tonya66

I've read that somewhere too, not sure where. But I have plateau at every weight I stayed out for any period of time. For instance, for years I was at 195, so when I got down to 195 I just stayed there for about 2 months. I kept pushing and finally broke it, I flew past the 180's and then got stuck in the 170's, which was a weight I was at for a time too.

I'm currently stuck in the 160's which is where I was at 20 years ago for a time. This is my longest plateau yet! Of course, I keep not making the best choices too. I know once I can break out of the 160's, the 150's will be a peace of cake. My weight before I got married and I was maintaing was in the 140's so I expect to get there and stay there. I don't think I will ever be smaller than that, and I'm okay with that.

Sounds like you are inflamed, irritated. I would stick to mushy, soft foods. You are a tighter now because of a fill, how big are your bites? Make sure thay are no bigger than a dime, put your fork down between bites. What did you get stuck on?

Now is the time you need to make notes of foods that you get stuck when you eat. These foods might become off limits to you, if you eat the again and you get stuck, then you have to make note that you won't be able to eat them.

If you are still having issues and the PB episodes become more frequent, you will need to go see your doc. PB episodes are not good, so you don't want to be too tight that you are getting stuck with every meal. But really make sure you are taking small bites, that your chewing and you are waiting a little bit between bites. With each fill you get, your eating will need to change, so remember that, that was hard for me to remember.

Well, my fill is back to normal now. No problems, so far I don't think I need another one, so I'm going to just monitor it and hopefully this one will help me get to goal!

JUNO - CONGRATULATIONS ON HAVING A BABY BOY!!!! Thats cool you will have one of each, I have a boy and a girl and so happy it worked out that way. You have done great on your pregnancy, did you get a complete unfill? I can't remember?

I am still working on getting my exercise in, a miss and a hit here and there, I know I need to be more consistant. Eating has been pretty good. I just finished reading Mahamad Ali's daughter's book, "Fighting Weight", she had the lapband. It was a good book. She looks great and hit her goal, it took her 3 years, so I was kinda glad that I wasn't alone. lol.

I also read Dr. Duc Vuong's book, Ultimate Lap-Band Success. It was also good and informative, made me realize I am not a failure and the band will work if you use it, the band doesn't fail you, you fail the band.

Anyhow, I need to eat my Protein more and make sure I eat it first!

Well, it seems like the 'no elimination' shows don't generate much interest.

I do think I like the 'all for one' approach in week 2, when the waterloading is gone and the real losses begin.

In some ways I wish they would just dump the person who lost the least each week, but that would eliminate drama.

Anyone else find themselves not liking the Purple Hospital Chick very much?

Your right, not as much interest when there is no drama. lol. I agree, sometimes I just wish they would just eliminate the lowest loser, but then again, its a game, so they have to make it interesting.

I really haven't formed an opinion about any one individual yet, so I can't say I don't like her yet, but I can say she is not my favorite either. I am liking Abby, just because I can relate to her and I like Daniel, but I'm sure as time goes on, my mind could change.

I remember last season, I was not that big of Tara fan, but then I saw her determination and her will and it made me become a big fan. So, its still early for me to make any decisions yet, but this season looks like there are going to be some dramatic changes, since they are so big. Can't wait for the finale so I can see how much everyone has changed. Thats always my favorite part!:scared2:

just wanted to jump in here.. this show is so addicting! i don't have a TV anymore since i can watch almost every show i like online... except for THIS one! it's so frustrating! so i've watched bits and pieces of it... but for all you curious like me, through finding those clips, someone else commented with a link proving that alexandria's crush was the 23 and single antoine.. and they are now dating! Alexandra White - Biggest Loser Elimination Interview | Diets in Review Blog

Hey, thanks for the link, I've been dying to know who she had a crush on.

They used to have Biggest Loser on fancast.com, however, now they have taken it off. Weird.

I have to dvr it every Tuesday because I have a standig meeting I attend on Tuesdays, but as soon as I get home, gotta watch it! Tuesday nights, I'm up too late watching the biggest Loser, but I just can't wait until Wednesday to watch it. lol.

I'm headed back to Canada for a long weekend of dog stuff...plan is, when I'm back, to knuckle down. Going to get a fill and my doc gave me a prescripton for fasten (a diet pill that was once part of phen fen) and see if I can't get the scales to budge. I will get back to working out as well, but for the next three weeks we are going to be so busy...but I'll try.

