Dwayne Bordelon

Hey, good job so far. My doc is pretty conservative with the fills. I get them once a month and I think I have had 6 or 7. I feel like I need more fill. I definately eat less, but I tend to get hungry within 2-3 hours. From what they tell me, I need to consistently make it 4-5 hours between meals. I have lost 78 lbs so far(started at 422).

Am I the only one that is going through weight loss/weight gain in cycles around my monthly adjustments? Is it a first few months thing or is it something I am doing? I have lost 60 lbs so far and when I get an adjustment, I do really well, though I really have never felt much restriction. I keep hoping the doc will get aggressive since I have had no issues with vomiting or even coming close. Does all this eventually level out?

it sounds worse than it is. I have considered it before, though not for loose skin. It is expensive, so not a decision to make lightly.

I have not had any anxiety or panic issues, but I have been more aggressive and more prone to serious anger. So much so, that my wife has said something about it.

I am getting really frustrated. I have read plenty of posts like this, but I will say it anyways. I have had my first fill and since that time(May 12) I have had no help from my band. A few things about my experience so far since the surgery - I have never gotten stuck, never felt like hurling, I lost weight good at first(6-8 lbs a week), I can eat anything - bread, rice, any meat, chips, cheetos, etc., I can now eat fast without feeling the discomfort I felt before(I still do occasionally). Now, I know that some of the responsibility is on me, but I have tried and I am still trying. Perfect example yesterday: I ate chicken salad on a wheat bun for Breakfast with some more chicken salad on a plate for breakfast(it had grapes, apples, onions, light mayo and boiled chicken - so fairly healthy) I started getting a little hungry and empty but I drank Water and some G2 gatorade until lunch. I ate a child portion of beef tips and fries at Logan's roadhouse. I did not finish the fries. I was satisfied, but could have eaten more. Mid afternoon, I was starting to get hungry again, so I started forcing down water to get by. By 5 pm I was pretty hungry - on the verge of binge hungry. I ate more chicken salad - basically a repeat of breakfast. I ate slowly and stopped eating when I felt satisfied. I immediately went outside and worked for a couple of hours on my daughter's tree house. I was hungry when I finished working so I started guzzling water again. I held off the hunger for about 2 more hours but by 9pm I was going crazy Okay so long story short - I can't even tell the damn $18K thing is there! I tried, but not very hard to get in for another fill to which they replied I have to wait an month for the first three fills. oh yeah and as far as exercise - I do something everyday - walking between 2 and 4 miles a day or playing tennis on average of 2-3 times a week for 2-3 hours a pop. I also stay busy working on my house, yard or daughter's tree house. DAMNIT!

I said the other day at Logan's - "...a booth is fine..."

Holy crap! that is extreme to say the least. No way in he!! I would follow that.

I was banded 4 weeks ago and so far I have lost 45 lbs and have lost about 5-6 lbs a week for the last couple of weeks. It has been pretty easy to eat small meals by eating slow and just stopping when I have had enough - I probably could have eaten more,but I chose to stop. I have kept up with all my exercise and food on livestrong.com and have pretty much stayed under 1500 calories a day and usually exercise every day - walking or playing tennis. On to the wagon - I fell off yesterday. For the last week and a half, I have been getting progressively hungrier and unable to last in between meals before feeling empty. I have been snacking (trying to be healthy snacks) some and trying to drink plenty, but yesterday I went off the deep end - milk duds, pizza rolls, more hummus than usual, crackers and cheese, ice cream, etc. I never did eat a huge amount at one sitting, but I did graze for most of the afternoon starting at about 2pm and I was actually doing great up until that point. I swear it is an episode like this that absolutely pisses me off and wakes me up at the same time. I have been feeling very good about not being hounded by hunger for first time in a long time, but yesterday it came back with a vengeance. I realized at some point yesterday afternoon that I was no longer eating for hunger, but eating because I wanted to and that was the most scary part! Today is a new day and my first fill is next Tuesday. I just need to keep it together until then.

Thanks for the response. I hear you about the tracking. I do not plan on doing it forever. I am just trying to get a feel for what people eat and how much.

Does anyone use daily plate or something similar to track their food? I have been using it because it is easy to do and I can do it on my iPhone. I am curious as to what everyone is eating on a daily basis. Post up your public links to your food journals or just an average of what you eat. Here is my daily plate food journal: LIVESTRONG.COM - Health, Fitness, Lifestyle

Jack - I have to say that it is very entertaining reading your posts. You wield the english language like you know what you are doing.

I smell weird too. In fact, my daughter told me I smell different. I have searched around and some people say it may be a sign of ketosis which sounds plausible.

So I have thought about this alot. I have been wondering how the band actually works to help you lose weight. I think the band helps in two ways. The doc builds a pouch that is right above where the band is placed. I assume they do that with stitches or something. That pouch represents 'how much' you can eat at one sitting. I figure that is fairly constant and doesn't change unless the band slips or you stretch it. The other thing that happens is directly controlled by the band. As the band is filled it narrows the passage at the bottom of the pouch. I think the more narrow this passage, the longer it takes for food to digest and pass. What this does is curb hunger and keep you filling satiated longer. I think between those two things, you end up eating less over time and that is what produces the results. I would like to hear from y'all if you think I am right or otherwise.

I have lifted weights on and off all my teen and adult life. I know how to lift weights and generally know what works, but I want some kind of guide or reference to help build a schedule and routine that I can use going forward. I basically want a personal trainer in a book. I want something that covers workout cycling, schedules, etc. to maximize my effort and time. I also want something current. Can anyone help? My goal is maintaining and possibly building a little while I lose weight with the band. I don't want to be huge or freakishly cut because I don't want anything to time consuming or difficult to maintain.

I had the same exact sleep issue. I am a side sleeper and slept the first almost two weeks in my lazy boy. Me and the wife got tired of that. I am fine now. I had surgery on Thursday and went to work on Monday.

I am finally past all the liquidy crap. Tomorrow I can start on soft proteins(finely chopped meat, eggs, cheeses etc.). I have been walking every day and I want to start lifting weights and running and doing more so I am waiting on that. It should be after next Thursday. My hunger has slowly been coming back. I have lost 37 total so far, but it did slow down this week. I am not too concerned since the band isn't even filled yet. I know what the first 4 weeks are for so no biggie.

Hey, thanks for posting that pic. I thought about what it looked like in there. I was tempted to ask my doc if they routinely take pics or video and if I could see them. I may ask that next time I am up at the office. Its also good to see someone with plenty to lose like me. Keep posting - the men's room seems to get slow at times.

I had my first follow up today(one week after surgery). I weighed 388 today. I first saw Dr. Ponce on 3/11/2009 and I weighed 422 then. I am pretty happy so far, but for the first time since surgery I am getting hungry. I need to make it to my first fill before falling off the wagon and letting it back over me.

Does it hurt you to take a deep breath? Mine has subsided some, but every once in a while it still hurts. I am not too worried, but curious. I have been drinking gatorade, isopure, water, and chicken and beef broths.

I had my surgery on Thursday. I was up walking the first day and I feel like I am pretty much back to normal. It hurt to take deep breaths for a couple of days, but I am doing better now. I have not had any appetite so far.

are you excercising at all?

April 9th by Dr Ponce in Chattanooga Tn. I started his pre op diet yesterday - 6 glucernas a day, 1-2 yogurts, 2 glasses of 100% Juice and all the low call drinks I want. I am seriously glad it is only for two weeks.

Scheduled for April 9 with Dr. Ponce at Memorial in Chattanooga. Two Weeks prior is 6 cans of glucerna a day with two cups juice and 1-2 servings of yogurt. I am looking forward to it. I weighed 422 yesterday and so it begins.

The Dr. Ponce I will be using works out of the Chattanooga Tn/Dalton Ga area with the Gastric Band Institute.

I chose not to go to Mexico because of concerns about aftercare and issues with complications. I feel like it is cheaper up front to get the surgery done in Mexico, but if you have to pay a local doc to do all your consults and fills, the costs start to add up.