xavier

cutest dog ever!

Wow! Those are prob the most amazing b/a pix I have seen!!! Congratulations on really working the band! You keep the rest of us going...thanks for putting those up! Gotta ask...any plastic surgery???

Have lost 6 pounds in the four weeks since my fill...4 pounds to normal BMI!!

Hey Lellow, Hows it going? Loving life at goal!?! I stole your jeans idea for a picture for my avatar! The original pair is a stretched out Levi's 16 short...the newest (yes they are snug!!!) is a Levi's 10 short...well the short part doesnt change....I had a couple of months of plateau where I needed a fill but was out of town for work...I felt lucky to maintain but now I got a couple of fills and I am back in the game...

I can tell by your preop post you are going to do great. I had all those same feelings and now I am just grateful for this band every day! I am 48 and had been fat for 20 years so I was really scared I would fail (again!). I have never dieted or exercised and now I am wearing a size 8 or 6 at the Gap, a store I wouldnt even have set foot in back in the fat days...Good luck ---

Well good luck, and I think you're handling it well. Its good for you to bitch it all out and its good for us to hear it. Especially when your situation is worse than ours! PS: Dont be offended but your Brit way of saying things is sooo cute! At first I didnt know what maccas was until you mentioned the old QP!! Hang in there!

Yes, I am leaving myself a message...actually I just wanted to say that my new Avatar is an idea stolen from Lellow...if you dont know her you should!!! The first pair is a Levi's 16 and they are totally stretched out probably to an !

18!! The current pair (yes, they ARE snug!!) is a size 10 Levi's!!

GOAL!!! Normal BMI at 145 pounds!!

I have not heard any bad stories from the LA area. Of course, I am wondering who your doc was. Mine was Oliak but I know it wasnt him because he doesnt use Realize. These docs make big money and certainly dont want bad word of mouth on them...I might mention that in my next e mail or call to their office! As I said in your thread...1. ALL records 2. Lawyer 3. Good luck friend!!!

Weight has magically drifted to 139! When/if I get to 135 I will do a new after photo...this one was at 145.

Oh, I see you live in SM... I am up in Pismo. What doc are you going to? I had Dr. Oliak in Orange...all good. Good luck...one advice get an abdominal binder (walgreens etc) to keep your gut tucked in and help you sleep post op!!! Cali

Thanks for the req! Hang in there, once this thing is tuned up right its all good. I just got my second fill and I can only eat tiny meals...or I get a painful bitch-slap from my band...which, obviously, I need!!! Diane

My first Halloween at a normal weight...I ordered a mermaid costume. I may not be able to fill out those 'shells' without some padding but at least I wont look like Ursula from Little Mermaid!

I thought I would try to answer your erosion question. Erosion is where the band digs into your stomach where it is sitting and causes inflammation and breakdown of the tissue. Seems like most often that means you are getting your band taken out for good. There is also slippage where it slips up ont the esophagus (my doc sewed mine in place to prevent this but it seems most dont).

Continuing...I think both are caused by lots of forceful vomitting and I dont mean the flu for a few days but more like people who just cant stop bingeing. Dont worry its not that common. I never thought I could stop eating like a pig and lose weight and this band has been the best thing ever...I self payed and would gladly do it agian! I am ten pounds from NORMAL weight! Good luck...

You look fantastic...from here its just fine tuning! I got banded in Orange but I live up here in Pismo.

I'm excited for you...this is such a great thing! I feel like I finally have the hang of it and my head feels empty without all the food mindf@#k going on in there. I am finding it easier and easier and the weight is just coming off...recently got into a size 10 jeans!!

Yes! But it gets better every day and you will get good drugs! AND... its totally worth it!!

You have really worked the program! And you have the outside beauty to show for it. I know a lot of people are really inspired by you...that picture of your tiny food bowl was great. It motivated me to get back to my small bowls!!!

Life is getting better! I still am not sure if even today I will meet the goals for 64 0z of fluid and 60gm of protein but I am working on it. I bought some whey powder like the bodybuilders use and put it into a thinned soup. It was pretty good but I definitely have the feeling of restriction with each tiny spoonful! I am back to pretty normal on water and pain wise I really feel pretty good! I wouldnt want to but on a dare I think I could do a few crunches! (Wait, I never did them before...)

My ten cc band was placed with 2cc fill, the fill was removed that same evening because I couldnt swallow even my own saliva...so I think I really inflamed it wretching and thats why I feel restricted untill that swelling goes down with an empty band!

Dont feel too bad for me I went for a walk on the beach today!! Thanks to all who posted! Cali

Saw your comment about pills so I thought I would chime in. I only have one to take but I chew it with a Flintstone chewable vitamin to make it taste better! Sometimes I do use a liquid or quick dissolve tylenol! Good luck.

Hey. How's it going? I love your new picture!

Feel like I ate like a pig over the holiday but it just feels that way because the band makes me feel full on tiny portions...didnt gain a pound!

I made it! Lots of good drugs,,, not very eloquent now. Thanks!

Always LOVE your pix and words...LOOK how your man's arms look like they could go around your waist twice...keep inspiring us! You 'tiny bowl' pix really helped me...they should be on the homepage of this site!!!