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I'm Melissa and 25 years old. Married for 4 years to an EOD tech (Richard) in the Army, and we're stationed here at Fort Hood, Tx. We'll be getting out in the next few months and haven't decided on where we're going to plant our roots just yet. No kids - just a dog (Bocephus), and 2 cats (Jesse James & Diego) who think they are. I can remember the first time I knew I was a fat kid, my grandmother took me to a TOPS meeting with her... after that, it was all down hill for a while. When I was 16-17 and working I started taking "Ripped Fuel" and went from a 24 to a 14 in a year. Went off of it and graudually went up - then got married and got "happy-married-fat". :banghead: This past year me and my husband started LA Weight Loss - which was total BS - and it caused more harm than good. After that I decided to research the lap band and in March I went to the first seminar and it snowballed from there. My surgery is set for August 27th - one month to the day after my 25th birthday - and I can't lie, I'm scared out of my mind. I cried again today to my husband about the whole "dying on the table" issue. *lol* I'm trying to go into this with an open mind and heart. Melissa

My surgery date is August 6th!! I can't believe its happening and so quickly...only 1 week to go . A little bit more about me.... I'm 48 years old, married and mother of 3 boys (20,25, 28) - all the men in my life are gorgeous, active, athletic and fit. All 3 boys went to school on sports scholarships (football or hockey). Now that my husband and I are virtually empty nesters we've transferred our doting to our new babies, 2 beautiful dogs (labradoodle and multi-poo). I am a professor at a local university here in BC and also hold a senior management role in a major bank. I am an over eater - I have very little control over my eating and often zone out while I'm eating. I eat while doing something else (working, on the computer, watching TV etc...). I have had a weight issue my whole life (I was born 9lbs3oz to a 98lbs, 4'11' mother)- I'm told we were both lucky to survive the ordeal. I was born big and haven't looked back (I weighed 175 lbs at age 11). I went on my first diet at age 10 and have tried just about everything to lose the weight. Children can be cruel - I was the brunt of many jokes and much teasing. My mother had a hard time finding clothes for me so I ended up wearing the same clothes over and over again - it was hard on both of us. I know I carry these scars with me and have been an overachiever in the rest of my life to make up for feeling inadequate on the weight side. I recognize the lap band is only a tool and that my success is dependent upon getting help with the psychological issues as well as the physical issues. I really don't understand why I overeat. I have a wonderful life - a great husband, 3 wonderful boys, a senior management role with a major bank, a wonderful teaching position at the local university as well as 2 masters degrees and almost done my PhD...so all in all I've had great success in my life with the exception of my weight...very frustrating. I have lost and gained, lost and gained consistently over the years - it is not unusual for me to lose 60lbs and gain it back (plus more) over 1-2 years. I would like to be able to extend the success in my life to my weightloss and maintenance. I pray that the band is the tool to help me do this. I am quite excited about getting my band - I feel a great sense of hope and excitement but also fear. Fear that history will repeat itself and that once I've lost the weight, I will gain it back. I know I have a problem, perhaps an addiction? Perhaps food is replacing something else? I don't know. I do know that I am able to manage other aspects of my life, I just can't get to the crux of why I overeat and how I can overcome this compusion/addiction. My experiences as a child, have made me cautious - only my husband knows about my surgery plans. I feel there is a stigma associated with being fat and for that matter with seeking surgical help - Most people believe that it is just a matter of self-control - just eat less and exercise more - boy do I wish it was that simple! The extra weight I'm carrying is also taking its toll on my health (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, chronic ankle pain, and edema). My hope is that the band will help me to bring some control to my eating and thus my health. Thank you for sharing a part of my journey and good luck to all the August Bandsters! Innotu

JoannMarie - We share a love of needlework - Quilting for you and embroidery/knitting for me. You are broadening your passion for the quilting arts into writing and I'm making serious plans to teach knitting and embroidery skills. As for the hair business - A beautician/RNY patient addressed our support group about hair loss several weeks ago and recommended "Strength" by Mediceuticals. Apparently their products are also used by Chemo patients. I bought what appears to be a clone product by Sally Beauty. I bought Naturelle yesterday and I'm about to take a shower (to drone out my growling stomach) and use it for the first time. I also kinda-sorta color my hair as it's totally white. I use the color-depositing BROWN shampoo products in my own watered-down version with great results. Interesting side-story to my Sally Spree - The clerk who helped me was in month #4 of her supervised diet for a RNY. She was unaware of the lift of the 6-mo diet requirement by several insurance companies. She's with Geisinger, I'm with BC and she was very excited about contacting her surgeon's practice about her own status. I gave her my card (I have an online-store where I sell needlework originals) and hope to hear from her soon.

