kirafiki

YUP! I wish my stomach would catch up! Lost my rear, a cup size in the girls (I miss my DD's) but that silly stomach seems to just keep hanging on (although it is hanging lower now, so its going a little). Have finally accepted that I have really scary skin after weighing 300+ for most of my life...

I started my program at 315 in July of 2008. Today I can safely say I am permanently under 200! I feel confident that the scale will start with a 1 from now on!! That's 118 pounds lost as of today. And, I am not done. In fact, this last two weeks I have been more motivated than I have been the previous three months. I agree with some others, view this as a tool, and you are the operator. Its all up to how you use the tool. I was reluctant to set a goal at first, and finally settled on 165, but being about 32 pounds away from that I know that I will not be satisfied there. I will celebrate it though, and then push on. Its more about the mental change than anything else, and that takes time. Be patient and kind to yourself in this journey. The changes you make within yourself will ultimately show on the exterior. Love yourself, and love the choice you have made to care for yourself. I love my band, and will NEVER have it loosened or removed. It has saved my life!

The more I analyze my plateau, I am finding its mostly mental for me. I am at 110 lost, have broken two plateaus before, but this one is lasting FOREVER. I am 5 pounds away from getting under 200 and I think that scares me because I have never been this small in my adult life. I still have, what I am guessing to be, 60lbs to go. I think I am supposed to be learning patience and self-love in this plateau. Look into aqua aerobics, VERY low impact, in fact none at all. And it really works. Maybe find a vhs or dvd specifially made for those needing to lose weight with major joint issues... they are out there, I just didn't go looking for one to give you a link. Good luck, I think when we focus so much on the plateau, it stays around much longer. And congrats on your amazing success so far!

I have lost a 2 month old horse and the amount of additives that the average American consumes in a year... A TWO MONTH OLD HORSE? hilarious!

I am at 110 pounds... I feel so fortunate to have done this well so far. Am at a point where the inevitable inner 'stuff' associated with my lifetime of weight and weight issues has started coming up. Needless to say am on a stubborn plateau, but not gaining, so I am thankful for having learned enough to not be gaining in this mentally challenging period of my journey. Has anyone else gotten to this place and if so, any words of encouragement or advice? Thanks, and congratulations are in order to all!! Way to go everyone!

The hair loss is totally normal, especially given that you have lost so much so quickly. It will come back. I lost about half my hair in the first six months, and its slowly coming back. Everyone is different, and loses at a different pace. I would just listen to your doctor and what he/she says. S/He is the professional.

Maybe its not really nerves but the excitement of taking care of yourself? I was so ready to get the band when I did, I couldn't wait. You are young and I am sure healthy, or you wouldn't have been approved, so the surgery should pose no problems for you. Good luck and live every moment of this life changing time to its fullest.... its all for you now! Take care of yourself!!!!

Hi there! I was banded on July 2, my own personal independence day as I like to call it. I have done really well too, and am also on a really tough plateau. I have lost somewhere between 105 and 110 pounds (the scale keeps going back and forth between those amounts for the last month, and I had an adjustment hoping that would change it, but it hasn't). I just keep on keeping on, exercising and eating right, and just keep telling myself that its going to break at some point. Having lost so much so quickly, our bodies are most likely just trying to adjust to the amazing change we have put it through. Other than being able to commiserate with you about the current situation, I don't know how much help I can be. Just know you are not alone! Keep working, it will pass!

He everyone, thanks for reading my question. I had a fill on March 2nd, and then within days had some crazy sinus infection that became bronchitis, and needless to say have been coughing, really, really hard, ever since. I am finally feeling a lot better, but I do not think I am feeling much restriction. Does coughing screw with your band? I haven't been eating too much, but it seems odd that I don't feel restriction and was just filled three weeks ago, and really haven't lost anything in a while. I am on a really tough plateau, and have changed up my fitness routine to try to trick the body into busting it. I am just worried that the violent coughing may have dislodged my band or something? Am I being paranoid? Any help given would be really appreciated. Thanks again

I have done really well with my band, I am the first one to acknowledge that. I credit eating well and exercising 5 days a week at high intensity. I seem to plateau every 30 pounds or so. Does anyone else seem to plateau at regular intervals like this? They last so long and are so frustrating. This time around I have changed two of my days to a new and different kind of cardio work... spin class, and I love it... just started this last week though, so haven't really seen any results. I just am feeling sorta frustrated, and don't really have a great support system at home so thought maybe someone here could identify with me? Thanks for reading...

Thanks to you both for posting ideas. Continued success to us all!

I am thinking maybe your band is too tight? I have never pb'd, ever. My problem is that at this point I am doing all the work without any real help from the band. I think maybe I am eating too little, and that might be your issue too. Especially if you are not getting any protein. Your metabolism shuts down if it's not getting enough to keep it going. How many calories a day are you taking in? I started to vary my caloric intake every day, some days just 100 to 200 more than usual. It seems to be working a little. I think I have seen the scale move a little, but have learned to pay attention to how the clothes are fitting. Not too long ago, I got some cheap pants to make up for all of the pants could no longer wear. They were slightly tight when I bought them, so I put them into the closet and thought, a month from now they will be fine. Well a month passed, and they are too loose! That is great, but there was no change on the scale in that month. My body must be adjusting. In the meantime I am saving up for another fill... they are $250 a pop, so I will probably get one for me for my birthday next month. Oh, I also have decided that I can only weigh on one day a week, and if I (for some strange reason) forget to, then I can't until the next week. I found myself really obsessing about the scale, and that is not good for anyone. Keep in touch, let me know how you are doing. Do you attend any support groups? I find the ones I go to to be extremely helpful.

It seems no matter how much I exercise and watch what I eat, I am not losing anything. I shouldn't really complain, since I have lost a total of 60 pounds (plus or minus five depending on the day) since June 1, 2008, but it just stopped and now waffles back and forth between 60 and 70 lost, basically for the last month. I realize I should be patient. I am just sorta frustrated and feel super stuck. I don't think I have proper restriction, yet I feel restricted at times. How does one really know they are properly restricted? Everytime I think I overcame this plateau, the pounds find their way back on. Grrrrr...

Hi there... different times of the day your band is different. In the morning I tend to be tighter than I am in the afternoon and evening. Also, I have concluded that its going to take quite a while for me to figure out how to work the band the best. I usually don't feel like I have any restriction, and then for some strange reason, totally restricted today. I think it might have been stress or anxiety. Be patient. Everyone's new 'tiny tummy' as I like to call it, acts a bit differently. I think in the beginning it takes A LOT of hard work, a diet like no other you have ever been on. Listen to your hunger, figure out what you want to eat, and be sure to measure. Its been about three months, and oddly I crave fresh vegetables. I never thought I would crave that. One thing I do have to fill me up is oatmeal. It sticks with me for hours. Add some sugar free jam or jelly or some sugar free maple syrup. Always eat the protiens first, then the veggies, then if you have room the starch. Some people it takes lots of fills to get to the right place. I have had three, and am planning a fourth, since I don't think i have found the right amount of restriction yet. Bottom line is though, I have decided that this is the part of my life where I am supposed to be learning patience. Good luck, keep working at it, its the best thing we could have ever done for ourselves, we will learn how to use it!!!

I used to hide cake mix in my room and eat it dry. I don't like cake as cake, but could polish off an entire bowl/jar of frosting. I still find myself at the pantry at least 20 times a day looking for something, even though I know there is nothing there for me. I am trying to recognize it when it happens, the next step is trying to figure out why I am doing it at all. I hoped that getting the band would take away the hunger and preoccupation with food so I could deal with the psychological stuff I have about food, and it is slowly working. Thank you brave soul for putting yourself out here like this.

Hi there... I have a port that does funny things. They also say my line is kinked. It makes my fills kinda difficult, but not impossible. The doc says I should get port revision surgery, but I am self pay, and am hoping that we can do the fills for a while since I can't afford the revision surgery for a while. Someone who was banded by my doctor says hers is dislocated, and they just sorta fish around and find it for fills. Hang in there... even a funny, kinked port is better for me than no port at all!

Thanks again for kind words... I use baby plates and haven't had bread since June. I can eat six ounces of tuna and not have a problem. I usually just have spinach with that. As far as fills, I was self pay, and the doctor offered free fills for 90 days. So I have had three. I love the restriction I have right after it. I am now saving up for my fourth, and hope to have it in November. I have recently upped my protien to around 100g a day, since I am also losing my hair at a rapid pace. I think I have lost about a third of it in the last month and a half. I am hoping the higher amount of protien is helpful. Thanks so much for replying, its nice that someone takes the time to do so. Good luck to you too!

Hi, sadly I had the shoulder pains for about 5 weeks, but they did go away and it was so lovely when they did! The lump in your chest is just swelling, and will definitely go away. Sometimes after a fill I have that for a few days too. Hang in there, and welcome to the wonderful world of the best thing ever!!!

Thanks for the kind words... much appreciated. I am not comparing myself to anyone, I think I am being too impatient and hard on myself. Its a common theme in my life, impatience and being critical. The reason I ask about my fill is that it seems that each time I have had one, I feel really great restriction for about three days, and then its back to the larger portions, which, really, aren't all that large, maybe a cup and a half at a time. I think one of the problems is not having a good mental image of what a portion is supposed to look like. No one ever showed me that. Like, is it 8oz in weight or volume? Does it depend on the food item if its weight or volume? I am going to suggest our dietitian go over that in our next support meeting. I have never PB'd or thrown up. Which I think is odd, since everyone I have ever talked to has. That being said, you have done great too! I love my band, and am happy I did it, and you should be proud of the loss you have achieved, as I am sure you are. I started at what I think was a really high weight, which I think also contributed to the initial quick loss of a pretty big amount. Sometimes I need to remind myself just how much I have lost. I think there is a lot going on in my head regarding food, body image, and all that goes with them, and mostly I am trying to work through them... finally. Now I have clearly yammered on and will stop. Thanks again for responding. I am not living in the most supportive situation, and I only have this wonderful site, the once a month support groups and one band-friend I have made and I am so grateful for everyone on this site.

Yup, my gas lasted about five or six weeks... I was so afraid it would never go away. But, it did... I am sure it will for you too!

I have to say I was prepared for the new eating habits... but not the recovery. They sure do fail to mention lots of what goes on! ALL WORTH IT THOUGH... even on a long plateau, life is good! There is a general sense of "frantic" I used to feel around food and talking about my weight and body that was lifted when I healed up after surgery. It really has changed a lot of the things my head used to think... now I can focus on being good to me and not on what is next for a meal, or how I am going to look eating it with others around! Such freedom I have found!

Well, mainly our bodies are over 70% water... so it is extremely important to get the recommended water in every day. Tea is ok, and acts like water, as long as it is decaffinated. Caffiene counteracts water's natural hydrating properties. Not getting enough water could stall weight loss. I used to make my "other than water" drink my reward for getting all my water in... so, I would savor a special drink at the end of the day. Of course that was when I was drinking diet coke, but it could easily work just as well with a delicious glass of iced tea. I hope this helps!

My tubing is supposedly kinked too... I am self pay and can't afford the revisions surgery right now, but would be really interested to know how this goes for you. My last fill was this enjoyable experience of manipulation of my still huge belly, but I guess as long as they can retract the excess I am going to be fine.

Mine did this weird popping out thing, which i don't think is the same as flipping, but my doc thinks that it kinked the hose, which makes fills strange.... easy to get saline in, hard to get it out if they overfill, and A LOT of manipulation of my still very flabby and huge tummy (VERY attractive!). I was self pay, so will have to wait for revision surgery, in the meantime these new fun fills are done by one specific doctor since he is aware of it. And all I did was bend over to pick up a piece of paper!