My DH is leaving for Canada Friday - going geese hunting....He'll be there for about a week.

Have fun! :thumbdown:

My band has settled down quite a bit now. I stayed on liquids/mushy foods all day yesterday, didn't eat past 6pm and exercised last night, I had NO ACID REFLUX. I got to sleep a full 7 hours!!!! I woke up feeling great!

I still am a bit tight, but not too tight at all, this might be perfect.....we'll see if it continues to get looser.

Now, I just need to keep my exercising up - not to get side tracked - and continue watching my portion sizes.

Well, things have definetly gotten worse with my band being too tight.

I'm going to stay on liquids for the next few days and see if that doesn't calm my irritation down, I've had this happen before. If it doesn't, I might have to go in for a slight unfill.

I didn't know Ambien makes you eat? I dont take it often, I have the Ambien cr, I think my perscription is like a year old, I've maybe taken it 3 times, maybe 4. But so far, haven't seen a difference in my hunger.

How is everyone else doing? Anyone out there lurking?

Sala - the good news on your trip is YOU DIDN'T GAIN. I aways gain, no matter how healthy I eat, I think traveling makes me old onto Water.

My husband leaves for Canada the 25th, he's so excited.

I ended up getting another fill on 8/31/09 - well It was tight, then lose, and today it is tight again. I'm hoping it just took a few weeks to kick in. We'll see how this goes. I'm tired of the scales these days, so going thru a phase where I am not weighing, I can tell I'm up, was out of town last week for a funeral, and well, the food was abundant and I took advantage of it. Didn't eat a whole lot, but ate all the bad bad stuf.

The past few nights I have survived off no sleep, was awake every 30 min caughing up fluids - it was coming out my nose, it was horrible.

Last night, I went and bought some Zertech D, took an acid reducer pill, and popped an ambien, I really needed my sleep!

Well, glad to say, I slepted until around 4:30 before I needed to caugh some stuff up. It was wonderful to sleep that long. Usually it starts by 11:30 and last every 30 min, I get no sleep.

I'm thinking I have so much drainage going on when I lie down, and I get tighter, there is no where for it to go. Everything that comes up is clear, there is no food in it, so thats why I decided to try a drying alergy medicine, and it worked, for the most part. I can handle sleeping until around 4:30, I get up at 5 anyhow. Waking up at 4:30 will help me get to the gym!

Anyhow, I hope it works again tonight, I'm going to do it again tonight and see how it works.

Okay, goals today, GET BACK ON TRACK!

What a tear jerker last night. Abby touched my heart, Shay also did.

I agree, I think Dan is the "crush". How cute would they be together! Who needs the Bachelor when you have the Biggest Loser! lol.

I was kinda excited, there are two players from Oklahoma, Danny is from Broken Arrow (suberb of Tulsa) and Sean the youth pastor is from Tulsa - where I live. I have heard Oklahoma is one of the fattest states, I believe it. I just look around and everyone is overweight, its all the down home cooking they do around here.

Anyhow, thought it was a great show, but got tired of the F bomb being dropped too much. But besides that, I think this is going to be a good season.

Who is everyone's pick? Anyone have one yet? Still too soon for me to pick, but so far I like Abby. I guess I can relate to her being a mother, and I feel for her losing her entire family. I also am partial to Dan, he's an inspiration.

Dr. Kirk does fills for other patients who he did not do the surgery on. He is dr. Gorospe's counter part.

He is out of Owasso (just north of Tulsa), Bailey Medical Center - he does all his fills under flouro and I know several who uses him that had their surgery in Mexico. Everyone loves him, he is a true sweetheart. His name is JoBob Kirk.

Wow susie, Did your insurance just quit covering? Or did you get new insurance? Just curious? Did it used to cover the fills?

I think getting to the sweet spot is so hard, IMO, its been so difficult for me to get there. I just had fill #16, and I had great restriction, but then the swelling goes down and I'm lose again. Not sure what to do either. I still have restriction, but now as much as I want.

I have had the acid reflux a few times, but it does go away when I don't eat late or don't eat a heavy meal night. I know how horrible it is the few times I've gotten it and I was so misserable trying to sleep. So I do feel for you.

