OregonHolly

My goodness, be off "our" group board for a few days and just LOOK at all the new members! Woo hoo! OK I'm off to the "We are the TENaciousTENS thread now!"

OMG Brandy you go to the gym at 4:00 AM? Oh help me Lord, I wanna be like Brandy.....

I'm struggling with the same thing - how to fit exercise into a hectic schedule when you're a single mom with a full time job. I think the hardest thing is just the pure EXHAUSTION all the time from just the daily routine (and being fat). Sometimes I get home from work and my body physically hurts, I'm practically falling asleep as I stumble in the door. I think my only hope is to just get up earlier and do it before the day takes it's toll. I'm sure when the weight comes under control, exercise gets more enjoyable, or at least more tolerable! I hope!

Prayers and safe journey for you too Belinda! I'll be thinking of you too tomorrow :-)

Tomorrow, wow! Prayers for you, for a safe surgery and a pain-free recovery. Keep us posted when you get home from the hospital, so we can encourage you. Use your pain medicine if you need it and it doesn't make you sick. Take it slow and keep your eye on the goal. There will be many out here thinking of you tomorrow! Be blessed! Proud of you!

Hey nic, lets start reading the "introductions" threads so we can catch those people who are schedued in October. I did that today and noticed a few popping up. I'm seeing the dietitian today for the pre-op counseling.

Flipper - you're now one of the "TENaciousTENS!" our October support thread! Look at the "monthly support groups" category under Oct 07. Join us and introduce yourself there! We're just getting to know one another :-)

Hi Beehive, I'm still several weeks away from "bandland" but I made my decision to go ahead with the surgery after reading all the posts in this great support group. Many people are able to "do it", eat a different way after a lifetime of free eating, and that inspired me. I also thought that many banded people are probably out just living their life, and not needing to get on websites for support - in other words just enjoying the fruits of their success. I appreciate the victorious ones on our site here that post in order to give advice, hope and encouragement to others. I think we see more of those seeking help on the boards though generally so it gives one the jitters about making this decision. I personally know two people with the band and both are very successful; they don't post on boards - they're out skiing, hiking, working, playing with the grandkids and one is finally getting married. I too NEED to get the weight off for medical reasons. I was determined a year ago to just "learn to love myself" fat, until my knees really went out, blood pressure real high, and so on. Now I need hope: the band "tool" and this great support group is my lifeline now. Let us know how the seminar goes!

Hi Shleb, sorry to hear that you're worrying a lot. It would be scary to think you had a "lifelong" procedure when you're only 22. But hey, it's done right? Live for today, keep doing the next right thing in this band journey and let the future take care of itself. By the time you're my age they'll probably have finally invented the "magic pill" and you can get unbanded and take a pill and get skinny! But for today, this day and time in your life - this is the best thing available. Just knowing you had banding twice already tells me that you're not a quitter; you're anxious but determined. You go girl! Put those fears to rest, you're STRONG, you're a winner - now get this weight off and go live that LIFE you're waiting to live!

Thanks you nicnaknut (what's your real first name?) for the vote on TENaciousTENS and for thinking of capitalizing the TEN at the beginning; we're a good team. I had originally got online to pay my bills, but uh-oh there was an email notice that you'd left a post, so there went the bill paying! I was sitting with the dictionary for half an hour or more trying to invent a cool name. It will be so fun to get to know everyone. Welcome: Jodi, KYgal, Brispenny31, Rabid24, BigFred, Bandwagon, Marywalker20, jowjow......... and all other fellow October Bandsters!

Hmmm, now you have me thinking! I like Spooktaculars, but believe that Halloween isn't celebrated worldwide. How about TenaciousTENS? Here's the definition of "tenacious" from the Merriam-Webster dictionary: Main Entry: te·na·cious Pronunciation: t&-'nA-sh&s Function: adjective Etymology: Latin tenac-, tenax tending to hold fast, from tenEre to hold 1 a : not easily pulled apart : COHESIVE tending to adhere or cling especially to another substance 2 a : persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired

PaulaX: clothes from the 80's are great for those "retro parties" haha! You never know, clothing styles do cycle back around again after about 30 years or so, so those 80's styles will be back in soon! I wore a lot of hot pink and black in the 80's and I notice those colors in stores already, but I hope the "big shoulder pads" don't come back - yuck!

Welcome aboard Rhonda! Glad to be sharing the journey with you :-)

I think with RNY people lose really fast because of the malnutrition that's build into the procedure. But with lap-band it really isn't possible to lose a pound a day of real "fat" - only water weight, right? Our bodies need time to use up all that extra fat for "energy" needs. Just think of a pound of butter or hamburger- every pound lost is that much off your butt or waist or thighs.

Here's what I always said: if I "ever" get fat again, I'll get some cute new clothes. But this time, "ever" won't happen again - go donate those big clothes because you WON'T need them again - ever! Woo hoo!

Wow Josette, you're very inspiring! You look so beautiful, like a different person, so much more confident! I do like your "flip flop tan" on your feet in your "before" pic, haha! Can't wait to see you in another year! Congratulations and I pray your mom is looking down at you from above with that proud mamma-love that you deserve.

