Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

Oh and Lynn is the doc charging you anything for the revision? My doc said he wouldn't charge me to fix mine so I hope he sticks to that or I'll be fighting with him on that.

no charge for any revisions on original procedures. anything for first year is covered with initial request..

New topic for those in the bariatric programs who have struggled with hair loss like I have even before WLS. It was something I have been so self conscious about and could never find a solution for. Well, I have a new product my hair dresser and I tried today that made me so happy I want to share with others. It is a product called Toppik and its hair fibers that are sprinkled into your dry hair after you have done your styling but before you apply your hairspray. The trial size bottle ordered off the internet was $6.50 plus shipping so its worth a try for a small investment. Now that I know I like it, I plan to order a bigger bottle. There are video links on the web site that show the product being applied and it was so fast from the time my hair stylist started that when she had the right side of the top of my hair done, she stopped and said this is amazing, what a difference that makes. We took a picture of it half way done and then when it was all done. I went into the bathroom to look very carefully up close at my hair and it didn't look fake or artificial at all. So, I don't get any financial compensation or anything from this and its up to you to see if you like it.

www.toppik.com

Happy to report that the tiny unfill last week has made a tremendous difference in how I feel and my eating pattern. I also finally knocked off those 2-3 lbs that were fluctuating up and down between 233-236 or so and am hoping I can break into the 220's soon!

Getting good workouts in and trying to make good choices although I found some of the mints yesterday and I had a few and then went back for more so evidently I still have a love for sweets. I need to stay away from all the Halloween candy sales!

Special K I thought by now our craving for sweets would finally go away. I Know how alcoholics feel. If its not in the house I'm fine, and I can even go to the grocery store and not buy the junk, but if I go to a picnic where its avaliable I lose all self control. I think I actually eat more sweets at social events than I did before banding.

I am to the place where I have asked my friends to stop me from going crazy. It's common for me to be up 2-3 pounds after a social event. I leave feeling like a failure and I'm so mad at myself.

Any advice?

Hi Scrappy, I know what you mean. I have been really working on accepting myself and not placing blame when I eat things that I know I should not. I figured that I must start accepting myself if I want to be "normal". That has been one of the hardest parts is not beating myself up everytime I want to have a sweet or dessert. I know now that with the band I will eat way less than what I used to and I know that I will not eat sweets everyday. So it is learning to be accepting of yourself. The head game is so much harder for myself than anything. I am the same with you scrappy. If I do not have sweets in the house then I do not want them, but out in public I have a very hard time controlling myself. I feel that I times I have mastered the head game thing and bam I am back where I was pre-band. So I have work the program all over again. :bored:

Katie K.

Hi guys. I logged in my 'sneaking mints at work' this a.m. in my Bodybugg food tracker for calories consumed adn that was a wake up call. 3 tiny pieces of Brach's starlite peppermint mints - pastels, like they have in a dish at restaurants, 3 = 59 Calories -- I had popped at least 12 of those tiny devils in my mouth yesterday. Now that I have the accountability that I ate more in sugar than in the big salad with eggs I had for lunch, that is a wake up call that should keep me out of it today. One day at a time.

On the social event eating, yes, it is so tempting to want to show people that I can still eat real food, still enjoy a treat and yet still lose weight. Aha... I can stablize or fluctuate up and down at the same 2 pounds with having a piece of pie for dessert or getting into the mints, but I can't go down consistently like I did when I was a newbie lapbander. I think all this is just that ongoing head game working the program stuff. I'm with Potatie on not beating ourselves up as long as we are being accountable to Ourselves and not anyone else as the food police. That's why I like to come here and post as I know you can relate and will encourage me to keep trying and the same from me back to all of you. So, my own message to myself is, step away from the sweets today.

P.S. I did get 30 minutes in on the elliptical and 1 hr of Water aerobics yesterday so I did do things good for myself too!

Howdy everyone!

It's funny, I will allow myself a treat or a slip-up, but the conscious eating keeps me from going into a downward spiral. I usually stop after the initial mistake and move on. That is probably why I am loosing so slow, but the scale is still going down.

I figure we are addicts. It will always be something I have to deal with. They didn't operate on my brain.

I'm hoping to get to oneunderland by the new year. It is not an outrageous goal at the moment.

I just had a fill and it may have been a little too much. It's been a week and it's difficult to get anything solid down. I'm going to give it til next week and may have to get a slight unfill. Funny, I can still get most of my calories and Protein in!

