puddin

Don't get an unfill unless/until you need it!

I got one because I was super tight in the beginning, and I've gained the most out of all the preggo banders that have reported.. oof.

I can't wait to get it filled back up--they only took .5cc out too.

And Congrats!

My only worry is that I'm already a bit too tight. I have to choke most everything down and I'm starting to get indigestion every night now. Is that just part of being pregnant????

Oh my goodness! I'm happy to have found this thread. I just found out yesterday that I am pregnant with my first child as well. At 30 years old I didn't think it'd be quite so easy. I just went off birth control last month. Anyhow, I'm at my goal weight and have even had a Tummy Tuck (which I knew I'd have to say goodbye to one day), but I wonder how much of an unfill to get. Any ideas????

Puddin

After reading some of this post I to had to look at your pics, seeing the inspiration you gave to so many others I'd hate to see you take them down. You could Water mark them so that if someone took them they would still have your watermark on them.

How about this?

I know many out there are saying that even considering this is selling out, but honestly, please put yourself in my shoes. My husband just got laid off with no future job in sight and someone is flashing dollar signs. You begin to rationalize reasons why you should take the money. In the end, no, I didn't, so please don't judge me for considering it. I think most people out there would.

At any rate, it wasn't JUST the band that got me to goal. Not by a long shot. In fact, the band didn't help me an awful lot the first year at all. The loss really began when I started using the body bugg. Those who are wondering what that is, it's a personal calorie counter. It counts how many calories you are burning all day! That way you can track calories in/out and KNOW how much you can take in to reach your goal. I became so active that I actually had my band loosened quite a bit. So yes, I am grateful for the band, but no, it was not ultimately the thing that got me to goal, just like anyone losing weight. They use multiple tools to get there. It's unhealthy to completely rely on the band to get you to your total weight loss goal.

At any rate. Thanks for the advice everybody. It helped to hear others' opinion on the matter.

I've already decided not to take the money. It didn't feel right. I told her she could use it if her product was the Xocai chocolates and products, since I did use that while losing the weight to help curb the sugar cravings. I also said I didn't want the photo to denote that I lost ALL the weight using it, just that it helped me to curb the cravings so I COULD lose the weight. I'd be ok with that since it's true, but I don't know what she's going to say back or how they plan on using the photos. There's a good chance I just won't stick with it.

BTW, I have submitted my photo to lapband.com and talked to the bodybugg people, but no biters so far. It'd be nice to get paid for doing all that work, but then again, I didn't get paid to gain it all, either. My husband and I will be fine financially.

They offered me 2,500 for nonexclusive rights. My husband got laid off from his job so this is very, very tempting for me. BTW, since I removed the "before" pictures on the Internet, you can visit my photo gallery here on this website and see the befores. Or you can see them at http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/3237784232_271ca08fc7_o.jpg

I've gotta tell you, I know I don't feel great selling my pictures as a marketing "before/after" ploy, as the whole purpose is to deceive somebody about a product. They may believe in their product, as she seems to, but says there hasn't been "enough time" for the before/after results. I'd feel better about it if I even used a little of their product, but I haven't. The only acai berry product I used were the xocai dark acai berry chocolates (which are fabulous, by the way, and really do take away your craving for other sweets, probably because of the richness of it). This would be a much easier decision if they weren't offering as much money as they are.

I think, in the end, we aren't starving and peace of mind is priceless. I will tell this woman no and remove my pics from the Internet so others don't take them without my permission. Thanks for the advice everybody.

About a week ago I was contacted by a woman who sells an Acai berry weight loss product online. She found my pictures on flickr and wants to use them as "before/after" pics for her website. She's willing to pay me for the rights to use the photos. My dilemma is that I didn't use her product to lose the weight. If body bugg or lap band had contacted me, I'd gladly let them use my pictures, but in this case I don't know exactly what to do. We could sure use the money, but I feel like I'd be deceiving people who are using this product. What do you think?

I know I've only been married a few months, but so far I completely disagree with ninner. I suppose if that works for you, then great. But honestly, that's not how I roll. Both of us grew up in families where our parents did things as a family all of the time. Sure my dad went golfing on his own, his mom has her bunko group, I have my symphony practice, my husband has his church auxiliary meetings... all fine. But really, spending time together is a good thing! We both enjoy it. It seems like the divorces I hear of are because the couples grow apart and not together. So instead of finding things to do that DON'T involve my husband, I'm going to find fun things we can do together. That is quality time.

