NaturalBeauty

I am 11 months out. I will be celebrating my 1 year band anniversary next month and it's been an eye opener and a challenge. I have lost around 69 lbs, which I am very pleased and I have about 20 more to reach my initial goal. I have had 5 or 6 fills and I am at 8.1ccfs in my VG band. I exercise anywhere from 5 to 6 days a weeks and I weight train with a trainer 2 evening during the week. The weight training has really helped in changing my body figure, so even though I hurt most days of the week and weekend, I am very pleased with the results. For eating, I usually do a Protein drink or bacon & 1 egg white for breakfast (depending on how restricted I am) and veggies and some type of meat for lunch. dinner is usually light (a salad) or a Protein Drink cause of acid reflux, which I had prior to being banded. I do have my chocolate from time to time and chips do go down easy but I do limit the amount. Anyway, I drink a minimum of 32 ozs of Water a day but most days I get in my 64ozs, 32 is the minimum. I digest seafood well (except shrimp) and I haven't been able to eat chicken breast or any type of bread since being banded. All in all, the band has been a great tool for me and I love it!

Hi nuria, I don't know what part of Virginia you live in but I am Maryland. I went to Mexico to have my surgery and now my fill doctor is Dr. Green or his associate, Dr. Peter. They are great! His office is located in Rockville, Maryland off of 270 at the Shady Grove Medical Center, in the same lot as the hospital. If this is closer to you, then PM me and I will give you his information. Good Luck.

Hi Betsy, I have the VG band which is the largest band and it took about 7 fills for me to fill restriction. As Alex said, the first 4cc's are in the tube. I know I did not start feeling restriction until I was at 7.5ccs. Now that I am at 8.1 I have good restriction but, I have a friend who is already at 9ccs and still can eat anything she wants just in smaller portions. Please tell you mom not to get discourage, work the band and follow the doctors orders and hopefully everything will work out fine. Best wishes to your mom and to you for being concerned and helpful to her.

Mkbond, sometimes fills don't kick in right away. In the beginning, I could go 2 weeks before I would feel restriction so you may want to wait but it is your decision. I self paid also and in the beginning I really had to work hard at losing weight and I still feel like I do. The band is a tool that helps us help ourselves. It will not do it on it's own, we have to do our part. With every pound lost, I feel like I've played a roll in it, not just the band. I would change my doctor if he missed my port that many times. I had that happen once and it was very painful and I started bleeding instantly. I forgave the assistant because my port is not in the usual place and he was going by other patients. Anyway, go to the doctor and see if he can look at your band/port through floroscope, that will let you know if any damage has been done. Best wishes!

Sounds like a good plan P'nut. Count me in! I might as well give my update for the week. C=215 (-2 this week):clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

I self paid and used had my surgery in mexico. I filed this and other related expenses on my taxes for this year and it helped greatly. I am sure we received more back because of this expense. To bad I can't afford something else this year!

Congratulation Alexra on your 1 year band aniversary!!:biggrin1: You have done a wonderful job and that convertible looks great! Keep up the good work and if you want to sport a 2 piece bathing suite, than you go right ahead. I think "HOTMAMA" or your name "ALEXRA" would look good on that ride. Anyway, you look good!!! You deserve a hand:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Maggie, I am so glad you got the acid reflux under control. It's no joke, I have dealt with it for years, even prior to being banded. You have done a great job and it's so good to have a doctor who really cares about you and your well being. I feel the same way about my fill doctor. Most doctors would have went on and given you the fill just for the money and then you would have been back there getting a unfill and being charged for that as well. Step up your exercise program, that will help a great deal and it will help with the reflux as well. Try to stay away from sauces, especially the red ones, onions, beans and late night eating. These things will make you suffer even worse at night. P'nut--I am up for the challenge. I celebrate my birthday on May 6th and my 1 year band aniversary on May 13th so I've got a lot to celebrate and I want to with a slimmer body:rockon: :confused:

I did very good thanks to a fill about 2 weeks ago (I had no choice) so I contented myself with giving the goodies to my mom who loves those black jellybeans and a few other grown people who loves candy as well. It's always a joy to see others who enjoy it so much.

Good morning to all, I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!! Even though I had to work at the church preparing food that morning it was still a lovely day just knowing that my Lord and Savior got UP from the grave with all power in HIS hand. What a celebration we had:smilingface (52): ! Congratulation P'nut on your lost, you deserve a hand:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: . Maggie, make sure you speak with your doctor about the acid reflux. I normally get it bad after a fill, at least for the 1st week or 2 so you may need a prescription. I take Previcid, it works better for me than Nexium. It's been a hard 2 weeks since my fill but it's starting to losen up and I am so glad. I hate being so evil when it's tight but I can't seam to help myself. I weighed and I am down to 214 from 217 so I am excited about that but hopefully, I'll lose more by weigh-in on Wednesday morning. Until later, have a great day.

Yep, I think everything shrinks, even the feet! I started out in a regular 10 and even though I can still fit a lot of my 10's, I can also fit some 9 and 9 1/2.

Please see your doctor, your band may have slipped.

