FLORIDAYS

I appreciate all of your replies.... I am eating very little fat and counting calories. I am comfortable with 1000-1200 daily. So far I am having good losses but it seems to have slowed down alot the past 2 weeks and I am not sure why. But its 7 weeks post op and I think its time to start walking every single day.

I havent had any problems... It was about 2 weeks after surgery for me... not for any particular reason... it just worked out that way. And as for fills... I had my first one on Friday and we got busy Friday and Saturday night! I have not experienced any pain however if his weight is on my stomach I can feel it on my port but the Dr told me there was no harm that could come of it as long as I wasnt uncomfortable. So far so good

You are much farther along than I but I just went thru the 51 lbs stall....9 days without a loss for no reason. I got my first fil and I am down 3 lbs since Friday. I dont know why it works like that. Just keep doing what you are doing.... it will happen!

I too had my first fill last week. He put in 3.5cc and I dont know if its where I will need to be but I noticed a difference immediatly. It may be that another fill is needed in your case. I too was hoping to be full after 3-4 botes but that isnt happening... its more like 8-10 bites depending on what it is....so until I get to that point I am sticking with 1000 calories a day. For me I know that will result in a 2-3 lbs loss per week. My next appointment is in 2 weeks so it will be interesting to see what happens.

My first month after surgery I lost 20 lbs. I followed my Dr.'s orders and had a wonderful loss. I dont recall being overly hungry. I didnt get a fill at my 1 month appointment becasue he said I was doing amazing. Fast forward 2 weeks and 3 days. Today!!! I just came back to my office after having my first fill. It's 7 weeks after surgery. Granted I lost 4 lbs in the past 17 days but by about last weekend I was "starving"! I was sticking to eating my 4-6 oz of food but it took all the will power I had to not over eat. I found myself looking for food and eating a (at least a healthy) snack to get me to the next meal. I called the office on Monday and they saw me today for a 3.5 oz fill. That was an hour ago... and I am now sipping apple juice to get some calories in me as I need to be on liquids for 2 days to heal. As others have said its going to depend on you and how your body react to the band. Just listen to your stomach and not your head. And follow your medical professional's advice. If its not working for you discuss it with them and make modificaitons. Best of luck!

I confess. I weigh myself daily and have found sometimes I'll weigh myself before bed just to see how my weight fluctuates. I know I should only weigh myself once a week but its too early for that. I need daily confirmation that I am doing everything right! My husband is worried... he thinks I am obsessed. But I spent too many years not worrying about my weight... its about time I did.

I would check with the manufacter or do what I did when I bought a bike last month... sit on it and if the wheels dont flatten I figure its ok. I also went for a beach cruiser type bike with the fatter tires and larger seat.

I always kept my daughter's (who is now in her twenties...lol) baby spoons and forks in the drawer to use for pickles, olives and cheese trays and such.... they are still in perfect shape and now I use them for eating. I do need to pick up a set to keep at the office. I also use the tiny rubbermaid containers to bring my lunch to work and use the cocktail sized paper plates to eat on. At home I use a salad plate or small monkey dish to eat off of. Whatever works is my motto!

I am going on Friday for my first fill. I thought I would get it 4 weeks post op but I was losing well and he didnt feel I needed it. Now 2 weeks later I KNOW I need it.

My Dr is on board with the 2 week liquid plan. No chewing, no veggies.... just 5 Optifast shakes per day plus unlimited Jello, popsicles crystal light ,Water and tea! I was miserable for 3 days then it just became natural. I lost 22 lbs on that preop diet. Was I hungry? Sometimes... but its just mind over matter and I developed the "gas and go" mentality. The liquid was fuel to keep me going. Thats it. No pleasure... no comfort. Just fuel. I didnt see it then but it prepared me for post op which was 2 weeks of liquid and 1 week of mushies which helped alot!

Living in Florida our winters are way more mild than many other places but 55-60 degrees is chilly for our standards. That said... I am finding for the past 3-4 weeks I have noticed I am not drinking Water as much as I was the first month of my journey. I am enjoying plenty of hot tea and hot cocoa (zero calories / sugar and caffine free) but I am concerned that its not as good as plain water. (I am still drinking some plain water just not as much) Do you count your water intake when you add crystal light, a tea bag or cocoa mix in addition to plain water or as part of your water intake? I am asking because I seem to be retaining some Fluid this week and wasnt sure why. (I am in pre menopause so my cycle isnt accurate so I can't blame that! )

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions!

