I think I'm pretty close to where I need to be fill wise so today the doctor added only .2 cc's. Now I can fill everything I drink. Like I feel it slowly going through my band. Is that normal?

Also my other question is this. I'm currently 5' 5" and I weigh 174 now. I'd like to be around 140. My family doc said that's fine b/c it will put me at a normal healthy BMI. Also I have arthritis in both knees so my family doc said it's ideal to get me to a normal BMI. She said it would help lessen my knee pain. Anyway, my surgeon thinks that's unrealistic and I'll be too skinny. He thinks I should stop after I lose another 15 pounds. That would put me in a size 10/12 and my weight around 160. I would like to be at minimum a size 8.

He says he's not going to put much more in my band because he wants me in maintenance mode after I hit 160 but that's not what I want. Am I being unreasonable? Before I started having weight issues I weighed 145 and I was a size 8.

Advice?

Of course you're not being unreasonable, it's YOUR body, not the docs!

If your doc really won't fill you once you are at 160 lbs, you will merely have to work it out -- AND YOU CAN!

Only you know at what weight you will be comfortable. These doctors make me crazy trying to make all the decisions for WLS patients.

Your body, your life, your weight loss! You are doing a great job, don't let anyone hinder you from reaching YOUR goal.

~Fran

I wouldn't worry so much. Decide when you get there. My original goal was 120lbs; I've moved it to 125lbs because I'm a size 2. I think it's best to take it as it comes, not plan and stress yourself over nothing.

Yea just see how you feel, it's hard to put a number on it.

When I told my doc I wanted to lose about 50 more lbs (this was when I was at 198), which would just put me in the "normal" BMI range, he gave me a once over and told me I could stop before that because I'd be too skinny.

I think they get just as used to seeing obese people as we get used to seeing us as obese-- so normal now looks skinny

I don't know where I'll end up but I do know this-- my surgeon won't be the one to decide when I'm going into maintenance. That's my decision, as long as I'm at a healthy BMI.

I agree with everything the other poster's said...please take it as it comes for a while..the good thing is that if you can't work it out with the lapband doc there is a good chance www.fillcentersusa.com would be close enough to get your needs taken care of. I am not currently using them but when I was having communication problems with my surgeon I checked into using fillcenters and found several within a 2 hour drive.

Mimi

I say, you go to where you feel the best about health and your image. I truly believe that your body will tell you where it should be.

Also, congrats on the weight loss, I'm right where you are - I'm down almost 55lbs and I want to lose another 30lbs and I've platued big time!

Your goal is not unrealistic for your height. I am 5'7" and 149 and in size 6 or 8. I don't think that is too skinny. Just see how you feel when you get closer.

Thanks everyone. This is the second time he's mentioned a goal of 160/165. He's seems so adamant on it and I'm so not. I want to keep going. I'll just take it slow and see what happens.

I cant stand it when people say a normal weight will be too skinny - especially from a doctor. Its a patently stupid thing to say - its a HEALTHY weight.

And it would be like red rag to a bull to tell me that its unrealistic and I *cant* reach or maintain it. Just you watch me, lol.

But I will say, to get to those lower weights, more fill is not necessarily the answer, you just end up getting too tight, eating round the band, losing your momentum. You have to really want it and be prepared to work for it and you'll probably find that if you can get to that place, your fill is adequate.