Nicole74

Awesome..I am 5 weeks out and can fit well into jeans that were way too tight before too! You probably are losing inches more than weight itself...hopefully you measured yourself before

Hi Klisa! I am nervous about my first fill next week..I know what to expect needle wise cause I had a some fluid removed after surgery that was left in there mistake but iv had no problems with any foods so far, never got stuck either but Im scared once I get the fill all that will change. I hope I am just like I am not but just cant eat as much..I can still chow down but won't let myself!!!

Yes, Christie! Im sitting here now hungry!! it sucks because I just want to eat..lol....but fighting it...:biggrin:

Thanks Mo! Hope your fill goes well too!! I will have to follow up with you!

Today has been 1 month since I had my surgery! I am down 24 lbs from the day of my surgery. I just started "regular" foods and feeling pretty good. Its been a hard past few weeks because Iv been so hungry and hardly any restriction and the weight loss has been slow in the past 2 weeks with only 1lb lost. I have my 1st fill scheduled next week. I am basically just doing Weight Watchers right now and hoping I have some restriction with the fill. I havn't had any problems with any food that i have had so far (knock on wood) and Iv tried alot of stuff. I already feel like Iv come a long way and seen progress though, I put on jeans or shorts that I havn't been able to wear in the past year and half and they now fit, my ankels no longer swell and my feet dont look as big and wide, I dont feel bloated anymore and notice I have a lighter bounce to my step and starting to feel better about myself. All this only 1 month out! I know I have a long journey. Im at 277lbs now and my goal is to just get out of the 200's!! Im trying to stay positive and hope everything works out. I still have my worries..like OMG what if I get a bad flu this year and puke so much that my band slips, or what if I forget to chew or something slips and I am in that painful stuck people talk about, what if something else happens to my band? Im selfpay I cant afford another surgery.. but I stay on this website everyday and keep gettin the knowledge and encouragement I need to get by!!! :cursing:

I just started regular foods this past friday and I have been craving chinese..havnt ate it yet but will soon..my first fill is next week so I want to eat it before the fill just in case after that I can't. Right now I can pretty much eat anything without a problem. thinking about getting chicken and broccoli and just cutting it up really well!

My doctor told me just to let water rush down or use a wet cloth to clean it with just water.

mashed potatoes!!!!!

Iv been waiting for that to happen but I guess Im doing somethign right...I am 3 weeks out also and havnt got stuck yet but I just started regular foods...I actually feel like I could eat anythign and everythign Iv tried so far, chicken, potroast, bread..has all gone down fine. I wouldnt wish to get stuck but sometimes I wish Id feel somethign so I know I have the band! Cant wait till my 1st fill on Sept. 7th!

Gee thanks...booo whooooo....Im in bandster hell...and I wish I was like you right now

Thanks everyone...before my surgery I read about bandster hell but I guess was hoping it wouldnt happen..wishfull thinking:) but It sucks you may have to go through months of doing this until you have restriction..I think that is so crazy after putting your body through this and spending the $$( I was selfpay) I guess I didnt really expect that part to happen even after my 1st fill..kinda depressing:( cause I cant help but think that I lost 40lbs on WW in just 5 months and only spent $20 per month! now I spent 15grand and may have the same results...just venting a little:)

Thanks! I am just going to try to get through the next 15 days eating healthy until I can get my fill and have restriction. Was just hoping I would keep losing weight:(

Ok so Iv gone through the first 3 weeks and am getting ready to start "normal foods"...Iv been doing my best with eating 3meals a day about 1 cup of food each sitting, sometimes a little more cause Im so hungry. Iv ate alot of fish and chicken salad lately. Since my surgery on July 30th I have lost 21lbs. Most of that the first week and a half and Iv been walking every day. My first fill is scheduled on Sept 7th. My question is I just feel like Im on a diet now so I am trying to figure out how I should get through the next couple weeks before my fill (i know I still might not really good restriction after that but hoping I will) without gaining weight and still losing a little. How did you do it? should I just do Weight Watchers? I have stayed away from breads, salads and things that I read about being hard for people with the band but I guess I am just trying to figure out how I should eat until my first fill?? normal or what? just looking for advice...I am just so tired of being hungry and only being able to eat a little bit.

Yes they put in a catheter....I took an electric shaver and shaved in my "private" areas than shaved my legs..I did this more for me cause I knew I wouldnt feel like doing it right after surgery and I didnt! I had a hard time waking up from surgery but once I did I just woke up like I would if I had been asleep at night just more of a druged tired feeling and oh yea pain:)

normal foods....your are in the last stage...now all the rules come into play...chew chew chew, small bites and 1/2 cup of food at a time 3x a day:) good luck!! Im there in a few days.

