I'm here to help...

[mroseharvey 0]

WOW Long YOU LOOK GREAT. I am so proud of you and you are a inspiration to me and to so many on this board. Janet you too are such an inspiraton to me thank you! I know even thrugh difficult and stressful times we can make this work. I have had a very busy weekend my mother in law got out of the hospital and between taking care of her and my own ill mother is been very hectic. I am just taking one day at a time and some days its one hour at a time. I am glad to read everyone posts and see that everyone is doing well. Have a great week everyone.

[pj_txlady 0]

Long, you look GREAT !! WTG.:thumbup:

[Charlene K 1]

I have heard you mention the Muscle Milk several times and I have looked and can't find it. Just wondering where you get yours?

I bought it at Walmart yesterday. In the pharmacy section.

[doodlebug11 0]

Most of my family (other than folks) have not seen me since last summer, so they were all shocked to see me! 57 lbs is 57 lbs. I do have a bitch of a SIL who does not believe in WLS and walked to the other room as we were talking about it. She is ex army lt. colonel and is rigid in all her life. 0600 exercise 0630 shit 0635 eat.... anyway. She showed her true colors this visit, never said a word about how i looked, never asked me how the surgery went, NOTHING. ANd better yet, she is a women's health nurse practitioner!!!

Good Morning All !! Just found this thread and have been reading some of the posts, I think I'll be coming back as often as I can! Sounds like you guys are a great group of people! I copied a piece of a post and wanted to make a comment about what has been going on in my life. I had my LB surgery 04/06/09 and I chose not to tell my co-workers, b/c of the neg. comments and that I just did not want to deal with the constant stares, comments, and I know what they say about other people that have had the w/l surgery. I did tell my family and my church family found out by accident, I go to a small church. O.k., this is what I have been noticing, I am getting NO support from my family and NO support from my church family!! But, I'm getting all kinds of compliments from my co-workers!! Now I'm not the type of person that "needs" constant recognition, if fact I get a little uncomfortable when people say something about my w/l !! But it would be nice for my family to say something nice to me about how much weight I've lost ! I've tried to tell them that even though I've got the band, it is still up to me to lose the weight !! The band is nothing like the gastric, we do have to WORK at losing the weight!! I just feel like they think I've taken the easy way out! Well, thanks for letting me get that off my chest!! Take care and talk to ya later!!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Most of my family (other than folks) have not seen me since last summer, so they were all shocked to see me! 57 lbs is 57 lbs. I do have a bitch of a SIL who does not believe in WLS and walked to the other room as we were talking about it. She is ex army lt. colonel and is rigid in all her life. 0600 exercise 0630 shit 0635 eat.... anyway. She showed her true colors this visit, never said a word about how i looked, never asked me how the surgery went, NOTHING. ANd better yet, she is a women's health nurse practitioner!!!

Good Morning All !! Just found this thread and have been reading some of the posts, I think I'll be coming back as often as I can! Sounds like you guys are a great group of people! I copied a piece of a post and wanted to make a comment about what has been going on in my life. I had my LB surgery 04/06/09 and I chose not to tell my co-workers, b/c of the neg. comments and that I just did not want to deal with the constant stares, comments, and I know what they say about other people that have had the w/l surgery. I did tell my family and my church family found out by accident, I go to a small church. O.k., this is what I have been noticing, I am getting NO support from my family and NO support from my church family!! But, I'm getting all kinds of compliments from my co-workers!! Now I'm not the type of person that "needs" constant recognition, if fact I get a little uncomfortable when people say something about my w/l !! But it would be nice for my family to say something nice to me about how much weight I've lost ! I've tried to tell them that even though I've got the band, it is still up to me to lose the weight !! The band is nothing like the gastric, we do have to WORK at losing the weight!! I just feel like they think I've taken the easy way out! Well, thanks for letting me get that off my chest!! Take care and talk to ya later!!

Welcome doddlebug -

PJTax family is the same way and it bugs her too - I think it's cuz our families see us all the time and so it's not that noticable - heck my gs lives w/me he was 16/17 during my weight loss phase - I lost 100 lbs and he never ever said a word - his friends did - but he didn't - I think that it was cuz no matter what size I was I was still his gm and he loved me - he didn't see it - he just sees my heart.

[IndioGirl55 32]

WOW Long YOU LOOK GREAT. I am so proud of you and you are a inspiration to me and to so many on this board. Janet you too are such an inspiraton to me thank you! I know even thrugh difficult and stressful times we can make this work. I have had a very busy weekend my mother in law got out of the hospital and between taking care of her and my own ill mother is been very hectic. I am just taking one day at a time and some days its one hour at a time. I am glad to read everyone posts and see that everyone is doing well. Have a great week everyone.

Rose - Hugs I know how hard this is on you - Please remember that caregivers need sometime for themselves too so please ask for help from your family members...

[Great2BThin 5]

Welcome doddlebug -

PJTax family is the same way and it bugs her too - I think it's cuz our families see us all the time and so it's not that noticable - heck my gs lives w/me he was 16/17 during my weight loss phase - I lost 100 lbs and he never ever said a word - his friends did - but he didn't - I think that it was cuz no matter what size I was I was still his gm and he loved me - he didn't see it - he just sees my heart.

While I totally agree with what Janet is saying I think in my family it was another reason. My sisters were fairly supportive at first UNTIL I got smaller than them. See I was always the fat sister and now there was a new opening for that position in the family as I resigned from it! When I got to a smaller size than them they said, congrats, but 'now you are PI_____ us off'. They've had very little to say since then, though they did congratulate me on my recent size 8 purchase. BTW, I had no idea what sizes they wore when they found out I was smaller than them.

Speaking of size 8......I posted yesterday wondering if I should get them or not. Well I DID!! Went to the Gap outlet and the style of jeans I like are being discontinued and were marked down to $12!!!! They only had one Long pair and guess what it was a size 8. It was destiny!! LOL Anyhoo, I can zip and button them. Whilst I can't breathe or sit down in them yet, I can get them on. So I bought them, DH calls them my 'dream jeans'. They are on a shelve right by my closet door so I have to see them everytime I go in there. Is that cool or what?? Here when I got the surgery, I just wanted to be a 'normal' size, then thought well a 14 would be good 'cause then I'd have some wiggle room in the normal sizes but my dream size was a 12. And now I am a 10 and knocking on 8's door. Who knew???

(I sure hope that doesn't sound like I am tooting my own horn too much, I am just so super excited)

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

Hi everybody,

It's great to hear that so many are losing and feeling good.. Long, congrats, you'll be in your 8's before you know it... Laura, you're doing so well, just like I figured you would...

Family is fickle..... I've lost 95 pounds and I usually only hear comments from people who don't see me often.. For my family, I think it's because I've been here before and always gained the weight back so they just don't comment often... DH is the one who comments the most and is very good about it...

I find that I am struggling again... Can't find my groove.. I have no restriction and don't get another fill until 6-29.... I'm having a terrible time with head hunger and making bad choices... This break I was forced to take because of my medical problem has sent me to a bad place and I'm having trouble getting out of it.. I know what to do, just can't seem to do it..... I haven't figured out a plan yet... I will, but I haven't yet!!!! Keep your fingers crossed for me please... I need all the positive energy I can get....

Baby is sleeping and should get a couple chores done... Take care all.... Julie

[IndioGirl55 32]

While I totally agree with what Janet is saying I think in my family it was another reason. My sisters were fairly supportive at first UNTIL I got smaller than them. See I was always the fat sister and now there was a new opening for that position in the family as I resigned from it! When I got to a smaller size than them they said, congrats, but 'now you are PI_____ us off'. They've had very little to say since then, though they did congratulate me on my recent size 8 purchase. BTW, I had no idea what sizes they wore when they found out I was smaller than them.

Speaking of size 8......I posted yesterday wondering if I should get them or not. Well I DID!! Went to the Gap outlet and the style of jeans I like are being discontinued and were marked down to $12!!!! They only had one Long pair and guess what it was a size 8. It was destiny!! LOL Anyhoo, I can zip and button them. Whilst I can't breathe or sit down in them yet, I can get them on. So I bought them, DH calls them my 'dream jeans'. They are on a shelve right by my closet door so I have to see them everytime I go in there. Is that cool or what?? Here when I got the surgery, I just wanted to be a 'normal' size, then thought well a 14 would be good 'cause then I'd have some wiggle room in the normal sizes but my dream size was a 12. And now I am a 10 and knocking on 8's door. Who knew???

(I sure hope that doesn't sound like I am tooting my own horn too much, I am just so super excited)

Darling toot away gf (and no it didn't sound that way to me at all) you totally deserve to !!!! losing 125 lbs in 1 yrs time is a MAJOR VICTORY....:grouphug:

Congrats on those 8's !!!!

Yep I was like you I thought that 14 would be great and normal - but here I am a solid 4 with a couple of 2's in my closet.

Hi everybody,

It's great to hear that so many are losing and feeling good.. Long, congrats, you'll be in your 8's before you know it... Laura, you're doing so well, just like I figured you would...

Family is fickle..... I've lost 95 pounds and I usually only hear comments from people who don't see me often.. For my family, I think it's because I've been here before and always gained the weight back so they just don't comment often... DH is the one who comments the most and is very good about it...

I find that I am struggling again... Can't find my groove.. I have no restriction and don't get another fill until 6-29.... I'm having a terrible time with head hunger and making bad choices... This break I was forced to take because of my medical problem has sent me to a bad place and I'm having trouble getting out of it.. I know what to do, just can't seem to do it..... I haven't figured out a plan yet... I will, but I haven't yet!!!! Keep your fingers crossed for me please... I need all the positive energy I can get....

Baby is sleeping and should get a couple chores done... Take care all.... Julie

Julie - It's the full moon out there - there is a choc cake in the lunch room - OMW how I want some - its from some french bakery - I had a teaspoon bite - but gf I gotta tell you I wanted to say forget it I am eating a whole slice (this was after fish & collard greens for lunch and I was physicllay full) So just cuz you don't have the restriction you use to you still know that even with it you can eat around the band so you just have to stay strong... Ya the band stops you from overeating healthy foods but it does nothing againist our trigger food.

Go drink some crystal like have a slice of watermelon - get up and walk out side - just find a distraction - get the trigger foods out of the house

Hugs & Prayers to you to find the strenght to fight your demon foods - Just think as those bad choice as the devil sitting on your shoulder - telling you its ok to eat this or that - well if he was telling you to go murder someone whould you - if he told you to go steal something would you - Hell no - so why do you listen when he tells you to eat something (remember the whole apple & garden - what happend??)

[Apples2 19]

Just checking in after a long (chilly and windy) but wonderful weekend. Spent time with friends and quite time with DH at the lake. Now am home till Wed morning...a little catch up time at home, volunteer, bookwork, etc. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Been doing a lot of thinking about the past 18 months lately. Have my bandiversary on the 17th. Started this process over three years ago and pre-op diet in Nov, 2007. I have been so blessed that this entire journey has been on such a positive road. No complications to speak of. A lot of work was done to transform me into this healthy and energetic person that I have become.

I wish now that I am where I should be, I could reach inside and pass the torch to any of you that are struggling. The only advice I can give right now is to go back to that moment when you made the decision to change your life for good. Back to the time when you KNEW you did not want to live with the excess bagage on your body anymore. Back to the time when you felt so crappy about dragging that extra body weight with you.

When I would get weak during this trip, I would think of that moment of walking about 50 feet accross my lawn at the lake to visit a friend of mine. I BARELY made it. Huffing and puffing and feeling as if I was going to pass out. I was only 49 at the time. I was so ashamed and disgusted and felt just plain crappy at that moment. I just knew I couldn't do it any longer. Tempted by foods that I know could put me back in that situation? Yep...we all most likely be tempted by "not so good for you foods" every day for the rest of our lives. Is giving into those foods on a regular basis going to help us? Nope!

I have treats...I get hungry...but I choose to have some self-control. Self-control is something I threw out the window years ago when I gave up on myself. I've got it back now and it's staying!

I am so thankful that my band helps me with Portion Control with some foods. (Notice the "some" foods part). While I was in the weight loss phase I chose to be stronger than I ever was b/4. I was focused on the end result and was never going to throw it to the wind again.

I would just see those weak moments as little bumps in the road and told myself that if I gave into those "little" weak moments that it would turn into the "big" problem that I was trying so hard to leave behind me.

OK...sorry to sound preachy....getting off the soap box now.

Hey Long.......great photos! Great inspiration to all of us!

[debe9455 0]

Hi everyone, New to the site. I was just banded on Friday the 5th of Jun 2009. Looking for support from anyone. Kind of down. Feel like I am going this alone. My children do not live around here and my parents are elderly and don't understand real well. I have had several days of wondering what I have done. I don't feel hunger. I'm on Clear Liquids for a week and have been able to get all my fluids in. Am I suppose to feel this weird? I know some of the pain and bloating is from the gas? How long does it last? I feel kind of helpless and not sure in which direction to go. There is no live support group in my area. My Doctor is 1 hour and 30 minutes away. :grouphug:

[kath17268 0]

Hi everyone. Once again I am lurking and reading all your posts and they are so helpful.

Apples-I love your advice to go back to the time when we decided to make this change in our lives. It is definitely a low point for most of us that makes us take this step after years of losing and gaining and failing. And I never want to feel like that again. :grouphug:

Debe-I was just banded 4/30/09 and I can definitely relate to having feelings of "what the heck have I done???":eek:. I am still fighting some of that anxiety but I really do feel like it is getting better. I am almost 20 lbs down and I get my first fill on Wednesday so I hope the weight loss will pick up again! Clothes are starting to feel a little better and I am starting to get rid of some of my fattest clothes. Hang in there, it is one day at a time. It will get better and when you start to see the effects of the positive changes you are making, it will keep you going. These wonderful ladies on this string are all proof of that. They got me through that first month and they will help you too!!

[pj_txlady 0]

I bought it at Walmart yesterday. In the pharmacy section.

Thanks...does it taste pretty good? How many Proteins?

[pj_txlady 0]

Welcome doddlebug -

PJTax family is the same way and it bugs her too - I think it's cuz our families see us all the time and so it's not that noticable - heck my gs lives w/me he was 16/17 during my weight loss phase - I lost 100 lbs and he never ever said a word - his friends did - but he didn't - I think that it was cuz no matter what size I was I was still his gm and he loved me - he didn't see it - he just sees my heart.

Yes, I can relate to that. This past Saturday I reached my 60 lbs loss mark. I was sooo excited. My Mom came over and I told her and she said nothing. I posted on Facebook. Not one family member commented, yet some facebook friends did. My co-workers give me the most support, compliments, etc. I posted my before picture in my album here along with a picture taken Saturday. I didn't know how to post them on this thread.

[Great2BThin 5]

Apples, you can preach like that anytime! We all have those moments and though I don't want to dwell on the past anymore or feel like that again, it sure does help to call it up once in awhile when those temptations come a callin'! Never do I want to go back there!

Debe, Congrats on your band. You were banded the same date on me just one year later. I was june 5, 2008. Yes it does get better, but it just might get worse before it gets better. As you heal and the swelling goes down, you start to get hungry and you have not much restriction yet. Hang in there and don't despair, it gets better and better as time goes on and you get fills. I definitely had those what have I done moments. But now one year later and 125 lbs gone, I am having 'so glad I did it moments'.