chichigirl

Hi and Welcome to LBT! Sounds like you're moving along accordingly, step by step. It also sounds as though you have a good doctor, recommending the band and not the RNY. The band is a much easier, safer, and adjustable procedure than RNY and if you're not happy with it, it can be reversed, unlike the RNY. You've picked a good group to join. We like to think we are the very best at being supportive, informative and caring here. Everyone is really awesome here and I think you'll enjoy being part of this very special group. If you have any questions, just post a thread. Someone will always answer. Good luck on your journey. Cindy

Good Morning! Well the measurements haven't changed: Under bra 43.5 Waist 46 Hip 58 But the scale do go down a little to 313.1 that's a loss of 1.9 from last week. I know, I know, I'm still not out of the whole I gained last week, but I'm getting there sooner than later, looks more like later, but I'll get there, just wait and see:-P Thanks Nana for all of your hard work on maintaining this for us. Everyone seems to really be doing great - let's have a tie and donate the cloaks to a homeless shelter!! What do you say? Don't mind me, I haven't had enough sleep and I am just a little punchy right now. Hope everyone has a wonderful day!!! Cindy

You know the scales have a conspiracy going to drive all of us insane!!! One minute they won't move for days, weeks and even months, then whamo, just when you're ready to give up on them and throw them out the window, they drop faster than a thermometer on a blizzard day!!! It's all a cruel joke to mess with our heads and convince us we cannot loose weight, eat too much and you don't loose weight, eat too little and you don't loose weight, hahahahahahahahah!!!!! They'll never figure it out!!!!! Don't let those demon scales pull you in, yes you truly did loose four pounds!!! They can only hold out for so long and then they break!!! Congrats on a well earned victory my slim friend, I hope you have conquered the evil plateu monster and will now move forward toward your journey's end. Hey, I know I'm sounding a little goofy, it's 6:30 in the morning here, what you want, Shakespere? Seriously Vines, I couldn't be happier for you, I don't know of anyone who deserves it more right now. But that means I better watch out, because you and I are both in Nana's Holiday Challenge!!! I want a cloak!!!!! Have a really great day. Cindy

That was good Parvathi. Thanks for the laughter, it always feels good. Cindy

Do you happen to belong to a gym? Maybe you could ask one of the personal trainers for their advice. If you don't belong, but know someone who does, they usually give them complimentary day passes for friends, and at least you could talk to a professional about it. I know I belong to Bally's and they allowed me a free day pass to just try it out, no obligations, no charge, no contract. It was a good way to get a feel for what they had to offer, including talking to some trainers. I was just posting to Vines as she is fighting the weight stall right now and I found out she is very active and told her that maybe she should be getting her total body fat % checked out, in addition to weighing and measuring, it's a good tool to show progress with. Hope some of this helps. Good luck to you, you are a wonderful inspiration to us all and I am glad you post on the boards!! I also agree with the other ladies, you're quite the handsome hunk :-] Cindy

Well, I know you're going to find out exactly what you need to do to get the weight moving again. Could it be that you have gained a lot of muscle mass, you of course know that it weighs more than fat, could that be it? Sounds like you are very, very active and I wouldn't be surprised one bit if that was the issue. Have you had your total body fat % done? If not, maybe you should be having that checked out as well and weighing and measuring yourself. I know that you have a ton of NSV's, so I know good things are happening to your body. Just a thought. Cindy

Welcome aboard. It's always nice to have new people joining. This is a great group and extremely supportive, knowlegable and caring. There's alot of laughing and crying on this board, along with some occasional screaming, but there is always someone there to help out. Have you decided on a doctor yet? Good Luck, and again, welcome aboard. Cindy

I don't know if you have stitches, staples or glue but hydrocordizone cream should stop the itching or Calamine lotion is very mild but effective. I know the itching is driving you crazy, but it's a good sign that you're healing. :-] Hope you can find something that works. Cindy

Sounds like you have some serious gas issues, that can be excruciatingly painful. Have you tried any Gas-X, everyone here swears by it for post-op gas problems. It's over the counter and should be pretty easy to get. As for how long until you feel better, I know you have heard this before, but it's true, everyone is different. I was feeling great that night, just a little sore where the port was. Never even had a gas pain. I know I was lucky and not everyone has it that easy. Are you drinking your liquids? You know if you're not ingesting nutrients that could be making you feel pretty lousy even if you don't feel like eating. Protein is for important right now for the healing process. Hope this information helps. Hope you wake up tomorrow and feel like you can take on the world!!! Cindy

Vines, I know you are very experienced and knowledgable as I have read many of your posts, so please forgive me for asking some obvious questions. Like could you be over or under esitmating your activity level when calculating your BMI? I know that I tend to under esitmate my own and that really can throw the numbers way off. Also, I have just been through my first, and hopefully last, overfill and believe me you don't want to go there. It is the most miserable feeling in the world and very painful. I know you understand how the band works, and I have no doubt you are extremely self aware of how you are doing, how much restriction you can handle, etc. But it can really sneak up on you. Perhaps if you change your diet around a bit, as well as your exercise routine. I have heard when weight loss stalls, that you should make sure you are not eating the sames exact foods day in and day out, and the same applys to exercising. By changing these things around it might give you the jump start you are looking for. Hope you can resolve this without ending up in a painful situation or by making yourself sick. 600 cals a day, I don't know how you could possibly meet your nutrional needs with that. Just my humble opinion. Cindy

My movie is Schindler's List, I put others needs ahead of my own and my leader is Ghandi an emaciated(?) do gooder with morals and lead by example. This is fun Poodles, thanks for posting this thread. I love doing these kinds of tests. However, to describe me as emaciated is a bit much, but funny anyway. Cindy

I second everyone else's grand words of advice. I recognize their words of wisdom that comes from experience. food addiction, and that's truly what it is, takes time, and we are all impatient and consistently beat up on ourselves for not moving fast enough. The way I look at it is, as long as I am loosing, no matter how slowly, at least I am heading in the right direction. If I had done this how many years ago, I would be slim and trim and healthy by now. Instead I continued my bad habits and grew and grew and grew. That's a problem, loosing slowly is not. I know that we have all heard the same things over and over again, like you didn't put it on overnight, it won't come off overnight, blah, blah, blah. But these things are true, we have just chosen to ignore them. Creating a new lifestyle for ourselves is the single most important thing we will ever do for us. Know that it's going to take time, but hey, you're not going anywhere so what's the difference, as long as you are trying, that's all that's important. Take it a step at a time and in a few months, you will look back and realize, hey, I really can do this, I am loosing weight. Never, ever belittle your accomplishments - like loosing 25 lbs in two months. Do you realize what a wonderful accomplishment that is!!!!! In spite of your human imperfections you still lost 25 lbs!!!!!! I think that's terrific and you should do. Pat yourself on the back, give yourself a self-indulgent reward, a new dvd, cd, spa products, whatever you want, as long as it's something that makes you feel good. You deserve it. Make your changes one at a time, like when the reps bring in the food for lunch, and you simply can't resist, eat what you want with the exception of one thing. Tell yourself as long as you can resist one of the desired items, you are still in charge, because you are. Before you know it, you'll no longer think of food as a friend and you'll be able to walk away from it and enjoy your healthy selection that you have chosen for yourself. Good luck. Remember there is an army of support right here waiting for you whenever you want. And congrats on loosing the 25 lbs. Celebrate IT!!!!!!!!! Cindy

Hurray!!! That's one for the good guy's. Well done, the pride you should allow yourself to feel should totally consume you right now. You've earned it and deserve it! WTG!!! Cindy

Welcome home Robyn!!! I have been thinking of you all week and keeping you in my prayers. I am so glad you are home with your loving family and that you have gone through the first step of the rest of your life. God Bless you and keep you strong. Email me if you'd still like for me to call you tomorrow. cspiller@earthlink.net I don't know if you remember me, I'm the one in Miami-Dade you emailed last week before you went in. Cindy

Poodles, what a great post and so true! According to Dr. Phil, we don't elminate habits, we simply replace them with something else. For example, when Poodles felt like eating, she read instead, great idea. Anything you do 'for' yourself is worthwhile and worthy of being the replacement you need for the binge eating thing. Yes, I have been through the storm you are going through. I lost over 120 lbs when I first got the band. I proceeded to freak out(stormy weather?)and put all of the weight back on, after a complete unfill. A year later, after ignoring what I had done, or at least trying to, I dealt with my demon head on and decided, I'm winning this one. I have suffered long enough and it's way past time for me to treat myself with the respect, dignity and care I share and demand from others. I'm back on target, loosing weight, exercising, even quit smoking after 25 years. Don't get me wrong, it's not easy and I stumble and fall sometimes, but I just get right back up and start again. And I will continue that path until I find my pot 'o gold and the beginning of my rainbow!

Congrats on all of those wonderful accomplishments!!! It's great to hear someone feeling so positive and enthusiastic about life!!! You are a huge inspiration and are a delight to hear from when you post. Thanks for sharing! Hope to catch up to you one day!!!! Cindy

I understand your hurt, anger and frustration with you mother. I went through something similar with my parents and didn't talk to them for over ten years, during which that time, I suffered a heart attack, open heart surgery, cancer, hysterectomy, gall bladder removed and carpel tunnel surgery on each hand. My parents knew about all of this because my baby brother kept them informed, but he didn't betray me and give out my phone number, which I had asked him not to do. When I finally decided enough was enough, I called them. I spoke to my father first who simply said, what did I do, why wouldn't you talk to me? My mother said that she knew I would call eventually so she wasn't worried. After not talking to people for ten years you'd think they'd get the message, but not my folks. They still don't have a clue and it's now been close to 20 years ago that happened. I still talk with them, but it's limited at best. Sometimes things just go that way. I know that you are angry with your mom for telling someone after you had asked her not to, but you know what, maybe people need to hear more about it, the surgery I mean, and how we feel about making our decisions to do it. I'm not saying you should tell everyone if you're not comfortable with it, but why are we hiding. What are we so ashamed of? Personally I'm proud I made the decision I did and don't really give a damn what others think about it. If they really care about me, they'll ask me and I will tell them everything that lead me to my decision and how it works. Period. I am trying to educate those who are interested, the others, who cares, they're not very bright in being so judgemental and self-rightous (spel) so who needs 'em? Do what you need to do. We can't choose our family but we can choose whether we are going to take their abuse or disrespect as well as their love. You'll calm down, and so will she and that would be a better time to talk if that's what you want. If not, only you know what's best for you. Good Luck! Sorry you are having to go through this, it stinks. Cindy

AHOY THERE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND BEST WISHES, MAY YOUR YEAR BE FILLED WITH LOTS OF LOSSES, WEIGHT LOSSES THAT IS!!!!!

For me, it's pretty much all bread and most crackers unless I really need a fill. I know that sounds like the end of the world, but trust me, it really isn't. You'll be surprised at how you will survive without it. Everyone's different though, I have read that some people are able to eat bread if it's toasted, but that's still not the case with me. Bread was one of my biggest, if not the biggest demon I ever fought, but suprisingly, I've have adjusted fairly well, though there are some occasions when I miss it more than at other times. Cindy

I think the burping and tooting are generally only a problem immediately follow surgery as they fill you with gas to do the procedure and it can accumulate a bit. Once you get rid of that, you should be pretty burp and toot free if you eat slowly and try not to gulp. The band doesn't really like it when you gulp. As for the gurggling noises, that generally only happens when my fill is too tight. I don't know how long ago that you had your surugery, but I'm assuming it was recently. If that's the case, the gurgles might be because your stomach is swollen and therefore should go away once the swelling goes down. This is just my opinion, as everyone responds differently. I never had gas after surgery, but a lot of people have. So good luck, and I hope I have helped easied your concerns. Cindy

Congrats!! That's awesome, I look forward to being able to do something like that once I take off some more of this weight. What a thrill it must have been for you. Keep up the good work and if you can, send us some pics of you in your new clothes. We would love to see them. Cindy

Glad to hear you're feeling so well after a 2nd surgery. Glad they were able to figure out what had happened and hope that everything goes smoothly from here on out. Good luck and best wishes. Cindy

Good for you for reaching out for all the support and help you need. You are not all that alone in those of us with major weight issues, often have multiple additiction problems, myself included. But you have taken the first and hardest step, admitting and realizing you have a problem to begin with. And you are doing something to correct the problem. You may want to check into a local Narcotics Anonymous to see when they have meetings. They're a great place for support without being judgemental. I know it's going to be hard, but whenever you feel yourself slipping, just look at those two precious babies you have and hopefully they will see you through. Feel free to pm me whenever you'd like. I would feel privledged to be there for you in your time of need. I am sending you very special wishes for a new and healthy lifestyle and prayers, prayers, and more prayers. And a few of these ((((((((((HUGS))))))))))). Cindy

Thank Goodness you went to the doc today, you are on some pretty heavy meds that will particularly help with the inflammation and swelling, which will help you feel much better and the good thing is they usually work pretty quickly. Now I hope you're resting and maybe putting some moist hot towels on your face to help with the pain. I'll keep an eye out for your posts over the next few days and pray that from this point on everything will be okay! Thanks for letting us know what happened, everyone was so worried. Cindy

Hey it's sooo good to hear you're really excited about the costume and the event again!!!! Your cousin sounds like a really awesome and creative person. I'm glad you she was able to turn your frown into a smile again!!!! Happy Haunting!!!!! Cindy