stepoffaith

I could have wrote that myself. I am so frustrated. To make it worse my friend who was banded a few months before me has had no issues and never gained back an ounce I feel like I am failing. Supporting each other is would be great as I tackle this again!

Sure. I went to his info seminar on 1/12, had an appt two weeks later around 1/24 ish and had surgery on 3/18/08. I have done well. I lost 20 lbs from December until March 18th and an additional 84 lbs since then for a total of 104 lbs. I had the lapband. That puts me out 17 mo from surgery now with a few fills. He is VERY conservative on his fills. But I have done well on this routine.

josette, pm me if you are going to be in Albuquerque on the 21st. I don't know when I will be there exactly but if I can get there in time I would love to meet you.

Sorry to take so long to answer. My doctor is Dr. Acosta in El Paso at Del Sol Medical. He and Dr. Lara takes turns every other month coming to Albuquerque to see patients. I have an appt in August on the 21st. His office number in El Paso is 915-594-5250. They make all their appts at that number, even the ones in Albuquerque. Hope this helps.

I wish I could tell you or you could tell me. I have gone through a colonoscopy, a CT and a MRCP. No luck. The pain and burning are getting worse not better. Any answers? Everyone says the band "looks good" so far. I am going to see about a slight unfill in 3 weeks because I only see my dr every other month (long trip to see him).

PM me. We are practically neighbors. We can meet up, I will give you my info.

Where do you live? I am not far from the CO border but in the NW corner.

There are several of us in NM and believe it or not, there are some of us that live in the outskirt towns LOL. I am "way up north" in NM in Farmington.

My physician is in El Paso, TX which is also 9 hrs from me but he now travels to Albuquerque and I see him there for my fills. He is affiliated with Del Sol Medical in El Paso and has an office on Constitution in Albquerque. He did my surgery a year ago and has done all my fills. No complaints to date. I live in Farmington by the way.

I went to a jewelry store and purchased gold sizers that were quickly (within 3-4 minutes) placed within my rings. They can easily be tightened by me as I continue to lose weight and work wonderfully at keeping my rings on my finger. They are not noticeable by anyone else and I am in no hurry to have my rings sized even though I am close to goal, I am not sure I am quite there so why hurry? I am not worried about losing my rings anymore and I paid about $20 a ring to keep them on my finger, a great investment.

These stories scare me as I have had some pain the last year but they keep assuring me its not my band. I have had 2 CT scans, one a year ago, one last Friday. I am scheduled for a colonoscopy this Friday. The docs think it could be scar tissue from previous surgeries but I am still a bit worried and would like to know whats really up. I admire all of you and your attitudes and wish you all the best in maintaining your weight loss.

I can't believe its almost been a year. But I am with you all on the exercise. I was loving it and didn't miss a day, now I am struggling. The motivation must return. Next week is my bandiversary. Time for a new goal.

My goal for Valentines day was 20 lb and I finally got a fill on February 5th which helped be get to 8 lbs lost. Its not much but since the scale wasn't going anywhere its something. Now I'll shoot for St. Paddy's day cuz my one year is on the 18th of March!

I eat salad all the time and love it. With tuna or shrimp or salmon has to be my favorites. I chop raw cauliflower in itty bitty bites for extra crunch, cucumbers without skin aren't a problem if they are itty bitty. I find anything itty bitty are easy to chew! I use creamy salad dressings still just low fat/fat free. Everything in moderation.

I managed to hang in there with one pound that keeps going up and down. I will exercise that one back off this week and start working on the rest. I needed a good challenge to get me going. I want to do well the remaining 3 months before my one year.

20 lbs for me. I need a push myself. That will put me at 155 lbs. I need to make goal by March, 2009 so the mini goal in February is just what I need. Thanks.

I, too, had sleep apnea for several years as has my husband. We were both on cpaps. I went no where without mine. Packed it with me camping, traveling, anywhere. I quit breathing several times a nite, my AHI was 35. My index is now 1.5, anything less than 5 is normal. I have lost 91 lbs., thats the difference. I went to a new sleep study 2 weeks ago and thats how it was determined and thats when I got to say goodbye to my cpap. I have been through numerous masks over the years, and I suggest you go to a DME company and try some on to find one you might like. Cpaps don't help if you throw off the mask during the nite so try to find one you like and that is comfortable. Ask a respiratory therapist to help fit it and explain it. A doctor should help explain your sleep study to you. If not get on the internet but really they aren't hard to interpret if you are face to face and looking at the study. Good Luck with your cpap and your weight loss.

Well, like many others, I love my herb mint tea too. But there are also the latte and vienna cafe mixes that are sugar free, some are caffeine free too, but I still need one caffeine drink occasionally. They are good and not to high in calorie and carbs if you aren't scarfing them all day long. Tasty, the vienna has a nice cinnamon coffee flavoring. Found next to the teas and coffees, mix with water.

I am in. I needed an extra motivator. I'm in for 15 lbs by New Year's Day.

I had to see my ps regarding some other issues ( I have had several skin cancers removed in the past) and he said he would be happy to do my ps but always waits a year after the patient reaches goal. Seems to be the standard.

I was banded on 3/18/08. My dr. is very conservative. He will only put 1 cc in on the first fill (none at surgery), then 1/2 cc at each fill thereafter. I have a 10cc band and I have 2 1/2 cc total fill now. (4 fills total). My restriction is usually good but I do need more about every 8 weeks however this last date for fill I cancelled as I am still losing and really concentrating on toning and exercising. My weight loss is a little slower but I am still able to keep my food intake down and healthy and exercise is increasing. So I will wait til after the holidays to see if I need a fill then. As you said, everyone is different.

I love fish myself. It goes down easy. Shrimp or crab especially. But so does tilapia, or mahi mahi. Just takes a bit and I precook it so it only takes a bit to warm some up on my lunch hour or make a quick "salad", like tuna salad for lunch. I don't do bread but find if I just add a little shredded lettuce to my tuna salad I think I am having a gourmet meal. LOL.

Silly doctor. Guess he doesn't understand the determination of us March bandsters. You keep going girl! We aren't stopping now.