Aquameliza

I have to get on the ball!! I lost 80 pounds over 4 years, but have put 9 back on and I have to do something. I think I am finally desperate enough to actually start exercising!! I hate exercise and I know that I have to change my attitude. Well, I finally quit smoking (went back to it after lap banding) - no to make another positive step!

AND - if you read about this study - it was of 84 European patients up to 1997 - that is more than 10 years ago - a lot has changed since then.

Don't forget that the bypass has less long term success than the lapband!

When finding out that you have moved from morbidly obese to obese and then waiting, waiting until you can finally, be categorized as just overweight. I CANNOT wait to be overweight, I am soooo close - imagine that - only bandsters get it!

When you pray for that to be a b and not a pb!

I have done the 5 day pouch test before and it does help- but, the most important thing is going to the fill doctor or surgeon! Everyone who said that this is a tool is correct. Also- I will say that Ihave NEVER kept this much weight off for this long. Ok, so, I had a setback, but I am bouncing back. My real problem is exercise - I hate it - really, really hate it, but I also know that I have to- anyone on here who wants to kick my butt- I am sticking it out for the kicking. I bought a wii fit and have barely used it - I have like 4 programs for exercise and still...AURGH!

Hello All- I was too tight in August of 2010 and had some fill removed - I was ok with it at the time becuase I had two vacations and the holidays coming up. Well, of course, I gained weight! I feel for anyone who does not want to go to their doctor after gaining weight and thinks- oh, I will wait until I lose a few pounds. That is really silly. I have been there- but it is a BAD idea! I went back to the dr this week and he gave me a 0.6 cc fill. I already lost 2 pounds! I feel so much better....it was nice to eat, but it feels so much better to lose weight!

Hello All - I can't believe that I have had the band for what will be 3 years in May! I have lost 70 lbs- was up to 80 lbs, but I had an unfill due to some reflux problems, then vacation (twice) and then the holidays. So, really all things considered this is the first time I have gained any weight in almost 3 years. I need to get back to a fill schedule!

Hello All- I am looking for some advice or someone who has some experience with this. I was banded a little over 2 years ago and have lost 80 pounds. I have been doing well up to now with little problems. My last fill of 1 mL, almost 2 months ago, was too much (7 mL in a 10mL band) and I had reflux, pbing, difficulty eating almost anything no matter how small or well chewed (except for the slider foods - ice cream, cream Soups, etc) that got worse and worse as time went on. I ended up dehydrated and having 1 mL taken out. So, I am back where I was before the last fill. This level is great for eating- it keeps me in line in that I stop eating when I am full, but, I can eat what I consider too much. As I did for the 6 months before getting the last fill - I will not loose - just stay the same. Now, this is great because I have some vacation time coming (finally) at the end of September and then for the first two weeks of December and I would like to be able to eat on vacation....BUT...I would also like to not gain weight and to maybe even keep loosing a bit... Sooooo- my question is - can I get like a .25 mL or .5 mL fill - is it possible to get a quarter of a cc? I think that might be the perfect balance for now and then get another .25 or .5 at the New Year... Thoughts? Opinions?? Assistance? Anyone ever got a .25 mL fill? I do not want to lose progress as I feel really good about my weight now. Thanks all!:smile2:

Stuck at 70 lbs loss - but, consider that I have not been paying much attention to what I am eating - I have not gained an ounce since getting banded!

Slow, slow, slow, but, steady...I am finally buying clothes in the regular Misses section. It is really terrific - just hard not to get discouraged when seeing the tremendous weight loss of others on this board - and usually in less time than myself.

OMG - I am a burping machine! It totally moves the food along and helps. It is also a sign to stop!

I completely understand this question and although a little over a year out, still struggle with it. As previously said, it is all about the rules-tiny bites and chewing like mad. That, and the head vs body hunger are huge factors. Eating out socially is very difficult, but having a supportive spouse helps. One thing I will add is this new found "listening" to my body - something I never did before. I could eat and eat and eat - I could keep up with men larger than me- until I was sick to my stomach and in pain! I did not listen to my body then, but I have to now, or suffer embarrassing and painful consequences. I still PB at least once a week, but the number of times has been greatly reduced and boy, pain is a great teacher! That said, I am a slow loser, but still thrilled with the band and think it is the greatest thing I ever did!

I am so very excited to be in onederland and to be shopping in the Misses department - so many more choices and styles - no more Womens!!

Oh I feel exactly the same way. If I do not have the tiniest of portions (like a tablespoon of eggs), a protein shake, yogurt or just hot tea - I get stuck. My problem is that I am STARVING in the morning - truly, physically famished. So, tired of getting stuck, I am sticking to protein shakes for breakfast (pun intended).

Ok, this will sounds strange, but I am wondering if anyone else understands this feeling. I miss eating huge bites of food - that wonderfully satisfying tearing off the food, chomping on a big ol' forkful, stuffing my mouth until I could barely breath.... Yeah, I know that is what got me in this mess...yeah, I TOTALLY appreciate that I simply cannot do that any longer and that it is the right thing for me - but, man, every time I see someone stuffing their face or taking a huge bite...I just get all kinds of nostalgic and JEALOUS! How nutty is that, I know, but still, anyone get this???? :frown:

I am close to 50 pounds too! HOw normal is that? How is everyone else doing?

I am starving in the morning and can only eat VERY little.

I have to say that yours is a post that I completely understand!! For the first time, I have real restriction and THIS is what I had this surgery for. If I eat too much, or too fast or the wrong food - it gets stuck and HURTS or comes back up... A week and a half ago I got filled up to 4.6 ccs in a 1cc band and I think this is a great place to be...a little tight, but on the right track... as the original post said - I deserve this for my not years, but decades of indulgences... BUT- if I do eat the right amount of the right food at the right speed, I am full and yes, even satisfied, with 1/2 to 1 cup of food. THAT is what this is about- THAT is why they pushed us so hard to learn our lessons and learn them early on, THAT is what we hear from so many others on this forum. I think that NOT doing the right thing was just like NOT doing the right thing for all these years - there are just consequences now besides getting fatter - and it is working for me.

Me too. It gets better as the day goes and hot liquid in the morning feels good. I keep trying breakfast - some mornings I can keep down a tiny - I mean, like a tablespoon of scrambled eggs - but it is a waste. I was thinking of trying slimfast for breakfast a little later in the day as I do get really hungry in the morning. By lunch, I can take some soup VERY slowly, but I am usually ok for dinner as long as I follow the rules about protein first, sloooow eating, tiny bites and chew, chew chew. I just got a fill last week to get me here. I think I took to long to get fills. I am up to 4.7 ccs in a 10 cc band. THIS is definately restriction! I really am not complaining as I have lost weight slowly (very slowly) up to now. I know that I will lose weight quicker with this restriction.

I had a business meeting that I was to attend 3 weeks after surgery and my surgeon essentially fobid me from flying- I had to cancel the trip!

I think it depends on how much you have to lose to begin with - if it is more than 150 pounds, it comes off faster at the beginning. I also think it depends on how close you are to the sweet spot and how close you follow the rules. It has taken me a long time, but, I do think that I am getter better at this. I am getting another fill in a little less than 2 weeks and I think this will be it. I am focusing much more now on eating Protein first, then veggies and fruit and if there is room - carbs. It also took me a LONG time to get used to what a real serving is for me. I was still eating way too much- a cup is not much, but it is usually enough if I can stick to it. I also joined Weight Watchers at work and think that the accountability of weekly weigh ins helps me. Too bad I can't tell my group about the band- I don't think they would understand.

Yeah- getting stuck is awful and it happens to me more times than it should. I have a thick head, but am learning the lessons that prevent it. Chew, chew, chew and small bites, but sometimes it does not matter.

OMG Am I happy to find this thread or what? Seeing so many people banded AFTER me or at the same time with 80 pounds loses was killing me. I have been very slow - BUT, I have not gained any weight - not even over the holidays - very slow, but still steady. I know I need another fill and was not agressive enough with them at first as I notice most folks are - that seems to be key. I do think that I am getting closer to that sweet spot though. So, here is my question and confession. I joined Weight Watchers again. I swore that I would NEVER start on week one again, but, here I am. I have my first post baseline weigh in today and I am kind of looking forward to it. Now, I am prety sure that I couldn't tell any fellow WW about the lapband, but was curious if anyone else has gone this route after realizing that the band does not fix everything and that we still have to work at this? :thumbup:

Hello All- As you can see from my stats- not very impressive - no one would be asking me to be the postergirl for the lapband. I did not get enough fills early in the process, but believe that I may actually be approaching my sweet spot soon. I have come to realize a few things and wonder if anyone can relate... I became depressed a few months after surgery when it did not fix everything. Now, I am smart enough to know that it wouldn't, but, it still happened. As a result, I found myself drinking alcohol becuase I could and as a way of numbing myself. Alcohol passes just fine through the band and has oodles of calories. So do many other things that I should know better than to eat (ice cream, chocolate, etc) So, I faced all of this and stopped the antidepressants (yeah, I think they were messing me up more than helping me) and although, I swore that I would never do this again, walked in to a Weight Watchers week one meeting. Yep - accountability - just like at the start of the band process. I really never thought I would have to do this again, but the band does not fix everything - it really is just a tool. :tongue: