Jenn1214

I've had 5 fills so far. I don't have "restriction" in the sense that I can eat any food without a problem, but I find that I am satisfied with smaller amounts of food and I can go longer between meals without being "hangry" (I love that word, describes my hunger to a tee!). My PA doesn't tell me how much fluid is in my band or what size it is, but at my last fill she said I have "plenty of room left." Either I've been getting tiny fills or I have a huge band!

It thinks it pretty much depends on your anatomy. I have no idea what size band I have and frankly I don't care, as long as it keeps working for me!

My doc says 1-2 days of full liquids and 1-2 days of soft foods after a fill. It's annoying but I listen because when you get a fill your stomach gets irritated and a little swollen. It needs a little TLC for a few days. I tend to lose a few pounds during this time so it's also a bonus for me

According to my doctor, drinking with meals is one of the top reasons that lap band patients have lack of weight loss success. I just don't do it. Wait at least an hour after eating before drinking again, and stop drinking anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes before.

I have lost 42 pounds since surgery (plus 10 pounds on the pre op diet), so my average would be about 6-7 pounds a month.

Thanks for the kind words everyone

Don't beat yourself up. You were going through a rough time and weight loss was the last thing on your mind...understandably so. Hopefully now you'll be able to focus more on yourself. Make sure to get enough water and sleep, and make sure you aren't under eating and overexercising (I was stuck at a plateau for that very reason). If your band is too tight, get an unfill otherwise you will resort to eating crap just to get something through the band (happens to the best of us). Good luck!

I stayed away from it during my healing period but started drinking it again about two months after surgery. I have a cup in the morning with some FF creamer and I don't have any problems.

I've been fighting the same three or four pounds for a couple of weeks now and was starting to get discouraged. I went for another post op visit a few days ago and the PA determined I needed another fill (my fifth). Today I stepped on the scale and could hardly believe my eyes. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome me to... ONEDERLAND!!! I must have weighed myself twenty times to be sure (my scale is stupid), but I finally made it! I thought I would jump up and down or burst into tears but instead I just gave my fiance a thumbs up and sat right down to post my victory. It's been a long time coming but it makes it all that much sweeter!

I just had another adjustment and I asked the PA what I could do about the PMS issue. Since I crave salt like crazy, she suggested eating pickles since they're lower in calories. Dark chocolate is good for the chocolate cravings, but it should be at least 70% cocoa. Other than that, lock up the cookies and ride it out. I hate PMS!!

I drink wine about once or twice a week and don't have any problems. The tradeoff is slower weight loss, at least for me.

Nobody? Just me?

I have always been a side sleeper but had no choice but to sleep on my back for the first week or so. As soon as you can sleep on your side, give it a try...it always helps me anytime I have a lot of gas.

Soft cheeses (feta, munster, goat cheese), hummus, saltines, peanut butter, deli meat, soft fruits (bananas), tuna salad with no onion or celery, etc.

My doc had me wait to "get busy" until about 2-3 weeks post op. I waited to drink until I was back on solids for a couple weeks, so about 6-8 weeks post op.

I've been noticing that about a week before my period, I get ravenously hungry. I can pretty much eat the way I did before I was banded. It's horrible. I know I shouldn't get a fill just to deal with this problem because it doesn't happen all the time and I don't want to be too tight, but I feel like I'm undoing all my hard work during PMS time. Anyone else have this problem? How do you deal with it?

I can't wait 'til I get there! How many fills did it take for you to reach this level of restriction?

The PA never tells me how much fluid she puts in, but she always draws the fluid out to confirm how much is there and to make sure there's no leak. I called the office a few days ago because I was starting to freak out...I thought I might have a pouch dilation or something. They didn't seem to think so but they said they would do a video esophagram just in case. Hopefully everything is ok.

I just had my fourth fill August 1st and I've had my band since March 14th. This last fill did absolutely nothing and I feel like I'm hungry constantly. I'm also eating more than I have since being banded. Has anyone else had this problem? When will I finally stop being hungry in between meals?

Yesterday we had dinner at my fiance's parents' house as we usually do. My future father in law is a nice guy but kind of quiet (like me), so our conversations are kind of limited. When we walked in, almost immediately he said "You've lost a lot of weight! You're doing good." I was so surprised I almost didn't know what to say! It was even nicer to hear because my weight loss has been slow lately and I've been feeling kind of down about it. So happy!

I still have some double chin action going, but the first comments I got when I starting losing weight were that my face looked thinner. Can't wait until mine is gone for good!

203 today

Thanks guys! I feel a lot better. I think I'll have my fiance hide my scale and take it out for me once a week

I know, it's such a bad habit to weigh every day, and I usually don't. It just just on a whim that I decided to weigh today and seeing a 3 pound gain freaked me out! Lesson learned.

Ok ok, I know I shouldn't be weighing myself more than once a week but I stepped on the scale this morning and I gained 3 pounds since Tuesday! How is this possible? There is no way I have eaten 10,000 extra calories in four days! I am freaking out slightly here...am I just overreacting?