If I had a nickle for the number of times I lost and regained 60 lbs I would be a rich woman. But like you and most of us on this site... we didnt try or didnt keep the weight off becasue we didnt stick to it. We failed our diets or our diets failed us. Pick a reason. For me being more 200 lbs overweight the thought of the time spent exercising and dieting only to gain it back again when I stopped "dieting" was overwhelming. Thats when I decided to look into the band. I am on my way.... having lost 50 lbs in the first 2 months... but I have a very long way to go and at times.. I stll secretly wonder if I will actually be able to do it. I am planning to do it. I am on track to do it but deep down I have no recent recollection of being 150 lbs (ok..it was way back in high school) so its hard to imagine. But every day I get up and eat what I am supposed to and I am not hungry (for the most part) and I am losing weight. So my confirmation that I WILL reach my goal looks at me in the mirror every morningy! Tell your boss to explain to me why that is a failure! Best of luck to you! Can't wait to see your progress.

Online I use fatsecret.com which has an ap for my DROID phone so I would think there is one for the iPhone. My phone will synch to the online account and viceversa. The coolest part about the Ap is that is has many national restaurant nutritional info in its data base and every food I have every looked up! It also has a bar code scanner so you dont even have to type!!

I thought I had read that.... thanks for the validation Melody! I am loving the Lipton caffine free herbal lemon tea. I have gotten used to room temp water from the 3 weeks post op I wasnt supposed to have too hot or too cold liquids... but its isnt my favorite. Hopefully it will get back to the 70s soon and I can get back to iced cold water. LOL

I dont have first hand experience as it hasnt happened to me but my Dr said hair loss for WLS patients is from a lack of Protein. If you are taking Biotin and eating enough protein you may not have the problem. Just my 2 cents!

Welcome Michelle! I live in Plant CIty and used Dr Aquila in Tampa. I have been banded just over 1 month and am SO glad I did! I am happy to help you in any way I can.

You have no reason to discuss your personal decisions with anyone. Treat it the same way you would treat anyone. When she asks you why you arent eating "normally" reply that you are dieting. If she asks questions you can add that you are seeing such great results your arent veering off your meal choices. That should end the conversation. If she presses I would stick to my guns and just say I have made a decision to lose weight and appreciate your support. If she flat out asks if you had surgery you can either leave... saying its none of her beeswax or tell her that you had the lap band implanted. Of course if you do that be prepared to get in to an involved discussion but one that maybe will enlighten her. Good luck!

3 years ago I first heard about the band. I poo poo'd the idea thinking I was stong enough... I didnt need surgery. This as I started my 3rd time @ Jenny Craig. I lost 60 lbs then my mother, grandmother and grandson died with in 5 months of each other. I lost interest in the "diet" and resumed eating without thinking. I gain every pound back in 2 years! I happend to read an article about a golfer who lost 100 pounds with the band and started my research. I found this to be a viable tool to not only lose the weight but to keep it off. So now I am losing but I believe when I reach my goal I will finally be able to keep it off.

I started the presurgery diet on 11/23. I lost 22 lbs. Since surgery on 12/9 I have lost 27bs for a total of 50 lbs. Keep in mind every one is different. A gal I met at the Dr office was banded the same day as I and she hasnt lost much since the surgery... she is going for her 2nd fill tomorrow and I havent even had a fill yet.

hummus, egg salad, tuna, salmon, pudding and applesauce were my favs. Of course all of them were reduced calorie, fat free and / or sugar free. I did not have the patience not to lose while healing.

In the beginning I wasnt telling anyone! But that was short lived as my hubby mentioned to numerous people that I was having "surgery" in December and that we were taking a trip the weekend before my pre op diet to indulge for the last time! At first I was mortified but now the people who have been told and the others who found out through the grapevine have been amazingly supportive... lately I am getting questions like... Are you eating regular fods yet? How much have you lost? How are you feeling? When can you have a cocktail again? LOL I don't openly broadcast my band. Only 2 people at work know as far as I can tell. I am not one for discussing my personal life at work, but if I am asked I have no problem discussing it... and when people ask why did you take such drastic measures? I explain that I am doing this as a way to not just lose weight but to lose and maintain my weight! That seems to end any discussion and usually results in a "good for you".

You should be fine. My dr said I could swim the day after surgery if I wanted. That first shower of mine was long and hot... it felt marvelous!

I was on the Optifast for my 2 week pre op back in November... its was $200 for 3 cases which was a little more than I needed. (5 shakes per day). Tell him he is overpriced!