Road Queen

You can order them from the Cajun Grocer. I've always wanted to do that and now I'm thinking I will order one and send it to my mom's for Christmas. I have not wanted to drive to her place for Christmas and that may be the incentive I need.

T, Last week when I got a fill I told my dr I was eating 1.5 pieces of salmon with vegetables for a meal. he was afraid that I would stretch my pouch. I would worry that you are going to stretch yours with the quantity of food you are eating (unless you are drinking with the meal and pushing the food through). I would try to get some food in earlier, if nothing else try Protein shakes, yogurt, broth, hummus, etc. That will get you away from the fast food and eating better. Good luck and I hope your weight loss continues. Celeste

The pictures are great and you are looking wonderful. Beautiful eyes. Congratulations on the 100 pound loss. Celeste

Good job - let us know how it goes. Celeste

175 underbust 35.5 waist 36 hips 43.5 (one more pound and I'm just overweight)

Schel, As you progress through bandland, you will find that the band is inconsistent. One person can eat salads,the next can't. One can tolerate fruit, another can't. Some days you can tolerate foods that cause problems other days. No one can give you a direct answser on how your body will react and what you will tolerate. Someone else posted a list of foods and asked people what they could and could not eat. You may want to look at that. http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=10698 One comment that I can make is that I always ate healthy and continue to do so but with different foods. Instead of salads I am eating more roasted vegetables. Since you need to eat Protein first, its easy to roast green Beans, squash, etc in the oven when I cook fish or something. Good luck on your journey. Celeste

Congratulations

I remember posting that I couldn't open my dog's food without wanting to eat the Alpo. But now I appreciate the fact that I am able to get hungry without wanting to inhale everything in sight. Just take a deep breath, take a bath (I took alot of them - multiple baths many evenings), go for a walk, go to the mall, etc. Anything to get away from food. Don't watch tv - too many food commercials. Stay away from magazines with pictures of food. Put yourself on a food-images diet. Try any tactic you can think of to get through the weekend and think of how good it will feel to look better!!!

although insurance didn't cover mine, I am preparing my physician's letter for recommending surgery so I can deduct it off taxes. I have included high blood pressure, family history of overweight and diabetes, foot problems, etc. Read the co-morbidities listed on some sights and identify if you have them now or are even at risk because of excess weight, family history, etc.

I agree with Cindy - by having a little more restriction each time, you learn to live with the band and reduce your chances of pb's. My first fill I didn't feel restriction but I did have reduced hunger and couldn't eat some foods. That helped me adjust for the 2nd fill when I did have restriciton and further limits on foods. Now I have some days that I can eat something (rice) and others I can't but I can tell what stage my body is in and react accordingly. Use this time to get to know your body. Keep patience. Celeste

Okay, I managed to lose .1 pound last month - according to my dr. So I decided we need to start recognizing our NSVs here. I bought purple jeans about 3 weeks ago that were tight - and today they fit just fine. I lost my measurement book so I didn't measure for awhile. Then I found my measurements for June and July. Holy crapole, have I lost inches... I have never worn 12s (and baggy 12s) when I weighed this much 178 in the past. Somehow I keep losing fat and not muscle. I have tracked body fat with my scale and my measuring shows a total weight loss of 35.6 pounds with only 4 pounds of that being lean mass and the remainder fat loss. Okay, some other wabbits need to post their NSV. I'm guessing we will really slow down with the holidays so its time to recognize the victories. Celeste

Nykee, I think some of us are just real sensitive to the fills themselves. I thought I had 1.4 but it was 1.5. I am now up to 1.65 and I can feel a difference. But yesterday we were having changes in weather which also made me tighter. But I also lose restriction quicker as I lose fat around my stomach. My dr thinks I should be able to just get a sweet spot like other patients and be done but it isn't working that way for me. So far fills work for about 10-12 pounds then I need a little more. I wish fill dr would quit putting us into cookie molds. Glad to hear you are having good restriction now and congratulations on the awesome journey you have made. Your emails are an inspiration for me. Celeste

Naea Nae, JoLynn, Cindy, - our newest ND bandsters. How are you doing? How's everything going post-surgery? I can't believe how I feel so behind in life missing the site for a week. I've got to make a quick trip to Fargo in the morning so I won't be able to catch up until this weekend. Update me. Naea Nae - good luck Thursday. Celeste

Good job. Looking awesome. Celeste

I'm 178 today. I will do measurements next week. Going for a fill on Tuesday so I hope I have more to report next week. Celeste

Checking in early weight 179 measurements - no change I'm off to Paris for a week. Hope I don't gain to much. Celeste

Not everyone banded is on this site. Ask him for references and call them personally. Or ask to go to one of his support group meetings where banded people attend. You can also look at the reputation of the hospital he works with. Just keep researching in multiple locations and you will find your answer. Good luck. Celeste

I'm Boobie Chuckleboob. Since the town I grew up in didn't have named streets, my porn name is just Koolah.

are you following bandster rules - Protein first, then vegs, carbs last small bites, etc? Drinking your Water. I know that I haven't been diligent about it and it shows. I'm hovering around the same 3-4 pounds up and down for over a month.

Sunta, everyone has times where they worry. If you read around the threads today you will find a great posting on losing your best friend - food. Do I think about my band all the time - no. Did I used to think about food all the time - yes. Did it change my lifestyle - eating out 2-3 times a week, socializing over a drink, etc - no. Do I spend more time focusing on my friends and conversation when we are together - yes (and less about what I'm going to eat next). I was more worried about what was going to happen to me if I didn't get the band and use the tool to lose and maintain weight loss. I went through heart problems, anyerism, diabetes, dialysis, etc with my dad and many of my relatives have similar issues. I hope to have a healthy body as I age and weight loss will help me. When something is irritating - overfill, pb, excessive tightness, etc, - I just have resolves to concentrate on how much life has improved. Plenty of people (my family) focus on illness, discomfort, hypochondriac, etc. I have made an effort to continue to focus on the positive. You can get through any negatives but nothing will make you appreciate it if you don't have a positive attitude. Didn't mean to lecture but I hope this answers your questions. Oops, response to last question - unless I have issues or are extremely bored, I don't think about my rubber band buddy.:mad:

Way to go!! You have been an inspiration for us. Celeste

Vinesqueen - check the weight on that backpack. I had to weigh mine when I took the laptop,workbooks, etc on a recent trip that I ran through 4 different airports wearing and it weighed 32 pounds!!! After that I ended up carrying my backpack and another bag in front with some books. Kare - glad to hear the weight vest works. I have been looking at it for a couple of years (off and on) Maybe when I get home from vacation I will order one.

weight 182 underbust 35 waist 37 hips 44.5

the needle my dr uses isn't that big.

Sorry you are going through this. I was banded May 25, 2005 and have lost 34 pounds. I have had 3 fills and 1 unfill so I know what restriction feels like. I need a fill right now but I am waiting until I return from France. I don't want to get somewhere and have a problem with my band. Even without good restriction, I'm eating less than I did before surgery but I've been plateaued for almost 3 weeks now. I wouldn't have a fill right now. I believe I have plenty of time to lose weight and learn to live with the band vs being overfilled and needing a unfill and not being able to have one. I also know that I become more restricted in the heat. Its your call but if you decide to get a fill, make sure you are ready to live with restriction (that you haven't experienced before) in a vacation environment - ie limited food choices, drs, etc. Good luck. Celeste