kacee

Okay, so you've gotten to that "sweet spot"....so how long does that last? I don't mind going to the doctor every 30 days for the first two years while my fills are included in my self-pay for the surgery, but I'm gonna be upset if I have to start paying $200-300 a pop and only get 2 weeks of decent restriction at a stretch....

$12,900. Includes all fills for the first year and if you reach 50% of your goal at the end of the first year the 2nd year's fills are free too. YEEEHAAA!!!! Worth every DAMN PENNY!!!!

Also a biggie, and it was a surprise to me...going to the doctor, getting on the scale, and NOT HEARING THE CLANK OF THE WEIGHT BEING PUSHED TO THE 200 MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!

** I am beginning to CARE about my appearance! I've gotten a new haircut and I am more aware of the clothes I pick out to wear. AND I actually stood in front of a full length mirror in the BUFF this morning and didn't throw up!!!! (Nothing I want to parade at the beach or in a pageant of course) ** I don't get so exhausted quickly. ** I don't need nearly as much sleep. ** I fit in the airplane seat without feeling both thighs rubbing on the sides of the seat! ** My fat neck is going away (being replaced by lines and s potential turkey waddle, but hey, that's what PS is for...) ** My dowager's hump is starting to go down (THANK GOD)

Yep, I had an evening out with the family at a nice restaurant where we had wine (several glasses) and when I logged everything in I found that nearly 50% of my caloric content for the day was alcohol!!! Needless to day, the scale's downward trend came to a screeching halt and actually went back up two pounds in the next several days.

That being said, I love the report on "if every day were like today you would lose...." That is NEAT!

I looked at myfooddiary.com and it looks like a great tool and I would consider using it, except it is so EXPENSIVE! That's $108 a year! FitDay regular is free, or the software is $19.

Four Points! Ship Rock! I love that area!

Clear Lake area...the only part of Houston worth living in (I can say that cuz I was raised in Houston....). Don't get me wrong. Texas is the bomb, but all things considered I'd rather be in the hill country!!!

I have been very very good about logging all my intake of food, my activities, and my weight every day (Note: I know a lot of people don't like to weigh every day. However, I find that I get very attentive to those .6 and .8 pound fluctuations and it keeps me in line better, rather than adjusting to seeing 1+ pound weight fluctuations over a week or so...my theory being that if you get used to the "pound-plus" on the scales you are more likely to backslide into 2-3-4 pound fluctuations....just my own philosophy). I have noticed a definite correlation between the days I "overeat" (over 950 cal) and the subsequent weight upswing within about 2-3 days. I was out on the web looking for guidance on just how long it takes before the "bad days" turn to noticeable weight gain. I found this interesting.... Temporary weight gain could appear quickly after a large meal or two, but that does not mean that if you've overdone it, you're doomed. After all, daily weight fluctuations are normal. Generally speaking though, if you keep your calories burned in line with your calories consumed over a week's time, you shouldn't gain -- 3,500 calories is equal to one pound. If you do have a surplus of 3,500 calories by the end of one week, most people will be up a pound from the prior week. The most worrisome is the gradual weight gain that people experience, which is more likely to represent new pounds that you truly gain over time. Keep a food diary to try and help combat this gradual weight gain and (you knew this was coming) exercise regularly!

(post revised 1-28-08) I was banded 5-23-07 and am down about 61 pounds. I am 56.

April 19 - seminar May 23 - surgery I would have done it earlier (I was self-pay) but I had to at least go through the motions for the insurance....just in case. Once I determined self-pay it was just a matter of days...

Just remember the golden rules of post-surgery....walk walk walk and sip sip sip and you'll do great. Main thing....WALK every single chance you get. You may not have gas pains now, but they could set in down the road a little so be prepared and proactive! Welcome to the club!

Do they fill you using a flouroscope? That seems to be much more accurate for getting a good fill (my first was sans scope, the second was with scope).

Don't feel alone. Me too. I've had 2 fills and the last week I have been knawing my leg off. Hanging on by my fingernails till I go in for another fill tomorrow morning. You may not be doing anything wrong. Keep the protein up, keep up liquids. You'll feel much better on the 3rd....and I think I will feel much better tomorrow!

Go for the FitDay...when you track everything you see EXACTLY where you are. Compare to your weight to the intake and you will see a correlation you cannot ignore. Then adjust accordingly.

