howdybooth

I’ve now lost 61 pounds and beginning to notice something new! It appears that I’m once again on a normal monthly cycle!!!! I had a hysterectomy in 2000 and kept my ovaries, so basically I can go through a regular full cycle – just no period. For the last ten years that “normal” cycle only happens about every 3-4 months. Now for the last 3 months, it’s been happening every month! Breast tenderness, cravings, hunger for no reason, slight water retention and worst of all PMS! I’m 49 and just figured for the last 10 years I was that all favorite word of premenopausal……. Has anyone else noticed a difference in their monthly cycle after losing a large amount of weight?

OK - so maybe I'm panicking a little too early, but I've stopped losing weight! I was banded on November 16, 2009 and have lost 61 pounds so far! I didn't lose much at first, but after my second fill (January), I've been averaging 2 pounds per week. I had my fourth fill in early May and I'm still very restricted, but 4 weeks ago, instead of losing, I gained 1 pound. The next week I lost 4 pounds; the next 0 pounds, and now this week 1/2 a pound. I’m I just at one of those plateaus? Did any of you go through one? If so, did you do anything differently to get back on the losing track? :thumbup:

Oh I forgot - my GP is in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area.

My GP would like to learn how to do fills and take over my maintenance. Since I'm self-paid and have to pay for every fill, it would be easier for me to get in to see him versus my surgeon (who I lover!). Any info out there on where he can learn to do fills?

I'm at my sweet spot. I was banded on 11/16/09 and have lost 57 lbs so far! I have a 10cc band and I'm at 6cc. Since this last fill (4/28) I've lost at a rate of 2 lbs per week. I can only eat a third of a hotdog w/bun! I average about a 1/2 cup of chewed food per meal. I'm also work out 3 times per week - about 5 hours total.

No - I think you will be fine.....surgery and the liquids does take a lot out of you! If just seems recently that I'm finding myself more tired. It could also be a reaction to all the dang pollen in the air! It could also be that I'm far more active than I was before the weight loss! I think I'm doing the same amount of physical activity, but with 57 lbs less to carry around, maybe I'm doing more and that's where the being tired comes in. I just thought that maybe others out there may find themselves more tired; after all - we are eating a huge amount less then we used to!

Anyone else out there feel tired? I was banded November 2009 and have lost 57 lbs so far. I'm currently on blood pressure meds and had blood work done on Friday and asked the doc to see if I’m anemic – everything turned out fine. I was on 2 meds for blood pressure and he removed me from one since its gotten low. So I was wondering if anyone else has trouble feeling fatigued or tired. I work out 3 times per week – treadmill and yoga and I have a huge vegetable garden that I pick, hoe, and water. Which is pretty much what I did before the band……except change out gardening with fence building (I have a farm!).

I too have lost and gained (like many of us - I'm sure). I also was afraid it wouldn't "work" for me! But I'm happy to report that it is working great! Don't be discourage if it takes a while to get started. I lost 17 lbs before surgery (11/09) and then managed to gain 7 of it back before my first fill (about 8 weeks after surgery). I've had 3 fills total and I'm around 7 cc of a 10 cc band and I'm now down 55 lbs. I also beleive I've hit that sweet spot that everyone talks about. I can pretty much eat whatever I want, just in very, very small amounts. I work very hard to get my daily Protein in first! My doctor told me from the very beginning that his goal was for me to be able to eat whatever I thought tasted good and lose weight and then eat whatever tasted good to maintain my weight. And so far it's working. So hang in there and get excited! It works! :thumbup:

I haven’t had a hamburger since my surgery on November 16th, 2009. I keep my band pretty tight, so eating one is pretty much a no go for me. Does anyone out there have a way of making a substitute hamburger? I just love a homemade, greasy, burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard. Now I know that’s not what I’m going to eat, I’m just looking to see if anyone has come up with an easy to digest way to fool my brain! LOL :scared2:

Are you at your sweet spot? Yes and no..........To tell you the truth - I love being tight! And I mean really tight! I had my surgery 11/16/09 and have lost 49 pounds as of today (25 weeks - 49 lbs). My doc likes to see a loss of 1 -2 pounds per week and that's what I'm averaging. And I too eat a lot of fat-free refried Beans with cheese and fat-free turkey chili. I've had three fills and I'm currently at 6 1/2 cc on a 10 cc band. My fills last about 8-10 weeks before a find that I can start eating more......that's my clue to go get filled. I've gone from a 24/3X to a 16/XL and I'm thrilled! So basically - you are at your sweet spot until you lose enough weight to make the band loose. Think of it like a belt around your waist. Every time you lose weight the belt gets looser, so you have to move up another notch. It's the same with the band. Enjoy the tightness and watch the weight come off! BTW: I have recently started taking an Iron supplement because I'm now a little anemic.

3 fills with out xray and yes my surgeon is doing the fills. You shouldn't have any problems........

Stop smoking! I know that it's easier said then done, but I smoked for 20+ years and quit 3 years ago. Try Chantix - it worked wonders for me. I was a non-smoker by the end of the 8th day of being on the meds.

Here’s what I’ve found to be the case……some surgeons don’t want to do the lap band procedure because of the follow up maintenance…..i.e.: fills. So they are encouraging their patients to have the more aggressive forms of WLS – plus they make more money! So how do you convince someone to do one surgery over the other…….by telling them that they will lose their weight faster and be healthier sooner! But when you look 5 years down the road – weight loss is the same. Just smile and say you are so glad theirs is working for them and very happy how well yours is working for you.