OK ladies, prepare to feel tall: I'm 4'11", so quit complaining, LOL! I used to be a tall 5 foot, but with the weight gain (to 203 lbs) came the "degenerative disc" back problems and I lost an inch in height. :frusty: BUT in Oct I get my band, things are gonna change! I can't wait to buy clothes I actually like. Imagine not having to hem everything you purchase. And high heels will be so much fun again!

Hi BlueEyedKitty (love that name!) and WELCOME!

Thank you Tracy, that was really nice. My gosh, the farewell to food party IS going on, gosh how did you know :-) You're right about needing to concentrate on getting healthy before surgery, it's wise advice. Thank you for the encouragment! Holly

Actually Leona06 your symptoms are classic bipolar. Getting wired on antidepressants like Prozac is a classic symptom. It is very common for the "highs" to be more powerful (and sometimes hard to control) than the lows, and yes...... they are usually months apart. Some people only have a "manic" period or a "depressed" period once a year even. Bipolar disorder is a medical condition that needs medication to treat. You'll miss your "highs" but your life will be in your control and you won't suffer the fallout from bad credit, DUI's, STD's and all the things that could happen when you're way "high" on life. Borderline Personality D/O is very stubborn and resistant to treatment. It can't be "proven" it's just a hunch on the part of the counselor or psychiatrist given your symptoms and behavior. They can see if you're bipolar by trying you on medication and seeing if it helps. I'd recommend you follow through on that. My information comes from my employment as a psychiatric nurse.

Regarding transferrng addictions: as some of you know I'm still "pre-band" and yesterday I had the psych eval with a PhD psychologist. His input: he has observed that those people who gained weight in adulthood (as opposed to those who were obese children) do better after weight loss surgery than those in the 'obese-as-children' group. He hypothesizes that fat children suffer more blows to their developing self image, their "core self" (from disapproving parents or teasing from other kids) that causes them to carry more baggage into adulthood, in terms of psychological damage that leads to addictive behavior. Baggage that must be worked though, to be successful at surgical weight loss. Certainly people who gain weight after reaching adulthood suffer as well, fat prejudice is rampant and loss of beauty/good health is a legitimate loss, but he said that being "fat" for this group is more like "what has happened to me" as opposed to "who I am". What do you guys think of this? He also asked me what food meant to me, and I said "comfort" and when he asked me what I would substitute for food to comfort myself, my response was that I would prefer to choose NO other substitute, but rather to get to the root of the discomfort though counseling. His response: he said rather than substituting addictions in order to find comfort, or even therapy to root out the source of discomfort....... it is more important to learn (though experience) that discomfort isn't going to kill you -- and to learn to "ride it out" is the real key to freedom. He said that addicts have an unrealistic fear of discomfort that drives them to do something - anything to avoid feeling the discomfort. Thats why people switch addictions. So his suggestion for me was to come to therapy and experience discomfort and "learn to ride the wave" of it ..... without seeking relief. As we talked, I felt my discomfort increasing already and I was wishing there was a bowl of chips and dip for me to turn my attention to, but of course there wasn't. I had the urge to get up and pace in the room, but didn't since this was my pre surgery psych eval and I didn't want to ruin my chances for surgery by alarming the psychologist. It was interesting though, and I did survive that small bout of discomfort after all. I am also reading a book called "Shrink Yourself" which is written by a psychiatrist at UCLA school of medicine. His theory is that compulsive overeating is rooted in feelings of powerlessness. I've yet to get into the nuts and bolts of the book, but the concept intrigues me. He has a website : www.shrinkyourself.com, where he has an online 12-week program for working though his chapters (with workbook, online support, and more) and getting at the causes and manifestations of "powerlessness" and how finding your power can free you from food obsession. This topic is timely for all of us, and I believe an important discussion point. Thoughts?

[i know believe that the only think that matters is at first to be healthy because obesity is a very bad illness and then to get along with yourself...] You are a WISE woman, I love what you said! I never thought of it that way before...... you have to get along with yourself in this life. I love that! Keep posting! OH and sorry about your fiance,...... oh well who wants a jealous man! Keep posting! Holly

Hey Tim! It's 1:00 pm Saturday and you're on my mind :-) You must have had surgery already, did you tell us what time it was? I don't think you did. I'm hoping your're safely post-op snoozing off your anesthesia, well on your way to your new life. Do you know what band they used? I got my surgery date scheduled yesterday - Oct 8. Oh well, more about you: I'm thinking of you and sending you well wishes and happy thoughts. Post when you're up to it, we're all anxiously awaiting! Holly

Yeah you guys are right. After I lost 65 lbs on Optifast back in the 80's (when Oprah did it) my metabolism went to sleep mode. Of course I gained back 85 lbs after that. I had a "body composition analysis" yesterday at my doc's office (I'm still pre-band, in testing) and found out that for my age (51) and my height (4'11") my basal metabolic rate is 1305 kCal per day - they said that's what I need to basically maintain with no exercise. Yikes, that's not much. So I don't plan on losing very fast, and it's good to know that going in. It just worries me some that I'll be stuck on 800 calories forever. OH well, it's either that or be fat and unhealthy forever. As you can imagine, at my height and now 203 lbs, I look "stout", "portly" like a tubby fat 12 year old. Well that image is going away soon; scheduled for AP band on Oct 8, 2007. Maybe in 2 years someone will call me "petite"!

OH sorry, I'm retarded :-P You guys are October 2006 bandsters, oops! I'm 2007. Well congrats on your upcoming anniversaries! Holly