:sick :sick Hi all... You should see the state of me typing here! I cannot sit down bc of these horrible gas pains in my side so I have been standing at my computer all day with the keyboard on a high stool so I can type!! LOL LAURAJ....you are not alone with the pain in your side... don't panic it is gas...I'm on day 4 of it now & I'm lucky I am alone in my office otherwise I would have to be out sick... I just can't bear sitting down. I find painkillers help. I can also 'push' into my pain area but I'm not as it's too sensitive. If I hadn't known to expect this I would be in th ER demanding that I was suffering a heart attack...so yes.. it can be that severe!! However...I am getting done what I have to do & with a smile on my face... I just keep imagining how good I'll feel when the pain is gone! As for appetite & being able to drink more I am at that point too. I can take in 200-300mls at a time but going as far as 300 is a bit much...if I do that it's usually because I FORGET to slow down & I'm sorry by the time I've taken in 300... the fullness is not happening as fast as my intake is but I just have to learn to sync the 2. I probably am not getting in enough protein either... I am useles at tracking & recording...mostly because I am scatterbrained at the best of times! I'd say mushie stage will be difficult..I anticipate I will feel initial guilt that I'll feel I'm overeating as I come off such a small intake.. I'll have to prepare for that. Chica Chuls...dynamo & Kity...Thank you for your kind words... TRACYinKS !!!!! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!!!! WELL DONE.... PLEASE BE GOOD TO YOURSELF POST OP IN CASE YOU NEED MORE TIME...MAKE YOUR PLAN B TO TAKE IT. Although with all the good will you'll have coming your way, you'll probably be up & about after surgery helping the nurses with their rounds!! We'll all be thinking of you.. Feck this standing up working thing...everything's taking me ages!! I'm going for a walk....feck the paperwork!!!:girl_hug:

Good luck Elayne! Keep trudging forward. BC/BS accepted my WW cards, which weren't even for the previous 6 months. I had to follow a 1000 calorie diet for two weeks before surgery and lost 9 pounds in that time frame. So far, it's all been worth it!

Good Morning All, I can see by the time most of you are in a different time zone. lol It's only 6:30 where I live and now it's raining so the snow is melting and will be yucky by the time I need to go out. Suziecat- love the smilies and it might be the explanation to where they all come from! They regenerate them selfs. Tracy Ks- I see the ones in your near future and then I hope not to be far behind. Yesterday I cleaned out th fridge and when Bruce came in from work I fed it all to him. Now life can go back to normal around here. We have no kids in the house so normally it's empty and void of sugar snacks but, not this week. I don't dare get on the scale till Sunday! But reading about all you helps so thanks for the invite. Have a groovy day Violets.

Kat- She got her invoice weeks ago, we delivered the product before she ever paid it. Accounting came to me and said hey we went to close this job out and saw there is payment outstanding.. so I went back to check with them, I e-mailed her another copy of the invoice to reference what I was talking about. I wrote back she wrote an offensive e-mail and she can mail the check, happy holidays. I just got her reply, and it's ALL bs. She is clearly a racist bitch. Period. So, tomorrow I am writing the outlined e-mail of the costs WE incurred fixing THEIR problems. And I will make sure to not be as nice as I have been. No one at our company deserved to be talked to the way she is, ESPECIALLY when we busted our ass for her and to make her deadlines (even though SHE breached the contract for deadlines when she turned in the bad artwork.)

