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I think going slow is best. I am 18 months out, no fill at surgery and ½ cc each fill since then. I have a 10cc band and only 3.8 cc in it and could not handle anymore. Cheri

Feels like a bee sting for just a minute. My surgeon always did it for me. Cheri

My surgery was the best thing I ever did for myself. I am about 18 months out down 84 lbs. Surgery was easy and so was my healing time. I lost all of my hunger really early on. Now I just deal with head hunger Cheri

How are you doing all those jumping jacks? I could do the rest but not the jumping jacks. Maybe I am just too old. Cheri

Seems too soon for you to be so tight? Did your Dr put some fill in at Surgery? I ate chicken salad for 6 months twice a day and now I can not touch it. So enjoy it while you can. Chew, Chew Chew. Cheri

Just think how good it will feel when you lose what you gained plus more. Don't forget to workout! Good luck to you. Cheri

Congratulations! keep up the good work! Cheri

Try starting on on liquid Protein shakes for about 3 days to take the focus off food and then come back and stay low carbs and it might kick back in. I have been fighting emotional eating the last couple of weeks. Stay on track a few days and then something throws me off again. I am working out about 2 hours a night but maintaining as I have not got my eating under control like it should be. Like a hamster on a wheel. Cheri

I think it has to be said that if you do not start out following the rules what are you going to be doing 6 months down the road? When you are suppose to be healing you should follow the rules to the best of your ability. Everybody seems to be giving you support for not following the rules that were made for your well being. I would have wanted people to tell me stop it and get back on track when I was starting out and could not have enough self control to stay on track. People are not being being mean by telling you . . . you are slipping up, take advantage of the time when you lose the most weight about the first 6 to 10 months. That being said I think the fact that you are honest with yourself and others about your situation is a great step in the right direction. People who can be honest with themselves about what they ate and why they ate it are going to be sucessfull. So my advice to you is to stop eating what you are not suppose to follow the rules and stop testing the band, let it work with you. But . . .pat yourself on the back for being honest with yourself that is the hard part!! Cheri Cheri

My port is just below the bottom of my bra line in the center and I have always been able to feel it but it does not bother me. The band I would not know it was in there till I get stuck or I see it on floro. Cheri

I would like to try Zumbia don't know if I could keep up though? I have a Total Gym in my bedroom and I love, love, love it. It works all your muscles. I would recommend it to anyone. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer and I watch TV while working out. But I need to do some cardio. Cheri

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I highly doubt that the band all by itself could cure all of the factors of bulimia; I've seen the blog that claims this, and I fully believe that person is wrong. Mental/emotional disorders ARE physical/medical disorders--they're not a "mental weakness" as that blogger claims (and I find that a little insulting, being diagnised with chronic clinical depression). Bulimia has both physical and mental/emotional components. I agree with this quote! Bulimia or Clinical Depression are both physical and mental. Clinical Depression is a chemical imbalance that results in physical changes in the body. Bulimia does too. Neither is caused by “Mental Weakness” or any other kind of weakness such as faith as I have heard so many times. I too suffer from Clinical Depression but can control my need to eat by refocusing myself on something else. But Bulimia is all about controlling food intake itself . . . without help I do not feel someone with Bulimia could make it with the band. Food is only a small part of depression and some people turn away from food instead of to food when they are depressed. But not with Bulimia? Cheri

My surgeon said and even prints in his book just not in the hospital!! Cheri

I take Zoloft for clinical depression and anxiety. I took it for years before surgery and am still taking it. I also take birth control pills(yes even at 50) or I will have trouble with cysts. I have lost weight maybe slower than others but I am 50. if you do not mind what antidepressant are you on? Some can cause weight gain. I gained 40 lbs. on Paxil over a 4 month period. It takes at least a month up to 6 weeks for them to kick in and you really feel a difference. You might also consider this. if you are an emotional eater and food was your friend and now it is not there to comfort you . . . it can make you feel crazy, looking for something to make you feel like you do when you can eat for comfort. I do not know you so you may not be an emotional eater but if you are that might be your problem and if you are stressed and depressed it is a tough road to go down without food. If you think that is you go see a therapist and learn some coping skills. That is what I have to rely on. Cheri

I feel very sorry for all who had such disapointment from the Lapband. I am so happy I have had my success, but know I would be so upset if I paid all that money and set myself up emotionally for it to work and it did not. Cheri

We are gonna have our own opinions some good and some bad. It is hard to tell someone the truth when you can read the post and get a whole different story between the lines than what they are saying. But we have to at least add some encourament after the kick in the butt if need be. Some people need to hear the cold hard truth not sugar coated words. Cheri

A: Several categories of prescription medications and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs may affect your weight loss. Prescription medications that can slow weight loss: Pharmaceuticals that can interfere with weight loss include estrogens in hormone replacement therapies and birth control pills; many antidepressants; insulin and insulin-stimulating drugs; anti-arthritis drugs (including steroids); diuretics; and beta blockers. Caution: Do not discontinue or reduce the dosage of any drugs without medical consultation. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs that can slow weight loss:> Nonsteroidal aniti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) and ketoprofen (Orudis) cause Water retention and may block fat burning. Other OTC drugs can also interfere with weight loss. Recommendation: For pain relief, use acetaminophen (Tylenol or Panadol), which is not a NSAID. Your physician may be able to suggest additional alternative aniti-inflammatory remedies. Source: 109 of The New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great (Fireside books, 2010) I TAKE BIRTH CONTROL pills AND ANTIDEPRESSANTS Cheri

This is a time when you have to be very honest with yourself. Are you really doing your part? Eating right and drinking your Water? Are you working out everyday or almost everyday? If you are not doing these things or are eating around the band it will not work for you until you are ready to follow the rules. It is never too late to start over. Now if you are following the rules and doing everything you are suppose to, go see your Doctor and tell him you are doing your part and you want to know why it is not working. Ask him to do a floro to make sure your band is in the right spot and working right. If he just wants to blame you and you know in your heart your are doing the work make him do the tests to check what is wrong. If you get nothing but blame go to another Doctor who is willing to help you! Ever want to talk, private message me or e-mail me. Cheri

Not to put a damper on this post but some people do vomit more than others. I have vomited since I got the band. Sure some of it was not chewing well enough or tyring to eat the wrong things. I hate to vomit also but for a long time it was a way of life for me. My surgeon worked with me on this but whenever I go stuck it would NEVER go down it always come up. I have drank coffee and for no reason the coffee would just shoot up through my mouth and my nose. I know it is gross but if you want to be honest some people do vomit alot. Some is our fault and some it not. I have never eaten too much to make me vomit, but sometimes my pouch just rejects what I put in it. I have a 10cc AP Band and only have 3.8 cc and I have just enough fill without being overfilled. Do not let that stop you it would not me. I am now almost 18 months out and vomited tonight for no reason I have not vomited in months. But it is over in a minute. I think spicy food causes mine. Just because I do does not mean you will. I have 2 banded friends and they are 2 years out and neither of the have ever vomited because of the band. But one friend does slime alot where I never do. I would rather vomit than to slime. But I have lost 84 lbs and am healthly so alot of food does stay down. But to be honest it does happen to some people not because of them. Cheri

I want one too. So I can drink those nasty veggies instead of eating them. Please keep us informed about how you like it. Cheri

Wow that really hurts! I do not think I would have waited either, but just wonder what others thought. I would not want to be just starting out again.That always happens to me when we can finally afford it and do it a couple of months later the price drops Cheri

Please be careful it is not the DRs. to be scared of . . . but the Cartels down there. Just stay alert all the time and try to stay with other people if you can, No wandering around at night by yourself. Good Luck and be safe!! Cheri

Great posts Spartan! Thanks for taking time to give me your advice. I do my work out on the total gym so it is not cardio. I do workout every night about 1 to 1½ hours but it is all on the total gym not cardio. I have some DVD's that I am going to get started on this week. They are all cardio, I think that will help me greatly. I do not drink milk my Surgeon recommended that I stayed away from it, no problem as I do not like it anyway. I do eat Carbwise yogurt though. My downfall is vegetables I can barely stand any of them except the ones that are not good for you.. I have thought about getting a juicer and eat my protien and drink my veggies and they would be fresh that way. Would that work? I am not worried about hunger as I lost my hunger months ago except head hunger at night. I know I do not need a fill as I had to have a small unfill several month ago after being too tight for about 6 month. It did not change much except all of my food stays down now. I am going to really try to add more veggies and do some cardio and I may have my answer. I do not drink any alcohol nor have I for about 25 years. I also try to stay away from cheese and nuts. I know everyone eats them but my surgeon told me not to as they will hinder weightloss in some people and I do not miss those 2 things. Thanks so much for you help. I will let you know when those pounds start dropping. I think the cardio is really going to work. Such a simple answer! Cheri

Congratulations to you!! You have done so great! I hope your really enjoy everyday of your life. I agree with you about the medications, some can cause weight gain or slower weight lose people should be aware of that. Great job!!! Cheri