My weight lost has been slow so over the last 11 months it's been interesting. Only recently have people really started noticing. Since I've always been a workout queen, everyone thinks it's the working out so when the ask my secret, I tell them, there is no secret to weight lost. You must eat less and more healthier food along with exercise. I feel like what I am saying is the truth. Even those who have had WLS has had to eat less even if they don't exercise. The good part about the band, I DON'T LOOK SICK :sick because of rapid weight lost!!:clap2:

That is unbelieveable!!! I had mines in Mexico and it was $7,000 but the doctor here said he would have charged me $15,000 and that includes everything, along with a year of fills.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. So you've joined the crazy band club. That's what I say about mines all the time, "it's acting crazy today". I had a fill last Thursday and the first 2 days, I could get nothing down other than my Protein shakes, which was fine. On Sunday, I could eat mash potatoes and some other things I should not have been eating but since I hadn't had nothing to eat, I thought it was OK, my mistake. Late yesterday and today has not been a good day. I had a bad PB session just before choir rehearsal last night. Thank God the bathroom is not near anything. After eating very little yesterday, this morning I was very hungry but it doesn't seam to be working today. I have been able to get down 48 ozs if Water and 1 Protein shake so I feel better. But this band has a mind of it's own and some days I am greatful for it and others, I do not like it that much. I seam to go through a lot with my fills and it takes my body several weeks to adjust so I just go with the flow. Hang in there it will get better. :D

Good morning to all, I had a fill on last Thursday and it's been a rough 6 days. You would think I would have lost a tone of weight but it hasn't been that easy. Anyway here's my report: C=217 (-1 this week) I'll take it!

Linda, I do believe the size of the band does make a different. I believe their are 3 sizes with the Vanguard being the largest. With the Vanguard (which I have) it does take more fills to get the proper restriction. I haven't heard of anyone yet who has not needed quite a number of fills with this size band. I am now at 8.1 ccs in my band that will hold up to 10 ccs, which I think is a lot but I only started feeling lasting restriction after my last fill. Yes, I've lost weight but it's has not been without struggles and work on my part. I do believe you have to really be mindful and research this band because it will not do all the work without your help. You have allowed yourself time to heal and now you should be ready for a fill (depending on your doctor) but do try to stay within the guidelines of your doctor, it will be worth it at the end of the journey. Best wishes and keep coming to boards, they offer so much help. I've been a silent reader for a while now, I've just come out of my shell.

I hear you Tammy, but a steak and cheese does sound so good right about now. I had a fill yesterday so I am on Clear Liquids for the next couple of days and anything sounds or looks good to me. Last night I had some clear warm broth that went down pretty good and today it's been Water and Protein drinks. Also, congratulations on your weight lost, you go girl!!!! It always baffles me that I get more hungry after a fill when I know I can't eat anything. Sometimes, I sit and watch the food channel and that seams to make me feel better, why? :noidea: I don't know. Anyway, it's good to know I am not in this alone.

I have the VG band and it's been murder getting good restriction with this size band, but do not fear, restriction is comming...... It's taken about 7 fills, (from a very generous doctor who says if you have no restriction in 2 weeks, come back) and 8.1 ccs in my band to get really good restriction. The last fill of 7.9 was good but this one, I feel it and I just got it today. I will be on liquids for the next 3/4 days and mushies for 2 and then try solids but we will see. I can actually see the shape of my port in my stomach due to the weight lost, it's incredible. Anyway, just wanted to say, stay encourage it will come. The thing I like about the band is the weight does not return, I have been consistant with lossing or staying the same and that's something that I've never done while dieting for the last 20 years.:scared:

Congratulation P'nut on your size 18 jeans!! I am with MoOrLess, size will continue to change from day to day so I belive in celebrating the next smaller size. I just recently got into a regular size 18 jeans. I've been bless with wide hips, big butt and very little legs. What a shape!!! Thank God hubby loves it! So I'm learning to try and ignore sizes because right now I wear them all.

Congratulation Kim, It's always a good feeling when you have those NSV's. Penni--Take care of yourself, sometimes when we think it's over that's when it really hit's us. Skye--So glad to see that you both are doing better, just continue to take one day at a time. You are in my thoughts and prayers. April goals: lose at least 10lbs; exercise 4 to 5 days each week; and thinking positive thoughts about my body. I go in for a fill on tomorrow which should give me the restriction I am looking for. After a fill, I have good restriction for at least 3/4 weeks and then all of the sudden I can eat about a cup in a half at each setting. Weight loss for this week: C218 (-2 this week):clap2: :clap2: I'll take it!!!

My doctor said 4 to 6lbs a months is excellent. I am the one that's usually sick about only losing 6lbs a month. I agree, your doctor is a crackhead! Stay encourage and don't let him get you down, you are doing wonderful.

Congratulation on your accomplishment Kelly, You are an inspiration to everyone who reads this tread. I am coming up on my 1 year bandaversary and how exciting that is to me! Just to think about it brings tears to my eyes because I know it was the right thing for me. I was so miserable in the state I was in and I used food to ease a lot of pain but now I have learned (the hard way) to deal with situations that come in my life. Food is not the answer! Congratulations again, I am proud of you and thanks for sharing.

I have been dealing with this same thing since being banded. I am almost 6" tall and now weigh 217lbs. I started out wearing sizes 20W & 22W and now my regular 16's are to big and the 14 are to tight, but I wear a regular 18 in jeans and 16W in pants (for the length), can you believe that! I have been gifted with pooty, hips and big arms, and I'm hateing the big arms part. I have such a difficult time buying blouses because the 14 fit's nicely except the arms and the 16's are to big so I try 14W to help in that area. A while back, I went out looking for a black suit for an occasion and I was so fustrated that I could have screamed. I felt like I didn't belong in the regular sizes (RS) and the plus sizes (PS) were to big. Half of the time, I don't know if I should lokk in a PS or a RS store. I don't like sales people looking at me like I don't belong. My DH (and neither do I) doesn't like baggy clothes so it's been hard in that area. I can't wait until I can just get out of PS all together. It's good to know I am not swimming alone.