Hi everyone! This is a support thread for bandsters who are approaching or maintaining their goal weight, whatever that may be. This thread will likely include monthly challenges for exercise and/or diet goals, which members can choose to join or not join at their leisure.

I read a book once called Passing For Thin, which was written by a woman who lost 150+ pounds through OA, yet never felt thin on the inside. That is one of the things thread is intended to discuss, as well as the other unique challenges and successes of a bandster who is now Passing For Thin. These issues could be related to food in the maintenance phase, upcoming exercise goals, self-esteem issues, relating to the opposite sex -- anything you confront in your new body.

Maybe in the course of discussing our issues, we will become thin on the inside as well as the outside.

Let the discussion begin!

Wow...We should all read the book.

Thanks for the post, Betty. I'd wondered what happened to her after the book was published.

The book will make you sad, but she's an excellent writer. I wonder if it would make me less sad now that I'm Passing For Thin. Probably not. Lost youth is a big theme for me, and it was for her too. The best I can do is to try not to dwell on it.

Julie - great idea for a thread!

I've been lucky to lose fast, like you. And like you, I also have days where I think I'm still the biggest girl in the room, and other days I have a sexy little swagger in my walk. My head certainly hasn't kept up with my weight loss! And I'm not entirely "comfortable" with all the praise, attention and comments yet....

I'm certainly interested in others who are nearing the "end" of the weight loss journey and how we all start adapting to normal-weight life!

Love the thread!!

I have a question.

I know ALL newbies complain of port pain but I'm not a newbie, I'm 7 months out and my port hurts so bad I can't even run on my treadmill anymore. I had been doing 100 minutes daily and now I'm lucky to get in half that before I weenie out. I just can't do it because of port pain.

Is there something to losing the fat pad above the band that can cause it to be irritated or something? It's getting worse daily. Does anyone else have severe shooting pains in your port this long after banding?

I'm also 7 mo out and have no problems with vigorous exercise and my port - I'd say go see your surgeon! Maybe you pulled one of the stitches out that holds the port in place or something... it doesn't sound quite right to me.

...I'm 7 months out and my port hurts so bad I can't even run on my treadmill anymore. I had been doing 100 minutes daily and now I'm lucky to get in half that before I weenie out. I just can't do it because of port pain.

I would get this checked out immediately. My non-medical opinion/concern would be whether I had a port infection. Is it hot to the touch?

Now my port definitely bothers me because it sticks out so much -- I'm going to look into getting a low profile. But it doesn't hurt unless I hit it, so it doesn't hurt during exercise. If I lay flat on my stomach on a hard surface, I feel pressure there, but not pain, per se.

Pain is always an indication that something is awry. Check it out with your doctor, is my advice. And keep us posted....

Well, I got in my exercise this morning -- 4 mile run with my friend Bob. I so enjoy running with other people. It was also the kind of day where if I didn't have plans to meet a friend, I would have stayed in bed.

I plan to walk home from work too (3 miles) because I'm 0.4 lbs away from moving down a "decade" in weight. Come on 160s!!!

Today is a pretty good day, body image wise. My body has changed again in the last 5 lbs. My shoulders are really standing out and my collar bones are visible at the center of my throat, not just the part that's closer to my shoulder (if that makes sense). I don't remember ever being at a weight where my whole collar bone showed.

Of course, the skin issues on my arms and legs gets worse with every pound lost. If I do pushups (my trainer forces the on me), gravity makes it so that my arms actually wrinkle in the front (across the biceps)-- not just the typical "bat wings" (behind the triceps) we all complain about. Come on December (PS)....

Go Julie - come on 60's! Thanks for the info on the panni - I'll def look into that.....................but...........unfortunately..............there is a bit more hanging................ah well................some days it matters and others it doesn't! I think with summer here - it brings it all to the surface a bit more in clothing - I want to wear sleevless, and have perky boobs popping out as well as wear low rider shorts with a firm junk in the trunk - in another life I'll do that and be 5'10"! Today is a great sunny day and I feel blessed to be a healthy grammy in a size 12/14!

Wasabubble - run to your doc - that much port pain not a normal situation! Check it out!

Didn't get to the gym today - had a rough night of "heartburn" - not usual for me, but the past few days have had more than usual - think it's related to all the problems I've had the past few weeks - taking meds for now and see if that will help - I've got a dr's appt for a refill a week from Monday and so if it isn't better will get help.

Off to play Mah Jongg with my girlie friends today - will plan on walking to the movies this eve - a great hour & 1/2 rt walk.

I would get this checked out immediately. My non-medical opinion/concern would be whether I had a port infection. Is it hot to the touch?

Nope, no signs of infection. Not hot to touch, no fever, no red skin, nothing. That's why this really confused me. I also haven't bumped it or anything similar.

I am going to Mexico with three friends in the morning, I'll ask my doc about it. I don't actually have an appt but they do. I was just going because we were going to go shopping and have a little fun after the fills.

Now my port definitely bothers me because it sticks out so much -- I'm going to look into getting a low profile.

I just found out something interesting. I was in Mexico with a friend getting a new port. She went to a person in the US that didn't use sterile technique for a fill and ended up with an infection. Our doc removed her port a few months ago, the infection cleared up, and he replaced it last month.

I asked him if he was going to put in a low profile port since my friend is at goal. He said it is standard for most Mexican docs to put in a low profile port when they place the band. He said that they use fluoro for fills in Mexico so finding the port isn't a problem and so he can't justify putting in the standard port in the beginning just to replace it at a later time with a low profile type. He said his cost on each port is $600. So why cause the additional expense and the cost of surgery.

I have to admit, I wonder if my port is going to stick out anytime soon even though I just discovered I have the low profile type. I have NO problem feeling it, it is verrry easy to find. I can't imagine what it would feel like if it was the standard type.

PS...

According to Dr.C the low profile port is only a few mm shorter than the standard. So you might want to actually look at the ports and see if you think it will make that much of a difference considering the expense involved. I really think mine is still going to poke out.

Just something to think about.

This is a very interesting thread. I am really enjoying reading it.

I remember when I reached goal, even though I was weighing myself every 3 to 4 days, when I would get dressed I was always surprised my pants would fit. It was like I was in a dream or something. It took me about 3 weeks to get over the feeling. Now I feel so good because I know everything will fit me.

edie

I had such an awesome NSV (non scale victory) the other day. We were at a friends for Fourth of July and someone told me if I could teach them all how to be skinny like me?????

I am at 165 now, down from 190 pre surgury and from 240 my all time highest weight.

I am going for my 3rd fill next weekend. I have 2.4 cc's in my 4cc band and do not have any restriction. I get stuck occasionally though.

I have not really began a good exercise program yet. I have been swimming at least every other day. But I want to start jogging and weight training to tone my arms. My arms and thighs need the most help. But I think because I have lost it slower, my skin didn't suffer.

My goal is 145 or so. I think I need to see how I look at 155. I like to look on the curvy side.

Thanks for starting this thread!!! Audree:D

....We were at a friends for Fourth of July and someone told me if I could teach them all how to be skinny like me?????

Yeah, the "s" word (skinny) and the "t" word (thin) are so foreign to me. Actually, I haven't gotten the "s" word yet, but several people have used the "t" word. It's the weirdest feeling. I've never been thin. I'm still not thin, but to some people I am.

The context is, I'm at a new job. I've only been with the firm for 6 weeks. A group of office assistants were talking in the hall about a diet one of them was trying. I was trying to be friendly and get to know some of my co-workers, so I tried to get in on the conversation. One of the ladies was like "yeah, but you're thin, so what would you know about it." (It didn't come across mean like it probably does here). I was like a deer in the headlights. Almost none of my colleagues know the old me.

For the most part, this is a good thing. In a way, I get to see what life is like for thin people, not formerly fat people. On the other hand, I had an extremely hard time (and still am) adjusting to this job. At least a small part of the adjustment was the fact that no one here KNOWS me. How can you know me at all and not know what I've been through over the last year? Even if I told them, they still wouldn't really get it, not having been with me at 350+.

It's really not a complaint. It's just something I'm going through while Passing for Thin....

Am I welcome in this thread? I have been at goal weight for a year now.

Of course, Chickie!!!!! ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS!!!