<p>I totally agree with the "mini-goals". The prospect of a huge amount to lose was always self-defeating for me. It's funny, but after banding I was doing the happy dance after 5 pounds of weight loss....(I started at 218)...then I said Can I get to 210 this month? WOW! Yes! Then how about 205? YES! Then the BIGGIE....Wonderland....I cried when I hit 199. Now sitting on the cusp of 180's and that's all I can see right now...can I get into the 180's in the next two weeks? Hmmmmm. I have NEVER done this in my LIFE (always looked down the road and went...60 pounds? No way! Can't be done! Too far to go....) NOT TRUE! Live from week to week on the goals.....and TRACK YOUR FOOD religously! I RUSH home from work every day to fill out my FitDay Food Log. I rush to the scales every morning to weigh (good, bad or indifferent....you start to appreciate the .8, .6, .2.... and on the other side of it...I get shocked when it goes from .0 to .6 and I get my a@@ in high gear). Living from mini-goal to mini-goal is also a HUGE shot in the arm...you have MANY successes, instead of living for only one!!! So there are MULTIPLE pay-offs through the journey. How funny...I look back on those first five pounds and kindof think wow, I was so excited over that! And then I think...and I thought the world had stopped on its axis when I got to 199....and then I think....and lo and behold you are standing on the edge of the 180's....you would NEVER have thought you could get to there when you started! I'VE COME A LONG WAY BABEEEEE! I plan on four months from now looking back and marveling at how excited I was to be looking at the 180's!!!!</p>

I'm a self-pay. Does anyone know what Spivak charges for fills AFTER the first two years? Another question....once you get a decent restriction (I have yet to do so...going in for fill three on Tuesday)...does it continue to dribble out like before? It's kindof scary thinking that a fill will only last 3-4 weeks.... or does it finally "settle" a little and stay around?

Why worry about the cath? Don't they put that in when you were asleep? I had to be catheterized 9 hours after surgery because I couldn't pee (prerequisite before leaving the hospital). When they started saying "we better get the foley" I started grimmacing...but it wasn't THAT bad. But you won't "be around" when they do it and it's nothing afterward..........

<p><p>I absolutely second that!!! I use the FitDay software (opted for the whole 9 yards) and it's funny, because I am now addicted to my FitDay charts!!! I RUSH home from work to fill it out for the day. I mark down the good, bad and ugly faithfully. I weigh everyday and put it down, bad or good. I can graph to the "nth" degree exactly where I sit!</p></p>

Are you logging your caloric intake and weight somewhere? This will give you an excellent idea of where you stand. FitDay is good, and there are others. I find I cannot take in more than about 900 calories or the weight loss stops completely (I went through three weeks of that before I got SERIOUS about the logging). Now every minute of the day I know exactly where I am and exactly how much I can have the rest of the day. This is something they try to teach you at Weight Watchers, but I never listened and didn't do it. No wonder I didn't lose anything. I can tell by the graph when I have overstepped and messed up because the line goes flat on my weight. IT WORKS.

You're gonna love him. I am 60 days post-op and amazed at what I have accomplished! He's wonderful, the office staff is outstanding, the procedure was worth EVERY PENNY of my self pay (wish it had bee available 15 years ago)... You will not be disappointed.

<p>Terry, you and I seem to be almost mirror patients. At surgery I was 218, I am now 190 and my goal is 150. I was banded 5-23. We're also not too far apart in age (I'm 55).... :-) </p> <p> </p> <p>I hit a major plateau the last several weeks and finally got SERIOUS about logging my food and comparing to my weight and it makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD!!!!! I can track Exactly where I am (I highly recommend for "slow losers")...I KNOW now that if my caloric intake goes much over 950 the weight loss STOPS dead. 750-900 I'm in good shape. I use FitDay and I can track the weight right beside the caloric intake and it is absolutely reduced to a mathmatical equation! If you log ALL your food you will know eactly where you are...NO SURPRISES. I don't think that if you are really dedicated and accurate about it that you can go wrong. I chuckle to myself because this is something Weight Watchers tries to drum into your head and I always thought it was just too much of a pain in the a** to do (so I didn't). With FitDay, I can't wait to get home and fill it in each day, can't wait to look at my overview and see how I graph out for the week...</p>

Things have kindof come to a crashing halt. I have been sitting at 24 pounds down from original now for about two weeks. In looking at my stats on FitDay (got the software) I see that I did NOT lose weight, or gained, when I went about 1000 cal. Around 700-800 I lost. It was VERY evident in the graph, so I've cut down considerably and anticipate some loss. Had my last fill 6-27 and I am finding I can eat a LOT right now, and am thinking about food a lot....bad sign. Need to get in for a "top off" I think...