Everytime I get lose, I put on about 10 lbs, luckily I am able to get in for a fill and lose it again before I get out of control. Its so hard. If you could start out slow, I think that would be good - I understand the cost though, I don't think I could afford it without insurance. I would take the fills slow and try and find the sweet spot, make sure you don't eat 3 hours before you go to bed. See if that helps.

Hang in there, I'm glad you checked in with us, I have been thinking about you and how your doing.

I'll be glued to the tv as I have every season! I haven't missed one yet! I read they are already casting for season 9 - to qualify, you have to be at least 100 lbs overweight.

Season 8 is all about 2nd chances is what I read. 2nd chance for Dan, and 2nd chances for people whose life was really messed up.

I've read there is a lady there that lost her entire family in a horrific car crash (husband and two children), another who grew up in foster care while her mother lived on the streets hooked on drugs. All these people used food to cope with their problems.

It should be an interesting show. I'm glad they are putting Dan back on the show so he can finsih what he started.

I can't wait for Tuesday - 9/15 for the show to start. I read on the website they are already casting for season 9. It said you have to be at least 100 lbs overweight to try out.

Sula, have fun in Canada! My DH is leaving for canada on 9/25 - going goose hunting. He goes every year. He love the canadians and love the air in Canada. I've never been.

Wow, breast reduction - you really going to do it this time? I'm jealous. Not that I need a breast reduction, but I would like them pulled up and put back in place. lol.

Okay, I had fill #15, had great restriction then all of a sudden LOST EVERYTHING, I felt like I could eat a horse, and I basically did. Stepped on the scales and was back up to 170! ouch! Went in for fill #16 and I told the doc everything, this time he did not take one drop out, he just added 2/10ths of a cc's and I have great restriciton again.

Lets see how long it last before I get too excited. I'm so tired of these darn fills, I teater totter around the same 10 lbs for a freaken year now! Makes me so mad. My clothes are all tight right now, it makes a big difference in my clothes to gain weight. I'm out of my size 8's and wearing my size 10's again. We'll see how this fill does, and if I lose restriction again, I feel like just giving up and throwing in the towel, I know thats not a good attitude, but thats how I feel.

I need to get to the gym, exercise has been very minimal lately, I know I need to do something, just unmotivated these days. Maybe the fill will jump start me some weightloss and that will re-motivate me, maybe ?? I can only hope. lol.

Okay, off to work I go......talk to everyone later.

Sula, good for you on your walk!!!!

I'm with you on eating, sometimes I just go temporarily insane with my eating.....I do great for awhile and then just lose it, start eating anything and everything. The key is, jump back on the saddle and try and try again.

Juno - maybe I should get prego, maybe that would help me drop a few pounds. lol. I guess it would be medical miracle if I got pregnant since I have no uteris. lol

The dream cruise looks fun!

Speaking of cruises, we got ours booked for next year, leaving July 17th for an 8 day cruise! That give me approximately 11 months to be in the best shape of my life!

So far my fill is doing good, not too tight, but I notice full a lot sooner and I have had to slow down a few times while eating, thats not normal for me either. So I'm happy so far. I hope it last.

Exercise, still spuradict, trying to get it more regular and still working on it. I have a plan for next week, so we'll see if it works.

I'm taking the day off from work tomorrow and guess what I'm doing? NOTHING! I am going to have a ME DAY - just hanging out at my friends house and her pool. I want a relaxing day for a change.

Eating has been great, weight is stalling, bounced back up to 166 - then I'm back down to 163 as of this morning. Makes me so mad! I want back into the 150's and I want to reach my goal of 145 darn it!

Okay, gotta run.......will check in later.

Hey, where is everyone? Just checking in. So far the fill is perfect, I notice a big difference when I drink Water. I also notice I'm full a lot quicker, but as always, I can still eat just about anything. No need to chew, chew, chew either. I just eat and swallow like normal. However, I got full on juut a few bites. Yay!

I wish my restriction would stay like this, but come around 8:00 pm, I'm wide open. I am so hungry and can eat a lot more. I'm trying to focs on eating just Protein in the evening and see if that helps with the hunger.

Talk to everyone later.

Juno - hehehe, I feel for you if you have me beat in fills. No fun! lol.

I am an accountant so I track EVERYTHING. I'm such a "spreadsheet" person, it drives people nuts. I have my weight logged for the past 20+ years, I can tell you what my weight was at pretty much every age of my life. Almost everyday of my life.

I have tracked every fill, every weigh in, etc. I do enjoy going back and comparing different things. Its funny when I look back at my weight at 19 and I read my notes, I was at 135 and totally disgusted with myself for letting me get to 135. lol. Oh I would kill for that number again!

Funny how we are never Happy with ourselves, or at least I was never happy with my weight, no matter what I weighed. I vow to be different, I vow to embrace the new me and be happy with my body - I'm just not there yet. (I'm doing it again, arent I). Okay, I'm happy with my loss so far, I just want to lose more. lol.

Okay, I'll quit rambling.

I was scheduled to be banded next week until last night I decided to look at the before and after pics, and gave myself cold feet.

I was startled by the number of people posting there that have since (noticed the updates in signatures) had slips, erosions, needed a new band, "upgraded" to the sleeve or RNY, etc. It seemed to me, it was more common than not to have some sort of complication and additional surgery following the initial band for those people that got it in 2004-05.

I got so diseartened and scared, I called my doctor and cancelled my surgery today :w00t:?

I certainly understand your fear, I too almost cancelled mine right before I had the surgery. I noice a lot of people have complications, and even though I'm very very happy with my band, I would have done the sleeve if my insurance had paid for it 2 1/2 years ago when I got the band. IMO.

What exactly is the average lifespan of a band?

What % of patients are still happy bandsters 5 years down the road?

Do people being banded today have better odds at band success than those being banded 5 years ago (since it's more common, more practiced doctors)?

The lifespan of the band is for life, so they say. I do think the % of complications prior to 2005 were higher. I think the slips and erosions are less now. I have no statistics to back this up, just things I have read and just my personal opinion. I also believe a lot of slips are because of the doctors failure to place the band in the proper place, again my opinion. I was banded in January 0f 2007, no major complications, just trying to get to my sweet spot and I just had fill #15, if I was self pay, it would have been a very very pricey surgery for me with all my fills. My insurance paid for mine so I'm very lucky and thankful for that.

The thought of losing this weight of my own, without the tool of WLS for support, is overwhelming. I have been dieting or "changing my lifestyle" for the past 15 years at least and all I have to show for it is an extra 80 lbs on my body.

But the thought of going thousands of dollars in debt (yay for self-pay!) for a surgery that will only work as intended for 2-3 years....

I feel so ambivalent about the surgery now... I wonder if I chickened out over isolated, rare, incidents or if my impression was correct.

Can someone point me to some information (either studies, statistics, or personal stories) about actual long term results with this surgery?

I was actually complicating WLS in 2006, but decided to "do it on my own" one more time. I was successful, lost about 50 lbs. Then went on vacation and before I knew it, was off my program, packed on 65 lbs in like 3 or 4 months. Thats when I realized I needed help and I would continue on this roller coaster ride until I got a little helper "the Band". There are so many different options, explore them all and then do studies and see what is best for you.

The band has been great for me and I am happy with it, I think I would have done the sleeve now looking back on it because of the maintenance level of the sleeve vs the band. But at the time I had to make a decision, the band was the right choice for me at that time. If I was to do it today, I think the sleeve would be the choice I would go. I am not having problems, I do worry about later complications, and have considered switching to the sleeve, but financial reason I cannot do that at this time. Until then, I will live and enjoy my life with the band.

I went to post my fill information in my blog, I just realized this is actually my 15TH fill! wow, I've had a lot of fills in the past 2 1/2 years! The good news is I haven't had a fill since November of '08, so hopefully this fill will take me to my goal weight!

I'm with you Sula on running. My DD is a runner, she is only 17 but loves to run. I would love to running with her but my knees won't take it. My doc said absolutely no running or I will be having another surgery. I love the elliptical, I feel like I'm running but without all the pounding on my knees. I just need to do more of it!

My daughter is doing a 5K run in a few weeks and her goal is to do a marathon. she has the cutest little figure too and can eat anything. But she works it all off by running all the time. Makes me so jealous. lol. I'm glad she got her Daddy's genes and not mine!

I will keep you informed on my fill, I hope its not too tight, but so far it seems to be okay. I haven't tried eating anything tho. My fill doc gave me a new set of rules they started giving their patients after a fill, he said to stay on liquids and soft foods for three days then I can gradually go back to foods. I'm going to stick with the rules. In the past I went straight from a fill to eating whatever, so we'll see how this goes.

