Curley

Thanks guys, well as I speak I have my new higher fill. The difference is AMAZING! I am already experiencing quick & satisfying fullness after my meal. It turns out I had almost no fill in the tank. My doc had taken out 1 mil. which is alot (as opposed to .01mil). She put back half & I am so happy.

I am convinced the band does 99% of the work for me. It allows me to impliment the things I know I should be doing. It lets me throw out food without a second glance. It changes how my brain ticks.

It took me 2 weeks to put on 12 pounds, and I couldnt stop. All the support from other bandsters cheering me on didnt help at all (although I was sooo grateful). I was in a food fog & couldnt get out. I am so happy to be back in bandland. I appreciate my band now maor than ever!

Hi, for those that dont know I was loosing like crazy, felt like a million dollars, but then got really sick from not enough nutrition. Then I got some fill out. Well 10 plus pounds latter, and almost no restriction I am now getting a top up. I am back to being food obsessed & feeling fat & like a failure.

This time round I will concintrate on eatting better. I hope & pray that I can loose weight & be healthy because being thin & sick is no good but being fat & out of control is bad too.

For me a tight fill stops the food deamons...or at least puts them to sleep! Because I am a binge eatter rather than just an over eatter, I suffer mentally when my fill is not tight. No amount of counciling or self help books has ever helped so although I read all the hints like a sponge, nothing really helps me except when my band is tight. Then I experience peace like never before in my life.

So wish me luck as I have definately taken many steps back. My dh told me last night...gee you`re looking fat, whats happened? Its true but his type of tough mean love doesnt help. Its not that I get insulted because hes always like that, its just that I feel like Im going to be the butt of everyones jokes if I dont make this work. I think I told everyone how great this band is, and Ive got no where to hide now!

Delarla, all the best! You have been thru alot & now in 2005 it is your turn to have a great & easy year with NO problems. Im so glad you have a new surgeon helping you. Make sure you tell him that there are thousands of us here following your story & that it is great PR for him! I cant wait for you to be back in action with a band that works & stays where it should!

Penni, thanks for your port picture. Im sure many people down the track will refer to it if they have problems with their port. It looks very sore. Wishing you all the best too!

Hugs to you all, Sharon

You go gal!!!! Younger & happier! Have a great 2005....you look very close to goal.

Vera, you look so sweet & pretty, like you dont need anything done. Although I cant see the boobs so I cant comment on that dept !

Ild love to get some things done too, but I wouldnt want to tell everyone like I did with the lap band. Theres so much down time after ps might be hard to hide it from family & friends.

Also, what if you put on abit after a tt, owtch, thats gotta hurt!

I started out at 230 & ended up at 147 pounds. I carry the weight in my bottom half & thats why I look sort of boney around my ribs even though my legs are still very womanly! I sure did have a weight problem as this time last year I was in size 22 plus & was bursting out of all my stretchy rags. My face was very bloated too at my top weight & I could hardly walk.

The botox didnt hurt, and it was a different brand than botox which apparently lasts longer (Ive had both). It is done by injecting around your eyes & forhead & is very effective but expensive. My sister did it for the cost of the product. The difference is subtle but must do something as it stops the frown lines! My dh has not noticed if that means anything! I sort of forget I have had it done but when it wears off ...I notice the difference.

That said, weight loss is the biggest thing that changes your looks!

Im up 10 or more pounds from the photo & Im all puffy again in the face!

Also just want to add that this is my hair when it has been straightened. Normally it is 100 times as curley and frizzy (think toilet brush on speed). I also have a bit too much fake tan on here. Normally Im very fair skinned. It was my dh 40th bday party and I went all out. I even had botox done...shhhh dont tell anyone. My sister who is a doctor did it for me!

Hi, this was me at my lowest weight since having the band. I have put on since this picture...damn...due to having not enough fill (is that an excuse?). You see, I had some removed & now Im very loose. I plan to get some more in soon. :phanvan

Sending you my best & strongest wishes of good luck. You look after yourself too. She needs you strong. Hopefully now your wife is getting the care she needs. If it helps, NYs day is just a day, really like any other. Your love for each other is bigger than seeing the new year in together. And, you are together in mind & spirit at the moment.

In 2005 you will just have to make up for this separation by spending extra time together. I am touched by the depth of your feelings for your partner. You guys sure are soul mates. Words may not make you feel better at this point, but I will be sending a prayer at 12.00 tonight that everything works out great!

Im really bad at jokes & always halh remember them... but here goes:

A mature aged lady goes to her doc for a face lift. Amazingly there is a new invention that will supposidly solve all her problems. Its a device that is fitted & there is a skrew put at the back of your head that can be turned to ever tighten the face lift as need be.

Well, the lady was estatic & desperately wanted the new face lift. All went well & the lady went away very happy with her new younger looking face. Years went by & all the lady had to do was turn the nob at the back of her head to lift the skin as it sagged. It seemed like a dream come true. However after 10 years or so the lady noticed some unusual things that concerned her. She went back to her doctor & queried why she suddenly had these big bags under her eyes.

The doctor almost fell off her chair in shock. The doctor yelled out `those arent bags, you must have tightened the device too much...those are your boobs!`. To which the lady responded..` Well, I guess that explains the new goaty on my chin!`.

I also have a religious type joke:

Two men were standing at the pearly gates waiting to go into heaven.

They were asked questions about their fidelity, good deeds etc.

One of the guys was without fault. He had never cheated on his wife, he had been a helpful husband, honest & caring. He had never belted her or even looked at another woman. He was given a Roles Royce to drive in heaven.

The other guy was not without faults. He had had an affair, but only one & it was brief. He had dabbled in pornagraphy. He liked to drink with his mates & he didnt help out with the kids. This guy was given a Ford Commodore to drive in heaven.

Well, one day the Ford guy drives past the RR guy & notices he is crying his eyes out. What on earth are you crying for, he askes. You have everything, look at you, you are driving a RR for G-ds sack!

The RR guy answers ` Yes, but I just saw my wife. And shes driving a scooter!`

Well, that might solve the weed problem!

I did notice that she likes laundry baskets though...are they useful for the next life!!LOL

My Mums Mum was the most selfish lazy women. She let her kids grow up with shit on the walls. She never cleaned their clothes or ever bought them presents. My Mum used to beg her even to buy a bangle for their birthday & she wouldnt. My Mum & her siblings used to wrap up all things & pretend that that was thier present to the neighbours. She also married some bastard who used up all of my Mums fathers money & belted them up, after my Mums father died. My nana only eats cake. Shes really fat & always told my Mum she was ugly because my Mum was skinney & tall. Well my Mum turned out to be beautiful but she was always told she was the ugly one! My nana has never done anything for anyone as long as I have known her.

Lets make 2005 the year we really succeed. Theres no better revenge than success! I swear it must be the answer to everything. LOL

I get sad thinking about how mean your Mum is. You have turned out great, just like my Mum did. Sadly all my Mums siblings have enormous problems that reflect their upbringing......sorry this is the wrong thread but I couldnt be bothered starting another!

Look forward to talking with you in 2005!

You`re quite a guy! I wish I had one like you at home.

Wishing you both some much needed rest & a great 2005.

Delarla, did your Mum eat what she made too. Did she like her own evil cooking? Was she some sort of health freak or just a really bad cook or both?

Anyway, its a wonder you didnt turn out mad yourself. My Mum had a really bad Mum too. Some people just arent meant to be Mums. Just out of curiosity was poverty a factor & was she a single Mum...not that thats an excuse.

If you dont want to answer I wont take it wrong!

Sending prayers to you & your family. Hope all is well. Hopefully its the phone line stopping him from ringing like others have said.

What a change, you look great. Talk about taking ten years off your looks! You look very young with the new tiny you! Hope you are enjoying the new bod!

Can I add that there is some acid as opposed to none. Hopefully very little. One bandster from another board had problems with her teeth due to the acid in PBing, so keep that in mind if you are over doing it!

But you are right that its not full on acid type vomit like when you are ill.

Penni, I agree with all the above. Want to add, have you checked out your blood for any definciencies. You might be low in Iron or B12 or something.

On another board I remember reading something that Jessie wrote. To paraphrase: There`s no prince charming, us pincesses have to save ourselves (btw theres also no golden coach, fairy godmother, palace etc...but thats another story). The message is that we really have to look after ourselves because no one else is going to `save` us, or fix our hurts, take care of us etc. Also, sometimes we wait for one day, or our turn, as if someone will turn up & make everything right. But we have to take control & fix what nots working ourselves.