well violets. I am pissed off... I think that is a good sign. Terry - I've been slowly reading... thank you again... on that happy note. yesterday I asked dbf a money question and he just seemed annoyed that I got some of his money... well I took care of the situation and then told him that I hope he can find it in his heart to give me back the $2k he "borrowed" to get his bike on the road and get his license 2 years ago and how that doesn't seem to be important to him on how much giving him that money and loosing my job 1 month later has impacted my life... and I know he can't give it back now but that he would give it back when he gets his settlement (which is probably going to be a couple years anyway by time they get all his medical stuff together and decide what is going to happen to him with work) NO ANSWER... have not heard from him since... which is why i'm pissed off.. how can he have the nerve to not talk to me when i've given him all I have, including money... oh wait... an email.... and they are still coming in one by one... but nothing about money.... either way, a few months ago i would have been crying my eyes out... now I'm just angry and know I deserve much more... ass hole... but unfortunately, i still have serious feelings... but one of these days... maybe after i finish the book or read it again. F OFF is going to be my answer... I can feel it... or maybe someone else will walk into my life who can give me what i want and have that spark.... and i won't care about his bs answers... Man I feel pretty good... shoot, I don't have time to go to the gym, there is only 1 hr left of child care until 3 and I'm not dressed, so I think i'm going to shower - go to the grocery store with ds, maybe go for a walk... it is cloudy but that is ok, it is not raining... going to get motivated today... I want new jeans

OMG..what has happened to this site?? I feel a bit uncomfortable with it?? I have a a seriously bad day re food wise :cry I mean I blew it big style, with food, red wine and a mint magnum. I feel so fed up, its like I went through all of this for what??? I havent lost any weight for over a week +..... I have a bracelet with no charms :think ....sorry folks I feel soooo fed up. Squale has lost 47lbs!!! I mean apart from eating thin air at water I dont know what to do. Im hungry all the time, Im thinking of food and drink....when I do try and eat food it comes back up, so I force it down, omg....I feel so low... Sorry,

Why not? It's certainly been done before. The earliest scripture is generally considered to be the “Pentateuch”, the first five books of the Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy… though there is some scholarly evidence to indicate that the Old Testament Book of Job may actually be the oldest book in the Bible. These writings were passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. By approximately500 BC, the 39 Books that make up the Old Testament were completed, and continued to be preserved in Hebrew on scrolls. As we approach the last few centuries before Christ, the Jewish historical books known as the “Apocrypha” were completed, yet they were recorded in Greek rather than Hebrew. By the end of the First Century AD, the New Testament had been completed. The oldest copies of the New Testament known to exist today are: The Codex Alexandrius and the Codex Sinaiticus in the British Museum Library in London, and the Codex Vaticanus in the Vatican. They date back to approximately the 300’s AD. In 315 AD, Athenasius, the Bishop of Alexandria, identified the 27 Books which we recognize today as the canon of New Testament scripture. In 382 AD, the early church father Jerome translated the New Testament from its original Greek into Latin. This translation became known as the “Latin Vulgate”, (“Vulgate” meaning “vulgar” or “common”). He put a note next to the Apocrypha Books, stating that he did not know whether or not they were inspired scripture, or just Jewish historical writings which accompanied the Old Testament. The Apocrypha was kept as part of virtually every Bible scribed or printed from these early days until just 120 years ago, in the mid-1880’s, when it was removed from Protestant Bibles. Up until the 1880’s, however, every Christian… Protestant or otherwise… embraced the Apocrypha as part of the Bible, though debate continued as to whether or not the Apocrypha was inspired. There is no truth to the popular myth that there is something “Roman Catholic” about the Apocrypha, which stemmed from the fact that the Roman Catholics kept 12 of the 14 Apocrypha Books in their Bible, as the Protestants removed all of them. No real justification was ever given for the removal of these ancient Jewish writings from before the time of Christ, which had remained untouched and part of every Bible for nearly two thousand years. The first hand-written English language Bible was produced in the 1380’s by John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, scholar, and theologian. The invention of the printing press in the 1450’s made the Bible widely available to lay people. In 1496, John Colet, another Oxford professor and the son of the Mayor of London, started reading the New Testament in Greek and translating it into English for his students at Oxford, and later for the public at Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London. In 1516 the scholar Erasmus published a Greek translation of the New Testament. This milestone was the first non-Latin Vulgate text of the scripture to be produced in a millennium… and the first ever to come off a printing press. Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German from Erasmus Greek-Latin text and eventually went on to publish an entire Bible in German in the 1530’s. William Tyndale wanted to use the same 1516 Erasmus text as a source to translate and print the New Testament in English for the first time in history. Tyndale showed up on Luther's doorstep in Germany in 1525, and by year's end had translated the New Testament into English. The first complete English Bible was printed on October 4, 1535, and is known as the Coverdale Bible. John Rogers went on to print the second complete English Bible in 1537. It is a composite made up of Tyndale's Pentateuch and New Testament (1534-1535 edition) and Coverdale's Bible and some of Roger's own translation of the text. It remains known most commonly as the Matthew-Tyndale Bible. In 1539 the Archbishop of Canterbury hired Myles Coverdale to publish King Henry VIII’s “Great Bible”. It became the first English Bible authorized for public use. In the 1550's, the Church at Geneva, Switzerland, was very sympathetic to the Protestant reformers. Many of them met in Geneva, and under the protection of John Calvin, the Church of Geneva determined to produce their own Bible. Their New Testament was completed in 1557 and the complete Bible was first published in 1560. It became known as the Geneva Bible. The Geneva Bible became the Bible of choice for over 100 years of English speaking Christians. Between 1560and1644 at least 144 editions of this Bible were published. In 1568, a revision of the Great Bible known as the Bishop's Bible was introduced. Despite 19 editions being printed between 1568 and 1606, this Bible, referred to as the “rough draft of the King James Version”, never gained much of a foothold of popularity among the people. With the death of Queen Elizabeth I, Prince James VI of Scotland became King James I of England. The Protestant clergy approached the new King in 1604 and announced their desire for a new translation to replace the Bishop's Bible. This "translation to end all translations" (for a while at least) was the result of the combined effort of about fifty scholars. In 1611 the first version of the King James Bible was published. The Anglican Church’s King James Bible took decades to overcome the more popular Protestant Church’s Geneva Bible. One of the greatest ironies of history, is that many Protestant Christian churches today embrace the King James Bible exclusively as the “only” legitimate English language translation… yet it is not even a Protestant translation! It was printed to compete with the Protestant Geneva Bible, by authorities who throughout most of history were hostile to Protestants… and killed them. Throughout the 1600’s, as the Puritans and the Pilgrims fled the religious persecution of England to cross the Atlantic and start a new free nation in America, they took with them their precious Geneva Bible, and rejected the King’s Bible. America was founded upon the Geneva Bible, not the King James Bible.

