~~Beth~~

I'm so impressed with all the positive support here especially with our little blog going here. I get excited every morning to come in and see what new with us, holiday diva's and december diva's! Stay positive and keep up the hard work, its worth it and it keeps me going! Congrats to everyone!!!!

I've been banded now since december 2008 - and the last two months I have not gain but I have not lost anything, I have noticed that I'm able to eat more than normal, and I'm also able to drink while I'm eating? (I know where not suppose to but I'm able to now) My concern is could I be stretched? and if so how would you tell? by just testing or something?

Well, lets see - I'm setting my goal for september 5lbs! I have been stalled for about 8 weeks, no gain - but life of having a high school, coming and going, has slowed me down on going to the gym, now that things are getting back to normal in our home, I'm planning on working it really hard! NOW the trouble with all this, I'm going for a follow up on the 16th, and I know he is (the surgeon) going to let me know have it, so I guess I will just grinn and bare it! Good Luck everyone! Keep on losing, we are all winners!

Yeay, on going to the water park BillOH! I went out on the boat with friends but it was a little to chilly to actually swim. As for my port, I have what is called a low profile port, I can feel it, if I'm laying flat on my back, but any other time I can't. But I'm still struggling with portion control. My biggest concern is stretching the pouch, how and when do you know? Again, I have not lost not even an ounce in over a month now, TRUE I have not gained either. But I'm getting worried that my pouch is stretching. Good Luck all you December Diva's!!!!

:thumbup: Ok, so I got the band on 12.30.08 and continually losing weight SLOWLY shall I say, but now that I'm six months into it, I'm glad it's slow, no complaints on that anymore! BUT, I have not lost one ounce, NOT one in the past 4 weeks. So I called the doctor’s office and I didn't get an adjustment 4 weeks ago when I was there, so they said I might need an adjustment. IS THIS NORMAL, I mean HELLO this can kill an ego when trying so hard.

Thats what I have to do, and I eat with a baby fork or spoon, thats seems to keep me from eating too big of a bite. Good luck!

Lisa Lap 63, yes just push the issue about more fills / adjustments as long as your stomach is able to handle it. I eat three meals a day, maybe - no snacks unless I just have too, and that is a Luna protein bar, I usually have a protein shake in the am w/ fresh fruit blended in. As for my eating amounts, well I can hold about 9-12 ozs per meal. Everything I eat meat wise, I just the food chopper. Usually I will get the feeling of an elephant sitting on my chest and thats it, I'm done. And other times I get the hiccups and know thats when I done. As for the CC's my doctor does not tell you what he puts in you, he feels that in some cases you might think you have to have 8cc just because "sally" has it, and he wants his patients to be indiviauls and progress as you own pace. Makes sense to me. So I never ask how much I have in there, I want to just know that its' working.

You can get adjustments every two weeks, depending on your progress, I guess I'm just the aggressive type that I push for the two appt. I feel I don't have the time to wait a month to see if I'm at my sweet spot. I go for my third fill tomorrow at 1pm. Since my banding on 12.30.08 I have lost 22 pounds, that is not counting pre banding lost.

I still use the Whey protein powder mix at walmart, the big jug of it for $14 (I get vanilla) and mix it in a blender w/ Skim milk, 2 tlbs of the sugar free / fat free instant pudding mix with about 5 or 6 ice cubes. And drink away, they are pretty good, and the good thing about the pudding is you can get so many different flavors cheap!

Hey Cordova Chick, I'm in Bartlett! Nice to see someone close to me! I want to know how you loosing so much also? Is that the pre band lost also, or the lost from just the band? Tell us your secret????

Thats Great BillOh, I went yesterday for my second fill, and I think I have more restriction this time! Keep up the good work.

ohjuly7878 - you explained it much better than I did, thats how his Nurse Practioner explained it to me! You know honestly, your right - I might like it better not knowing, put my trust in him, just like I put my trust in him to place the band to begin with.

Thanks Becky - No, seriously he would'nt tell me, he said that its not important that those are just numbers. He said that some people think they have to have the whole 10cc if the band holds that, and that he wants the body to realize when its full, etc. and does'nt want an indiviual comparing their fluids, etc because everyone is different. CRAZY I know isn't it! I've had more help on here then anywhere, thanks to the wonderful people who have "been there done that"