Steffyp

Now that I've gotten nearly to my goal, my niece and arguably the person closest to me has started taking "pot shots" at me, trying to make me feel bad that I'm so small now. She says I don't look good (the ONLY person in my life to say that) and other mean things to try to make me feel bad. I should add that she is bigger than I was at my heaviest weight and secretly wishes she had the band, too. She bought a brand new car on Monday and thought I would be jealous or something, but when I was happy for her and told her how proud I was that she was able to get the deal she got...she turned on me and began verbal attacks. It was the craziest thing!
As I reflect over our relationship, this is a pattern of hers. When things are going good for me, she isn't happy. When things are going good for her and I'm happy about it...she isn't happy that I'm happy. I'm sorry, but I've just never been a very envious person - no matter who you are or what you have. I Celebrate with you and hope that when the occasion calls for it, you Celebrate with me. But, our back-and-forth has gone on all of our lives. We are only 3 years apart and more like sisters than aunt and niece. I was fortunate that my parents (her grandparents) were able to give me more than most children and I grew up rather priviledged. My sister was not able to afford the same lifestyle but my parents compensated for that most of the time. But, my niece resented that and I don't think it ever left her.
With that being said and the start of a new year upon us, one thing on my To-Do list (I don't do resolutions) is to change the people I surround myself with. For the most part, I have positive and supportive friendships - they all thrive and give me great pleasure. But for those that do not fall in that category, I'm going to distance myself. Life is too short to fill it with people who aren't in your corner or have positive things to contribute to your time here on earth. I'm drawing a line in the sand to take back the energy, time and wasted negative emotions the wrong kind of people extract from my life.
Merry Christmas

Happy Bandiversary!! I'm 6 months in and am feeling better already. I still have a ways to go but I feel like this is the best thing I have ever done. It's stories like yours that keep me pushing on. I'm so happy for you!!

Happy Bandiversary!! I'm 6 months in and am feeling better already. I still have a ways to go but I feel like this is the best thing I have ever done. It's stories like yours that keep me pushing on. I'm so happy for you!!

Happy Bandiversary!! I'm 6 months in and am feeling better already. I still have a ways to go but I feel like this is the best thing I have ever done. It's stories like yours that keep me pushing on. I'm so happy for you!!

Yes otherwise women would all have to pay more insurance even though they don't really get pregnant by themselves. In order for insurance to work we all have to share the risks even when we may personally be immune to them.

I agree with the last 2 comments, throwing up is not good. You need to call you surgeon and even though you may not want it you may have to get a slight unfill. Better an unfill than causing damage.

My loss seems a little slow to me as well, but I'm still trying to figure out how to eat with my band and also increasing my exercise. Personally I think slower is better because then maybe you will be able to keep it off. Hang in there! I keep telling myself this is a marathon not a sprint. I would love to step on the scale and see my weight down 50lbs, but I also want to do it in a healthy way.

I can totally relate, but think about this, you had one slice not 4. That's a victory in my book. Maybe it wasn't the best choice BUT you were not able to eat as much as you used to. This is a process and I am also learning to adjust my eating as well. As I have heard other people say, this is a marathon, not a sprint., It's a total life change and it will take time to learn how to do things properly. The beauty of it is, we can always start over tomorrow. Don't let it get you down.

It's not that bad. Your anxiety is usually worse than the fill itself. You will be fine!!

Ok, good to know. I might try to small ones and just keep crushing my Calcium. That one is pretty big. Thanks!!

Banded July 1, 2013...down 36 pounds. From 238 to 202.

I had my surgery on july 16 th of this year. Best decision i ever made. Have gone from 272 to 218. Feeling great and appreciative.

I have needle anxiety too, and it really is not that bad. The only thing you feel is when they stick you to numb you, I just don't look! LOL!! I just had my second fill this morning, and my anxiety about the fill has been worse than the fill itself.

I'm glad to say it was much easier than the first one. The NP found my port pretty easily and gave me 1cc. So now I have 3.5cc's in a 10cc band. I'm feeling good, just a little queasy but not as bad as after my first fill. Hopefully this will get me closer to the green zone.

I'm looking forward to my next monthly appointment. I'm still a bit confused do I call to set up the date on when it is or do they?I had my surgery 8/28 my first fill 9/28 and my second fill 10/14 but as of yet I haven't had any counselling.I feel like I'm not in the right zone for all of this and after my 2nd fill I'm still hungry all the time.I'm trying to control my eating but old habits seem to creep back in before long........

My surgeon also starts you out with nothing in the bad but a primer fill and then small increases every month or so.
I know this doesn't sound ideal, we all want to lose weight over night, but it didn't take overnight for us to gain it and we have to remember that.
We chose this surgery because it did not rearrange our digestive tract and is not mal-absorptive like some of the other surgeries out there.
I liked the fact that I moved slowly to find my green zone, and honestly I am not even there yet. Let me explain why...
During the time from my surgery to my first fill my body was healing. The swelling was going down and my band was finding it's seat around my stomach. Yes it was stitched in place, but waiting the 6-8 weeks gave it a chance to full heal and seat itself adding a bit of extra prevention against a slip.
After my first fill, I was grateful for the 4 weeks of learning and putting into practice those eating mechanics that are so necessary to band eating. I was able to eat more then that cup of food, and my weight loss was not and is not rapid, but I learned how to eat. Each month after that I was able to learn something else, sometimes learning what NOT to do. What foods not to eat and how eating too fast, drinking with my meals, and/or not chewing my food well enough can cause me discomfort.
I was glad to learn all that with some wiggle room in my band, so I was not having a violent lesson or un-seating my band causing a slip if I were to get sick from making a bad choice or mis-step.
In fact I have never thrown up, I have never gotten anything "stuck" though I have had that pressure, and that uncomfortable feeling more then once it was all able to pass thank goodness and I learned from that what to do and what not to do as my band got tighter.
Work with your surgeon's office don't strong arm them to give you fills you want them work with them to get them as you need them and so you can learn to live with your band. It's yours for the rest of your life, so use the courting phase to get to know each other well. It's a marathon not a sprint. The weight will come off, but it's going to take work and patients. Trust me I'm still working on mine

That's a great question. I was banded 7/15 and I have only had 1 fill on 8/30 and I'm not sure if I need another or not either. How do you know???

My doc said boost and carnation instant Breakfast was ok.

I agree with the comments above also. I have noticed that if I miss my supplements I feel tired so I do get them all in.

I agree with the comments above also. I have noticed that if I miss my supplements I feel tired so I do get them all in.

I am SO Excited. I went shopping for jeans today for the first time since wls and I am down 4 sizes!!! I cannot believe it!! I don't normally toot my own horn, but today I can't blow it loud enough!! Toot, toot, beep, beep

I am SO Excited. I went shopping for jeans today for the first time since wls and I am down 4 sizes!!! I cannot believe it!! I don't normally toot my own horn, but today I can't blow it loud enough!! Toot, toot, beep, beep

I am SO Excited. I went shopping for jeans today for the first time since wls and I am down 4 sizes!!! I cannot believe it!! I don't normally toot my own horn, but today I can't blow it loud enough!! Toot, toot, beep, beep

I am SO Excited. I went shopping for jeans today for the first time since wls and I am down 4 sizes!!! I cannot believe it!! I don't normally toot my own horn, but today I can't blow it loud enough!! Toot, toot, beep, beep