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).

I gave up on my local support group after 3 visits because it the was a goup of people who were not making much progress who had been banded for a while. The atmosphere was that of a hen house. One guy was in the group but he was a young punk who had lost 100+ lbs but was still chubby and flabby all over (ugly too) with a really snarky attitude. Can you feel the love? NOT!!

i finally broke my plateau of 250. I made it to 248. It took almost a month but I finally did it. Also I went to a support group a couple days ago. It was horrible! The doctor, nurse and nutritionist could not make it due to the 200 mile travel in bad weather. So they has a local doctor show and he just does the fills. He is new to the area also. Their was only 2 of us that showed up. The other gal was not to encouraging. I don't think I will go to another one of those again.

Congrats, I love seeing the butterflies succeed!!:shades_smile:

Congrats, I love seeing the butterflies succeed!!:shades_smile:

Congrats! I feel your struggle - with the holidays I'm

having a hard time this month. I need to schedual my

second fill. I have not lost any weight this month I need

to step up my workouts. I keep beating my self up over

not loosing. I been to a few meetings some good some

bad. I just have to re-focus.

Yes I agree, I myself need to refocus. I guess there is just so much going on this month we forget about ourselves. Hopefuly Jan. will bring us new numbers. A new year and a new us.

Orea, I'm so excited for you, you waited so long for your weight loss to kick back in and look at you now!!

Unfortunately, my fill is wearing off... hungry!!!

Orea, get aggressive and go get another fill! I thought I was aggressive with fills:

1st, 3 ccs 4 weeks after banding

2nd .5 cc 2 weeks later

3rd .5 cc 2 weeks after that

4th .5 cc 3 weeks after that

5th .5 cc 5 weeks after that

The 4th felt kind of like sweet spot for a couple of days but wore off fast and it wasn't until I got my 5th that I finally realized how wonderful the band really is. I often forget to eat and never feel that growling hunger. When I skip meals because I forgot to eat and it's about 4 or 5 in the afternoon, I finally feel a bit hungry, it only takes a 1/4 cup of food to make the hunger stop but I usually go ahead and try to eat a full cup to make sure I'm getting in enough calories and nutrients. Nowadays, it's more a battle to get enough calories than too much. Not because I can't eat, but because I simply don't have the appetite and find that many foods I used to enjoy aren't really that tasty anymore.

I only had 2 fills so far but I guess they were pretty good ones, the first was 3.8 and the second ended up bringing me up to 4.4 after slight unfil. I ned need need a fill but I just have some other things going on. Like getting my breast finished hopefuly in Jan. and don't know if my Doc is going to make me get an unfill for surgery, won't know until Dec. 31st. I would hate to pay for a fill then an unfill and then a refill. So now I'm hungry with you Orea, but dealing I guess.

WOW, sounds like the holidays are doing a number on all of us. I did not get a fill today. I started thinking that I needed to work on my eating habits before getting a fill. I have just pb'd too much this last month. I am eating too fast, and with all the Christmas functions....I do not want to get stuck. Anyway, I can't get in until the middle of January. So, We will get through this season together.

I love this thread, it is like we're altogather. No one that I know can relate to my struggles so it's wonderful to have all of ya'll to talk too and help with all the trying times and of coarse the victorys Anyway just wanted to wish all a very merry Christmas and a thinner new year God bless

Kimaly, we are all in this together. We WILL be victorious. We WILL have a Merry Christmas without all the calories of past Christmases. We need to keep or eyes on the present of good health. That is a priceless gift we WILL give ourselves. :biggrin::thumbup:

Kimaly, we are all in this together. We WILL be victorious. We WILL have a Merry Christmas without all the calories of past Christmases. We need to keep or eyes on the present of good health. That is a priceless gift we WILL give ourselves. :biggrin::thumbup:

I second that!

Hi ladies...haven't posted in forever...but I'm going to get back with it.....:biggrin:

Welcome back loracrose. Keep posting with us, we all get so much from each other here.

whoo hoo the 24 hour bug lost me 4 lbs and put me to losing 60lbs! YAY!:tongue_smilie::biggrin::tongue::biggrin::eek::thumbup::thumbup: