I'm starting this thread on the post-op site, hoping that November 2010 Bandsters will post their responses and comments here.

My procedure is tomorrow, November 3, and I'll try to hang out here. Would welcome company!

Deb WS

Hello- it is neat seeing all of these Nov 2010 banders in one spot! I was banded on Nov. 19th. I started at 286 and now weight 221. I turn 30 on April 18th and my goal was to be 220 by then...so, while I haven't reached that goal yet- I think there is hope that I will lose 1 lbs in the next couple of weeks!

I haven't read all of the posts in this thread yet, as there are lots, but I am glad I found it.

I am giong to the dr ( first visit with a new dr- one who is closer to my home) on Friday. I am going to ask her to remove a little Fluid from my band. I believe I am between 3-4cc. This past month has been miserable. I have thrown up more than I should have, some days I can eat something and the next day I can't. So- even though I don't want to have some fluid removed...I think it might be the best thing to do. I am afraid of getting a slipped band- terrified actually!

When I first started, I was wearing size 26 clothes. I can fit into 18/20 clothes now...and wow- that feels great!!! Today to work I wore a pair of jeans that are size 21- and they kept falling off. Time to retire them I guess

Cassandra

It is great to see the big numbers of weight loss many people are having. I think I may be filled at a good level now as I had lost 5 pounds during the last 2.5 weeks when I went to the doctor on Monday. I didn't get a fill and hope the loss continues.

I'm curious how much exercise people are doing. I just started my exercise a couple of weeks ago of either walking on the treadmill or riding my recumbent bike 20 - 30 minutes per day. I am hoping to increase the time I spend exercising by moving my exercise time from before work to after.

Hi everyone!

I haven't been exercising because I've been ill so much--first I had a three-week migraine and now I've got the flu. Blecch. Also, I'm still not at good restriction--really hungry a lot of the time, though I do get food stuck, because I am an idiot who cannot ever remember not to wolf my food down. Still, weight loss is continuing, though not as quickly as it should be, I think.

Greetings fellow November bandsters!

I was banded on November 22nd and am teeter-tottering between 75-77 lbs. lost. My first fill was on January 7th and my second one is scheduled for this Friday. Unfortunately, I'm in desperate need of fill as I can eat almost anything I want to in any amount. Right now, it is back to the early stage will power....ugh!

I've started a hard core exercise program that reminds me of what they do on The Biggest Loser. This is my thrid week with that and I have gained 2 lbs. I'm contributing that to either muscle or my need for a fill! I plan to get back on track Friday.

NSV include: Being able to bend over and tie my shoe; Going down 3 sizes in clothes; Walking without being completely out of breath; Blood pressure meds gone; Saving money at restaraunts by sharing a meal or eating off the kids menu; Positive self esteem!

Would I have Lap Band surgery again? ABSOLUTELY!!!

That's amazing! You must have been hitting the exercise hard core!!! That's crazy! Did you get restriction early on?

It is great to see the big numbers of weight loss many people are having. I think I may be filled at a good level now as I had lost 5 pounds during the last 2.5 weeks when I went to the doctor on Monday. I didn't get a fill and hope the loss continues.

I'm curious how much exercise people are doing. I just started my exercise a couple of weeks ago of either walking on the treadmill or riding my recumbent bike 20 - 30 minutes per day. I am hoping to increase the time I spend exercising by moving my exercise time from before work to after.

Don't worry about it... I will admit i've been a lazy, hibernating bum this winter. I'm about to get on this 12-week exercising program at my gym, so i should be seeing some good results. But we all are where we are supposed to be. I just got good restriction just this month. Prior to my last fill, i was eating regular and feeling hungry.

I was banded November 10 and have just reached 50lbs lost! Yeah me! LOL I have 7.75 cc in a 14 cc band and have decent restriction and I'm sure I would have lost more if I had been making better food choices. I feel great and have begun to remember to chew my food and eat a little (a lot!) slower than I used to.

So I got my 5th fill this morning.. my doc says 5 lbs in one month is not very good and that at 10cc's in a 14cc band, I should not be able to eat an entire lean cuisine/frozen dinner type thing. I dont have an answer for him! Ive never had a stuck episode and yet i do feel some retriction, i am only satisfied for 2 hours or so. I get my protein in and all that fun stuff but i just dont get it. He added two more cc's and wants me to have a video swallow on friday because he thinks my band may have slipped up. Wouldnt I have pain or some indicator that the band was out of place?

Advice please!

Well.. I had my second fill on Monday of this week. For the past month I had played with 3 lbs, up and down the scale. I knew I needed a fill because I was not feeling satisfied between meals and I could clean my plate. Well he added 1.4 cc to my already 5cc's. I knew Monday I was tight but was sure it would loosen up. Late Monday night I took a drink of water and it came right back up, Tuesday morning I could barely sip coffee or water. It took me 4 hours to drink a 4oz protein drink, by late Tuesday night I could not drink without spitting up. I called the answering service and this morning I had .4 cc removed from my band. What a relief I can again drink liquids, still on liquids until Thursday, thank god I haven't felt hungry. I have not had solid food since Sunday night at dinner. Thankful this episode is over and I can again start to move forward. Does anyone else bruise when they get a fill? I have a nasty bruise on my stomach and it is very sore, but of course they did have difficulty accessing my port today, it has tilted up and difficult to access without fluro. They stuck me 5 times before they got in, kinda feel like a pin cushion tonight. Love to hear from the othe November bandsters.

