TKW

Well... the stories are endless. When I get together with my sibling and we get talking about it there is no stopping us. My parent divorced with I was about 15 years old and my mother purchase a older home in the same small town we were from. 350 people in the town in ND. It was one of the first homes built in Hope, ND and at one time was a hospital so to speak. Anyway, a Dr. lived there and he kept ill people there. It was in the mid to late 1800's. Anyway, we didn't live there long and us kids started noticing things. just little things as it started out. We'd hear knocking up stairs or banging in the basement. My mom alway put it off to "it's an old house" and it was but soon it progressed. there were 4 bedrooms and a bath upstairs and my moms room was on the main floor. us kids all slept upstairs and sometimes we would all be home watching tv and BANG a door would slam up stairs. Or there would be banging somehting awful in the basement. This is when my mom became a believer. One time we were sitting there and we heard the front door slam. there was a foyer with the stairs going to the upstair and a big Heavy wood entry door. my mom yelled "who's there" no answer so she got up and we went out into the foyer and we stood there and listed to every single step creek like someone was walking up them. We just stood their and looked at eachother then all of a sudden wham wham wham wham wham all 5 doors upstairs slammed one after the other. My mom went right up there but could find nothing. We decided to paint and wall paper my room. and we all had large walk in closets and in the back of my closet was a little short door that went into an attic space. We had stuffed some stuff in there to get it out of the way. Well one day my brother got up and he could not find his book he was reading for litterature class. He was reading it when he went to sleep and when he got up the next day it was gone. We looked everywhere for it. Well a couple weeks later when we were done with the mini remodel we were taking stuff out of my closet and attic and there on an old highchair (the highchair was ours , we had put it in there when we moved) was my brothers book. So weird. And believe me, everyone tried to convince us that one of us put it there but there was not one of us who would have gone into that closet in the middle of the night. NO WAY. That closet was a hot spot. I would be laying in bed at night an the closet door would just swing open. Now, you could step on a certain place on the floor and the door would pop open so ... ya, it could just open but..... who was stepping on the floor. He used to really pick on my sister. He never was mean or evil... very mischevious. Many times my sisters Water bed would be pitching like someone was jumping onit. and he would pull her covers off her or her pillow out from under her head. One time I came home from college and I brought a friend with me. She was sleeping in my sisters room. We went to bed and she crawled into bed and covered up and was laying there and all of a sudden the covers were pulled onto the floor. she reached down and pulled them back onto the bed and after a minute her pillow was YANKED HARD out from under her head. LOL.... I'll never forget that, she was terrified. By this time we were used to him. We were scared at first but after a few years... he was sort of just part of the family in a way. He wasn't always active, it came and went and If you were home alone and he got in one of his moods it got scarey. We left serveral times just to get out of the house cuz he would just go on and on. It was like he would slide furniture around upstairs. It sounded like stuff being pushed accross the floor or baning in the basement. Sometimes he would pull the plug out of the wall on the TV. you'd be sitting there and you could see the plug yank out of the wall... plain as day. And at that time we had a tv with rabbit ears (anteana) and some times they'd just spin in circles. Also the lights in the basement well... all over the house but mostly the basement would go on and off and on and off. you would go down and get down there for something and bang off the light would go. Gosh I hated that, cuz even tho he was not evil or visious.... it scared the hell out of you. When ever we would go away over night and lock the doors. It didn't matter if it was one night or a week when we came home everything on the walls would be on the floor or sofa ( I shouldn't say everytime but many times) exactly like it was hung on the wall but in the same order on the floor/sofa. Gosh I could go on and on. After we all moved out my mom moved and my brother and his wife lived there. inbetween the living room and dining room were two heavy doors that slid into the wall. We could never get them closed. One of them we could get out but the other one we could not. The wood floors had been carpeted so I think that had something to do with it but I'm not sure. Anyway, one night my sister inlaw had a home party of some sort. and they were all sitting there and all of a sudden, with a house full of women the doors slammed shut. LOL.LOL LOL gosh i wish i had been there for that cuz the entire town new the stories, it was a small town and of course we told everybody the stuff that went on there. anyhow my grandma was there (this is may dad's mom) and my dad and gram HATED that we talked about this. My dad told my mom once "you have to make those kids quit telling those stories. people think you are all nuts" LOL... my gram thought the same. she just thought we were crazy. anyhow, after the doors slammed my gram tried to convince everybody that it must have been the wind. the doors were in the middle of the house and a tornado could not have slammed them shut! To be continued

LOVE group exercise classes. I do Zumba and Body Pump

hmmmm.... I don't know (about this picture). But I grew up in a house with a ghost. He was young boy... we called him Henry. There is no doubt in my mind.... they do exist.

Nothing like good ole self control... and sometimes, that doesn't work. Thanks for the great tips!

Great job. I have posted this many times but I will again. I was at 300.4 pounds for 14 weeks. Not kidding. I would go up a pound then back down. I think one time I was 300.2 but I could not bust that 300# mark. I saw my Dr and Dietitian. Took my food and exercise logs with me... they said I was doing everything great! The dietitian suggested changing up my exercise and suggested a "Body Pump" class. (weight class to music... i love that class). I did it and the weight started moving a couple days later. Uff that was frustrating. My Dietitian said that some times your body just says "no more" "this is not who you are" and comes to a stalemate! You just got to battle through it and not get discouraged. (I eat when I get discouraged???) I'm kind of in that spot again but have not been very dilligent with my execise through the summer... but I'm back at er full force this week. Nice job and keep up the good work.

Great Post! Nice Job!