Lucky you not being hungry..Im freakin hungry all the time. Im on day 19 and been on "soft foods" since Saturday but I havnt only stuck with soft foods, Iv had some beef stew but just chewed really well and nibble on some small bites of chicken breast. Iv lost 20lbs since surgery but most of that within the 1st week and half. its very slow now like maybe a pound a week which is slow for me considering I feel like Im not eating anything. nothing seems to satisfy me..i have no restriction..well let me take that back..i did eat some fish and vegges the other night and after about a little over a cup I felt full but with soft foods i dont get full much at all. Thats the worse part!! If I were you I would increase my calories a little more and I bet the scale will start moving for you soon...its frustrating but it will happen! Great job with the running..I am so not a runner.

Ditto what Foxychick said!! Its so hard for us to think long term we want everything fast and right now...Im going through the same thing...I dont want to wait a year to lose weight I want it coming off fast without all the effort but the fact is it wont happen like that...we chose to eat and let ourselves get overweight and we chose to get the band...so we have to just put our big girl panties on do what we gotta do to get where we want!!

The first week I felt like this and it got pretty bad at times..but I was only allowed liquids for the 1st 2 weeks. Im surprised your allowed mushies the first week out but if you are I would just do very little and make sure the mushies are very runny and soupy and wait 2-3 min between each sip or bite. It will go away, mine finally did!

I am almost 3 weeks out and on mushies and had tomatoes yesterday and had no problem but than again I feel like I have very little restriction and can eat just about anything without a problem..at least so far:unsure: I didnt know tomatoes were a caution item but I could see where they might be for some people....Im just ready for my first fill:w00t:

Man, I loved your post and pics...I so needed that right now. Im in my 3rd week since surgery and think of the long process I have ahead of myself and sometimes it gets overwelming. Im struggling a little right now because Im in between the feeling healed and 1st fill stage. My fill is scheduled for Sept. 7th. You look awesome and are just beautiful! Congrats on your weight goal. Id like to know how you did it and your struggles...especially the first few months, if you could share. dont know if your on FB but I am under nicole wagner colbert. Thanks again for posting!!!

I am self pay but didn't have a hernia repaired however I do plan on submitting all of my billings to the insurance company anyway...at least I hope that i am able. I just had surgery 2 weeks ago and waiting for the final billing breakdown. I figure its worth a shot just in case they will cover any part of the bill, not getting my hopes up though. I paid $15grand and I do plan to claim what I can on my taxes and at least recoup a little back:)

It will be worth it...be very happy your parents are helping you..I borrowed from my 401k and pay it bi weekly for the next 5 years. My total was 15grand and I did stay overnight and glad I did..had no complications but I felt like I needed to stay there I was ready to go though by the next morning! my doctor makes his patience stay overnight but I got released by 10am the next morning. its hard because you think of all you can do with that money but I wouldnt change a thing. Im only 3 weeks out and had a rough first week but never regretted it!

Thats exactly how I was...was banded on JUly 30th and I lost 16lbs in the first week than dead stop for a week than a pound here or there this past week once I started pushing exercise and water...its hard while on soft foods, im in bandster hell and everyone on here says it happens and you will start losing again and I trust in what they say...I know exactly how you feel and Im there too...hang in there!! as fast as the past week was for you will be how fast the next week and the next week goes and you will start losing again.

Right there with you too! I just started week 3 and on soft foods. I lost 18lbs within the 1st week and half but the scale hasnt moved in a week every since mushies started! Im trying really hard to follow the doctors orders as far as 1/2 cup of soft foods, drinking my water and walking but Im still very hungry and like you guys feel like I went through all this, paid 15grand and after a week Im simply hardcore dieting:( I get my 1st fill Sept 7th so I have about 3 more weeks to go I am just trying to follow the plan, everyone on here says it gets better and its normal and they have been right about everything else that I asked about so Im trusting they will be about bandster hell too:) HANG IN THERE!

I had my first child at 32 and I am 35 now. I had the easiest and no issue pregnancy and birth and I just got banded 2 weeks ago and plan to have another child in 2 years. so I will be 37. I am a little concerned but figured I will be much healthier now than I was when I had my first. My doctor told me I should wait about a year after surgery to get pregnant so Im giving it a full year than I will start trying! 30 is sooooo not too old Its really the norm now! good luck to you!!