StephC

why on earth do you women have to show me that nasty crap!? Needles in belly's, skin hanging like ... Lord only knows what - I refuse to fall for anymore of your tactics! Truth is I didn't look at the fill - not gonna freak myself out but just the idea makes me close my eyes! Ok so theres a lady at my church who had rny (is that gastric bypass?) and she was well over 400 lbs, she lost at least 200 lbs - I seriously think she must be more then 250 because for one she's a big lady, tall, big boned, and even though she doesn't look fat she is still big, husky looking. She had the tt and said if she could afford to have a whole body tuck she would. I saw though her panty hose that all that skin was all folded up and tucked in there. Oh it made me hurt to think of it. and her arms are still flapping in the wind, but she looks wonderful compared to where she had been. And the difference in her personality is astonishing! But then my other friend Trish who went from 275ish to 145ish and is 5'6" to 5'8" (she's taller then me) doesn't have anything except her apron and even that isn't bad. Her legs look great, which makes me have hope. To go off on another thought - I have this huge belly that hangs (sure I'll be needing a tt) and I've always had problems with chaffing. So reading a thread on tt - someone said about using deo/anti pers. and omgoodness! I've seen the light! I just lift that fat belly up and spray away and I haven't chaffed since! that was all FYI - hope it was TMI Just talked to Nate - he's the PA at the dr office. He was just making sure I need a fill. I said well considering I ate 1700 cal. yesterday and I'm working my butt off to stay on this "diet" that I promised myself I'd never do again! YES I NEED A FILL!! Since I had him on the phone I asked if I'd have to do liquids and he said yep - liquids the rest of the day - sucko - mushies the next day and then reg. food the following. Thats do-able I guess. I've done pretty good today but I have this huge urge to eat something like hot wings for supper tonight - knowing (hoping) I won't be able to for a while. Last supper syndrome?

Nat - I had lost the first 15 lbs and everyone at church was telling me how good I looked - it got to the point when I started thinking that it was just empty comments - they haven't said anything the past 2 weeks and I'm down about 20 - 22 lbs. Then at work a member came in and we were talking about exercise and I told her I had lost 20 lbs this winter, she never said a word about it. - so I figure until I lose another 20 I probably won't get told. Although my sweet dd said to me in church that my belly looks smaller. LOL Gotta love her! I never did my measurements before surgery and it was a few week after before I finally took them but I have lost 2 inches in the waist. No where else just my fat old jelly belly. Just took my measurements and my butt is down 2 inches too! I thought my jeans felt looser! I had a horrible food day yesterday - I was up to 1700 calories! I am going to do better today. I know it was because hubbster was home and messed my whole routine up. Nat get those blades out! LOL too funny! But no funnier then me on cross country skiis! I just put a bid on a set on ebay - and none of you better out bid me! I really want to do something fun. So I said to hubbster last night - do you think I could cross country ski behind the house? And he just looked at me kinda blank (I know in his head he's thinking she's gonna waste more money on something she'll never use but I better not discourage her or all hell will break loose) and said yeah as long as you don't get in the rocks. Its a gravel road behind my house. Now I could go over to the golf course - I have full access - and people ski it all the time - but that would mean packing up and going over by myself.

I don't have photo shop but try to right click and edit or even just double click on the pic and see if you can find an edit button - then even tho you don't edit it click save as and then save it as a jpeg in your pictures, your documents or publisher - where ever you want. good luck

BK - girl I just noticed you are the same age as my son! I had it in my head that b-man was the youngest here. When did you get married? My son just got married in July - his wife had just graduated hs and is going fulltime to college & working. I'm told I won't get a grandbaby for at least 3 more years I just realized I was 22 when he was born and now he is 22 - wow - the years have flown by! Alot of people think they were too young but if you know them you'd know he is 22 going on 40 and shes 19 going on 37 .

Kirsten I think your fill probably just got absorbed. Aren't you going in again soon? I can't wait - I hope I have good restriction! I still beat myself up for every freeking bite I take! I ate my poop mover cereal this morning, as always, but it was earlier then I would normally eat - that darn man of mine took the day off and laid around in bed well after the time that I would have normally been on the treadmill. So then I was hungry earlier and at lunch early - which was still ok - went in to work - I was there longer then I wanted to be and didn't even get my quarterlys done - ugh! so I then I ate a sugar free chocolate bar - 120 calories but no carbs - who the heck would eat something like that~! I'd much rather have a Little Debbie cake for an extra 50 calories! Then I came home and ate the baked tortilla chips and salsa then a string cheese! I'll be up to 1400 cal. today if I keep it up at this rate. I'm gonna make a cup of tea and hope that stops this roller coaster ride.

I think the little tramps are great but be careful on the big ones. My daughter got one for her birthday a couple years ago. We set it up on Friday and on Sunday I was jumping on it and broke my ankle. It was humilating and an awful way to spend the summer, in a cast!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/has-lbt-helped-t28410p2.html Thats the poll - has LBT helped or hindered -

I haven't had my first fill but my dr said we'll do the first one (this wed - yipee) and then I can have one every 2 weeks if I need to. So you might want to call your dr. You might be ready for another fill. I heard it said that the first one often gets absorbed by the band.

I have a card. I haven't had to use it yet but I'm carrying it in my wallet. I haven't had a problem ordering salad bar and appetizer.

Hey you know WE can change those statistics!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I know about the weather, my family keeps me posted. A few years ago we got dumped on in PA and when I went home that year (I usually fly in for a week in Jan/Feb) my brothers were so jealous because they didn't have much snow. Last year my girls and I drove home between Christmas and NY and Minn was having a warm spell - the girls said it wasn't any different then PA - hehe - the got lucky that visit. We normally take our family vacation in the summer - wonder why? so we will be home in July this year. The guys are doing a canoe trip down the Big Fork river. I'm not afraid to get my fill - I actually can't wait! Couldn't be soon enough. I feel like I'm dieting right now. So I'm hoping the fill will make it a little easier.

You guys are a hoot! First off I have to say I'm worried about Kay - Kay sweetie we are thinking of you. BK - girl you have too much on your plate and I'm not talking food! School, job, kids, hubby. dad - slow down and take time for you. Try to anyway. Maybe thats when you need to eat. Rather then rushing and trying to get something in you take the time to sit down and think about what you are eating and enjoy it. Lord knows thats easier said then done. Brandi - I know you all think I'm a tard anyway but I can't wait to finally feel (alittle,kinda) stuck. I haven't felt any different up to this point so it'll be good to get my fill and actually feel like I'm banded. Bandiva was it you who asked about exercise? I use a treadmill. I started out at 10 minutes the first week, 15 the 2nd and the past week I did 20. Tomorrow I will up it to 25, and keep going like that until spring and I can walk outside. 20 minutes burns over 100 calories - I tried running for 2 minutes and thought I'd die so I just walk. Then after I walk I do my own little pilate thing. Years ago - like 20 years ago there was a lady named Callie something and she had a video out that was called callenitics - it had some awesome deep muscle work outs that I do. Butt - lay on you side, leaning up on your elbow, with your leg straight out move it in tiny little up & down motions - if your butt doesn't burn after 25 reps you're doing it wrong. Then in the same position bend your knee and move it back and forth in little movements. I'm talking little movements like 1/2 inch at a time. She says that gives you a nice little round peach butt. Inner thigh - sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you. Squeeze the legs of a chair with the soles of your feet. You should feel that after about 30 squeezes. Arms - I stretch behind my back and try to touch my thumbs, the higher you lift your arms the more you feel it. Crunches - I know this sounds really stupid but it works for me. I have a glider rocking chair with a gliding foot stool. So I lay on my back with my feet up on the foot stool and as I crunch forward I glide my feet towards me. Sounds crazy but I feel the burn. Its my own version of the ab lounger. LOL All the exercises are to be done in small movements. I try to do 100 to 150 of each thing. About 10 years ago I lost about 30 lbs (I was also about 30 less when I started too) I did these exercises and one day I was laying in the bath tub and I felt something hard on my stomach and thought omg what is that? It was my abs - I'd never felt them before! LOL Or at least in a long time! So I know these toning exercises will work for me and they only take about 5-10 minutes to do. Nat - sounds like you had fun. Can't wait to see the updated pics!

Actually my doctor has seen me every 2 weeks. Thank goodness he's just 20 minutes away. I had surgery on a mon. went in Thurs. because my tape was falling off and he just wanted to make sure they were ok. Then at 2 weeks I saw him just so he could tell me to advance to soft foods, then again at 4 weeks so he could tell me to advance to regular foods. Now at 6 weeks will be my fill. I've eaten out a few times. Yesterday we went to a place that had a salad bar with soup. Then I ordered chicken tenders for an appetizer, I ate one and hubby at the other 3. I had a small salad, 1/2 cup of soup and my chicken. Eating out is definitely possible. I am anxious to see how I feel about eating out when I get my fill.

Hey ladies I started a new poll on whether LBT has helped or hindered - go vote.

sweethot my girl - where ya been?

Thank you! Yes I had my surgery December 11th. At my last visit I was down 16 lbs. I go next Wed. for my first fill.

My thoughts exactly!

Hi Minnesotians! Ok so I'm from Pennyslvania but I was born in Big Fork and raised in Grand Rapids. Met my hubby while he was there working on the power plant and left my beloved Minnesota for a life with him. I've been gone 27 years and Pennsylvania is now home to me too. My family is still in Mn - most are in Grand Rapids area, but my sister lives near Mpls in Ham Lake. I've been lurking on your thread for a while and just wanted to say hi.

After my last post I got to wondering how much we influence each other so I started a poll. Check it out and vote.

I went to work the next week for a half a day but I work a desk job and didn't work too hard. I'm also laid off because I work at a golf course so other then a little paper work now and then I don't officially go back for another 3 months.

I was wondering how you all felt about LBT. I don't think anyone from my support group is a part of LBT and wonder if I would have better success following my doctor's orders if I had never found LBT or because of LBT I will have better success? Please feel free to check more then one response.

Gerbera - my nutrionist says 1/2 cup - as does the doc. The reason being that thats the size of the pouch and right now without the restriction of a fill we can eat more because its going on down into the large part of the stomach. I know I eat more then a half cup but really try to limit myself. Also with the Water - which is why I called the dr about this issue - I found I could guzzle a large glass of water if I wanted to but they said even tho the water is going right through the port this is not going to be the case after we are filled. That we need to develope new habits and we should start now before we get that kind of restriction. Every doctor is different and why is the unanswerable question. Like Ibreham staying on liquids another 2 weeks - actually getting a fill while he's still on liquids. Thats way different then my dr, I had liquids 2 weeks, soft foods 2 weeks and regular foods these 2 weeks - he will not do a fill until you are at least 6 weeks out and then when I asked him if I needed to be on liquids before the fill he said no - he said eat Breakfast and then my fill is scheduled for 1pm and he said whatever was in the pouch will be gone by then, and if I understood him correctly I will be able to leave and go have lunch. All that said my point is after reading everyones proceedures I don't think theres an exact right or wrong, although we may think our dr is the best so does everyone else. Just try to obey his orders. Alot of times easier said then done.

I don't think those are so horrible results. Have you looked at the gastric bypass results? After 3 years when the lap banders are still slowly losing weight the bypass patients are gaining it back. I am assuming you have health problems because you'll never get insurance approvel with a bmi of 35 otherwise. There are many health reasons to have the band even if it isn't a huge weight loss. I know my cousin said it has helped her get her diabetes under control just by eating healthier. She isn't concerned about the weight lose as much as the health benefits. I just read an article about what to expect and how to change our way of thinking, and our goals. So do you want to weigh what you did in high school? It might be an unrealistic goal for a woman who is in her 30's and had a couple children... If I lose 33% of my weight in the next 3 years I will be a happy lady. Because hey - its not 33% gained!

B-man you little hottie! You go girl! Thats a NSV if I ever heard one! Just when we hate men they totally redeem themselves! What I mean is it HAD to make you feel sexy! Oh yeah the b-man is back! So how much of a fill did you get? Did he tell you? I'm hoping its in and out before I know it but doubt that'll happen for me. Dr Dreamy will do it under fluro so it'll be this long drug out pain induced affair (hey take the 'under fluro" out and it sounds like a fantasy ) Nat - omg I wish we could go see Dream girls again - together! I loved it so much! And I agree about the dialogue being sung - could've skipped that but it didn't take from the movie and there wasn't that much of it. Eddie Murphy deserves an Oscar and so does Jhud - I can see Eddie getting a best supporting but J definitely should be the lead. No one clapped but then there was only me and about 8 old ladies in the theater.. LOL gotta love small towns! I heard on E that Bouncy was pissed bc she didn't get nominated for a golden globe and she made a comment that she could have gained weight and taken that role but she felt she was Dina - yeah right - if Jhud had been Dina she would have blown us away in that role too! Miss Mattress situation - let me give you a suggestion. I realize you want them to take the thing back but until then for your own bodies sake - why don't you run to walmart and get an egg crate foam pad - OR - better yet go to www.overstock.com and buy a feather mattress pad for about $60. Ok I'm going to share with yens and don't take it as gospel because you know my scale lies - but I think I'm down 5 lbs! No kidding - that darn scale said 205 today - actually yesterday he said 206 and I thought nah aint no way - and then this morning I got on and off and on and off - I really hate getting my hopes up and try to tell myself to only go by the dr scales but then I go and weigh my self anyway! I almost forgot to tell you I had a HUGE victory yesterday at the movies - I bought a small popcorn (even charted 4 cups on fitday before I left) but when I left I threw a half bag away! YEA me! I used to eat a bucket by myself! Nat I hope the sitter works out! You meant $3.25/hour not day didn't you? You're not hiring some illegal immigrant or something for $3.25 a day are you? And I think thats a very good price.

I think the back pain is from laying flat on your back for 2 hours during surgery. Try a heating pad - I love my heating pad. 6 weeks out and I still use it now and then. It was also good for the tummy and shoulder for the gas. Gasx is good.