Hi November bandsters!

Let's keep this going to support our efforts though out the wonderful we are soon to begin. Let's start with the date we are being banded and where?

Our weight and goal weight...

My date will be November 7

Dr. Aceves

I weighed myself this morning and I have gained!!! :faint:

Starting weight 225 (highest ever!!! )

Goal 150

10/26 Jdru (Jessica) 215/215/125 Dr. Hansen (Honorary Nov Bandster)

11/1 melany72 Dr. Hargroder

11/2 DeniseC (Denise) 226/219/130 Dr. Carbonell

11/2 prbrooksie 252/252/150 Dr. Malley

11/2 Kym828 (Kim) 278/278/175 Dr. Ortiz

11/2 pebbles4388 249/249/150

11/3 Jess333 (Jessica ("Lil" Red)) Dr. Ortiz

11/7 AngelaT (Angela) 225/225/150 Dr. Aceves

11/7 Jackye 225/225/150-45 Dr. Rumbaut

11/8 L8BloomR (Karen) goal: -105 Dr. Francis

11/8 dpingl goal: -92 Dr. Hoehn

11/8 niecyrenee goal: -232, down 8 Dr. Pitt

11/9 Keekahari (Kee) 280/245/175 Dr. Moazzez

11/10 FullofGRACE Dr. Curry

11/10 alix_1 (Alix) 222/222/140 Dr. Garza

11/13 swilborn (Sherrie) Size 22/???/140 Dr. Rodriquez

11/14 ahaizlip (Amy) goal: -129 Dr. Liu

11/17 Asmallerchick (Kelly) goal: -200 Dr. Aceves

11/20 Diana_G 234/234/145 Dr. Huacuz

11/20 Veggestyle 275/?/150 Dr. M

11/20 Laurba

11/21 Jess02 (Jess) Dr. Rumbaut

11/24 aussie_bandit 153kg/153kg/75kg

11/30 Inner_me (Chris) 350/350/200 Dr. Cahill

It's a different daughter of Ali's who has had the band for 3 years and has dropped from 325 to something like 150...... co-written by a doctor who is also banded. They claim it takes 3 years to reach goal weight. I've just started the book, but a fellow bandster who read it adores it and says it's full of great advice.

I got the other book awhile back and liked it, but loaned to to another bandster right after I looked at it, and haven't gotten it back yet!

I'm tickled about the drop in clothing size too, but I'm trying to find a way for my stomach to catch up! Tummy is still so big that it's had to find pants that don't just hang everywhere else to accommodate my fat stomach!

I know what you mean about the stomach being slow to shrink! I think a TT will be in my future.

I haven't posted here in a while. 149 pages! November bandsters rock.

I have plateau'd for a couple of months. I need to cut back on the starbucks.

Hello to everyone, and great work!

You know what cut me off the starbucks was when I found out how many calories was in my favorite Frappucinos. I love the green tea and it is almost 500 calories so that is a meals worth. I only have one everyonce in a long while now instead of a couple times a week. I got a book from Barnes and Noble that has all kinds of foods and restuarant chains in it and it fits in my purse to count calories/fats/carbs to pick from them on how many instead of what I am craving. That is what got me in trouble in the first place of eating what I was craving instead of what my body needs to be a loosing machine. Not that I am loosing a lot right now but I am not gaining. It feels like it will be forever to get back into the 100's but I think I can I think I can!!!!!!!!!!!! :banana:cheer2::funscale:

I went to the doctor yesterday for a follow-up and I'm now below my goal weight of 210. That's good EXCEPT I've been trying NOT to lose weight but continue to do so at 2-3 pounds per week. I've lost 82 pounds since being banded on 11/7 so 33 weeks ago or just under 2.5 pounds average per week. I had a couple weeks where I was stable and a couple where I lost 8-10 pounds (like when the band was too tight!). When I went for my 6 month follow-up, I wanted some fill out but the surgeon said I could get as low as 189. People are saying I'm looking gaunt now. Who would have ever thought that 8 months ago, someone would say I'm too skinny?!

I go for the sleep study tonight (they had a cancelation). They still have no idea why I'm so exhausted. I can push myself for a day or two and then literally struggle to get out of bed. Having the animals is probably good because I HAVE to take care of them. Of course, I'm fighting disability now as "tired" is not sufficient for not going to work but they can't find out why. Fortunately, my family doctor is pretty good about working with me, but it is still frustrating.

Anyway, I feel good that I hit goal but just wish I had more energy.

Tom

That is great on how much you have lost Tom!!!!!! Can I say how jealous I am!!! I would love people to tell me I am too skinny. That has never happened to me ever. I have always been healthy....to say the least. I sure hope that your Dr. can figure out the lack of energy. :bored:faint:That must be frustrating!! Hope you feel better soon. Why is it that men loose so much faster than women.........Its not fare. I mean we have to deal with so much more physically than men and we get the short end of the stick when it comes to loosing weight toooooooooo!!!:Banane41:

Brooksie,

I know exactly what you are talking about. I PB'ed last night after trying to chew some chix with sauce on it and after about 5 bites I was in major pain. So I waited about 10 min and couldn't take the pain anymore so I made myself get rid of it and it was like a thick long goowy plug. I felt fine once I got that out.

Thanks for all this information, the same sort of thing happened to me 2 days ago... I was eating sardines for lunch.

Hello all! How are you doing? I hope that everyone is doing well!

I have lost 43 pounds so far...

11/24/06 SAGB 10 cc

Dr. András Vereczkei, Pécs, Hungary

230 start/187/125 goal

1st fill 17th jan 07 3.0cc Dr. Brinkley, Maryland

2nd fill 3rd march 07 1.0cc Dr. Brinkley, Maryland

3rd fill 25th april 07 1.0cc Dr. Brinkley, Maryland

30th may 07: unfilled... apparently losing fluid from the band... 3.2cc found

doc put in 4.5cc Dr. András Vereczkei, Hungary

I finished the Ali book. It was OK.... I wanted it to be meatier...but it's a good overview for folks who want to know more about the band and about obesity. Fortunately for her, she was just simply never hungry again, lost her weight, and life goes on...... I however, am a backslider! A backslider I tell you! I expect from now on I'll be 3 pounds off 2 pounds back....unless I find a way to get my act together. Some days are good. Most days are a wash..... But it's better than not having my band!

That is great on how much you have lost Tom!!!!!! Can I say how jealous I am!!! I would love people to tell me I am too skinny. That has never happened to me ever. I have always been healthy....to say the least. I sure hope that your Dr. can figure out the lack of energy. :bored:faint:That must be frustrating!! Hope you feel better soon. Why is it that men loose so much faster than women.........Its not fare. I mean we have to deal with so much more physically than men and we get the short end of the stick when it comes to loosing weight toooooooooo!!!:Banane52::Banane41:

Life isn't fair! <G>

I survived the sleep study. I had one 3+ years ago and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. The technician said I had "incidents" but nothing like it was last time. Original plan was to do 3 hours of study and 3 hours of fitting/adjusting the CPAP machine. I didn't meet the requirements for her to do the CPAP. The neurologist will have to review the study and make a decision. I guess that is good news in that I HATED the CPAP but that means that isn't my problem.

The surgeon's office did call back and it looks like their going to do an bit of an unfill. They weighed me at the hospital last night and I was down another pound in 36 hours. Some could be the scale but I just don't eat.

Tom

Finally...I got back to see my doctor and get a fill. I am being really good this time...I'm not trying to eat yet. He suggested that I go on soft foods for 2 -3 days this time, since the last time I couldn't eat and was miserable. So...far...so...GOOD! I am handling the fill better this time. I hope everyone else is doing well.

I visited the surgeon today and I'm no longer adjusted. <G> He removed ALL of the fill. He finally agreed that I don't have any more weight to lose. I'm to monitor my weight and if I see it's going up, he'll put 1 cc or so in but thinks I may be able to maintain with no fill at all. (I was losing with no fill but requested the first fill as I was hungry. It was self control keeping me on track, not band control.) He said I'll have less restriction now as the stomach as shrunk so the band isn't as tight. He feels my continually fatigue is at least made worse by the lack of nutrition.

