xavier

Me too...slow but gone for good!

Until you get filled to good restriction you are in 'bandster hell' meaning you have gone through all this stuff and the band isnt helping you a bit. One of my docs said even half full the band is not helping you yet. So you just have to struggle until your doc gets you to good restriction which can really take a while! Goos luck and hang in there...it gets MUCH easier!

I also dont eat any low calorie or diet food...why would I other than to lose weight faster. Those things are part of a diet to me and dieting is exactly how I got fat. I focus on protein and after that I eat whatever I want. That being said I seem to prefer healthier foods these days which is weird...but if I want chocolate cake, I eat it!

Protect your band...later when it is really working for you you are going to want to protect it at any cost!! It is a long way to good restriction so this first part is a battle. At perfect restriction (sweetspot) most of what you are now eating would be something I can only get down two bites of no matter how much I chew. Same for whoever up there said they are eating donuts and hamburgers...those would be two bites max. But since I am well out, healed, and at good restriction, I go ahead and have the two bites so I dont feel deprived! My loss has gone very slow but I am ten pounds from normal BMI and wear a size 8 or 10 at Gap. I know I can live this way forever because I havent dieted or done some big exercise plan I can never stick to. Good luck to all!

A friend called me a skinny bitch the other day...I think it was the best compliment!

You are in 'bandster hell'. 3cc in a 10cc band is like not having a band. You are doing all the right things but ill need a few more fills for the band to give you the feeling of lasting satiety and fullness on a small meal...hang in there!

Well I am a very slow loser but looking back I know I have never dieted or even exercised more than before I was banded so I have a lifestyle of eating differently that I know I can maintain for life. Slow and steady wins the race.

Probably whatever agreement you made had some kind of exclusion in it to protect them from this. 'Should' would be a whole different thing...good luck.

Just don't give up!!! The insurance company is betting their money that they can wear you down and you'll go away! Keep going!

They want you to get frustrated and quit...many people do and it save the insurance companies a ton of money. Dont give up!!!

PLEASE don't let people like that in your life...they are poison! Good e mail but DONT go back to him.He is basically giving medical advice without going to medical school. I read so many posts by people who let others in their lives be mean and hurtful to them...if its family its hard to make a change but why pay someone for emotional abuse...we will cheer for you here! This is not cheating and your PT is a complete douche and shouldnt be in the line of work hes in!

My doc sewed my band into position and has never had a single slip. I doubt you coughed it out of place really but on liquids it would be hard to tell. Maybe he sewed yours down? Try not to worry about it and just focus on getting well...

Are you willing to give up meat even for just a few months? If so I think you need a fill to really crack down on yourself. I really can barely eat meat at all and I can only have liquids in the morning but I need to be that way to lose weight. Its worth it to me and yes, I take Protonix for reflux and that is worth it too. I eat very tiny meals because I cant eat more than probably 3/4 of a cup and I am rarely hungry. Sometimes I get on the Jones for sweets too but I cant eat very much of it at least! But the other day I ate too much choc cake, too fast and had to yak! Well its all been worth it. Good luck!

At two years mine are not visible unless you are really inspecting for them! You can use a retin cream like for the face to cause the skin to turn over faster just like for a wrinkle. These can be obtained from Canada and Mexico on the internet to save the big bucks of a dermatologist and an American prescription...or so I've heard!

Really, yes it is only about the insurance company trying to save money...they dont give a rats ass about your health or well being! Mine sucks so bad I had a choice to gain 25 pounds or self pay and I chose the latter...glad I did! Anyway this is not about fitting into your wedding dress...its about not being fat and miserable because of it...suffer the six month diet but be careful not to lose too much or too little weight...read a blog by band_groupie from the beginning and you can laugh with her thru the stupid insco bull and the six month diet...good luck sweetie....don't let those devils make you quit! I wish I had done this long a go!!! We are all here to cheer and nag you on and even give a bitch slap when needed,,,you CAN do this!!!

I have lost my weight very slowly and been jealous of the people who lost it so fast. I lost 60 (of 70 for normal BMI) in two years. I have been happy with that because I never dieted or exercised. I eat whatever I want and whatever the band will let me..I could never keep weight off with diets and exercise before so why would I now? I do focus on protein more now because the band makes me eat tiny meals so protein has to be in all of them or I would never get 60 gm a day! I LOVE may band and would even self pay all over again!!!

YES!! Prednisone makes you starving and also wired up and crazy. It works but the docs sometimes tell you you are only retaining fluids but in my case I was retaining fat! I would be up all night eating and talking to myself! I hated that drug but sometimes you need it...good luck!

Fantastic! I feel like at least half of my weight was due to prednisone which I took several times at high doses...I hate that drug! Anyway congrats!!!

First i think wait and use it as motivation as a reward when you get to normal BMI. (thats my plan and I am taking a long time to lose the last ten!) Second a plastic surgeon is a little like a car salesman...it is to his advantage to get your money as soon as possible but I think you will get a better result at goal weight. A few PS docs actually require their patients to be at goal for six months. Good luck..

Why do you say the fat is there to stay? Why have you settled to still be overweight or obese? I am not criticizing but just asking. I cat see how 220 can be a healthy weight for you for the long term...

Try to eat to the point of being 'not hungry' instead of full. The full feeling will come with fills. Good luck!

Thanks so much for commenting with your story. I appreciate the details and want to know everything before I decide!! Good luck...

I self payed 15K and it was well worth it...good luck. Get an abdominal binder if you have a gut at all...after surgery that binder holds your gut in so it doesnt slump over when you sleep which is very painful! Especially if you sleep on your side!

Your primary care doc SHOULD know how to get you hooked up with a bariatric surgeon but many of them dont or think you should just join a gym or whatever.Be ready in case the doc tries to talk you out of it. So do your homework first on the internet and find out all the docs who do this procedure near you and which ones would or might accept your type of insurance.Your PCOS should help you get it covered by insurance depending on your BMI. I would call your insurance co first in case you need to gain a few pounds before you go get weighed at the doc office...I know it sounds crazy but you will need to have a few spare pounds OVER the cutoff which you will make a (not too successful effort or they will say no) to lose during a six month supervised diet...many people here have put weights in their pockets etc because gaining weight on purpose is not a very mentally healthy thing to do. Your whole thing will be different than everyones depending on everything but I tell everyone to read the blog of band-groupie called The Sweet Spot because she takes you thru the whole thing. Start at the beginning as she is dealing with insurance etc. http://bandgroupiethesweetspot.blogspot.com/ Good luck, you will get lots of info here from all of us who have been through it...its kind of a battle but its well worth it!!!