NJ_gal_in_VA

You're absolutely right, Crystal. It IS in God's hands...if you allow it to be! Just give it to Him and He will work it all out. His timing is perfect! I feel for you. I am going through the same thing. I was banded on June 11, 2007 and have only lost 30 pounds. I now weigh 240. I have been married for a whole week (July 12, 2008) and I'm ready to have a baby! Actually, we have been talking about it for a little over a year now and have both decided it would be better for me to get at least below 200 before we start trying. Needless to say, our wedding night was not the "typical" couples' wedding night. We opted out of plain sex and chose other ways to satisfy each other :scared2: I wish it could have been different but we're THAT afraid of putting a baby at risk because of MY own weight problems that we avoided it. I am generally healthy other than being obese but I'm worried about the possible issues related to being obese and pregnant (i.e. justational diabetes, etc.). I'm at a standstill with my weight, though, and I am just wanting a baby so badly that I'm not sure I want to wait any longer. I have a 9 year old son from another relationship but I weighed at least 100 pounds less when I first became pregnant with him. Maybe you ladies in this forum can give me some advice. You can check out my profile, too and see my wedding pictures to get an idea of what I look like! :smile: The pictures are in my albums section. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks!! :wink2:

Pictures are posted! I hope you enjoy them! Hopefully this link will take you directly to them. If you click on the first picture you will be able to see a larger size and at the bottom of each picture you can click on "next picture" to see each picture in large size. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/members/nj_gal_in_va-albums-colleen-josh-s-wedding.html

Well, it seems you all are doing so well. I wish I could say the same for myself :confused: I am now a married woman and the wedding was wonderful! Only thing....I HATE the pictures of me anywhere from the neck, down. My arms are huge and I had a big old bruise that showed terribly on my right arm I wish I could have lost more weight before the wedding but, alas, I failed miserably. I'm still at 240 and can't control my eating right now. I wouldn't even make love to my husband on our wedding night for fear that I may become pregnant and put another life at risk because of my own health. I need help now more than ever because I really want us to have children of our own (I already have a 9 year old son from another relationship) but I don't want the baby to be in danger because of my weight. I need all of the support I can get right now! I will try and post some pictures on my profile of the wedding. My little boy, Shane, was the ring bearer! He looked ADORABLE! Love to you all! Keep checking back for the pictures!

Hey all! I'm glad to see everyone's doing ok! And to those of you who don't think so, you really are if you realize that you need to get back on track! 16 days until the wedding! I'm so nervous :embaressed_smile: I so wish I could have lost that last 40 pounds before the wedding but, alas, it didn't happen. My fault, I know. Wanna hear a poor excuse? I'm under so much stress from the wedding planning and so forth....blah blah blah! Well, at least I can use that for a few more weeks...lol! Wish us luck! I will try and post pictures after the wedding as soon as I get a chance. Love to you all!!

Thanks Elaine! I really do feel better. I just need to get my a$$ on the ball during the next month and keep it up. My biggest goal is to make sure I am at a safe weight to have a baby. After we get married I'm hoping to lose as quickly as possible so we can begin trying to get pregnant. Wish me luck!!

Hey all! I'm sorry I haven't been on here in so long but so much has been going on with the wedding and so forth. But right now I need support more than ever. I'm feeling extremely low as it's almost my one year bandiversary (June 11, 2007) and I have only lost 30 pounds, 20 of which were in the first week. My wedding is in less than 2 months and I'm so unhappy with the way I look right now. I feel like a fat pig in my dress and I feel like everyone's gonna say how big I looked at my wedding and so forth. I even feel like my fiancee is getting tired of it and is feeling less attracted to me than he used to be. I am seriously considering gastric bypass because I can't live like this anymore and I have no control. I have arthritis in my back and every day I come home from work feeling like I got hit by a bus. I don't have the energy to exercise not to mention the fact that I am physically unable to. It feels like my back is going to snap. My doctor is a moron and won't do anything for me. He just says to lose the weight, which is completely understandable but how am I supposed to do that when I can't even stand up sometimes? It's like a vicious cycle that never ends. Alone and confused :scared2:

luvinke, It must be so difficult to have your guy telling you that you need to stay overweight. I think it makes it that much more difficult. My fiancee can't wait until I get back to my high school size....heehee!! If he were to tell me he wants me to stop losing weight, I would probably not care as much about it. I know that's probably wrong, because I should be doing this for myself but I need to do this for my family, too. I feel I need their approval. I hope your DH (whatever that means...) comes around and realizes that this is something you have to do for you and no one else! Good luck to you both! :thumbup:

Hi Jan! Welcome to the group. First let me just say that I feel your pain. I have arthritis and it's difficult for me to excercise regularly too. My mom has fibromyalgia, so I know what it can do to your body. Do you have a local swimming pool to exercise in? Swimming will obviously have NO impact on your body and it's relaxing! I wish I had a local pool. I would use it every day! I LOVE LOVE LOVE to swim! But alas, walking is what I'm stuck with! Just be sure you take it easy and don't overdo it. And I think it's a good idea for you to concentrate especially hard on your eating/dietary guidelines since you can't exercise as much. Hang in there! We're here for you!

