NJ2NC

Otaknam, losing inches is great! maybe the scale isn't moving because you are gaining muscle. I've just started keeping track of my inches! so far so good!

Thanks Meredith and JustDoIt130, I have a standard size band, I asked what size it was and he said there's large and standard and I have standard, so I suppose I have a 14cc band too. I only have 4.5 cc's in there and I feel no restriction at all, on Friday I ate some meat that wasn't chewed well and could feel it go down rough, thats the only time I ever felt anything or if I drink a big gulp of Water or Protein Shake it feel like a air bubble going down. Since I only get .5 cc's a visit it may take me a good while to feel real restriction. I go for fill #3 on 4/27. Happy Fill Day Kymie9899

Erica, going from a pre-band 24 to a 16 is FANTASTIC! congrats big time on that. I found I can get into those Lane Bryant 14 womans, but I can only fit a 16 in the misses dept. I'm still psyched about that tho! my goal is to be able to shop in any store that I want to! not quite there but working hard everyday. Today I'm wearing a 16 misses jeans at work with a semi-fitted shirt (Still a little lose) and have gotten several compliments about how I've slimmed down..I guess this is really my first time out of the baggy clothes that people are really noticing the difference. They see me with my gym bag so that helps with answering the question "what are you doing to lose so much weight?" lol JustDoIt130, Happy Fill Day!!

I reached 2 out of 3 goals. I did get up and go to the gym and worked on my 'couch to 5k' (iphone C25K free app) and I chewed much much slower. I'm still not getting all that water down, that has always been tough for me. I do get in 3 protein shakes per day, thats about 33oz of fluid but I'm just not that thirsty in between and after waiting 30 minutes after I eat, I just simply forget to drink. How did everyone else do?

By the way, I went into Lane Bryant yesterday (I couldn't resist) of all the places getting I'm getting smaller it's my least favorite area. Let just say I've lost a couple cup sizes!! But just out of curiosity I tried on the straight leg jeans in a size 14 oh my gosh they went on and buttoned right up.. A little snug but I would have worn them with pride! That's 2-3 sizes smaller per-surgery I could wear 18's but 20's felt better in jeans.. Love those NSV's

Hello all, Sound like a great idea.. My goals are: 1. Drink 64oz of water today and another 64oz tomorrow.. I'm lucky if I drink 24oz per day normally I'm terrible with drinking water. 2. Get up off my butt and and get on my treadmill for no less than 30minutes 3. Chew slower, first time last night a piece of steak went down and wasn't chewed well, I felt every inch it traveled through my body wasn't a good feeling. I had a great 39th birthday yesterday.. I 99% successfully avoided all the sweets and celebrated with a big 9oz juicy steak and fresh veggies .. My sweets consisted of non-sweet tea with added Splenda lol well it was no red velvet cake but I was satisfied lol

I had the Mirena a year or so ago in an effort to control/stop my heavy cycles, when I went back for my yearly exam I mentioned to my doctor my cycles were a tiny bit shorter but still just as heavy and she thought that was extremely weird and ordered an ultrasound..turns out it had dropped and settled in my cervix. Luckily my husband had a vasectomy. However, it was very uncomfortable when I first got it and It took my body about a month to get used to it I thought I had the never ending period. I don't know when it detached but I was told that was extremely rare. I'm actually looking into trying again. I tried the nuvaring last month and my weight loss halted! I removed it and didn't replace it and I'm down 4 pounds.. hormones and the band don't seem to play nicely together.

hello everyone.. Nicole1 sorry about your stress at home..I can relate to the stress, stay focused best way you can. JustDoIt130, way to go on the 4 pounds. Hope everyone is doing well, I'll do some catching up on posts this afternoon. I got my 2nd fill last Friday the 23rd. I only got .5 cc's which sucks cause I still don't feel much restriction but apparently they do .5cc's at each visit. I can go again on 4/27. I still get very hungry about every 2-3 hours, I wonder if I call and tell them this would they give me more before the end of April, prob not. I've lost 4lbs over the last week after being stuck for 2 weeks with no loss at all..I am happy about that.. I stopped using the Nuvaring..I don't need anything slowing me down anymore! I'll work on getting the Mirena in a few months.

Hello JustDoIt130 & Rockonhan, I did try the Mirena and believe it or not after only several months it dislodged into my cervix I was told that was very very rare and that I should try it again. The only reason we found the issue was because I told my Dr. my cycles are still crazy and she looked at me like I was nuts and said lets do an ultasound. Before the Mirena I used the NuvaRing after the dislodging thing I was scared to try it again so I went back to the ring. Now that I'm banded it is obviously slowing down my progress I guess I should just put those fears aside and just get the Mirena again..

I'm curious about something. I've been consistently losing on average about 1-2 per week since banded 1/17. I started back on my NuvaRing 2 weeks ago and have not lost a single pound since (not gained either). coincidence or what? I've not been eating any more and doing about the same amount of exercise. I know BC has its weight gain issues but I was thinking ok! I'm banded and exercising this shouldn't be a problem. I get my second fill on Friday.. I have to decide to continue with the ring by Monday.. (it's not for preventing pregnancy its for cycle control..it has always been a beast lol) I'm wondering what's worth more to me?? taming the beast or losing weight consistently, I hope this wasn't TMI for everyone! What would y'all do?

Hey There, I'm still here! How are you..I've a little reading/catching up to do. I have the LBT app on my iPhone finally and I just finally got the myfitnesspal app. I hate logging my food, I always forget but I'll keep practicing! LOL well, I better go try to get in some exercise today I've been stuck at the same weight the last week but I know its better than gaining. My will-power is breaking down so I moved up my fill from 6weeks from the last fill to 4 weeks, so I go next Friday. I'm so excited hopefully I can get some real restriction.

Hello horsegirl, I get my second fill on March 23rd (I moved it up from April 5th - waiting 6 weeks was too long) I found my 1st fill to be a bit uncomfortable ok ok it hurt lol but only for a very short time then it was all over. I felt like a little kid that just got a needle, I should've gotten a lollipop or something afterwards haha. I've NEVER been stuck, I feel like I have no restriction! as of Feb 24th I have 4cc. I can take big bites, little bites, eat slow, eat fast, eat the same way pre-band and feel no different. I've been eating right and losing weight on sheer will-power which broke down recently when I finished my daughters Sonic Tator Tots (about 5 or 6) yesterday and the day before that I had a sausage and peppers/onions sub (I didn't eat the bread tho) AND I had a very small glass of wine. I knew my willpower wasn't going to last forever so I figured I better move this fill up. After the first fill I was so stressed so I don't know if the band or stress helped me not eat so much. Well, I've not gained or lost in the last week so I'm a little disappointed but not terribly cause I could've gained!! After I finish up my postings I'll head on over to the gym and get some exercise in.

Tomorrow morning I go in at 8:30am. I'm so excited I can barely relax. I've read so much on this forum and realized some people range from little discomfort to major pain post-op. I really hope I fall in the "little discomfort" category lol. I found out last week I definitely have to stay overnight due to sleep apnea I am beginning to think that is going to be a great thing..round the clock medication haha. It's weird, I'm not worried about any steps of the surgical procedure but I am about post op pain. Go figure. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers..

Hey there, I think working with a counselor (Shrink as you described lol) to help replace those behaviors is a great idea. Sound like you have great snack choices I also get the sugar free fudge bar or pudding. However i was told to stay far far away from sweet tea, so I'll do un-sweet with a little stevia or splenda just to remind me how much I love and miss sweet tea. Stress eating can be hard. Fortunately I am a stress non-eater. I've been under a lot of stress since my 1st fill on Feb 24th so I don't know if the band is keeping me full or the stress. I realized at 1 point I hadn't eaten in over 16 hours..stress can be bad either way! I had my appointment with my nutritionist on Monday morning and was told I lost 29 pounds since my 1st pre-op weigh-in on Jan 5th I was so glad to hear that and needed to hear so great news! I'm back on track with eating properly and feel great. I hope you are feeling good too.

My first fill was Fri 2/24. I already had 2cc and he gave me 2cc (total 4cc) I don't have lots of restriction but I can feel a little. I've been stressing over some personal stuff all weekend so I don't know if my loss of appetite is from the fill or stress (I normally lose my appetite when I'm really stressed and eat terribly when i do eat, luckily I've had the will power to make healthy choices). Nothing has gotten stuck so far I'm scheduled for my next fill is 6 weeks but I could get 1 as early as 4weeks they told me to just call if I wanted to come in earlier. My doctor asked me how long does it take after eating until I feel hungry again, I said about 2 hours. I told him I just mentally make myself stop eating. Finally, getting a fill hurt I will admit I'm a baby when it comes to needles but still it hurt, not so terrible I'll never go again lol but enough to make me cringe in pain. He said now he know exactly where the port is it will be easier next time (I'm thinking yeah sure, a needle is a needle lol)

ZipLine! my goal is to buy my ticket put on my harness and not worry about stepping on that scale to prove I'm under 250lbs Shop in any store I want and not have to look for the Plus Size department. Run a 5k with my daughter who's a runner.

