hagerteresa

Hi Lisa, Glad to see your back even just to say hello. I've missed you too.

Hi Babs, Hope things smooth out soon. The Cancun trips sounds exactly like what you need after all of this. Best wishes, Teresa

I had an entire panel done 6 months after being banded. My cholesterol was never high to begin with but it was still in the perfect zone. Everything else checked out fine too.

Tanya, My port is all topsy turvy. Not really flipped but definitely impossible to access in the normal office visit. I have to get flouro everytime and the doctor sees no reason to do port revision surgery because of it at this point. I actually am happy I get the flouro everytime. I get to see the position of everything and that it is still all fine and that makes me feel more secure. Let us know how the next visit goes. Teresa

Your not in your early 20's? You look so young in your pics!!! LOL. Glad you had such a nice NSV and got some quality time with your family. Best wishes, Teresa

Hi Christina, I'm so glad to hear your getting your BAND SOON! Congratulations, I know how much you've been wanting it. Keep us posted on your date. Teresa

I posted a thread about my banded friend having a baby too. She never had morning sickness either and breast fed for a few weeks but like you, her milk doesn't come in very well and she recently gave up. She never gained during pregnance and lost something like 18 lbs after giving birth. I met her the other day and it looks like her port might have a bit of an infection. It was REALLY pushed out when she was far along in her pregnancy and then she had a C-section so we think this recent inflamation must be due to all the stress in the area. She is going in to have it checked out. Hopefully the sooner the better. It looked fine immediately after birth but it definitely looked a little pink and tender the other day and she says it feels very different. Anyway glad to hear you experience was so good brandi. Teresa

Hello, It is nice to meet you and thanks for sharing your story. I have had my band just over a year. Yes there is changes but only changes for the better. I am able to eat anything I want but in smaller quantities. I don't feel deprived at all and in fact have actually learned how to leave uneaten food on my plate and put it in the garbage later. I don't drink enough Water but I still have been successful. I may have days when I don't eat correctly but I have a dozen other days that I eat very properly. I have lost 95 lbs in one year even while drinking my daily sugar free iced mocha and allowing a single candy bar a day. Did I mention,"I love my band?" There are days I fight with it and am not cooperative but it just reinforced the fact that I need to eat slower and chew better. THAT is a habit all my unbanded friends and family needs to learn. The band is a tool that teaches me how I should eat and makes me feel satiated with smaller portions.

Janie, You are doing a wonderful job and I'm so glad the band has been a success for you. Happy Bandiversary!!!! I remember when you got your band! Best wishes, Teresa

LOL... For some reason I thought you meant digital food scales. I'm looking for one of those and was interested in what others reccommended. At this point I've seen some nice digital scales at the post office that look like they would work for food and I'd imagine they would be pretty darn accurrate since they are used to weight mail for prices. I keep tossing back and forth if I really need one though. My house if full of unused gadgets. Anyway best of luck finding a good digital scale. Teresa

Congratulations! I'm so glad to hear you were so successful with that pre-op diet and now with the band. Keep up the good work and keep us posted. Best wishes, Teresa

I have a non-band NSV... I was driving with my mom to Salt Lake City recently and we passed a fenced pen with 4 horses in it. The pen was VERY small (maybe the size of my living room) and all the horses were standing knee deep in mud. I saw that driving in both directions (to and from SLC) and was disgusted each time. When I got back home I decided to call that counties sheriff department, gave them directions so they could check it out. I got a call a few days later and they agreed the conditions were deplorable and they were taking action to remove them. Ends up they had been in that condition for the last 6 months or so and the sheriff was amazed a neighbor never reported it. I can't believe I was able to help save those poor horses. I'm so proud of myself that I took action. I have very little faith in the "system" and really didn't think anything would come of my calling and I was so glad to hear otherwise. Teresa

Hi Heather, So glad your house sold and your on your way north soon! Best wishes to you! Teresa

I went to a local weight loss support group too and got the same response by the leader of the group who worked for the local bypass office. She didn't believe I had lost so much with the band in such a short time and just seemed condesending. I never went back either.

Hi Desertmom, It is very nice to meet you and see your successful banding. I'm glad you didn't let your fear stop you. My blood pressure dropped like a rock since I got my band. My mother in law was born and raised in UAE. She has fond memories of her childhood there and has shown me many pics of her youth. You've done wonderfully and I hope your success continues. Best wishes, Teresa

Hi Penni, Sorry to hear about the bone spur. I know how much you normally walk so I know its a big bummer to you. Hope it feels better soon. I had a cortisone shot in my shoulder and it hurt terribly. It took the doc several tries so I have to assume he wasn't very good at administering them. My family practitioner told me they should never hurt if done properly. Hopefully that will heal it all up. I got one of the boxes of clothes so far and absolutely loved everything in there. Thank you so much!!! You are so sweet to have sent them. I didn't see the shirt in it for KC so hopefully it will be in the other box. He will absolutely love it I'm sure. I can't wait to come visit this coming December. Hopefully nothing comes up for you during that time but I know how things pop up too. I can't wait to be able to wear more 2X things!!! I can do some 2X shirts but still in 3X pants. Its driving me nuts... I have a whole collection of clothes from you and the Vegas get together but I'm still just a bit to big for most of them. UGH! I know I'll get there soon but waiting gets annoying. I know we all go thru such things. Anyway best wishes to you and hope your foot gets miraculously healed asap.

