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Things going about the same....I had another accident this weekend with my poor body. lol. I was moving a huge branch from my neighbors yard, and well, it was heavy and fell on my foot. Now my foot is so swollen and black and blue, I can't wear any shoes except very loose flip flops. grrrrr. I had to sit the gym out, but last night, I couldn't take it anymore and went to the gym. I did 45 min on the elliptical and worked my lower body out. Had a great abs workout! My foot paid the price later, and I'm still paying for it today, very swollen. Menu today Bfast oatmeal Lunch chicken breast - grilled grilled veggies Dinner protein shake Oh - I took my measurements last night too - I'm going to start tracking them as well again. Since the scale is not moving, maybe my inches are - trying to not get discouraged. Waist - 36" Hips - 44" - scary thighs 23 1/2" - calves - 15 3/4" chest - 39 1/2 arms (biceps) - 13" forearm - 9" neck - 14 1/2" according to my measurements, my body fat is 41% - I'm in poor range, and I'm 24 lbs over the ideal - the most fat I should have is 36% - so, I still have a long way to go. :thumbs_up:

Things going about the same....I had another accident this weekend with my poor body. lol. I was moving a huge branch from my neighbors yard, and well, it was heavy and fell on my foot. Now my foot is so swollen and black and blue, I can't wear any shoes except very loose flip flops. grrrrr. I had to sit the gym out, but last night, I couldn't take it anymore and went to the gym. I did 45 min on the elliptical and worked my lower body out. Had a great abs workout! My foot paid the price later, and I'm still paying for it today, very swollen. Menu today Bfast oatmeal Lunch chicken breast - grilled grilled veggies Dinner protein shake Oh - I took my measurements last night too - I'm going to start tracking them as well again. Since the scale is not moving, maybe my inches are - trying to not get discouraged. Waist - 36" Hips - 44" - scary thighs 23 1/2" - calves - 15 3/4" chest - 39 1/2 arms (biceps) - 13" forearm - 9" neck - 14 1/2" according to my measurements, my body fat is 41% - I'm in poor range, and I'm 24 lbs over the ideal - the most fat I should have is 36% - so, I still have a long way to go. :thumbup:

I have a big-butt desk job. The gas and gurgling were just awful so sitting in chair was miserable. Make sure to wear loose clothes! Anything binding was awful.

I think we all either have or will run into bumps in the lapband journey and we will all handle them in our own way. I was banded June 22- the first week of Dec. I hit 199- Onederland- after starting at 244. The month of Nov. I only lost 2 lbs. and I fear Dec will be the same. My doctor says that isn't really a plateau and to not stress about it, easy for his 130 lbs runners body to say. Granted, I haven't worked out must this last month. I have been busy with work (new system), getting ready for Christmas, Christmas parties and get togethers, and general household duties. I know there should be no excuses. However, when I get up at 5 am and and I don't stop going until 8:30 pm, that is all my body can give. As soon as my butt hits the chair I am asleep. Yesterday, it all caught up to me. Saturday night after our dinner party my head started hurting. I went to bed about 10 with it killing me. Woke of at midnight thinking I was going to have to go to the ER. I got some advil and took some. Woke up at 2 still killing me, but no worse. Again same thing at 5 and 6. I ended up not getting out of bed till noon. After that I felt groggy and like I'd been hit by a freight train. My hubs pointed out that maybe I needed the rest after running at such a rate for the last month and a half. Today I am better, but frustrated. My weight is stalled in the 199-200 zone. I do weight daily, which I know many say don't do, but I track my trends. Since Dec. 2 my weight has been bouncing between 199.2 and 200.8. I have started back counting calories in the last week and my calorie counts daily stay between 1150 and 1300, most days closer to the 1200 mark. My fit bit says I am buring some where around 2000 calories a day so I should be losing around 1 lb a week at the least. But, I'm not. I am staying still. I went to the doctor last week and it appears my thyroid is slightly off. I am going back this week to discuss meds. WTH- my thyroid wasn't off before surgery how the heck is it off now. No more than my thyroid is off my doctor says that shouldn't be causing a weight issue. All this has gotten me down and frustrated and made all my fears resurface. Have I lost all I will loose? Am I destined to always be the fat chick? Can I do this? Am I failing my band? What am I doing wrong? Am I going to gain all my weight back? I am freaking out right now. I want this so bad, but when I am doing what I suppose to (eating less moving more) and not losing I get so discouraged.

