Dianechef

I've always been afraid of someone being under my car or under my bed. When I go to sleep at night, I can't hang my foot over the edge!! When I get in the car, I can't linger with my feet dangling. I'm afraid the person under my car has a knife & is going to take some good stabs at my feet.

Okay, anyone remember when Delarla told us that her doctor said to NOT eat artificial sweeteners because it makes you crave sugar more?!? I don't normally eat artificial sweeteners & wasn't too concerned. Well, yesterday I bought these new candy bars made with Splenda. They were the kind with caramel & nuts. It really tasted like a candy bar & only had 3 carbs. I have been doing very good lately with my calories, Protein, carbs & exercising. 1 hr. after eating that freakin' candy bar I wanted to eat the whole house!!!! I ended up drinking some pop, Cookies & grazed on junk the whole night. I was out of control!! I was so mad at myself!! THEN, it dawned on me.......I ate that candy bar & it was all down hill after that. NO MORE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS FOR ME!! I have done great for 3 weeks & one little candy bar made with splenda did me in. I'm not even going to weigh myself.......ugh. Today is a new day!!!!!

Take a picture of you with that necklace on & post it on Delarla's NSV picture page!!! That's a great NSV!!!!

Hi Erin, Wow........I am so sorry to hear of your struggles. We all think that we aren't going to be the one with the problems & that our bands will work perfectly. I'm sure you were very surprised when it happened to you. I read your story & you were in perfect health before surgery!! You would think you wouldn't have had any complications at all!! I cried as I read your story because it could have been any of us. I am sorry the complications happened to you. It doesn't seem fair. You CAN do this on your own!! If you think about it, you really did lose your 46 lbs. all on your own because you never had a working band. THAT IN ITSELF IS AMAZING!!! I have had a working band since July & I haven't lost that much. Keep your chin up!! You sound like a wonderful mother & your kids need a happy, healthy Mom!! PLEASE hang around here because you'll find lots of support from other bandsters who have lost their bands. We all sympathize with you & wish you the best!!! Good luck Erin!

Has anyone joined Fill Centers USA? I get my fills for $100 here in AZ & it works great. My fill person gave me all the information about signing up for this & encouraged me to give it a try. (She will be working with them!) I am trying to figure out the advantage of joining Fill Centers. You pay an upfront fee just to join & then fills are $155 each time. Am I missing something? This is MORE $$, not less......and I'd still be using the same fill person at the same place. Hmmmmm......

I posted too quickly. I only put in 1200-1500 without reading that I was also supposed to put in how much weight I'm losing weekly. Sorry, I messed you up! I am losing 1-2 lbs a week consecutively except during Christmas. For 3 weeks I didn't gain or lose anything!! (I was THRILLED!)

Adorable!! How do you get anything done all day with such a little cutie-pie around? I bet you just want to hug & squeeze her all day long!!!!

Alex, I have tears in my eyes!! What a wonderful feeling. Your kids are pretty lucky to have you as their Mom. I am so VERY proud of you & completely understand everything you have felt. I can't WAIT to be where you're at!!!

Here's a picture of our family at Disney World this summer. This is one month before my surgery.

I hit my sweet spot on my 2nd fill. I have 2.7 put in my 10 cc band. PERFECT for me!!

I eat cereal all the time. No problems!!!

Ice cream goes down no matter how tight your fill is. DON'T EAT ICE CREAM!! Sorry, I have had the same problem, but with chocolate. I can eat loads of chocolate with no restriction. Step away from the ICE CREAM & CHOCOLATE!! They are NOT your friends.

Megan, I would LOVE to look 22 at 33. I have 8 sisters. (Yes, 8 sisters!!!!! That was not a type-o!) I am #6, but when we're together, people think I am one of the oldest ones!!!! I'm only 35 & would love to look 35 when all this weight is gone. Ajack, I've been doing those tongue presses & they really work!!

I only have 4 lbs to go before I hit my mini-goal of 50 lbs!! The reward I was going to give myself was to get my teeth whitened. I talked to my dentist about Zoom. (Where you sit in a chair & your teeth are whitened in 1 hr.) He said it was the worst pain ever! He said that he'd rather give birth then to have his teeth whitened again. (He's never given birth, so I don't know why he gave me that comparison, but......oh well!) I did the teeth whitening trays 2 yrs ago & it was a pain in the behind to wear them & I didn't feel like my teeth stayed very white. Have any of you ever had the Zoom treatment? Did it hurt? I am wondering if my dentist just has a low tolerance for pain or if I need to get a new goal.

Hey Feulman, I've heard of Dr. Grossman from FL who will do fills on anyone. check him out. I don't regret ANYTHING about being banded. LOVE IT!!

I am a little concerned what I will look like AFTER I lose all my weight. I know I'll have more energy & feel great & I CAN'T WAIT!! However, I have seen a few people lately who have lost quite a bit of weight & their face looks older. I have a friend who's skin on her face is now wrinkly. (My husband said he thought she looked better before!!) Anybody else concerned? Any one have a secret to keeping our youthful appearance after weight loss?

We ALL understand where you're coming from and sympathize & empathize with you!! I DO hope you are able to figure out what the deal is with your weight & WHY IN THE HE** YOU AREN'T LOSING WEIGHT?!?!?!?! Hang in there & come here to rant & rave anytime. We all love the support you give to us & are happy to return that to you!!

The foods you are eating are ALL problems for me. Try something a little softer & ease into it. Give you esophagus & pouch time to adjust. Try a warm drink in the morning & then ease into some chili or minestrone Soup. Good Protein & still easy enough to go down. Good luck!!

On second thought.... I just saw that you lost yet ANOTHER 2 lbs. on the Weight Loss Challenge!! Why don't YOU go ahead & make that cake again for yourself. It just might give the rest of us a chance to catch up to you!! You know we love you Paul!!!!! We're just EXTREMELY jealous!!!

Big Paul, please DO NOT post that recipe!! I used to make a similar one called Pudding cake & it was so good I would sit & eat the entire thing!! Very yummy, delicious, dangerously out of control cake!!!!

Where do you live Carrie? Have you tried www.fillcenterusa.com?

Same problem here!! I thought it was just me. Every thread that I go to will not let me get to the last page. It takes me somewhere else. Very strange!!

The Atkins Advantage shakes just came out with a new flavor - Vanilla Creme! I love them!! I am always on the run & these are ready in a can & I just take them with me as I run out the door. Love um!!

I saw it! They only spent 5 min. on it & I was so disappointed! I wanted to hear more. I am so glad that the band is getting a positive rap. Yeah for Montel!!!

Sleepyjean!!! For not ever having to deal with a MIL before, you sure seem to truly get it! I loved your comment about "her actions are showing that she is more concerned with holding her grudge then us or her grandkids." YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!!! Why do I feel like I need to apologize to her?! I know that I truly did NOTHING wrong. I think I will plan on using your wording of - "We are making the best decision for our family so hopefully you won't upset yourself in the future." HA!! That is sooo perfect. This is HER choice & I need to move one & do what's best for my family. I'm still toying over the bag of poo at the door idea. She wouldn't be offended by that would she?!?! Do ya think?!?!?!?!?