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Hey Arlene...just want to thank you for the lovely card and kind words. It was so nice to find it in my mailbox.

Way to go on another 3lbs! You are really going great-guns on this program of yours. So happy you took the steps to do this for yourself. Keep up the great work! Sending loves, Karen

Dawn..I actually lost 54lbs b/4 surgery because my ins company required the 6 mo supervised diet. Started my diet November 2007, had surgery June 17,2008 and had lost 139lbs by Oct, 2008. I actually lost 20lbs more than I wanted to due to a metobolic thing. I eat 3000 cals a day to maintain my weight. Hard to get much more than that with the band.

Don't sweat maintenance...just up your cals by 100 after reaching goal. If you maintain, then stay with those amount of calories. If you look at it like just a way of life, it's easier.

Wishing you luck!

First of all..welcome to the band world. Please try to be patient. This time after surgery and b/4 a fill are for healing and learning. I have noticed that some ppl stall or even gain during the stage when they move to "real" food from the liquid stage. Patience is the key. The best advice I can give you is to stick to what your doc advises his patients to do. The weight will start coming off. Good luck! You can always email me if you would want with questions..

Hey...thanks for the compliment on my b/4 and after photos. I feel WONDERFUL.

As far as the comment on the big kitchen...that is only a third of it...I LOVE to cook and bake and designed my kitchen a few years ago to accomodate a little bit of everything.

Wishing you a great lap band life!

Hey Courtney...thanks for the compliment on my b/4 and after photos. I feel like an entirely different person. So much more energy.

Wish you a great lap band life!

Hey Maria...thanks for the compliment on my b/4 and after photos. I pulled up your photos from your public profile and you look AMAZING.

As far as you question on fills. All I can say is everyone is different. If you are struggling, I would say you have not hit your "sweet spot" yet and may need a fill. I, myself, have only had two fills.

Everyone has plateaus. I would always bump my calories up by 200-300 2 days a week if I noticed I hit a plateau. So like on Sunday I would eat 1600 cals and 1100-1200 for Monday, Tuesday and then the 1600 Wed and then go back to my 1100 and stay there. I think adding those extra cals, kicks your body into getting going again.

PM me anytime you feel the need and we'll visit! Karen

You had PM'd me and asked to see b/4 and after photos. If you click on my name, photos are in my public profile. Just page down on that and click on the photo showing and it will show you all 4 photos. Hope that works for you.

Thanks for the kind words regarding my b/4 and afters.

BTW...you can get out of that slump. Don't start on Monday...START TODAY!!!! Wishing you luck. PM me anytime you want to talk.

Donna...thanks for the photo comments. Good luck to you!

I had my surgery 6/17/2008. Hit goal Oct 15, 2008. I had lost 54lbs b/4 LB surgery during my 8 mo. wait. Was glad I did. Helped me in the long run. I, too, regret not doing something about my wait years ago. But, never looking back and just getting on with life. Have to at the age of 54!

Hey Kerry, Just checking to see how you are doing and how your surgery went. I'm 8 days out and doing fine. The lap surgery was a breeze but surgeon did more than I expected. Had a hiatal hernia larger than a baseball. He was going to just repair it, close me up and not do the lap band. He talked to his team and they decided that since I had worked so hard and lost b/4 surgery that it would be worth a try. He told me yesterday at my visit that my recovery will be pretty long.

I have had extreme shoulder pain for the entire week. Every time I swallow (even saliva) I have such terrible pain that I can hardly take it. My kidney stones are less painful. He is unsure how long this will go on. It is from the hernia repair. He also cut away quite a few adhesions and I have to go back in when I am healed for surgery on a number of hernias in my belly.

Anyway, he told me yesterday that I can do NOTHING for six to eight weeks. I can walk but I can lift no more than a pound for that time period. I have to be careful how I get in and out of a chair and how I roll over in bed.

It's a bummer but worth it in order to keep my band. He stated that once the band has time to form some scar tissue, my chances of keeping my band increase. I want this to work so I will be very good. My husband is chasing me up to the lake for the next six weeks. (I am very picky about my house and he is afraid I will over do).

Anyway, that's my story. I'm a little bummed but plan on working really hard to make this work. Anxious to hear how you are doing. Let me know when you feel up to it. Karen

Try not to get discouraged. I think with us, that's the biggest downfall we have....feeling like we are not going to succeed. Tell yourself that you WILL succeed. Get the sweets out of your house.

I sip on coffee (16oz), 1 pckt Swiss Miss (25) and 1 TBLS SF caramel or hazelnut Torini or Davinci syrup.

Also, 16 oz of boiling water and a pckt of Alpine SF Cider. Both help to hold off hunger and grazing. Give them a try!

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Denise....just want to wish you luck on this next leg of your journey. I know revision would be a tough decision but you have suffered long enough and you are being very smart and proactive in taking the next step. Just all the best to you and keep us all posted. Karen