Two months have pasted by so very quickly. My weight is at 255. I stayed at 260 for what seemed a very long time. My portions had increased and I was starting to snack in between meals. Last Monday I got my first fill. It was a bit unexpected. I thought I was going just for a regular follow-up. After speaking with the doctor and realizing that I didn't want to return back to his office in a few days, we decided to go for the 1/4 filling. No big deal. No pain and it was fast. Didn't feel a thing. The hardest thing was lifting my legs up in order to tighting my abdominal muscles so that the port was higher up and steady. I've been able to eat just about everything. Although, chicken has been a bit painful to pass thru. I really, really have to make sure it's 30+ chewed. Before I didn't have that problem. My parents are now gone and my house seems empty. I learned to appreciate their help. Like my mom said, now it's up to me to continue the healthy diet, excerise (or what she calls it "keeping busy") and she said something powerful to me: "Be Happy, Enjoy Your Life". With a hug and a kiss and she was gone after close to 3 months of being here in vegas with me. My focus and plans for the future have now changed. Alot of things are up in the air. So many things to think about. I need a year to learn my healthy lifestyle and move ahead. I feel like my life is about to change. :dance:By the way, I love how my clothes feel so loose. yuppy!

I am 32 and just got banded, but like you I have been overweight my entire life. I did every diet there was and took some diet pills as well. I had a Dr. once tell me that until there was a cure, I would be fat and to deal with it. NOW I know that sounds harsh (I was 23 at the time) but that got me through the last 9 years and made me love myself for me. I am the smallest in my family and the first to have surgery. When I first talked to my Dr. she said no. I spent time doing research and went back to her with a packet of information. I had attended an orientation at CMC (Manchester NH) for surgery. ( I looked in your profile and saw you were in MA, but I do not know how far from NH or Boston you are. ) I gaver her facts about how long I had been morbidly obese and what the research has proven about loosing weight and maintaining it. I had my information packet filled out and the entire orientation packet with me. She filled out my referral on the spot. She was impressed with all the information I had about the options that were available. I am also 5'4 and at my highest I weighed 291. Good luck and let me know if I can help in any way. Just don't give up. I am only a few weeks out and I feel great!!!!

Almost one year in - wow what a journey! So many things have changed in my life that still amaze me to this day. My health is 100% better. I have stopped taking at least 8 out of 10 meds. I have so much more energy - I go out so much more, walk and exercise. I feel great about my looks, and I can shop for regular-size clothing! When I go clothes shopping it makes me smile when I try on clothes that are too big for me! This is a mind set that will take some time to change - I've been so big for so long. When I take public transportation and see a seat on the bus or train, my heart does not have to beat fast, realizing that I don't have to size it up to see if I can fit into it. I just sit down with room to spare! This is something else it will take time to get used to. I have 12 more pounds to go before I reach my goal. I have not lost any weight since my last posting - I've hit another plateau that I have spoken so much about. I wanted to be at my goal weight by October 26 - the first anniversary of my LAP-BAND surgery. I'm not going to make it exactly, but, hey, a year ago I weighed 288 pounds! I know I came a long way and I will surely lose the 12 pounds soon. I still work out daily. Now I even have a few women who ask me to help them the with their workout regimen on the weekends. We go the the pier and look at the New York skyline from the Jersey side - makes for a great background for walking and exercising. Two of the women have lost 8-10 pounds each and are so excited about it! Can you believe I'm helping others to loose weight? So I guess it is going to take some time to get used to the new me! I'm extremely happy and excited, and I've been amazed on my one-year journey that has transformed me. Now I'm looking forward to the rest of my life as the new me. I want to thank everyone on this site for all the wonderful support and encouragement that has been so important to me. And I know that this support is so important to all of us who are in the process of changing our lives in such a big way! For more about my journey and to see my Recipes of the Day, please visit my blog at http://life-after-lap-band.blogspot.com/ :ohmy: :frown:

I need Help! I had my BAND 8yrs ago & it doesnt work. I went back the 1st couple times & had the band adjusted thinking it was the band & not me. After several yrs I had no problem eating food still. Im a slow eater anyways. Biggest problem is when I did eat, food felt restricted to go down to my stomach but I still felt hungry. I would wait until the food went down & eat again. I finally said I am going to make this band work & I went back to the doc. He added some fluid in my band. Now I cant drink or eat first thing in the morning. In the middle of the night when I am parched I can not drink. I just swish water around in my mouth and spit it out . MY Delima is: I feel embarrassed to go back to doctor but I have gained weight since I saw him. I want to loose weight. Im not loosing the weight because of the band. Should I go back to doc & tell him to open the band completely so I can drink first thing in the morning & have a healthy protein breakfast or just leave it as is? Please help!!!

2 months post op and 37 lbs?? thats amazing. I am 2 months post op and only down 20 so good on you. Anyway if you lose too fast your skin will show it. Just relax, your kicking butt!!

Hey, BariatricPal Members!We’re turning the corner from winter into spring, and it’s about time! How did the winter go for you? Did you make progress toward becoming the healthy person you want to be? Just before you look ahead to spring, take a look at this month’s BariatricPal newsletter, and spend some time on the boards for further motivation and ideas. Here is what you’ll find in the newsletter. Member Poll: Governor Chris Christie and the Lap-Band Member Spotlight: Meet cindymg! New Jersey Governor Chris Christie: Bariatric Success or Disappointment? Come Chat on BariatricPal We hope you enjoy the newsletter and then you log into BariatricPal to talk about it and everything else related to weight loss surgery. Get tips, share stories, and find inspiration on the boards, and don’t forget to tell your surgeon and support group members about BariatricPal. Thanks for your membership! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Member Poll: Governor Chris Christie and the Lap-Band New Jersey Governor Chris Christie quietly had lap-band surgery in February of 2013. As you can read in this month’s BariatricPal newsletter, recent political events have made the topic resurface, highlighting his 100-pound loss and his current weight of 320 pounds. What do you think about the issue? He failed because his BMI of 45 keeps him in the morbidly obese category. He is doing great because of his 100-pound weight loss in a year. It’s too soon to tell. He’ll fail if he doesn’t lose any more weight or gains it back, but the surgery will be a success if he keeps losing weight. I really can’t give an opinion – I do not know anything about him or his diet, and I would not want people to judge me if they didn’t know me. Other – Read my answer in the discussion! Click here so you can mark your answer and let us know what you think in the discussion on BariatricPal! Our Latest Newsletter Sponsor: Insure Nutrition! We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. Member Spotlight: Meet Cindymg! This month’s spotlight is on cindymg from Chicago. She is a 59-year-old computer consultant who says she has been dieting since high school. In those 40 years, she tried every diet program and calculates that she has probably gained and lost 2,000 pounds in yo-yo dieting. The diets seriously harmed her health as she developed diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease. When she started to lose the feeling in her feet, she knew that she would lose her feet soon if she didn’t do something drastic. After some serious investigation, cindymg chose the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) because she felt it would be effective without having the side effects of gastric bypass. Cindymg’s surgery was in May of 2013. Her starting weight was 258 pounds, and she is just under the 200-pound barrier en route to her goal weight of 175 pounds. She had no complications from surgery, and her family has been largely supportive. Her main challenges now are her excess skin and her hesitation getting rid of her oversized clothes! Since getting surgery, cindymg says that she has been able to cut her medications to one-quarter of what they were. She exercises now and feels much better “without lugging around that extra weight.” She does not get hungry, so she is saving money on food in addition to losing weight! She also notices a change in attitude. Cindymg says she now “eats to live, rather than lives to eat,” and does not feel guilty over food. The gastric sleeve feels like a permanent solution, not a temporary fix. Cindymg says BariatricPal keeps her mindful, and she enjoys reading members’ stories. She hope to provide them with advice and humor. Her advice for members struggling with weight loss is to avoid beating yourself up. Just get up and try again, and “keep coming back to the forum!” Thank you, cindymg, for being in our member spotlight! We are excited to be a part of your journey to mental and physical health, and are proud to be part of that journey. Do you have any members whom you want to see in the BariatricPal newsletter? Do you want to be featured? Let us know in the Member Spotlight Forum or by sending Alex Brecher a private message. Thank you! New Jersey Governor Chris Christie: Bariatric Success or Disappointment? A year ago, New Jersey governor Chris Christie got the lap-band. At the time of his surgery in February of 2013, Governor Christie, who stands at 5’11,” weighed over 400 pounds. Since then, NBC News reports that he has lost 90 to 100 pounds and now weighs in at 320 pounds. The speculation surrounding Governor Christie’s weight loss journey has led to opinions as divided as the political views of those who follow New Jersey politics. Critics maintain that he has failed in this weight loss effort. They point to his current BMI of 45, which places him in the morbidly obese category, and claim that he will be unable to run for president in 2016 because of his weight. Supporters point out that he appears to have lost 40 to 45 percent of his excess body weight, which is right on target for most lap-band patients in the first year after surgery. Governor Christie himself has kept relatively quiet about the issue from the beginning. He did not reveal his surgery until months had passed, and provided few details. In September, he said that he is more than halfway toward his goal, although he did not specify his current or goal weight. What do you think? Is Governor Christie’s surgery a failure? Will his weight prevent him from making a serious run for the presidency in 2016? Is he on the right track? Or, maybe it is too tough to judge because it is too soon to tell or because we, as outsiders, do not know the whole story. Let us know what you think on this thread! Come Chat on BariatricPal Where do you go when you need a pep talk, information about your weight loss surgery diet, or a celebratory high-five? The BariatricPal chatrooms, of course! In-person support groups might only be once a week or month, you need an appointment to see a doctor, and nurses are only available by phone. Family and friends are encouraging, but they might not understand what you are going through. The BariatricPal chatrooms are open 24/7, so there’s always a chance that you can find people to talk to. When you chat with BariatricPal members, there’s a good chance you can find someone who is sympathetic to productive burping, or who can suggest a WLS-compatible snack to satisfy your munchies. The chatrooms have been updated to better serve members’ needs, so come check them out! That’s it for this month’s newsletter. We hope it brightened your day after these long months of winter and gave you some inspiration to look forward to a healthy spring. Thanks for reading it, and we’ll see you on the boards!

