I am so excited...and nervous...I'm being banded March 14. Would love to see who else is being banded this month, where you are from, and who's doing your banding!

Hey I was banded in March and I wanted to check on every one whom is on the same track, have you had fills how many, what are your challenges & experices , how much weight have you lost?

Let me know.

Paula

I am counting down the days (15) until I go for my first fill. I haven't felt any restriction since 5 days post-op and my surgeon waits 8 weeks before giving a fill. For now, I'm sticking to the diet but the weight loss is slow. My next "official" weigh-in is 5/25 when I get the fill.

Paula--

Had my surgery March 20th in Dalton, GA. My first fill was May 4th and he popped that thing up!! 2.4cc in my 4cc band!!! Felt just like I did post op for a few days...but has calmed down and I am going to get the hang of this band yet!!!! Have found out that I can eat big pasta pieces....I guess I chew much better....but thin spaghetti and such gets caught!!

Just not worth it!! I still have to learn how to go slower!! But only eating about 1/2 cup each meal!!!! Have lost 43lbs....that is EXCITING!!!! Exercising by walking 2mi for 30min each day....that's a huge improvement in my lifestyle!! Eating and feeling better than I have in YEARS!! :Banane10: Loving the banded life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God Bless,

Melody

Banded 3/20/06 -43lbs :Banane33:

I was banded the last day of March, so its been 41 days so far. No fills yet, as my doc is in Mexico and I'm waiting at least 2 months till I'm really healed. I was very restricted until about the 4th or 5th week. Then boom I was able to eat most things, though I haven't really tried bagels, white bread or pasta.

Since I've been on solids I gained four pounds, b/c at one point I was 31 pounds down not 27, but that lasted a day :phanvan . So, I joined Weight Watchers and I am trying to follow the bandster rules to the best of my ability (the no drinking an hour before and after meals has been the toughest rule to comply with for me). I am also trying to up my activity level so I can maintain and and even slowly lose until I can get a fill.

My biggest challenge is now that I'm not restricted, and I am PMSing, I am ravenous! I also realize that I have to provide my own food (at work) and can't rely on eating out which was okay when I was restricted (lots of shakes and soups) but dangerous now.

And I have finally gotten rid of those last few temptations in my house that weren't temptations when I was restricted, b/c I wouldn't have touched it with a ten foot pole but are dangerous now that I can eat. (Okay, okay I still do have one sleeve of Girl Scout Trefoils in the freezer, but I've only had 2 and I am making them last. ) I am keeping my fingers crossed until June or July when I hope to get my 1st fill. Good Luck to all the rest of the March bandsters!

I went to Arlington, TX to have my first fill performed by Dr. Dobson and he put 6.25 cc's in my 10cc band. NOW I know what restriction really is! I am very excited about the upcoming weight loss as I had started gaining back some of the weight I'd lost since surgery. I want to post more about my experience at Dr. Dobson's office but that will have to wait until later. My 8 year old daughter is performing in her school's talent show this afternoon so I need to run now!

I was banded on March 16th. I was wondering where the thread for March was, LOL. I was done by Dr Munshi in Syr, NY. I am almost 9 weeks post op and I have lost 12 lbs. I wish it were more, But I am right on track for what he wants me to lose.

:update: :update: I was banded March 27th. I had my first fill May 6th. They put in 1.8 cc's. I'm pretty restricted. I can eat a little late in the evening but stick to one to two, small well chewed bites throughout the day.

I have lost thirty pounds so far, ten lost in the last ten days since my fill.

I've met my first goal!!:clap2:

:focus: My best advice after the fill is to be really careful, bites cannot be small enough or chewed enough. It will save you a lot of hassle when it comes to the dreadful pb's.

Where can I find a ticker?

Terri- www.tickercentral.com

I too am at 1.8cc now that I had .2 taken out. Being at 2.0 was fine for 2 weeks, then WHAM, I could barely get water down. I went on vacation and luckly got a lapband doc to suck out .2cc! I think this is a good level for me now.

I was banded 3/8/06 and am down 31 lb, and 15 since my fill on 4/20/06.

