Jenishrinks

I will look for the book. I know I still eat too fast and also do better when remembering to chew. Thank you!

I have still had cake at celebrations since being banded almost a year ago. Depending on how my band feels that day I might have only half a slice or need to skip other eating to enjoy the cake. I enjoy greek yogurt or cottage cheese with lime juice, splenda and fruit though as both a treat and a staple. Its been on the table for Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter so I knew there would be something I could both eat and enjoy without worry. Its all about your comfort level. If there is a dessert option you'd enjoy for your birthday then its your day it shoudl be there. You are still fairly new to being banded and onto intoducing food so I think a really beautiful yogurt, berries, whipped cream dish in a pretty pyrex bowl or pan would be great. I buy my berries frozen and then just deforst them partway before putting them on top so they are still a little crunchy as opposed to mushy and I can still easily chew the skin down. Cheesecake might be another easy to digest option or even one of those beautiful Jello cakes with the jello layered with berries and whipped cream. For the dinner, choose a side dish to use as your meal you'd ve excited to eat and will go down easy for you and let the others eat what they want to acoompnay it. Lke refrieded Beans with cheese or mashed potatoes baked and a little crusty on top in the oven. I actually really loved the mushy stage and many meals still eat mush.

How many cc's are you all at almost one year out? I am at 10.6 cc's. Twice I have been overfilled and had to have some taken out.

I am 11 months banded, 90 lbs down, 10.6 cc. When I am filled too tight I throw up every meal until I get an unfill. I still throw up about twice a week. If I eat without drinking something hot first, I often I have problems. Chicken tends to be a problem no matter how chewed up it is for me. Eating when I am upset is a problem for me, even if I think I am over whatever I was ticked about, guess what my throat isn't relaxed enough to eat yet. If I eat earlier than noon my band is too tight to eat. Field greens as opposed to iceburg lettuce make me throw up. If you are sure you are eating slow and small enough bites, try to include hot tea or coffee or even hot soup BEFORE you eat and make sure you are relaxed.

Hey all. So glad to see people updating and posting. I was so mad we lost our little group it seemed!! I am 65-70 down. I gained once in December at a two week fill after losing 10 lbs in two weeks but I did still lose 4 lbs right after even during Christmas. I seem to be snacking and grazing again though after so many months eating just once or twice a day. I am 9.1 in a 14 cc and do not have full restriction. I still vomit at least a couple times a week and will get the left shoulder pain if I eat too fast or sometimes just trying to get food down period. I find its lots easier if have hot tea first and even sip a tiny bit during the meal. The hot tea really does help though. For those feeling down though about losing not as much if you are losing the same amount consistently I wouldn't worry. It is coming off steady and 52 weeks times 1-2 lbs a week is 50-100 lbs by 2012. We just have to keep on keeping on. I know I hate it that I have hunger and appetite back again.

I was banded June 3 and did have some pretty significant hair loss for most of the summer. i take Optisource Post Bariatrtic Multi which has 300 mg of Biotin plus I take TWO more 5000 mg each Biotins and a D3 everyday. I shoot for 50 grams of Protein a day. The hair loss has pretty much stopped. I also dyed it a darker color to give it some thickness and switched shampoos around for some dry hair restorative Pantene. My hair looks great these days and I am not changing anything I am taking in fear of losing it again! I am also a fairly fast loser, 60+ pounds down so maybe the fast loss has something to do with it too? Who knows.

I was missing you all too! I am doing well. Had my six month bandiversary Friday.

If I eat breakfast its like you say I am hungrier soon after, but if I just drink coffee and put off eating until 1 or 2 I can eat a small lunch and then eat dinner again a few hours later and be done. If I start with anything even something small in the AM I end up wanting a morning snack, an earlier lunch I just fall back into old habits.

I was banded June 2010 and have 8.1 cc right now in a 14 cc band. I did have one small unfill. I have lost nearly 70 lbs so far in just under 6 months. I exercise every day though and have a lot of restriction at some meals and when eating softer meals not quite as much. If I push the envelope though I get very ill and have intense left shoulder pain and lots of sliming/ throwing up. I really wonder if I didn't skip past my sweet spot when I had to unfill. I have lost 10 lbs in the last weeks since getting back on the fill band wagon. I have a small .3 fill two weeks in a row and then again 3 weeks later two weeks in an row of .3. That seems to work better for me than the .5 fills every three weeks I was doing. I really do think I am close to my sweet spot though. Most days I only eat 1 - 2 times a day, sometimes but usually not 3 times and I definitely have good restriction. Anyone who has finished their initial journey and is maintaining want to tell us more about our sweet spot? I really am concerned I am there and continuing to fill. I also wonder is my 8.1 in a 14 cc band like having 4.1 in a 10 cc band or is my band just larger because of hiatal hernia repair at time of surgery and my band is just as tightly filled just around a thicker pouch do the hernia repair?

I went through almost those exact same feelings in June when I had my surgery. All i can tell you and its hard to believe until you experience it yourself but this surgery will change the way you feel about food, your life perspective, your hunger and emotional attachment will be significantly if not completely diminished and you will eat to live not live to eat like we always did before. I remember one of my last facebook posts preop the week of surgery was something like good bye food you're a bad relationship I keep going back to thats done more harm than good and I as much as I will miss you this cycle will be broken. When I stress now instead of eating I pronto pack my gym bag and go walk it out on the treadmill. I never ever thought I'd be at that point in my life but I am. All the best for you and let the band be the tool that you find yourself and when breaking the bad relationship with food that may have masked other unhappiness in your life you can finally concentrate on yourself. I keep telling my family I am in a very selfish phase right now, because its all about me. Choosing the best food, heading to the gym to work out at least once a day no matter what, etc. How long have we not taken care of ourselves though? Congratulations and may your rebirth be everything it can be for you!

I can see some user groups on this new format and new monthly groups created but what about the social groups we were members of before this new format? Are they gone? TIA for any info!

I think Drew Carey did because in an interview he said I just chose not to be fat anymore. To me saying choice is how I felt choosing to get the band. Its not trying anymore its I am choosing to change my relationship with food forever because weight loss has to happen.

The PT people said most surgeons don't prescribe it but I am really glad mine did. They massage it both manually and ultrasound and help you strengthen your hands. They also do some pumping thing on your hands similar to what we had on our feet in the hospital following our lapband surgeries.

CVS online. I couldn't find them anywhere in person.

Has anyone been using anything to speed up the smoothing out of their scars? I have started wearing silicone patches at night and swabbing a silicone stick on each incision several times a day. When I had carpal tunnel release surgery a year and a half ago that was part of the post op physical therapy and my scars are non existent.