Now, here's an independent conservative who "gets it" unlike the mean-spirited conservative republicans who are in lock step (all highlights are mine): Fed up with the Republicans 'Independent conservative' DOUGLAS MACKINNON calls on Republican leaders to denounce the bigots in their midst Sunday, January 31, 2010 With his book "The Tipping Point: How Things Can Make A Big Difference," mega best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell outlined real-world acts or issues which eventually became "tipping points" for action. With that immutable law of gravity in mind, I wonder if the latest outrageous, insulting and demeaning remark made by a Republican official at the expense of the poor and minority community will finally be the tipping point that forces the GOP "leadership" to scream enough is enough to such affronts. In case you missed it, Republican Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer of South Carolina compared people who take public assistance to stray animals. Stray animals. With regard to such people -- more often devastatingly poor children in need -- Mr. Bauer said in part: "My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed ... You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that. And so what you've got to do is you've got to curtail that type of behavior. They don't know any better." Are you kidding me? Is this 2010 or 1810? Are we talking about desperately hurting, frightened and humbled human beings here, or are we talking about livestock, or worse, the "possessions" from a shameful and destructive chapter of our history? For the record, I grew up on welfare. Many times as a child, I was homeless, malnourished and petrified of what pain and humiliation the next day would bring. By the time I was 17 years of age, I had moved 34 times -- all of those moves being forced evictions with my family's belongings many times strewn across the sidewalk for all to see. During many of those evacuations across the city of Boston and the face of New England, I encountered a number of people on "public assistance." Most, of course, being fellow innocent children who were hardly responsible for their plight or the fact that their parents "didn't know better and bred." Shame on those children for being the result of "that type of behavior" and for being hungry and in need of "ample food." Ironically -- at least for most of my liberal friends -- from that horrific environment, I chose to become a Republican. The simple reason being that the GOP's core principles of self-responsibility, smaller government and lower taxes spoke to me at the time. After 20 years in the "political" business, I officially gave up on the Republican Party and morphed into an "independent conservative." Like most politicians from both sides of the aisle, many Republican elected officials tend to put self-preservation or the interests of their party well before the needs of the people or their nation. Fine, as depressing, deflating and dangerous as that is, I get it. That's the increasingly heavy burden we all carry which is grinding our future into a fine powder. That said, an honorable way for any politician to stop or at least slow that suicidal progression is to challenge and rebuke those in his or her own party who gleefully turn the grind stone and shame themselves. That the lieutenant governor of South Carolina has done so is not in doubt. Unfortunately, what is in doubt is the resolve of Republican leaders to condemn Mr. Bauer's hurtful and obscene comparison while demanding an apology. To Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin or any other Republican who occupies a leadership position within the party, I would tell you they don't come any more urgent or righteous than this. Mr. Bauer's disgusting attack upon the dignity of poor and minority Americans is a disgrace and must not go unanswered. If Mr. Bauer's rhetorical assault is not "the tipping point" for Republican leaders to forevermore repudiate such vile language and bigoted and ignorant individuals, then theirs truly is the party of yesterday. Their demise will be dictated by hubris and simple math. The complexion of America is growing darker and more diverse by the day. Soon, this minority will be the majority -- a majority which will remember who stood up to be counted when others looked the other way. Douglas MacKinnon, a novelist, is a former White House and Pentagon official who also served as press secretary to former Sen. Bob Dole.

That is so important to hear. At another site where I post I was told that it is people like me who never served, who don't understand. I have posted this many times before, so you can look it up. When I was 19, in 1964, I was gung-ho military and tried to enlist in the US Air Force. I failed my physical because of injuries suffered while playing freshman football in college. The last step of the pre-induction physical was a 26 page questionnaire and the last question was "Are you the sole surviving son of a man killed in the service of the US Military". My father was a US Army Sargent killed in Berlin in WW11 on the day after I was born in 1945, so I answered “yes”. I was told that I failed the physical that day and about 3 weeks later a new draft classification card came in the mail with a classification of “4A”. I was ready to serve, though knowing what I know now, I am glad my knee kept me out of that war; Another war in which we dismissed the French. We laughed at the French for leaving Vietnam and we kept laughing at the French until 65,000 of our youth were dead, many times that many more maimed and many times that number who had miserable lives because of much higher rates of alcohol abuse, drug abuse, crime, spousal abuse and suicide than that of the people who did not serve in Vietnam. And for what? We lost. The dominoes never came down. We were fed a line of crap, just like in 2002 leading up to the 2003 Illogical Illegal Iraqi Invasion. When will we learn? Aren't you glad you asked? I contributed my father. Can you top that?

Once again, I must call BS. Show me one post where I mocked the scripture. Where I showed a hatred of Jesus. Or admit you are lying about me. I take that seriously. Interesting to me that you equate yourself with scripture...:myscared:

Wow, well with this surgery most people have some of the same negatives (the liquid diet), or have similar negative side effects (nausea/constipation), but also have good things to balance it out. I have gone through a lot of the same things as everyone else on here, and am also going through some stuff that may not be as common. Whether or not it makes us regret the surgery is definitely a personal experience based on many factors, but it seems like the majority come out on the side of No Regrets. Like you, I considered backing out a month or so before my surgery date. My daughter helped me realize that with surgery things may or may not get better, and yes, some things could possibly get worse (small percentage). But without it, probably nothing was going to change (at least not for the better). So it ended up being a no brainer and I felt extremely confident going forward even through the sucky pre-op diet (over Xmas) and what I assumed would just be a terrible first few months of puking and misery post-op. Things did not turn out the way I thought, and as I have just been journaling, I will share, if you care to read: I am 5 months post-op as of yesterday. I am down 51.2 lbs, 31 total inches overall since pre-op, body fat percentage back under 30%. My weight loss has been a bit slower than most - they say probably bc my starting weight was lower (205.8) and also I have a lot of chronic pain so my workouts are not exactly intense. But thankfully the more I lose the better I can move. My body did not want to let go of these last couple lbs - I thought I'd never reach the 50 lb milestone! It was like 48, 48.5, 49.2, 49.6...like seriously? Lol, talk about a frustrating month! But I'm finally over that hurdle and goal is between 14-20 lbs from here. I'm short, so honestly I have always looked better lower than that - say in my 120's, but I'm older now and my skin is not bouncing back the way it once did, and gravity is a real son of gun. So I will probably stop around 135/140 in order to keep things looking a little more "well-rounded" - and I also think it will be easier to maintain. That's my thought process right now anyway. My surgery itself went smooth, so no issues there. I have never vomited (which shocks me no end as I'm prone to nausea), I have felt nauseated 2-3x max - but it passed quickly. I do, however, have issues with reflux. Had reflux pre-op that was well controlled by OTC Nexium. Now it can be very painful at times. Like some others, I too think maybe I should have considered the by-pass more seriously, but also bc my ins did not cover and I went to MX as self-pay, the sleeve seemed like the best option overall. One thing for me is I never lost the hunger sensation. My "Ghrelin Game's" strong, I guess. But the biggest "issue" I have had, and it's no small thing, is I still struggle with many solid foods. I have slowly introduced them as instructed and when instructed, chew chew chew, etc. But after maybe 5 small bites of MANY foods (I do ok w/some), I still feel hungry, so I intend to probably eat a few more bites to become satiated, but all of a sudden start getting bad pain in center of diaphragm...feel completely "clogged" or "backed up" with food even though I've eaten so little and I still felt hungry 2 seconds ago...then usually get some reflux...get the hiccups...will need to take Tums...often suck on 1 or 2 wintergreen Lifesavers as they also seem to help w/digestion...then suck on ice chips for a little while which also seems to help. It sounds pretty miserable, and honestly, it is. To avoid, I could probably take 2-3 small bites, wait 20-30 minutes and have another 2-3 bites. Or, just stick to eating softer food. So, most nights I have yogurt for dinner with unflavored protein powder, chia seeds, a few mashed fresh blackberries, and a little organic coconut granola. It's about 5 oz. total, and I take my time eating that also - about 20 mins I'd say. Luckily, I enjoy the yogurt combo, but once or twice a week, I want Real Food for dinner, and that is my struggle. It's especially hard on the weekends bc my husband and I like to go out on Sat to a farmer's market or something and then have lunch (or dinner & a movie...). But it's miserable for me to sit at a restaurant where I can barely eat anything on the menu (comfortably) and then have to sit (w/back pain & probably stomach pain) and wait for my husband to enjoy his meal. Lately we haven't been going out much, which is a real drag. I expected it to be like this for the first several mos, but figured it would slowly be getting better by now. I knew I'd have diet restrictions and certain foods would take longer to agree w/me (some might never work well again), but I didn't expect that So Many real foods (meaning meats/veggies, etc. dinner type foods) would be too painful to eat. For me this is the most difficult thing and I am praying it gets better w/time. If I can eat a couple oz. of chicken/turkey/fish/steak + say 1/2 cup of cooked veggies/salad/potatoes (whatever), w/o any pain or reflux, and enjoy my food & comfortably sit & enjoy the company of my husband (sisters/kids) until they finish eating, even if it's at 9 months or a yr post-op, I will be ok w/that. It's the thought that it might never happen that worries me. On the other hand, when this happens, my husband feels so bad, and sometimes says, "I'm sorry babe, you must really regret having that surgery now." And I'm like, "No I don't! How else was I ever going to lose 50 pounds in 5 mos w/all the health/pain issues I have?" I never thought I would weigh 154 lbs again, much less 135-140 where I hope to land. So, yeah. It sucks that I have to eat yogurt for dinner most nights. (There are a handful of other things I could have instead, but some of those I have for breakfast/lunch/snacks, and also the yogurt is easy to throw together). But hopefully that will get better as more time passes, and if it doesn't...I don't know...I have to think it's got to be better than stuffing my face w/whatever I wanted but then feeling awful every time I got dressed or looked in the mirror...