Would it make a difference to your advice if you knew that I have to pay (out of pocket) $125 each time I get a fill?

On January 12 I had my first fill of 3 CCs - and for the first time I was very restricted (surgery 11/16/09). I struggled for about the first 3 weeks trying to figure out what I can eat and how much and how long to chew. My doctor said that if I haven't lost 8 pounds by February 12 I was to come back for another fill. I've lost 7........and I'm beginning to fill less restricted. Now I don't know if that' because I've learned how to eat or because I've lost 7 lbs, my band is now looser. Should I fill or not?

Ask for an agressive fill! I had one small fill (1.5 cc) 3 weeks after surgery (11/16/09). Then the holidays came - I was restricted somewhat on how much I could eat, but not the types of food. On January 12, 2010 I asked for an agressive fill - he gave me 3.5 cc's and I though it was ok.....then I threw up the Water - he removed the 1/2 cc and now I'm great. But........it took me 3 weeks to get used to the agressive fill!!!! That fill was actually the first time I realized what the band was all about. Very limited quantities and limited types of food. I struggle to keep up my calorie intake and my Protein - but I've been steady at loosing 2 lbs per week......down 6 pounds since the fill. Once I quit loosing 2 lbs per week - I go back for another fill! Good luck and hang in there and remember - it still requires watching what you eat!!!!!

You know, it may just be a matter of getting used to your restriction. I was banded on November 16 and had a small fill on December 3. I was restricted, but only by quantity of food and not types of food. Almost 4 weeks ago I had an agressive fill and just this past week have finally begun to be able to eat and drink without a problem. I attribute this to my learning what and how to eat. I was begining to think I was too tight, but now I don't. I even went as far as calling my doctor and from what he said, if I could drink and it went down and stayed down, I wasn't too tight. I will also tell you that there are some kinds of chicken that I can eat and some that I can't.......you might just need to learn what your new tummy can and can't handle and that will be by trail and error! Hang in there.....that's what everyone told me and it was true!

sue n me - thank you very much for your response. No - I was not getting enough Water. I only drink one cup of coffee per day and the rest water, but not nearly enough!!! I've gone back to being more aware of my water intake and have now lost 2 pounds since I first posted my question. I've also become much better at what I can and can't eat.....I think my two biggest problems have been getting used to the new restriction (I did have an agressive one) and not drinking enough. I'm feeling much, much better and more in control of my eating! PS: Started adding the WII fit to my work out regimen and it's really a lot of fun! Boxing gives you a great work out!

Thanks everyone......I do know that I am not drinking enough water! I'm working on that and I've added an extra protein drink and v8 to my daily intake.

I can't seem to get more then 800 calories a day......and I'm not loosing any weight. Tonight for dinner I measured out 3 oz of turkey breast and one cup of sauted mixed veggies. Took me 45 minutes and I couldn't eat it all. And now I'm so stuffed I hurt. Burping, sliming. Could I be too tight? It's been almost 3 weeks since my fill. The first week I lost 5 pounds and last week 1 pound. This week I'm up 4 pounds. My doc said if I haven't lost 8 pounds in 4 weeks to come back for another fill. I don't know if I can possible be any tighter! I was banded 11/16/09. Lost 17 before the surgery and only 4 since.

Is it possible to eat too little and not loose weight? I was averaging about 500 calories per day and not loosing weight. Take into account my exercise, my net calories were about 200. My clothes are bigger and I'm down 2 sizes, about to go down another but my scale is not moving. Last week the doctors office recommended I eat 800 to 1000 cals per day. Should I just stay away from the scale?

Thanks - that's what I thought. And I too like my band tight!:biggrin:

I had my surgery 11/16/09, recieve 1.5 cc on 12/3/09 and on 1/12/10 I received my first "real" fill. I wanted agressive and he gave me 3.5 cc which was too much and removed .5 cc. I'm now officially tight after 8 weeks post banding. Everything I eat, with the expection of liquids and Beans causes me to hurt and burp....no vomiting, but I'm stubborn and won't do it - most likely I'd feel better if I did. So, is this my learning curve time? Eat slower, chew longer.........from what I can tell, the burping and sliming is caused by clogging the opening between the pouch and the stomach......is this true? Or am I just too tight? I'm finally loosing weight so I really don't want to be looser and I'm not hungry. But I just tried to give blood and my Iron is down - this has never happened before and I don't want to loose my hair!!! BTY - I always eat my Protein first - but that's only about 4 nickle sized pieces before I start to hurt! Any advice from you pros?:biggrin:

Ha - speaking of shoes.....I've fallen off one pair twice - they're just too big! They flop around on my feet and twice I've forgotten to "hang on" with my toes and boom - down I go! Not a pretty sight. LOL

Have you told people you got banded? I'm a pretty open person, so when someone asks how I've lost my weight - I tell them. And the response back is usually great.....either someone needs to loose weight or they know someone that does, they will ask lots of questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability. But some of my friends cringe when I talk about it. They feel it's a very private, personal procedure and I shouldn't talk about it......they also feel it's rude when someone even mentions that I've lost weight. Three years ago I quit smoking and I tell anyone who asks how I did that.....so what's the difference? What do you say?