I know what you mean. When my family and friends ask me that I always seem to say "nothing" as well. It makes me feel like a failure sometimes, but hopefully that will change soon! It's true what you say, though. I would be a lot worse off if it weren't for the band!

Thanks Candy! You're absolutely right! I guess it's kind of funny to look back and see how depressed and ready to give up I was not too long ago. It's easy to give someone advice and help them get through something when you've been there yourself. I know how it feels to be discouraged. And if I can lift someone up the way you girls have lifted me up, it's all worth it! Thank you too Denise! It feels so good to get those kind of compliments. And I promise to try to get more pictures up after the wedding. It may be a while what with all the honeymoon stuff!! :huh2: But I will get them up eventually!

Luvinke, I believe you have probably said this at one point but you and I are at pretty much exactly the same point! I was also banded in June 07 (I believe that is what you meant, not 08!) and have lost only 29 pounds to date. But the slower the weight comes off, the easier it is to keep it off! And we'll have less hanging skin...lol! Just keep truckin! Every little goal we achieve is a step in the right direction! I think it's good that you have set those goals for yourself. Starting out small and building up is what will get us to our ultimate goal! I feel your pain! I have a family to cook for as well when I get home and believe me, they don't let me forget to cook when they're hungry!! Can you go for a walk by yourself after dinner? I know it helps me relax to have some alone time after a hectic day and a demanding family! I know you use a walking video but maybe you can go outside and walk especially now that the weather is getting nicer! It's very peaceful!

Becca, I was banded in June 07 and have lost only half of what you loss (29 pounds). Believe me, you have great weight loss compared to a lot of us on here. I don't even know if you would qualify as a slow loser! But we're happy to have you with us all the same! :wink_smile:

No. I believe I will be getting the one that most of you like-the one WITHOUT the ruffles and purple ribbon. I will be getting the one with the sparkles that most of you like!

Thank you all for your opinions! It is such a help since I was so undecided. I have always been leaning toward the one without the ruffles as well but everyone's opinions have helped push me in the direction of the other one! Shortgal, my future mother and sister-in-law like that one, too. It IS different and that would make it stand out, but I just don't think it flatters my, as I put it, "24 hour glass figure"!! Thank you all for your compliments. It makes me feel so good to hear people say I have a "small waist"! It's been a long time since I've been told that! I guess even if you don't lose many pounds you can still lose inches! A fabulous NSV for me!! Welcome to you Sharon. Your weight loss is wonderful, believe me! Everyone on this forum is going through the same thing and everyone here is so wonderful! They are all so very supportive and have helped me through some rough times. I couldn't have got this far without the support of my "slow loser friends"!!! Stick with us and post often with updates. You'll be glad you did!!

By the way, if you click on the actual photos they should get bigger so you can see them better!

Ok! I posted the pictures in an album on my profile. Just click on my screenname in any of my posts and go to "view profile". Go down to the album entitled "the final two" and click on it. You should see my pics. Let me know what you all think. The first one is from a place called Annie's Room. The second is from David's Bridal and there's 2 shots of that one-one shot from the front and one from the side. The ribbon around it is my color theme. Tell me which one you all like best and why and I'll tell you which one I'm leaning towards (don't want to influence your decision...lol!)

We did that and printed them out on photo paper. I scanned them to my computer but i just need to know how to post them on here if that's possible. Wishes, that's so great for your daughter! She sounds just like me!! It's so nice to be in a smaller size for the first time since before I got pregnant...lol! I will try and put the pictures up if I can. If not, I will try and send them to your email, wishes. Nonad, I'm holding you to that offer if you win the lotto!! LOL!!! :biggrin2:

Candy you poor thing! I don't envy you at all. I work part time and that's enough for me! But just keep trudging along and you'll get to where you want to be! I've narrowed my wedding dress choices down to two. They are both soooo pretty and I can't decide. They are both around the same price, too! Is there any way I can post the pictures of me in the dresses on this forum so you ladies can tell me which one you like best? Also, the last time I tried on clothes I was a size 26. It's been a while and wedding dresses have been the first thing I've tried on in months. My perfect size?.....22!!!! Both dresses that I'm choosing from are a 22! I'm so excited about that! I felt so beautiful trying them on! I even tried on a size 20 that was a little tight but I got it zippered! How cool is that?!! It feels great!! Hope everyone is well!

