Subhanallah (Glory be to God),I don't know where to start! I guess i'll start with the bad news, masha'Allah (it is what God has decreed). First, I did not get any excercise in for a week and just started back two days ago. Second, I think I have irratated my esophagus. I do not have a fill, have never pb'd or slimed but I have been feeling swollen, tight, and have a sore ichy throat. Last week we were out of town all day and I had a granola bar....SUSPECT #1! Then the next day I tried some Musli Mix High Fiber Cereal...SUSPECT #2! I supose a grain could have got stuck. I recall having the popcorn kernal feeling, and trying to cough it out slightly. Third, and this really isn't so bad but it leads up to my good news, I 'only' lost one pound in my 9th week out.

The one pound wasn't so bad considering that I had not excercised all that week, ate three pieces of KFC, and that I played taste tester for my friend's new Bakery Home Business. I promised her before the band and she said she felt bad asking me but I told her that I would do it because I wasn't really dieting anyway. I really didn't eat much. She gave me itty bitty pieces of several things....NONE OF THEM SET OFF CRAVINGS!!!! I was shocked. If that were me on Atkins it would have set off either a one week binge or I would have quit all together.

The Good News! I started back walking two days ago! I have been on liquids for two days in hope that it will relieve my irratated esophagus. My weigh in day is on wedsnesdays, so I had no intention of weighing in today (well not officially). Here goes TMI, but last night all the liquids that went in one end came out the other...it seemed non-stop. I thought that had to account for something! I was hoping it was the three pounds I wanted to lose last week to make it a nice 50lbs lost in two months. I was 230 the last time I checked. When I got on the scale this morning before my morning walk, before eating or drinking anything, and after relieving myself...I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was weighing in at 218!!!! I couldn't believe my eyes. I checked to make sure the scale was properly balanced, I woke my daughter up to put her on it to make sure it was working (lent it to my neighbors last night, who have a track record of BREAKING EVERYTHING they borrow!), I got on and off to make sure I was seeing it correctly..it kept saying the samething...218!!! 218!!! 218!!! Allahu Akbar (God is The Greatest)!!!That makes me down 59 lbs in a little over 2 months!!! I like totally skipped the 220's!!! Masha'Allah.

It is so amazing because last night I planned to updated my profile today, after I had weighed my 4 year old and realised that not only had I lost the weight of my 30lb one year old son, but that I also lost the weight of my 40lbs 4 year old. I was going to set a mini goal to lose the weight of my 55lbs 6 year old and then this morning I realised that I had!!!

Almost two years ago I started Atkins at 247lbs. In three months I was down to 217lbs. I am one pound away from that. I bought clothes then that were really nice but gave them all away to charity a few months ago because I could not foresee being that size again and it was taking up unneccesary space. Now all I have in my closet are my 'moo moo's'. I don't plan on doing any shopping any time son because I am still not a size that I want to actually wear nice clothes in yet. I will stick with my comfortable moo moo's for the time being. We go on vacation in August, insha'Allah (God Willing). Perhaps by then I will be a size that I will feel more comfortable buying new clothes in.

I thank Allah for making this all possible. I thank the rulers of this country for having free to minimum cost medical care. I thank my surgeon and his wonderful surgical team for giving me excellant care. I thank my husband for supporting me and paying for this surgury and I thank all my fellow bandsters on these forums for being there for me and other people who had or are considering wls.

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This is absolutely amazing!! Great Job, Im wishing it were I!!

Oh if you are in Saudi, Do you know the plant called haBIzi? I want to grow some for medicinal tea, and cant find the herb online here. I want to know the scientific name so I can do a proper search. Any guesses?

Habizi? No, I haven't heard of it. what does it look like? What is it used for? What is it in English?

COngratulations on your amazing progress.

I dont now what it is in english,,she is from the middle east and she called it habyzi. I have found the plant in the wild a few times but not in the stores. I just cant seem to find out what the real name is. Thanks though!!

Kabeerah - Congratulations on your fantastic success. Your story is inspiring!!

:clap2:

Wow, you've really done so well! I am not at 50 pounds yet and I am was banded at the end of February!

I'm trying to lose for a vacation, too. My brother is getting married in Barbados in August and I would like to feel better and not be so darned uncomfortable in the plane. So far I am down 41 pounds. I would like to be down 80, but that may not be reasonable. I'll do the best I can, though.

Kabeerah that is fantastic! I was worried about having the lapband at first because I