Great Idea - I will do it right now !!

Hi

I am Janet and I am a recovering food addict :wink2:

I was banded 7/17/07 - My starting weight was 250 - I'm 5'4

Today (just over 10 months out) I am 154 - size 8 pants (was 18/20) Medium tops (was 22/24)

I got banded as I wanted to extend the years that I have left on this planet and to do that I knew that I needed to lose weight.

The band has been the tool I needed. For the first time in my life I have been able to achieve this goal (actually getting to my goal weight)

If you want a buddy - support - help - suggestions - Please feel free to call upon me - I will gladly share my journey with you - the journey is still on going and by helping you I will be helping me (staying motivated and accountable) and then one day you can pay it forward and help someone else.

Hi Joanne: I'm glad you weren't on the computer for a while...it's probably a lot more healthy for you to be up and about! I think lately i've been on too much! The fact that it's in my kitchen all shiny and new with an cute Apple logo makes it harder to resist!

I agree about the coffee ...the headaches are too much! My post op people told me right off that coffee is fine! Now you have 3 days left and I have 1!! I know you will do great Joanne...you are so generous with support and keeping the focus off yourself. You will be in my heart and prayers as well. I will write you as soon as I can....BTW the more I read, the more convinced I am we are very lucky to have this surgery!! To lose weight on our own after age 50 well you know how that goes.......thanks again Joanne.

marg

Thanks Indigo for your sound advice....I am smiling as I read my frantic, ridiculous post about speedy liver shrinking! I didn't think you could actually shrink your liver that fast. I've decided being less stressed is a better option for me for surgery and recovery than worrying about my liver size. The office was closed since TGing. Thank you for your well wishes!

Hi Joanne: I'm glad you weren't on the computer for a while...it's probably a lot more healthy for you to be up and about! I think lately i've been on too much! The fact that it's in my kitchen all shiny and new with an cute Apple logo makes it harder to resist!

I agree about the coffee ...the headaches are too much! My post op people told me right off that coffee is fine! Now you have 3 days left and I have 1!! I know you will do great Joanne...you are so generous with support and keeping the focus off yourself. You will be in my heart and prayers as well. I will write you as soon as I can....BTW the more I read, the more convinced I am we are very lucky to have this surgery!! To lose weight on our own after age 50 well you know how that goes.......thanks again Joanne.

marg

GIRL - you are on your way. You have made such a good decision and you're right - we are so lucky to have this option after all these years! My excitement is growing each day since the pre-op began. I am not esp looking forward to Wednesday when it will all be clear liquids, but I will focus on Thursday! It all begins anew that day. Tomorrow for you! I am so excited for you - shrunken liver and all!!!

God bless!

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE. It is Unamerican to not have green bean casserole at Thanksgiving......or is that a southern thing?

WEll it would be UnAmerican in our family. Green Bean Casserole is always on the table for Thanksgiving. It wouldn't be the same w/o it. LOL Funny how some foods have come to mean so much. I don't particularly love it but do eat it because well it's Thanksgiving. LOL

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! I want to be thankful right now, but I'm not in a very thankful mood. I am just scared to death and I've been eating like crazy, even though I had my second fill last week. I am afraid that it didn't take at all.

The economy's so bad and we don't know if my husband's company will even be in business by the end of the year. On top of that I just found out tonight that he may need heart surgery. My hands are shaking so hard, I can hardly type. Thank you all for being here. I don't know what I'd do without you. My best friend of 33 years died this summer and she was the one I could always go to. So I guess I do have something to be grateful for; I have all of you.

Love,

A very scared, a very tired,

Ellen

Ahh Ellen. I've been gone so just now reading this. We are up in the air on Dan's job as well. Plus he is so concerned about the economy since the election. I pray all the time for our nation and leaders, regardless if they are red or blue. LOL Luckily???? DH has been pessimestic about the economy for awhile and got us out of the stock market awhile ago. We are trying to stock the pantry and freezers now while he has a job and then I guess time will tell. LIke Janet I believe we are not given more than we can handle. Sometimes I think God thinks I can handle a whole lot more than I think I can though! But we get through it. It's so nice to have this place to come to when we are struggling. I know any time your heart is operated on it is serious, but how serious is this with Steve's??? One good thing, you have a dr. in the family and can find the best docs!!

Friend, I got questions. I had a fill a week ago Tues. On Tues and Wed before Thanksgiving, I could barely get any food down. Finally on the holiday, I was able to get maybe 3/4 to cup food down at the most. Later on in the evening I tried to eat a piece of pie and got stuck! (ON PIE)!. This is the second fill where I have had restriction, and this one really kicked in. I can drink if not too fast but I have to eat very very very slow to get anything down. Is this the proper restriction or am I too tight. I don't know since I am not used to this. It is hard to eat Protein unless I eat a pencil eraser size bite and chew. It seems that alot of things are getting stuck. I love the restriction but I dont like the stuck feeling. I haven't had it that much at all until now. Today, I did eat a piece of Turkey with a little corn and brocolli. I have had some pie also but a very very small sliver. I just wondered if this is what they call real restriction and do I need to slow down even more. It takes me about 45 minutes or so to eat dinner now and I have to re warm it before I am finished. I'll say one thing, I sure am full. Tell me I'm not to tight! I don't know what to think.

