willowcat

I know I crave chocolate (I always love high-quality chocolate anyway), and I also know that chocolate is high in magnesium. Magnesium is good for muscles and helps with cramping. Funny, but when I take magnesium supplements the cravings aren't as strong--and neither are the cramps. Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

I know I crave chocolate (I always love high-quality chocolate anyway), and I also know that chocolate is high in magnesium. Magnesium is good for muscles and helps with cramping. Funny, but when I take magnesium supplements the cravings aren't as strong--and neither are the cramps. Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

I know I crave chocolate (I always love high-quality chocolate anyway), and I also know that chocolate is high in magnesium. Magnesium is good for muscles and helps with cramping. Funny, but when I take magnesium supplements the cravings aren't as strong--and neither are the cramps. Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

"Solid" protein is usually too dry--or maybe your doctor's definition of "solid" is different than mine? Tuna? No. Hamburger? No. Salmon? No. chicken breast? No. Scrambled egg? No. Tofu? No. The only time I can eat 3oz of solid Proteins is when I've had an unfill--or nearly--and then I'm hungry all the time. Rules like that bug me, but if it's working for you, all the more power to ya. Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Yikes! Thanks for the warning! Seat cover...never thought of that! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Getting stuck HURTS! It gets to the point that if the food isn't going down, then it's coming UP! I have what I call an "in-case-a-cup" in the car all the time--just in case! Public bathroom splashback I handle by first getting a big wad of toilet paper and then I throw up into the wad of paper. Probably tmi...! Sorry, but it does prevent the splashback! My husband doesn't understand that this isn't really the same as vomit--this is just saliva and chewed up food--still, he gets totally grossed out. It's not my idea of ideal, but it is what it is. Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Hi kdee! I appreciated the support of the group as well...glad you posted! . We're coming up on our 3rd year bandiversaries! I too hit a "lowest" weight and have put back on 20 lbs. I too am about 50 lbs from my goal/normal weight. I've had lots of trouble with the medication I take for depression irritating the stoma. Something's definitely wrong when barfing is no big deal--haha! I had most of my fluid removed for about 6 months. What prompted you to have an unfill? I continue to struggle with keeping a regular exercise routine...given the level of fill I had and the amount of exercise I was doing, it's no wonder I put on some weight again...it could be worse that's for sure! I want to get back to drinking my water everyday--and regular exercise. How about you?

I was banded in 2009 and initially didn't have any problems with my anti-depressant zoloft. But as I kept getting closer to the "sweet spot", I began to have more episodes of vomitting--until eventually I had the most HORRIBLE burning in my stomach after taking my pills--and then for months nothing but milk and yogurt would stay down. I take 200 mg of zoloft, but even after having my doctor prescribe the smaller 50 mg pills (I take four), I was still having a burning sensation after taking my pills. I eventually had nearly half of my fill taken out, but still had problems with lots of foods. Nearly a year later, I think that the ulceration I must have been experiencing has finally healed. I can now eat even fruits, vegetables, and bread. I don't have much of a fill and haven't had a stuck episode in months. But I don't have much of a fill and find that I'm hungry way more than I want to be. But I'm terrified of getting a fill (I kind of think I have to have a big enough opening for the zoloft to go through or I'll be right back where I was before with all of those problems). Also, I won't quit taking my zoloft--it quite literally saved my life. I want someone to tell me that they've found a way to have their band tight enough to be in the zone and still be able to take their zoloft. Anyone?

Some people I told "how much" and with some people (who I thought were just blabber-mouths and only wanted a juicy gossip tidbit to pass around--you know who those people are!) I'd just laugh and say "Oh come on, you know you can't ask a lady her age or her wieght!" That aways made them laugh, but they also never asked me again.

When I'm not too tight, these work for me: very soft pears, cooked apples, applesauce, ripe kiwi, ripe bananas, ripe peaches (blanch the skin off first), ripe strawberries, ripe cantalope. The riper the better and chew, chew, chew. I found that if the fruit wasn't really ripe, I tended to chew it into smaller pieces, but then those pieces were so slippery that they would slide down my throat before they were chewed enough--and then the little chunks would get stuck. I cannot eat mangos--too fiberous--nor grapes or blueberries--the skins just don't get through no matter how much I chew.

You are looking FANTASTIC! Look at those beautiful collar bones!