The vast majority of people don't need any follow up procedures. I checked with my insurance too before going and they assured me they would cover ANY complications. They won't cover my fills but I can submit them to my flex and they will get reimbursed. I think insurances have to cover you in the event of any emergency but hopefully others with more experience can post too. Are you close enough to Mexico to get your fills there or have you found a local fill doctor? That is an absolute must before you go! Line up your fill doc now! Anyway best wishes, Teresa

Hi Heather, I emailed you too but wanted to welcome you here as well. If you ever want to get together here in Oregon let me know. There are several other Oregonians on tis site. Glad your surgery went well even if it was a little nerve wracking. I felt the same way. I was terribly nervous before surgery but afterwards I just wanted to focus on healing and getting out of the hospital. I hate hospitals no matter where they are. Their rules and security were much lighter than local ones though so I was able to wander around the hospital property, check my email on their computers, check on other patients in their rooms, etc. I really didn't sit still much. I couldn't have done that at local hospitals. Lopez doesn't do his fills at the hospital but at his office from what I understand. It might be more cost advantagous to get a fill prior to moving up here from Lopez and then trying Eubanks when you need another one later. Anyway good luck and hope you get your hubby back soon. Teresa

I hope you have a good birthday!!! Don't eat too much cake! LOL... I was thinking about my birthday a few months ago. It was during a period after my car accident and all I wanted was comfort foods so I decided to make my cake about 3 days early... Ends up I pb'ed on the first piece and ended up not touching the rest of it at all. Tossed it a week after my birthday and it was still almost whole. LOL... Anyway I hope you have a special one with lots of good memories. Teresa

Has anyone seen or heard from her in awhile? I recall someone mentioned some health issues but never knew the details and if it was her or someone in her family. I miss her though and find it odd she's been gone for so long. Teresa

Isn't that gown on my cousin at her graduation beautiful? My aunt is Korean and got this for my cuz for her graduation with her associates degree a couple of years ago so cuz rewore it this time around. I just love that gown and told aunt Sunny that the day I'm as slim as Cuz Angel I'm ordering one. P.S. I was just thinking about the changes in clothing this past year. At this time last year I was wearing 4 and 5 X's but now I can wear some 2X shirts and pretty much anything 3X fits fine. Those pants in the graduation pics were actually my moms. That is the first time I've been able to wear the same pant size as her in years. All of those bathing suites I got in Vegas are fitting perfectly too. They were a tad bit tight at the time of Vegas but still wearable but now they really fit good. One of them is even getting a bit baggy.

Thank you for all your kind words. I definitely feel differences and I do see some too but I hate looking at new pics and still looking so heavy. I've always FELT smaller than I am even at my heaviest stages. I'm starting to actually feel my clavicle and hip bones. I asked my husband if I was getting boney in the shoulder/chest area because I feel boney there since I can feel bones but he laughed and said I didn't seem boney yet. At my heaviest, I was always hesitant about where to sit when we went out for meals because I knew some places had more rickety chairs or smaller booths ect. and I would always get a little apprehensive but now I definitely don't feel that nervousness at all. Its amazing how much more comfy and spacious they all seem. That is my hubby in the top pics. I don't know why he's scowling in his pics. Normally he does smile but I think the sun was really bright and in our eyes in the first pic and who knows what the problem was in the later picture. He's a really good guy most of the time. I was 21 and he was 18 yrs old when we started seeing each other. We dated and lived together for 5 years and we've been married 5 more years. He is amazingly talented with technical skills and can fix or build anything. Anyway once again, to all of you on LBT Thanks for being there! It has been a huge comfort and support having other banded friends.

Hello Everybody, I'm trying to think of something inspirational to say about my band experience but I'm so tired from my long road trip to Salt Lake City for my cousins graduation, I can't think of anything too fascinating. My experience has been smooth overall and fairly textbook. I'm not sure I would have said that last year at this time while I was still in the hospital in Mexico of all places recovering but I can say that now. I remember waking up after surgery thinking, "what have I done!?" I'm very happy with my progress overall. I still have a long ways to go and after looking at my most recent pics of myself, I still don't love myself on camera. The pics are in chronological order from top left to right. The first pic is of me on Easter of 2004 at my heaviest weight, next is a pic of my brother and I at the hotel in Mexico the evening before surgery, directly underneath that Easter pic is one of my and my husband at the coast in Oct 04 at the coast down 68 lbs., next is a pic of me taken a couple of weeks ago at 92 lbs lost and lastly is a pic of me a couple of days ago at my cousins graduation. I really enjoy the support I get on LBT and feel like good friends with many of you. May we all continue to work well with our bands and achieve success. AND remember... CHEW CHEW CHEW

Hi Lisa, I'm sorry this is a bit late. I've been in Utah at my cousins graduation. Just got home late last night. Wonderful pics girl! I'm so proud of you and all your tribulations with your band all year, you've done wonderful! Today is my 1 year bandiversary so I need to start thinking of my own inspirations and put together some pics later today. Thanks for sharing girlfriend and hope to see you later this year looking even more beautiful. Teresa

Hi Darcey, Glad you got your new job. We should try to get together again. Tracey and I are meeting tomorrow (monday 9th) at starbucks and she is bringing her new baby. Best wishes, Teresa