Losing_It_In_Texas

I am just 3 months out from lap band surgery and will surely need a tummy tuck when I get to my goal. I am just beginning to research plastic surgeons in Austin. Does anyone know of a good one? I know I'm a long way from that decision but I believe in research, research, research. If anyone can help, I would surely appreciate it.

Myself and others noticed it in my face first, then I began to notice a huge change in my legs, thighs especially. My big ol' tummy is still the biggest part of me and I see very little change in that area, although I know in my mind it has gotten smaller because I can wear 3 sizes smaller than I could prior to the surgery. My hands and feet are getting smaller as well but only marginally so. before my surgery I thought I was fairly proportionate (big all over), but while losing the weight I can tell mostly in my thighs....new clothes that I buy are tight in the tummy and waist but very loose in the legs. I guess things have shifted around and I'll probably always have a big tummy. Oh well.....I'm still 50 pounds less than I was when I started this, so I guess I'm happy with that.....only 60 more to go.:thumbup:

I had my surgery on 9-22-08 and have lost 31 pounds since then, and 48 total (lost 17 on pre-op diet). I too feel like I am going so slow, especially the last 2 months. I have only lost 2 lbs since Christmas Eve, it gets a bit frustrating at times. I usually lose whatever weight I'm going to lose that month during the first 2 weeks after a fill then its up a pound down 2, up one down one...etc, etc. It will be 5 weeks beween fills for me this time and I'm struggling to hang on to the 9-10 pounds I lost this month....ugggghhh! I'm afraid that I will have gained at least 2 pounds of it back before I get to the doctor next week.

I suffered from this big time immediately after my surgery... My surgeon suggested eating 4-5 dried apricots each morning and it works wonders for me. I had tried Miralax, Benefiber and Milk of Magnesia though none of them worked for me until he told me about the apricots. I prefer the natural approach anyway (apricots) vs. any type of laxative as they don't give you diarrhea or cramping. I get mine at Walmart or HEB. Best of luck!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Today is the official weigh-in day for those who participated in this challenge. There were 14 people including myself who were up to it, so I hope everyone will check in today and post their weight loss....no matter how you did, we are ALL winners!! As of today, I weigh 202, so I didn't reach my goal of 199 but I'm so damn close I can taste it :Yawn:. Considering that I gained 2.5 lbs during the week of Christmas, I feel like I've done pretty good and I'm proud of myself as I'm sure you all are of yourselves. Hope you all have a fantastic thin new year!! Mary

Now I know that there are many variables, such as how much volume is in your band, how far out of surgery you are, etc etc. So what I am asking for is just IN GENERAL how much weight YOU are losing between fills. Any other info you want to give as to your stats is strictly up to you. I'm not trying to compare myself with others, or any of you with anyone else, as I know we all lose at different rates.....I'm just simply curious. Thanks for participating.

For me, the over the counter ones don't help me one iota....I wanted them to but the fact is they don't, on me at least so I quit taking them. I haven't gotten back to my primary doc since I got the first one but my energy level has gotten back to where I think it should be. In fact my husband says he thinks I've got a spring in my butt cuz I never sit still, which is a HUGE change from where I was 50 pounds ago. I would get on the couch when I got home from work and wouldn't move till bedtime. Hope everyone is feeling as great as I am.:frown:

I haven't lost as much weight as you have yet but I can relate to the part about still seeing myself as fat. I went last week to buy something new to wear for Christmas and I didn't have time to try any of it on and when I got home and tried it all on, it was all huge. I realized I had bought everything in a 3X when I'm actually in a 14/16 now. It's just so weird. I was a happy fat person...not happy with how I looked, but happy with my lot in life. And although I've lost nearly 50 pounds, I still think I look too fat in pictures. Hopefully as time goes by you will come to terms with the new thinner you. Congrats on your weight loss thus far and best of luck in the future.

WOW...thanks Jack! You always give well thought out, concise answers.

My doctor said restriction goes away as the fat around my stomach shrinks but there has got to be another explanation. Between my second and third fill (1 month) I only lost 4 lbs and yet I lost restriction after the first week. My stomach couldn't have shrunk that much after one week to make a difference. Does anyone out there have another explanation that makes more sense? I could see losing restriction if I had a 10lb plus weight loss but 4 lbs....just doesn't seem possible. Has anyone else lost restriction with only a few pound weight loss? And he checks my volume each time before a fill so its not a leak or anything like that.

Thanks ukcatsfan, I'm going to keep plugging away at it. And I agree with you.....I'm loving my band too even though it was a bit fickle last month. I'm hoping that I won't gain any weight over Christmas with the feast and all.

Someone I met on here told me about a really good protein drink called Perfectly Protein by Bolthouse Farms. It has 10g of protein per 8oz serving and it tastes reallllly good....almost as good as a Starbucks Frappuccino, no kidding. When I told my dr that I was drinking them though, he freaked out and gave me a 10 minute lecture about how he didn't want me drinking my calories. So before you do anything, its best to check with your doctor. Good luck

For my first day of mushies I had FF refried beans with a little low fat cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.....it tasted like heaven!!

Congrats on everyones weight loss. I've lost 8 lbs since I started this thread and I stated that I wanted to lose 12 by new years day so there is still hope. I'm still happy to have lost 8 already since the month between my last fill and current fill I had only lost 4 pounds. It seems as if I am finally on my way to good, steady weight loss. We still have 11 days to go before our new year weigh in.....see y;all then and good luck!:tounge_smile:

I was suffering with the same problem and my surgeon suggested eating 4-5 dried apricots each morning and it worked great. So much gentler on your system than a laxative. I found my at Walmart and HEB. Good luck!

I was banded on 9-22 and have lost 26 lbs since surgery. I lost 17 lbs pre-op for a total of 43 lbs. I just had my third fill last Monday and am FINALLY feeling restriction; although I can already tell it is beginning to lessen day by day. The first 4-5 days after my last fill I could hardly eat anything and wasn't even hungry AT ALL!! I am really learning to take tiny bites, eat slowly, and to chew the hell out of my food. In the month between fills I had only lost 4 lbs so I am grateful for the restriction but it does take time to get used to the new way of eating. Now that I am not so hungry, I am really picky about what I eat. I haven't had bread, rice, pasta, or fried food since my surgery. I am cooking a lot more, planning my weekly meals ahead of time, and only eat out rarely. I just went to my sons college graduation in Dallas over the weekend and had tons of positive comments on my weight loss, which felt great. Good luck to everyone of their journey!!

Question To Nutrionist - when we get to a proper restriction level and are only able to eat small portions, how are we supposed to get the proper amt of protein? Kind of hard to do for me right now since I am only able to eat maybe 1-2 oz of protein each meal.

Hi everyone! Just an update on my post. I am doing much much better today. I think I had just gotten too used to having no restriction for the past 2 months that when I got this last fill and it did give me some restriction I was still trying to drink big sips like I had been able to with the other 2 fills. Now that I am going MUCH slower it has all been fine today. I had some cabbage Soup for lunch and just took my time....went down perfectly. Of course since it was soup and only a 1/2 cup at that, I am now hungry and it was only 2 hours ago. Going to try some tilapia tonight...I need some protein! Thanks again everyone! Mary

I thought I might be too tight after my last fill on Monday, and when I called the dr's office the nurse said as long as I wasn't coughing during the night, throwing up, or had acid reflux AND I could get a little liquid down that I would should be okay. I thought the coughing comment sounded strange as having to do with being too tight, but what your sysmptoms are does indeed sound like you might be too tight and need an unfill. Whatever the case, it doesn't sound normal and I would call your dr. immediatley. I don't mean to scare you but that is what your dr. gets paid the big bucks for. Good luck and I hope you'll be better soon.

Hi!! Thanks for asking....No, I didn't end up getting an unfill because Tuesday morning things had loosened up quite a bit. I did have trouble again at lunch with tomato soup of all things, but by dinner time and again today things are fine. I just think I was trying to drink too fast Monday night and the same with the soup on Tuesday. This is the first time since getting my band that I have actually had to just sip my drinks and cut up my food into tiny pieces. Hopefully things will continue progressing ok and I will bebin to see weight loss again. I only lost 5 lbs since my last fill a month ago.

Please excuse the stupid question, but I am still relatively new at this. Logic tells me that when the band gets tighter (like when you are at your "sweet spot") things might get stuck easier.....smaller opening=more possibility of stuck food....yes or no? I'm hoping thats not the case since I may be, and I repeat may be getting to a good level of restriction. I appreciate any input y'all may have.

OK, heres the deal.....I literally just got home from having my third fill and already I suspect there will be problems. I just had a couple of rushed sips of water at the dr's office and left in a big hurry (he was over an hour late for my 4:30 appt). By the time I got to my car, I could feel the familiar gurgling starting but this time it lasted a long time and I was beginning to think it was going to get stuck.....is that even possible, to get stuck on freakin' water? I didn't drink anything else till I got home, then I tried another bigger sip. It felt ok going down, but I have been burping and hiccuping for over an hour then began to feel actual nausea. I guess I may be too tight, but my question is.....when I read other posts regarding people actually being unable to keep even water down, does that mean that you actually are throwing up, or are you just PB'ng? I'm just trying to prepare myself mentally for what might be coming in the morning. If I am too tight will I be throwing up or just in an uncomfortable PB'ng episode? Thank you wonderful people for your help on this and the many other crazy questions I've asked.

Don't see anything yet....you may have pasted the code in the wrong place

If you are still constipated when you get to the "solids" stage, which I was....then I recommend dried apricots. That are what my dr recommended when even MOM, Benefiber, and Miralax failed to work for me. Try 4-5 pieces a day, but if you are feeling restriction then you should cut them in smaller pieces and chew them well. Some brands are tougher than others, but I get the store brand at WalMart and they work like a charm for me. Best of luck to you!

I don't drink even a sip with my meal and it does indeed suck, thats probably one of the worst parts about the band for me. I do drink one sip after my meal to clean out my mouth but truly only one sip since I'm afraid of washing my food down too soon and risking being hungry again.