Hello Junbies ......

I haven't seen a June Band Crew thread yet so thought I would start it .

I'll be banded on June 9th in Texas. I'm getting very excited about it. I know that the band is just a "tool" to aid in my weight loss journey and it will take a lot of hard work on my part to make it successful. I've been overweight my whole life with the earliest memories being around age 4. Although no one else in my family is overweight, I am extremely fortunate to have full family support in my decision. I know that there are many people who's family doesn't offer the support they need. I would love to meet other pre-bandsters being banded in June to walk with me to the banded side of life and offer each other support.

I wish you all the best.

Melissa Lea :hippie:

Pre-bandster 240 lbs

June 9, 2006

Spivak

self-pay

Barbara honey, I feel your pain. I felt like a total failure going in knowing full well I was too tight. It seems like a step back to have stuff taken out, but then again, they don't know how it feels.

I have actually eaten properly the past few days. No trying to sneak in "easy" food. I have had meatloaf, and pork loin, salad, and NO PAIN!!!

I have stuck to the Atkins plan and feel great (although I would kill or die for something sweet). The water weight loss has come off and I feel lighter. Have not been on the scale, I figure I need to work on head issues and relearn my band. That is my main focus.

Please do take things slowly, I tried an egg and it did not work, but what the hay, I can eat MEAT!!! Poor ME, I have to have tenderloin for the rest of my life !!! Tomorrow, I am going to try chicken! Slowly, of course.

You know the only one that can determine what is right for you is you. You can always get more put back in, or more taken out. That is the beauty of the band.

Now for a question: Do you guys/gals measure your food before you eat? If so, what should you measure out? I have just been eating until full, but with a stretched pouch I wonder if I should do that.

Thanks for the help!

I've spent a few minutes catching up on the posts. Barbara 12 I'm so glad your DH is back home where he belongs. It's good that you are progressing, but being too tight is miserable. The gang at surgicenter treated me the same way, but I felt so much better with a little unfill.

Welcome newbies to the June thread. It's a great group here. Lots of good support.

Poodles I'm glad to hear you are doing better now with an unfill. You don't want the pouch to be descended so good that they took some out. It should correct itself and you should feel better.

I, on the other hand, have had little restriction. I enjoyed the cruise and all the good food. Although I didn't eat as much as preband, I certainly didn't suffer or feel deprived. I had something from every course and Idon't think I missed many meals.

When we got home this afternoon I weighed 1.3 lbs more than I did the morning we left. I'll weigh again in the morning to compare morning weight with morning weight.

I am able to eat more than I should so I will be making an appointment for a fill.

Glad to hear everyone had a great holiday and making Valentine's goals. I want to join in that, but I need to think on it a day or two. I want to be realistic, but I do want a target.

Really tired so will call it a night. Glad I could come here to visit with my friends before retiring.

Welcome to the thread Lady!

Well day 3 on Atkins, and day 3 with my unfill. I want sweets in the worst way, but have done my best to stay away. Have found sweet iced coffee (with splenda of course) helps.

Here is what I have had today. Please tell me if this is good/bad/ok. This is the first time in 4 months I have been able to tolerate solids, so I think I am enjoying it way too much.

Brunch: 6 swedish meatballs (3 oz total) (around 11 am)

Lupper: 3 oz pork tenderloin and 1/2 cup low carb pasta with sauce (around 3) YUMMY!!!

snack: Whey shake with English Toffee syrup, really craving sweets now

Dinner: 1/3 cup guacamole, 1 thick slice roast beef from deli counter (around 7)

Snack: Iced coffee

Now that I look at it, it does not look that bad. I am full, but really wanting something sweet. May have another coffee before bed, decaf of course. Tomorrow I should be home free on Atkins.

Just can't tell you how good it feels to not choke on a whey shake in the am. I could not believe that meatballs went down... and they were good!

Don't forget they do have the low carb protein bars that are just like candy bars...that should calm your sweet tooth...Atkins and South beach are good and Think Thin makes some good ones also.

Pinky --you can count me in on the new Valentine's Goal. I didn't reacy my Christmas goal either but I'm 6 pounds closer than I would have been without the goal. My Valentine's Goal is to get to 195 pounds (10 pounds).

Everyone ---Have a Happy and Safe New Year!

Melissa Lea

I can eat eggs!!!! I ate a piece of quiche and LOVED IT!!!!

I am so happy! I feel like a kid in a candy store, only its meat/eggs that I can eat! So Wonderful!!!

Happy New Years Everyone! Hope everyone has a wonderful year!

Poodles so happy for you. Sounds like the unfill has done you a world of good.

The cruise was great. DH and I have colds, but we had a great time. It took 5 hours to get off the ship after a 2 hour weather delay getting into port. They didn't have any custom agents to get everyone through. At least we didn't have planes to catch.

The new year is going to bring me to goal. Not sure how I'm going to do that, but I am. First I need to go get a fill. For me, the most difficulty in all of this has been fills. I can't get to the right restriction and I can't get over too big a fill. I hope the new year brings the right formula so I can get on with the program.

For Valentine goal I want to be down 12 lbs. It will be short of onederland, but it is achievable.

We need to turn our attentions to our June celebration. It will be in Las Vegas. We need to decide on a weekend so we can start looking for hotel and airfare. We did have a travel agent in our group. Let's make it a celebration to remember. How about a spa day for the women and golf for the guys? I know my DH wants to attend. I want to come in on Friday or Thursday night and return on Sunday or maybe Monday. What are your thoughts?

May the New Year bring all of us good health, happiness, and satisfaction of all that we are achieving.

Wecome home Barbara4. Glad you had a good time without much weight gain and hope you get over the colds quickly.

Of course I'm all for the Vegas trip. I looked at the calendar and I have three thoughts. The first weekend is close to the Memorial Day holiday. The last weekend is close to the 4th of July holiday. The 17th is Father's Day. These are just observations and may not make any difference to anyone but thought I would point them out to anyone who might have family obligations on those dates.

That would leave the weekends of June 9th and June 23rd. Is the plan to get a group of rooms at one casino? Or let everyone get their own rooms? It's such a big place with so much to see and do it will take an organized coordinator to keep us all together. Sounds like a good job for a trained "project manager". Just kidding you Barbara! I think we should have scheduled things together and plenty of free time to do things on our own. At this point I'm not sure about my husband attending but I'm sure there will be plenty of gals that will go single so I think we should keep that in mind and not plan lots of things that include husbands that might make singles feel left out. At his point I am thinking a weekend away with the girls (without husbands) sounds really good!

These are just a couple of my thoughts. Let's hear from others. Do we have any idea how many are planning to attend?

Happy New Year to everyone!

Wow! I didn't even know there was a plan to have a trip to Vegas! I would love to go. My dh may or may not be able to go. Money is kind of tight right now as he just got a new job but hopefully by June we should be better off. I can certainly do some looking around. I would be happy with a girls weekend. Being a pitboss I could offer instruction on some of the games.

"They couldn't understand why I wanted to unfill since I had lost 27 pounds in the last two months and the barium went through with no restriction. I can't explain why it looks good on the fluoro and feels so bad in my gut........but I knew I couldn't stand it one more day."

I feel your pain. I can't eat anything without it golf balling. I'd like to be able to eat a small meal of good food, not the junk that is the only stuff I can get down or keep down, i.e., Cookies, Soup, mashed potatoes! I feel like i am not getting the nutrients I need but I dont want to fix or order those kinds of food (salad, fish, veg) because it will be a waste. I am going back for another unfill to .5. If that doesn't work it's a total unfill and start over. I know I can diet if I could just eat those kinds of food.

Good luck......

Stella I hear your pain. Look at my history of fills. It might be that the "amount" of the fill at a time is causing you the problem. If I have them in .3 increments I do better. I don't recover once I start PBing. Go for an unfill and give your tummy a rest. When ready, try going real slow. You might also try only getting .3 taken out. It seems to work for me. The barium never shows me stopped up, but as soon as they take some out I'm fine. No more pain. Go figure.

There are some guys in our June group so I don't want them left out. We need to plan some activities for both guys and gals. I think a spa day is definitely something we need to do. A little pampering is great. PM me your intent on going and how many. I'll look into getting a block of rooms at one of the hotels. If there is enough we may be able to get a price break on spas and/or shows.

Isn't Darrell, one of our members, a travel agent? If he is still monitoring progress let us know. There is a casino out of town called something like Spring Valley ranch that has a spa, casino, nice restaurants, etc. Maybe it would be fun staying there.

Give me your input and I'll see what I can put together. It will be so great seeing everyone and the progress we've made. I hope to drop another 50 lbs by the time we meet. :party:

Happy New Year everyone. I had a great holiday, hope everyone else did too. I sure didn't want to come back to work after being off for 1 1/2 weeks. Sounds like everyone is doing well, getting fills and unfills as needed to eat real food! Praise God I didn't gain anything over the holiday's, I maintained. Now for the hard one. My valentines goal is going to be a bit different. Today is the 1st day of my new NON SMOKING life. My goal is to STAY NON SMOKING and not gain any weight. For those of you that have never smoked that is not a easy challenge. Smoking has always been a HUGE vice for me, but I am determined to kick the nasty habit. Please pray, send good thoughts, whatever, my way. I will need the strength!!!! I hope that 2007 brings us all much joy and happiness! As far as Vegas, I will talk to DH about it, but I can garauntee (sp?) that if I can come he will come with. With my new found body and self image he is feeling a little self conscous about his own weight right now and wouldn't let me go without him. Not that he doesn't trust me, he just is having his own issue's. I pray that 2007 finds him in a place where he will do something for himself about his own weight. Heart disease runs in his family and being 6.2 and pushing 330 he scares me ALOT!!!!!! I love him and want him around to grow old with!!!!

Happy New Year Everyone! Wow --I sure have missed alot the past few days. I ended 2006 and began 2007 with a stomach virus. Not too bad though.

Regina --congrats on the smoke free life. Everytime you feel you need a light you just come to us and type away (keep those hands busy else where).

Barb4 and Barb12 --Vegas in June is great!! I recommend the weekend of the 9th or 23rd also. Holiday weekends, hotel prices go up in Vegas. I would like to fly in maybe on a Thursday night (late) and back on Sunday. Spa day and maybe a show would be great!! I'm not too much of a gambler. I too am single so no DH coming along. I might bring a friend thinking of being banded or not. It will be a blast!!

Melissa Lea

Regarding Vegas...........I would vote for staying on the Strip where there is so much to do. Depending on where we stay I may get my room separate from the group. Since I go so often I can get my room free at several different places. Weekends are not cheap in Vegas and the sooner we book rooms the better.

Do we have a count yet of interested Junbies?

You can count me in Barbara!! I personally like Treasure Island. The rooms are pretty reasonable for it location (almost center strip). But if we do all stay at seperate hotels we can put together an itenary of meeting places etc. Off strip has much more reasonable rooms for those watching their pennies. We might be able to get group rates if enough people want to go.

Melissa Lea

I vote for the strip as well. I just though that valley ranch had a great spa and would be different. However their prices are way too much. I can get discounts at Bally's, Caesars, Paris, and Flamingo. I think Bally's will be the best. They have a spa and we should be able to book a show. As soon as I can get a count I'll see what the hotel can do for us getting a block of rooms.

I think a weekend is still our best choice as some of us work. I plan on coming in on Thursday night and leaving on Sunday or Monday depending on airfare. I suggest we do the spa on Friday and a show on Saturday night. That will leave plenty of time for togetherness and time for alone stuff. Either weekend of the 8th or 22nd works for me. PM with your desired date, time of arrival, number of people, whether you want to share a room, etc. and I'll see what I can do.

I couldn't get a fill date until Monday the 8th. I'll need to watch what I eat as I'm a little too open. Self control Barbara, self control. :girl_hug: