angelic_1

Hey May 2008 Bandsters! How are we doing? It's been about a year and a half since our surgeries...

I am down 61 lbs!!!! Yeah!!!! I just went shopping yesterday for some new clothes (my clothes were all 1X, 2X, and 3Xs), and the XLs were too big, so I had to try on Larges. I haven't had to do that in FOREVER!!!!

I am at restriction, exercising (I do KICKBOXING!), and am losing about 2-3 lbs a month. Slow, but I don't care. My skin is not sagging... Super happy.

I feel better than I have in who knows how long. I have about 45 lbs til goal of 125.

Tell me how you are doing. We can swap tips...

It's been good for me to see all these posts also. I lost 20 right after surgery, then have been unable to lose more than 10 lbs the rest of the year. I feel like I have been following the plan for the most part, but with minimal restriction. Now, I finally have restriction (I feel a little anorexic because I can hardly eat a thing!), and have lost 4 lbs in 3 weeks. I am happy about that loss, but it is still slow compared to what I am eating... I am trying to stay posititve because w/o LBS, I would be 230 still, at the very least! Now, I am only 194, and can fit into many clothes in my closet. I'll post again to let you all know how I am doing.

Thanks!

I know that I haven't posted much in this thread, but I LOVE reading this thread! :lol:Very informative, and fun too...

I too am making some wrong choices. Not gaining either, but very slowly losing.

I had some restriction after my fill, but not where I need to be. I can still eat way too much!! I am looking forward to my 2nd fill August 21. Hopefully, that will bring me to a sweet spot... a great b-day present (I turn 36 on Aug. 31!)

angelic_1 I just started to feel restriction after my 2nd fill I have 6.5cc's in a 12cc band. I will probably get one more fill haven't decided yet.....

Thanks, that's good to hear.

Fluffycat,

I would like to preface this with the fact that I have yet to experience a PB, and I can eat a lot of food still (shamefully, I was able to eat a chicken sandwich and small fries from McD's yesterday with NO problems). So to that part of your question, I really can't help.

The drinking- you are supposed to wait because drinking aids digestion, and the goal is to allow the food to remain in the pouch as long as possible to feel fuller longer.

BTW, I have had a fill (3.5 in my 10mm Realize Band), and I have some restriction, but can still eat WAY TOO MUCH! I feel like it is 5-10% the Band and the rest me. Sometimes I wonder if I am some part of huge experiment and I got the placebo! I hope with the next fill, I will feel better restriction. I hate losing so SLOWLY.

Fair question...

I was banded in May, and have yet to have adequate restriction, but (TMI) I have done that several times with my DH, and no problems!

I say if you can swallow a gulp of Water, you can swallow a gulp of ...ahem...

Hey All! Please help...

I can't seem to find the name of that Peanut Butter stuff. Does anyone know what I am talking about? Peanut Butter flavor to add to shakes, etc...?

I am also so glad for this thread!

I was banded May 6, 1 week of liquids, 1 week of mishies, then soft food to regular food. Most of the time I ponder if I got a placebo surgery!!! I can eat anything, I hardly get full, and I can eat fast. It's not like I am trying to see how far I can push it. But sometimes I forget and eat quickly, and am like, Wait a sec, I should have struggled with that bite!?!

Every day, I wake up with good intentions. I will have Protein shakes today, but then I feel starving, and have a turkey sandwich instead. Granted I am eating a little less, but I haven't lost a pound in 2 weeks!

I Iam walking a bit, but probably not enough.

And I can't get my first fill until July 11 (doc's on vacation).

Please send positive thoughts my way so that I can be especially good from now until my fill date. I'd like to lose 5 pounds before then.

Hey Bandfan, how'd the fill go?

I am in Bandster hell- I am hungry, with minimal restriction and can't wait until I can get a fill. I feel like I am just dieting. Plus, my life is very stressful right now. We have to move, and the place we were going to move to flooded, so I had to quickly find another (we have to be out of our present place by this weekend!). Luckily, I found us a place, and even more lucky, we hadn't moved yet to be flooded. Thank goodness!!!

yes its already sunday!!! tommorrow i can only have one Optifast for breakfast then its clear liquids for the rest of the day and nothing past midnight. i also have to take laxitives.... does/did anyone else? i have to be at the hospital at 6:15am so ill deffinetly be going to sleep early tommorrow.... im so excited and yet a little nervous at the same time not because of getting banded but surgery in general...ill be fine though

hope everyone has a great memorial day weekend!!!!!!

I had to take Milk of Magnesium and (TMI) it was miserable. I lived in the bathroom the day before surgery. I also suffered from dairrhea after the surgery. My mom said it was probably a lasting effect from the Milk of Magnesium. It was a wretched feeling that lasted about a week.

Sleep before surgery was elusive for me. I was just so excited!!!

Best wishes for the tail end of our May Bandsters! I am sure that you will do great with the surgery.

Why are they making you wait until July for a fill? That seems like a long time. I also have to start exercising, I know once I get a routine down I will be okay - it's just that getting started again that is hard!

They make me wait 6 weeks after surgery, but my surgeon is on vacation until the end of June, and that was the first available appt. I guess she has to determine the 1st fill.

Good luck Kammi!

it's amazing how different the post op diets are. I was on full liquids week one, mushies week 2 and started regular food week 3. I seem to tolerate everything fine, but wish I was back to that no hungry feeling from week 1! I've lost 20 lbs including the pre-op Atkins diet but didn't lose anything this week since I started back on regular food. I am looking forward to getting my first on Tuesday afternoon!!! Although I am a little scared too. When do you go for your first fill?