It's not that we're having marital problems. We have a great marriage! We are actually newlyweds, but I really don't want to continue to do something that may start to bring us apart. I know he is very competitive, and perhaps that's what it came down to... he doesn't like losing. We had a talk about it yesterday. I told him I was so excited to have done that, but I felt like his anger deflated all my enthusiasm for what I had just accomplished. I also told him that, because of his reaction, I was feeling like I couldn't swim again. He said he was very sorry for taking out his frustration on me. We'll continue to swim, I probably just won't share my "victories" with him in swimming. Maybe that'll keep the peace.

In the meantime, we may have to have a few more talks about him taking his frustration out on me. Seems to happen a bit more than I'd like it to. I think these are all part of things you learn when you first get married.

So my husband and I have been swimming pretty consistently for about 6 months now. He was new to swimming when we first started and I wasn't all that great, either. But today when we swam, I went for a half mile without stopping and he went for 150 yards before he had to stop and rest. I was ecstatic that I could go that far! But he was in this terrible mood. On our way home you could tell he was VERY frustrated and was telling me how he was done swimming. He feels like he's only a fraction better than he was when we first started.

We're training for a triathlon in May. I keep telling him it was just an "off" day, but he's convinced he's hardly any better now than he was 6 months ago. I don't know what to do at this point. I feel like if I keep swimming it'll push us farther apart. Every time I do well he feels more like a failure. In some ways it makes me feel bad and like he feels like he should be better than I am at this. But the logical part of me just says he's frustrated with his own performance. I really don't know how to handle this or if I should even keep swimming...

3.5 years for me and no complications! I'm at goal.

Good advice. I'll maybe get a .1cc unfill. though I just got a fill a few months ago! It's $75/pop every time I need a fill or unfill and that's the biggest thing keeping me from getting one. Maybe I'll just bite the bullet.

I have more pics on my flickr site, but here is one I stuck up there today...

Question out there: I've been banded for about hmmm.... 3.5 years now and reached my goal weight awhile ago. I do fluctuate between 3-8 pounds, but I basically stay the same now. But I have a little dilemma now:

Maybe I forget I have the band and eat too fast, but I feel like I get stuck all the time. I rarely throw up, because I seem to have figured out how to choke it down, but I don't know if I should get an unfill or not. I seem to be able to eat a decent amount of food (like 1.5 cups), but sometimes I get stuck often. I don't get it. I don't get full until I've eaten 1.5 cups, but it takes me forever to eat! Any suggestions? I really don't want to gain this weight back.

I think I've picked up that nasty sugar habit again. Damn. I hate cold turkey, but you gotta do what you gotta do!

Hey, thanks y'all. So you're going under the Knife, Karey??? You should definitely do a thread on this... but don't make the same mistakes I made after that darn Tummy Tuck LOL. I think you'll be safe, you're a good woman. I'm excited for you, though. You gonna look HOTT woman!

And anyone can look like THAT with enough freaking tenacity and OCD lol. It all comes down to goals, I guess. I had an image in my head of what I wanted to look like and I made it happen. There were consequences to that, however. Dealing with cervical cancer at the moment because I took liberties with my newfound body too far.

My port sticks out like a hernia. I had a lower body lift and anytime someone sees my stomach they say, "what's THAT?" So I have some made-up story about it, because I really don't want to go into detail about how I lost all this weight and got a Tummy Tuck, etc. Is it possible to reposition it without causing another huge scar? Also, has anyone gone in JUST to have their port repositioned? How much did it cost?

I had a lower-body lift and did not get unfilled at all for it and things were fine. I figured if I couldn't eat anything, I'd just survive on Protein Shakes. But then again, some people react differently.

I love how everyone dresses better and takes more pride in their appearance in the "after" photos. It's not just about the weight. It's about the attitude!

Ok, here I am. Before, size 26/28, after, size 6

You guys are doing awesome! Keep up the great work!

Mmmmmm k, thought I'd post one more up here since going down even a few more pounds.

Before, I am the one on the right, after is a silly pic I took in front of a mirror the other day with my camera phone.

I was a size 28, now a size 6/8

Hey ms. number, I'm a size 6/8!

Sup babygirl? Ah, it's slowed... like immensely. MEN! I started dating someone fairly seriously. You know how it goes. Anyhow, I'll probably break up with him, though I've said this before, and then I can have more tri training time, lol! I did meet someone new, however, who is a MAJOR road cycler (story is on my blog, if you have access to it) and wants to cycle with me... that could help. Except he's a lot faster than I am. Punk.

How's your exercise going?

Argon, the pic on page 5 was JUST before.

Here are my new befores/afters. Ignore my funny face in all of these, lol! I can't take a straight-faced pic to save my life. The first "after" pic I had to pee really, really bad (in case your'e wondering about the stance). One of these days I'll take a g-rated full-body pic. More pics on Flickr: Photos from puddin_pie.