RLittman

StephM

Our lifestyle and the band is a subject we have to revisit constantly because it changes and that turn affects our thinking about our diets. I had my 3rd fill in early January and lost 8 pounds by the end of the month. But then late last month and early this month, I began PBing like crazy. I thought I was eating too fast or making the wrong food choices. I tried every combination of food and ways of eating but I could only eat a few bites and then would have to wait 30 minutes before I could eat more. I finally figured out that I was overfilled, but I decided to hang in there with it to see if it would help me lose weight faster despite not really being able to eat. I didn't lose weight faster and was scared every time I sat down to eat that I would rush off to PB after only 2-3 small bites. My weight did not budge for 3 weeks. I thought I hit a wall but then over the last 3 weeks the fill eased and I was able to eat more comfortably and lose weight. That is the sweet spot I know. Unfortunately after losing 4-5 pounds, either the fill has lessened or my stomach has shrunk again because my hunger has increased and I have to go in for another fill. I could use this time to maintain weight as I have in the past but I have decided to go for a fill because I am very motiviated to lose right now and I always lose 4-5 pounds right after a fill.

I try to tell myself that I am in this for the long haul. I am so glad to be over the half way mark and to see such great results, but I do still have a long way to go. I cannot settle for a size 14. Hang in there, keep moving, watch your food choices, and enjoy the progress you've made.

I ate 3 chocolates yesterday. It's was Valentine's Day for goodness sakes! Being banded did not mean we are forever forbidden from eating certain foods, we just have to be careful about it. I actually have eaten a spoonful or two of rice and had a few sips of Coke here and there and have been okay, but if I eat or drink more I know it will hurt.

Meanwhile, the scale is finally moving again. I have lost 4 pounds this month!!!

Confession: I've eaten 3 slices of chocolate torte and 5 chocolates. I feel so gross.

Carry on...

I have not lost a pound since last month but a size 14 jacket and pants that barely fit last month fit just fine today. My working with weights is reshaping by body and as long as that is happening I'm happy.

Hey guys! I wanted to post this for all of you who get depressed when you plateau!

I have not lost a single pound in 2 and a half weeks. I took some quick measurements today running out of the door to work and I am down:

1" in my hips

1.5"s in my waist

.5" in my chest

I didn't have time to do my arms and legs. I will take inches in place of pounds any day!!!! Keep your chin up if you are plateauing, your body is still working for you in different ways!!

P.S. that puts me down 2" in my hips from 01/07/07 (barely over a month).

I was banded by Dr. Spivak on August 2, 2006 and have since lost 50% of my goal weight. Dr. Spivak is a doll, a gentle soul who really cares about his patients and that is also reflected in his office staff. I have referred two other patients to him and they have not been disappointed either. Robin

I think February is actually off to a positive start for you. Change is hard but good. You did the band because we have one life and it is worth living well and good. If the person in your life is not part of the good new life you are creating for yourself, and counseling is not the answer, then move on. It will be hard but as you have already proven to yourself you have the ability to work through the tough stuff. Women everywhere have walked your path and survived. I just had a friend go through the same thing, and now when I see her with a guy who ADORES her, her smile says it all! Your smile will come soon. Robin

quote=StephM;384375]Well guys, February is NOT off to a good start for me. I told my hubby Friday evening I wanted a divorce. In October I found that he had been looking at ads on an adult ad website and had actually sent a picture of himself (or parts of himself) nude. I have tried for months to "get over it", but I have decided I CAN'T be married to someone I don't trust. I did think about trying counseling, but I remembered back to marriage counseling, and all he did there was sit and look at a wall. We have only been married for two and a half years, and only have four cats (no children - thank God). We are still on speaking terms and living in the same house for now, so hopefully this won't turn into one of those nasty divorces. Things around the house actually seem a little less tense right now, but maybe it's just me since I finally got everything off my chest.

I am scheduled for a fill tomorrow, but am a little nervous as my band has tightened tremendously since telling him on Friday. I can only eat a few bites and half the time they come back up. I am still going in for a fill, but a very small one I think. The liquid diet will probably help with all the irritation anyways.

Please keep me in your prays, as I will need a lot of support over the next few months.

You guys are the best!

Love ya all,

StephM

I wanted to lose 6 pounds for January and I actually lost 8! And after 3 weeks of the scales not moving I finally lost a pound today! Yeah!

My February goal is to lose another 6 pounds which would put me at 180 pounds with only 35 pounds to go.

