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This is so close to what has worked so well for me in the past. And what I'm trying to get back to again. I usually eat two protein meals, 3pm and 6pm, then finish with a piece of fruit around 8pm. I try to keep all my eating between noon and 8pm. The timing is not as important. But the order I eat seems to be the biggest impact. Water, protein drink, water, yogurt and vitamins, water, protein and veg, water, protein and veg, fruit.

Very brave of you to go to the doctors. I'm avoiding mine. Every other day I need to restart again. I have gotten a few good days in a row then fall off the clif. I weighed this morning and I'm at an all time high from my surgery on 8/2013. But I'm trying again this morning.

Thank you for sharing. I'm about the same distance out from surgery and hoping to get the scale moving in the right direction again. Your post is very encouraging!

I had the band for 5 years and I will say the pouch story did not quite fit my experience. A funnel effect would fit. When the first bite of food made me stuck 1/2 the time, it's hard to think of it as a pouch. I would have to wait 5-10 minuets for the first bite to "pass" then I could usually eat my portion slowly. Sometimes I was done with only one bite. This is why I ended up choosing the easy foods, at least I could get them down. Dense fibrous foods would clog that funnel causing pain and sliming until it passed. This explained a lot!

I know on the Oprah show they called it Addiction Transfer. Try doing a search for that, on this site and online. I have always been very wary of alchohol. I have found myself craving it the way I do food in the past.

It sounds like you have only had one fill. How is your restriction while eating? You can do this. You have a band, and can use it to help you get back to where you were. My loss has been super slow. My own fault of course. I exercise in spurts, I still eat junk in small amounts. Basically the only thing I did do right was go in for checkups and fills. I now have great restriction, and that really does make a huge difference in what I see on the scale.

No bashing here. It sounds like you may have another problem on your hands. Do you think he hit the tube? Do you feel any restriction? I had a fill go missing once, I swear they missed the port completely. But the doctor said something about some fill could have been lost when they withdrew the needle. Sorry about your job, it sounds like a very stressful situation. I am a stress eater as well, and it shows in my slow weight loss. But the fact is that my weight is down, I weigh less than before. The scale goes up and down, but it is moving downward. Go to your doctor and find out why you lost restriction. When you get it back you will feel better.

Hi Georgia Girl, hope you are doing well. I spoke with my mom, she said the headband broke a while back, she can't remember the name of it, but it was around $70 online. But she found that those hand held back massage things work the same. They kind of look like a bug with 4 legs and they vibrate? She holds it to wherever the pain is, top of head, behind ears. She also suggested lots of Omega 3 supplements. She feels it has helped keep the brain inflammation down. Thanks for the flow rate info, I will be sure to remember that. I remember being so worried about the imitrex shots. She would take another shot early and her doctor kept saying how dangerous it is if you take them too close together. That was why I kept pushing her to try the oxygen. I hope it works for you! My parents actually retired to New Mexico 4 years ago and I think that has been a huge help for her. The steady dessert air pressure, compared to constant changing barometric pressure in MA.

I was doing a lot of research and had encouraged her to do the oxygen. I think she said she had it a few times when she went to the ER because the pain was unbearable. For some reason she did not want to get a tank for home. Maybe she was not impressed with the times she had it at the hospital, maybe she was nervous about a tank at home. But I do wish she would have tried it at home. I read about lots of success with it. I will find out what the headband is and let you know. They are traveling now so it may take me a few days. Take care.

You can do it, don't give up. It feels harder because it is harder this time. Smoking artificially raises your metabolism. Quitting is so worth it! You will live longer because of your actions. But now you will need time to adjust to your new lower metabolism. You can do it, just give your self time, it may take longer, you may need to work out a little more than before. You can get back to your size 10.

I am so sorry to hear your news! My mom started suffering from cluster migraines in 1996. It can be totally debilitating. They have tapered off over the years and she now has mild cycles with long time spans in between, and is on no meds. The drugs are hard. She was on everything from steroids to depakote to lithium. One thing that she was surprised that worked so well was some kind of vibrating head band that my dad found and ordered online. She still takes it with her whenever she travels. Be gentle with yourself, this is a very hard illness.

Too funny!! Jachut, I never thought about the butt/wall effect, but it makes perfect sense! Thanks for sharing everyone! Glad I'm not the only one shrinking and growing.

My nose got bigger. And I seem to be taller in the kitchen and shorter in the car?? In high school I used to think my nose was big. Then forever it looked just right for my face. Now my face is shrinking and my big nose is back! I have never been able to reach stuff on or above a certain shelf, now (with my big stomach shrinking) I can reach it! But I had to move the seat up in the car, who moved the peddles? Oh wait, my butt is smaller! Anyone else?

I think I have found my twin. I was banded the day after you, I have had a terrible time waiting for restriction! Two weeks ago I lost it when the scale went up again. Miserable crying, self pity, this is never going to work. Dreading going back in and asking for another fill. Every fill was the same, I would feel a little for a week, eat super, lose a few pounds. Then I would feel nothing and those few pounds would return. In 9 months my weight loss has just moved from 10 to 15 pounds, back and forth, over and over again. Well I forced myself to go in on Tuesday. Amazingly enough no one lectured me. They added 1cc and wow! I never thought it would happen, but I am tight! On Wed morning it took me an hour to drink an 8oz protein shake. I almost gave up! I was so close to never going back into that office again because I could not stand feeling like such a failure. So I agree, don't give up! Nine months ago today I had my surgery. I never dreamed it would take so long to get the band working. And even if it does loosen up some, I have now at least had a taste of what true restriction is. Good luck everyone! Thanks Zillyanne!

I can commiserate with you. The moment I leave the kitchen someone wants a snack, it brutal. Lately I have been making hubby's lunch the night before. I should make it at dinnertime, but I forget. So 9 or 10 pm I have to brace myself to just go in, make his lunch and leave. It is SO hard. I ended up eating a little snack tonight, not planned, I wish I didn't. From now on I will try harder to get that lunch made much earlier.

Hi everyone! I have never done a challenge before but I would love to give it a try. Thanks!

At my last fill I was expressing my anxiety over being at 8cc (with a Realize band) with no real restriction. My doctor said they have patients at 10cc and even 11cc. They prefer not to go that high, but they will. But I would think every doctor will have different limits. He filled me to 9cc that day, that was almost 3 weeks ago and I have great restriction now. Things are going great, but the 5+ months it took to get to restriction were hard.

Thank you all for sharing, I am crying I'm laughing so hard! You made my day! My band was the first time I've been put under, I did not expect the crazy feeling. The first thing I remember was hearing someone say "She had a band and a liver biopsy". Now a liver biopsy was NOT planned and my mind is now racing. I asked the nurse "did someone say liver biopsy?" she said "oh, you heard that did you?" I start crying and saying how my grandmother died from liver cancer. I kept saying over and over "My kids are so young" and crying. The nurse said, lets get the doctor down here. Then the surgeons intern came down and was trying to be all consoling. He said it was nothing, just a bile duct tumor, nothing to worry about. Then he says "you are a healthy 35yo woman, your going to live to....36." The nurse next to me tries to stop a laugh, and I'm thinking, that's it! 36? This is how you comfort me? I said "Thanks a lot..." In a slightly sarcastic tone and got a few chuckles from the nurses.

Good luck with your new start. I did end up going through Umass and had band surgery July 30 with Dr Kelly. They switched to doing all Realize bands, so I'm trying to just say band surgery, instead of Lapband. I will say that I had some frustration with the process of going through the Weight Center. I considered switching programs for a while. But once I got through that part and my file was sent to the surgery center, things went quicker and smother, and I love Dr. Kelly. I would highly recommend him! He was great, every person I saw on surgery day was great and nice. I was in at 7am and home by 3pm. Umass also called me the next day to check up on me. Getting in for fills has been easy so far. I had to wait 7 weeks after surgery for the first fill (scheduling issues). But after that it's been easy. I called Monday and they gave me an appointment for Thursday for my 3rd fill. :grouphug:

Hi, we are going to Disney in December and we did get the meal plan. We where there in April 2007 with the regular meal plan and loved it. It includes one sit down meal a day, one quick service (fast food) and one snack (ice cream, pop corn, drink) per person per day. We did a lot of the character dining, that counts as a sit down, and did save quite a bit of money using the meal plan (we did the math). This year they are charging the same price for the plan but tip for the sit down meal is no longer included. Even with that change it will still save us money. They also have a deluxe meal plan with 3 sit down meals a day. Crazy expensive, and you spend all day sitting in restaurants. Not to mention being crazy full all day. I went in high school and we had this 3 full meal plan. It was way too much! I will have my third fill about 3 weeks before we go and I'm not sure how much I will be able to eat. I'm going to try not to worry about it. lunch and snack we can keep the leftovers, for the character dining (usually buffet) I would have to pay for a meal just to sit with my family anyway, so it's worth it. Good luck and enjoy your trip!

Hi, I am 7 days post-op and I was just wondering the same thing this morning. The port sit is the only incision that is bothering me, and that usually only happens when I move. But this morning I was lying still and felt a couple cramp/ache feelings at my port site. I thought this was weird. I was more active the last two days and I am thinking I just irritated it a little. It's so hard not to worry! But when in doubt, call your doctor.

It sounds like you have had a rough time! I don't have any advice as I am just one week out myself, but I wanted to wish you good luck on your healing! I have not had the problems you have had, but I do feel very tight, especially in the mornings. I am assuming (maybe incorrectly) that it's from stomach swelling and that when that heals I will be able to get more down.

Hi, I was banded last Wednesday, 7-30-08. I read and posted a little on this site before, but now life is so different I seem to be here several times a day looking for info. I can't believe I am finally banded! I am a 35 yo sahm, to two boys ages 6 and 8. We are also homeschooling and love it. DH and I went to a movie yesterday and I think all the laughing I did made me very sore, so I am going to take it very easy today. The last few mornings I have woken up with a tightness in my chest. I wonder if this is the morning restriction I have read about? Bandsters who need to start with warm liquids to help loosen up in the morning. My fear is it's some kind of reflux causing it. Everything is still so new! My port site is still pretty sore. Anyone know how long that takes to heal? Wishing all of us luck on our new journey!

Congratulation! I was trying to keep my expectations low, but I have also lost 7 pounds since my surgery on the 30th and I was so surprised! I was also excited to start walking the dog again yesterday. That's great you get a fill so quickly. I think I have to wait until 6 weeks.

Sorry you had such a rough time! I hope you will feel much better from now on. My surgery was last Wednesday and outpatient as well, 9 am surgery- 2pm check out. Saturday was the day I felt up to a short walk. It took me forever to go around our little block in shuffling little steps. But from there on every day was greatly improved! I hope you have the same thing to look forward to. Wishing you a great nights sleep, to wake up feeling added energy, and better than the day before.