I would love to be a body builder too, not a huge one, just a little. I want to see more muscle definition, but first I need to get rid of more fat. grrrrrr. Thats the hard part!

Well, I got - hopefully my final fill yesterday. Fill #14 - I am hoping it helps me to get to goal. I'm sticking to liquids for three days, or at least soft foods. Having a Protein Shake this morning and cream of brocoli Soup for lunch.

The doc looked at my band and said it was in perfect position, he filled me up 2/10ths of a CC and had me drink the nasty barium stuff, well, nothing went thru, so he pulled just a few drops out, less then a 1/10th of a cc and a little of the barium went thru. So thats where we left it.

I can tell I have great restriction, and I had no acid reflux last night (which I was so happy about).

I had 1/2 can of soup last night and was full and doing a few hiccups, so I think this might be the true "sweet spot". I can only hope.

I haven't had a fill since last year, I didn't want to get too tight but I can tell it had gotten looser. I was also worried aobut my pouch being stretched, and he said everything looks great. So I was relieved.

Anyhow, I'm hoping by next Monday on my weigh in, I will have a lower number to report. :w00t:

I know we all have goals, dreams, inspirations. I would just like to hear what some of those are for other people. I'm not talking about reaching the ultimate goal of loosing the weight, but the other stuff. Like I always wanted my belly button pierced...did that in May of this year. Now I want to run the Chicago Marathon in the year 2012. Why that year...because I will be 40, hopefully at my goal weight, out of school, and should just have life in order by then.

So what is it that drives you?

I want it all! I want my goal weight, I want a six pack abs, I want a J-Lo round booty, I don't want the dimples in my thighs, I want muscle definition in my arms (Madonna arms). I want to wear a bikini again, and look good in it. Yes, I want all this in my 40's!

I want to be a fitness instructor someday, A personal trainer.

I know I'm probably one of those person who is totally unrealistic, but thats still what I want.

My flat stomach, I know will have to come from a Tummy Tuck, and the muscle will show up. I still know I have to exercise in order to get it, but my first step is a tummy tuck. I'm saving my money now and I'm hoping to get it next March.

I also need to keep reminding myself of my goals so I quit going off the deep end and eating bad stuff like an entire bag of Cookies in 3 days - all by myself. Yes, I did it.....grrrrrr.

I have been exercising, and eating right, but somehow, or something made me snap last week and I found myself eating cookies for dinner, and then Breakfast, then lunch, then dinner, and the next thing I knew, I had eaten the entire bag. Someone slap me please.

I'm back on track, my kids are out of town with friends so no cookies in the house again when they are gone! I will make them take the cookies with them. lol.

Well, I'm headed to the gym right now to some ab work and cardio.

Talk to everyone later.

confused - how tall are you?

I'm between 5'5" - 5'6", I am wearing a size 8 at 155 lbs - 163 lbs. Anymore than 163 and the 8's are tight and I am wearing my 10's again. I think if I get down to 145 I will be in a 6. Wow, me a size 6? Thats so weird to even think about.

Hang in there with the exercise and try not to get discouraged with your measurements. I have learned that sometimes you just got to go on "how you feel", not by the tape measure, or the scales.< /p>

I'm a scale whore too by the way. I weigh myself at least 2 times a day, sometimes more. I used to be so obsessed it would stress me out, so now I usually weight first thing in the morning, after I go tinkle and in my bday suit. Then I weigh before I go to bed to try and "guess" what I will weigh the next morning. I usually know when I weigh at night what I will weigh the next morning, I'm usually down like 2 lbs from what I weigh before going to bed.

Anyhow, I have learned not to let the scale guide my moods, its hard, but I've learned sometimes the scales do lie...read this article...... Out, Out, Damn Scale! Why We Sometimes Lose Inches But Not Weight

When I get discouraged about the scale not moving, I usually refer to that article again. It has helped me more times than I can even count.

By the way, you've encouraged me to get back into "working out like a mad woman". I am really struggling with working out these days, my mojo has left. I did make it to the gym Monday night, Tuesday was sick, Wednesday night (last night) had a great workout for 45 min on the elliptical. And then this morning, I got up at 5 am and worked out.

I'm really trying to get back into my morning routine. That way I have no excuses not to get it done.

I've injurred my shoulder so I can't do weights right now, so I'm sticking with my cardio and a few strength training exercises.

So, keep up your good work, and keep posting, you never know when you will inspire someone - like me...:juggle: