July 2006 Band Crew

[Brandy W 1]

Hi fellow July Bandsters,

I haven't been on for a bit cuz I've been having problems. I haven't lost any weight~ and even gained a few pounds. I went in last week for another fill, and it's been going ok, since he only put in 3/4 of a cc in... but my problem is that my mom is living with my husband and I and she keeps buying treats that I can eat, and have a problem saying no to.

It's defeating the whole purpose of getting the band.

How do I say no to chocolate and ice cream in my house?

I'm also feeling discouraged because I'm at 383 still! It's been a month since I've lost any weight. I'm fighting the urge to call my doc and have him fill me some more so I can't eat more than a tablespoon. I'm having a huge urge to use the band to make me anorexic.

I wanted to be down 100 lbs by Christmas, and I don't think it's going to happen.

[indianlight 0]

Hi guys,

Dorry to post this but your my only friends who I can talk to at 11.30 on a sunday night!!

I've just had a phone call froma friend, a friend of ours is in hospital she collapsed at home and her family werre told shed bu lucky to survive the transport to hospital never mind and op. Anyway, she has survived both, a 3 hour op discoverd and extracted a huge blood clot on her brain..she has only just been taken of the ventilator and is still unconciouss, this we thought was good news and our prayers were being answered!! now we've just been told that IF she survives and its a big IF then they think there will be massive brain damage... I'm devestated shes only 48 and has a whole lot of living to do yet..

On top of that we buried my cousins partner last monday after a blood clot got her heart, this killed her instantly she was 54 years old!!

I don't know how much more of this I can cope with, this might sound selfish but I don't know how to cope with it!! I was made redundant from my job a little while ago and officially it ends on 31st October, I haven't tried to get a job yet, i'm sure i'l be able to when i'm ready but I'd decided for the first time in my life to have some ME time and take my time getting another job!

But now I feel as if all this is crashing in on me, to add to this I had a fill I think almost 2 weeks ago, and just before then I developed a cough and it has been getting steadily worse, at the moment I can hardly move without coughing so badly it feels as if my lungs are collapsing also it's making my stomach contract wanting to vomit but im trying not to and i dont think I can handle all this anymore....sorry to moan, I do feel lucky I am alive and have this chance to get fitter but at the moment I feel too distraught and tired to appreciate life!!

Hope you dont mind me moaning, I just needed somewhere to vent my frustrations and anger. Im going to my dr tomorrow so hopefully he will be able to help me... goodnight and godbless xx

[Baylor Mom 0]

Indianlight- I hope the doctor can give you something that will stop the coughing. You and your friend are in my prayers.

Brandy- You can do it. Just tell yourself that you don't need that food because you don't want to go back to that old weight. Get a fill it you need one. I have a husband who likes those forbidden foods too and it is hard to resist. Good luck.

Well I had another episode tonight. I was at a pot luck supper at church and I had 4 bites and it was not going to stay down. Luckily I made it to the bathroom in time. After it came up I felt fine but I didn't eat anything else. Weird how it happens at odd times. Oh well I have noticed alot of weird things happening to me since my surgery. I guess I just have to live with them. Well I had a good weekend except for tonight. I am off to bed. I hope you all have a great week. Please keep us it touch with how you all are doing. Night all. Hugs

[Stesti 0]

Hi Everyone:

It's been a busy October! I've had several weddings, birthdays and friends in from out of town.

Had my 3rd fill this week and have lost 54 pounds. I've reached my first mini goal of 50 pounds and am now starting on my second 50. I've slacked off on working out the last 2 weeks but am going to hit it hard at the gym this week. I want to work out 4 times. The holidays are upon us and I don't want to settle into old habits. I bake and sell fancy Cookies and am considering doing it this year. I could use the money for Christmas but don't want it to sabotage my progress. Not sure what to do about it yet.

I want to continue to keep loosing steadily. I think I have to step up the working out and continue to make it harder every week. I hope you're all doing well and can't wait to read about your success.

Stefani

[ready2bthin 2]

Brandi: Could you ask your mom-in-law to keep the "treats" in her room? I realize that ice cream has to be in the refrigerator but maybe the chocolate could be kept in her own "secret place". I do sympathize with you. I guess the band will not do the part of just saying "no" or walking away. This is the part where we have to work it.

Indianlight: I am very sorry for the loss of your family member and the recent events with your friend. Please take care of yourself. I was glad to see that you will go to your doctor. Hopefully, that will take care of the cough. Praying for health for you and for your friend. Although, they "say" their will be "brain damage", that doesn't necessarily mean there will be. Well, at least I believe that healing can/does happen and know of many who have defied the odds.

Beth: I am with you on the "weird" things that happen now in my body. I know my body much more intimately than I did pre-band. I am having a little difficulty with left shoulder pain, even before I eat.

Of course, I had it when I was first banded due to the gas and then if I overate, I would get it. Well, i'm having it now before eating, etc. I do think that i can change a few things, though and it may help. I will stop eating in the evening. I don't think that I'm giving enough time before lying down. I think I'm having some type of "indigestion" or extra gas and it's showing up in my shoulder. I also drink a shake in the am and it is chocolate flavored. I'm wondering if the chocolate may be irritating me. If anyone else has any suggestions, let me know. Like right now, I haven't eaten anything, just drinking Water and I have the left shoulder pain, the gurgling, and am burping some (I'm drinking water, that's it).

Stesti: So glad you popped in and gave us an update. I was wondering where you were "hiding". You go girl!! You are doing great!! I guess with the holidays coming up, the posting will drop a bit. Everyone gets busy.

[indianlight 0]

Hi all,

Thanks for your kind words, no news on my friend yet but thank you for joining in my prayers for her!!

I went to my dr this morning and he has given me some antibiotics quite strong ones, I've only had 2 doses but can feel a little difference already.

I'm back to my coping self today and will just get on with life again!! Things don't seem as bad in the daylight!!

I haven't been weighed for ages and was going to get my dr to weigh me this morning but his scales didnt go up high enough...oh well, I'l just have to wait until i'm well enough to go to the gym. He did however say that the stress I've been under won't have helped with the band, it may have made it feel tighter than normal so that explains not feeling as if I could eat anythign. Well, on drs orders I'm off to relax...lol

[beachgirl 2]

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a great weekend, boy it was cold here all weekend.

I'm going to Nashville for 3 or 4 days but I'll take my laptop and hope the hotel's wirless internet works halfway and I'll keep up with everyone. Need to do some serious Christmas shopping. Hope everyone is doing great and hope you all have a great week. Check in with you later.

[KariK 0]

Hi friends, Well I took my measurements, I hadn't done it since september 1st, I've lost quite a few inches!! Yayyyy. My most happiest shrink is in my upper arms. They went from 18" down to 16". Even when I was in HS and thin, my arms were big. So its one of my trouble areas. Everything on me has shrunk except my neck. I posted all my measurements on my journal if you want to look lol. Lord I cannot believe im telling anyone my measurements!!! LOL who the heck is this person typing this stuff???? LOL its so funny because if you lived next door to me, I wouldn't tell you half the things I tell you all. Too funny, but its freeing too. Thanks for listening. Kari.

[Paulax 8]

Excited and raring to go...Just came back from my second fill. I have a total of 2.2 and looking forward to seeing the scale moving again.

Feel tight, stuck to mushies today. Ate VERY little, may feel too tight, but tomorrow will be the true test. May just stick to mushies for another day as I am actually afraid to try it out.

My weight loss was very fast at first due to the 25-30 days of required liquid fast our doctor prescribed. I made 24 and lost most of the weight by that point. I think I have lost 10 since that fill, which was 9 weeks ago.

I actually started to eat stupid things, chocolate, and my weight was starting to creep up. So hopefully this fill will get me back on track and I can start to see some losses again.

[indianlight 0]

Hi all,

I just had to share this funny NSV!!

My cat usually sits on one of my legs and this morning she kept falling off, it was so funny she was slowly losing her balance and one of her paws kept slipping!! I know my legs aren't skinny but it does show they are smaller than they used to be......

[ericsmom 2]

Hello everyone - just checking in quickly before heading off to work. I feel like I never have enough time to come on here anymore, but I really love it here, so I'm going to try very hard to keep a regular check in schedule.

I hit 70 lbs the other day...I was so happy...tomorrow will be my official weigh (I weigh on Wednesdays) and then I'll update my ticker. My rings are very loose - they move around when I type...I have a totally "new" old outfit on today and it's probably been 3 years since I've worn it.

I see my dietition today. Last time she said this would be the last monthly appt. Now I'll go every 4-6 months as I've got, as she said, "a good grasp" of what to do. I haven't been on the recumbant bike at all, but walking around the school at work has been my exercise. When I have a new dose of cortisone in my knees I can practically skip down the hallways!!!

I hope all is well with everyone. My restriction at 7 seems to be really good...I can really tell if I swallow too soon with too big a piece of food. This seems to be a good spot for me.

Gotta run! Have a great day!

[ready2bthin 2]

Kari: Way to go!! I saw that you got on your treadmill the other day, too!! I am trying to increase my exercise some, too. I've been doing the 2x a week Tai Chi/boxing/etc. class and I think that if I started walking some, it would help those "problem" areas of the lower body and my trainer says that it will help me to continue to burn.

Indianlight: That's too funny! Isn't strange how we notice our weightloss/inches in the oddest ways. I guess when we were "bigger" we didn't want to notice the opposite, huh? LOL!!

Stephanie: You are doing so well!! I hope you are proud of yourself cuz we sure are proud of you. Those lbs./inches seem to be melting off your body. Sounds like you may have gotten to the "sweet spot" with your band restriction.

[Born2Lose 1]

Hi, it's been a long time since I was here. My ticker said I only lost 17 lbs last time, and now I'm down 35. I am really starting to tell a difference especially when I look at photos. I look at myself (in pictures) and think "I almost look normal."

[beachgirl 2]

Okay guys,

I've got to share my first nsv with you. As you might have read I'm in Nashville shopping until Thursday and I had looked at Opry Mills and 3 other huge malls for pants today. I went to Macy's, Penney's, Sears, Old Navy, Buckle, Aeropotale, Goody's, you name it and they were all stretch jeans and I may be out of style but I just don't like them. Finally of all places I found some Lee Riders, low rise at Walmart here in Nashville, so I went into the dressing rooms and took several sizes. The size that fit with extra room was an 18 regular, no stretch, no plus, just 18. I let out a yep that you could probably here all over the store. I bought them and a 16 for later. Now this may not mean much to you skinny people but I was in 24's 3 months ago so I'm so excited. Just had to share. I'm sitting here in the hotel on my laptop exhausted from all of the looking but it was soooo much fun. First time in years I didn't have to go to Lane Bryant.

[ready2bthin 2]

Born2lose: You look GREAT! Glad to see the band is working for you and you are working the band. Keep us posted!

Sherri Jo: Way to go! Sounds like you had a good time shopping and I'm a Walmart gal, too! There have been plenty of times, I look and look for something and then find it at Walmart. Here you find your "skinny" jeans there! I'm so sick of Plus size clothing, that I'm holding off until I KNOW that I can wear a regular size. My clothes might start falling off me before I break down and go shopping for pants....LOL!!

I'm down another pound!! Not much, but I know the inches are coming off. I had my daughter's piano teacher who hasn't seen me in awhile (months) ask me if I changed my hair. She said I looked good and what was different. Finally, I said about 30 some lbs. gone. I think she knew, but she was afraid to mention weight. I also told her that I have a band...she reacted very positively. So, I better go for now!! Love ya'll!!