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).

Thanks for all your wonderful notes. Congrats on the baby! The last few days the cravings for sweets have not been bad. I have heard that Chromian (sp) supplements taken at higher doses helps too. I keep forgetting to get it at Walmart. It talks about it in Breakthrough the book by Susanne Summers. I have lost around 36-38 lbs. very slow but it has not been that horrible to get that off. I have a lot of stress so I am sure that is where the cravings come in. I own my own business and with this economy it is way down. I also started to go back to school and I had spinal surgery in Oct. and it did not help as much as we had hoped. I have too had slimed out of my clothes. Have one pair of jeans that I bought that I like wearing in a size 12. Felt good and now I am so looking forward to a size 8 and then I will be done and working on keeping it off.

I have too had slimed out of my clothes. Have one pair of jeans that I bought that I like wearing in a size 12. Felt good and now I am so looking forward to a size 8 and then I will be done and working on keeping it off.

wow Joiful.. congrats.. on the size 12! hang in there.. stress can be hard. Remember excercise can be a great stress reliever too! I know its probably still cold as it is here.. but there are usually a lot of great gym sign up rates near the beginning of the year. even a half hour a day can amaze you on how good it makes you feel. :biggrin:

Joiful - congrats on size 12.

Shrink - I love your baby banner.

HI, all!

I have a "burning" question: since last Friday I have been experiencing some mild reflux. I have not had a fill since November so it's not due to a recent fill. I have, however, been eating a lot of "junk", some sweets and such in larger quantities than normal. My calories total for the day have still been pretty much within range just the type of foods that are different. I have never really felt restricted although I PB quite a bit, usually just from "stuck" episodes. I have not had a PB in about a week, give or take a day, and that is also unusual. What do you think? I am worried that these symptoms might indicate a slip. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Hi Maggie - I'm not sure what's going on with you, but let me share my recent experience since it sounds the same. I too was PB'ing and thought I was getting stuck. I hadn't had a fill in awhile and so I didn't think my band was too tight. I went to my doc and he did an esophogram. The diagnosis was a dialated esophagus which results from either the band being too tight, excessive pb's or binging. He took a little Fluid out and I have been ok since. You may want to talk to him about it.

Hey Boos. Good to see you posting again.

Thanks. Good to be back.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, JULY BUTTERFLIES!

Well, I tried to lose 10lbs by Valentine's Day, but came up short by one. It was the enchilada I ate last night. I ate a child's plate, but mexican food is not good for weight loss. Oh well, I hope you all have a great day. I am going to start a new challenge .....Easter! April 12th......gonna go for 15lbs.

Happy Valentine's Day

I thought I was pop in a say what is going on with me. A few weeks ago, I got suddenly very tight when my cycle came...tightness never left. There were days I was in so much pain, water wouldn't go down. Doc did a complete unfill and several tests...come to find out I have gallstones and am going to have to have the gallbladder removed. So, those of you getting constantly stuck may not be stuck at all...it may gallstone pain. Just a thought...

D girl, Sorry about the gallbladder. Hope it all goes well for you.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, JULY BUTTERFLIES!

Well, I tried to lose 10lbs by Valentine's Day, but came up short by one. It was the enchilada I ate last night. I ate a child's plate, but mexican food is not good for weight loss. Oh well, I hope you all have a great day. I am going to start a new challenge .....Easter! April 12th......gonna go for 15lbs.

I missed it by 4lbs, I'm thinking I might have made it but I gained 5lbs after surgery on 1/13/09 so it put me higher then when I started. I was a total of 7 down from the start weight today. But I'll join you in the easter challenge!!!!!

Kimaly,.....good deal....we can do this!

Well butterflies... I had a REALLY crappy V-Day!!!:crying: I got in a wreck when a lady made a left hand turn in front of me. I hit her, it spun me around, and I got hit again. It looks like it totaled my 1 year old car. We got a 3 yr note on it when we bought it so we could pay it off for my daughter's graduation. So, needless to say, we are on the losing end of this deal when all that basically happens is that they pay it off!!! We paid over $7000 in notes this past year. This is of course assuming that the woman's insurance is still active. It wasn't a good sign that when you call the claims number they are only open M-F from 8-5.:scared2: The 4th car involved in the wreck couldn't believe I actually walked away relatively ok from it. I am just hurting REALLY bad. Hopefully it will all work out. I hope everyone else's V-day was MUCH better than mine! Oh, are y'all going to join the April Fools Day Challenge?

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/april-fools-weightloss-challenge-87874/

I did not know about the April Fool's challenge. I just started today on an Easter Challenge......real good start.....I went to a b-day party and ate cake.

Crzytchr, I am so glad you were not seriously injured. Be sure you get checked out by your dr. You will really be sore tomorrow. I hope you are better soon.

Thank you Charlene. I am really sore now. I am taking 2 xtra strength tylenol with 3 ibuprofen at a time. I plan on going to the after hours Ochsner clinic tomorrow. I just did not want to go to the emergency room. I didn't have anything life threatening and could possible catch something waiting in the emergency room:scared2:. I didn't see the Easter, so I joined the April Fool's. If you post the link for Easter, I will join that one too:tt2:

Crzytchr, oh there is not a link for the Easter Challenge. I just made it a personal challenge.....I think it would be great if the July Butterflies do it together. I really want to lose 50lbs by my bandiversary so I have set the bar high this time. I lost 9 out of 10 on the Valentine Challenge......so if I try for 15lb by Easter I will be on my way to my goal for July or close to it.

Be careful on the ibuprofen. My doctor told me it would be okay to take it, but not on a regular basis. It has something to do with the band. So, if they give you an anti-inflamatory ask your band doctor if it is okay.