VABandster

BMAN...a Road Trip would ROCK! I've been thinking about doing one since I saw Oprah and Gayles Big Adventure! LOL STEPH....I think the cherry blossoms are still out, at least I hope so! I want to see if I can get a good pic of them and Yup...I have a desk job too!

BMan...Holy COW! 70 pounds!??? YOU ROCK!!!!! That is amazing!!! I am jealous! :confused: But I know that my 40 isn't that bad either...I'm just pissed b/c I can't seem to get off of this stupid pleateau I've been on for a month! I can't wait to go get my fill on May 2nd! STEPH....My son wrestles in HS now...and is pretty good, but hasn't made states yet. Let me know when your son is on and I'll have my son watch him! :cool: Congrats on the NSV!!! NAT...You Hot MAMMA You!!! Sounds like it's time for you to look for a new job where the people won't drive you crazy! :eek: I have only told a few close friends and family...no one at work knows about my surger, and some of my friends don't either and I'll keep it that way! As it is, no one has really noticed my 40 pounds loss.....so I certainly don't want the scrutiny, plus, as you guys said, this is STILL WORK!!! I gotta get my arse back on the elliptical now that I'm 99% over this cold. This weekend! TGIF All! I have some friend from college in town so they're coming over tonight for a BBQ and then we're going to do touristy things in DC tomorrow and go to a comedy show in the evening. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Survivor last night...WOW!!! Best episode I've seen in a long time!!! KAYDOT...i'm checking out that site thedailyplate.com, but can't figure out how to connect to you! Did you start a group? If so, what's the name? Maybe we should have a Steadies group there that people can join if they want? It looks pretty cool and has a lot of restaurant info in it that myfooddiary.com doesn't have! I'm willing to try it!

KAY...I'll check out that website you use tomorrow...I am using myfooddiary.com, but if you're is free, its definitely worth checking out! :confused: STEPH...how old is your son? My 17 yr old is a HUGE UFC Fan too! He's got me sucked into that reality show LOL Good luck to him on his first match!!

Congrats on hitting the 50 pound milestone!!! I am stuck at 42 pounds gone, but am going in for my 3rd fill in a week so am hoping that will get me going again! :eek:

BRANDY...sorry you didn't get any definitive news today! But a HUGE CONGRATS ON hitting the 100 mark!! You look FABULOUS!!!! I can't Wait til I get there! SASSY and NAT...both of you have mentioned that you didn't feel like you should be posting when you're not doing well....but you should know by now that that is when you need to be posting the MOST! We're here for each other to pick each other up in good times and Bad! Remember that! SANJAYA IS GONE!!!! Wooo hooo!!! I can still watch that show now :eek: NAT...my friends daughter is doing ok, but I think she's still in Shock. I'm sure a lot of kids there are. But everyone will hopefully get through it. As for me...I need my fill!!! Only 1 more week til my appt w/my new fill Dr (ANNIE, I was the one that was looking for someone). I can't WAIT! I know I don't need a lot....just enough to keep me from snacking and eating! :eek: Hope you're all doing well...for those of you Greys Anatomy Fans...tonight should be good! (survivor too!)

Boy you ladies have been chatting up a storm!! STEPH...thanks for the info on the fills! I found a Dr. that only charges $200 and she's an hour from me, so I think that's a pretty good deal!! NAT....You CRACK ME UP Girl!!! Sooo happy you're back makin me smile! BK....glad to hear things went ok in class. I am still shaken by what happened at VaTech the other day, but as they say "this too shall pass".... I have been really following the bandster rules this week and eating protein first and not snacking....and the scale has barely budged! I definitely need the fill! I ate chili and chicken nuggets for lunch yesterday! SASSY...good to see you back posting. Let us know how we can help you get back on the band wagon!

Hey gang...posting on a totally non weight related topic tonight. As most of you have probably heard of the shootings that took place today at Virginia Tech. The school is about 2 hrs from me but several of my sons friends go there and one of my friends daughters go there. My sons and I were just there over spring break to check out the campus as a possible school for my oldest to go to. Please just keep all of the kids and their families in your thoughts and prayers. I still don't know for sure if my sons friends are all safe or if my friends daughter is, but even if they are, I can't imagine what they're going through. What has this world come to that our children can't get an education in safety?? :-( With a heavy heart tonight...