The great news is that two aquaintances of mine are looking into being banded by Dr. Spivak and I am so excited for them!

I was told the same thing by my doctor. He asked if I would be satisfied with possibly only losing 50% of my goal weight by the end of the first year. I said yes because I would have been happy losing anything. As luck would have it, I lost 50% of my goal weight within 6 months and I am thrilled to be down 42 pounds. My blood pressure and all blood work is now normal whereas just last August my HDL and LDL and triglicerides were all high and I was pre-diabetic. I can now exercise normally and am down to size 14-16 clothing.

You can cheat with the band because human nature is human nature. I do not intend to stop eating, just to eat proportionally less. I still want to eat things that taste good but the band stops me from eating too much so that I don't regain the weight I have lost. I use it to both to lose weight and maintain. Last night I had a piece of chocolate because I was hungry and I wanted a sweet, but I did not eat 1/2 a box which I could have done before because my appetite was so much larger.

The band is a tool not a solution and you will still have to change your lifestyle and eating habits to make it work. Your doctor is giving you a reality check that is in your best interest to hear, i.e., that the band will not work for you unless you work with the band. I have a friend for whom the band was not helpful because she wanted to eat whatever she wanted to eat whenever she wanted to eat it. Unfortunately, the band got in the way of her lifestyle. I decided to change my lifestyle and let the band help me lose weight. It was the best thing I ever did.

You are doing great! I am so glad it finally kicked in. I have decided to back off exercise a little back to see if the scales will move some more. We will definitely get together soon. Robin

Robin, I Have Lost 9 Lbs Since The 3rd Of This Month. Hurray! A Total Of 21 LBS Since Sx And A Total Of 59. :nervous I Am Further Behind Than You, But I'm On My Way! :clap2:

I Am Off Tue-thurs But Have To Work During The Weekends. I Am Off By 4pm On Sat. I Live In Seabrook And Work In Baytown. Just Let Me Know Where And When. Even If I Do Not Hit That 50 Mark, I Want To Met All Of You.

Lady Di

You were banded the day before me and have lost 31 pounds more than me in the same time period. You have almost 50% of your weight - you are doing fine. I have hit several plateaus but the inches keep coming off even when the scale is not moving. I hear you that you want the numbers to move - I do, too. But hang in there because you are doing great!!!

Guys I am so depressed lately. I have not lost a damn thing since my fill about 3 weeks ago...nothing... I am NOT eating too much and watching what I eat. I even kicked up the cardio. And nothing....

My mom is getting ready to have the R EnY in a week, and all of her talk is making me think I made the wrong choice...

:help:

Libra - 64 pounds!!!! I am so jealous. That is just terrific. You must feel like a million dollars. It is so cool to be 6 months out from surgery and see these kinds of results. We should all give ourselves a big pat on the back. We know this band comes with alot of hard work and we have all really done a great job at working with this new tool in our lives.

I have so many people asking questions now they have seen the success that comes with this and watched how the weight has not fallen off on its own. They have seen how I still have to manage how and what I eat and exercise to keep this going. But I will tell you I have met alot of naysayers and folks for whom they believed the band failed them. I have been able socialize, to eat with friends and family and still enjoy my food, but I do have to be very mindful of my intake. I have been able to eat almost everything except breads, rice and some fruits. The best part though is being able to buy size 14s and 16s and to be able to cross my legs, especially under the table! Oh the little pleasures!!

Okay, all you Houston gals, quit hogging the thread!!! LOL!! Just kidding. I'm down 64 pounds and feeling good, although I think I'm slightly overfilled, it's not too bad and it's starting to ease up. So I'll deal with it a little longer.

I have lost very little since about a week or so after my last fill. I lost 6 pounds immediately then stopped. This seems to happen after every fill. But I also know that I am not ready for another fill because the restriction is still very much there, and my intake has not increased. In other words I still cannot down a hamburger or eat fast or eat alot!

Could you be gaining muscle? I have really jumped up my exercise program and have included more weight training. As a result I have noticed that some exercises are easier now than when I started 3 weeks ago. Since the initial weight loss after the fill I have only lost another pound but I have definitely lost inches. Clothes are fitting looser everywhere so I still feel okay about it. Also I wanted to gain muscle because I needed some tone and to increase overall strength and stamina.

Look at your intake versus your exercise. If you can eat more or are more hungrier, then you probably need a fill. If you are the same but your exercise has increased you are probably gaining muscle. Adjust your exercise for more repetition less weights. Robin

I am a little frustrated with my scale right now because it just ain't moving. I think I am putting on alot of muscle by working out with weights everyday. I know I am losing inches because my clother fit looser, but I want to see the numbers change.

