Hi everyone--I thought I'd listen to some advice from one of the other monthly groups and start one master thread in which we have an ongoing discussion/updates. I don't know about you all but I certainly spend most of my time on these boards on the pre-op forum and the general forum, not here. It would be nice to have just one thread to go to once in this forum.

We can maybe start out with introductions?

As for me, I'm going the "online privacy" route for now (paranoid that people I haven't told about this will somehow stumble across me on this site I guess, which is crazy, I know) but I can give you the big picture:

You can call me Penny, I'm 27, single and live in the Washington, DC area. I have a background in politics (which is why I live in DC) but now I'm a librarian which is much cooler and way more fun (trust me on that). Oh, and there's no "Marion the Librarian" thing with me either. One of the things I hear most frequently (besides the cliche "you have such a pretty face") is "but you don't LOOK like a librarian", which is another one of those bizarre backhanded compliments that you never really know how to take.

Personality wise, I'm kind of dorky, big into public radio and books and popular science. Oh, I'm also a little on the paranoid side (as you may be able to tell from earlier in this post). Beyond that I'm just kind of silly and friendly, VERY much so into traveling and I'm an aspiring "green" domestic diva (but that's not going so well).

Hey All,

I thought I would stop in and say hi. Things are going okay struggling with the 16 pounds I want to lose to hit my goal of 200. It scares me I guess cause i am self sabotaging. Eating and not exercising. And I have been very stressed at work.

Anyways high all hope you are all doing well.

This is a fly by...........not feeling good. I am having spasms across my abdomen where I had band surgery. I have an appt with the GP on thursday. I have an appt with the WL doctor on the 19th and endocrinologist on the 22nd. Boy, I am old! I should get to the bottom of the this problem. Meanwhile, I am eating on plan and not losing. I haven't been able to walk because of the weather. Okay, later! HUGS to all my buddies!

This is a fly by...........not feeling good. I am having spasms across my abdomen where I had band surgery. I have an appt with the GP on thursday. I have an appt with the WL doctor on the 19th and endocrinologist on the 22nd. Boy, I am old! I should get to the bottom of the this problem. Meanwhile, I am eating on plan and not losing. I haven't been able to walk because of the weather. Okay, later! HUGS to all my buddies!

Charlene,

Hang in there girl. I hope you can find an answer soon to your pain so you can move on in your journey.

:wink2: Hi Guys,

I haven't checked in for some time. I finally had my back surgery and it's so much better. I did gain 12 lbs. in the hospital and haven't lost it all yet. Can't exercise yet but that will come soon, I hope. Have to start being more careful what I eat. Since I've been out of the hospital - 4 weeks now - I've been as hungry as a bear. Reading what everyone has to say sure helps. My computer crashed a couple weeks ago, so that threw me off. :redface: 23 bugs on my husbands e-mails. I think I need to get him his own computer, so if he messes it up I still have mine. Sounds like every one is doing pretty good. I did go on a shopping spree this week. Clothes are made strange these days. Depending on what I bought and where it came from I went from a 12 to an 18. Go figure. Hope everyone has a great week. Quilting Bee

I went to the GP yesterday. She thinks I may have Fibromyalgia. She gave me a muscle relaxer for my stomach and told me to take Advil for pain. A cool front blew in today, and my gut is hurting. I took the muscle relaxer and it didn't help so I found some Levsin. I have so much acid reflux I know I need to get an unfill to help.

I go to the WL doctor on the 19th.

Jeez, Charlene, I hope you get some relief soon.

I went to the GP yesterday. She thinks I may have Fibromyalgia. She gave me a muscle relaxer for my stomach and told me to take Advil for pain. A cool front blew in today, and my gut is hurting. I took the muscle relaxer and it didn't help so I found some Levsin. I have so much acid reflux I know I need to get an unfill to help.

I go to the WL doctor on the 19th.

Isn't advil a NSAID? I thought that wasn't band friendly, I was told it could cause band erosion. You might want to check with your band doctor. I prey you get some relief soon.

Yeah, you are not supposed to take Advil on a regular basis. I had me a drug cocktail last night.......Ambien, Tylenol, Pepcid, and Librax. I woke up this morning feeling much better. Oh, I forgot, I took a low dose of Xanax too. Hey, when you hurt like I did, you have to do whatever it takes. I am hoping to come up with the right mix next time the weather changes. This is the weirdest condition I have ever had. My gut felt like I had diverticulitis......and that is bad. You would think my weight would go down, but I retain fluid with these meds. I will let y'all know what happens after I see the WL doc. I wish he could go in there and take out all of my adhesions. I know I would get some relief.

I hope you can find some releif soon, there's nothing worse then being in pain all the time.

I found this interesting.. especially the part about not seeing results.. I am definitely guilty of over doing the cardio and doing nothing else

"Ma'am, step away from the treadmill!" - 4 Indications you're doing too much cardio - Healthy Living on Shine

Yeah Shrinknme, you are getting close. I have lost about 70 or over 33 percent of my weight. People don't recognize me. I'm still battling type one diabetes (though my weight caused type 2, I was actually a late blooming one), but have never regretted the journey. BMI is normal, going on low normal. All clothes need to be replaced. Feel so much better and this likely saved my life. Best to all of you.

Hello all. My name is Elaine and I was banded July8, 2008. Have lost 59 lbs and hoping to lose at least another 80. Long way to go. Any words of wisdom for the struggling please I am all ears. I still overeat as well as eat what I shouldn't. Sometimes I am amazed that I haven't put the weight back on that I lost. I will not give up and want to get back in the right direction.

Hello all. My name is Elaine and I was banded July8, 2008. Have lost 59 lbs and hoping to lose at least another 80. Long way to go. Any words of wisdom for the struggling please I am all ears. I still overeat as well as eat what I shouldn't. Sometimes I am amazed that I haven't put the weight back on that I lost. I will not give up and want to get back in the right direction.

Hi, Elaine. First, congratulate yourself on keeping the weight you lost.

The best advice I can give is to journal your food everyday. I use fitday.com, but there are a lot of places online. Find one you like, and use it. Examine where you calories are coming from. Are you able to eat healthy Proteins, or are you too tight and eating slider foods?

Edited October 14, 200916 yr by crzytchr

Elaine, Just wanted to welcome you. I wish I had some words of wisdom but I've been on a plateu so long I've kinda become content with it(sad but true) I think journaling is the key. I've got to get on that myself. I start all the time and just don't keep it up. To much of my time is spent on facebook I think, all that blasted farming. Guess it's time to hang up my hoe and get back to what I should be spending my time on. Anyhow good luck on your journey!

Thanks to all the Butterflies for being here for me. We all need support. Heaven knows, those who don't have bands don't understand.

By the way, I am feeling better today. The stomach medincine has really helped. I am tired of being on this plateau. Has anyone considered getting a sleeve? I have been entertaining the idea......not that my surgeon would ever open me up again.