Moondust

Since we all have our own individual journey with the lap band, I am curious as to what your weight loss was at your one month (4 week) appoinment. (I'd have liked to have done a poll but am not sure if I even have the capability to do so.) I am not near the 4 week mark and am curious as to if there is an average weight loss or not. I know everyone is different. So....how much was your weight loss at 4 weeks out?

Hi, all :rolleyes2:! Just checking in on the March 17th 2009 bandsters. How are you all doing? I've had slow, slow, slow progress. Since I can't really get my heart rate up by excercising, it's a problem. I was eating what I was told but it shut down my metabolism since I was not able to do weight bareing exercise along with it. It's been depressing, to say the least. I'm on the right track now though.

lbhope2009, I am so sorry to hear this. What does your doctor say? Where in the world do you go from here? ******************************************** poconomom, I feel your pain! Sounds very much like me but I have been able to get fills more often than once a month. I had no idea my doctor would allow fills more often than once a month until I asked point blank ...so perhaps you can ask your Dr. and they will make an exception. Good luck! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* I did go see my Dr. yesterday. I am almost 6 months (24 weeks) out and have 8.5cc's in my band. I have only lost 21.5 lbs. & 9 of that was in the first 2 weeks. I am feeling some restriction now, however, I am definately not at the sweet spot. My Dr. has scheduled a fluoroscope on 9/9/09 at 9:00 (how's that for a date?). He thinks I am VERY close. He showed me 3 color photos of my surgery with the band inserted. He sees no reason why I should have so much fluid in my band with little restriction. I really do feel now that I am very close to the proper restriction but decided to go ahead with the fluroscope just incase that's not so. FYI, I did find out the difference in the Realize Band vs. Realize C Band. The Realize Band is not prefectly round, when inserted. It has more of a loop shape. The Realize C band goes on perfectly round.

I see a pattern here with so many posters having more than 7.5cc's with little to no restriction. It concerns me. Surely we can't have 10 cc bands filled to 10cc's with no restriction, lol! That's my fear albeit I don't really beleive that will happen. I find that I have been eating more at night for the past week and poor food choices. The stress is getting to me. Time to turn over a new leaf with my temporary setback. I have made an appointment to see my Dr. at the end of the month but I am thinking about making another appointment for a fill before that. EmmaWang, I can't tell the difference now that I have 8cc's in my band. I believe I have the Realize band. When I look at the card I don't see anything on it to indicate "Realize C." The PA tells me that the band will hold 10cc's. StartingOverNJ, Regarding the fills, I trust the PA's with the fill since they always get the port on the first try and it's verified when they measure what's in there (on the next fill). Since this is the case I'm not concerened with the office not using a fluoroscope if the reason for the fluoroscope is for making sure you fill the port. Are there other advantages to using a fluoroscope? Sissyh1006, How are you doing with 8.2cc's? isaviolinist, 45 lbs. is awesome!

09Freedom, thank you for the encouraging words. I truly appreciate them. It's been a struggle to have gone through this not achieving at least average weight loss. I WILL keep the faith.

We'll see how I do with 8cc's in the band now. That just might be my next step if there is little restriction after this.

StartingOverNJ, The PA's actually do my fills. No fluoroscope. The past two times they have withdrawn all Fluid to make sure that the fluid was in the band since it is rare that someone would have little to no restriction with the amount of fluid I have. The "every 2 week" fill is if a patient has no restriction, not a normal schedule. Apparently the exception was made because I feel no change at all with the 7.5cc. Personally, I am glad they made the exception to the rule. From what I have read a proper fill should last more than 2 weeks if it were enough. Since it is not, my case is not the norm.

StartingOverNJ, My doctor will do a fill every 2 weeks if there is no restriction. I have little to none. When I called to schedule another fill after 5 days I was told I could come in the next day after they checked with the DR. I'd like to be averaging at least a one lb. a week weight loss but I am not even doing that. I am following orders and exercising. In 4 months I've lost 17.8 lbs. That's pretty much on own since the restriction is not really there. I have mobiltiy issues with my knee and need to get this weight off in at least the 1-2 lbs a week. It may sound like like I am expecting over night miracles and am not giving things time to work but I assure you that I am not. As much as I have gone through with this new "tool" I am not satsified with no restriction.

Now I have 8 cc's in my band after my 2nd fill in a week (yesterday). I don't really know that I feel much more restriction than I did before. Hopefully, I will.

I have the Realize Band and am 4 months out. I currently have 7.5 cc's in my band and am going for my 6th fill tomorrow. If I were losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week I'd be satisfied but I'm not. I have some restriction but not nearly what I'd expect. Eating 4 oz. per meal three times a day and no snacks is difficult when it's not satisfying. I don't seem to have a problem with breakfast and lunch but by the time I get home and exercise, when dinner comes I'm starved. I'm eating about a cup, sometimes more but not on a regular basis. I know the band is a "tool" but I had higher expectations. Maybe tomorrows fill will get me closer to the sweet spot!

The nutritionist at my surgeons office said Caltrate D plus for me. They uped my dosage from 2 a day to 3 because I don't drink milk at all.

Sissy, Do you have the Realize band?

Anyone else banded on St Patricks Day this year (2009)? How are you all doing?

I was banded March 17th. It's been nearly 12 weeks and I've lost 20 lbs. I'm disappointed. I DO get all the Protein I need and drink at least 64 oz. of Water a day. I eat 4 oz for Breakfast and lunch and about 8 oz for dinner. I feel little to no restriction and have had 4 fills. I have to be getting close to restriction some time soon. I have mobilty issues so no weight bearing exercise but I am riding the exercise bike 3 to 4 times a week. Pezo, I'm with you about "Longing to put this hardware to use... !":thumbup:

Hi, RandiG! I have been grilling chicken breast or pork tenderloin then slicing and freezing in 4 oz. Zip Lock containers. Before I leave for work I grab one out of the freezer. For the chicken I add a little fat free italian dressing, teryaki or buffalo sauce. I also grill fish ahead of time too. I cook once a week on Sunday & have my lunch throughout the work week that way.

WELL, the restriction I felt lasted less than a week (eating the same food all week that I ate when I felt so much restriction over the weekend) so I believe after this week I am going to call for another appointment. I can't pussy foot around with this. With that being said, I would think that it won't take much this time to tell a difference. We shall see!

I was banded Mar. 17, 2009. I had the 3rd fill in my Realize Band yesterday. I now have 6cc's. I FINALLY feeling some restriction. My weight loss since the surgery has been much slower than I anticipated so I am hoping this makes a big difference.

Hi, all! I've only had two fills. At the 1st one the PA told me I had a lot of scar tissue. No surprise, because the incision for the port is the same place as my gallbladder removal. In saying that, he had no problem at all finding the port. Before my 2nd fill I had some discomfort and thought it was a hernia. When I told him at my appt. for the 2nd fill he said the lump was my port (how embarrassing) and explained that when you stand up your port moves and is not at the same place as it is as when they fill it. (I judging by where I knew they stuck me for the first fill.) Both times they numbed me with lidocane before the fill. However, this time I had a whelp the size of a 50 cent piece and a nice bruise that I didn't have before. Still, I didn't feel any discomfort, scar tissue or not.

I take two chewable Caltrate D plus (one, two times a day). http://pics.drugstore.com/prodimg/207259/200.JPG

I'm with you o that one, terebel! A minimum of 64 oz. of Fluid is a challenge. Some days I fall short of getting 64 oz. of fluid. Remember that we can count any fluids you drink during the day along with the Water.

My doctor ok'd "Slim Fast LOW CARB", not Slim Fast Optima. In my opinion it's the best one I've had yet.

Hi SpecialK! Thus the clover in your ticker, right? Very cute! 98 lbs? I wanna be like you in a year!