Beckyo:thumbup:

I preface this by saying all docs are different, but my doc says that we should be eating pencil earser size bites of food and chew chew chew and only eat 1/2 cup portions. This works for me and I lose the best at this restriction. I don't feel deprived so is where I strive to be. I'd get stuck on pie too (the crust). I did have some for Thanksgiving but mostly ate the innards. He also says to stop eating at 15 to 20 min.

WEll gals, I am back from SD. We had a good time, well DH had a much better time than I. :thumbup: I'm just not into the hunting from sun up to sun down. My choices were walk the fields with him or sit in the house with all the inlaw gals and cook and do dishes. I did my share of the cooking and cleaning on Thanksgiving since DH & I bought, brought and cooked all the Thanksgiving fixings. So on the other days I did go trouncing around the fields some for the fresh aire, exercise, and sanity! LOL I have one SIL that just gets under my skin and drives me nuts. She sits on her butt all day does nothing to help but has lots of opinions on how things should be done and just likes to get in things and stir things up. Foodwise I did awesome, I never felt deprived and I ate very well by the bandster rules. I had one dessert. I walked a lot in those fields and they are tough walking, uneven ground, badger holes to dodge, corn stalks to weave through, freezing cold temps to stay warm in, etc. I was so excited to come home and weigh figuing I'd have a huge loss. And not one teensy bit, zip, zero, nada!! I was so frustrated, even maybe up a half. Oh well. I realize I have lost so much so fast that this is bound to happen and will be patient. It's just now that I am 14 lbs away from 100 lost I am getting very impatient and anxious to get there. Never did I think I'd be where I am today when I had the surger and need to keep that in mind. It took me awhile to read this thread and catch up, I must go get at my laundry now. I will catch up on the 50's when I get back from some errands. I missed coming here! I needed you all while I was gone.

Long, it's good to have you back. You did great in the fields - considering your knee problems, I was a little surprised you were able to navigate that rough ground so well.

As to the lack of loss - remember you were also in the car for quite a distance coming home. You are probably retaining a good amount of Water from that trip. I'll bet the scales go down in the next day or so. Nothing is going to hold you back now...

I am on pre-op and looking forward to Thursday. Just trying to stay busy and think about the important stuff, not about what I am having for lunch. broth. maybe a little cottage cheese - amazing how good that tastes these last 3 days! I've lost 8 pounds, though, and these, like all others, are gone forever. According to Martha S., that's a good thing.

Long, it's good to have you back. You did great in the fields - considering your knee problems, I was a little surprised you were able to navigate that rough ground so well.

As to the lack of loss - remember you were also in the car for quite a distance coming home. You are probably retaining a good amount of Water from that trip. I'll bet the scales go down in the next day or so. Nothing is going to hold you back now...

I am on pre-op and looking forward to Thursday. Just trying to stay busy and think about the important stuff, not about what I am having for lunch. broth. maybe a little cottage cheese - amazing how good that tastes these last 3 days! I've lost 8 pounds, though, and these, like all others, are gone forever. According to Martha S., that's a good thing.

Thanks Joann, the knee hurt pretty good but it felt good to get out there and do it. Last year I couldn't walk the fields at all at 305 lbs. I've been wearing a boot on my opposite foot for a nerve problem in that foot and it's really aggravating the knee with the lopsided gait I've had. not sure it's worth it. LOL

Good luck to you on Thurs. Your band date is my 6 mos post op appt at my surgeon. You are going to do so well with the band as you know all the if's, and's and but's about it. Good luck!

Long, it's good to have you back. You did great in the fields - considering your knee problems, I was a little surprised you were able to navigate that rough ground so well.

As to the lack of loss - remember you were also in the car for quite a distance coming home. You are probably retaining a good amount of Water from that trip. I'll bet the scales go down in the next day or so. Nothing is going to hold you back now...

I am on pre-op and looking forward to Thursday. Just trying to stay busy and think about the important stuff, not about what I am having for lunch. broth. maybe a little cottage cheese - amazing how good that tastes these last 3 days! I've lost 8 pounds, though, and these, like all others, are gone forever. According to Martha S., that's a good thing.

Prayers and Hugs for you on December 4th!

Hi all tonight (Monday). Today was good day. Got all of the thanksgiving food out and there is only 4 pieces of pie left. DH will eat that. I had a good dinner tonight with this restriction. Long, I wanted to tell you that I found out that I too have a 4cc band. I now how 2.7 in my band and I think I have got great restriction. I just now have to get used to it and not eat too fast. I went and walked 2.4 miles today (as I do every day) but it was 25 degrees out and the wind was really whippin around the park. I would way rather walk in the cold air than the hot air. JoanMarie, I have been watching your posts. You are going to do just fine with this program as you have done your homework. Don't worry about it and you have all of us to help you through. I have lost 51 lbs so far and I would like to have at least another 6 off in December. I measured for this month and between Oct. 26 and Nov.26 I lost 7 1/2 inches and 7 lbs. I was happy with that. I am loosing weight and inches at a pretty steady pace so I am thrilled. Hope everyone is doing well tonight.

Beckyo:tongue2:

Hi all tonight (Monday). Today was good day. Got all of the thanksgiving food out and there is only 4 pieces of pie left. DH will eat that. I had a good dinner tonight with this restriction. Long, I wanted to tell you that I found out that I too have a 4cc band. I now how 2.7 in my band and I think I have got great restriction. I just now have to get used to it and not eat too fast. I went and walked 2.4 miles today (as I do every day) but it was 25 degrees out and the wind was really whippin around the park. I would way rather walk in the cold air than the hot air. JoanMarie, I have been watching your posts. You are going to do just fine with this program as you have done your homework. Don't worry about it and you have all of us to help you through. I have lost 51 lbs so far and I would like to have at least another 6 off in December. I measured for this month and between Oct. 26 and Nov.26 I lost 7 1/2 inches and 7 lbs. I was happy with that. I am loosing weight and inches at a pretty steady pace so I am thrilled. Hope everyone is doing well tonight.

Beckyo:tongue2:

Becky, I have a 14cc band. I didn't know they even made a 4cc band until today when I read of someone else having one. They told me the 10cc was the small and the 14cc was the large. But I have at least 10cc's in it. I am getting another fill on Thurs. at my 6 mos post op appt. Can't believe I've had this band for 6 mos already. What a change 6 mos has made!

Becky, I have a 14cc band. I didn't know they even made a 4cc band until today when I read of someone else having one. They told me the 10cc was the small and the 14cc was the large. But I have at least 10cc's in it. I am getting another fill on Thurs. at my 6 mos post op appt. Can't believe I've had this band for 6 mos already. What a change 6 mos has made!

I find it so strange that everyone reacts differently to the amount of fills they have. I, too, have a 14cc band. 5.5cc's in it after my two post-op fills. I know now that I cannot get any more fills for a long time. I am not too tight but there are days (stress) that I could not get any more food in than I do. It's a mystery!

Oh Long, I'm sorry I thought it was you that had that small band. Anyway it is a mystery how this band reacts on different people. I have noticed that stress does affect my band. One day I can eat some things and the next day I cant. Its wierd but I am glad to be loosing weight. Hey where is Janet tonight?

Beckyo:thumbup:

Thank you all so much for your good wishes coming my way. I am really getting excited. Talked to my DD in Korea tonight and she is almost as excited as I am! I am so ready to get this show on the road...

I have been over weight all my life my BMI is 36.7 and I have Gerd,High Blood pressure, (on med for)hyperlipidemia,and Joint pain. I have Cigna OAP and have done all my testing and 6 months of doctors visits now i'm just waiting on Ins. I am glad to find this site I really need some buddys to help me with this stressful time, I am very nervous cause I have a low BMI and dont think I'll be approved. Is all I can do now is Hope for the best.

Thanks Holly

Good Morning Gang

Marg - Today is your day - hugs & prayers for a safe surgery & speedy recovery... Let us know how you are doing when you can..

JoannMarie - 2 more days and it's your turn... I KNOW you are going to do so well.`

Lori - I am up 2 lbs today - but I know some is Water and some is the fact that I ate way too many sweets You are home now back to your normal routine.. It will come off..

Becky - I got home about 2 yesterday and as I walked in the door a gf call her dh in the hospital with blood clots in his lungs so after 450 miles jumped back in the car to go to the hospital... Got home around 7 - and was in bed by 9 :biggrin: up this morning at 5:15 - Have to drive to Beverly Hills for PS consultation - heck I put 1000 miles since friday - and today will be another 250 or more ...

Apple I think I have large 14 too with 5.5 in it - something close to that anyway...

Holly - Welcome - how tall are you - My understanding is if your bmi is over 35 but less than 40 you have to have 2 comorbities - but each insurance is diff - so it will be up to them. I was lucky I have BC PPO and my bmi was 42 with high blood pressure - mild sleep apena (sp) so I had no problem getting qualified...

Charlene- How are you today..

Well gang got color on my hair - the kitten is all over my desk and keyboard..

Need to jump in the shower - will ck back tonite..

Love & Hugs Janet

Good morning. GRRRR that half pound now has some friends. I'm up another whole pound today. What's going on?? The only difference in my normal routine was my breakfast. While out of town I ate s/f yogurt that had 14gm of protein in it. Normal breakfast is eggbeaters and 2 slices precooked bacon. I drank even more water than normal. Okay, Lori, don't stress over it! talking to myself here.

As for low BMI's I never knew anything over 35 was considered low. I know there are some 'low BMI' studies being done but that is BMI's over 30 and under 35 or so I thought. I don't think you'll have any trouble getting approved especially with co morbidities.