GoingforGoal

Oct 8th I had my cosmetic procedures done. It's been 3 days and all is going well. I will be posting pics and a write up on each day as soon as I return home in 2 weeks. Hope it'll help all those interesting in CS in the future.

Nope, I didnt feel hunger for the first 3.5 weeks and by than I was close to due for my first fill and was able to keep hungar away. Congrats calorie my fellow calorie nazi lol

I think both are right angles are correct, it's just a matter of how you are defining the term. I just wanted to insert the thought becuase if someone refers to the bands restriction (opposed to food restriction) they are not incorrect. That's all

Sorry, not in Atlanta. But if you have any q's on an arm lift I just had one

If it gives you any comfort, there are many (including myself) nurses on the site who are bandsters

That's understandable. But is there a way to post a message on the front page when the site is under construction so we are not just wondering and also have a timeline when improvements will be done. Thanks

Welcome Elaine, It's great you already have someone in the family to share the experience with and use as a resource. Come visit frequently and ask as many q's that come to mind

I drink sweet & low nonstop and would not associate it w/ sugar cravings. When I do want something sweet or salty I usually grab a 100 cal cookie bag or a 90 cal Kelloggs popcorn flavored chips back. Both satisfy my cravings and I usually indulge only 1-2x/week.

Depends on your insurance company. Some want medical conditions like open wounds that won't resolve etc. I just had cosmetic surgery and was self paid despite having good insurance

Good luck. I just got a tummy tuck, arm lift, breast lift and implants yesterday. If you have any specific q's on the procedures or recovery, I'd be delighted to share. Just PM or message me

I just got a tummy tuck, arm lift, breast lift and implants yesterday (one surgery)eheheh I feel your pain lol

Mis I understand. Im not trying to be confrontational at all I'm just saying that using words like restriction etc is not always wrong. Some people may confuse the terms, but I am using it properly and want others to realize that people will use words like diet instead of lifestyle adn restriction instead of tightness (yellow, green, red etc). Just saying htere is wiggle room on how to describe the aspects of the band

Mis, Although I understand what you are sharing (and have shared many times). There is nothing wrong about talking about band restriction and differentiate this between restricting food intake. When we are getting fills, we are indeed adding restriction on the stoma which narrows the passage between the esophagus and lower stomach opening. And it can restrict what one eats because as we all know, some foods can be tougher to pass than others. Therefore it is restricting what you eat (at times). Dr. Simpson is not the only opinion to consider. And vocabulary is about semantics. When you use the word restriction in the context it is intended for, there is no reason to dispute it. When I speak of band restriction, I typically detail what I am referring to and it has nothing to do with the food, merely the band/stoma. I understand you have adopted different vocabulary, but please allow others to label things the way that makes sense to them as well.

I restarted in January '13 and have lost the last 50 lbs and am now at goal. Things I did to restart were: 1) I come onto lbt frequently for support and to guide newbies. This gives me time to focus on the band instead of having to sit on the back burner being ignored. I learn new ideas and I refresh my memories of the rules (ie no drinking w/ meals, eat small bites, etc) 2) I wrote out a grocery list of band friendly foods and restocked my pantry accordingly. I also created 2 weeks of menus to eat after calculating the Protein and calorie content. 3) Make protein your priority. Min 60-80g of protein is required 4) Eat 3 meals, no Snacks 5) Do not eat more than 1 cup per meal Put these back into practice and after 2 weeks in it'll become 2nd nature again. Good luck

Honestly Im taken back when woman say their libido has decreased after being banded. I, and most of the gals I chat with, are the opposite. Libidos are revving and we are feeling 4x sexier than before.

We need more info like how many cals you consume. You are an emotional eater, so if things are not always on the losing side you temporarily give up. But in reality that is precisely what ismaking you maintain or even gain weight. You have to push through. Also, evaluate things like exercise or lower intake to startup your loss. Tell us more about your intake (food choices and calories)

Well I would be the one to say I feel full. It is the same exact thing as the above posters describe. But I use words like restriction and full because it's how I define it (as well as have been educated to express those feelings) Fullness to me is when you eat enough food that it sits in the upper pouch and you know you cannot eat another bite without risking regurg/vomit. It's just a heavy pressure on the stoma and that's when iI stop. When food is inhte upper pouch, the vagus nerve is pressed and it sends a signal tothe brian that you are satisifed/full. Don't pay too much attention to the language, rather focus on the sensation (and than define those sensations you deem fit)

Centrum gummies

Welcome back to LBT. Glad to see you are taking steps to continue your wl journey. I too became pregnant while banded. My difference was I was able to get pregnant w/out fertility treatment. So I understand how wonderful a 'normal' experience really can be As for your fill, I would definitely take a smidge out and just followup in a month for an additional fill once it's settled and if you feel you could use more. You are taking all the right steps..you'll be at goal in no time

Welcome back to LBT. Glad to see you are taking steps to continue your wl journey. I too became pregnant while banded. My difference was I was able to get pregnant w/out fertility treatment. So I understand how wonderful a 'normal' experience really can be As for your fill, I would definitely take a smidge out and just followup in a month for an additional fill once it's settled and if you feel you could use more. You are taking all the right steps..you'll be at goal in no time

It is I don't mind people asking questions BEFORE instead of AFTER the fact lol. If you are like me, more information the better and it helps the Type A overplanners such as myself ahhaha

5.0 take pics. I'll let you know in 35 lbs HAHAHAHA

I can. Coffee actually increases the acidity of the stomach. Some bandsters are prone to GERD and coffee would certainly bring on symptoms

Georgia RN Hello Unfortunately the averages are meaningless because the extrinsic variables (like starting weight, food selections, activity level) all play a part in the numbers and if you are not identical to those variables it doesn't apply. I wanted to correct the above posters. The weight you have lost is a combination of Water and fat, not simply water. That's a huge understatement. Many people struggle with getting even 500 cals into their bodies initially PLUS your body is working overtime to recover and heal. You bet you are burning energy and therefore fat. Initially the tendency is to lose faster upfront because of the drastic decrease in calories plus the transitional stages makes the absorption of our meals easier. However, after large losses your body will reset if you will. It may require some adjustments (eat less, workout more etcetc). Additionally as you get further out you typically can eat more and experiment with more calorie enriched foods. Therefore wl may slow but this is also why we keep on top of the fills to make sure we don't overconsume Your question is perfectly normal because the future is still unknown. Hope the answer helps

Megan you seem right on par for the timeframe you've been banded. Congrats on an amazing job. AND its great the doc doesnt want to fill you because of your superb results. Doc seems level headed basing fills not on time rather on the effectiveness of the band as it is. Just remember, if anything changes (weight loss slows drastically, you start getting hungry consistently, eating larger volumes etc) than just go back to the doc and start up fills as needed. But please don't post again because after reading yours Im suddenly hungry HAHAAH (j/k)