:help: Hey everyone, i've been reading and reading and now my brain is wondering.... how do you know if you've stretched your pouch? I've had one fill and i've only lost 16pds since july 10th, i have had food get stuck and i've had to "blagh.." would that stretch it? i've only thrown up maybe 8 times. is that too much??? O please help me and give me some answers, I go back to the dr's in 2 more days for another fill. the first fill i had i felt like i had restriction for a couple of days, then i was back to my normal self, wasn't quite full! i am really hoping for success with my weight loss. i am working out 5 days a week for around an hour and im doing weights. should i stop the weights? i know muscle weighs more than fat... but i really just want to see those number go DOWN on the scale, not just sit still.. okay hoping for some good advice and suggestions.. i am so ready to lose this weight and its very discourging when i see the scale is not moving. my husband had to hide the scale from me because i have become to obsessive with it. (checking my weight every time i went to the bathroom! it really determined my mood for the day ) i've always had issues with my weight even when i was skinny!! okay, i think i've official gotten off the subject, so if you have some good advice, pitch in! thanks:straight

Lcain,

It sounds like the solution to your problem would be a fill? Any reason why you havnt gone in for another tweek? I was banded August 28th. I've lost 10 lbs and have had 1 fill of 1 cc in my 4 cc band. I go in for another fill tomorrow. The band isnt meant to work without the proper amount of fluid in it. I am just now coming to this realization and it feels really good knowing that it is not me, that I am not a freak. I know that I feel hungry now and have a hard time with control because I have only just begun this process. Getting the band inserted is just the FIRST step, but definately not the last. It will probably be another month or two before I can reach the proper restriction because I have to wait a while between fills. You should continue on with your fills. You may have felt restriction after that first fill, but if you arent feeling it anymore than you may be in need of a tweek.

I agree that you may need another fill. It sounds like you are getting the proper exercise so keep that up. I wouldn't quit the weights b/c lifting is what keeps you from losing your muscle mass as you lose weight. If you stop lifting weights you will be losing much more muscle along with the fat and you wont' look as toned. Not to mention the fact that doing weights help speed up your metabolism which will help you lose faster too. It is frustrating at the beginning--I remember feeling EXACTLY the same way you did but it does get better. It really is all about the fills. Until you have perfect restriction, and i really mean PERFECT, it can be a bit difficult. It took me awhile to get any restriction and then I got a bit too tight which was even worse than being hungry all the time. I think I have perfect restriction now but it took a long while to figure that out. And I know its super hard not to weigh yourself alot but just try and only let yourself do it once a day. I always weigh right when I get up, after i use the bathroom and naked to get an accurate reading. If I compare that # to what I would weigh in the evening it could be as much as 4-5 lbs heavier later on. Its best to stick to weighing yourself at the same time of the day. Keep your chin up. You have done excellent so far and have only just begun your fill journey so I am sure you willl feel more restriction on your next fill.:grouphug:

~Liz~

03/10/06

241/164/160

5'7''

Hey girls !!

Thank you so much for responding and making me feel so much better!!! i go in for my second fill tomorrow. my dr wants to wait 6 weeks between fills. Anyways, i am excited to get another fill and hope that things get better. I have another question for ya'll: what if im feeling a little pain under my left rib? does that mean i've done something bad to my band? i would be devistated if i've messed it up. i guess i'll talk to my dr tomorrow about it, didn't know if this has happened to you before.

Thanks again!!

lcain... I don't get pain under my rib, but I get a pain in my lower left stomach after eating... I think it may be just gas, but sometimes it lasts for a long time and yes, you get a lot of gas after being banded. I have a 4 cc band and had a fill yesterday. So far I have 2.5 cc's in my band and my doc told me that he doesn't have any patients who have more than 3 cc's in their band. So far with only 2.5 cc's 6 months post-op, I have lost 91 lbs which he said is where I should be 1 year out (according to statistics). Anyway, hope this helps.

I've noticed that since my first fill I have been feeling that same pain under my left rib. I believe that it is just scar tissue around the band. I mostly notice the pain when I am active or when I slouch. It feels kind of like when you run and get the cramp in your side. I am going to ask the doc about it tomorrow but I really dont think its anything to be worried about. One of the side effects of band is abdominal pain, just remember that.

Sugar1. that is awesome!! How do you feel with the 2.5 cc? Is it good restriction. Any secrets you want to share? I am getting married in 3 months and really would like to speed up this process a little seeing how I have only lost 10 lbs so far. But I admit I am really just now getting into this. It was really hard for me to adjust at first...Anyways, spill the juice...

Lcain and whoever else,

I too, was concerned about stretching the pouch and working out and eating right and not losing weight. I recently bought the trainer for Dr. Phil's weight loss challenge's book "Make over your Metabolism". I was having trouble getting motivated working out as I hate it more than live itself. But I knew that in order to lose the weight I had to start excercing. So, to make sure that whatever excersice I did start to committ to, would work. I knew that taking in very little calories would slow my metabolism and his training involves only 30 minutes a day of excersice 6 days a week. His name is Robert Reames if you are interested in checking out his book. I started his program on Monday and I can feel such a difference and feel really great. I don't weigh myself but every 2 weeks so I won't know what kind of weight loss I'll have for 1 more week.

I've lost 20 pounds since being banded 6 weeks ago. I just read about all the weight loss stalls on here and wanted to be pro-active to try and prevent it happening to me. If I am going to excersice it better well work for me and not against me! haha

Just thought I'd share that with anyone who hates excersice as much as I do.