Hey all! I’m three weeks post op today from bypass. I’ve been very lucky with easily getting down the required liquids and my small blended meals. I’m suddenly struggling with food obsession again. I was okay the first while bc I knew I couldn’t, but now I’m trying actual food and really want the “bad” food. I want pizza and creamy pastas and the chocolate. I’ve held off so far, but have been creeping over the calories. It doesn’t help that I’m not losing much weight. “Only” 5 lbs in the last two weeks. I think the amount of free time isn’t helping. I’m still off work and most of my friends/family are busy this time of year. Any suggestions?

I'm home too! Glad to hear things went as well as they could for a court system, and his no show crap!!! You just take it a step at a time, and the deeper hole he gets dug into financially the better your odds I would guess. Woo hoo on the 12's!!! I have 2 pairs of old 12's I was given that I can wear, but all my new and regulars are 14's and likely will remain that until this belly goes!!! Was also happy to hear the Dr. is going to run things again for you TracyK. I know exactly what you mean about psyching yourself up for the quit! I quit as a New Years Resolution, and chose the day of April 1st. In 100% honesty I know I chose that day in case I wimped out I could claim it was an April Fools joke. Then my ex said I couldn't quit, I was too weak. Just the thing I needed to do it! Last April was 16 years ago!!! We will help! Get your Chantix! Pamela I am sure your observation went fine!!! Enjoy your class! Terry--glad you remembered to thank Tracy's DH for being one of the good guys, they don't get remembered for it too often, they are all usually lumped together as jerks, and they aren't all bad!!! You are always so with it! Well they did 2 different scans today, the MRI and a contrast scan. I had to lie with my head hanging for over an hour, I have a killer headache, and cannot take anything! Then they did an allergen test, and I passed, so they wanted me to swallow a horse capsule, for the scan tomorrow! I said uh uh!!! They found it in smaller capsules in the other pharmacy at the hospital. So tomorrow I go back to have this one done. They measured me, and drew all over my throat with marker! Now my plan was to go to Walmart and grab the things I didn't do yesterday----but I have on a deep V neck shirt, with markings all over me---so just come home, my head hurt too bad anyway. Come home to get Kinsey, and found out the dog had bit her in the face. They have this (sorry but it is) Stupid teeny tiny chihuahua....he weighs like under 3 pounds! It was given to Manda's bf---and the girls love him, but he is attaching to my Mom, and Kinsey went to hug her, and he nailed her. I called Manda and told her the dog has strike 1------she knows I will personally eat the dog if necessary at strike 3!!! No, she really is a good Mom, and will not keep the dog if it is not good with the girls---but I was furious! Thank goodness I put dinner in the crockpot, I do not feel like doing anything!!! Thanks for all the prayers that went with me today, I could feel them! I told Rick, that I had the waiting room full of people waiting for me today! I will come back later tonight, and check in with everyone---going to get Kinsey fed...her broccoli and cheese is ready! Kat

Dell, hope BC covers the band procedure for you. If not, there are self-payers here that can give you advice. How much weight would you like to lose? Best of luck to you!

I'm so sorry to hear about your delay. But, remember that word, it's just a delay. I agree 100 percent about some of the doctor's here in the states. It's kind of like don't say a word until you've walked a mile in my shoes. When I get time today I want to post of my explosion pics of my 3rd degree burned legs and dismissed 3 hours after arriving at the local hospital because I had no insurance. At one point they wanted to put me on life support so I wouldn't have to suffer and 30 min. later the surgeon came in and said we're going to have to release you and you'll have to come here everyday for debreiding for 3 weeks because you have no insurance. I've had it up to you know where with some of they're attitudes. Then, it forces up to go to Mexico and self pay and I pay 700.00 month to Anthem BC/BS insurance. Well, at least now you'll have your band to help loose all you want to loose and I think we're having surgery close to the same time. Your in my thoughts and prayers and you WILL prevail. Sherri

Okay, now I AM JEALOUS. I'm 5'1" and I stopped at 148. I've weight 146 and 147 a few times. My body just settled in. I was so scared I wouldn't be able to stop losing and here I can't even get to goal. I think it is cool though, and I'd love to weigh below goal. As long as it is not too far, bc then you have a cushion.

I have just sent Frederik an email because I am at the end of my tether and need a solution. Here's the message: I have a couple of queries that are, I feel, now at the stage of urgent. I am booked for an appointment on Thursday this week in London. Are you doing the clinic this Thursday? I have been for the last couple of months (of and on) having a little difficulty with acid reflux. I have 6ml in my band and am below my target weight but now very concerned because I have good days and bad days but by no means am I able to eat a proper small meal. Although saying that I have been able to eat seeded bread with cheese (soft) as and when. I have also over the past few weeks managed a couple of pieces of pasta (x 2) and small bits of chicken (approx 1/2 inch in size) and not been sick. I have survived mainly on soup since December 2010 and I have to be honest I am fed up with eating just liquids. I am so exhausted as I am finding it difficult to get the right amount of protein etc and my energy levels have plummetted over the last few weeks where I have to take a nap in the day (when I am not at work) beacuse I am so exhausted. I also have this horrible burning sensation and find that milk helps but amvery worried. So do you think it would be a good idea to have a slight defill? Any thoughts anyone? Thanks Claire x

we actually tried that. At a sex therapist. He refused at first and then went and agreed to everything the therapist said and we drove home separately and he did nothing about it. We stopped going after 6 times bc it just became stupid.

Totally hear ya on the iron sleeve. Lol, I was eating salad within 4 weeks PO. Salad and loads of it. SMH. Anyway... here is what Friday looked like for me (disclaimer: it was vacation and we went to a really cool 3 house tour cocktail party that lasted for 3 hours) Friday am: no breakfast. Drank about 16 oz water to rehydrate from shenanigans from Thursday night. Friday lunch: 3-4 bites fried chicken, 1/2 cup slaw, 1/2 cup collard greens at a museum cafe. Friday 4:30-5:30pm. 1 large glass Chardonnay. Friday 5:45-8pm: spiked apple cider,gimlet, 1 dark and stormy (each house had a 1 cocktail/person limit) and some cheese, crackers, hard cured deli meats, 1/2 ginger snap, 1/3 chocolate brownie spread out between the different venues. Skipped the veggie platter as I judged it would take up too much room that could be used to hold alcohol. 🤣🤣 Friday night 8:30-10pm: 2 more glasses Chardonnay in our Airbnb, then bed. Zero nausea. Zero dumping. Zero hangover. Kind of scary, TBH, but I made sure that I ate small on the food bc there was no way I wanted to curb the beverages. Most days I didn’t even try to eat bf 11am though and my sleeve is still as “tight” as ever in the morning.

I think someone needs their Orchid watered and their Dragon fed... LOL

It's a mixed bag. I'm happy with where I am, I'm getting to where I am happy with my outward (dressed) appearance. It's progress. Need to get back to the Gym and get some more building done... been taking it a bit too easy lately trying to deal with the other BS.

Ok, so don't know that I will take pics every day cuz I'm compelled to go in and color correct etc. And I don't have time or energy for that. LOL. Here was today's food. I'd post afters but they were clean plates. The thing about being AR is that I know how much I can eat by now. So I only serve what I can eat. I probably won't end up eating the BS cuz I finished dinner at 8pm and it makes no sense to try to eat again in 1 hour. But I did actually have 3.25oz of pork loin. Cals were well under 500 for the day and protein was 67g which is fine. Carbs were under my limits as well and fat was fine too. OMG. I'm such a nerd. Breakfast - Egg White Puff Lunch - Chopped Shrimp Salad Dinner - Roasted Pork Loin with Broccoli Tomorrow is "Toosday" and is an UD. I will attempt 1000 cals that do not include a bunch of crap.