Congrats! I hope your success is all good.I have had my surgery on May 2nd/2011 and I am doing fantastic.I lost 14 lbs with the pre-op diet and have lost several inches since then.I had my first fill yesterday and they only filled with 3cc.I hope the next three weeks I loose a few more pounds.I have had great success after my surgery and never got sick.I only get heartburn if I eat too spicy foods,I hope we can stay connected with our weight loss journey

It's week 18 post-op! Still feeling quite the fine lady! It's starting to get cold here in Denver and so I picked up a couple of sweaters. It's the first time I have worn a sweater and not felt like a "pig in a blanket". I had a rough night last night. Did not sleep much at all. I ate a hard boiled egg for breakfast that morning and it all went crazy downhill after that. It did not get stuck or cause me slime, but everything else the rest of the day just felt like it was sitting like a rock in my stomach. And the burping...EWWHHH:scared2: So last night I tossed and turned and turned and tossed but slept mostly sitting up which is not fun! This morning I still felt a little off so I skipped breakfast and had soup for lunch. After that I felt fine. But, here is what cracks me up about myself now. My body makes the weirdest noises through my throat. I can just be sitting there and all of a sudden an alien starts to growl. It's the most weirdest sound. When I go to bed at night it's really noticeable. Double Double Boil and trouble! Anybody else get this?:thumbup: It's not something I can't deal with but it sometimes happens when I really don't need it to, like a quiet meeting or a romantic moment with hubby! :crying: I have not weighed yet. I think I am going to wait until Oct. 3rd. After all that body weirdness I think I just want to wait. My jeans are starting to feel loose again. I am wearing some 16's now. And might I digress a bit....why don't the clothing makers make a standard size? I have Levi's in 18, Just My Size in 16, Cato's in 14 and Lane Bryant across the board with that new single size and color method! Really people..I am not a twister board..Get it together! I am looking forward to my Hawaii trip in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Can't wait for my family who has not seen me to see me. It will be a great "Ta-Da" moment! I am still exercising, still belly dancing, water aerobicing (is that a word?) and doing weights. I am getting stronger each week. So there you have it family....my weekly progress!

I took a mini-vacation this week with my husband. Went to Lake Navajo on the boarder of New Mexico and Colorado. How relaxing it was! I did not exercise this week -- I SLEPT! And with that being said....I still lost a pound. So now I am down 70lbs. My jeans are loose again and I could not be happier. I had some time to reflect on my journey and I have to say I am one happy woman. I really think I will be under 200 by the end of the year. :tongue: Had a little scare this week. Two nights in a row I threw up in my sleep. Scared the HELL out of me! :thumbup: I almost choked! But I was out of town and had no reception on the cell so I had to kinda sleep upright to get myself back together. I know from another bandster that throwing up in your sleep is not a good thing, so I just tried to relax until I got back into town. I thought I was stuck but if I was I am not now. While on the road we stopped at a little roadside BBQ place. I got pulled pork but within five minutes it was coming back up! It was the first time I have had that happen. It wasn't bad, just freaky. So hubby ended up having my dinner and I relaxed my tummy! (giggle) I think if something was stuck, it came up because after that I was back to normal. When I returned I went to the doctor but since I was feeling fine they decided to not do an unfill. So this weekend I reverted to soft foods to let my tummy heal. My hubby took a lot of footage of our trip and for once in my life, I did not mind being in front of the camera. What a WONDERFUL feeling! Our band photographer wants to take photos just of me because in the past I would not go to the photo shoots. (yes I am a singer) I am feeling so skinny and sexy! Let's just say I am putting a little pep back in my love life. Ooohh La La! I am gathering all my clothes that are too big and getting ready for a trip to the consignment store. I gotta finance my new wardrobe somehow! I am doing it ya'll ..... DOING IT!

Does the colace ususally work that quickly....within half an hour? Also, does it just bring on a normal BM or does it cause the cramping and loose, watery stools that some other laxatives cause? Thanks.

anyone have bmi like mine? i really cant loose weight before surgery. they told me if i was under bmi and on the operating table they would not pay. catch 22 really. i have to do a 3 month program thru them and for insurance. its such a fine line to walk. excited and scared.

I tell you...sometimes being a Realtor will throw your life into frantics. It's been a busy week but I am extremely proud of myself for turning off my phone for an hour a day to exercise and refresh a bit. I kicked up my workout this week and it's kicking my butt in a good way. I did not get to take my water aerobics classes this week but I worked out on my treadmill all week. I added five more minutes for 35 minutes and a five minute cool down. I now jog one minute, then walk with different inclines for four minutes. It switches up just a plain old workout. I also added some arm exercises. I hope to combat some kind of flab. Shoot, I am aiming for "brick house" status by next year. I have dropped a couple more pounds for a total of 42lbs since May 21st. I have not had any issues with stuck foods or foods that I can't eat. I have not added pasta or bread to my diet yet. I don't miss it so I see no reason to add it back just yet. My 3rd fill is scheduled for August 11th. Right now I think I am good with the restriction I have. I have to say, it's been so nice for people to see me and say....WOW. It's a good feeling and the loose clothes are a huge plus. I have a full closet of clothes that need to be taken to consignment. Time for a couple dresses for business and maybe one or two new pairs of slacks. I am not trying to purchase a lot since I won't be in them long. Life is good!:sneaky: OK...this is an edit, just three minutes after my post.....I just PB'd for the first time. I think I ate my lunch to fast. It's not pleasant! Don't want to ever do that again!

I had my band placed on June 2, 2009. My dr said I could stop the pill anytime I wanted to; he would just unfill my band when I become pregnant. I set a goal of how much weight I wanted to loose first. I am almost at my goal weight and stopped the pill last week!! Hopefully, it won't take too long!!

How would a 6' tall shar pei look in one of these?? My wife tells me I look deflated.. Wonder could I cram some of this extra skin in one for purely cosmetic benefit?? Sorry, had to ask..

Well I am taller at 5'8" and I weigh 154 and my 10's are getting loose. I probably could get into some 8's but haven't bought any yet.

:cool: Wow where do I start? I just need to let people know how the lapband has changed my life. I started 3 years ago weighing in at 350lbs. Now my weight is right at 200lbs. I still have about 40-50lbs to go. But I feel like even if I dont loose any more weight I have done something with the band that most people dont accomplish. I just want people to know that the lapband really does work. It just takes time. Yeah I know that it is not as fast as the gastric but I felt it was much safer for me. Just wanting to know if anyone else felt the same thing. :thumbup:

So, as all of you know who follow my blog, I haven't been the best a the big E....yes, sad to say, but my exercise has been lacking. So, while surfing YouTube a few days ago, I noticed a lot of those who had WLS were trying/doing/completed this Couch 25k program. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, its a 9 week program that trains you to run a 5K. Its for beginners so I thought, well, I'm a beginner, I'll try it. Lemme just start by saying that, its been more than 20 years since I have jogged. Now, mind you, the last time I jogged, my body was ripped like Britanny Spears (ok, maybe not that hot, but I was an athlete at least..ha ha) Sooooooo....the workout goes like this: work out 3 times a week, walking and running in intervals (more walking than running at first) for 30 minutes. You can download various podcasts with someone guiding you when to walk/jog. OK, I got my 3 sports bras on, my skin tight leggins, and my running shoes..I get on the treadmill and start, hmmm..as I'm warming up I'm thinkin I'm going to rock this workout!! HA HA HA. I can report that I DIDN'T QUIT, and I DID all 8 (was it 8? I coudn't count much less breathe) sixty second jogs...however, I was seriously sweatin, huffin & puffin...but I DID IT!!! I am so proud of myself, even though I was jiggling in places I didn't know a person could jiggle..lmao! I felt like my body just 'woke up'! I know tomorrow I will be looking for the Ben-Gay or Icy-Hot, but for now, I'm damn proud of myself!! Friday is my next workout day, so wish me luck and stay tuned!!

They are sending for approval for my insurance company tomorrow! I am so excited and I hope it does not take long to get an approval. I have not lost my 10% yet, but I have other issues. I hope with sleep apnea, knee surgery, bp starting to climb and lipids up by 18 points they will still approve it. I have now lost 19 lbs and I am walking too. Here is to loosing more and praying for an approval!

:cool: Wow where do I start? I just need to let people know how the lapband has changed my life. I started 3 years ago weighing in at 350lbs. Now my weight is right at 200lbs. I still have about 40-50lbs to go. But I feel like even if I dont loose any more weight I have done something with the band that most people dont accomplish. I just want people to know that the lapband really does work. It just takes time. Yeah I know that it is not as fast as the gastric but I felt it was much safer for me. :cool2: Just wanting to know if anyone else felt the same thing. :thumbup:

Last night was a bad night to be fighting the demons, I call them demons because they go inside my head and tell me things like I'm not good enough or I'm not losing enough. It is a constant battle with them. Whenever I become positive about the surgery, they seem to come from out of nowhere and start with me. It is a tug-a-war between me feeling good about myself and me feeling depressed, I can't seem to get past this no matter how much weight I lose. It just isn't coming off fast enough. It's like I want to lose it over night but I know that won't happen. I look in the mirror and get so sick of what I see...the big belly, the rolls, the saggy skin. How could anyone love me like this? Good thing we have clothes to cover our bodies up. I don't know how to get rid of the demons, I used to cut myself to relieve the pain I felt inside but with the help of medication I don't have that urge anymore. I just need to find a way to keep them from coming back. My head hurts and I feel overwhelmed with emotions when this happens. If any one else feels this way, let me know what works for you.

Super encouraging! Thanks for posting!!! You look fantastic! Can I ask you how your tummy skin is now that you've lost so much wait? My body type looks very simlar to your before pic. If you don't want to share, that's totally fine