barbara465

Well I started my research into arm surgery. There are not enough 3 minute exercises in the world to get rid of my bat wings. Of all the things I thought I would do this wasn't one of them. However, these things have got to go. I'm thinking December. That sugar gum looks good. Order some PinkyLee and give it a try. What's another $15? Hope everyone is doing OK with their fills and unfills. I'm eating too much stll, but I'm losing. The fill next week should jump start me.

DId we decide 5:30 or 6:00? Either works for me. I'll go exercise and then meet you guys. Dick should get there before me. See ya tomorrow.

Glad you are finally able to move on. Its been a long road, but now you have a new beginning. Love the fact that he has a girlfriend. Says lots about him and all the manuevering he did during the process. Sorry to hear about your accident. Seems like a $8,000 accident should have totaled your car. Good luck on all of that. Don't look back now. Just go forward. Let go of all the hatred and misgivings. It is now trulya time for new beginnings.

That place where 15 lbs lost will place me. I've been here before so I'm going for it. Only this time I'm eating right and not PBing.

I suffer big time from head hunger. I think I need something to eat when I know I'm full. I've been eating animal crackers as a snack. bad, bad, bad. Went to curves on way home last night so still doing good there. I get 3-4 workouts in a week. I'm back down to the lowest weight when having problems with a fill, so I'll take it. Now let's see if I can lose some more. Getting a new haircut today. Hope I like it.

Ask the nutrionist what kind of program they are offering. where, etc. I think we will better luck contacting one that is familar with lapband patients and eating requirements. Maybe we can have them come out and work with us as a group, while helping us one on one. The soup idea is good. Remember though that nothing replaces water like water. getting your veggies in is important, but so is pure water.

Glad the fills are going nicely. Don't you just love that forced exercise! I'm doing well. Didn't go to curves tonight, but will go tomorrow. I worked later at the office so just now looking at my home email and on here. Isn't it funny how our thoughts are turning to Plastic surgery? I never thought of it before much, but starting my plan. I've been looking at some threads of other's journeys. I don't think I'll have all that other stuff done because I need to work a few more years and don't see taking the time off. However, I do think the arms are a definite go. I think I can get that done in a mini vacation and be back at work. I'll wait until 2008, but its on my plan.

yes bring the book. I'm always looking for ideas

Count me in if I can wait that long. I can't believe how absolutely terrible mine are. I can't even hide them with clothes. I'm going to invent arm shapers. Any buyers? (girdles for our wings)

Our doctor's may be a good source to get names. I would like people experienced with our issues. I'm thinking we might need to go one of our houses if we want to talk candid to a guest speaker. I don't mind hosting something like that. We might have success on a Saturday morning. I'm a little hesitant about the psychlogist only because they could only talk in generalities. They would have to know our buttons in order to help us as individuals. However, they could give us some pointers on dealing with issues. There are all kinds of speakers. You can have a guest walk you around a grocery store helping you to make good choices, etc. There are two orgs in the area OA and TOPS. I saw their meeting announcements in the local paper. OA would probably understand our emotional issues more than TOPS. It might be worth a visit just to see what its about. They meet at 10:30 at the church across the street from La Villa on Saturdays. I can't go this week, but might check it out in the future. Anything we can do to help ourselves is a move in a positive direction.

Good luck on those fills gals. Hope it works. Go slow please on introducing food. Give your body a chance to get used to that restriction. I'm doing good with mine. I am still on target to get one in April. Just a little restriction would be nice. I think I am close, for me, or what I can tolerate. I am just loving the new me. I have a different attitude about things and a renewed goal of getting this done. Part of this is our own attitude. Talking to a friend last night I said I didn't care what was underneath my clothes as long as I looked good. I know the arms have to be fixed, but not sure I would do anything else. However, we might want to make plans together to go to Costa Rica for some plastic work. Maybe we can get a group discount! Hope more of you find a way to join us in Las Vegas. We have 6 that are going so far. We certainly would love anyone else to be able to join the Junebies for their 1st year reunion. Keep up the good work everyone.

Oprah did a show on bypass and trading food for other addictions - gambling, sex, and alcohol. Now any of the 3 I could do. It just goes to show that all of this is a head game. If you are an emotional eater than that high has to be fed. I've heard of many drug addicts that turned to exercise to get high. I guess its the endorphines that are released during exercise. I buy in to all of this to an extent. It all comes down to we have to heal the total self, not just the food intake. I hate quoting Dr. Phil but you know "it's not what you are eating, but what's eating you". I like getting support from others who are where I am and understand. I also am going to explore finding us a nutrionist that maybe can come help us. I'm sure there would be a fee, but it would be worth it if we had a long term plan. Many doctors have relationships with nutrionists. We just have to find lapband knowledgeble ones that can relate to our unique food requirements. What did we decide on our meetings? Are we back to 1st and 3rd Monday at LaVilla?

My June group tried the 5 little meals a day. We didn't have success with it and actually defeated our purpose. There are several reasons, but the main one is if you adhere to the rules of drinking liquids 1 to 1/2 hours after a meal, there is not enough hours in the day to get in your liquids. We also found that we were consuming more calories and never gave our bodies the chance to give us the full signal because we were feeding it all the time. Most lapband doctors say 3 meals a day. A few endorse a snack. You just need to experiment and find what's best for you. There is a low carb slimfast that keeps the carbs and calories within range for the morning drink. I eat activia instead so i can stay regular and same amt of protein. We ended up with the 4th monday this month because we didn't meet on the 1st monday. A couple of us were travelling. If you want to go back to the 1st and 3rd Monday starting in April that's fine with me.

Cathy I'm so excited for you!!!!!!!!!!! The right man does make it easier, but the road, in part, must be traveled alone. Along the way we meet wonderful people, roadblocks, detours, and some pot holes. It's worth it though. I feel better today than I did in June '06. I'm starting to feel really sexy for a 60 year old. I love getting dressed now and I'm enjoying my new clothes. One thing I have found, which is definitely different for me, is that they don't have to cost a lot to feel and look good. I think I have restriction, but still not as much as most of you. I'm going to monitor the next few weeks. If I continue to lose lbs than I'll cancel the fill. As long as I'm losing that I have enough restriction. I do think though I will probably need one. I have read lots of posts about being too filled, PBs, and no weight loss. I think there is something to be said for that. My theory is that they are compensating with liquids and they are high caloric in content. I think the stomach needs solids to continue to work properly and burn energy. However, I would take liquids over PBs and sliming. Two days so far at Curves and drank all my water. Look out Barbara's on a roll!!!

I had a few animal crackers. Always does the trick. I wasn't hungry, just thought I was. :bolt: 5:30 works for me. That gives Dick enough time to go to his meeting in Kingwood. I will always be a few minutes late as I like to get my routine done at Curves. Enjoyed seeing everyone. Its good to share the journey with others like me. (don't you just wonder what the waiter thinks?)

Good to see everyone. No one reminded me it is Monday and American Idol is on Tuesday! DUH!

Oh forgot one month anniversary at Curves. I lost 7 lbs, 3.5 inches. Not bad for a start.

Glad to hear from lots of you. Melissa glad your dad got discharged. I know that's a relief to you. I know your doing great in your class. Learn lots of good stuff. Tonight went to local support meeting. Most of them are just 3-4 months out. I'm the old timer. I was able to eat tonight. I did feel more restriction in general today, but still can eat too much. I don't need the wine or hot tea these days to get me started. Maybe I should have done that the last few nights and maybe the golf balls wouldn't have appeared. I think I was eating too fast and suffering from 2nd bite syndrome. Took my time tonight and did fine. Cathy, the new boyfriend (old one really) must be working out. Good for you. )

Um now getting hung up at evening meal. This is definitely something new for me. I tried to eat some fish, but got the golf ball. So far I'm able to recover which is definitely new for me. See you all tomorrow at 5:30 La Villa.

This is definitely new. All the top surgeons here, Spiegel, Spivak, St. Laurent, Davis, etc. do their own seminars. I didn't know that the surgicenter did seminars. That's where a lot of us had our surgery, but didn't attend seminars there. I haven't heard of Ken Hollis. I've never seen him mentioned on here. Why not look in the newspaper and attend one of the seminars by the leading lapband doctors? Review threads on here that discuss Houston doctors. Make an informed decision based on the surgeon. Good Luck

Well what about all those that go to Mexico or another state to have their surgery? All of them had to fly home. THe ones on here seemed to do OK. Its not ideal, for other reasons, but if you have to then just take the precautions necessary. If you can fly first class to get more room.

Golf ball last night for dinner and full blown PB tonight. However, I have survived both!!! I had a bad PB tonight but within 30 minutes all seems to be calm. Maybe, just maybe, I am able to recover from these. That would certainly be a good thing. Both nights we had beef. Last night meatload and tonight a hamburger. I never got more than a bite or two before it happened. I waited a good 3 minutes between bites. I chewed really well. Maybe I won't have beef anymore.

I've heard of others dong something similar. If you don't have any problems you should be OK. You will be swolen and may have gas. You won't have the problems with clothes and bras as the ladies have. I would take GasX with you and maybe some liquid tylenol. The plane ride could be a little uncomfortable. Wear comfortable clothing, drink Water, and get up as much as you can and walk around. Since you will be on liquds you might want to pack some Protein drinks so you don't have to go hunt for them. Keep yourself hydrated, but don't force too much food if you're allowed any. Usually after surgery you don't have a fill or not much of any. You will be swollen and some of us that fly notice we get tighter. Be aware of that so you don't try to force anything down more than you can handle. Hope this helps. Good luck. If you can postpone your meeting at least a week it would be better and you would be less anxious. If not, good luck.

I have had 2 PBs in 2 days. This is definitely something new for me. I usually don't recover from them. I guess in a way this is a good thing. :girl_hug: Hope everyone can come to La Villa Monday night at 5:30. I'll have my DH get a long table in the middle for us. I'll be going to curves so I should just get there at 5:30 or a few minutes after. It depends on traffic and how fast I can get up to curves and then over to you guys. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

No problem Jlynn, although I wanted the band you had that helped you lose a 100 lbs in 2 months. As a group we have had very few slipped bands, 2 I think. No erosions and no removals. That is not to say that there haven't been some, but they didn't report them to the group. There may have been one that had their's removed. Does anyone remember if that was from our group or just a member of lapbandtalk? The biggest challenge is the amount of restriction - too much, too little, and the results of each. That is PBs, acid reflux, no solid food to too much eating, too many calories, and no restriction.