Hope everyone is having great success!!

:second: Kristin

I got my first fill on the 11th but it was only 1cc in a 10cc band. I get some discomfort if I don't chew well enough, but I don't feel as if I have much (if any) restriction. I don't have another apt till July 5th, so I'm counting on my will power to keep to a band diet. So far so good, but it makes me very nervous considering my past track record.

The big challenge will be vacation. We're going to Yellowstone for the week beginning Memorial Day weekend. I haven't been there in over 15 years and my husband has never been there. Even with all the restaurant eating, I think it will be ok as we will be walking a lot every day and I'll bring some Unjury packets in case I need the protein.

Best wishes to all the rest of the March bandsters.

Ellen

I have another full week to go before I get my first fill and can't wait. Did you all experience any pain getting a fill?

I did not find the injection very painful....just like a regular shot. I was worried that he wouldn't hit the port on the first try, but he did. I didn't feel anything at the band site at all although some people do report feeling some kind of sensation. Maybe that's because I got such a small fill in such a big band.

The doctor just had me sip a half cup of water to be sure it went through and I was done. I was pretty apprehensive, but I won't be next time.

Ellen

Hi. I haven't posted here yet. I was banded in Tampa, FL on March 23rd, 2006. I lost 14 pounds on the Optifast but only 13 pounds since. Infact, I have only lost 4 pounds since my first fill. My first fill was 2cc in a 4cc band. I'm not execising yet. Mainly because I just haven't gotten around to it. (I'm a teacher and closing out the year is too much for me.) I've been reading other people's wight loss tickers and they're flying down the scale. Anyone else think that their or my weight loss seems slow? I do feel restricted and am eating way less than before, but I want the weight loss to be faster.

I am so excited to find the March 2006 group. I was banded by Dr. Sanchez in Monterrey, Mexico. I had a great experience. I am down 24 lbs. The second fill has been very restrictive (maybe to much). Not keeping much down. I can eat maybe 3 bites of food-- I have had most of everything I eat come back up. Staying on liquids now-- everything else hurts to much.

Highest: 231

Surgery: 231

1st Fill: 217 (1.7cc)- 4-17-06

2nd Fill: 210 (2.6cc)- 5-15-06

Today: 207

Goal: 130

Teachntots--

Maybe when school is out you can commit to some exercise and this has helped me!!! :confused: Not always easy in this hot FL weather....but we can do it!! 27lbs is VERY Good!! Just think where you would have been pre-band!!

BandedBabe--

Hang in there!! Sometimes they loosen a bit w/ use....but would stick to warm liquids!! I have an aggressive dr that likes to "pack it out" and he put 2.4cc in the first fill in my 4cc band!! He put more in but I gave him back the water so he backed off!! My battle lies now in my mind and my "old" ways!! The war is on!! I have started consciously fighting in prayer and behavior!! 24lbs is AWESOME.....I weigh 100lbs more than you!!! GOOD JOB to you!!!!!!!!!!!!

God Bless,

Melody

Banded 3/20/06 -44lbs :party:

Teachntots--

I can sympathize. I think I've been pretty good about sticking to my eating plan, but my exercise has been spotty and I haven't been losing much...12 lbs since surgery. I also lost alot while on the pre-surgery diet.

I've been walking some and a couple of days a week I'm doing some fairly strenuous work in the garden for an hour or two at a time. The problem is that on some days I do nothing.

I've only had one fill and am not due for another till July 5th. The surgeon told me that they would like to see 1 to 2 lbs per week and I'm hitting that so they are happy. After taking this big step and seeing some of the other results I was hoping for a faster loss.

I think I need to weigh myself less often and focus on some other things in my life and the loss will come. I'm on vacation next week and will be eating in restaurants a lot, but we'll also be doing a lot of walking so I'm hoping to break even....maybe even lose a little. That's hard to imagine right now considering I'm at work, it's 2:45pm and I'm hungry as can be.

Anyway, you're not alone and all progress is good progress so stick with it and have fun on yur summer off.

Ellen