Positive people unite! This thread is being created for the sole use of positive people to give positive reinforcement to others in the group that we care about. We know that we may disagree on some issues but we will offer constructive criticism, objective suggestions, we will always give kind support even when delivering the occasional (but necessary) kick in the pants.

What a great thread! I have been feeling down, but seeing so many successful and positive banders lifts my spirits.

I have to remind myself that I have lost 18 lbs even though I have no fill yet and have been struggling with post op eating.

I didnt read all 50 pages but I am still glad to have found this thread. I figure I will work my way through all the pages, reading 4 or 5 everytime I feel down or unmotivated.

Bobbie!! Welcome back! Bout darned time you showed yer face!!

Lovinlife4eva, welcome to our humble abode! Can I call ya LLE? Or perhaps Eva? For short. 18 lbs post-op with no fill is awesome. This is a marathon, not a sprint. One bite at a time, baybay!

Tell us about you. Our histories are back in the early pages.

I am Elmer J Fudd, millionaire, I own a mansion and a yacht!

Ok, NOT!

I am 2 1/2 years post-op. Down around 70 lbs. At the high end of a normal BMI. Been about a year since my last fill. Gonna get another one. My surgeon wants me to have an upper GI first to be sure all is OK. So I am waiting for an appointment for that.

I am in San Diego, have a hubby and a dog (labrador). Work as an Administrative Coordinator for the Federal Aviation Administration. Am about to be promoted to a Management and Program Assistant (same job, name change only)...woohoo. Big Names for "secretary" . But I do very much enjoy my job and love my manager.

Oh, and I hate to exercise.

I found this site @ a week ago and have been lurking ever since. I started reading this page yesterday and decided to join - you guys are so positive and supportive of each other and have so many interesting stories to tell! I love reading everything.

I am a new bandster - June 23, 2010 surgery, no fill (1st one isn't scheduled until Aug 19th). I've lost 14lbs since surgery but haven't lost anything in @ 1 wk.

So funny, yesterday I was in my office and felt this pain in my stomach and realized it was a hunger pain - my stomach growled and everything - I haven't felt that in over a month. I guess this is what you call bandster hell?

Welcome Ajay!! Yes, you are probably entering Bandster Hell!

Grit your teeth, you'll get through it. Follow your doctor's orders, and come here for support!

(((((BOBBIE))))) Nice to zee your face :tongue2:

Hiya to our 2 newbies I am 7 months post op now. The first few months were blah :thumbup:, but now with restriction I can see why people love their band! I work for ALDI as an Admin Asst. (it's ok) I've been married to a great guy now for a little over 7 years and we have 2 cats a lizard and a flying squirrel...so no room for kiddos. I started out with horrible PCOS and pre-diabetes and high triglycerides (sp??), and now take ZERO medications for it all :thumbup:

Ok I think most of you know that I was struggling with heartburn and had an upper GI and was told everything was ok. Well...last night I ate a few chocolate covered soy beans right before bed and woke up about an hour later coughing from the acid reflux and my stomach/throat making frog like sounds :mad2:. I've been taking the Prevacid 2x daily. Hoping I just made a mistake eating that chocolate right before laying down. The heartburn is kinda kickin my butt again today too. My mother sure raised a worrier!

Cocoa, just call me lovin'! I didnt think I would ever ask anyone to call me lovin!!?

I am 7 years married to my stud of a husband and we have one 3 year old son (<- see potty pic to the left). We have 2 dogs and 2 cats, all rescued, and one fish.

I made the decision to have LAP-BAND® for the health of my second child,unconcieved. I hope to get preg in about a year.

My goal is to lose 70-80 lbs in 1 year and run the little rock 1/2 marathon next march.

I love to exercise and walk 3 miles everyday. I have done this for years.

My highest weight, nonpregnancy, was around 280. I now weigh 262.

I am 27 and I have had a weight problem since I was 10. Always the big boned athletic girl. My weight spiked after I got married and only got worse after my 1st pregnancy.

My ultimate goal is to weigh 160-170 but for the sake of time, I will start trying to get pregnant as soon as I reach 190.

I have been obese for 9 years and I cant WAIT to be fit, healthy, and happy!!!

Cant wait to read all of your stories, I think I will start now....:thumbup:

Very cute pic Lovin! 70-80lbs in a year is a very reasonable goal! We all lose differently, but with a great attitude and the fact that you do exercise alot (that's my prob there)...I'm sure you will make it! It's been 7mo for me (I'm 28) and I am down about 60 :thumbup:.

Welcome newbes and welcome back Bobbie! how the heck are ya? There are several people who have checked out for awhile. I would love to hear how they are doing. (good or bad, I just want to hear from them)

Bobbiez, Bobbiez, Bobbiez!!!! Welcomez back Bobbiez!!!! You are always welcome here you dork!

Welcome Lov'n and AJ. Glad you found us, just don't pick on our resident smart ass Brian (Bob) or we'll have to go all gangsta cheerleader on you. Lov'n (sorry, I just can't seem to spell it the other way) where ya from?

I'm Christie, in brief, a 37 year old single mom to am amazing 6 year old boy (whom you will hear way too much about if you hang around long). Married a loser who did bad bad things then headed off to prison (him, not me) about the time my son was born then keeled over dead (again, him, not me) so it's just the boy and I. I have been fat all my life and insecure because of it. I'm about 7 months out and down eh, 76ish pounds? I'm shooting for 160 so just shy of 60 pounds to go. Had to have a slight unfill 2 weeks ago due to yucky stuff so am enjoying eating way too much until I get my refill in 2 weeks. You would think I'd have enough will power to behave for 1 month but apparently that is not the case. I love my band Steve but at the same time he is a fickle pain in my ass...we're still trying to figure each other out but I think we're in it for the long run.

And bandster hell is a fun fun time but it does come to an end and before you know it (hopefully) those pounds will just start falling off...remember, exercise is your friend (although personally I consider it that mean bully I really don't care much for).

Welcome to our happy family!!! Bobbiez, no more running away from home mizzy!!!

Morning everyone!

I have a confession to make. I hate exercise (ok, I've admitted that before), but I haven't done anything since I was so sick back in April. :thumbup: I lost most of my weight with very little exercise.

So, I checked my blood sugar the other morning it was 106. Today it was 112. Yikes! I am not diabetic, was diagnosed insulin resistant prior to banding.

I promised my poochie we are going walking when I get home from work. Our heatwave is over. So there is no excuse.

Ok, confession over.

Our heat wave is started back up for the 5th time this season - Saturday is supposed to be the "hottest on record" but I love summer so I will not complain :thumbup:. I'm so excited because I will be able to go back to the gym on Monday & I lost a pound this week - that puts me up to 15lbs lost since surgery (yay me!)

Morning everyone!

I have a confession to make. I hate exercise (ok, I've admitted that before), but I haven't done anything since I was so sick back in April. :biggrin: I lost most of my weight with very little exercise.

So, I checked my blood sugar the other morning it was 106. Today it was 112. Yikes! I am not diabetic, was diagnosed insulin resistant prior to banding.

I promised my poochie we are going walking when I get home from work. Our heatwave is over. So there is no excuse.

Ok, confession over.

Denise----Oooooh, you bad girl!!!!!!!:thumbup: The only thing I have to say about the whole not exercising thing is "you lucky little witch" LOL!

Lovin'--welcome--cute profile pic!

Ajay--welcome to you as well! So nice to have some new blood :-)!

Bobbie---I agree with Christie about you being a dork, like you need to ASK to come over here. And you don't visit, you live here!!!!!

Stacie--how is the heartburn today? Any better?

Bob--where the h*ll are you?!?

Things are pretty good here. As I mentioned earlier in the week, I had my 5th fill last Thursday. For some reason, everything (including water) is slow going, I am able to eat, no throwing up or anything, but I start getting hungry in about 2 hours. Ugh. There is NO way I can get any more of a fill because I know I won't be able to get anything down, but what the heck gives??? I guess I need to just give in and have a freaking cheese stick in between my meals. Kind of miffs me that my meals aren't lasting longer, but what can I do?

NSV NSV--My hubby and I had to perform at a Mall Bridal Show the other night. After we were done, he grabbed me and took me shopping at Victoria's Secret! He bought me the most gorgeous bras, a teddy and some perfume. I can't tell you how good it felt for me not to be able to shop in there, but to have my husband go in there and treat me to stuff I CAN wear!

Did I mention I LOVE my band ?!?

Karen-- Will you just accept that you are a 5 small meal person and be at peace with it? I think some of us are not built to be able to eat the 3 meals a day, I know that I cant. I eat a breakfast at 8, a snack at 10:30, lunch at 12, snack at 3, dinner at 6 and if I am going to run the next day another snack at 8. It has never hindered my progress. Now the wine is a different story.......