I am so glad to hear things are going good for you. I have been on a slow, but steady weight loss since November. Unfortunately, I have no restriction with my band. Like you said, I can eat a entire Weight Watchers frozen dinner, and be hungry 3 hours later. My band is a Realize band, and should only hold 11 cc. According to the records, I should have 11.5 cc in my band. Since February they have been unable to pull back out all that should be in there. Next month, if they still are unable to get all 11.5 CC out I am to go in for a fill under contrast. They are thinking possible leakage... I am actually thinking that might not be a bad idea at this time, this is getting costly going in for a fill every 2- 3 weeks and no results. I realize it wasnt going to happen overnight, but 7 fills. That is a little much! I enjoy reading other stories, success, and struggles, keep up the great work!

So most of us have been banded for 6 months now.. i hit my 6 month "surger-versary" on 5/22.

From what other bandsters are saying, from the 6 month period on they will see more rapid weight loss. Has anyone seen this yet?

So most of us have been banded for 6 months now.. i hit my 6 month "surger-versary" on 5/22.

From what other bandsters are saying, from the 6 month period on they will see more rapid weight loss. Has anyone seen this yet?

I can't believe it has almost been 6 months. Still feels like yesterday I had the surgery. I am loving life now. I am down almost 75 lbs which is half of what I want to lose. I am running my first 5K next Friday (the 13th). I enjoying being more active and having more energy. My weight lose jump started when I started running. I have noticed a lot more weight coming off since then. I am going to do a 10K in October and hope to lose that last 75 pounds by my 1 year anniversary. I still do a shake almost every morning for breakfast then eat lunch and dinner. I will have another shake on work out days. I work out 5-6 days a week too. Now that it has warmed up out and the pool is open I can go swimming.

Hope everyone is doing well!

I can't believe it has almost been 6 months. Still feels like yesterday I had the surgery. I am loving life now. I am down almost 75 lbs which is half of what I want to lose. I am running my first 5K next Friday (the 13th). I enjoying being more active and having more energy. My weight lose jump started when I started running. I have noticed a lot more weight coming off since then. I am going to do a 10K in October and hope to lose that last 75 pounds by my 1 year anniversary. I still do a shake almost every morning for breakfast then eat lunch and dinner. I will have another shake on work out days. I work out 5-6 days a week too. Now that it has warmed up out and the pool is open I can go swimming.

Hope everyone is doing well!

I definitely applaud you...seems like you've been 100% on plan since Day 1, that's great weight loss you are seeing. I do agree that when you incorporate exercise in the mix it speeds up the loss. I hope to hit under 200 by my birthday (August).

I can't believe it has almost been 6 months. Still feels like yesterday I had the surgery. I am loving life now. I am down almost 75 lbs which is half of what I want to lose. I am running my first 5K next Friday (the 13th). I enjoying being more active and having more energy. My weight lose jump started when I started running. I have noticed a lot more weight coming off since then. I am going to do a 10K in October and hope to lose that last 75 pounds by my 1 year anniversary. I still do a shake almost every morning for breakfast then eat lunch and dinner. I will have another shake on work out days. I work out 5-6 days a week too. Now that it has warmed up out and the pool is open I can go swimming.

Hope everyone is doing well!

I have been most coasting since the surgery...dropping a few pounds, then going up a couple, then down...verrryyyy slow progress. During my last visit to my surgeon, 1/2cc was added to the band (which brought me, I believe, to 7.5 cc's). I had reported that I felt some restriction, but that I still got quite hungry after a few hours...and I felt that I wasn't getting full enough, soon enough. The nurse practitioner has been very encouraging, telling me that I would "hit the sweet spot" soon. I think -- not sure, but think -- that it might have happened. I find that I do have to be more careful about things getting 'stuck'...no fast eating, no big bites, no failing to chew. But if I follow those rules, and take it slow and easy, I find that I'm filled up with very little. And I am losing again.

So -- I think I have to wait another couple of weeks to know if what I am seeing now really holds up. But I am encouraged.

Deb WS

I have been most coasting since the surgery...dropping a few pounds, then going up a couple, then down...verrryyyy slow progress. During my last visit to my surgeon, 1/2cc was added to the band (which brought me, I believe, to 7.5 cc's). I had reported that I felt some restriction, but that I still got quite hungry after a few hours...and I felt that I wasn't getting full enough, soon enough. The nurse practitioner has been very encouraging, telling me that I would "hit the sweet spot" soon. I think -- not sure, but think -- that it might have happened. I find that I do have to be more careful about things getting 'stuck'...no fast eating, no big bites, no failing to chew. But if I follow those rules, and take it slow and easy, I find that I'm filled up with very little. And I am losing again.

So -- I think I have to wait another couple of weeks to know if what I am seeing now really holds up. But I am encouraged.

Deb WS

It has been so slow for me that I feel I'm losing hope. I have been losing only 2 to 3 pounds per month. I don't think I've lost anything this month. Supposedly I am filled 5cc's. I feel hungry all of the time. I am eating good food, but I guess I'm eating too much. I am struggling and I feel like this surgery was a waste because struggling was all I did before the surgery. Feeling blue! Im the one where the surgeon told me he didn't want me exercising and said that "Exercise doesn't constitute weight loss". I am so confused.

Today I reached my 50% of my total excess weight goal. ( I think they should have just said I lost a little over 50% of my excess fat. Let's call it what it is right) My biggest hurdle to overcome now is to INCREASE my activity and exercise program. I eat right and stick to healthy choices but my failure to exercise regularly is going to hold me back, I started a blog tonight to challenge myself to stay on track. I though if I charted my successes and failures along the way it may motivate me more to help me loss this last 40 plus lbs. So I am getting off my skinner butt and starting to increase my activity on a daily basis today. Wish me luck because I need all the encouragement I can get. Hope everyone is doing well, Remember this is a journey and we can all succeed if we stay focused and support each other.