Slow Losers - Unite!

[CandySmooch 0]

Have question for those of you who were banded in Mexico. Who was your surgeon and where was the surgery and was it a good, fair or bad experience. My girlfried wants to go across the border but is not sure which surgeon to choose.

QUOTE]

Hi Madonna - I used Dr. Sanchez in Monterrey MX - it is very nice and "Americanized". I had a lovely experience - it was more like a vacation - I didn't want to leave! Dr. Sanchez owns his own guesthouse that faces the mountains of Monterrey - he performs his surgery at a top notch hospital Santa Engracia - very beautiful, clean, and all with the latest technology and private rooms. Better than any American hospital I've been in and that's a lot as I am an EMT who delivers patients to many hospitals. He arranges all transportation to and from the airport, hospital, and guesthouse. He is very expierenced and his staff is really on top of things. His website is www.ready4achange.com. It was all very wonderful and Dr. Sanchez has low statitistics of complications and no deaths. He is a wonderful caring man along with his staff - he even gives you his personal home & cell numbers and comes to visit with you. The CEO of the hospital has been banded by Sanchez himself and the CEO is from Houston - but he comes to visit all patients and asks you about your experience and if anything needs to be changed. They really care about what they are doing there I went alone, by myself, flying for the first time, first surgery, young and scared and as soon as I got there I knew everything was going to be great. I highly recommend him and instead of hijacking this thread if you have further questions about it please pm me and do a search here in the forums for Dr. Sanchez.

Peace and Love - The Smoocher

[the best me 6]

Vines,

Could there be a leak of some sort in your band...I hope not. Are you taking any meds to prevent esophagitis or reflux? Sometimes, if you reflux, you will develop edema at the site of restriction, then when the swelling goes away the band will not be tight enough. To prevent the swelling and reflux you could take prilosec otc daily or even Zantac.

Thanks for your thoughts and inspiration.

Excellent thinking. I like that diagnosis! Whaddya think Crystal? Oh, I need to go see your leak thread...maybe more info there. Anyhow, Madonna, I know that Prilosec twice a day for a few weeks in the beginning when I was super tight helped me alot.

[Guest onynpants]

13 crappy little pounds in 5 months after 5 fills? Does that count? Cause it sure does SUCK from my point of view!

[Carrie22803 0]

Oh, how I love you guys!!! Can I just get a deep breath and an amen? We are all doing it, slowly but surely, which is now my motto of sorts. I think sometimes that although I wish I was a rabbit, being a turtle teaches you so much more and really changes your outlook on life and forces you to look at yourself more closely. And evaluate. And make changes. So, even though weight loss is SLOWLY but surely, we are still on our way. And I think it will mean more in the end. Obviously, this is one of my more hopeful and positive days, I'm sure I'll be back on here later with some discouraging thoughts, but that's why it's great to have this Turtle Family.

Vines-it does kinda sound like you have a leak

Kathy-love the post! who the hell does eat 1/2 a banana?

Talk to you all very soon!

[TrishS 3]

Okay I wasnt even going to come here.. I have been so ashamed as to how little I have been losing.. But Im here, Well I thought I did good Last week I lost 5lbs.. how I dont know.. but it must of just want to tease me laugh at me make me hang my head in shame because over the weekend those 5lbs came back. They left and they found thier way back.. did I leave a sented trail for them.. who knows.. But now Im stuck 296lbs.. and it wont go away... its been there for 3months with an occaional tease of a pound or two loss with it creeping right back up on me.. Give me a gun I need to shot them 5lbs so they wont return. Thanks for listening to me.

[Carrie22803 0]

Don't worry! I was stuck for so long, but finally started losing again. I've lost 26.5 pounds in 4 months, which is like 6 pounds a month, or 1.5 pounds a week. But that's spreading it out, which it wasn't. I was stuck for awhile and then slowly got moving again. You can do it, and now you're here, in Turtle Land, where you can get the support and help you need. Let it all out, we've all been there and done it, felt it, and experienced it. Don't give up and don't be ashamed! You have still lost weight, and that's what matters! Try to weigh yourself only once a week, because scales fluctuate at different times of the day and Water weight - all that can change your weight. Plus, who needs that evil scale anyway? What are some of your non-scale victories? Do you feel better? Look better? Clothes getting looser? Let us know!

[TrishS 3]

Thanks for your kind words Carrie. I have noticed some NSV's but I dont look at them as though I have accomplished anything and I need to start doing that.. Like I lost 27 inches total.. and I went down 2 sizes.. I have a neck again. I can hold my husbands hand with out cutting the circulation in my own hand. But I look in the mirror after I weigh myself and im disapointed. I guess I have all these NSV but when the scale dont move they dont mean as much.. you know what I mean?... Well Im here for all of your support to help me see that my NSVs mean something. Thank You!

[vinesqueen 2]

I think you hit the problem square on there Trish, we discount our NSVs precicely because the scale says we are not good enough. It doesn't matter that you've lost 27 inches because the scale says your are not down enough, whatever "enough" is.

You know that all these accomplishments are truely amazing on their own, and when combined with each other, they become so much more powerful because they tell more of the true picture. They help give our journey dimention and shape, they add texture and shadow that the numbers on the scale simply cannot give, all on their own.

I know that it is easy to discount them, they are not a socitial approved measure of success, like pound on the scale are. But pounds are just as arbirary a unit of measure as kegs and stones and Kg and firkins and pfunds and atomic mass. They are conventions that we have agreed to judge ourselves and others by. Arbitrary as they may be, we give them power they do not deserve.

This is why I always list my weight in some weird other unit of measurement. To attmpt to take power away from the scale, to take power away from the scale. And if I can take it away from the external, I can reclaim it for myself.

[the best me 6]

Aw Trish, please don't be ashamed. It's so HARD!!!! I'm stuck too. I keep losing the same 3 pounds. It's like my body really really wants to hang on to my weight. Why does it do that? Does it think I'l blow away?! Does it think I want it?! I have had to do lots to shake things up. One thing I'm doing is eating more calories early in the day and guess what happened today? NSV ahead...

I got home from my little job sitting with my elderly woman friend who hates my son (another story) at 1pm. Little buddy fell asleep in the car so I put him down and went back outside and blew the pine needles off the driveway. Huh? I had the energy for that???? Where did that come from? Granted, I used the leaf blower, I didn't sweep, but we have a looong driveway. I even dug up another extension cord so I could get all the way out to the street. What possessed me? It's like I was on a mission! I couldn't help it! Sure, I could have laid down on the sofa or fired up the 'puter. I got the urge and went with it.

I'm living on more than coffee. I know that helps. I think my poor ole abused body likes that good healthy food I'm giving it all day. Still waiting on the scale to move, but I just keep seeing how I'm able to train my body into another direction. One of health, energy, vitality, motivation (although still lacking lots in that area...but some improvement) and eventually, weight loss!

Give it a minute. Keep pressing forward. I see you are doing the End of year Challenge. GREAT!!! Keep plugged in here. You are not alone and have nothing to be ashamed of. You are STILL BELOW 300 pounds!!! You haven't gained it back! How cool is that?!

Start you an NSV thread. I love the ones you listed above! I avoided it for a long time but when you have a place to post them, they start coming and it's so good to be able to look back on them. They are important and keep you focused when needed.

Hang in there, we are here for you!!!! Slow Losers Unite!!!!

[TrishS 3]

Awwwww Im so glad I came here.. Vines, Kathy... You both have encourging words Thank You so much! I still want to see that scale go down, just like you all do to.. but now I know I will NOT be ashamed if it doesnt and I know I can come on here and give great NSVs and you will be happy for me either way. Thank you for your support I just love you guys!!!

[live2canoe 1]

OK - so a while ago, our fearless leader the divine Ms. Vines asked if any of us Turtles have had a breakthrough.

I am happy to report I have broken a really long plateau. I mean really long. I've been holding steady at 188 since I can't remember when.

I am now at 185 - that's huge! I mean that's small - I mean that's awesome. You all know what I mean! That means I've lost 40 pounds now! 40 whole pounds. My BMI is down to 31.8 - dangerously close to no longer being OBESE.

What will I do when I'm 'overweight'?

[Angeleyes 1]

Hey I am also having a problem with 188 I have been at this weight since Sept 15! What has been working for you? You go girl!

[TrishS 3]

Kim that is wonderful news... Keep it up girl!

[live2canoe 1]

Hmm, what's been working?? I really had to think about that and here's what I cam up with:

I stopped snacking on junk in between meals. I still snack, but I replaced the evil Cheetos with nuts and yogurt.

I'm eating more fish. I found some great fish fillets from Gordons that are lite and healthy.

I'm making sure that I get in my full 60 grams of Protein everyday. I was a litle shocked when I put my information into Fitday just how far off the Protein mark I was. Wow - was that ever an eye -opener.

I stopped eating past 7 PM. I did this mostly because I started to have a problem with nighttime reflux (YUCH!!) The not eating later in the evening helped that, and a couple of pounds came off to boot.

Mostly, though, I think I was just patient and my body finally had to give up and let go of a couple of pounds. I just had to out wait it.

That's the beauty of the band - it never lets you give up!

Because of my recent reflux problem, and since I've dropped a couple of pounds, I rescheduled an appointment I had for a fill. I was supposed to go in on the 21st of this month, but I think I'll wait a while now.

Thank you Turtles for the words of encouragement and support.

Remember - The Turtle WON!

[vinesqueen 2]

today I just can't help but be discouraged. Maybe it's people who've lost 10 times the weight I have in the last several months complaining that they haven't lost weight. Maybe it was going shopping lastnight and today and realizing that for all my hard work the last several months don't seem to have made one iota of difference. I'm the same size in the same stores I started this journy.

Maybe it was the main fill person at my clinic telling me that I might as well put trying to lose weight on hold until I finish my degree in 18 months and I can move back for closer support. Well, after I finish my degree it is likely that I will have to move to DC, not back to Seattle due to restrictions from my scholarship. And that will be for a minimum of two years.

Once again, I fail. I see my surgeon tomorrow, but I fell like I've failed. My PCP won't prescribe meds to raise my thyroid, because even though it's low, it still falls under "normal." I'm so discouraged.

some spokes person I turned out to be.