Kay...good luck surviving spring break! Did you get any snow up there?? STEPH...I can TOTALLY See a difference in your face from your pic of last year to now! What a beautiful family you have!! Wow...all you getting into size 12 and 14s are impressive!!! I can't WAIT to get there! Thats pretty much my goal...to be comfortable in a 12! You Go Gals!!

Wow Nat!! YOU GO GIRL!!!! Sounds like you're really doing well both weight wise and emotionally! So glad to hear you stood up to your mother!! I"m doing spring cleaning as well...trying to get rid of some old furniture, books, and clothes that will never be worn again! I need to get back on my elliptical. It seems like ever since I got it I've been off and on sick :-( I'm almost over the latest cold, so I am going to aim for 3x this week. I too am back to working on the basics. Not snacking, eating protein first, and stopping before it gets painful! Here's hoping it helps the scales move this week b/c I've been stuck for the past month! I really want to get into the 240s once and for all. So I've got to lose the 10 pounds this month to comfortably get there. Glad to see you're doing so well!!

Boo...I think that's a great Idea (vegas!) I'd love to do that!! Steph...Sorry you're sick again. I am on the upside of my latest cold and I tell you, I am about sick of being sick too!! Congrats on the 3lb loss!! I can't wait to get my next fill! BK...I'm with you...I need to stop 'grazing'...I have realized that that is my big problem lately, so I'm trying not to snack either! NAT...good to see you! Looks l ike your post got cut off before you finished. Hope you're doing OK! BMAN...glad your gain was temporary! I know what you mean about TOM...I always seem to drop a few pounds that week that I get it! It is dreary and rainy here today...I'm watching the movie Eragon w/my boys and I have a dinner date tonight. Need to get some spring cleaning done too....talk to you all later!

I drink wine...cause its supposed to be good for your heart!

Hey Gang!!! Good to see everyone posting even though they're busy in their lives!! Boo...hope you're hanging in there!! Congrats on the size 14s!!! I haven't seen that size since HS.....so i can't WAIT To get back there!! I think I could squeeze into an 18 right now, but haven't tried yet. Still want to get under 250 before i attempt looking at clothes again, but my size 22s are feeling pretty loose! Transformer...good to see you!! Steph...I wish I'd taken measurements before I started...I think I might have them from one of the other times i was at my all time high...so i could probably use those and measure now to see what the difference is. I need some motivation b/c my scale hasn't moved in WEEKS!! BUT...some good news!! I found a fill Dr. about an hr from my house that does fills for $200 flat fee, no program or joining fee! I made an appt. for May 2nd, so I think that's who I'm going to use from now on! I'm also going to call my New insurance and see if they'll cover fills....and maybe I can get reimbursed for them! Anywhoo...That feels like a big weight off my shoulders! And hopefully some weight off the rest of me as soon as I get the fill! LOL

Thanks Dana for the info!! I called and left a message yesterday, but didn't get a call back today. I hope I can reach them tomorrow! Does your insurance cover the fluro or are you self paying for that as well?? If so, how much is that? I think I'd like my first fill w/a new person to be under fluro just so I can make sure all is well....

BMAN...Yeah, you're probably right...its much easier to see changes in others than in ourselves!! I do notice that my clothes are getting looser and all that, but I still see myself as one big "fat chick"....I hope I can get past that as I get closer to goal! Of course it doesn't help that I can't seem to find a decent Fill Dr. who doesn't want to rob me blind!! STEPH, can you ask your Dr. if he'd do fills for other patients and if so how much he'd cost and if he has a "Program fee" like some of these other yahoos I'm talking to do?? If he's reasonable....i wouldn't mind driving the 2 hrs. The one I've got a call into now is an hr away, but someone told me she just raised her rates from $200 a fill to $300, so I'm waiting to confirm that....but I may go w/her b/c I know she doesn't have any 'additional' fees. You guys really are a great group! so glad you're all here!!!

WOW BMAN!! Look at those collarbones stickin out and those Skinny Legs!!! You're lookin HOT!!!! I don't even compare to your progress....you saw my most recent pics on yahoo and there's barely a difference! YOU GO GIRL!!!!

Hey gang! I was banded in CO but am looking for a fill Dr. locally. I live about an hr from Fredricksburg and am looking for more info on Dr. Brinkley. How much does she charge? (I heard she raised her rates from 2 to 300/fill?)....does she ever do it under fluroscopy? Any info would be helpful! thanks!

KAYDOT!!!! Nice to see you!!! I'm with you on the stalled weight loss. I'm trying to get a fill ASAP but ran into a SNAG.... I'm SO PISSED!!!!! I thought I found a very convenient fill Dr. who said that they'd do fills after my first consultation for $150....fairly reasonable I think, so I already called my surgeons office and requested a copy of my medical file. Called the hopefully new fill Dr. today and am told it will cost me $500 Just to "Join their program"!!??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!?? What kind of BS Is that!? On top of charging me $150 a fill!?? NO FRIGGIN WAY!!!! So now I'm looking for another fill Dr. I think there is another one a little less convenient, but I know another patient of my surgeons who is using her so I'm just waiting for him to send me her contact info and then I'll call her. But that means it may be a little longer now til I can get a fill....I'm realizing that I really do need one of course and am anxious to get one sooner rather than later!!! STEPH....I've had the opposite happen w/me when it comes to the mirror/pictures of myself. I look in the mirror or at pictures I took over spring break and just go "UGH....No wonder people haven't said anything about my weight loss b/c its barely noticable and I still have so far to go!" It's a bit discouraging, especially since my scale is not moving. I've been tracking my calories for the past few days and I seem to be on the high side of 12-1400 a day :-( UGH.....gotta get out of this funk!!! JILL.....hope your daughter is recovering OK....maybe you should think about talking to someone about what happened (a professional, not us goofballs) to work things out? just a suggestion.....

Steph...I'm with you...slow and small bites is REALLY Hard to master! Especially when you've waited too long to eat and you're HUNGRY!! I contacted my surgeons office today to ask if they could send me a copy of my medical file so I can go for a fill locally. I'm just waiting to hear back from them if they're going to charge me to make the copy or not. I'll probably call the local fill dr. tomorrow to see how soon they can get me in.

Steph....glad you had a good weekend!! Thanks for the compliments and the suggestion about the fill.....you are right! I'm going to call today to see if I can get an appt. and also call my Surgeon to get a copy of my file for the new fill Dr. CONGRATS on the weight loss too!!! That is awesome!! BMAn....I bet your scale will move now that you ate those PB Eggs! LOL

Happy Easter Ladies!!! BMAN...that is a funny pic!! As for the calories/scale...sometime they're like a Man....you just have to mess w/them a little bit to get them going! LOL Hope you all have a great day!

BK...hope you feel better soon!!! I have a sore throat (again) :-( and am looking forward to a restful weekend. That is too funny about being told you're getting shorter!!! Never heard that one before!

OMG BMan...you haven't had ANY Candy since Dec!?? You are a MUCH Better woman than I! You can definitely afford to eat 1 Egg!! Who knows? Maybe it'll jump start your weight loss again! BTW...You are doing AWESOME!!! I started at a size 24 and am only down to a 20....you're way past that! You GO GIRL!! You should be so proud of yourself!! I am eating 1/2 chicken breast for lunch today...and taking 1/2 hr to eat it. Being a good Bandster today!

ARGH! I just wrote this long reply and then lost it :-( Anywhoo...thanks Annie for noticing the difference! I haven't told a lot of people about my surgery either, my kids don't even know about it! So far the friends I have told have complimented me, but it's hard to tell if they're doing it to be supportive or b/c they really notice a change. I guess I will keep on plugging along and hope that the "nonknowers" will comment some day! About a fill...listening to you ladies w/your last fills that seem almost too tight....Its making me wonder if I really want to get another fill or do I just need to be a better Bandster!?? I'm really going to try hard to do better foodwise for the next week and follow the bandster rules to a T and see if that changes anything. If not, then I'll definitely go for a fill. I'll probably go ahead and schedule one and then if I have to cancel, I can cancel, right?? Claud....congrats on the compliment from the neighbor! I wouldn't have been totally honest either. Don't need all my nosey neighbors knowing what I'm up to! lol....I haven't even bought my kids' easter candy yet b/c I don't want it in the house. I'll get it on Sat. and give it to them on Sunday!

Hey ladies! So I finally was able to have my friend take some "during" pics of me this past weekend and I've put them side by side for comparison. I posted them in our Yahoo group, under VA Bandster, so you can check them out there. I can see a slight difference in my face, but other than that, I guess I can understand why no one has said anything b/c I really don't look THAT Different...UGH...maybe when I hit 75 pds lost??