You have to be your own prince charming & look after your needs. You have to start putting yourself first, treating yourself like you would all the others you help. You are such a lovely giving person....but you cant live on thin air. You need to rest, make time for pampering, treat yourself to the best you can offer! Maybe you need to slash your to do list, or take a well deserved holiday, or just get some sleep! But you cant go on like this...too many people will miss you around here!

Penni did mine too! What a gal!

Have you noticed that there are many different types of pb. My fav. is where it just comes out after some momentum, it does all the work itself. You get some time to excuse yourself from company, and no one is the wiser. To me its the most lady like of all the pbs. The one I absolutely hate is the one where you feel like you are getting stabbed in the chest while simutaniously having a heart attack. The pb is all hard work and often nothing but slime comes up for all your efforts. This is where I usually start praying/ swearing.

The other day in Subways I felt a pb coming on. There were no toilets. I never took my eyes off my kids drink the whole time. Lucky for them it passed.

DeLarla, I love your bitch threads!

Welcome to the real world (of bandster life)...and to think you were missing out on all the fun until now. I have pb`ed into public bins at the mall, pb`ed over myself while driving (note: always have a container in the car, much better than a bag), pb`ed into drink containers in shops....well you get the picture. I just think that people can damn well conclude that Im pregnant or something when I do these things because there aint no way I can stop it once it comes!

Aint life grand!

I still love my band, no matter what

You are sooo beautiful. That has to be $ well spent in anyones book. And think of it as a gift that keeps giving because when this Xmas is over you are still going to have the new beautiful you long after you have even forgotten what the band cost. I am talking about your whole life!

Thanks for sharing your pics!

Hi, the problem you discuss was what I experienced. I wasnt taking any vitimins & got extreemly low Iron, foliate & B12 & I got really sick. The end result was that I had to have some fill out as I wasnt eatting any `good` stuff. I got into the habbit of just eatting bits of food, mostly junk. That said, my weight loss was wonderful and I was really happy....just my body wasnt! I really enjoyed just picking...and I sort off went off the taste of vegs & meat etc.

The lesson for me was that you have to take care of yourself...and weight loss cant be the only indication of success. I didnt consintrate on anything else than the scales but I should have realised that I cant survive long term on a `kid in a lolly shop` type diet!

If you are experiencing low energy you should look into it as weight loss is meant to increase your energy. My imune system sort of crashed, so watch out as there are alot of nastey colds & flues etc that are really attracted to low imune systems! I should know as aquite a few gate crashed & had a party & a half with my body!

Leo, this is probably the one place where we need showoffs! Success breeds success & when we see others do it, it is sooo inspiring. I know that for myself, when I am surrounded by positive people it helps me alot. Also, when I listen to people who are all `not` doing it, I become part of that too....thats why I shy away from some sites where thet post a million reasons why the band doesnt work.

I am actually not working my band well at the moment,(Im blaming my too lose fill, which I plan to correct) but thanks to people like you, I want to get back on track.

Sharon

I feel like I know many of you already from reading your posts!

eg I feel sad at how some of you grew up with awlful parents, I laughed & cried at your anti Christmas thread stories, I mostly laughed at your funny stories & heartfelt sharing.

I lost alot of weight with a very tight fill. Then I got sick & had to have some taken out. I have since put on 10 pounds! Because I went berserk with overeatting. I plan to have a bit more put in asap!

So, I cant take too much credit because it was all band related with my weight loss...I didnt really exercise or change my eatting habits...I just ate not much. I also didnt eat particularly healthy or take Vitamin sups. I really enjoyed just eatting bits & pieces eg icecream for dinner, a few crackers for lunch, a few chips here & there. I totally went off healthy food. My body caught up & I learnt my lesson. Mind you, up till the band I was a huge health eatter. I was queen of the truck size salad sandwich for lunch type person.

The weight loss has been a gift and has changed my life. I feel better & more confident.

I now need to work on actually following the band rules of eatting Protein & vegs etc. For me they dont taste as good as before, so I am finding it hard. So Im definately what you call a worty bandter. My challenge is now to get the last bit off & to not put any more on for the rest of my life!

Actually living with the band as my partner is the hard bit. But I love my band & am prepared to make this work!

Hugs, Sharon

Thanks Leo. I did all that. Do you think my photo was in a file the browser didnt like or maybe it was too big??? I know next to nothing about computers, but it didnt work.

BTW, keep up the great work with your weight loss. Your photos are great!

Sharon