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Welcome home and welcome to Bandland, Sparkling! I agree with everyone else's posts. The more you move around the faster you'll begin to feel better. Sounds like you're doing well. Be sure to drink as much Water as you can.. small sips though. Don't rush it, just keep consistent about drinking through the day. It's important to stay hydrated. Keep us posted on how you're doing.

52% (Dixie). Barely into the Dixie category. Ok, I need to keep working on this. I've -almost- gotten rid of all hint of my heritage. (no offense Dixies)

I have only two things to say: 1. The band is not designed to change high fat, high salt, high calorie foods into healthy foods. Even with the band, you have to eat the right things or you'll stay as you are. It's just a fact of life that we cannot get around. Even RNY folks will put the weight back on if they try to deny this fact and eat like they did prior to surgery. 2. The band isn't the only thing that has to work now. This is going to require some logical thought on your part, Magic. Do you really expect to lose weight while eating like that? You won't, no matter how much you wish it. Spend some time working on your mindset about this. Why did you have weight loss surgery if you weren't mentally prepared to make serious changes in your life? That's it. Everyone else covered all I was thinking. Good luck.

I have 1cc in a 4cc (10cm) band. Remember though, that everyone's stomach is different. What restricts one may not restrict another. Sometimes I can eat more than I think I should be eating, but I only eat three meals a day (about 4 hours apart) and I'm not hungry in between. I'm also eating between 750 to 1,100 calories per day. That varies a lot and is usually on the higher end if I've eaten red meat. Also, I sometimes do feel full in my lower stomach too. Especially if I've eaten a bit too much. But I usually don't feel this until after I've finished eating and it's settled a bit. The pressure thing is my first signal to let me know my pouch is full and that it's time to stop eating.

Heyas Xann.. Have you ever been drinking Water quicky and "swallowed an air bubble" that gets stuck right in the center of your chest, just behind the breastplate? Well, that's what it feels like for me. It's not the typical stuffed belly feeling that we are used to. The stomach is actually up under the ribcage and the band is very close to the chestplate. Anyway, some people say that when they feel that pressure, they know that if they take one more bite they will be in trouble. They call that the soft stop, I believe. If they take that one more bite, they hit the hard stop when the pressure turns into pain or they PB. It's taking me some time to realize this. I mean, I know it in my head.. but when it happens, my body is still telling me to keep going, as if it's wanting that old feeling before it's satisfied. The only way I've found to avoid it is by measuring out my food and not serving myself more than 3/4 to 1Cup of food. I find that if I have it in front of me, I'll eat it. If there is only the amount I should eat (which typically takes me right to that pressure feeling), I can accept that new feeling of full and not want more. Hope this helped.

I'm glad to hear you got that unfill. Sitting too tight just can't be good for you, even if you are losing weight. As Ddiedre said, it sounds like you've been thinking about this logically and have put your finger on the problem, so I'm sure you'll be fine. You know what's funny is that feeling of sudden ravenous hunger when we get a fill or unfill. I wonder if what we are feeling is our stomach's reaction to being "messed" with and Hunger is the only way our brain knows how to identify the reaction? Does that make sense? After my first fill, I was ok for the first day and then.. bam! I was so hungry I felt like I couldn't get enough food in me although I was eating more than usual. It did go away by the next day. But yeah, I wonder if our brain wasn't wired to translate the "wow, something just changed down here" signal from the stomach, so it just shrugs and says.. must be hunger. It's a thought. *shrugs*

Wow, congratulations!! I can hardly wait to see 200 again! It's been so many years. I'm just a little under half way there.

Aww geeze! This really sucks! Well, hang in there and we'll all keep praying for the right thing to happen for you. Keep on trying! Never give up hope! *hugs*

Journals are working and speed is great! Thanks Alex! Dody - As someone already said.. in the blue menu bar across the top of the LBT window, you'll see a drop down menu for LBT Journals. From there you can view anyone's public journal (those who's journals are set to private aren't seen on the list) or you can begin your own. I keep mine private because I have my gawd-awful before pics in there. *grins* And NO, y'all can't see them yet!

Hiya Michelle. Loved your happy song! Welcome to bandland! Who is Wendy? I have a friend who was recently banded in Toronto. I'll check with her about local or nearby fills for your friend.

