kjeter

In one year I made it to my goal weight. Less than one year, actually. My bandiversary was February 1. I couldn't be more thrilled. I am posting some pics to show where I started, and where I am now .

Hey, girls! Did you all think I disappeared? Well, I sort of did for a while. I've had a busy, busy life lately. My niece got married this past weekend, and I was the wedding planner/coordinator/caterer so life has been nuts lately. Now that it is over, I actually have time for myself now. My bandiversary is coming up February 1. I have been at goal now for a couple of months. I'm wearing size 8 slacks and jeans, so I'm pretty happy with myself. I'm thinking of getting some things sucked/tucked/lifted, but that will be a while yet. I did have a pretty rough band experience a few months ago that I would like to share. I actually got to the point that eating was so uncomfortable that sometimes it just wasn't worth the effort. At the time, I had 7.4 ccs in my 10 cc band. I thought tighter, tighter, tighter was the way to go. Well, guess what... I had a huge, ugly slip because my band was way too tight. My doctor had to take out half of the Fluid in my band for three weeks, and I had to go on liquids for a week. After the three weeks were up, he sent me for another barium swallow and, thank goodness, everything had gone back to normal. He and I were both afraid that the slip was so bad that it might require surgery to fix it. That would have been disasterous for me. Anyway, I got a little more fill put back in at the time, so now I'm at 4.5 cc, which is still practically no restriction at all. I will go for another fill next Friday, but he says I am never, ever to get so tight again. He told me he has hundreds of patients with the same 10 cc band that I have, and fewer than five have more than 6cc fill. I was really surprised at that. I had kind of begun to think of the pain of eating as my deterrent, but he has shown me that kind of thinking is wrong. If it is uncomfortable to eat, you need to get an unfill, something that I used to think was unthinkable. Believe me, this episode scared me so bad, that I will run for an unfill if I ever have pain like that again. Lesson learned! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I myself gained three pounds during the holidays, but now I'm back to my normal routine and have dropped it. Considering that I have no restriction, I didn't think that was too bad. I guess my band has taught me a few things. Have a wonderful new year! I know I am!!!

That is so exciting! I was so excited when I got into 14s myself. I think you'll find it funny how fast you jump down sizes from here on out. At first, it took 20 lbs to go down a size, then after size 4, it was only about 10, now it seems like my pants get baggy after losing only five pounds. I'm in an 8 now, and it was maybe just three months ago that I was wearing 14s. You're on the express train to skinny now!

I wasn't the slightest bit offended. You'd just have to know this guy. He'd be mortified if he thought he had upset me. I emailed my husband to tell him, and his answer was "Either he really cares about you, or he wants to see your butt in tighter pants. Tell him for another $500, I'll take a picture for him." Ha! Even my husband knows he's not trying to be fresh with me. He's just a really nice, very generous man.

My boss came up behind me in the breakroom today, and started tugging at the butt of my pants. He was laughing at me because they are too loose and it shows (they're my size 10s). I told him that I was going to buy more pants, but I'm trying to lose a little more weight. A while later, he came into my office and handed me a check for $500. In the memo section, it says "For new pants." Isn't that wonderful???

I was taking 1000 mg a day, plus my multi-Vitamin. I'm the first to admit that lately, I haven't been good about taking my Vitamins every day. I'm trying to get back to it, though. I'm doubling by Biotin intake now, and I did buy a bottle of Nioxin cleanser to try. I didn't get the conditioner or scalp treatment, just the cleanser. I started it a week ago, and haven't seen a difference yet, but I know if will take some time. Hopefully between taking 2000 mg of biotin and using the Nioxin, I'll see an improvement soon.

Couldn't be happier! My doctor did a great job of letting me know what to expect, so they're haven't been any nasty surprises!

I tried biotin. It did nothing for me. I'm seriously considering the Nioxin route.

I am answering you while munching on my Smart Ones three cheese mac & cheese. I eat something similar for lunch every day, and I've lost weight at a pretty good rate, I think. I eat them for the same reasons you listed; convenience and the fact that I actually like them. I see absolutely no reason not to.

Please know that you are not doing anything wrong. This just happens, and there really is not all that much you can do about it. Just keep doing what you were before when you were losing weight, and eventually your body will decide that you really aren't starving to death, and you will begin to lose again. I, too, had a plateau for a little over a month, and finally started losing again, 1 to 2 pounds per week. Hang in there!

Thanks for that good info, Melanie. I'm going to give it a try. Can't hurt, right?

How long after you started using Nioxin did your hair STOP falling out?

I'll be onto my size 8 and then 6 pretty soon, and you'll be ready for that size 10 chocolate brown pant suit I wore to lunch yesterday. I'll be so happy when I can give it to you! (And I don't think that skirt looked nearly as good on me as it does on you!)

I have been losing hair, too, since about three months post-op. I lose just a few hairs, like 18 or 20 each morning when I comb it out. It doesn't seem like that much, but I'm afraid it's going to start adding up. I'm sure I get enough protein, so WTF? If I eat any more fish, I'm going to grow gills! Fortunately, I have thick hair so I can afford to shed a little, but if this keeps up forever, it's bound to add up to significant loss. I worry about it.

Oh YAY!!! I'm so happy for you! And I LOVED that skirt when I used to wear it. There's another one similar to it, same size, in a purple pattern. I'M SO HAPPY YOU CAN WEAR THEM!!! Woo hoo! Here you were thinking you're a 20, and you're actually an 18! I am so freakin' proud of you, I could cry!