With little restriction, it is unlikely you stretched your pouch. More importantly, you need to get your head in the game. Some people can't over eat... most of us can if we want. You have to not want too. Don't believe anyone who tells you this is easy. Best of Luck to you on your journey.... don't worry, I think everything is ok!

Uff.... glad it is better!

Sounds amazing... my support group is a snoozer. It is what you make it tho, I guess???

Tracking is very Very beneficial. Really helps you realize things about the way you eat. I strongly suggest it. I use myfittnesspal

how many cc's has nothing to do with it. Some people need none to have restriction. They place the band around your stomach and depending on how much fat is surrounding it and how thick the wall of your stomach is will make a difference in how tight it is. Thats why some people have absolutely no restriction after first being banded and others have restriction. I was at my Green Zone for more than a year and all of a sudden I noticed I was not getting full or staying satisfied. This was a sign I needed a fill. I am under the impression as we lose weight we lose fat also around the stomach and that loosens the tightness of the band resulting in the need for more fill. This is my understanding from all of the pre-op classes I had to attend and different things I researched an read. It sounds to me like you are too tight. Too tight can result in a band slippage amoung other things. Glad you are going back in for an unfill. Good Luck

My insurance BCBS, covers my fills. I think my share is 68.00. They covered my fist several visits and fills 100 % the first year afte my surgery. Not sure if they covered for a year or just so many but they cost me nothing till I was a year Post Op, then 68.00. The accurate answer would be.... it all depends on your individual insuarance. Give them a call, they'll be glad to let you know!

I had restriction from the start. I mean the actual band (with no fill) is only 1 1/2" around so it should create some restriction - well, easy for me to say... It did for me anyway. There are people who lose all of their weight without any fill and yes, there are people who have no restriction at all untill they get some fills. So, it doesn't depend on your surgeon... it depends on the person. I was VERY heavy so maybe that's why I had restriction (more fat around my stomach????) who knows? Good Luck!

Good Luck Missy... these ladies are exactly right. Yep, sometimes you eat something you shouldn't or too much, but you have to be aware of it and try to control it. It's hard but doable! Really try to think about "am I hungry" or do I just want to eat. Eat that protien first... it does make a difference. It's not always an easy journey, but sooooo worth it! Best of luck to you!

That's amazing. Congrats

CRAZY isn't it. And it's not all how your mate feels about you but how great you feel about yourself. HAVE FUN!

I was stuck at 300.4 pounds for .... litterally 14 weeks. Not kidding, once in a while it would go up a little and I think once i was 300.2 but I could not get to 299. I was eating right and exercising at the gym 5 - 6 times (hr each time) a week. I had just hit a plateau I could not get past, but to sit above that 300 pound mark just about drove me nuts. Anyway, I went and saw my Dr, she did not think I needed a fill, went the the nutritionist and had all my daily food and exercise journal with me. She said everything looked great, wouldn't change a thing with my eating. She suggested I change up my exercise. She suggest a weight lifting class "body pump" I changed gyms and started body pump and with in a week I saw 299. Sooner or later it had to give, but i think the weight class is what did it. She said after losing 130 pounds my body was just saying "no more" "this is not who you are" and that I just had to fight my way through it. I wish the 2nd 100 would come off as easily as the first 100 did. I eat healthy and exercise regularly but I notice I am a little more lax when it comes to snacking etc. I think I feel so good about the weight I've lost that once in a while I can still convince myself it is ok to have something that I probably shouldn't. I have never totally deprived my self but I did used to be tougher on my self and I can tell the difference. Just keep up the battle, like I said, eventually.... it's got to give as long as there is a colorie deficit! Best of Luck!

i'd eat em till they were gone, so I'll have to pass!

Ha... anyone ever says that to me I'm going to plant a big ole kiss right on their lips and say Thank YOU! (she's jealous... it's not like your frail and weigh 98 pounds) NICE work by the way!

I was told because it was a diuretic it will aide in dehydration. For every cup of coffee you drink you need to drink an extra glass of Water. Every doctor has a different thought on this subject. I drink regular coffee.... every day. I was told no pre-op but they (dr/nut) seem to be ok with it now?

As far as the protien shakes, I never drink them. I am 2+ years post surgery and have drank a total of 2 (that is pre and post op) I don't like them but obviously haven't tried many! The last thing my surgeon said was absolutely ZERO liquid calories. I try to stick to that. Sometimes tho I just have to have a glass of milk but very rarely! I think the protien shakes are great for those who have trouble getting in their protien but remember they pass right through your band so they won't help keep you full and satisfied. (supposidly???) That is my surgeons take.

I don't have probelm with any meat unless it is really dry. As far as hamburger how about meatloaf, or meatballs, sloppy joe or seasoned with taco spice to top a salad? I am a Greek yogurt fan, actually kind of addicted and eat a couple a day. Almost everything has a little protien in it, 1 - 3 grams. It all adds up. If you don't track your food you should. Myfittnesspal will track your protien along with your calories. If you have problems with meat, try smaller bites and eat slower, make sure it is moist and not over cooked. Good Luck!

i usually have a greek yogurt about 10am but when I was first banded, I never ate breakfast. about 9 months in I started eating yogurt mid morning.

154 pounds ago... I was terrified of failing. Once you start loosing weight you'll start feeling better about it. It's a scarey thing. And that list you have... check em off one at a time, You'll get there, it will take time and hard work and struggles but it is doable and you can do it! Best of Luck to you, this forum can be a great inspiration!

Good for you, wish I had done it at 23 instead of 47! But still glad I did it. I agree, in that 6 months get educated. Knowledge about the lap band is a key to success! Best of Luck!