Thank you so much for your support! Denise, I will look into that book. Thanks for the advice! Since my mental breakdown I have lost over 5 pounds! I guess I needed that! It made me realize that I can't live this way anymore. I started back on weight watchers and I haven't eaten anything after supper for the last 2 nights. Water weight comes off quickly so I know it's that! But weight is weight, right?! :biggrin2: Thanks again to everyone, and all of you have a friend in me as well! I know how it feels to be in a bad situation and I will be there for any of you that need me like I needed you! I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter! And don't forget the reason for it! :cheers2: :smile:

You're so funny, shortgal! I know we said I would lock everything up but it just didn't happen. But I made my fiancee hide anything we had left as far as junk food and I told him we are NOT buying it anymore. PERIOD! Anyway, my son is 9 years old so he's not yet a teenager but if his attitude is any indication of what he WILL be like when he becomes a teen, I'm going into the convent! LOL!! J/K! Nonetheless I still have a little control over what he eats...lol! I will start looking for a dress. If I lose weight that will be wonderful! I guess that's what they have tailors for! The first 20 pounds I lost was in the first week after surgery. I've only lost about 5 more pounds after that so I'm REALLY far behind on my goal. But I know what I need to do and I'm so lucky to have you and everyone else on here as a support system! By the way, Xann, I'm actually living in VA. I was born and raised in NJ until I was 21 but I have lived here for about 6 years now. But I'm sure I can find someone around here. Just can't spend alot of money!

You guys are so wonderful! I cried when I read all of the positive comments and offers for help. I am so glad to have friends like you all! I'm doing better now than I was this morning. Sorry about that rant! I forgot to take my anti-depressants for three days and it caught up with me. I think I am going through withdrawal. I believe I was having a panic attack. But I took my medicine right away and it should get level in my system within a few days. I felt like I was going over the edge. I guess on top of going through that attack I was depressed about not having lost any weight and all. My 10 cc band is now 9 cc full and my restriction is STILL not good enough for me. But I do honestly believe it IS head hunger as one of you said. I can eat pretty well throughout the day but when nighttime comes, I binge eat. Every day I tell myself "I'm gonna eat well, and I'm not gonna eat after supper." But I can't seem to do that second part. I'm not hungry. It's just such a bad habit to break. And I don't need to change my eating during the day, because it's pretty good. And eating something healthier at night is not the answer, because I'm simply not hungry. I JUST WANT SOMETHING SWEET TO EAT. And that's the bottom line! But I am REALLY going to give it a good shot tonight. I'm gonna exercise after dinner and go right to bed shortly after. Thank you again for everyone's compassion. I really needed it. I don't need people telling me what to eat, how to eat, and how to exercise. Right now, I just need a friend. I know what I SHOULD be doing. I'm just having a hard time doing it.

i give up u guys...i cant do this anymore....im out of control...i need help...

Well, I had my fill, finally, on Friday (March 7). I found out that I have a 10cc band and I had 7cc's of fluid in it before the fill. She put in 2 more cc's and so now I am up to 9cc's in a 10cc band. So why do I not feel much of a difference? At first after the fill, I was full easily, but now I am not. I know I have a lot of "head hunger" to overcome, and I think that's one of my biggest problems. But I feel genuinely hungry and my stomach growls. For example, I had 3 pierogies for dinner tonight and had some chopped onions on them. I know....not the greatest meal to have. That was about 1 hour ago and I'm starving right now. I don't want to eat because I'm trying to cut out my after dinner snacking but it's so hard. I mean, I am a compulsive overeater at night. I can't seem to eat something and control my portions. If I eat a cookie, I have to have half a sleeve or why eat it at all. If I eat a few potato chips, I have to eat the whole bag or it was in vain. That's been my thinking for so long. Nothing healthy seems to satisfy me no matter how much of it I eat. I guess that's why it's called "head hunger" because it's all in you head that you need JUNK! Does anyone else have that way of thinking that "you can't eat just one" as the Lay's company claims?

Hey everyone! I just wanted to know how everyone is doing. I haven't posted in a while. I go in for my fill (finally) on Friday. I'm so excited and I hope this gives me some better restriction. My weight is so stubborn right now :drool: I've been trying to stay away from my nightime eating binges because my cravings at night are terrible. I don't have them during the day. So I've been eating cereal with 1% milk at night instead of junk. What do you all think about that? I guess it's better than shoving a candybar or cookies down my throat! :laugh: