JulieNYC

I LOOOVVVEEE the Wii! A boxing game sounds like great exercise. Maybe I need to get a Wii. They're so fun. I love the tennis too -- it's another alternative hig energy game. I finished my 10K in 1:08. I was really happy with that!

Good luck on your race tomorrow, Dawn! We're going to do great. Can't wait to hear how it went for you and to tell you about mine. Take care, Julie

It's unlikely that you'll be overfilled on your first fill. I'd go ahead with it if I were in your shoes. Your goal is to get to the proper restriction level as quickly as possible so you'll get as much assistance from your band as possible, whether you're at home, at work, on vacation, etc. Since fill #3 is often the "magic" fill, I'd definitely go on and get it, even if I was going to be out of range from the doctor for a few days. If it were fill #2 it would be a harder call, though I'd probably go ahead with that one too! Have fun on vacation.

Banded 14 months, down 180+ lbs, looking to lose 30 or so more. No complications whatsoever -- just control over my food for the first time in my life. I think this is the poll you're looking for. Keep in mind it's located on a complications forum -- all forums have a high percent of problem cases (on the theory that happy bandsters need less support about band problems). http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f79/bands-eroded-slipped-still-successful-bands-25889/

Congratulations, Julie! Here's to all the Julies reaching goal in year 2!

Derbygirl, I saw this thread this morning and thought of you: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/october-bandsters-23737/ Have fun, Julie

Can we all just pause for a minute and discuss how FABULOUS TracyinKS is looking?? WOW -- what a difference in your progressive face shots, Tracy! You look wonderful! You must be feeling like a million bucks.

Faithmd, At about the 8 week mark, I felt completely healed. My energy is 100% back and I have no more muscular soreness. I'm like the old me except no pannus and no feeling for about a 2 inch stretch across my lower stomach. I'm told the loss of feeling is normal and likely permanent. I have no loss of sensation in the breasts, which is also the norm. I'm back to working out regularly, which really helps my mood and, in turn, my eating (not wanting to eat crap). I dropped another clothing size sometime in the last couple of weeks, even though I've not lost that much in actual weight (maybe 5 lbs last month). No better dates yet. I'm still keeping my eyes open.... That's about it!

I took "Slimquick: the Female Fat Burner" that I purchased at Walmart. it's essentially a caffiene pill. I found that I couldn't tolerate the final recomended dose, which was 2 pills twice a day. I could do 2 in the morning and 1 in the early afternoon, but if I had one after about 3, I couldn't sleep and got jittery. I do think the pills helped me to exercise harder and longer, which helped with a few extra lbs. Overall, I'd say maybe the bottle helped me to lose 2 extra lbs in a month of taking the pills. I didn't buy a second bottle for a couple of reasons (mostly I didn't like feeling slightly jittery), though I'd consider it again if I were to hit a stubborn plateau.

Ask your surgeon. Mine would say you're close enough. Within 20 lbs is a safe zone and that the PS will take you there.

I'm in the fortunate position of having a plastic surgeon for a father, so cost wasn't a factor for me. Believe me, I know how lucky I am. Insurance wouldn't have covered me at all. I had no medical complications from my pannus and breast lifts are almost never covered.

My doctor only recommends 45 g of Protein for me a day (I'm 5'2). I have a Starbucks FF cafe au lait (12 g), 1/2 cup of cottage cheese (12 g), and either a piece of fish or a high protein yogurt (either 16 g) almost every day. Total calories for these 3 items = 250 cals, for 37 g of protein. Then I can eat almost anything else I want for the other 750 cals and I'm going to meet my protein goals. If I were a taller person, I'd eat a little more fish or cottage cheese and I'd still meet my goals on very low calories. Try a strained yogurt like Fage Total and/or a "whipped" cottage cheese like Friendship 1%. I loathe normal cottage cheese, but whip it (or blend it at home) and it's one of my favorite foods. Good luck!

I was in exactly your position a few months ago. I was taking zantac every night and really watching the timing of my eating, which MOSTLY kept things under control, but if I'm honest, I was still sleeping on 3 pillows and feeling very burpy when I woke up most days. Not full blown reflux, but my pouch wasn't empty when I woke up, as it should be. I didn't say a word because I was losing so well and didn't want to chance feeling that crazy pre-band hunger. I went along like that for about 6 months. Then I went for my annual exam and they did a barium swallow, just as ordinary course for 1 year out. My doctor, who is known to be very aggressive with fills, forced me to take out just a tiny bit based on the esophogram (I'd still never mentioned a word about POSSIBLY being too tight). I went from 10 to 9.5 in my VG, which is akin to going from like 3.3 to maybe 3.1 in a small band. All this is to say that I was really concerned over nothing. A month later and I can tell you the only difference in my very slight unfill is that I sleep like a baby on one pillow now. The same amount of food fills me up and I stay full just as long. I had a little head hunger for about 2 weeks, but even that seems to have gone away now. Being too tight is dangerous for our long-term band health. I totally understand where you're coming from -- I was there -- but having been forced to unfill just a little, I have to tell you, it's better. Good luck!

Flying does affect the band for many people, me included. If I triage (which for me means not eating at all on the plane, then taking it easy in quantity and texture for about 2 meals off the plane), I'm totally fine. If I pretend like the band isn't affected by the flight (i.e. eat challenging foods/quantities within 24 housr), I get in trouble. In other words, I treat flying as if I've had a PB -- I go easy for a day and things return to normal. I'd get the fill. 1 more cc is going to be fine for you (I bet that's what he'll give you) and you can't let life (here, vacation) get in the way of your WL progress. Something will always get in the way. Have a great time on vacation!