Hi Hope. I am with you about we have a long term issue with overeating as an addiction behavior and we just need to continue being Mindful Eaters now and for the rest of our lives.

I am on the last few days now of the crazy deadline they set for me and my project team back in January that was next to impossible to have a new computer system up and running by September 30 when they had not even selected the people to be on the team until March except for me and a couple preliminary people. I know I have been stress eating and I have been trying to add in extra exercise, get sleep, but it is still a hard thing for me when we are buying goodies and Snacks at work to keep people working long long hours including this weekend on Saturday and Sunday after working long hours all week again. I'm just hanging on and trying to make the best choices I can. No weight loss but not anything gained - just keep fluctuating up and down on those same 2-3 lbs which is so different than where I was a year ago with steady losing downward. That is a big mental hit for me because I know I am responsible for what I eat and nobody else. I hope we will continue to long term keep in touch as those who started the journey with incredible excitement together and keep monitoring and supporting until we all find our happy balance long term.

Doesn't this situation with learning to live for the long term really make you realize the difference now in choosing RNY -- that is a major commitment with no going back -- I'd be in big trouble now with my current behavior with "dumping" and who knows what else so I am being so much more appreciative of their decision as I see how life goes along longer term post-op. I think both Lapband and RNY and Sleeve too, we all cannot really realize what 'live with this the rest of your life' really is like when they are dangling that carrot in front of our face to get those pounds off incredibly fast after we've faced a lifetime of obesity and complications, embarrassment. I was ready to do anything it took. Now, I get compliments on how nice I look, how incredible what I have done is, and it is turning my head inside out some, knowing I still have a good 60 lbs to go, I can't let this interim stage keep me from my end goal.

Okay, sorry for such a long post here. Had to get it off my chest this a.m. I guess so I can go face another long work day.

Kathy

Howdy Everyone!! Long time no post.... I am so impressed with everyone's numbers!!! I have so much I have missed not being on here. I am doing well physically, I walk 6 miles 3 times a week, 2 hours straight without stopping. Before surgery I was walking on the treadmill 15 min at 2.7 mph. What a huge difference. Lots more energy!

I am back in school, online for my BSN completion, working full-time, 2 boys in high school... life has gotten so busy!!! I miss having the time to post here. I want to try to get on here more often, I would like to be further along and can't wait till I get over the 100# loss mark.

I think its fantastic that some of you are following your journey and having plastic surgery, I know its not an answer for everyone, but I am keeping my mind open for it when I get closer to goal!!!

Miss you all!!

Was nice hearing from you Tess. Great job at walking 6 miles at a time. I haven't tried walking that long, a little over an hour a few times. Before I lost weight I was winded within 5 mins. Lapband and losing weight is great!

Tess,

good to see you

you sure are busy. but congrats on going for the BSN.

Keep up the good work

Oh Tess......I am so happy to hear from you.

I have slid down that horrible slippery slope and allowed myself to wallowin the muck at the bottom.

I did decide to get a fill a couple of weeks ago and feel absolutly no difference in what I can eat....so going for a nother fill this Friday. I hope it can get me back on track.

I got on the treadmill this AM and am doing the 5 day pouch test thingy.... see how this goes.

Again....great to see you back! And great to see you are still losing.

Christine

How is everyone doing? I am noticeing that my skin is tightening up slowly but surely. I guess losing over a 100 lbs is going to take some adjusting by the skin. I have been hovering at about the same weight for about 4 or 5 monthes now. Any given time of day I am at between 220 and 230. I actually feel like I've gained weight but scale hasn't shown it. I have been weight training alot and have noticed that I'm getting quite a bit more toned than that of before. Kinda nice to see new veins popping out all over. I didn't even know veins existed in the thigh regions, I was doing leg curls and saw them bulging. I've also found that pull ups are actually cool. Who thought I'd ever be able to do a pull up or 5. How is everyone else progressing? Sorry I don't post or read on here much just busy with work.

Hi guys,

SO much for the 5 day pouch test, could not even make it through one day. Oh well. I am back on the treadmill today and looking foward to my appointment with the doc for a fill on Friday. I want restriction so badly!

I can't believe I hae let myself gain back 16 pounds since my total unfill in March. What a mess. I just want to start losing again. I need to be able to use this tool I had installed, but right now with no restriciton I feel like it was such a waste of time and money and I feel like a failure.

Well, I am up, and I am now getting on the treadmill.

Chrisitne

Just don't give up Christine. Maybe you gained, but that doesn't mean you quit. Get your fill and work out on that dreadmill and you will start losing again.