Just wanted to check in and see how everyone was. I am still watching what goes in my mouth, but not as strict as I was right after unbanding. I did get a 90 day prescription to Adipex in today. So, I am hoping that I can lose a few lbs with that. I had lost probably about 70 lbs with it before, but then I got pg and gained it back and after my baby I had the band. I hope all is well with everyone! I hate fighting the weight issue, but it is easier to maintain then to lose. I am still glad that I decided to have my band removed. I feel alot healthier!

It is easier to maintain than lose, lol. Maintaining is exactly what I'm doing right now.

I think I need another fill. I just realised I havent had a golfball in about 3 weeks, I can eat difficult things much more easily and am still hungry after the same amount of food that was filling me weeks ago. I'm really anti being tight but I think I've actually loosened off so a small fill is in order. I've been 93 for weeks and weeks and weeks.

I go back to my doc in 10 days and I'm determined to have lost something so I'm really working hard for that time.

Well, I just weighed myself this morning and i am still hanging at 264 - 265 lbs. That is a maintenance of 24 to 25 lbs gain from when I was debanded. SIGH!! AT least the upswing has stopped for now.

I will receive my new supply of Nutrisystem foods in the mail in the next week but in the meantime I am struggling to eat healthier and get my water in.

I am also reading a couple of really good books on self-healing. Rhonda Britten from Starting Over TV (the blonde life coach) has written some just awe-inspiring books that help you deal with your fears and to understand how they affect your every day life.

She has one that I just finished called "Do I Look Fat In This?" What an eye opener. I highly recommend it.

The one I am reading now is called "Fearless Living". Just getting started on this one. She also, has "Fearless Loving" and "30 days to a new you". I can't wait to read those as well.

Fear is a powerful feeling and can cripple us to the point of stagnation. I am trying to conquer all my fears. Wish me luck.

I'm doing OK.. seems to be getting harder and harder to maintain but I'm determined to do it. My size 10-12's are still fitting me. That is a victory. Somedays I struggle and somedays I do great. I stilltry oto think like a bandster and eat like a bandster... my weight fluctuates between 1-3 lbs gain depending on the timne of the month or what I ate the day before from when my band was removed and for it being almost 6 months I am happy

Do I get to play, or is the revision surgery "cheating?"

Remember, I went up to my pre-banding weight PLUS three pounds when I went for the revision...so I was starting at the top...again.

My BMI was 49-ish...it's now 35-ish. My weight loss has been stalled for a couple of weeks (couldn't move, on pain killers and/or steriod inections), and I'm probably going to experience a slight gain...as I'm starting (f'ing) Prednisone tomorrow for a back injury.

When stressing about my mother and my back, I did the only normal thing...for me. I ate all of the chocolate in my zipcode. I knew it made no sense when I bought it and made LESS sense when I ate it, but--at those moments--I apparently trusted the chocolate more than I trusted reason or logic, to solve my problems.

I have learned NOTHING from being banded. I think I made the right decision in going with malabsorption.

And I got my 6-month labs back today. Penni--and other medical types--if there's anything I'm supposed to worry here about will you let me know? I've been really anxious about these!

* = near either end of the "Reference Values"

** = outside the "Reference Values"

~~HEMATOPATHOLOGY

WBC--7.6--(REFERENCE 4.3-10.0)

HGB--12.0--(REFERENCE 11.5-15.0)

HCT--35.6--(REFERENCE 35.0-47.0)

*MCV--80--(REFERENCE 80-99)

RBC--4.45--(REFERENCE 3.90-5.20)

*MCH--27--(REFERENCE 27-34)

MCHC--33.8--(REFERENCE 32.-36.0)

**RDW--15.6--(REFERENCE 0.0--15.5)

PLATELET--416--(REFERENCE150-450)

**TRANSFERRIN--397--(REFERENCE 200-360)

IRON--49--(REFERENCE 37-145)

Vitamin B-12--804--(REFERENCE 211-911)

FOLATE-- >20.0

~~COAGULATION

APTT--34.9--(REFERENCE 24.0-36.0)

PROTIME PT--14.3--(10.0-15.7)

INR--1.06--(REFERENCE 0.70-1.19)

~~URINALYSIS WAS FINE

~~CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY

GLUCOSE--93--(REFERENCE 65-99)

NA--138--(REFERENCE136-147)

K--4.1--(REFERENCE 3.5-5.5)

CL--104--(REFERENCE 96-108)

CO2--25--(REFERENCE 22-29)

ANION GAP--9--(REFERENCE 5-14)

