.Maria.

My name is Maria and I have been banded for a year now... my surgery was 9/27/10 in Melrose Park. My start weight was 298 and I now weigh 204. I still have about 45 pounds to lose. I am available to anyone who needs support, has questions, needs suggestions, etc. You can email me or find me on facebook: bandedprincess@gmail.com. - Maria Azalea

Hope everyone is doing well and having amazing success with their band. I'm still here if you need someone to talk to. FYI: Im on facebook. You can look me up under bandedprincess@gmail.com

Have him go to a salon that supplies Dermalogica so that he can get Face Mapped (like Ulta). A certified skin therapist would be able to help him out with a few products made with natural ingredients. Hope this helps!!!

****CLICK HERE**** ">My link Maybe this one will work? If not you can copy and paste the address below: http://www.vivint.co...ct/charity/1022 VOTE

Thanks!!! Its with the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation... I tried putting the link but I guess I wasn't successful with that. Anyone have any idea how I can post the link so that people can click on it and be directed to the voting page?

My son was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder and we need to raise as much money as we can for research to help all Sensational kids diagnosed with this disorder. Not asking for monetary donation... all you have to do is click on the link below and vote everyday. The winning organization receives $1.25 million!!! So please vote with the link below LapBand Familia. I appreciate it!!!! <a href="http://My%20son%20was%20diagnosed%20with%20Sensory%20Processing%20Disorder%20and%20we%20need%20to%20raise%20as%20much%20money%20as%20we%20can%20for%20research%20to%20help%20all%20Sensational%20kids%20diagnosed%20with%20this%20disorder.%20Not%20asking%20for%20monetary%20donation...%20all%20you%20have%20to%20do%20is%20click%20on%20the%20link%20below%20and%20vote%20everyday.%20The%20winning%20organization%20receives%20$1.25%20million!!!%20So%20please%20vote%20with%20the%20link%20below%20LapBand%20Familia.%20I%20appreciate%20it!!!!%20%20%20<a%20href=" http:="" www.vivint.com="" givesbackproject="" charity="" 1022"="">">My link <a href="http://www.vivint.com/givesbackproject/charity/1022"><img src="http://media.vivint.com/www.vivint.com/en/images/givesbackproject/givesback_banner_728x90_version_1.gif" alt="Vivint is giving away $1.25 Million to charities. Help us win!" width="728" height="90" /></a>

Im in the Humboldt Park Area. Not really familiar with the south shore culture center or that area. But Im here if anyone has questions or needs support

Yay!!! Congrats!!! I know it feels amazing. Just a few weeks ago I shopped at GAP... I never had set foot in that store because I was always so embarrassed of what people would think. Before the surgery I was a 24/26 and now Im also an XL. The day I went in there and started trying on clothes.... I literally cried in the dressing room, lol.

You may not be eating as much but you could be possibly be eating the wrong foods. That was my problem when I had very little weight loss. I figured that because I'm eating less that I can eat whatever I wanted which in turn caused me to only loose like 3 pounds a month! Not cool. So I changed my eating habits. For break fast I have one of those super Thin Bagels with light strawberry cream cheese, Lunch is usually 3oz of any type of meat (usually baked or pan fried with cooking spray) and a side of veggies, and Dinner is basically the same as lunch except I usually include about 1/4 cup of rice with my meal and 1/2 the veggies. In between meals I drink about 32oz of water and I won't allow myself to eat unless I have drank every ounce of that. I was told to completely stay away from pasta (slips through the band a lot easier and faster which causes you to eat more) and fruits (too much sugar). So I did and it definitely helps with the weight loss. As far as exercise goes, I was doing a hardcore bootcamp for a while but now I just run at the park about 4/5 times a week for an hour or so. I hope this helps

Hey!!!! I'm still here if anyone needs support, has questions or wants to meet up in the city

I'm from Chicago

LOL!!! You remind me of me before my surgery!! You cannot wear any type of jewelry. I had to take out my nose ring also. You will probably be with family while they get you set up, like with the IV and stuff, you are also going to get an injection in your belly to prevent blood clots. Then they wheel you off to a room where they pretty much give you everything through the IV (happy drug 2 calm ur nerves. And yes, I felt a lot better) then the anesthesiologist comes in and speaks 2 you about how its gonna go down. Then he does his thing (again, through the IV) and they wheel you off to the operating room. They are going to have you move over to the operating table while they listen to all the gibberish coming out of your mouth (you'll be all groggy @ this point, lol) till you knock out completely. Then next thing you know, you're waking up to a nurse calling your name. Once you're fully awake they take you over to your room where your family will be waiting for you . *I had my husband play Florence's : "The Dog Days are over" while they took me to my room. That was my way of knowing I was still alive and that they were there for me. Silly I know, but I needed the reassurance * I had surgery Sept. 27, 2010 (I was 25). It lasted less than an hour @ 10am and I even started walking that same day. I went home the next day after they ran some xrays and I was able to drink a glass of Water. And you have no reason to freak out. Just follow the doctors orders to the T. Make sure that you do everything possible on your end to have a successful surgery. You will be fine!!!

Thanks guys! I am not an adulterer and to be accused of being one makes me sick to my stomach. I've always been upfront and honest with my husband and never gave him a reason to doubt me. Its just unbelievable to me. I made an appointment with my doctor today. Hopefully she'll be able to help me fix this

The scariest part for me was the anesthesia. All I could think about before the surgery was "What if I don't wake up. What's going to be of my son without his mommy?" It was my first time going under and one of the scariest moments of my life. I was thinking about that nonstop. But here I am!!! Awake and 65 pounds lighter!!! Its going to be fine. Before they put you under they give you some type of "happy" drug to calm your nerves. And while you are under you have an anesthesiologist monitoring you during surgery with a machine to make sure you are ok at all time. That is the least of your worries Good luck and congrats in making the choice to turn your life around...

I think the "mushie" stage is different with every surgeon. I was told no pasta at all. You should probably call your docs office and ask. Mine consisted of: Soups Skim MIlk Light Yogurt Sugar Free Fudgicles Diet V8 splash Sugar free pudding + all clear liquids

I felt that "full" feeling after my 4th fill & my friend felt it after her 2nd. Its different for everyone. Just make sure you eat the right foods and don't over do it because there are consequences... and they are not fun at all

So I have this little problem... we'll actually, its a HUGE problem!!! *TMI* alert: Since the surgery my sex drive has disappeared!!! (had surgery Sept. '10) Its not that I don't love my husband or don't want to be with him... I just simply don't have the desire for that. So now for the past few weeks I have been accused of cheating...*sigh* My husband has this idea in his head that anytime I step out of this house its to be unfaithful to him!!! As funny as this sounds... its really breaking my heart. Its been a constant battle (almost every night) with him. I'm sick of fighting about this but he really is convinced that Im cheating and the only to calm him down is to freaking show him proof of where I've been or what I've been doing . And I know I shouldn't feed into that but its the only way I can shut him up! I don't know what to do anymore... Im really TIRED of this Bull$#!* WHAT DO I DO !?!?!? I can't take it anymore... #this is one of very few times I regret getting the surgery- Other than that.... I FREAKING LOVE MY BAND...down 65lbs and feeling great in my XL clothes

Wow... you know what? I never looked at it that way. I feel so much better about it now!!! I really didn't understand how the heck it would make a difference but I really do feel the restriction and that "full" feeling lasts a lot longer than before. Thanks!!!!

I'll tell you who.... ME!!! WTF is that about?!?!? I had my 3rd fill this past friday and when I heard that only 1/8 of a CC was put in I was so freaking confused. So now I have a total of 6.43 CCs in my band...Uuuummmmm, yea, thats Crazy!!!!! When I questioned this I was told that some people are just more sensitive to fills. Really?! I must be pretty damn sensitive then... Is anyone going through a similar situation?

I'm not juicing... but I really want to!!! I am one of the unfortunate ones that cannot eat raw fruits and vegetables (which I really loved before the surgery ). So I also want to know some of your favorite juice recipes .

Awww... Congrats!!!!

Hey!!! Welcome to the other side ... and we would love for you to join us, the more the merrier . Where did you get banded? Oh, and I just need to know what saturday works for everyone...I can do any saturday except for 12/25 & 1/1

Alright Ladies... we need to get this ball rolling!!! What Saturday works for you?!?! AND any suggestions of where we should meet? Hope to hear from you soon -Maria

I had surgery 9/27... I saw Pauly D at the Aragon here in Chicago the day before thanksgiving and LOVED it!!! Im also married but my husbands knows not to get in the way of my thing for Pauly D, lol. He actually went with (he's a fan). Have you had surgery?