Hi everyone! I'm having surgery on January 10th and created a group in the groups section "January 2012 bandsters". Would love to get some discussions, support going.

Congrats "Justdoit". It's an awesome feeling. I got on the scale today and found out I finally broke through my 3 week plateau. I lost 2lbs and finally I've down 30lbs! This Thurs I go for my 2nd fill which I can't wait.

My first goal and promise to myself was to cut up my Lane Bryant card when I lost 30lbs which I mentioned in the beginning. I think I'll hold onto it for maybe another 10lbs or so, since my weight is mainly in my bottom and I'll still need LB for my slacks and jeans. I just never had any luck with other brands of jeans so I'll stick with LB until I'm truly able to go into Macy's or some other cool store and buy them. LB has a brand called Seven jeans that really fit me well with my curves and I think I might need to buy one more smaller pair when I lose another 10lbs or so. It feels so good to look in the mirror and see the pounds and inches coming off. My husband went to hug me this morning and told me my upper back is feeling more muscle, not fat. That felt real good. He's lost 17lbs since his lapband in mid March.

We see food so differently now. I just came back from having a spinal block and was dying for coffee and some food so we went to a nearby diner. We ordered light but we watched the amounts of food that were being devoured by area tables. It was incredible to see the large amounts of food and most people finishing it. Not judging, as that was the two of us before the band. We now have left over containers in our fridge that we can stretch out for days when we do go out. It's just amazing how America has decided how much food we want and need, when we really don't.

Hi Meredith- yay for you blasting that plateau! I will definitely keep my LB card until I've lost more weight, for sure. Can't go around nekkid!!! Why did you have a spinal block (if I can ask?). I too look at the amt of food at the Red Robin where we often go and what I used to eat!

Yay JDI130 and Meredith!! So proud of you! Looks like we can set some new smaller goals for 4/25. Exactly one week from today, I want to weigh at least 2 more pounds less than I do today. Otaknam...I agree with JustDoIt. You might need a slight unfill. Let your doctor know what is going on and see what he/she says.

JDI...I have not named my band...but I might name it "BIDIA". LOL!

Who knew a cup of hot and sour soup has only 4g of carbs but 15+ grams of protein???!!! I love hot & sour soup. I got stuck really badly this morning so i'm on liquids today and the beef broth just hasn't been cutting it. One of my bosses picked up the H&S soup for me. Yum!!! I'm happy liquid girl now. LOL

Hi Meredith- yay for you blasting that plateau! I will definitely keep my LB card until I've lost more weight, for sure. Can't go around nekkid!!! Why did you have a spinal block (if I can ask?). I too look at the amt of food at the Red Robin where we often go and what I used to eat!

My motto always is: If I put it out there, then you can ask. :-) I have a herniated {bulging} disc in lumbar spine area which is also effecting my legs. It's been going on for too long and I finally did something about it. I promised myself the beginning of this year, this is the year for me to "fix my body in many ways, my mind too!" Lapband, surgery, check, Nerve block, check, Colonoscopy: still working on that one!! :-)

Justdoit: I agree with you on the LB issue. I am not going to cut off my nose to spite my face. I'm not a user, but when it comes to LB, I'm going to be! I already have

re-enstated my old catalog where I use to buy some of my clothes before gaining all this weight called Boston Proper. I'm cutting out ideas and styles that I like since I have to "find" myself again. I never was able to buy their slacks or shorts before, only tops and accessories, but this time, I am determined to buy some smaller sized pants, etc. That's my final goal which I can patiently wait for since I'm seeing major changes now. I might even think of lowering my ultimate goal down another 10lbs.

It's amazing to me the different way our bodies work. I notice most of you have troubles with a tighter band feeling in the morning. My problems are definitely in the evening. If I'm not careful and chew chew chew and eat SLOWLY I get stuck (and since my last fill it all comes up). I also notice lots of problems with chicken. I'm okay the first time around, but I've found that meat leftovers of any type do not like me! I don't know if that's because it's too dry or what. We went out for Mexican last Friday night and I had pork carnitas, which went fine. I tried to eat leftovers on Monday and had terrible problems - my fault though, I was in a hurry and tried to cram it down before a meeting. So I tried again last night and even though I took it really slow and chewed carefully, it was no good! After two nights of carnitas going the wrong way, my throat's a little raw!

