Zoe

Congratulations, Paula! With so many things going right for you, MIL will have her dirty work cut out for her. How lucky most of us are to have our bands to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! (insert dancing turkey here)

Hi Danyielle - I second what Nancy said. Remember, it's your BMI that matters and not your actual weight; 191 pounds on 5'2" looks a lot different than on 6'2" -- you know that already, but it's worth repeating, because the 200-lb. mark is irrelevant for shorter people. (At 5'9", I wouldn't have been a band candidate at 191 lbs., but you might be.) Some doctors use a 35 BMI as a cut-off point, but not everyone has the same standard. Surgeons will still consider you a good candidate for the band if you have serious weight-related complications. Sounds like you're in pretty good health; that's great, but a disadvantage if you're set on getting the band! You might want to start documenting any joint problems -- have an orthopedic specialist check you out, if you have decent insurance. If you really think the band is for you, do as much research as you can. Let us know if you have more questions. Whatever you decide, good luck to you.

Hi Dallas -- It's nice to see another tall woman here! Congratulations on your weight loss; sounds like you're going slow and steady. There are a lot of Texans on LapBand Talk, and I think they're planning a get-together this coming weekend; check out some of the other threads. Welcome!

Becky, you're right -- I'm sure a lot of bandster guys are delighted to lose their man-breasts and throw their man-sieres away. (Remember that Seinfeld episode?) Penni, first, congrats on the big weight loss! Second, thanks for sharing that lovely image with us. . . you are officially recruited as drummer for the Undulating Pendulums. I'm afraid to ask what you'll use on the waa-waa pedal. Maybe Miss Paula can help you out! Between everyone's responses to my original post and the incredible gassy thread elsewhere on LBT, I've been laughing all day!

Thank you ever so much, DeLarla, for enlightening us! I now have plenty of brilliant conversation openers to keep people away from me on the train and at cocktail parties (in case a particularly fragrant fart doesn't do the trick).

I'm forming a rock band called the Undulating Pendulums -- anyone want to join? I guess I'll break down and buy some new bras, even knowing that if all goes well with my weight loss, they'll be too big sometime next year. So we're not talking La Perla here -- I'm off to Target, if there's a sale. Oh well. When I lose another 50 lbs. I'll be able to wear the lacy numbers (dating from the Carter administration) that are gathering dust in my sock drawer. Look out for a 70s underwear revival sometime next summer! (No pimp hat or platform shoes for me, though.)

I'm sitting here giggling. . . I'll have to read this thread out loud to my little nephew, who loves all body noises. My experience has been different from the majority who've written so far: I was a pretty decent farter pre-band, and a champion belcher, even among my mighty brothers, who are truly noise-makers of note. (This gift won me a part in a high-school play that required me to belch repeatedly, on cue, without the aid of a microphone. Meryl Streep, watch out.) Now I'm much less productive both fore and aft -- largely because, in the case of the belching, I don't drink anything carbonated, which used to bring on the Cessna noises Penni so aptly described. In the old days, after just one can of ginger ale I could do a halfway decent impression of a 747. Now I'm down to propeller level.

Welcome, Kristy! I love your list. God bless your angel for giving you the means to reclaim your health, and congratulations on your 15 lb. loss -- you're on your way.

OK, I suppose this really belongs in the "General Discussion" list, but "Support" seems more appropriate. . . because my boobs are shrinking. I know this is a normal part of losing weight, but I'm starting to feel like a teenager all over again, and not in a good way -- I need to stuff gym socks in my C-cups, and it ain't pretty! I've still got a lot of weight to lose, so I don't want to run out and buy a bunch of new bras when I might be wearing nothing but an undershirt or two teaspoons taped together in another year or so. I need major hydraulics (I'm 47, and my bra size isn't much smaller) so I can't just do without. Any suggestions from someone who's been there? Or not? Sorry, guys, if this is too much information! :cheeky

Dan and Estela, welcome to Bandland! The first week is the hardest. You'll be feeling better in a day or two. There are lots of November bandsters around, including a number of people getting surgery later in the month: Congratulations to all of you!

Lauri, I'm glad you're able to look at the bright side -- although, as Ryan wisely pointed out, why shouldn't you be unhappy after going through such a rough time? But you are moving in a healthy direction. Just thinking about getting the band, even waiting for it, is a hopeful step. You're looking for change in your life, and you're taking action to try to make it happen. That's a whole lot. I hope the move goes as smoothly as possible and that you hear some good news soon.

Congratulations, Blossom, and welcome to Bandland! The world is divided on those circulation boots; people either love 'em (Marie & Lisa G) or hate 'em (you and me). FYI, I ate the outside of tamales (basically they're just corn meal) when I moved to mushy food and had no problems -- so don't bury those goodies too far back in the freezer!

Alex, I'm so glad you wrote what happened at the party! I started reading this thread wondering if the afternoon would go well. I'm delighted, and relieved, that it did. I don't know about you, but I am sick to death of having my weight be such a big focus in my life. Whether miserable while gaining or elated to lose, sometimes it all feels the same: Enough about the fat already, when can I stop obsessing? I suppose my LapBandTalk addiction is just another manifestation of this. Then I remember: oh, yeah, I'm an American woman, and almost all American women of all sizes are bizarrely focused on weight. (In an unfortunate side effect of gender equality, plenty of men have this obsession too.) First this preoccupation is forced on us by others who draw often cruel attention to our size. Then we seize it as our own and come up with excruciating ways to torture ourselves without additional help from the outside. Sorry, I'm starting to rant and ramble. But your story touched a nerve!

Nik, Nov. 9 is almost here! Congratulations. I think it's great that you already know not just your doctors but the medical center before you proceed with the band. Let us know how you're doing after the surgery; I'm sure you'll do well.

Congratulations, Betty! Isn't solid food great? I think the only people who truly appreciate it are bandsters just coming off mushies and seniors fitted with new dentures.

Kathy and Nancy, between the two of you, you've lost 100 pounds -- and gained hope. Thank you for sharing your stories.

What great news! The next few months will fly. You're on your way now! :banana

Hey, Darcy, if you actually decide to make a quilt from oversized castoffs, I've got just the trousers for the backing -- we're talking California King size!

What an eloquent message, Ryan. Thank you. I think every newcomer to this forum should read it!

Yeah, I have to admit I felt great after hearing that. Mind you, my once skinny mama has become a junk-food junkie since my father died, and has (to my amusement) packed on the pounds in the last several years. She offered me a bag of Cheetos when I visited last weekend, and even though she knows about my band she was stunned when I turned them down. She's become a lot more relaxed about fat issues in the last ten years -- partly because she's heavy herself now, of course, but also out of some genuine regret for being such a hard-ass when I was a kid, plus going through some rough times of her own which have made her more tolerant of others. I'm lucky in that both of us have been able to mend our once-rocky relationship now that she's getting Social Security and I'm middle-aged. Some parent-child connections are so damaged that they can never be repaired, but I'm grateful that my mother, while neurotic, is basically sane, and has been willing to meet me halfway; in my case, "Better late than never" applies. (Sorry, that was kind of a thread hijack.)

Vickie, there are tons of Texans on this board, so I'm sure plenty of people know about the Dallas doc you're considering. That your insurance company is making you pay for medically supervised weight loss (and we all know how well that usually works) just to meet its standards truly sucks. Maybe if you rack up enough bills for everything from cholesterol meds to orthotics, your insurer will figure it's cheaper to make an exception for you than to keep shelling out for those so-called co-morbidities. Good luck. I hope the Dallas doc works out.

Hey Vickie, welcome! You might want to check out the insurance threads (see "forum jump" below); lots of bandsters were asked to document their weight-loss attempts before getting the surgery. Makes me think that whoever is setting the insurance rules is absolutely clueless when it comes to fat: do they really think we haven't tried to lose weight before? Anyway, if your insurer gives you any trouble, some of the threads will give you suggestions for fighting back. "Since it's getting beyond vanity into mobility and health issues, it's time to do something" -- I relate totally! And I think a lot of other people here do too. For a lot of us, the band has been a great tool for reclaiming health. Welcome, and if you have any questions, just ask. There are lots of wonderfully helpful people here; I know, because they sure helped me.

Congratulations on getting banded, Scott, even though it sounds as if you had a rough time of it. Things do get easier after that first week -- even for those of us who didn't suffer the complications that you had. Just one word of caution: not to discourage you, but don't get disappointed or down on yourself if you don't hit 200 lbs. by March 7. It could certainly happen, but that's only a little more than four months after your band. Anyway, no matter what the scale reads, you're on the right track, and now that you're out of the hospital for good you should have smooth sailing. Welcome to Bandland!

Love the NSVs, everyone. I'll add one: A friend stopped by today who hadn't seen me in several weeks and told me that not only did I look fantastic, she didn't think I needed to lose any more weight! When I told her I'd like to lose 70-90 more pounds she said I was out of my mind. (OK, she was being kind, and I don't think average-size people have any idea what 200-300 pounds really look like, but still. . .) People at work have been paying me compliments. Even my mother, who together with my late father hounded me about my weight since childhood, said I looked good. I know I've barely started this weight-loss journey, but it sure is great to know other people are noticing what I've been obsessing about!

Very cool -- just think, you (and Theresa Marie too, before long) can make quilts from the scraps of clothing you've outgrown!