BUN--10--(REFERENCE 6-20)

CREA--0.5--(REFERENCE 0.4-1.1)

UREA/CREA--20--(REFERENCE 10-22)

OSMO CALC--274--(REFERENCE 268-292)

TOT PROTEIN--6.7--(REFERENCE 6.3-8.3)

ALBUMIN--4.3--(REFERENCE 3.6-5.0)

*GLOBULIN--2.4--(REFERENCE 2.4-4.4)

A/G RATIO--1.8--(REFERENCE 0.7-2.5)

FERRITIN--19--(REFERENCE 15-417)

~~PROTEIN ANALYSIS

*PREALBUMIN--20.4--(REFERENCE 20.0-40.0)

~~CARDIAC RISK INDICATORS

TRIG--117--(REFERENCE 0-149)

CHOL--119--(REFERENCE 0-199)

HDL CHOL--64

CHOL/HDL-- 1.9

LDL CALC--32--(REFERENCE 0-99)

VLDL CALC--23 (REFERENCE 0-30)

~~THYROID FUNCTION

T3U--36--(REFERENCE 24-37)

HS/TSH--1.04--(REFERENCE 0.35-5.50)

FREE T4--1.2--(REFERENCE 0.8-1.Cool

PTH INTACT--48--(REFERENCE 14-72)

~~MISCELLANEOUS TESTS

Vitamin A @--0.37--(REFERENCE 0.30-1.20)

RET PALM @--0.02--(REFERENCE 0.00-0.10)

VIT A INTERP @--NORMAL

**VIT D, 25 OH @--15--(REFERENCE 20-57)

VITAMIN B6, PLASMA--PENDING

My PCP says I need a little sunshine and an occasional Protein drink as my prealbumin is at the low end of normal. Is there anything else I should be concerned about?

Thanks,

Sue

WOW!! Sue I wish my labwork looked that good. Yeah a little more sunshine to boost that Vit D would help or just make sure you calcium has Vit D in it.

I think your labs are just find and within normal limits. The albumin isn't anything to get concerned about. Just up your intake of Protein as suggested.

You are doing great. So happy for you. GO SUE!!!

WOW!! Sue I wish my labwork looked that good. Yeah a little more sunshine to boost that Vit D would help or just make sure you calcium has Vit D in it.

I think your labs are just find and within normal limits. The albumin isn't anything to get concerned about. Just up your intake of Protein as suggested.

You are doing great. So happy for you. GO SUE!!!

Thank you, thank you! I didn't want you--or anyone--to think I was "advertising" for the DS. This surgery really IS a worrisome thing, for me, because it has had such negative press. I have an idea of what can go wrong. So I HAVE been religious about the supplements. (I might as well be religious about SOMETHING.) I try to convince myself that one reason that so many surgeons don't like to do this surgery is that patient compliance isn't what it should be and that invites disasterous complications.

And I know of peope who have had obstructions or hernias farther out than I am...so I'm not done obsessing. (And even if I were, I'd find something else to obsess about.)

And then the whole back problem thing...I've had two steroid injections and I'm on Prednisone for 12 days...can we say "hungry," boys and girls? Can we say "eat everything that isn't tied down?" I hate needing this drug. I was once on it for MONTHS...mycoplasma pneumonia...and gained 40 pounds!

Oh well, I see my DS surgeon for my six-month check-up on Tuesday. At least now I can handle being in the car several hours in each direction!

Me? I'm doing pretty crappy. I haven't been hanging around here much - too painful. I've started the process of seeing a psychiatrist as I have been told I have bulemia (non-purging). I'm not sure if that's really it or if I'm depressed and it's presenting itself through binging. I guess that's what I need to find out. Losing my band was the end of the world for me - it was my cure and it/I failed.

In the meantime I've switched from Nutrisystem to going to a clinic for Vitamin shots and next week will start some type of appetite suppresent.

Sorry to be so down.

Hey everyone...I'm hanging tough. LaMad, you are an inspiration to all of the band-less! Way to Go! I've maintained for one month the 10 pound gain which ocurred in the first month after the band was removed. I was unable to eat very well -- or in a way that satisfied or didn't hurt -- for so long, I went a little crazy. I still eat too much sugar. Band did NOT fix that. Portion sizes are bigger, but smaller than they were pre-band. Most of my success maintaining is from exercise. If I dumped the sugar addiction, I'd probably start losing. But, I'm just not there yet!

Elizabeth

8-28-03

03-10-05 revision from slip

03-13-06 removed due to slip #2

-52 from 257 high