6 miles is awesome, Boo. Way to go. Speaking of timing, I've had to back off on my timing a little bit. I was trying to run 10 minute miles and I just wasn't able to sustain them for more than about 2, or on a great day, 3, miles. I need to run a little further than that on most days, and a lot further than that on training days, so I had to go back to my 11 min pace. Running at 11 min is reasonably enjoyable and sustainable for me, where the 10 minute pace was becoming something I dreaded. Strangely, I can't seem to get my heart rate above the 140s at an 11 min pace (ideally I'd keep it in the 150s, which is where it is at the 10 min pace), but I've decided that's just what it'll have to be for now. The scale moved to the magic number -- 39 (i.e. thirty-something) lbs to go!

I guess I'm in the opposite camp. I'm pro-banding for teens. I think an obese teen is stastically certain to be an obese adult (there are exceptions from statistics, but the numbers are so small). It's probably relevant that I was banded at a practice that is part of the FDA trials on teens too, so I see a lot of them and their successes, which has influenced me. Basically, I would never encourage surgery for a teen who hadn't brought it up first. But if a teen came to ME asking for advice about banding, I'd support it 100%. I believe banding is the most logical tool to combat obesity and that obesity is emotionally harder than being banded is. I believe that, for the obese, years unbanded are partially wasted in that they could have been better years with the band.

Derbygirl, I'd actually had the same thought and think it's a great suggestion that would benefit all (including those on group chat trying to find their threads). Would you feel like raising the point to a moderator?

You ROCK Libra! I'm so excited for you. Way to go!! That's awesome news. I remember when you joined the Twoterville thread and here you are, having rounded the corner of an equally impressive milestone. You're such a success. Keep up the good work.

Susie, yes, please join us. Welcome! Tell us more about what kind of exercise you plan to do to meet your "going for the gold" challenge? We're always looking for new ideas on this thread. Molly, what if you don't aim for actually getting to the GYM during this transition phase (i.e. your new job) and you just aim to go for a walk after dinner with your hubby? I think you're in GA, which means it's probably really hot and muggy, but that's all the better for weight loss, right? The scale moved 1.6 this morning -- WOOHOO! I can't believe in another TWO TENTHS of a pound, I'll have only 30-something pounds to lose to have a NORMAL BMI. How crazy is that?? My Dad's coming to town this weekend and I'm looking forward to his views on my next (and possibly final) PS.... Have a great day all.

Well, I didn't lose much weight last month, but it's official -- I've gone down another clothing size. "Too bad" too because I bought so many clothes right after my PS! I knew I was being silly when I bought all that stuff, but it was the first time I could really shop in the trendy stores and I went a little nuts. Anyway, I think there's a chance my plateau will break soon because usually the scale shows the changes right after the body does for me. Keep your fingers crossed for me! On the exercise challenge, I ran 3 miles today and walked 3 miles home from work. I'm running 2 miles tomorrow, then no running until my race on Saturday morning. Yall have a good day tomorrow and let me know what you're up to!

If it were me, I'd give it another few days and truly stick to liquids during that time, even if you get the feeling you could eat something mushy. I think your stoma is irritated from the overfill and now that you got an unfill, the relief is there but it hasn't had time to settle down. Since you can keep down liquids, I'd not worry so much about not having "food" for 6 days. You have energy in storage (fat) and though I definitely agree this isn't a longterm solution for health, you're not going to hurt yourself in days, nutritionally. Of course, if you're uncomfortable and wanted to get another unfill and then creep back up on your sweet spot, I'd think that was totally reasonable as well. Either way is good -- I'd just choose the former myself. Good luck and I'm glad you got relief with the unfill.

Awesome Dawn! I can't believe we're doing our first 10K on the same day! That's great. I'm worried about it too. It's a long distance for me....I'm so glad your plateau has broken. Mine will break next! My legs are changing shape from running, which is kind of fun. I noticed it in the mirror today and again when I was shaving my legs. I really don't have much fat on my calves anymore. Even just like last week they still looked like hambones to me. Still some work to do on the thighs, but I'm seeing progress! Tracy - how silly of me! No, I didn't think to snap a photo with Betty. Guess she'll have to come visit me again!<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Missy, I'm so sorry about your Dad. If I were you, I probably wouldn't focus on food right now at all -- just on your family. I would probably eat healthy food choices, but things that aren't necessarily perfect bandster choices (meaning softer foods than normal). I'd eat a lot of yogurt, low-fat Starbucks lattes, Protein shakes, low-fat cheese -- softer things that aren't super high in calories but that go down easily. You are under too much stress right now to fight with throwing up. You need to take care of your band so that it can be of use to you later, when you have the 100% you need to devote to this journey. In the interim, eat things that are known to be easy, but --caution-- don't let that be an excuse to eat empty calories on a daily basis (ice cream and the like). Good luck and maybe put a ticker in your calendar for 3 months from now so you can check back in and see if your life has settled to a point where you can make some adjustments to a more traditional bandster diet.

Definitely do both together. If you lose another 10 lbs afterwards, your result shouldn't be compromised. Plus, recovering from surgery burns calories. You'll be at goal in no time flat. Woohoo! Very exciting!

Well, I met up with Betty and Alan yesterday for an early dinner. It was lovely meeting them and Betty is a fit, sexy grammy! I hope they have a great remainder of their NYC trip -- we've got some kind of tropical storm passing through and the weather is the pits. I'm dealing with Monday depression right now -- you know, where you don't sleep well Sunday night because you're facing the whole week ahead of you. I never had it at my old job. I think it's just an adjustment phase. I hope so, at least. No running today. The knees need a break for a day or two. I think it'll be an elliptical machine day, unless I can get out of here in time to take a class at my gym. We'll see how the day plays out!