry all thru my school years. I actually got one published in one of the annual local childrens books when I was in middle school. I too grew up heavy and tried anything to get rid of it. I've mentioned before on another thread about having sold my horse at 16 to have my teeth wired shut for a year, etc. I always wished I had the bulimic or anorexic thing. Oh-well weight is coming off fabulously with the band and I am happy now. I just discovered I could do a whole flight of stairs the other day and not be winded at the top. Once again, can't wait for you to join the banded experience. Best wishes, Teresa

Audrey, I too find your story amazing and remember reading some of your posts before I was banded this last may. You inspired me then and you continue to inspire me. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing. Teresa

Hello! Best of luck and keep us posted!!! Take slip on shoes, you'll need them. I was really nervous all the way up to the moment of surgery so your perfectly normal. I also experienced the last supper syndrome. Fortuneately I had only booked mine about 10 days out from the get go so I didn't have too long to do much weight gain. Best wishes to you, Teresa

Hi Sultana, Sorry to hear your frustration. It definitely sounds like you do everything right as far as eating habits and such. Do you use fitday to track nutrician and calories at all? I find it very useful for myself. Don't give up though. The band is stuck with you and there is no permanent quiting. Keep your chin up and I'm sending you happy thoughts. Teresa P.S. I am laughing right now thinking about how I like to wear my "lucky" shorts to weekly weigh in, and thinking maybe I should send them to you. I'd better send them to marie first though so she can patch the crotch. LOL. Best wishes!!!

Hi all, I am good, had a much better day. KC woke up early and I let him know how upset I was by his selfish ways and I was seriously contemplating life without him. I came home to a nice clean home, well fed pets, etc. As soon as chemistry is done we are going to seriously look into couples counseling. Chemistry sucks and I hate my teachers tests. Probably got about 1/2 of it right. Who knows. Will find out tomorrow. I am happy otherwise though and lost another 2 lbs. Technically 2.5 but I never recorded tenths of pounds initially so I typically try to round it off. Today was exactly 302 down from 362. Food has been good today too AND I did those darn stairs again today and once again didn't fall over dead from them. Food so far: Veg. sausage 1 egg 1 healthy 110 cal. granola bar 1 oz. jerky 2/3 apple Not sure what else I'll have today. Need to cram my water in too. Thanks for the love all. Teresa Update: dinner: .25 cup cottage cheese 2 little chicken tenderloins (that yummy inner part of the breast meat) 1 marinated artichoke heart 1 cup of that cheese popcorn P.S. Lisa GREAT JOB! I am so proud of you. See I knew where to put my money... NOW keep it up! Teresa xoxoxox

Thanks Becky and Marie, I know... I am done studying for the night. It gets to a point that it all just goes round and round in my head. At one point I was trying to figure out how I had gotten the correct answer to some homework questions I did the other day. I battled with it for 30 minutes and finally figured it out. That was one of the simpler problems! There are just so many steps and peices its mind boggling. I am going to study for a couple of hours in the morning and then work a few hours and then off to the test. It can't be as bad as some of her past tests... Normally KC and I get along pretty well but he has no sense of responsibility and sometimes it drives me nuts. He was 18 when we got together so we have basically grown up into adulthood together. He never even understands why I am mad about things like this nor does he realize any wrong doing. We are going to the coast this next weekend so maybe we'll get some chatting time. It is hard not seeing him all week. I also want to see about counseling thru our church or something. Don't know, but somethings got to change. I know I'll be making more eventually. Hubby thinks that will be the time he gets the life of leisure... Ha! Yeah right! If he goes back to school, he had best work part time thru it too. Really he is a bigger idiot than you realize. LOL. Since he works at a college, we BOTH get all of our classes basically free there. He has been there 5 years and hasn't taken a single class. Today I ate: 1 veg. sausage 1 egg iced mocha (sugar free) 1 oz jerky 1 veg. sausage 2 chicken legs (no skin) 1/4 cup cottage cheese snacks: 1 cup of cheese popcorn (75 calories) 1 biscotti @200 cals. 1/3 apple Ended up being just under 1000 calories. Not sure if I'll get in to weigh tomorrow or not. I didn't get much excersise today but was surprised I didn't collapse from those stairs. I'll have to try those again. I ussually avoid them and take the elevator. Marie, they sell those vegetarian sausages at Costco. I think it is $8.69 for 24 of them. It is only slightly better priced then the grocery store but I like getting them in quantity. Thanks for the love all and plan on having a better day tomorrow. Teresa

Thanks Marie, I know that $350 isn't going to break the bank but last weekend he had a temper tantrum because he had a blow-out on one of his tires and was mad about how WE were going to take care of that. AND then I find out about all of this extra money he has had and blown, my sympathy has ran dry. Actually I don't mind the roommate at all. Sometimes he is easier to deal with than hubby. I am just mad because I always have to feel like I need to be frugal and have a tough time getting all the bills paid while he just goes and blows willy nilly and leaves me to clean up the mess. I don't know if roommate really fuels the fire or not. KC definitely has nothing to envy Jeremy and he darn well knows it. My mom said to talk to hubbies father and see if that doesn't make a difference. KC's dad thinks the world of me and was the one to pay for my surgery. I just get sick of the old arguement about who makes more, etc. I am the one who runs this entire household including all aspects of bill paying, grocery shopping, cleaning most of the time, etc. When I finish this class I will have my bachelor's degree DONE, but I still need to apply and get accepted into a masters program to teach in Oregon. I am just frustrated and wonder if life wouldn't be a thousand times simpler without him. Oh-well. Got to study. Thanks for the sweet words. Teresa P.S. I'm sending you lots of hugs!

Shireen, I was hungry when I woke up too. It is normal... The first couple of weeks are the toughest. I found V8 worked well because it was a little thicker. When I was in the hospital they gave us hand pressed applejuice (kind of thick) and jello. Jello worked well. Time will pass quickly. Teresa

Cottage cheese. Do NOT eat overly dry meats. I had a chicken breast that was way too dry at that stage and it made me PB. Meat loaf sounds good. A thick stew would be good. I like home made chicken salad on crackers. I ate a LOT of that the first week or so on solid foods. It is just chopped up cooked chicken, celery, olives, onion, shredded cheese, etc and mayo, mustard, lemon juice salt and pepper. Hamburger patties with no bun but all the normal toppings works good too. Quiche is good. I could go on and on. Best of luck, Teresa

Actually your getting off easy with 23 hours. I got stuck in one for 2 nights! I hate hospitals and being a patient so needless to say I wasn't real happy about it. My coordinator was supposed to make it real clear I was only going to stay one night in the hospital but evidently she overlooked that task and didn't mention it to the surgeon. Needless to say, stuck I was. I watched a lot of cable, wandered the halls looking for other banded patients and generally drove the spanish speaking nurses crazy. I think I also brought a book, slip on sandels, a hand held game, etc. Oh and Snacks for my non-banded brother. Best of luck and can't wait to hear how it goes, Teresa Dr. Lopez 5/8/04 362/304/??? No fills

I am finding signs of knee and elbow bones. My wrists are getting thinner too. When I get on a bike, it feels like the entire seat is going UP my ass! I can't wait to feel like I am just sitting on something instead of becoming an imtimate part with it. LOL, Teresa

Rica, you do look lovely!!! Cute dress! Pretty soon that dress won't even fit, it will just fall right off. I am sure hubby might like that a LOT. LOL. Keep up the good work and congratulations! Teresa

I eat and love regular chocolate but am finding I do better without keeping an ample supply in my home. At the first hint of stress I run for the stash. LOL. Stash is now gone and not coming back. Just one day's worth at a time from now on. I'll have to try those gold balance things. Or something. I always allow myself enough extra calories to fit the regular choc. in but I am sure there are other similar products that are healthier. Sorry about the sickness fit Lisa. Its probably a good thing. Teresa

Now that was funny Lisa, I had a good food day but have had a tough day otherwise. I am ready to beat my husband and am sick of their sheer stupidity. We have a credit line for emergencies only and he decided that needing more ??? (beer I am guessing???) allowed him to use it without ever mentioning it to me. So he wrote a credit line check for $200. If that doesn't take the cake, he bought a canopy for our pickup a few weeks ago for $150 which came out of our general bill money but when he sold his bed box he kept every penny from that. So he has had $350 to blow on NOTHING over the last three weeks. I can't even justify paying $10 for a hair cut!!! The only splurge I get to do is grocery shopping AS IF that is a splurge at all! I am so sick of his egotistical attitude. While going to school I have worked at least part time and generally bring in $800-$900 a month. He makes about $1500 a month and always reminds me about my pathetic income and how worthless I am to the household. HELLO!!! No bill would ever get paid if I didn't do it. He gets anything he wants and I have to stuff it... He damn well knows he is going to get caught but what can I do about it. I so want to just bag school, get a job at Costco and toss his ass out. I have moments where I love him a lot but then there are moments where I lose all respect for him. Weirdly enough he wasn't raised with parents like him. His mom has never made as much as her husband and didn't work for years and his stepmom was blind and her disability check was never anything compared to his dad's income. I don't know where he gets this nasty attitude. We have been together for 10 years and have had periods here and there where I have had to deal with this. When I used to get financial aid for school, my checks were a whole lot more than what he makes. I am mad too because he never has anything to show for the money. I look around and everything in the apartment are things I have bought after months of scrimping and watching classified ads or my mom got me but there is nothing to show for the $350. Sorry to go on and on about this. I am just mad and now have to study for a chemistry midterm for tomorrow. Good deed: I walked up an ENTIRE flight of stairs today. AND I didn't die from it!!!

Hi Shawn, Congratulations! Sounds like your off to a good start. I too love my band and was banded in Mexico 5/8/04. Down 58 lbs. I feel more and more energetic and enjoy meeting other bandsters as well. Nice to meet you and hope you join our group often. Teresa

Nice to meet you Shireen!!! Who was your surgeon? You'll feel better very soon. I know I felt beat up for about 2 days. I got better and better though. Keep us updated. Teresa;)

Cateringqueen, I too was moved by your post. I don't have kids yet but really want to have one in the next few years. I love trying new things and being adventuresome but am sick of being hindered with weight. I have been heavy my entire life and just got fed up. I was raised around horses and dream of getting a horse when I totally finish school and start my career as a teacher. Just one more year left or so till I am done with the school part. Being able to ride a horse better is one of my real motivations. I was also teased a lot in school, so being thinner would be more comforting in front of middle or high schoolers. Keep up the good work!!! Teresa;)

Hi Dazzey, I agree with everyone else and am impressed by your weight loss so far. I have always hated excercise too but I love to swim. I got invited to a Water aerobics class 6 months ago and have been diligently going ever since. I love it!!! Just try to think of something you enjoy doing and then it doesn't seem like such a hassle. Best of luck to you and hope the scale starts a downward trend soon. Teresa;)