Band_Groupie

WELCOME to LBT! I'm from Cols., but we're in PA now.

I know you see how far you've already come and how great you look now (I know, not what you want to hear, but you DO look great). The biggest part of going on this journey for me has to be the head seeing me as I am and accepting me as I am. I've got a case of Body Dysmorphic Disorder...when I was fat, I didn't think I looked as bad as I did, and when I was at the weight I'm now shooting for, I thought I looked fat. I was hoping that taking pics along the way would help with this and I think it has helped me with the before's to see how far I've come, but after that initial good feeling I immediately go to the things I still don't like...and I know it's going to be that way again when I reach goal. I wish we could pick the areas that the weight comes off...I'm like your sister...it's all still in the hips. I symapthize with you girl, Goal Limbo sucks. Targeted exercise can help with the areas we need to work on (have you worked with a trainer yet to target the areas you want to sculpt?). ...and hey, you've got PS to look forward to...it's kind of like having plans for a vacation, no matter how far away it is, it always gives you something to look forward to and plan for. A lot of my GF's have had PS and I know they were all told to get in the best shape possible/lose as much as they could before having it done; some were even given amounts to lose even...at least that gives you motivation for something to work towards. Maybe you could do a consult soon with the PS to tell you what they can/can't do and what you need to work on yourself?...that would get me excited and motivated for the PS. Come here and whine away...I know I have and will...I feel your pain GF.

There's nothing I can't eat or drink (I'd be a grump without my coffee) and my doc allows it all. I have found that carbonation makes me have very 'hard' burps after this last fill and don't do it often anymore just because it's almost a painful burp (not hurting anything, I just don't like the feeling). You'll have to check with your doc on exercise. You will lose the weight as long as you do your part! Best wishes! -BG

Wow! Great WL and really fast! Keep it up! -BG

You'll start feeling better soon. The super glue is actually a good way to prevent infection from getting in...I had it. The glue will start dropping off soon as you heal. Hang in there. -BG

Try a heating pad for your back, and like others here I did sleep on my side. You wont believe how much better you'll feel after a few more days...hang in there, it's all so worth it! If you're getting dizzy, make sure you're getting in enough fluids and calories...don't worry about WL, this time is for healing. Feel better soon! -BG

Happy Halloween! Have a GREAT weekend! ...and PUT DOWN that Halloween Candy!

If I could afford it, I'd get it all lifted, tucked in, cut off LOL! I should probably count my blessings...as a lower BMIer I don't think I'll turn out horrible looking, but we'll see...I still want Spanx to start making bathing suits...do you think knee length bathing suits will make a come-back? So sorry to hear this and I'm glad he's able to be with his mom during this difficult period for you all. Hang in there.

182 today...well, there's one good thing about the flu LOL! JT- good luck with the surgery this week. Did you start having problems with the GB after banding? Seems like a common thing here and I'm wondering why?

Wow! All in a year! Great pics GF...how fun!!

It always takes the head longer than the body to get there. I started feeling it myself as I reached about 35-40 lbs. You're doing great! -BG

Sounds like you've got great support at home and a plan for the future. Keep it up! -BG

Great job and you're certainly going to be successful with all your preparation! Best wishes!-BG

First, CONGRATULATIONS!!! It was today, right? Trust us, it will get better. Try to get some walking in every few hours and rest as you can. You'll see a big change in a few days...and all of us had those frustrating moments post-band. Hang in there. -BG

*Post Deleted for Lap Band Book

Holy cr*p girl!!! You're in the Century Club!! Already!!!!! Great job...you should be really proud of yourself. The doc who first pioneered the Total Body Lift was a guy from the University of Pittsburgh school of medicine....(had to look up his name) Dr. Hurwitz. I only know this because Pittsburgh is known as a leading medical city so things like that are always on the news here (they did a brain implant/stimulation surgery for weight loss here last year). Is is the same guy doing yours?

Thanks Angie! 'pimping you out' Hee hee!

The walking is the best remedy as the gas needs to migrate outside your body and this can take awhile as it's not in your gastro system. A heating pad can help with the pain too.

Mmmmmmmushies! Feels like heaven after that liquid diet! -BG

Halloween is a big deal at our house. The house has been decorated for weeks, the front porch has been ablaze with lights nightly and the giant web is up in the two story foyer. We’ve got our electronic bats, spiders, and ghost ready to hang on the front porch, the black light ready to shine on the web, and the scary music CD’s ready to blast out the window. The neighborhood is rife with giggles as we ‘Phantom Ghost’ each others homes secretly leaving goodies on each other’s porches. We finally got ghosted last night and DS2 is so excited to be able to ghost two new houses tonight with the plastic pumpkins we bought and filled with goodies. We went to the pumpkin patch two weekends ago with our ‘kids’…there’s a huge orchard/pumpkin farm nearby and there are corn mazes, pony rides, cider making and all kinds of activities for the kids. We were laughing as rode the hayride out to the pumpkin patch this year…we were the only ones without a small child, but our 22 yo DD and 14 yo DS2 wouldn’t have missed this for anything…my kids love family traditions. They picked their pumpkins, ran through the maze, and drank their cider just like every other year. Every year we have pumpkin carving night. We each carve a pumpkin while we drink hot cider and I wash the seeds and toast them. I’m always looking for new pumpkin carving kits and ideas to inspire our work. We've done this kit...kind of like the old-school light bright that works with colored pegs you hammer in. We've also used a regular houshold drill to make cool designs. We've done lots of 'silhouette' ones like these...a cat against the moon, a spider, a skeleton, and lots of faces. They're easy if you buy or print a pattern online...you can carve right through the paper pattern as you go. You can also carve words (we've done "BOO" and "OSU" before). Picking the right pumpkin so you can use the stem as part of the design is also something we've done...they make for a pretty interesting faces. I'm looking for some easy clever ideas this year. Here are a few I found. Pi... These masks add a nice touch... Love this... Clever food... Cute, but not sure how it would play out at night... Or if you're really good at carving... I think I found my design. The PBing Pumpkin...it's just too fitting...

Keep plugging away at the insurance pre-ops...it's always such a battle, but so worth it in the end. Best wishes! -BG

Yeah CENTURY CLUB!! How exciting!!! Congrats! -BG

Make this your new 'job' now...you've got the motivation and the time. You can do this! -BG

You're such an inspiration here! All that hard work has paid off. Time for more than a bathing suit or you'll be going to Hawaii naked...LOOK at that closet LOL! CONGRATS! -BG

Thanks for posting this! I'm now recovering from H1N1 and the cough is awful (I have asthma so I'm sure it will linger longer then for most). I would have been more worried if I'd had a new band. My stomach fat is about gone so I can feel my port easily and know it's alright...I figured if it hasn't hurt my port (all my stomach muscles are so sore from the violent cough) then it probably hasn't hurt the band.