Bree99

Congratulations you are on your way! Follow doctor's orders and be good to yourself as you heal. You are going to love your band.

I don't even try not to weigh everyday! I think it helps keep me on track. If I weigh a pound more one morning, I don't worry, I just hold the lowest number I have achieved in my mind until I register a lower number. It won't be long, don't stress over it.

I asked my surgeon this question as he always places ports over the solar plexus. He said he had many patients who were very active, including a professional boxer and there was never a port problem with contact to the area.

I have a Realize band, 11cc, and have had two fills. The first was 6cc, the second was 2.5cc. So I am at 8.5. I have some restriction but have never gotten stuck or pb-ed. I have been able to eat anything I have tried. I do feel some discomfort at times.

It was nice to read about everyone's Easter. Betsy- Were you unable to eat at all? Or were you only able to eat a tiny bit? Leigha- Your pictures are wonderful and you look great! Reading about everyone's pbs and stuck episodes scares me a little. I still tend to eat too fast and the first couple bites are always uncomfortable. I have 8 days until I see my surgeon again and I think I've lost 7 pounds this month and want to try for 3 more. That's aiming high, but what the heck. My strategy is to really up my exercise for the next week. I have decided I will get a fill. I don't want to lose slower. I walk or use an eliptical. I'm going to have to get a lot more serious about my exercise!

Hi everyone, I just got back from my first post-banding motorcycle trip. I was worried about how I would handle it, especially since we eat every meal in restaurants. Also I have a long standing habit of eating a lot of junk on these trips. I think it went pretty well. No snacking but I did have my first piece of pizza since the surgery. One piece of thin crust and 1 bite of toppings from another piece was all I could manage (I had some salad first.) We ate at several restaurants that did not even have low-fat salad dressings. I won't weigh until in the morning and I hope I did not gain any weight over these four days. We ride all day so I did not have my usual walk. I love to ride so I really have to find a healthy way to travel this way. I am very near to my next appt. for a fill and can eat more than I could 2 weeks ago. Still I don't know whether I should get filled or not. I have never pb-ed or been stuck, but I think with a fill I will and that would make trips like I've been on dicey and embarassing. I do get the "look" everyone else is talking about and have to stop eating at times. I know I would lose faster if I do, but I don't know where the balancing point should be between speed of loss and normalcy of lifestyle.

Humming Bird, >>My skeletal remains will be larger than a size 6 ! << This made me laugh out loud. I'm with you on this!

I eat at least 800 calories a day, often 1000. I am losing steadily. I may not be hungry, but I still like to eat!

I am about 11 weeks out and I eat both all the time. I wasn't told to avoid any vegetable.

<<<Bree— I have also had 2 fills (4.2 total ccs in a 14 cc band) and I was sliming/PBing quite a bit after the second fill, but realized that until then, I hadn’t had restriction, so I was still taking bites that were too big and eating too fast. Now I’m worried that I need more fill since some times I can eat way more than I should (but others, I can barely get anything down). My doctor defined restriction to me as being able to eat about 6 ounces of food and feeling comfortably full, and the full feeling lasting every 3 to 4 hours. Are you losing weight? Is this happening to you at certain times of the day or all the time>>> I am at 8.5ccs in an 11cc band. I am losing weight regularly. I think I might be tight enough, at least for now. I can eat anything I have tried but drier meats cause that "scraping" sensation. Nothing has gotten stuck but it feels close sometimes. I think I am afraid that if I don't get another fill in a week and a half I will stop losing so well and I don't want that. But I don't want stuck episodes either. I don't have a problem with hunger since the band (but I still have some head hunger).

I have lost 40 pounds and gone down one size in jeans. I do think the next size drop will come quicker.:thumbup:

I had surgery Jan. 13th and have not gotten really hungry since. It is a very good thing. I don't see it as anything to worry about at all. Sometimes I feel kind of "hollow" but not hungry like before. I still enjoy eating but it's so much easier to forget about it now.

