Jeni 85

I am very excited about being that close to the 100lb lost.. but more excited about the increase in confidence and the loose fitting clothes which mean new clothes!!!:thumbup: And i know what you mean... sometimes it is nice to get away so you can think and get some quiet time alone.....Thats why i go with my dog lol.

i wish i didnt go happy eating all the junk i ate before surgery!!!! i had a variety of all greasy fried food... which i gained like 10lbs... so in my opinion (now that i look back) it is really pointless... I dont even miss bread or soda or steak.... my tastes have changed... but it really is up to you.... If you do dont go to crazy like i did... Man was i sick for a couple of days after i did that!!!

Mrs. H, i I think you have done great so far keep it going.. i hope to be at goal by the end of summer... at least my surgeons goal of 165lbs.. as long as this weather gets better here in chicago (it looks like 50'sthis week but lots of rain:angry:) and i can finally go walking (or should i say "running") with my dog... My dog likes to pull until i am running with him.. i can't run to far but its a lot further than before.. We have all come a long way from where we started..!!! I think im going to start making mini goals for myself... First goal is to lose 7lbs by April 19.. i think that is entirely possible... Sorry if i rambled a little to much but i am feeling very optimistic today!!

Awww. thanks and happy easter to you as well !!!! HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!!

I can only feel it if i press on it.. but then again im not at goal weight yet.. I've learned that with more weight loss it is easier to feel... But that is nothing to worry about.. a lot of surgeons now use low-profile ports(smaller) or when you get to goal there is always the option to switch it to the low profile one and i have also read on here where people have had there ports stitched in under the muscle.. But truthfully it really is no big deal..... I think of it this way.. if i feel it i know ill always have a little reminder to stay on track and remember how much i have been through to get to where i am

Thanks Gwen:w00t:

:welldone2:LOL!!! Thats awesome... I was happy to see that we both got there at the same time...:huggie: I was wondering am i the only one who cant wipe off this cheesey grin off my face all day?? :w00t::laugh::cool2::thumbup::thumbup::biggrin::smile: :thumbup::Dancing_tongue::Dancing_shocked::success1::waytogo:

Thanks everyone!!! i still cant get te smile off my face:w00t: And carla.. welcome to bandland.. you are doing fabulously 11 days post-op and down 13lbs is awesome!!!

I'M OFFICIALLY IN ONE-LANDER AS OF THIS MORNING !!!! YAY!!!:biggrin:

I did it.. I finally made it to one-lander!!!! I got up this morning got on the scale 3 times to make sure it wasn't lying to me and it said 199.5!!!!! YIPPEE!!! I'm so excited.. i Had to come on here to share with you guys.. But i got to go to work now, so ill be back on later!!!!!

*I am only 21. Im 5'5 and weigh 220. My BMI is 37. Will I qualify? You can qualify if you have co-morbitities associated with being over weight. Like diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, back pain, high cholesterol, ect. And age really doesn't matter. There are people banded from 16-70's here on this site. I was banded 12days before my 22nd birthday. *Does Insurence cover the lapband? Some do and some dont... But i know if your persistent enough (jumping through hoops) you may be able to appeal it.. And i know there has been lots of success with that (at least from what i read on here) there is also self pay.. If you are self pay there are a lot of places that offer payment plans, lower fee's ect. *How much does it cost? Again this really depends on place, state, and self pay vs. insurance *How happy are you with your results? Was it worth it? I am absolutely thrilled with my results so far.. I am a year post-op and have lost 87lbs to date... My health has greatly improved.. and food doesn't control me anymore.. My confidence is increased a lot and if i didn't lose another pound ever i would still be happy... I would do this again in a heartbeat... No questions asked!!! Feel free to ask any other questions that you may have we will answer them to the best of our ability.:Dancing_biggrin:

It actually makes complete sense... i feel exactly the same way!!!!

***Bump*** I really do love this thread...and plus i had a new NSV to post... I bought a size XL petite scrubs and when i got home tried them on they were too big.. turns out i need the size Large now!!! And today at the doctors office the Nurse made me get off the scale and on again because she couldn't believe i was 200.5lbs.. she said i looked like i weighed 170-180lbs tops.... I was so thrilled...:thumbup:

First of all, its ok... But stop feeling bad for yourself and make the changes!!! Start with baby steps.... 1.) Remember why you got the band in the first place.. 2.) Go back to bandster rules.. Try going back to liquids(low cal) for a few days, then mushies and etc. As a way of starting all over. food journals help a lot as well. 3.) Get a fill!!! You probably need one from the sounds of it. 4.) Get the butt moving again... Excercise... even if it is only walking for a few extra min a day at first. It will help a lot. 5.)Avoid over processed sugar foods... it only gets you craving my high cal. treats. 6.) Get support... Always feel free to get help from you fellow bandsters here on the web.. We are all willing to help.. Or get it from family of friends. 7.) If need be join a weight loss program like weight watchers or go see a nutritionist.. to get you back on the right track. 8.)BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!! Best of luck to you...:thumbup: And keep us updated... We are here to help.. I know that i would have never gotten this far without the support of my fellow bandsters.. And that tough love does give us that much needed push. P.S. Follow these rules.. they will help you get started and figure out if you need that adjustment: Adjustments<!--webbot bot="Navigation" i-checksum="27883" endspan --> <tt>How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted You are losing 1-2 pounds per week. If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week: A. You may need an eating adjustment 1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day 2. Are you eating 25 grams of Fiber 3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome” b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram (1) It’s also a stomach irritant c. fruit juice is just sugar Water 4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of foods? a. Are you avoiding soft foods b. You can’t just eat what’s easy c. cheese is glorified fat 5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day between meals 6. Are you eating too much junk a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you feel deprived. b. Stay out of fast food places 7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily 8. Do you always eat the protein first 9. Then the vegetables or fruits a. Five servings a day b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable 10. Is your portion size appropriate? a. meat or fish (1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards b. Vegetables (1) ½ cup – the size of your fist c. Starch (1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need much (2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, Pasta 11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the appetite b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar c. They teach you to like things too sweet d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner than people who don’t 12. Avoid most diet foods a. Real food usually tastes better b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not that great (1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet margarine (2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats a. They may go into permanent storage b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove hydrolyzed fats from the body</tt> <tt>B. You may need a behavior adjustment</tt> <tt>1. Are you eating only when you are hungry? a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait. 2. Are you eating three meals a day? a. With maybe 1 or 2 small Snacks 3. Are you sitting down to eat? 4. Are you eating consciously? a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper away, pay attention to your food and your companions 5. Are you eating slowly? a. Put the fork down between bites b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying 6. Are you taking small bites? a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork 7. Are you chewing well? 8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals? a. Practice water loading between meals b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal 9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness? a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough b. Hard stop versus soft stop 10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing. 11. Do not eat when you are not hungry</tt> <tt>C. You may need an activity adjustment</tt> <tt>1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week? a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week? c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes? 2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your physical activity? a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding c. Parking your car further away from the entrance d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash g. Playing with your kids</tt> <tt>D. You may need an attitude adjustment</tt> <tt>1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey? 2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are eating and exercising? a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days 3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional issues? a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your eating? b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those emotions? c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor? 4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings? 5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends? 6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically? 7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss journey? 8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating? a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts (1) Obsess about something else b. Perfectionism (1) All or none, black and white thinking c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss 9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards? 10. Have you learned how to take a compliment? 11. Are you giving up diet mentality? a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day b. Stop dieting c. Stop depriving yourself d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad” e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food 12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place?</tt> <tt>E. You may need a band adjustment</tt> <tt>1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate portion sizes but getting hungry between meals? 2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large portions. 3. You are having to struggle to lose 4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and having a good mind set.</tt> <tt>F. You may need your band loosened</tt> <tt>1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down 2. You are vomiting too much a. How much is too much? 3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night? a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux: (1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods (2) Chocolate (3) Caffeine (4) Alcohol (5) Some fruits and vegetables a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers (6) Peppermint a. Baking soda toothpaste (7) Carbonated drinks e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals f. If you smoke, quit smoking g. Reduce stress h. Exercise promotes digestion i. Raise the head of your bed j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist k. Stress increases reflux l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime (1) Tylenol is OK n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications p. See your health care provider 4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest, especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack. b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise. c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you also have nausea or fever d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention.</tt> <tt>(Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.) e. If your pain is severe</tt> This was written by Jessie H. Ahroni, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., C.D.E., B.C.-A.D.M.

congrats!!!! ni cant wait to get there.. im very close 1.5lbs to get to 199

bet you forgot you had it huh??? Lol.. i forgot i had collar bones.. and they are starting to magically appear But Congrats on the NSV.... Do you mind me asking what the tattoo is??

Im pretty lucky my job uniform is scrubs... so its not to bad.. Gotta love the drawstrings!!!:thumbup:

lol.. Gotta love tivo!!!! I think my om is sick of hearing me saying "when i get to goal..." and sick of watching this stuff.. Hehehe... but i do find it also helps to keep me motivated!!! Im glad to know im not the only addict who tapes these things...:thumbup:

I went back to the basics and the scale is moving again... I am closer to onelander.. 1.5 more pounds to weigh 199.. So hitting it by March 27 is completely possible... One-lander is a great birthday present to yourself.. Don't you think so?!?!?! But i absolutely can not wait till we have nice warm weather again.. I can go walking with my dog and bike riding again .. i miss doing that... Today i went and got a slight unfil... because i was getting bad heartburn and let me tell you i was able to eat a proper bandster meal without getting heartburn.. He only took out .4cc's but what a huge difference!!!! He said he was going to take out enough so i no longer have heartburn but i still have restriction.. and that is exactly what he did!!!:thumbup:

I have been having a problem with Heartburn the past couple weeks and it has progressively gotten worse... I have never had this problem... So i am going for a slight unfill today... but my stupid scale just started moving again 2 wks ago... i hope i still have restriction.... Wish Me Luck:confused: -Jeni M.

My lap-band surgeon warned me from the beginning that with significant weight loss, the amount i was overweight and how long ive been overweight for... All that stuff in mind he said i will most definitely need a some sort of PS.... especially the tummy area... thats where i carry majority of my weight.. i always have (unfortunately) But to tell you the truth the PS doesn't scare me.. (the $ part does) The way i think of it is i worked damn hard to get here i deserve it.. And it doesn't help that im obsessed with watching PS on TV... so i know what goes into the procedures

LOL.. i finally cleaned out my closet from 1/2 the stuff that are way too big for me... its like a part of me was in denial that i have lost that much weight...:mad2: I went to buy myself so new scrubs for work and ended up buying size XL pants when the XL pants i have at home are to big and i clearly needed the Large... But i still cant grasp the concept that i fit into a size Large...:cool: Now i just want to go buy a whole new wardrobe in a size Large but know i shouldn't because i still want to lose at least another 40-50lbs...:tt2:

MANDYJO AND LULUC i updated for you... Great Job!!:mad2:

Everyon up to cQQLGIRL is updated!!!

Yesterday was my official 1yr Bandiversary... I cant believe its already been this long.... Start Weight: 287.7lbs Current Weight: 202lbs Total Loss: 85.7lbs First Major Goal is One-Lander... Only 3lbs more!!!!