LOL! I've always had the classic "pear shape" too. When I was in my 20's I would look at my thighs and think that they looked like the thighs of a 40-year old (I even had a "boyfriend" once tell me that I looked good "from the waist up" grrrr!). I hoped that eventually the rest of my body would catch up and everything would "match." Now I'm nearly 50 and I have the thighs of a 70-year old! No matching body parts for me! LOL! I guess that's why when I kept loosing weight and I started really seeing old lady thighs, I just wasn't ready to accept that. Time for gentle acceptance. I'm glad my legs work and are no longer in pain.

Violet, At 24, you're still young enough for everything to snap back--glad you were able to get help at such a young age! I only was able to lose the 112 lbs because I did exercise--a lot. Thanks for posting. Hope your mom finds some serenity or some other solution; ten years is too long to hate your body. Willowcat

Oops--I was trying to quote Party--and something went wrong. Thanks Party for the info on your surgeon. I'm not sure I want all of that surgery, but I'm so glad it has been working out for you! . Congrats on your weight loss! Who knows, I might change my mind about surgery someday, but gaining weight is definitely not the way to handle the old lady thighs.

Here's another site with a different idea. The portions are etched into the bowl and plate--so it looks more like a design (at least it does on the bowl--not so much on the plate though)http://www.360-5.com/Pages/CCWProductDetails.aspx?category=PortionControl&cat=WellnessCatalog&pid=853103003030&002=2128102&004=2429745548&005=189170765&006=10243900748&007=SearchMobile&008=&gclid=CIq15-a6060CFULAKgod3DzklA

I found an interesting site that makes attractive portion control plates that don't really look like anything but a pretty plate. They have designs on them that are different sizes for carb, protirn, and veggies. The person who makes their own pottery could do something similar i think. Pretty as well as functional is important to me. I thought it was a clever idea, but my husband said it just looked like a plate. Exactly! http://www.slimware.com/

Mimi, Thanks so much for posting! Yea for "old lady" thighs (good god, I never thought I'd say THAT!)! Congratulations on your weight loss!

Yes it works. It works because it works with you rather than against you. It lowers the number of calories that you take in--and in the "green zone" you feel satieted on a relatively small amount of food. You still have to control what goes in your mouth though--milkshakes, candy bars, icecream, liquor, sugary drinks all slide past the band without filling you up on anything but calories. If you choose exercise, you use more calories and lose more pounds. Simple math (mostly--except when you eat for any other reason other than being hungry--the band doesn't stop that). My insurance company made me pay half of the cost of surgery--best $9000 I ever spent (ok, the safari in Africa was pretty amazing too)! I would do it again in a heartbeat.

After the update to the site, all of the groups just seemed to disappear! H-E-L-L-O... any other June Journeys 2009 out there? How's everything going?

When I was a lifegaurd (in my early 20s), I would see these old ladies at the pool with their skinhanging on their thighs--like wrinkled tissue paper. Well, after losing 112 pounds, my thighs started looking like "old lady" thighs and I didn't like it, so what did I do? I "allowed" myself to gain weight and deep down I was pleased to see my thighs beginning to plump back out again (I mean, "fat" is better than "old lady" right?!). Such a slippery slope! Now at 22 lbs more than my lowest weight and inching close to the dreaded 200 zone, I've got to face the fact that I'm going to be 50 next year, and I'd rather have "old lady" thighs than "old lady" arteries, and "old lady" joints. What a silly game I was playing with myself! Time to update the weightloss ticker, face reality, and get back in the game!

That's why my very first time was anal--there was no way I wanted to end up pregnant! My dear husband (who's a bit straight laced) still finds it hard to believe: "You lost your virginity that way?!" BTW: I liked it And...I like it when the doctor has to stick his finger up my bum as part of the yearly exam (he says,"here comes the worst part"--little does he know that I like it! ) My husband is an "only for out, not for in" guy. Bum-mer (wink)

Thank god for the band--it has helped me deal with the physical part of eating less! I still struggle with the mental part of eating less, though. I thought I'd share two resources that have really helped me recently: *Mindful Eating-A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food (by Jan Chozen Bays, MD) *50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food (By Susan Albers, PSY.D.) Good luck.

I miss connecting with people who were banded with me--it's a tenuous connection, but still a connection. Yesterday was my two-year bandiversary. I remember how scared I was--of the surgery and also of the possibility of failing once again at losing weight. It's been an up and down journey, but I'm happy that I decided to take this trip. It has changed my life. How's it going for the rest of you? Happy bandiversary this month to all of you!