My fellow VV's ... somewhere along this journey we started to lose members. There are still some of us around and posting, but others have been swallowed up into a great abyss.

For those that are posting - keep doing so. I'll miss you too, it you also disappear.

Where are my fellow VV's? Post, send me an PM, send smoke signals...something!!!

I'm with you there Tap. I miss all of them. It's amazing how few regular posters are left now. I'm just worried that they might be having a hard time. If so this is really the place you need to be, with people that do understand and can help. And if you're out there busy, having a blast with your new bodies, we wanna hear that too. Just pop in and post how things are going so we can aspire to be there too and celebrate your new found lives with you.

I still come here sometimes, I just haven't had much time with the holidays & such. I have nothing new to report other than I am holding steady at my current weight after eating entirely too much junk over the holidays, but at least I am not gaining :cursing: I am thinking I need a fill because I have noticed that I am able to eat more and more these days but I have no plans for a trip to Phoenix to get one at the moment. I hope the rest of you are doing better motivation-wise than I am.

I'm around, sort of. I don't feel like I have much to add to the conversation right now. I'm having a hard time because I'm gaining weight, which my OB doesn't really want me to do and says is "excessive". I've gained about 10-12 lbs since I got pregnant. I am hungry all the time, my surgeon won't even think about a fill, and I'm just having a hard time making good choices. I'm trying to find things that will fill me up longer. So far today, I've had a better day than I have in a long time. I know the weight will come off after the baby but because of my past problems, I have to really watch how much I gain and it is really hard on my emotional health to see the scale going back up after all my hard work. Plus, with my other two kids, I gained 19 lbs with #1 and none with #2, so to have gained 10-12 lbs at only 16 weeks is a bit of a shocker. Most people keep telling me that I'm gaining for a good cause, I have to gain, etc., but with my experiences before and my history of complications, I feel like I shouldn't have to gain and it is a weakness that I am. I'm kind of an emotional wreck lately. I wish I didn't even have to know how much I weigh right now.

Jaime,

I am very sorry to hear of you struggling. ((((((huggs))))))

Hang in there, and it sounds like you are really trying to do the right thing. I've never had babies, so I have no idea what you're going through, but I'm pulling for you!

I'm around, sort of. I don't feel like I have much to add to the conversation right now. I'm having a hard time because I'm gaining weight, which my OB doesn't really want me to do and says is "excessive". I've gained about 10-12 lbs since I got pregnant. I am hungry all the time, my surgeon won't even think about a fill, and I'm just having a hard time making good choices. I'm trying to find things that will fill me up longer. So far today, I've had a better day than I have in a long time. I know the weight will come off after the baby but because of my past problems, I have to really watch how much I gain and it is really hard on my emotional health to see the scale going back up after all my hard work. Plus, with my other two kids, I gained 19 lbs with #1 and none with #2, so to have gained 10-12 lbs at only 16 weeks is a bit of a shocker. Most people keep telling me that I'm gaining for a good cause, I have to gain, etc., but with my experiences before and my history of complications, I feel like I shouldn't have to gain and it is a weakness that I am. I'm kind of an emotional wreck lately. I wish I didn't even have to know how much I weigh right now.

Give yourself a break girl! You are a hormonal mess and you are eating for 2. Think about it, you have been through ALOT this past year and I am willing to bet that part of you being hungry all of the time is your body's way of making up for the loss in Vitamins & such that your body has done without for the past year. I wouldn't sweat the weight gain unless you start gaining more than the 30-35 that is recommended for any pregnancy. Take care of that little one

I have nothing new to report other than I am holding steady at my current weight after eating entirely too much junk over the holidays, but at least I am not gaining I am thinking I need a fill because I have noticed that I am able to eat more and more these daysquote]

Mom 2-4: I find that posting here HELPS me stay motivated; even if it is to post that I am not motivated, or making bad food choices or that I have gained weight (all of which I have at some time)...sometimes I get a kick in the proverbial, and other times some encouragement; I appreciate it all, and besides, you are all becoming friends, and I hate to lose friends. I KNOW the struglle of lack of motivation, and fighting head hunger...I too have to go to a city several hours away to get a fill (an expense and time I can ill afford) and I have put it off and now regret doing so. So, back this month I go - unfortunately, not for another 2 weeks - I only hope I can 'hold' at this weight and not gain more.

