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.

Well all is good here in Minnesota. LOL... I do not look at the scale as much as I use to. My closet tells the story. A week before my banding I measured all but my right leg and arm. Last friday I measured for the first time. A total of 32 1/2 inches gone. So I should have measured the right side it would sound better. But when I look at it that is almost 3 feet of skin missing and toning. When I started this I was at 275 today the scale said 229. So even them 1 to 2 pounds a week add up. But most of all I have KEPT it OFF.....

I have had 2 fills and I still have issues with keeping certain things down. And the gurgle sounds are still with me. So will try new things and if they do not work I will not buy them again Sounds so simple. LOL Thankto all of you for being here.

Hey everyone!!! I hope everyone is having a great day, and doing well! I am going in for my third fill this afternoon, and I am a little discouraged. I have lost 36 pounds so far.. (banded january 11th) and I have been doing well! However, since my last fill I haven't lost any weight. I have been sticking to the same diet.. and excersizing at least one hour a day. I haven't felt much restriction or change since the last fill though. I am just wondering if any of you are in the same position as me? I just feel really awful about myself and i'm hoping this fill will help. I am already at 5.2 cc in a 10 cc band. If anyone has any encouraging thoughts, or tips.. I will gladly take them because i'm just feeling really down, and I'm hoping my doctor won't feel as though I am not trying, because I really am. I probably just need to up my protein intake. Thanks!

Kathleen

I wish I could give words of encouragement but I am in the same boat as most of you. I have my third fill scheduled for Thursday & I am going to complain. They only gave me 1/2cc total 3cc in a 10cc band last time. I did not feel different at all so to test it I ate a normal dinner that night & felt just fine so I skipped the crappy fluids & mushies to avoid hunger again. I hate being hungry that is one of the huge reasons for the surgery!! I truly believe it has all been willpower & I am frustrated I spent $20k of my hard earned money to just do it on my own. I have been stuck for about 2 wks. Don't get me wrong I have not been an angel with my eating but I am good with my exercise, protein & water. I thought the white knuckled stage would only last a few months, but here I am! I have been really stressed at work so it has not helped my mood. Sorry to be a downer but this is the only place I can complain & have someone actually understand my frustration.

Ok pity party over! Thanks for coming everyone!!

Otaknam!!! I am so happy for you!! I remember when you first joined you were so disappointed and down in the dumps due to slow progress but look at you now!! That is a whole lot of inches!!! Congrats!!!

Hello all!

Kathleen- Do you know how many calories you are eating? If you track that and it is pretty low (like below 1200) you might need to alternated higher calorie days with low calorie days to keep your metabolism going. That has worked so far for me. Hang in there, you are doing great, and it will be easier when you have more restriction.

As for me, I had another fill last Friday. I have had a lot of trouble since then with keeping food down. I can keep fluids down with no trouble, but mother's day I couldn't keep anything down. I am really trying to focus on really small bites, chewing, and stopping sooner than I want! If this were to continue, which I am hopeful that it won't, I plan on moving forward my appt to get a 0.5cc unfill. I have noticed that I am staying full a lot longer which is nice, so I hoping if I eat the way I am suppose to with the band that I can keep this fill.

Hi everyone- Nicole, vent away! Is there any way you can get more aggressive fills? That is very slow! I know my doctor gives me 1 cc each time- and will slow down when I'm closer. I would ask for more, it does seem pretty conservative. Vent to them, they need to know how you're feeling.

Otaknam- all those inches- that's awesome!! I agree, sometime I expect and want more than 1-2 lbs, but the important thing is like you said- they STAY off!!! Of course it adds up- just 1 lb a week is 52 lbs in a year!! Better than the gaining I was doing!!!!

ValAnn-thanks for letting me know about how much fill you have- I think I'm probably the same. I will see if they can give me one more cc before they start slowing it down. I may be feeling a little more restriction....

Kathleen- that is kind of frustrating, but you're still doing great! I agree with the suggestion Erica said of upping your calories a couple days a week. That might shake things up a bit. Don't feel down on yourself, it's a process.

Erica- be careful about being too filled. It's better to be unfilled a little now, then fill again later after you've lost some more weight and need another one.

Even after all the crappy eating and ttotm I still show a 1.5 lb loss. So I've lost 48 lbs so far! I can't wait to hit the 50 mark! I need to lose 5 more lbs to make my Kymie's birthday goal.

Speaking of- Shout out to Kymie, Mags, everyone else!!! Post and encourage and vent and help each other!!

Oh my...it does seem like we are all going through very similar things right now! Let's just keep encouraging each other and listening when one (or more) of us needs to vent. On the upside, I FINALLY hit the 50 lb. mark this morning! yay! Now if it will just stay off. Since its TTOTM, I don't know if it will or not. Trying to stay active to keep it from coming back. Also trying the "alternating calorie levels" to see if that will help. I haven't had any red meat in almost two weeks. I DID have a VERY small slice of pizza (my very favorite thing) last night...first time since January. I was worried about getting stuck on the crust. However, I chewed and chewed and took small bites...really enjoying the taste of that cheap frozen pizza. LOL. Amazingly, that one little slice was enough to satisfy my craving for it. 3 1/2 months ago...I would have eaten at least 3 large slices of pizza. And my food tracker (i use the Lapband.com tracker) showed that the stats weren't horrific..so I don't feel bad about having it. Today, I'm wearing one of my very favorite skirts...and it will probably be the last time I wear it because I keep having to pull it up! JDI...you may be getting a really pretty black, front-pleated skirt soon! LOL.

LOL Chrissy, that's awesome! the big 50!!!! Congratulations!!!!!

So I took my pity party to the mall. I bought 2 shirts size XL & 2 pair of capris size 16, not 16W but 16 in the regular womens section. So my scale can stuff it!! I look goooood!!!!

PS I am still complaining tomorrow & demanding a full cc, enough of the .5cc every 6 weeks crap!!

10 lbs gone, 5 more to go by June 1st deadline. Incidentally, I hit 299 this morning.....under 300!!!!! I think it's been around 8 years since I've seen anything under 300. I have calories alternating day to day, what's funny is that wasn't on purpose it just happened that way. But week one in group training lost me 6 lbs and week 2 I lost 4. So true testimony we gotta work out folks. It's not fun but sooo worth an hour of your day.

Kymie! You're in twoderland!!! Congratulations!!! I have 5 more to go to meet your birthday goal too, we can do it!!

Nicole- congrats on the size 16! I haven't seen that size in years, I can't wait. And I agree, .5 cc's every 6 weeks?? That's cray cray. It'll take you a year to get to restriction!!!! Good luck, keep us posted.

Yay Kymie! That's awesome! I still have 12 pounds to go to meet your birthday goal...but we still have about 2 weeks, right? ooh...I might not make it...but I'm sure as heck gonna try! Maybe that fill next week will help. Everyone have a blessed day!

Oh, but I had a question I forgot to ask them- maybe one of you knows- if they aspirate all the saline out of my band, will they put it all back in right away???? I hope so, because if I have to start over from 0 I'd way rather not!!!!

Yes - they do. My doctor always aspirates a few cc's to be sure he is in the port, then pushes it all back in. I have my 3rd fill Monday - can't wait. I have 7cc in an 11cc band and NO restriction - sigh. I am barely losing any weight, which is very upsetting, although my jeans and rings are loose. I'm going to ask for 1.5cc's on Monday - that will put me at 8.5cc and hopefully get me to the green zone! Good luck girl.

So I had my 3rd fill today. I have lost 10lbs in 6 wks & the doctor believes that is good but doesn't get that it is me doing that not the band. So we argued & he met me in the middle w/ .7cc today. He reminded me they are just very conservative but I can return in 3 wks instead of waiting 6 if I am still not feeling restricted. I can't afford to take the time off work but we will see if this helps!! I found out some good news!! I am a veteran and the VA medical center has a plastic surgery department. If I maintain my target weight for 6mths they will remove the excess skin for free!!! I am so excited!! I thought I would just have to live with it. Tummy tuck here I come!!

I'm on day 8 of my 2-week pre-op diet' date=' surgery is next Tuesday January 17th, I don't have to explain my excitement I'm sure you all know. So glad to hear everyone is doing well and/or have found strategies to help them feel better (I know I'll be on pain meds for a long time, I'm a wuss when it comes to pain). I'm doing pretty good on the pre-op diet down about 6 pounds so far. I'll admit my energy is a bit low right now..however that has done wonders for my long-time insomnia now I'm getting plenty sleep..so I guess the low energy could be looked at as a good thing. lol I like the protein drinks and since I'm never been a big breakfast eater until now I think they will become a permanent part in my post-op life to help balance my day.[/quote']

Id the two week diet pretty difficult? Are u very hungry? Or are u so motivated to be hindered by hunger? I am so excited for u keep logging on & giving updates it truely is encouraging

DeAna