Skinny_Jill

I eat out several times a week and I have no problems. I just eat much slower than everyone else now. I still go to happy hour but I drink less now. The only change in my life is how I eat and that I've lost 22 pounds. I love my band. Good luck in your decision. Jill

starting # current # goal # to go# TxArcher................360....................346..........345.........1 Shortgal.................198....................192.6.......192. .......1/2 (now I'm aiming for 191) Trixie......................264...................248..........244.........4 tyman311................168...................161..........150.........11 Shalee04.................218...................208..........206.........2 Steph.....................203.5................188.5.......188.5........0 hungry....................227.5................218..........215.5.......2.5 Longhorn.................211...................205..........199.........6 plump_princess.........237...................227..........227.........0 Momto1plus1............241...................235..........229.........6(229) ellbrookes 191..........181...................175........................6 want2lose...............236.8.................229.8........225.........4 .8 Hollyberries.............298....................289...........285........ ..4 Skinny_Jill................195...................188..........180.........8

Please remember that the band is a tool and does not automatically guarantee weight loss. We must eat healthy foods such as lean Protein, veggies, goods carbs and fruit. Go back to the basics with the band and see if that helps. Chew until your food is almost liquid, protein first and don't drink for 30 minutes after eating. My bites are now very very small but that is what works for me. It takes me a long time now to eat a small portion. It is hard work but it is worth it. It is our choices that determine how much weight we lose. The band only helps us eat smaller portions. Any weight loss is a success. Be proud of what you have accomplished and move forward. Good luck!

Diet pills really screw with your metabolism making it harder to lose weight in the future. When you stop taking them you will most likely gain the weight you lost plus some. I wish the lap band had been around when I first gained my weight because I would now be healthy and HOT! LOL Good luck!

Baby Cat, I got my 3rd fill on 01/30/08 and I also have pain when drinking liquids. It is a little better today. I believe it is from the swelling that occurs after a fill. She tried to add 1cc but water wouldn't go down so she backed it off to .5cc and the water went down slowly. I've had a few solids and they go down fine but it doesn't take much to fill me up. I think I finally have good restriction. If the pain isn't gone on Monday I am going to call the doctor but I do believe it is from swelling.

My first 1st fill was 5 weeks after surgery, 3 weeks later 2nd fill, 2 weeks later my 3rd fill. I am at 4.5 in a 10cc band and have good restriction.

Update on fill #3. I stuck to liquids yesterday because I knew that solids would not go down. Today I am not gurgling as much as I was yesterday but I can tell the restriction is still there. Solid food is going to be interesting.

My doctor advises his patients to eat soft food the day of and play it by ear the next day. I got my 3rd fill yesterday and I was on liquids all day. I could tell that solid food would be a mistake. I feel better today but I am being careful. I now know what true restriction feels like. It is great.

Hi Marivi, I live in Sugar Land but my doc, Dr. Spivak is in the medical center. He is great.

Congrats TXArcher! That is very exciting. You should be so proud of yourself.

Yes, it is harder to chug when you have restriction. I just got my 3rd fill today and there is absolutely no way I could chug right now. I know I have some swelling from the fill but this is a lot different than my first 2 fills.

I went back and forth about getting this fill but I just knew I wasn't quite there. I hope I didn't get it too soon. Everything is going down okay but there is a lot of gurgling. It is so weird. My calorie intake is going to be super low today. Maybe that will jump start the weight loss.

This was fill #3 for me. My restriction was decent before this fill. A Lean Cuisine would stay with me for about 3 hours so I am hoping it will last even longer now. I am really getting excited about this.

Update: I am drinking broth and it is going down slow. It is going down but it is gurgling big time. I think I actually have restriction.

Hi Shortgal, I now have 4.5cc's in a 10cc band. She tried to put in 1 cc and Water wouldn't go down so she backed off to .5 cc's and the water went down. I hope that means I will have good restriction. I actually feel different than I did after the last fill. It could all be in my mind. I hope not. I really hope this fill gives you good restriction. We deserve it. We have been patient little bandsters. :tongue: Jill

I am getting my 3rd fill today at 11:45. I can't wait. My last fill was 2 weeks ago bringing my total to 4 cc's in a 10cc band. I had restriction for about a week and then I was hungry again. I really have to chew well or I get that wonderful shoulder pain but I can eat more than I should. Hopefully this fill will help.

Good luck Crystal. Insurance is such a pain. If they do turn you down you can appeal. Keep fighting. It is worth the battle. Good luck!

I can't stand the smell of the unflavored but I love the chocolate.

Your restriction will come. Just be patient and do your best until you get there. I could eat absolutely anything before my first fill and I did. I did however eat much smaller portions and I did lose weight. I am going in for my 3rd fill tomorrow and I can't wait. After each fill I have good restriction but after a week the hunger returns. I am eating the same amount of food but I am hungry after a few hours. Remember that the band is designed to work with fills and it is not a quick fix. We have to work with our bands to be successful.

Hi everybody. I am going for my 3rd fill tomorrow. I have 4cc in the APS 10cc band. It worked well for about a week and then I was back to being hungry. Hopefully this fill will give me more restriction.

I would absolutely tell them. If I really like the guy and we've been on a few dates and he is going to meet my friends I would tell him. I wouldn't want him to find out from friends.

I really like the Chocolate Unjury. I mix with skim milk and it takes like chocolate milk. It mixes very well too. I have also mixed with coffee and it was good. Just make sure your coffee isn't too hot or it will curdle. I don't care for the unflavored. Vanilla is okay too.

There are risks with any surgery but I felt it was worth the risk and I was right. I love my band. I feel better about myself and have more energy. My knees don't hurt anymore. I've had no problems with my band. My eating is under control. Yesterday I was bored and I snacked too much but I still ate much much less than I would have without my band. The band is not the easy way out but in my case it has made weight loss much easier. I have only been banded for 2 months but I truly believe I will be successful and keep the weight off. Good luck with your decision.

I had to buy some new pants this weekend. My work pants were way too baggy. My jeans were so big I was stepping on them so I had to buy some. My sister called them my ganster jeans. My knees don't hurt anymore. Yippee!