Big warm hugs and lots of prayers for a more peaceful time in your life to replace the stressful ones you are walking through now. Hang in there kiddo.. this too shall pass. Susan

Errr.. John. I think I understand why you'd need to "move on" but I have to say you will be missed. I've always enjoyed your positive attitude and your advice to others has been so great. It's been a pleasure knowing you, even if for such a short time. I wish you the best in your ongoing journey we call life. And remember, just because you don't frequent the place, doesn't mean you can't pop in now and then and let us know how you're doing, right? Take care John *hugs* Susan

Go Mom! And go Jana! Best wishes for a very smooth experience tomorrow, and a speedy recovery! Can't wait to welcome you to bandland when you return home! I'm so excited for you! *whipser to everyone else* Ok, are we all nuts or what? We are sending our friends off to be cut open and manhandled by strangers and we are excited?! LOL Seriously girl.. best wishes and see you in Bandland! *big hugs*

Hey Jean.. how frustrating for you. But, Im a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that God's timing is perfect. I'm with the other gals on this one. Any exercise you can start doing now will be of great help to you for post-op recovery. You said it hurts to walk to the middle of the block. When we bought our treadmill, I couldn't walk on it for more than 5 minutes at a time. So I did what I could and just kept doing it. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll be able to increase your walks. I wasn't able to do much in the way of preparing. I had a very bad hernia and was afraid to move much for fear it would get to bad to wait until my band date to repair, thus putting off the band surgery. But had I been able to, I would have made sure my house was clean from top to bottom. Spring cleaning! I would have done all the laundry. Prepared meals ahead of time and started freezing them for my family. Get your nails and your hair done. Buy some soft clothes for after the surgery. Things like that. There is a great list of foods and items to have on hand prior to surgery in the FAQ forum. You could check that out. And last but not least - come here a lot and learn all you can! The day will arrive before you know it. *hugs* Ooo.. after thought. Join a gym and go to some Water aerobics classes. Or just swim some laps at your leisure. There is nothing better for you than swimming. And when you think of getting out in public in a swimsuit, just block your mind from that - dont care. How you are now is not how you will be in a few months from now. You go now to get where you want to be. Not to look good. Right? I'm going to be doing this very soon too! Oh.. how about getting in some tanning sessions before surgery? Neat! Then you'll be all tan when you start walking in shorts this spring!

How did I know about tomatoes.. hm, not sure really. Tomato based sauces give me - gave me - heartburn? And guess what.. as soon as youre off the liquids you can have a baked tater with butter and sour cream! How? Well, I scrape out the insides of a small potato that I cook in the microwave. I moosh it up with a fork, then add a thin sliver of real butter. I dont use sour cream but there are very good fat free ones you can use. I had this very thing with 3 oz of juicy roast beef and green Beans for dinner tonight and I'm so full. *whines*

*Grins* Come on Morsaille - I'd be happy to have you catch up with me! *holds out a hand* In fact, I'll give ya a hand! Gosh, all of you/us have done so well. How brave we were to not give up. I came close to giving up. I'm so grateful for this band, a real gift from God. I know its only been three short months - man those went by so fast! - but I'm feeling tired already! It seems like so far to go. The initial high from all of this is starting to wear off and I'm staring at over a year of work to be done. Granted, 47 pounds is a great deal of weight to shed.. but there's 133 more to go. How have you long term bandsters dealt with this? Do you try to forget your band and think about other things? I'm almost afraid to forget about it. I'm afraid of slipping back into the old ways. This is where I would typically fall off the diet wagon and give up. I know the band will keep me going, but what do I do with my head?? LOL

Banded in KS - woohoo! congratulations!! :eek: :confused:

Heyas Jaygerlo5 Are you drinking with your meals? Fluids with meals will wash the food right through the pouch and leave you hungry quicker. The Lean Cuisine meals you are eating.. do they usually have a lot of rice or Pasta? You said you're eating rice with dinner as well. And you have crackers for Snacks. All of those our flour carbs which can make you hungrier (they do me). They certainly don't hang around long, they are passed quickly through the stomach, leaving you hungry quicker. For meals and snacks more solid Proteins. Cream cheese on lean ham slices. I think five of those with 2 TBS of like vegetable garden cream cheese are so filling. Do you like tuna? A can of tuna, mixed with a couple of TBS of fat free dressing is awesome, or mixed with a green salad it makes a great lunch. Cottage cheese with some fruit is filling as well. These kinds of foods will stick with you longer. Now, that being said. My doctor is fills us if we are hungry in under 4 hours after eating a normal meal. Maybe you need a fill? Be sure you're eating right before you decide this though. It's not good to be too tight.

Thanks everyone! I knew you'd understand. And yup, Ddiedre, I am thrilled that my girls are shrinking! Maybe all of the reductions pics I've been looking at online scared them into submission! hehe Chatterbutter - NSV means non scale victory. A benefit of your bandedness other than a scale reading. Neat huh? And this wasn't my first. They are coming so quickly now that I can't even remember my first. Here's a few more that happened over this last weekend: 1. I put my sunglasses on and they were so loose I thought they were broken. 2. I had to raise the seat in the car. Since my butt and legs are shrinking, I was "shorter" in the seat! 3. I can wraps my arms around my husband and link my fingers together - completely! 4. I have gone from a size 26 pants to a 20 in jeans, and 18/20s in what I call soft pants - elastic waist, soft t-shirt type material. Um, yeah, I bought these 18/20s last week or the week before, and they are literally falling off of me! Woohoo! Diane - you are extraordinarily, hugely wonderful and I love ya! *hugs* All the rest of you slobs - Here's to food stains on our pants and not on our shirts! LOL

Yay! Another Susan. Great name Welcome to LBT Susan. As Karen said, there is a lot of great information here. Check out the FAQ (frequently asked questions) Forum for some good info about the bands themselves as well as some studies done on the band. In the general discussion forum, you'll find the before and after pics. I believe the FAQ forum also has a thread with great links to other sites which have info on the band. Yup, you'll be up for days with no sleep now! LOL Glad youre here. Dont be shy about asking questions. We all love to discuss our journeys.

I spent a year of my life asking myself the same questions. The biggest being.. "How can I be depressed. I have a good life. Everyone is healthy. My family is all near me and we all love each other. Everyone's employed. Ect." All the while I was slipping further and further into darkness. Crying everyday. Shutting myself off from the world. My daughter started talking to me about seeking some medical help. I really shut out that idea because 1) I dont want to be addicted to anything and 2) I dont want to have to depend on drugs to live like a normal person. But physical problems ended up forcing me to see the doctor and when she asked, 'So, how are you?' I just fell apart and cried. I told her I'd been depressed for a year. Could no longer work because of the depression and panic attacks. We discussed medication and I told her of my fears. She suggested Effexor and said it wasn't like some medications that make you feel numb. So I agreed to try it. Within a few weeks, I noticed I wasnt crying anymore. A few weeks more and I was actually laughing and smiling again. I feel completely normal, not drugged or void of emotions. I can handle questions that used to make me fall apart. Tough ones like, "Whats for dinner?" hehe Anyway, if you have recognized that you are more depressed than ever. If you have noticed the problem enough to talk to your man and to us, then you already know you need some help. My doctor recommended some counselling after I was feeling better with the Effexor, and I might do that soon. But for now? I'm just so grateful to be laying on the ground instead of in a deep dark hole!

ROFL! I believe you, Mary!! Teresa - Don't ever, ever, ever stop dreaming and hoping. Let your mind believe, and invision yourself thin. Now.. make your list. *big hug*

How many years have I wanted to drop food on myself and have it actually land on something other than my boobs!?! I was just eating some roast beef and applesauce for lunch. I looked down with disgust when I noticed that I had been a slob and dripped it down my front. Then it hit me! It went all the way down my front! LOL How crazy is this? I'm excited that I'm a slob that can actually get the food all the way down my shirt instead of just on my boobs. w00t! Next goal? Nothin' but lap baby! *looks down* Hm.. I know there's one down there somewhere.

Heyas Stacy(s) hehe When I was just getting back on solid food, I wanted meatloaf so badly that I bought a Healthy Choice meal. I could only eat about 1/3 of the meatloaf and all of the mashed potatoes. The rest went in the garbage. Now, I only buy the HC meals that have a meat and mashed potatoes or rice. I eat all of it for luch. If I have one at dinner, I might add 1/2 cup of green Beans or peas to it. But then I'm stuffed for the night. I eat most of my meals in a 7/8C Glad reusable container. Using the small size bowl really helps. I typically can eat that full of food at dinner time, but earlier in the day.. probably no more than 3/4 full. I was having problems remembering to eat my Proteins first but using this container has helped. I put my veggies on the bottom and the meat on top of them, so I have to eat through the Protein to get to the carbs. Hope that helped.

Comparing yourself to your friend! That's what you're doing wrong. The average weight loss for bandsters is 1-2 pounds a week. Get that firmly implanted in your head right now ok? And.. this is not the time to be worried about losing weight. This is healing time. Prior to getting a fill, no weight loss is expected.. in fact, it's common to gain a few pounds as you progress from liquids to solids. So, cheer up! You're doing wonderfully. Stay off the scales and stop comparing yourself to someone else. Bodies are so different in the way they respond to this kind of thing, it's really not fair to you or to your friend to try and compare. *hugs*