FLORIDAYS

I wish I could tell you a medical reason but the only thing I can think of is that I had so much weight to lose it just came off pretty rapidly. Now that I am with in 80 lbs of my goal its coming off about 1-2 lbs per week instead of 2-3. I think everyone is different... I am sure you will have great sucess! Thanks for the congrats... I appreciate it.

thanks so much! I have no secret.... I just followed my Dr's orders to the letter. I track every morsal I put in my mouth using my phone ap (fatsecret) and stick to 1000 clories per day which because I am eating the right kind of food fills me up quite well. I didnt cheat at all and saw him monthly for weigh ins... Now he is weaning me to every 2 months which scares me a little since I still have 80 lbs to go.... but I will just keep doing what I am supposed to.

He is strict.... but he listens which I find paramount in a Dr. I just saw him yesterday..... I am very happy he is my Dr. I love being successful for him... and me too.

I never had that trouble. I wore a bra home from the hospital. Maybe you should try a sports bra for comfort over the next few weeks.....

You may want to buy a pill cutter at your pharmacy... they are around $5... I am not much of a pill taker but recently needed to take a round of pills for an ailment and I found cutting them in 3rds worked out just fine.

In 81 more lbs I will have lost 217 lbs.... Its been 11 months for me and actually almost a year if you count the pre op 2 week liquid.... That may seem like a long time but considering my Dr told me it would take 2 1/2 yrs I am well ahead of schedule. I am expecting to be at my goal by May 2012! Dont let the number overwhelm you. I know from experience what a downer that is. Just take it 10 lbs at a time.

I was banded 11 months ago on 12/9/2010 and have lost 136 lbs. I have 81 lbs to go. I have had 4 fills and I am in the green zone. The biggest challenge now is that the weight is coming off more slowly.... so I just need to find some patience and take it 10 lbs at a time.

I too am self pay.... and I smoke 1/2 pack per day and I had a fill this morning...... My Dr would prefer that I didnt smoke (one thing at a time doc...LOL) but he told me it will not hurt the band in any way. As long as they do not test your blood they wont know you smoke.... you can go that route or just find a new Dr.

I was on liquid for 3 weeks until I was allowed to move to mushies.... and if you count the 2 week pre op... that is a total of 5 weeks. I didnt cheat once. It was the hardest thing I had ever done. And I started my pre op liquid the day before Thanksgiving!!!! But I wanted NO complications.... so I followed the Dr's orders...I had mashed potatos on New Years day and 11 months later I am a success story! My advice...follow your Dr's orders and do not cheat.Best of luck

It took me about 6 weeks....

This isnt the popular reply....but I can tell you that I have lost all this weight so far with out one bit of formal exercise. I KNOW I need to start something so just in the past month or so I try to walk about 2 miles per day...but I am busy with work and find every reason why I dont have time so I cannot even count it. I really need to improve in this area. Its my downfall. I started my pre op liquid last year the day BEFORE Thanksgiving.... was banded on 12/9 and my first mushie food was mashed potatoes on New Years day. I have a 10cc band... and I think there is 4-5ccs in there now.... but my Dr tells me it does evaporate so its not an exact #. I had my first fill in February... 2 months post op. It took about 3 fills to feel decent restriction. I had my last fill in AUgust and I am READY for another... I go on Monday. Congrats on getting on the other side....You will do just fine!

Well even with my height I was a 55 BMI. I am currently a 35 I think.... 2/3rds of the way there....

I started this journey 11 months ago... At 377 lbs and I have been eating 1000 calories per day since the beginning. I am losing an average of 2 lbs per week currently, am not starving and have a very healthy lifestyle. I have 80ish more lbs to go.... although at almost 5'10" I am looking pretty good these days. Please follow your Dr's advice.... but you know your body... so do what I did... when he told me 1800 calories per day I told him I have dieted enough of my life to know the weight will not come off quickly and I will become frustrated. He agreed to me being at 1000 and he monitors me monthly to make sure I am not lacking in any nutrients. Sadly I have a very slow metabolism so until I start a vigerous exercise program... I need to really limit my calorie intake. As more weight falls off I plan to do just that... then maybe I can eat a little more.

I have been on my journey for only 11 months.... but I started @ 377... I am not at 200 yet... but you can click on my profile picsanyway as its close..... I am 5"9 1/2.... size 10 feet. I am a true pear shape.... I am currently a size L on top and XL or 18 on the bottom. I have lost 136 lbs. I know exactly the way you are feeling... So I took my before, my down 90 lbs and down 120 pic and put them side by side. That kinda opened up a whole new way of thinking. But I am still in need of losing the last 80 lbs.... so I am not there yet...but I can see the light.

I had a out patient procedure last week.... and had to put on a hospital gown. The nurse handed it to me... I realized I didnt have the mental anguish of wondering if it was going to fit. Which it did of course.... and even tied in the back. I just stood there grinning. I let my husband in on my thoughts and he just laughed.... Then as we were leaving a few hours later as per hospital protocol I had to be escorted out in a wheelchair.... and it wasnt the big girl wheel chair... it was just a regular one. Both of those NSV just helped me sail through my minor procedure....

I have read all the explanations and logical reasoning.... but still cannot tell you why it happens.... we have all been through it.... and you never know when they will happen.... just keep doing what you are supposed to be doing and you will get through it. I found if I upped my Water intake that tends to shorten them. The longest one I had was 2 weeks.... but I stayed on my 1000 calories per day and then one day I was down 5 lbs and losing at a decent pace again. All the best to you....

thanks for the kind words Joan.... Of course I am very happy about my loss... I just want the rest of it to be gone NOW so I can start shopping for something other than dispossable clothes. Obviously....I have no patience to speak of. LOL Good luck with the repositioning surgery. I am sure you will be well on your way sooner than you can imagine.

I cannot feel the band by touch or feel. But I sure know its there doing its job....like most others I can feel the port.

*Fitting in a seat on an airplane and being able to buckle the seatbelt *not hearing.... but you have such a pretty face when discussing weight *Having a tool to help me control my weight forever *being able to sit in a regular chair w/o worrying if it will hold me *not ALWAYS being the largest person in a group *being able to shop in regular stores *not feeling bloated all the time * over all health benefits including normal blood pressure *being able to walk from the house to the car without sweating *fitting in the dentist chair *using a normal scale instead of the ones for above 300 lbs *being able to wear a normal sized bracelet or watch

Seems 1 year ago today I joined ths forum.... thanks for the reminder Alex. In reality the year has really flown by.... but Ihave to say I am jeaous of so many of you who are nearing goal. I still have 60-80 lbs to go depending on which number I use.,.... and sometimes it feels like I will never get there but then days like today I think about how fast the year flew by and am happy with my progress so far. I need to loose 14 lbs more to get to an even 150 lb lost and that was my goal for my 12/9 band anniversary. I am looking forward to that! Keep up the good work friends.... we are all doing so well!

In my case I have lost an average of 10-12 lbs per month... The first month was 20 and there have been months that were only 8 so I dont think its has any correlation to the number of fills I got or when I started getting them. I will tell you that I have seen my Dr every single month since being banded... so that when I needed a fill I got it... and didnt wait for the lbs to start creeping back on to get one. I last had a fill in July. In September when I was there he said I am doing well enough to only come in every 2 months. In fact I have an appointment 2 weeks from today and I think I need a fill.... that said I have lost 12 lbs in the past 6 weeks and have 2 weeks to go. That will make my average a little lower than what its been running.... but I think as I get closer to my goal I will lose more slowely. Sinc ethis is the first time I have gone 2 months....maybe I really do need a fill.... and could justify your question... I mean in theory I got the band for the reason someone else posted..... the band curbs hunger and a fill restricts the band pouch opening to give the feeling of fullness.

No-one walks my shoes..... so I do not let anyone dictate my decisions. Before deciding on the band I did my research, read forums like this one and interviewed 3 different Drs. I asked everyone I knew who had WLS to tell me the pros and cons..... Since I was self pay I really had to consider all the options. I made my decision and so far it was the best decision I have ever made for myself. Its not easy.... if it was then everyone would be doing it.

sounds like the red zone to me as well.... but you really need to make an appointment ASAP and get your Dr's opinion.

I am going to tell you that while I have had really solid success with the band thus far.... it wasnt without strict dieting. I have counted every calorie which has passed through my lips since baing banded. I think it is a misconception to think bandsters can eat anything we want...just a little bit of it and lose weight. Maintain yes... lose? Not in my experience. So... before you decide please make sure you are committed to do 30% of the work...because the band will only do 70%. It is a tool.... Like a screw to a screwdriver. The screw hold the wood together and keeps it in place...but you cant get the screw in the wood without a tool.... You are the screwdriver. Good luck with your decision.

I have learned that I cannot let ANYTHING disrupt my goal.... In the past 10 months since being banded my husband was layed off, my adult daughter had a baby, didnt marry the father and she and the baby are now living with us, I travelled out of state for work 6 times, I cooked holiday dinners and attended countless eating related social functions and lost my grandson, mother and grandmother. In addition I somehow perferated my ear drum and lost hearing in one ear.(that will be fixed in OP surgery tomorrow). I went on vacation to Jamaica, personally bagged 10,000 pieces of Halloween candy for the troops and I cook every single night for my family. My team mate at work was fired and my workload increased 25% Basically life happens and didnt stop because I got a lapband. I was tempted so many times to just say forget it because I was too busy but my band is my permenant reminder that I must take care of me or I am not going to be around to handle what life is inevitably going to throw my way. That said... the drama you are going through is awful and I am so sorry to hear of your troubles however this is the perfect time to take care of yourself and focus all your energy on staying on track. All the best...I am cheering for you!