PrettyThick1

It happened so gradually, I just noticed yesterday that my thighs no longer rub together! I can wear pants, stockings or go bare legged without making a sound or creating friction! I also have a "gap" between my legs...I've never seen space there before - LOL!

Missy: I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. She is in my prayers. She's doing well on it, but we were warned it can take 4-8 weeks for it to take full effect. In the meantime, she's taking Flexeril and Ibuprofen. Pretty much toughing it out. She's not had any adverse reactions whatsover so far, so that is a huge relief. They won't give her pain meds either. I've actually given her half of my Vicodin before because she was in so much pain. Hang in there Donna, you can do this

Fish and chicken are my only two constants. I go through periods that I can eat meat fairly well, but trial and error have me a bit gun shy. I rarely try to eat beef or pork unless it's crazy tender and full of sauce or I sip while I eat it and I can't really tolerate any ground meat - don't know why. Lamb goes down well, too.

I thought I'd need a tummy tuck, but it's starting to look like my tummy is tightening itself and I will not need surgery! Now...for my boobs and butt, different story - they are gone and I want them replaced. I will do what I can in terms of exercising to get things pumped back up, but if that doesn't work I'm already doing my research on the procedures I'd like. Lucky me, my boyfriend says I'm fine the way I am...but he said that before the lap band, too. I guess I'll just take comfort in his response "I'm not going to love you any less either way, you are just right to me but if you're not happy then that's another story."

Yes I do ; )

You are doing great!!! Keep up the good work!

This is an excellent idea, I wish I had done that.

Average loss is about 11 lbs per month.

I agree with you B-52. The band is a device and it sets the rules, it's not a tool that we can control or manipulate. It's the boss and if the band says something isn't going down, then it isn't and you can't force it even if you tried. I've been in the green zone for about 3 months now, with no signs of loosening up. In fact, it seems my band may be getting tighter...which I don't understand.

Clear Liquids coffee Iced and Hot Tea SF Ice Pops SF Jello Protein Shots broth from any regular soup Full Liquids Cream of chicken Cup of Soup Yogurt Muscle Milk (snack: Cake Batter flavor mixed thick and eaten like...well cake batter - YUM!)

I got my third fill (total 5cc/10cc band) in August and it brought me to the green zone, I decided against additional fills because it's obvious I am where I should be now. I hit a plateau about 6 weeks ago and the scale didn't budge for nearly a month, then out of nowhere the weight starts coming off again. I've lost 6 lbs. this week, 2 overnight last night alone. I know I'm not eating or getting the amount of Protein I need, so I am going to make a serious effort to do better. I have the feeling that I am now anemic because I am cold almost all of the time. I won't go into any other details, I'm happy about seeing the finish line but I am aware that I have to do better about my nutrition to stay healthy.

Sending you hugs. You have put your trust in the right place, God will never put more onyou than you can handle. You've got this!

You aren't stuck, since you've only been on liquids that's not possible. You're still very swolen and have a couple of days to go yet before you feel normal again. This isn't something you have to get use to, you will feel very little differently than you did before the surgery. The more weight you lose, the more you will be able to feel/see your port though.

Nothing unusual about that. You'll find that the closer you get to your fill time, the less you stay satisfied on the amount of food we are supposed to eat. Once you get in the Green Zone, you will have periods of over eating, but they don't last long and the affects are not permanent.

5 1/2 months and I'm 12 lbs. from my goal weight! The band is amazing and I'm thrilled with the results. I look and feel better than I have in many many years.

How do you know your body rejected it from the beginning?

It's weird, I was just sitting here on Monday lamenting about giving up an amazing dress that I have in a size 12. It's clearly too big for me, but it looks and feels great so I'm going to keep wearing it until it doesn't look right anymore. Anywhoooooo...went shopping for a dress to wear for a wedding tomorrow and found one that I'd seen at a high-end store for $229.00 at a different store marked down to $49.99 - I'd fallen in love with it at the higher price, but wasn't about to spend that much on it right now...it's not my wedding and I don't even know the people. I was about to give up but it was almost like the dress had a voice and called me because I saw it as soon as I turned in a different direction. I couldn't believe it, it was the same dress I'd fallen in love with 2 weeks ago at a different store - but dratz...it's a stinkin' size 8...I'm sure I need a 10. I decided to try it on anyway, my lunch break was toast and I didn't have time to go anywhere else. Alas! The size 8 fits great!!!! I was in such a shock I almost cried, but called my niece instead to tell her the news. I said "Guess what size dress I just bought"? She said "Size 8?" I couldn't believe she guessed it right off and asked how she knew? She told me that I'm little...I look little and she's known for a while that I was nearing single digit clothing sizes. The kicker is: I can't tell. My brain has not yet caught up with my body. I don't feel little, I don't look little, I feel the same...just more energetic and a lot more lively - but size wise, I hardly see 10lbs. gone when I look in the mirror naked. I guess my mind will catch up with my physical progress soon. This size 8 is a shocker though!

I've calculated my BMI and realize for the first time in decades, I am no longer obese - just overweight.

At first, it hurst like h#ll. I'm not going to lie to you. After day 4 or 5 you don't feel anything except the port when you touch the area; after you've lost significant weight, the port will protrude - I am experiencing this now...I can nearly grasp mine - LOL.

I hate to admit this, but this forum is about honesty and helping each other. I am a current smoker - before the surgery and still today, 5 1/2 months later. I tried to quit, but my life is hectic and too many life changes at once didn't seem like a good idea at the time. I know, neither is/was smoking. However, as any smoker knows - this is a horrible habit and once you pick it up it holds on for dear life. That's neither here nor there. But to answer your question, I haven't had any adverse affects from smoking but I have cut down a lot - the desire is just not as strong as it was before the lapband. WE have to stop smoking. It is imperative. Being a smoker, I understand that it is easier said than done...but it can be done. Good luck and best wishes!

Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled that I was in size 12's for maybe a month. The only downside to this downsize is that I found an amazing Eddie Bauer dress at Goodwill Select for only $6.99. As if what I paid for it wasn't enough for me to love it, I have to say that I've never looked better in anything I've ever worn before. When I look at myself in the mirror, I am in awe at how good I look wearing this dress and it's really hard knowing that we'll soon have to part. It's already too big for me, but I am hoping to get at least one more wear out of it. It would take a master seamstress to alter this for me, there are so many different cuts and darts...I'd hate for someone to mess it up.

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. But please try to remember that you didn't fail - things happen sometimes, it doesn't mean you did anything wrong to make it so. Good luck.

I'm so excited...I woke up this morning and after a couple of weeks of plateuing and teetering with weight gain I'm losing again, pretty big time too. I am now the weight I was during my sophomore/junior high school years. Yay me!

You poor thing! I'm so happy you a doing better now.

Leave it as is for a couple of weeks, I went through that and eventually the band loosened up. I kind of miss the days that I couldn't eat early in the morning, I lost weight much faster. I ate cream of wheat and drank Protein shots. You could try drinking something hot 30 minutes before trying to eat something, that use to help mine loosen up. There is a "settling" period for me after each fill. There are periods of trial and error because you don't really know how the fill has affected you, I always lose a food that was okay the month before and I gain back one that I had to take off the list a couple of months prior. It's no exact science, you just have to learn what works for you and your band. I've never gotten Miss Pearlie unfilled, I just toughed it out and it paid off. If all you can tolerate is liquids in the morning, I say drink up. Carnation Instant Breakfast, ready to drink Muscle Milk, Cream of Wheat and liquid Protein shots carried me through those times. I wish I was still like that - my fill settled and now I can eat just about anything I want early in the morning...not always a good thing.