LisaLaw

good info. on the report it states that I need to take 4000 units 2x daily and then repeat my bloodwork (MORE pills I have to remember taking...*aarg) the weird thing is that I am a sun addict and have been laying out in it nearly daily (weather permitting) I do NOT use sunscreen...just a bit of hawaiin tropic (zero spf) or coconut willies from hawaii (100% pure coconut oil used as a moisturizer and tanning aid)...please don't lecture me about the sun, yes...I know it can be bad, etc. how in the heck would someone like me be Vit D deficient (?) I dread taking more pills and supplements. Has anyone had a shot? I thought I read out there somewhere that shots are offered.

So I got all my bloodwork back and I have been identified as being 'almost' severly deficient 30-150ng/mL is the normal range and I am at a 17 ng Since I am curious about this and will not be able to speak with my dr until Monday, has anyone else found out they are Vitamin D deficient also? What have you done to remedy it? Did you feel differently after you began Vitamin D supplementation? Did you get shots? or use pills? What is the difference? I found this shocking as laying in the sun has become a primary job to me...so I am thinking it has to be that I am not absorbing it somehow internally. thanks for jumping in on this!

I hope it is deflating me...LOL be careful of the coconut oil. I have some of it and you should not use more than 1 tsp at a time...or you will be trotting to the toilet from how 'slick' you have become

thanks for the update! that sounds yummy. I am still sitting at a plateau, but I am not being religious about the food. The diet that goes with it sucks rocks. I have been watching what I eat and tracking things on Sparkpeople.com - which helps. I have noticed though where I give myself the shot, my stomach is flatter - so I don't know what that means...maybe it is eating my fat? LOL

actually, I did not even think to post where I found it until I got an email from an Admin telling me we have to now.

this is a bandsters worst nightmare...ugh

Good for You One cup of diced watermelon contains just 48 calories and provides about a quarter of your vitamin C Daily Value and 10 percent of your vitamin A needs. It also has more lycopene—a phytochemical linked to lower rates of cancer and heart disease—than raw tomatoes. Plus, it's 92 percent water, making it an excellent postrun thirst-quencher. Get the Best Whole melons should feel heavy for their size and have a smooth (but not overly shiny or dull) rind. "One side, called the underbelly—the side resting on the ground as it grows on the vine—should be a slightly lighter color," says chef Patricia Wells. If it's not lighter, the fruit may have been picked too early. Cut watermelon should have a deep pink color, without any white streaks. Kitchen Simple Wells loves watermelon sorbet in the summer. Cube eight to 10 cups of watermelon (discard seeds). Puree in a blender until you have four cups. Mix with two tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice and one cup simple syrup (boil equal parts water and sugar until sugar dissolves; then let syrup cool). Chill in an ice-cream maker, or leave in your freezer until slushy. Source: <http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-300--13219-0,00.html?cm_mmc=nutrition-_-2009_07_16-_-nutrition-_-EAT%20THIS%20NOW%3a%20Watermelon%20>

I am only 3 days into it nothing earth shattering yet

nope...me neither and ditto on doing a detox.

LOL Jude you are so sweet...that was a great visual...carrying around bags of sugar. I picked up a 20 lb bag of flour at Costco and realized I had been carrying around TWO of those last year

I do not know why anyone is shocked about the thread still going. This is a fascinating topic. I STILL get people badmouthing the band and not "getting" it as to why I have one in. Never mind that it has assisted me in losing 45 lbs to date. MOST things that cause controversy or are outside our "knowledge" zone create very sharp opinions. And Dawn, if I asked a question it is because I value what people on this forum have to contribute...good or bad. I see NO reason to shove opinions down others throats, there is better ways to draw bears to honey (or your side of the fence) than through spouting snottiness or hostility. With that said, I am with Clynn - I am willing to give this a whirl for 4-8 weeks to see what happens. It is my money and to be quite honest. I am at 3.9cc's in a 4.0 band. I am not willing to get another tweak only so I end up gagging on my food until 6 pm at night (or later). Been there...done it....and boy does it SUCK. I am going in on Friday to try the HCG. I am not going to the nurses up north that everyone uses because they want to see me every other week and it is a 2-3 hour (one way) drive. *sigh I tried very hard to look at my schedule and it is just too much of a burden to go that far. The place I found has 6 centers...one about a minute from my house. (Tacoma, Federal Way, etc) I am voluntarily having my doctor do a full metabolic bloodwork screen tomorrow(they do not require it)...I want to know where I am at for my own peace of mind. then they do a body composition,..that is how they are going to set up my caloric needs. They do not adhere to the 500 calories as they believe people need more than that and they do not want people going into starvation mode. so initial appt is $159.00 and weekly HCG (6 days shots on ...1 day off) is $35.00 if I do it myself. Which I can do no problem. I decided I am going to try it for two months...to the end of August. I will keep everyone posted as I am sure Clynn will as well to see if this busts through the dang plateau I have been on for 4 months now. I did look at their "client" books and was very impressed with the results I saw. One lady lost 55 lbs in just over 4 months. She even took before and afters in her bikini..LOL I think I am going to do the same. NOT that I want to scare anyone with before shots. ;D The nurse did say that they have had a few band patients come to them for "plateau" situations and they have done better than expected. *Clynn - If you need some stevia, PM me your address and I will drop a bottle in the mail for you. I make mine into simple syrup (1 cup stevia to 1 cup hot water - store in fridge) TTFN

Well said BeBe

Rut-Roh! are you spamming us with your ads?

I wonder if there was a lack of "positive statistics" to be found online when the lap band was new? Just thinking aloud here... ;-) I just spoke with a nurse/owner of a clinic close by in Tacoma area today and she said they have had better results with lapband patients than regular patients. When I asked "why" she said she thought it could be that we have such a small tummy anyways and possibly a better desire to get the weight off. I thought that was an interesting perspective.

Thankfully, noone is just rolling over and playing dead on this topic and the amount of anger being lodged at those of us calling BS on the quackadoodle over-the-top hostility is becoming amusing. Facts: It is legal in the US It is currently not legal to use in ML sports - if it is found, it is a known drug to level out steriod use (red flag) It has been used for weight loss in UK through numerous trials The beauty of this board is that people are supposed to respect each others opinions and questions as there is some great thoughts floating around. If someone wants to try this for the short term, they have that right without being jumped on and have it insinuated that somehow we are losers for giving it 4 weeks. I for one am sick to death of the plateau I have been on since March - that is now nearly 4 months. Informing me to "adjust" my caloric needs or increase my cardio when you know nothing about what I have done successfully to get to this point does nothing but irritates people. It is like the know-it-all auntie at the family dinner that everyone has to tolerate on special occassions. oodles~

well, $500 seems like quite a bit of money for a first fill. I do not blame you for feeling a bit unhappy.

The Dr. I went to in Seattle (at Swedish) was $8500 for a TT I am considering my TT and lipo at Cosmed The Dr's at Cosmed all trained at UC Irvine...that says alot and that is also a great price. I wish Denise would post soon about her TT, I would love to hear about it.

LOL Dawn is right. I actually used to weigh 125 lbs after my 1st child was born. I would be happy around 135-140, that is a size 8 for me Just a big boned German/Norwegian girl

I am baffled (???) with such a strong background in bodybuilding and nutrition - why would you need a lapband?

I have read some great articles and conversation on this topic. Thanks to all for your perspective. =)

It is meant to be used on a 23 day program to leap frog the plateau and to assist the band.

Are you related to that "Other" Canadian - Jann? LOL

Oh...and just to add to what Dana said...I am currently at 3.9 cc's in a 4.0 band I have been as high as a 4.3 and could not swallow spit...so I also am not interested in getting tweaked again when I am already tight until 4 pm

I am with Dana on this. I have fought the same plateau since March. I hit 178 and within a week was back up to the same damn 180 lbs I have been fighting for months. I run 5.5 miles 3-4x per week...so I do not know how much more friggin cardio I can do before my knees give out...it does not matter how much Glucosamine I get. I also agree with Clynn...these ladies have a heart of gold and are one of the premier people to go to for fills in our region. I think Lindsay may have the HCG confused with another country? If it was banned by the FDA in the US...there is NO way it would be used here. people are not going to risk their careers. The FDA is one of the biggest pains to deal with...THAT is why I went to mexico to get my band...I was told I had to GAIN 20 more lbs to be eligible (never mind that I was already 90 lbs overweight). Dana - we will talk poo great conversation and I will say this...I have learned alot in a few short hours! That is what this board is for

Great Info Chica! I will up the cardio