Plus VS! WTG! I love VS!

Denise-- I wish I didn't have to exercise, my new plan is so intense that I have been going to bed a 8 pm on the day I do it. But the good news is my husband has started doing it with me so we spend some time together outside of work. We have to be careful because its easy to fall into a "working relationship" where we only talk about work.

Christie--"we'll have to go all gangsta cheerleader on you"--I am officially stealing this phrase. It makes me laugh...

Stacie-- I have been taking the Prilosec and I feel so much better, I don't know what the difference is but maybe you could ask your Dr?

Crystl-- Is your band back to normal now that you are at a normal altitude?

AJ & Lovin --Welcome we are glad your here.

My name is Leigha, I have been banded 9 mo and I have lost 57 pounds with 8 left to go. I don't want to quit drinking wine and so I whine and try and burn off those 8 pounds with exercise, well see how that goes.:biggrin: In real life I have a small car dealership that my husband Rob and I run together and then I have some rent houses, sell insurance on the side, and I am a "car buying consultant" so basically I do anything I can to keep from having to have a real job. :thumbup:

UPDATE: My friend stopped by to visit today, he hasn't gotten his test results back but he sure did look better, and I could tell he felt better, too. I think they will be positive. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Karen-- Will you just accept that you are a 5 small meal person and be at peace with it? I think some of us are not built to be able to eat the 3 meals a day, I know that I cant. I eat a breakfast at 8, a snack at 10:30, lunch at 12, snack at 3, dinner at 6 and if I am going to run the next day another snack at 8. It has never hindered my progress. Now the wine is a different story.......

Plus VS! WTG! I love VS!

Denise-- I wish I didn't have to exercise, my new plan is so intense that I have been going to bed a 8 pm on the day I do it. But the good news is my husband has started doing it with me so we spend some time together outside of work. We have to be careful because its easy to fall into a "working relationship" where we only talk about work.

Christie--"we'll have to go all gangsta cheerleader on you"--I am officially stealing this phrase. It makes me laugh...

Stacie-- I have been taking the Prilosec and I feel so much better, I don't know what the difference is but maybe you could ask your Dr?

Crystl-- Is your band back to normal now that you are at a normal altitude?

AJ & Lovin --Welcome we are glad your here.

My name is Leigha, I have been banded 9 mo and I have lost 57 pounds with 8 left to go. I don't want to quit drinking wine and so I whine and try and burn off those 8 pounds with exercise, well see how that goes.:biggrin: In real life I have a small car dealership that my husband Rob and I run together and then I have some rent houses, sell insurance on the side, and I am a "car buying consultant" so basically I do anything I can to keep from having to have a real job. :thumbup:

UPDATE: My friend stopped by to visit today, he hasn't gotten his test results back but he sure did look better, and I could tell he felt better, too. I think they will be positive. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Leigha--girl, I don't know what I'd do without you giving me that slap of reality I need. I don't know why I'm in that fixed mentality that I need to be satisfied for 4 hours between meals--it's certainly not my doc's orders, so I need to relax with that a bit. I guess I needed to know it was okay that I was hungry every 2? Who knows, but I am with you about the wine. Something about winding down on a Saturday night with a glass (I maybe allocate 200 calories a week to it). It's my pleasure in life. If I can't smoke or have diet coke, you ain't takin' my wine away LOL

I'm glad to hear your friend looks better. I will continue to send prayers his way. Please keep us posted on the results.

Thanks again for your advice my friend. You have honestly been such a help to me throughout all of this. Not many can deal with such paranoia:wink2:!

Karen-YAY VS!!! Maybe someday I will get there...but the girls don't want to shrink...just sag.

Leigha-I was wrong...looked at my bottle and it is Prilosec not Prevacid.

The acid is still there. It doesn't hurt, just keep burping acid and if I ate anytime soon food will come up to the top of my throat too. I haven't woke up choking since that one night though. Plus I've been drinking a new protein shake and made stuffed peppers which I haven't had since the band and I ate them 2 days in a row right when all of this started. I'm hoping somehow if i just baby it for a few days and quit drinking the new shake that it will go away. Not sure if the initial choke episode could still be giving me trouble and it will get better. I finally did call the PA today, but haven't heard from her yet (Thursdays are surgery days). Have any of you all experienced reflux and it got better?