Hey fellow Maysters!

here is our new home for the month of October. Geez... October already! Where has the year gone?? Can hardly believe Christmas will be here before we know it!

I am hanging tough for now with my band. I haven't lost (or gained!) anything in the past month or so. I go next Monday for my flouro and hope to get back on track after that. I am wearing size 18 for the most part now with some 16's thrown in. Not bad from the tight 22's I was in in May!

I have been pretty stressed out in my life lately. My hubby and I are having some difficulties in our marriage right now in addition to his health problems. I think adding to the stress is me wanting a baby (now that my PCOS is totally under control, according to my gyno that I saw last week! NSV!!!) and feeling like I am having to put that on hold because he can't get healthy. I know that probably sounds selfish to some people but I can't help the way I feel. I feel like I have sacrificed so much for him and for him to be pulling the BS he has been lately is huge slap in the face. I just feel very lost and confused most of the time lately. I have agreed to try and work things out with him and see if we can't get back on track. I take my marriage vows very seriuosly and hope and pray he does too.

Thanks for listening to me vent. You guys mean the world to me!

Peace.

Alicia - Glad to be of some help. Here are some other suggestions:

If you are having trouble getting lean meats down, I have found that making casseroles with ground meats (lean) add enough moisture for me to get them down. Casseroles that call for creamed Soups are especially easy for me to eat. I just substitute the non-fat Soup. ('ve done that for years and notice no difference in flavor.) I add lite velveeta cheese to things like spaghetti (Barilla Plus) with meat sauce which helps up the Protein. I also add cottage cheese to some saucier dishes.

Just wanted to report some progress. I bought several of the high protein foods Linda mentioned and had a very high protein dinner. I usually don't weigh every day but I wanted to see if I noticed any difference by upping the protein. I had gone up to 198 and this morning I was 196.8. Yahoo!! Can't wait to weigh on Monday!

WOOHOO Alicia!!!!

Hey Guys! Had my second fill on Tuesday, the 24th. I now have 2 cc's in my band. I'm on 10-14 days of clear liquids>full liquids> mushies right now..... The Good news is that I'm now at 247LBS!!! NO LONGER MORBIDLY OBESE! I'm JUST Obese! I'm JUST Obese! Thanks for all the support you guys always offer! My next goal is to meet the Turkey Challenge goal.. MAYBE I can make it! Good Luck everyone! Keep up the good work! I gotta change my signature now...

How's everybody doing?

I just wanted to update and let ya'll know what I'm up to.

I had an appointment with my neurologist Tuesday and he upped my neurontin to 600mg twice a day. I was able to walk for 20 minutes on my treadmill this morning. That is something I haven't been able to do in a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG time.

We will see how my feet are at the end of the day. But I am hopeful about this.

I am adjusting to my *plastic temporary teeth* and so I am able to diversify my eating. I am, at this point, able to tolerate cold and warm food and drink. I haven't drank anything at colder than room temperature in about five years!!!!!!!!!!!! I will get my *real* teeth in 2 - 4 weeks. They are in a lab being made.

So although my weightloss is currently at a standstill I have hope to get things going in the right direction real soon.

Kim - Good luck with the 2nd fill - it was a great one for me. Lots more restriction and a really good drop that first month. I just called my doctor today about getting a 3rd...it's been almost 12 weeks and I think I am ready. My fear is that it will still be really tight for Thanksgiving though! I don't want to pig out but I do want to enjoy some of my favorite dishes. My last adjustment took me a long time before I could eat a good variety.

MVPO - That is great news about the treadmill. Keep on trucking!

Hey Alicia! Thanks! I seem to be doing pretty well with this fill... I can start full liquids this evening after a few days on clears (Carnation Instant Breakfast never looked so good). I had been really wishy-washy about this second fill too... I wanna ba able to at least sample my mom's cornbread dressing on Thanksgiving; after all, I AM the Official Dressing tester! I wanted to be kind of conservative with this fill, but Dr. Rose decided I should get my money's worth and put 2cc in... I had 1.25 cc my first fill, and had some restriction. I hope I can eat semi-normally when I get back on solids! If you can get your third fill soon, you should be good to go for the holidays! Good Luck!

MVPO, You Rock!

Hey everyone! Sounds like you all are doing great. I am sicker than a dog right now! Some kind of cold or something that has settled right in my throat. My voice is awful... but at least I can talk today, yesterday not so much. So I took a sick day yesterday! Since I answer phones all day I thought it was for the best. LOL. Today customers keep asking me if I'm sick and giving me their remedies to kick this cold. Pretty funny!

One week from day and I will have my new port and tubing and hopefully have some restriction! Woohoo!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Peace.

Sorry I haven't posted for a while. I was off visiting my son for several weeks. He's having a baby! I can't believe it...I am going to have two grandbabies! My son said for years that he never wanted kids and my daughter wasn't sure. So now I am a happy grandma.

I've been struggling with a slooooow weight loss this month but if I am lucky I may still make my Turkey Take Off Challenge.

Have any of you been struggling with craving carbs? I've been perfect until the last three weeks and then I had an In and Out Burger! I'd never admit that to anyone one else but you guys...and since then I've had three Taco Bell Burritos. Except for one day of my vacation I have been very good at limiting the total calories per day to no more than 1200 but I still wonder if the carbs are the culprits with my slow loss? Any opinions? Anyone else eat fast food occasionally without any problems?

Glad it sounds like everyone is doing well weight and health wise.

Hey Janey,

I love the Carl's Jr. chicken club. I have them do it with no mayo and make it a lettuce wrap. The iceberg lettuce adds plenty of moisture so I find it goes down easily. It is about 200-225 calories and very filling. I actually have it w/o the bacon as well as the sauce then it's about 170 calories.

I know In and Out will do lettuce wraps too.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll head for Carl's Jr. next time I'm in a fast food frenzy...:rolleyes

Well I am scheduled for my third fill on 11/7. I dread it but at the same time I look forward to it. Hopefully I can still eat a little for Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I will be completely miserable not being able to partake in the stuffing and sweet potato casserole. I hope it can help me meet my Christmas goal. Any of you had a 3rd yet? If so, how was it?

Good luck on your Fill Alicia! How much fill do you currently have? You should be back to eating somewhat normally by Turkey Day!

Thank you. I am really not sure what I have in there but I am thinking it is around 2.5 cc. I am going to get all of my stats when I go see them on 11/7. I talked to Gina today about it and she said it would be a pretty small adjustment since I am on my 3rd. She also said they can do it in the office without going to radiology since you can feel my port through my skin. I am a little nervouse but I know a few people that have had the fill done in the office w/o fluroscopy and had no problems. I am hoping for the best. I'd like to be 185 by Thanksgiving and around 180 by Christmas!

I had my third fill a month and a half ago. The only change I have is that if I eat too fast I PB...but if I don't hurry I can still eat too much. I go back next month...and wonder if one more fill will give me the restriction I want...also I don't get any 'signals' that I am getting too full too fast or just full up. I sure hope next time I start getting them because now I have to just be careful to measure what I can have or else I over eat. :phanvan

Anyone else having trouble withnot getting 'signals'?????