I have a question for you guys. I have had two fills and have some restriction. I haven't ever pb-ed or thrown up, but now I often feel the food "scrape" through the stoma. I haven't been stuck but I can feel the food move through very slowly and it is uncomfortable. Do I have enough restriction? How will I know when I do?

Gingerjane, I'm sorry you are having to go through this. Please tell your husband and your mother why you are upset. I'll tell you a secret! Very soon you will be losing so much weight and be so pleased with yourself that no one will be able to bring you down. Avoid these people if you can and if you can't then tell them what you weigh and what you eat are none of their business. You can do it!

I loved mine from the beginning. It made me believe it is possible to solve this problem I have had for 20 years. It took away my hunger and constant thoughts of food. It has made me satisfied with small amounts of food. It has made everything I ever learned about losing weight suddenly work reliably. I could not have imagined that previously. I look better, I feel better. What's not to love?!

I thought I knew the answer to my question, but now I am not so sure. I just had my second fill 2 weeks ago. When I started on solids again I felt a definite restriction and could not eat very much at a time. On the third day of solids the band loosened considerably and I thought all restriction was gone. A few days later (and continuing) I found that I do have some restriction, but not as much as initially. I can eat about a cup of food at lunch and dinner, maybe a little less in the morning. I am satisfied until the next meal. The new odd thing is that although I have never been "stuck" or pb'ed when I eat now I can often feel the food "scrape" through the stoma. It's a little painful at times, more discomfort than pain. This is a new sensation. Now I wonder if I should try to be any tighter. I think I would get struck if I were. What do you think? Is this what a sweet spot feels like?

For breakfast I often have Greek yogurt so that's not a cup of food. For lunch and dinner I do usually have a cup of food. I have some restriction. I usually don't snack and generally am not hungry.

I have an 11cc band and now have 8.5cc of fill. I have very minimal restriction and hope my next fill will get me there.

I'm 2+ months out and still struggle with this most days. I am careful now to put smaller portions on a smaller plate and still invariably take too much food. It's nice to think that in 3 more months it will become second nature.

You look amazing and I am most impressed by the 144 pushups! Wow! There's nothing that can stop you now.

I was banded on 1/13/10 and here's what I ate yesterday: Breakfast: a cup of Greek yogurt w/ blue berries Lunch: 1/2 cup of tuna salad and a serving a baked cheese crackers, one deviled egg ( two halves) Dinner: two fried eggs, 3 pieces of turkey bacon and some All Fruit jam. Snack: one deviled egg I'm working on adding veggies and some days are better than others on that account.

Hi everyone, Thanks for the warm welcomes. I am with you on the boob shrinkage thing. I'm down a cup size already! I, too, have been closet shopping and it is a thrill. I probably have clothes in the next 4 sizes down. I've just reached my first goal of being under 250 and it feels wonderful to know I will keep losing. It's seems like a miracle. I am so happy with my band.

I was approved having had thyroid cancer and my thyroid removed. I take synthroid daily. You should start it immediately. Appropriate synthroid levels are necessary for every metabolic function in the body. With the proper levels you will have more energy in a few weeks and lose weight easier. You will only stop taking the med. on the day of the surgery. Take it an hour before you eat and remember synthroid is very heat sensitive. It must not be exposed to higher than room temp. or it is "cooked" and you will need new med. Good luck.

What sounds good to me right now?! I've been where you are and I understand. But what really sounds good to me is-- not being the fattest person in the room, wearing great clothes, being fitter and feeling good, having lots of energy and all the other things that come from sticking to your doctor's orders! I know it's hard, but you can do it. Try and distract yourself from your cravings.

Hi everyone, I'd love to join in as well. Great support is hard to come by. I've told very few people I was banded (on 1/13/10) and so I don't have many people to share my little victories with. I'm in Ky. and though it's cold and gray today I am happier every day since I have the band. For the first time I am beginning to believe I can lose this weight AND keep it off. Amazing!