Everyone over the last few weeks is commenting on how different I look. These last 10 pounds really made the difference. I am almost at my halfway point and just want to get to the 170s so bad it hurts.

Even my gp who was not in favor of this, gushed over how great I look. Ha Ha!!

You are hitting your stride!

I live in Memorial, on the west side of Houston - near Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) and Gessner. I think Jessica lives near West U. I think we will need to do it on the weekends because some folks work. Maybe lunch? But I have to get to 50 pounds first. I have 7 pounds to go!

Lady Di, Faybie, ClaritySeeker(Jessica) :

We should get together after we have all hit the 50 pound mark. Some of you are already there, and for some like me, it is just around the corner. I think that will give us some real inspiration to keep losing. Go for it ladies!!!

Hey! Don't meet without me, I wanna come! I am six pounds from 50 pound mark, although I think it might take a while.

Jessica,

You are doing so well and over the half way mark! I totally understand the bra thing. I have dropped from a 42DD to a 38DD. I'm wearing a 14-16 top (misses, not woman's) and it is so awesome. I have been getting lots of comments about how I look in the last few weeks. Somehow these last 5 pounds made a difference in my appearance. My exercise routine has really kicked in, too. I am able to do so much more now that I weigh less and my knee has healed.

I think the key for me is definitely going in for a fill when it is time and not delaying. My third fill is working out well. I have lost 8 pounds since 1/3. We should arrange to meet when we reach a certain goal. How about we meet when we both reach our 50th pound mark? I am about 7 pounds away. Let me know. Robin

I have been absent from the board for so long -- life intrudes. I got my 3rd fill in early December and it is still a good fill for me. I seem to have found the "sweet spot". My goals for 2007 are to exercise and to achieve my goal weight.

My most exciting NSV was when I went to buy new bras. I hadn't bought any since surgery. Well, I went from a 46DD to a 38D. I was totally shocked and thrilled.

I have noticed that now that I am wearing clothes that fit correctly, my weight loss is much more noticeable.

It's good to hear about everyone and to be back on the board!

Jessica

I use to go on an empty stomach for a fill, but the last one took place in the afternoon so I just ate my regular lunch and there was no problem.

Hey ya'll

I have found that I am getting hungry really fast so I am going in for my 3rd fill on 1/22 at 10:15. Dr. Spivak is my doctor too so if ya'll get together let me know. I have only been walking right now. I want to start with some small weights soon.

Okay, because I always forget, :huggie: what should you eat before and after a fill? Thanks for the help.

I had a NSV today! :clap2: Someone at my church came up to me and asked me how much I had lost (she doesn't know about my surgery). She told me I looked great and boy did that feel good :biggrin1: .

Best to all,

I have not yet seen a jump in weight loss but it has helped firm my muscles, and made me feel stronger. If I use too high of weights I build mass too quickly and then the scales actually increase. So I keep to low weights, high repetitions. It cannot do any harm. Keep moving is my motto! Robin

Faybie, you and I have similar stats although you were banded about 4 weeks after me. I am right there with you - 190 with a goal of 145. I just got my third fill and boy did it hit the spot. I have lost 4 pounds since last week and I am just 5 pounds short of my half way mark. I had heard a rumor that Dr. Spivak will pay for your 2nd year fills if you lose 50% of your weight in the first year. Do you know if this is true?

I lost 3 more pounds! I love my band. Oh, and the clothes I bought in December are too big! What an awesome dilemma!

I also didn't pack on 10 pounds over the holidays like I usually do. What a nice way to start off the new year. At work, I am perpetually smiling, it is making everyone nervous. LOL. I would sing from roof tops if I could!!!!

Jo Anne

Have you ever tried Wellbutrin XL? It is supposed to help depress appetite. I was on it for 1 1/2 years and it caused me to lose 40 pounds because it had an effect on my appetite. Unfortunately, it wore off and I slowly regained the weight.

Goals for 2007

I've been a very slow loser since banding and it is due in part, I think, to my anti-depressant cocktail, lack of exercise and not enough Water. The good news about increasing exercise is that it guarantees increased Water consumption.

I seem to have a problem with editing my signature to include the picture of the ticker from tickerfactory.com. Is anyone else experiencing this? I noticed that website is now asking for a password and pin.

Okay, I went in for my third fill. I was only down .2 but my stomach had shrunk which is why the band was not as effective. I was previously 1.7, lost.2, and now I am filled 2.0. You know the routine - soft foods for 48 hours.

I had a wonderful surprise in the waiting area- LadyDi was there! It is so neat to connect in person with other bandsters. I also met a lady who had lost over 90 pounds in 16 months, and was there for another fill so she could keep losing. She had maybe another 30 pounds to go. She too thought that using the band to maintain and lose slowly was a good way to go.

My goals for this year are as follows:

Lose 6 pounds in January.

Lose the remaining weight by my anniversary date.

Exercise 4 times a week. (I signed up for a flamenco dancing class!!)

Robin

We just got back from California and had the time of our life. We stayed at La Costa outside San Diego. The weather was great so we walked everywhere - La Jolla, Coronado Island and 10 hours at Disneyland - the lines were unbelievable 75 minute wait for Space Mountain. I danced the night away on New Years' Eve. I could not have done this 6 months ago. I am so thrilled with my 38 pound loss that I am ready to take off the rest. I go in tomorrow for my third fill. My current restriction allowed me to eat but not over indulge so my weight stayed the same while on vacation. I loved wearing my new size 16 clothes but I am ready to move on. Let's go August bandsters - good luck and good health in 2007.

I had heard some of this too, but the minute I revealed the secret everyone was excited for me and wanted to know all about the procedure and what I could and couldn't eat. It was almost as if they all breathed a sigh of relief that I had started on a new path.

I felt great this year. I am down about 35 pounds and am currently stuck at 194-195. I can't seem to get below that so it is time for another fill. Everyone is seeing the difference and I can see it too. Now I just have to get the other half of it off. Good luck in the new year to all the August bandsters!!!

I hope all the ABCers had a successful holiday. I am glad this one is over. Even though my daughter was born on Christmas (21 today), I find this day extremely stressful and depressing. Every year, I try to make it less so but I'm still ready for the 26th.

This is my first Christmas with the band. I was a little worried because our family does a morning brunch and I typically can't eat solids until afternoon. My parents and kids still don't know I have the band so I was drinking tons of coffee in hopes of relaxing the band. It worked! I was able to eat a biscuit and hash brown casserole without incident.

I almost told my family today but decided against it. When I walked in, my mom was talking about the lap band. Apparently, she had read an article in our local paper about a teenager having the surgery. Of course, this would have been a perfect segway, but I really couldn't tell what her opinion of the procedure was from her tone. So, I let it drop.

But, during the meal, Mom brought it up again and I asked what she thought of the article. She said, "It should only be a last resort." Well, at least I knew where she stood. I doubt she would have thought I need to resort to that since I've only been struggling for 20 years and didn't weigh 300+ pounds as the girl in the story. No, 85 extra pounds wouldn't have been enough. Diet and exercise was all I would need. Blah, blah. Sigh.

I really wanted shout out I had the band but just couldn't. My teenage boys thought it was dumb and wondered why people get fat in the first place. I felt my face get flush but no one noticed. Maybe someday I will share my secret. Maybe not. So far, my kids or parents haven't even noticed my weight loss of 29 pounds. But, I can!

Merry Christmas to me.

PatU

I usually weigh in twice a day, but I am so sensitive to my body I can tell if I have gained or lost a pound.

I decided not to postpone my next fill until January and have scheduled the third one for December 27. Yup that's right - I'll probably be drinking liquids or eating mashed potatoes for New Years, but I have been stuck at this weight for one month and I want to get the show on the road. I fear that I will get comfortable at this weight and not push myself to keep losing. I need to keep the momentum going. When I hit the sweet spot in early November, life was great because I was losing 3-4 pounds a week, but that lasted only 2 1/2 weeks. I want to get back to that. My last fill was 1.7cc in a 9.75 band. I think I have slipped to about 1.2 because there is still a good fill but it is not good enough.

Have you been surprised by people's reaction that this really is a diet? Most folks think that the weight just falls off by itself and that I still don't have to watch portions or exercise. They think the lapband is the easy route to losing rather than considering it as an easier route. It has been wonderful though at not allowing me to regain weight even when I have eaten more than I should. It is a great reminder that I am full and should not push it. Before the band I would have eaten past the point of being too full. In the past after 5 months of dieting, I would have given up and started to regain the weight. I feel such freedom and more importantly no longer fearful of being so heavy again.

Happy holidays everybody and I will give you an update after my 3rd filll.