Good Saturday Morning..my first fill went good yesterday well to be honest it hurt a bit, but I'm a baby when it comes to needles. Once it was over I was just fine! I had 2cc in already and I got 2 more...so now I have 4cc in my standard lapband. I went to a retirement party/dinner last night I had some soup and I did just fine, I almost finished it but stopped and thought about what I was feeling and I felt full. I've lost 9.4lbs since my last post op visit on 2/2/11..I'm happy with that.

Wow, I would have lost my mind and snapped just for being "called out" like that. I work in a small office about 25 or so directly around me, my team of 4 and about 4 people not on my team know. I am the social butterfly in my office so its obvious when I don't eat the cookies and cakes that seem to come through the office often. I'm sure others will figure it out soon but no one has straight out asked me. 1 girl I'm not very close with beat around the bush a bit asking very quietly "sooo why don't you want a piece of cake or why can't you eat a donut" I just smile and say "Because 2012 is my year to treat myself and health the right way" it isn't a secret, if someone asked me I'll tell the truth but I won't volunteer to talk about my personal goals with anyone but my closest co-workers and family.

Hi Everyone, Hope everyone is doing well. Just wanted to say hello. I'm 5 weeks post op and scheduled to get my first fill on Friday..I'm almost excited as I was when I was having the surgery.. Like so many others I feel like I can eat as much as I want and I'm hungry every 2 hours. Although I've been very good with eating the right things and getting my protein in I'm hoping getting a fill will help me get through at least 4 hours before I'm feeling like I need to eat. I don't think I lost a lot a weight since surgery but I KNOW I didn't gain!! and that's the point right! I keep reading about flipped ports and I can feel mine easily just by grazing my hand over my skin, its still a little sore if pressure is put on it and it is right at "bend" level, so every time I bend over to pick up something I feel like I'm squeezing it... But I'm going to keep positive thoughts for Friday that all will be well.

oh yeah I'm one of them, I feel like I can eat and eat and eat some more. I've been extremely good though at stopping and following portion sizes and very proud of myself. HOWEVER, today I didn't follow the rules and now I know what it feels like to eat tooo much with the band and it's definitely punishing me..my chest feel like a vice grip is on it and up under my rib cage feel like a helium balloon is there and shooting the pains up into my shoulder. I had some baked Beans and some roasted bbq pulled pork (Very Tender and Very good) well my brain said enough but my taste buds said "ahh its just a few more bites" I believe JustDoIt130 said it best "Just because you can eat like you did before the surgery doesn't mean you should".....trust me lesson learned..advice of the day listen to your brain!

It wasn't perfect but I think I survived! As I sat down and opened work email first thing in the morning I saw "Donuts, Donut holes, and Starbucks in the breakroom" I felt like yelling NOOOOOOO! but it wasn't so bad I avoided the break room all morning (i knew they would be gone within an hour) and since I chose to give up coffee Jan 3rd (Cold turkey, I didn't even want to go to decaf I just wan't to stop coffee all together) the smell of that coffee was beckoning, but I put all my willpower to the test and won. I had my protein shake made with 2% milk, sugar free pudding and a spoonful of peanut butter and crushed ice...it was heavenly. The worst part of the day was when one of my co-workers tried to make me just "taste the red velvet cake, just a litte piece" and she knew that was a no-no right now. I was a little disappointed in her but she apologized later.

You're welcome, my mornings move quick between 2 kids... I grab a bottled water and then eat my Centrum chewable vitamin, by the time the kids are on the bus and I get myself together its time to head to work, next thing you know its 9 o'clock. If I had to sit still for a long period of time I would prob want to grab something a lot sooner...I think the hustle and bustle helps plus I've never been a breakfast person (one of my problems).

How do I make it from b-fast to lunch?.. sometimes Barely! LOL I wait till I'm at work to have my protein shake and I hold out as long as I can (my mornings tend to be hectic) so I'll wait until 9 or so to have it. Then about 11 I try to drink another bottle of water to hold me till lunch. Sometimes I may just grab a sugar free jello. I don't count calories either, I'm terrible at food logging. Oh those shots of protein..is worse than anything I've ever tried.

I donated my personal boxes of cookies as well but couldn't get the family to do the same..luckily the kind of cookies they like I DONT..so it kind of works out. lol. I'm learning to be patient too its been a long time since I actually enjoyed working out but slowing down right now is just the right thing to do during this phase.