I just got my second fill. My first fill, they put in 5cc in a 10cc band. This time he put 7cc in. I thought that was a little agressive based on most of the comments here about getting 0.5cc at a time. When I drank the water, it gurgled a bit before going down. He asked if I was good with that or did I want to take some out. I ended up having him take out 0.5cc, so now I have a total of 6.5cc. I was nervous to go straight to 7cc after the issues I was having with getting stuck so often and PBing, however, I read that most of you are only eating about a cup of food. I can still eat a whole plate of food. I really wanted the 7cc, but its better to take it slow.

I only lost 5lbs in 6 weeks. He felt I should have lost more but that I looked great! Back to liquids for now, hope this fill does the trick!

Sooo proud of our January group! What a kick butt group we are! Love getting an email that someone has posted something in our group because most likely I will have had the same issue, concern, etc. Nice to have friends in the trenches with ya.

It amazes me as well how different all of our docs are with fills and what each of us need to feel some restriction. I must be a slow learner as I finally getting some restriction, full feeling after getting to 10.75 in my 14cc band! Seriously! Got the fill on Monday and have noticed staying full longer(just got back to "normal" foods). Hope this does the trick.

I have been kicking butt on exercise as I am finding it really is the only way for me to lose. My metabolism just needs the kick in the pants that only exercise can bring me. I hit the big 40 pounds lost today!! So excited for all of us to be smaller this summer. We might not be at goal yet but we will ALL be looking lots better

@n2animals-WOW, I would be so nervous with that agressive of a fill, but I think ifyou are tolerating foods then awesome for you! What types of foods are you tolerting/eating?

@amica813-I notice the exact same thing about the chewing aspect. I notice things not so much getting "stuck" as it is irritatingly painful to eat but I don't feel like I get stuck. If that makes any sense?

I need to jump on the exercise bandwagon. My husband who is also overweight talked about joining a gym because my step son has been begging to join a gym with him for a while. I think we are going to join as a family. I will do real good for a couple of days then I poop out. I'm definitely a person who needs to be accountable to someone, so maybe switching it up to a gym with my fam will help?

So proud of everyone and agree that January Bandsters kick butt! I think in a year we should plan a lapband get-together?

I LOVE YOU GALS!! I was about to get on & complain about my bad day & temptation to binge, but after reading all of the posts I feel so much better!! You make me remember we all have good days & bad days but we have survived the worst. Even if today totally sucked emotionally overall I am loosing weight. I might not have control over my crappy home life but I am in control of what I put in my mouth & no one can take that away from me!

All of you empower me! Ok now I am crying! Well off to bed & a new day!!

Good idea Mags!! Where is everyone from?

I'm in Portland Oregon.

I'm in St. Louis. And are you ok? Proud of you for resisting the temptation to feed any emotions. I fed my stress with a diet dr. pepper the other day and thought I was going to die! Won't do THAT again.! Let me know if you need anything.

Mags I'm ok now just had to get it out of my system. I responded to ur personal message check it out it has more detail. Luckily I had my breakdown after 9pm while in pjs & there is no junk food in the house. So I was pretty safe from binging. I'm going to read myself to sleep & give myself a fresh start tomorrow

Nite!!

We should meet some where there is a warm beach & hit the mall together to support each other in buying our 1st skinny bathing suit!! My last suit buying experiment did not end well. Last spring we went on a cruise so even though I never wear a bathing suit I had to have one for snorkeling. Went every where & nothing fit right then I found suits with bras in them @ LB. tried it on did the forward jiggle test, nothing fell out. Did the jumping up & down, nothing fell out so I bought it. Well on the ship by the pool I laid back in a lounge chair & the girls slid back towards my chin & fully exposed out of the snazzy bra!! Let's just say I wore a tank top the rest of the cruise & NEVER lounged back again!!