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).

so this morning was my once a week weigh in. I was at 248.5 which is awesome.. my lowest 3 weeks ago was 246 and then after my fill I went up to 252 #!%@#!% and so this means I am only 2.5 lbs away from my lowest and I am under 250 again. WOW am I relieved.

it really helps me to only weigh in once a week and it causes me to make sure I am doing everything right because I really want to work to see that scale move!

oh and talking about making goal by the one year mark.. I figured mine out too.. I have to lose 13 a month and about 3 a week. so I most likely wont be making my goal by the one year mark.. and thats ok with me.. as long as I am lighter and healthier.. I will be happy

Lighter and healthier that is the goal. And I think that's really whats gonna make all of us happy in the long run.

I agree Kimaly. I feel so much better than I did 30 lbs ago. My immediate goal is to break 180. I think that's one of my resting points so it'll be a major breakthrough.

You'll be there in know time. I'm guessing this week, good luck!!!!

Yikes -- I did the math and realized I have to lose 9 lbs a month to reach my goal by bandiversary. So far I've been averaging 5 lbs per month. It looks like the only way I'll make the goal is to start exercising like a fiend. *sigh* Not my strong point.

Girl, I know what you mean. I need to lose 9 a month to lose a 100 by my bandiversary date(which we share).Yep, I have to step up the exercise and cut the carbs. The personal trainer said to eat Protein,veggies, and whole wheat products.....keep sugars down to 40g a day. The hardest thing for me to do is keep sodium under 1500mg a day. OH, and she said no carbs in the evening. I just have to follow her advice.

I did it! I did it! I broke 180 this morning. I'm 179! Doing the happy dance! :thumbup:

Congratulations!!!!:thumbup:

way to go Donna!!:w00t:

We're happy dancen with ya!!!

I'm scared I may be having some problems with my band. For the past couple of weeks, I've been woken up in the middle of the night with acid reflux. Not bad burning, just yucky back up in my throat. Once I sit up, I can hear and feel it gurgle back down within 1/2 hour or so and then I'm fine. I haven't experienced any problems during the day and I can eat or drink most anything without any issues. Last night, I woke up with the same yucky backup but it was so bad that I ended up throwing up (just bile) several times. I feel fine now but am sticking to liquids only until I see my doctor on Thursday. Has anyone else had something similar to this happen? BTW, I haven’t PB’d or thrown up prior to last night.

Donna, are you eating late at night? Try chewing a pepcid tonight before bedtime and stay away from fatty food especially at night. I had reflux for years prior to the band. It started when I had my gallbladder removed.

Reflux is a sign you are too tight. Get an unfill ASAP. This can lead to serious problems.

I'm getting over a stomach virus. Thank God I still have anti nausea meds from post surgery. They really helped keep the heaving down to a minimum and let me get a tiny bit of Water down. No fun.

I usually don't eat for at least 3 hours prior to going to bed and have even stopped drinking for at least 1 hour prior to bed the past couple of weeks. I had some dental work done a couple of weeks ago and have been antibiotics (liquid) and the reflux timing is coincidental to that same time frame. I will mention this to my doctor when I see him on Thursday but I don't think I'm too tight since I have absolutely no problem eating or drinking during the day.

YUK! I didn't know that.....thanks for the info, Orea.

Donna.. the only thing I have heard is that if you have the acid and vomit coming up in the night that it is because you are too tight.. sometimes even if you are too tight your little pouch gets used to accomodating what you put in it but then has a hard time getting what you eat through the band so at night its still sitting there even though you havent eaten in hours because its not going through at a good enough rate. you are definately right to go to the docs.. I have met a lot of people with stretched pouches.. that were too tight.. able to eat with no probs during the day.. and then the back up at night..

does your doc use flouroscopy? you may want to request it if he doesnt just so he can see whats really going on.

I will pray for the best for you.. please keep us posted.