I'm having a hard time because I'm gaining weight, which my OB doesn't really want me to do and says is "excessive". I've gained about 10-12 lbs since I got pregnant. I am hungry all the time, my surgeon won't even think about a fill, and I'm just having a hard time making good choices. I feel like I shouldn't have to gain and it is a weakness that I am. I'm kind of an emotional wreck lately. I wish I didn't even have to know how much I weigh right now.

Hugs, Jamie. Lots and lots of hugs! It is a vicious cycle - you gain some weight, you feel guilty/stress about it, which causes you to eat more which increases the stress....Try not to put so much pressure on yourself; summon up whatever it takes to realize that the band will still be with you after you deliver a beautiful new baby, any weight gain now is not permanent. Your band is NOT time limited; it will still be there. Take care of yourself and the wee one.

keep posting so that we know how you are doing.

Hi I like the topic and decided to post. I used to get on here daily, but after having several people react so negatively to me and others, I have backed way off. I do not claim to know it all, and try not to give bad advice, but some people on this site are very aggressive. I look at this site as part of my support system and when I feel like I am being attacked or judged tend to shy away. I do not know if this is why others have quit posting or not.

I do not tend to have thin skin, but this journey is hard enough without people jumping down your throat. This has nothing to do with you, as I have never had any contact with you before. Just wanted to put my two cents in.

Short1...the great thing about this forum is that there are so many people; the bad thing about this forum is that there are so many people with different opinions!!:laugh:

It is unfortunate that you have had negative experiences which have cause you to visit less often. I think most of us have at one time or another been misunderstood and it is really difficult on an internet site where the 'tone' of a message isn't heard so that comments read 'tough' but weren't meant that way. And then, as with any group of people, there are some we like and others we don't. And some people can communicate even a 'tough love' opinion with respect and others who, well, jump in where angels or a sober second thought may not have.

Most of us do not intend to offend. I wish you well on your journey; good luck, and maybe we will see you again!

I'm still here too. I'm struggling...I have been such a slow loser. I finally had a fill on December 23rd. Since then I have lost an additional 8 lbs. YAY! I just hope I can get myself on the losing side...

I have been pretty depressed that I have yet to lose 50 pounds and my anniversary is the end of February. Can we start a "what did you eat today?" thread. That would be great.

I will try to post more so I can stay on track.

you guys couldnt get rid of me if you tried

you guys couldnt get rid of me if you tried

Great!!

Now if we could just corral a few of the missing.....

I'm still around and I notice that when I come to this site I tend to get back into the swing of things and lose weight. I've already dropped 3 of the 4 lbs I gained since my unfill and have put working out back into my life, so I know it helps coming here. I think a lot of people just go on with their life and perhaps forget they are banded or just don't need the support like they use to. But, I know that I just do better having this site in my life.

I'm delighted to see you posting, CC. You expressed one of my fears...if I stop visiting LBT and stop posting, will I then stop doing what I have been doing? Just having someone to share the journey with is a great help to me.

Blessed - most of us seemed to hit a rut sooemwhere along our journey; I'm hoping my fill this week kick starts me, or kicks me in the butt! It will soon be my bandiversary and although I won't be at goal, I will (I hope) be still progressing. Right now I am at a standstill (over Christmas I started going backwards:cursing:), so now I just need that 'nudge' to get me going.....

I acutally come here most times but am too embarrassed to post as my weight hasn't moved much in a long time. I have been cheating and I did lose my way - you know the honeymoon is over - and everytime I looked at tickers and saw how much people were moving or had moved, I would get a little disappointed at my own efforts. That didn't help at all.

I need support but I don't know if I can trust myself in following through with promises and the advice. It all comes down to state-of-mind and up till yesterday when I could eat anything in large amounts my mind was all wrapped in chaos.

Now that I have good restriction again, I will be back and posting more often. I am less busy at work too, which does make a difference!

I have to convince myself that the next 10kg will be worth it, as I am quite comfortable with where I am at the moment!

Glad to see you posting Peek. It is because I cannot trust myself alone that I come here; I need to have others rooting for me, helping me when I lapse, kicking me in the arse when needed. If I didn't have the LBT forum, I would truly be doing it completely on my own, and as I successfully fooled myself about my weight for decades, I would just continue to do so. Coming here and seeing everyone else (to quote Jachut) shutting their gob and shaking their ass helps me to get with it.

I am hoping todays fill will be the 'push' I need; I waffled for several months about it, and then frankly finances didn't permit, but FINALLY I accepted I was worth the expense of the fill and realized I couldn't continue to lose (or stop gaining) weight without my band, so off to the big city it is for me today!

Keep posting....