Gralda, I am just like you! My post op diet was exactly the same, and I have not lost since starting on solids, even though I am eating significantly less than pre-Band. I went to my 2 week follow-up today, and I am healing well. BUt I can't get a fill untilJuly. I hope that when I can start exercising more, the weight will come off, even slowly...

But I do feel great!

Hi fellow early May banders! Just checking in to see how everyone is doing! My hunger returned with a vengeance two days ago and it doesn't feel like I have any restriction, I am not supposed to get my first fill until end of next week but I am really hungry!! Anyone else experiencing the samething?

We have the same band date, and YES!!! I feel almost no restriction, and am losing slowly. I hope I can get a fill soon.

Congrats to all you lucky losers.I wish my journey would soon start to get moving.Had my second fill last week,can feel a difference but can still eat more than I should.I have 4.2cc in a 10 cc band.Last night for dinner could eat a full hamburger 6 fries and a patty way to much.I did stay full for 5hours so I guess that is a help.I still have no problems with any foods,never been nauseated or had anything stuck I feel like I' missing out on something.I am doing fine with the exercise and the Water only weight is not moving.Can't figure out the ticker thing.:cursing:

pre-op 285lbs

today 261.6

target 170 lbs

goal 125 lb

Mylah,

I would suggest eating smaller amounts more frequently. Instead of eating enough to stay full for 5 hours, eat half the amount and then again in 3-4 hours.

Good luck.

Hi Everyone, I seem to have issues at night after work. I can go all day at work with just eating my Breakfast and lunch. Then 5 PM hits and it seems that I want to be an eating machine. I measure my dinner. It is wierd because what seems to fill me up in the morning no longer holds for the evening, even though I am eating all of my Protein. I wait an hour before eating any thing else. I also make sure that I get in all of my Water. Does any one have any tips on how I can make this stop?

Thank you

I would try eating something small or drinking a Protein shake around 3PM, that way you aren't starving at 5.

I am new to banding (May 6), so I don't have personal experience to lean on. But my sister is very athletic and has always given me great tips. Her best tip ever is to drink Isopure liquid Protein right before you go to bed. No carbs, just Protein. She says that has always jump-started her when on any plateau.

Good luck!

I was banded on May 6 with the Realize Band. I did not even know that it was an option with my doctor until I received the letter of welcome from the doc informing me that I had a Realize band. I have heard pros and cons to it vs. the LapBand. It seems similar though, and I will be questioning my doc on my follow-up appt this week.

I am already sure I will need a fill at the 1st opportunity because I find myself hungry and not feeling any restriction. But it could just be head hunger, and I am losing... This will be an exciting and educating new journey in life. :leaving:

Its insane isn't it!?!?!? I can't believe we only have 15 days left, even less if you count the start of my liquid diet, which I start on the 19th!!!!!! Part of me is already really sad about all this, I feel like I'm gonna miss my old life! It revolved around food! Me and my friends always go out to eat, that is like, the only social thing we seem to do anymore. I'm so scared!!! BUT I'm so excited to! I'm still in the process of cleaning my room, I've been working on it for a while now, it really was a disaster area, you've never seen a more messy room, on tv or in real life. I want to paint and get every neat and tidy before surgery.

Ugh, I don't drink soda or coffee already, I've just never liked it, so that won't be a problem, I think it will be all the fast food! My friends and I always hit fast food places, I don't want to be the buzz kill, "ehh guys I can't eat here..." Who knows, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Good luck!!!!!! :thumbup:

Allison,

I love to eat too. I have looked at the earlier bandster threads about food always being on our minds, and some people say that you become less obsessed as you lose the weight. I can't see that happening, but I hope so...

You can eat fast food, just choose healthier options and eat the Protein first, ie no bun???

Marilyn, that is great about the meds. I bet you feel amazed!

I am a little over one week out and I feel fantastic also! It is weird to think that there is a band in there. I wouldn't know except for these scars and a residual pain where the port is located.

I am so excited for the rest of the May Bandsters. You will be so glad of this decision. The surgery itself was easy. The first few days I was surprised with the tiredness and soreness that I felt (I thought that 2 C-Sections would be more painful and they may have been but I can't remember; plus, I stayed in the hospital 3 days for each of my babies, 1 day for this), but now I feel great.

Good luck everyone!:thumbup:

Hi all!

I was banded May 6, 2008. I am feeling better from the surgery every day. Today I just have a little tenderness on my left side. And I am still a little bit more tired than usual.

I am so excited that I have already lost 10 lbs! But I realize that will slow way down when I start eating food instead of liquid.< /p>

Does anybody have the Realize Band? I found out after surgery that was what my doctor put in me.

Anyway, glad to meet all the 30-somethings!

I would start weaning myself from the TAB now. You may not be able to take the caffeine pills. My doc said no caffeine right after surgery.

Hello ,

My name is Liz and I am being banded on the 19th. The only thing I am really anxious about is giving up TAB. I am a TAB addict. Those of you over 40 will probably know what TAB is. Has anyone else had to withdraw from caffeine??? I was thinking of trying caffeine pills for the first week after surgery to avoid extra problems.

Hey Allison,

saying your having gallbatter surgery works as well (as someone said) but I don't want to lie about it if i can help it. might lead to a tricky situation later haha. hope your finals went well!!!!!!!

You may not want to say gall Bladder surgery because, from what I understand, it seems that there is a higher incidence of GB surgery after WLS. My suggestion if it is personal does not work- it's female stuff and leave it at that.

This site is great!

I was banded on may 6, and I know that I am hungry because I hear my stomach growl!!!

I can't start on mushies until 5-13, and it is hard. Thanks for all of the tips!