Road Queen

Finally a place I can call home. Yes, I have had good losses at certain times - during pre-op diet, after surgery, after fill 2 (overfill) but now I'm settled down and am pretty consistently losing .4 - .6 pounds per week. Last month I did a little better - trying to win the holiday challenge - but I notice that I'm not even a contender there and I ended up with so many blisters on my feet that I can't hardly walk. So I will come here to post my nsv (none lately) and scale/inch victories. Thanks for starting this. Celeste

Any bandsters from France here? Who was your surgeon or fill dr? I'm going in 2 weeks and my dr wants me to have a dr that I can call if I have problems. Thanks for any info. Celeste

Makena, everyone is different but I can see the most change in my face. I'm tracking just about everything (inches, weight, % fat, pics, etc) and I'm finding I go in spurts. I think the order is face loses, weight drops, inches drop, plateau, faces loses, etc. I can even see a little difference from my avatar picture taken in August. Alot from my original weight. Good luck. Celeste

Does anyone know drs in France or S. Africa that do fills/unfills? I am going to be traveling to both places soon and want to make sure I have a dr name in case something happens. I contacted Inamed and they told me they don't keep names of non-US surgeons and drs. They told me to contact local distributors in the countries. How in the heck am I supposed to find that if they don't give it to me!! Just needed to whine and I feel better now.

Another indication that bands are fickle and different - I am wide open during my monthly - no restriction. I am also unrestricted in the morning and more restricted from late afternoon on...Go figure.

everyone is different. I didn't get restriction from my first fill at all.

then- cup of Soup, whole salad, 3-4 hard rolls, baked potato, 12 oz steak now - 1/3 c of soup, 3-4 bites of salad, 1 piece garlic toast, 1/3 of 10 oz steak then - 2 to 3 plates of food at chinese restaurant now - example 1 inner part (veggies) of egg roll, 3/4 c chicken and broccoli now - example 2 inner part (veggies) of egg roll, inside of egg foo young, inside of 1 piece of sesame chicken these were all 3 meals I had this week and I think I need a little fill.

1)How much of a fill you all got the first visit? 1cc 2)What size and brand of band? 4cc inamed 3)Did your Dr. use floro or not for this first visit? no 4)How much did you get on your second fill? .5 cc but had to get some removed 5)How long before you NEEDED (not got it, but needed it) your second fill? 2 weeks after fill 1 I am now at 1.4 cc and have fair restriction. I haven't had it increased because I travel alot and have times of greater restriction. I am still losing - just not as quickly as I like. Good luck.

Congratulations!! Party time - is your hubby coming to celebrate your milestone with you???

Benet, I wish that I was banded one of the previous times I lost my excess weight. Then I wouldn't be going through this now. Smart idea. Celeste

Weight 178 under breasts - 35 waist 35.5 hips 44.5

I live in a fairly small town (10,000) so people still bring their kids out. I take the window out of my screen door so I don't have to open it to hand out candy. Then Schnapps, my dalmation, and I wear costumes to hand out candy. This year I have an outfit I bought in Africa. Schnapps always wears her dalmation costume. Because most of the kids are from around here, they all know her and comment on her costume (and pet/kiss her). My brother used to love Halloween (pre-divorce). He would put the candy, cans of pop, little toys in paper bags, and cans of asparagus and spinach in a big container and cut a hole in the top. The kids got to pick out their treat. As much as they could grab with one hand. For the ones that got spinach, my sister-in-law would run out the side door and exchange the spinach for candy as they walked away. You might be able to replicate the his grab bag scenario at a party. Make sure one of the first to grab a can gets soda. That will make it more fun for them to guess what they will get.

Janet, enjoy bandland. Every day will be different and better than the day before. Every one gets nervous at some point. Just think of how great it will be in the future. Good luck. Celeste

Enjoy bandland. Every day will get better. Celeste

I love this site and how we can talk/relate to each other on these topics. Others just don't get it!! Sorry you had to go through that. I keep baby wipes and paper towels in my car for 'accidents/incidents'. Celeste

Kathy, I totally understand about cooking. I am single so I hate cooking anything now and when I do my dog gets alot - she is getting fat. I wonder if they will band a Dalmation....

Keep up the good work and buy yourself lots of clothes. Celeste

Lisa, The pics are great but pic no 6 is awesome. Have a great weekend. Celeste

Congratulations on making your decision. having surgery and paying for it out of pocket is never an easy decision. There is alot of good information on the site and lots of people to respond to question. Good luck. Celeste

Jenna, I am so sorry for you. Just think of the wonderful life Jeter had with you. I'm sure you made it special for him. Sorry for your loss. Celeste

Nykee, thanks for sharing. What a journey you have been on. I remember feeling bad as you have been struggling the last couple of months but it looks like you have overcome all of your issues and will be a model bandster. Keep up the good work and let your band help you. Celeste

Rene, that's why I think banded life is so great. When my last fill was new (better restriction), I could eat about 3/4 of a taco. A couple of days ago I ate 1.5 taco - compare that to pre-band 2-3 tacos, potato oles, and one of those taco shaped ice cream things.......oops, I"m getting hungry now...Celeste

I thought mine felt/looked like a computer mouse - that's what I still call it.

Good job!! You look fantastic. Very moving post. Keep up the good work. Celeste

DeLarla - let Lisa out for a couple of minutes, please - Lisa, are you okay? What is going on with your band? Did you get to the dr. Please provide us with an update. Hope you are doing better and everything is fine. Celeste