The surgeon speaks at several conferences each year on gastric reduction surgery and has many published works on both the band and bypass. He usually has a bypass patient at some of the weight loss conference to give a first-hand account. He doesn't often use LapBand patients as too many aren't as successful but he asked if I'd be willing to speak at an upcoming conference. He said I'm the model LapBand patient. (Another patient that was in earlier was complaining they could only eat 10 wings now and they wanted to still eat the 25 they did before surgery but still lose weight.)

Tom

I visited the surgeon today and I'm no longer adjusted. <G> He removed ALL of the fill. He finally agreed that I don't have any more weight to lose. I'm to monitor my weight and if I see it's going up, he'll put 1 cc or so in but thinks I may be able to maintain with no fill at all. (I was losing with no fill but requested the first fill as I was hungry. It was self control keeping me on track, not band control.) He said I'll have less restriction now as the stomach as shrunk so the band isn't as tight. He feels my continually fatigue is at least made worse by the lack of nutrition.

The surgeon speaks at several conferences each year on gastric reduction surgery and has many published works on both the band and bypass. He usually has a bypass patient at some of the weight loss conference to give a first-hand account. He doesn't often use LapBand patients as too many aren't as successful but he asked if I'd be willing to speak at an upcoming conference. He said I'm the model LapBand patient. (Another patient that was in earlier was complaining they could only eat 10 wings now and they wanted to still eat the 25 they did before surgery but still lose weight.)

Tom

Tom, That is so awesome. My doctor has also told me that I am a model LapBand patient. Why would someone get the surgery and still want to eat the 25 wings and not be happy and excited to be satisfied with 10. (Which with a proper fill would be impossible anyways). I hope that you are able to get the nutrition you need to feel better. You really do sound like a fibromyalgia person. I haven't been on a lot lately. Did they rule that out? I have a lot of problems sleeping and it makes the pain worse and then it is very hard to get out of bed and make it through the day. Most people do not understand that and it is hard to diagnose. It took years for me and I felt like I was going nuts. Some doctors even thought I was making up my symptoms. After diagnoses and treatment I have been able to regain a lot of my energy, but if I have a bad "flare up" as I call it I could be in bad shape for a week or two. Sometimes I go in and get shots in my trigger points. Congrats on exceeding your goal. You are an inspiration.

Beckie

Tom, That is so awesome. My doctor has also told me that I am a model LapBand patient. Why would someone get the surgery and still want to eat the 25 wings and not be happy and excited to be satisfied with 10. (Which with a proper fill would be impossible anyways). I hope that you are able to get the nutrition you need to feel better. You really do sound like a fibromyalgia person. I haven't been on a lot lately. Did they rule that out? I have a lot of problems sleeping and it makes the pain worse and then it is very hard to get out of bed and make it through the day. Most people do not understand that and it is hard to diagnose. It took years for me and I felt like I was going nuts. Some doctors even thought I was making up my symptoms. After diagnoses and treatment I have been able to regain a lot of my energy, but if I have a bad "flare up" as I call it I could be in bad shape for a week or two. Sometimes I go in and get shots in my trigger points. Congrats on exceeding your goal. You are an inspiration.

Beckie

Three years or so ago, a arogant rheumatologist told me I didn't have RA but had fibromyalgia and I'd have to deal with it. I went off my RA medicine and it flared up big time. The other rheumatologists I've seen all agree I do have RA.

They did call from the sleep lab this afternoon and even though the preliminary results didn't show anything, the complete review of the study showed an index of 18.4 (means about 18 times an hour, my breathing is compromised - at some points, my oxygen levels dropped as low as 68%). Even though none of the symptoms were overly severe to fully wake me up, they are frequent enough to disrupt sleep. I'm scheduled for July 24 for a fitting on a CPAP. Hopefully I can get use to it this time. A friend has one and says she can't sleep without one.

Tom

That is great Tom. Let us know what it is like to eat with no fill. If you feel a big difference. If you get that pressure feeling after a couple of bites or if it now takes a lot longer with it empty. I am just curious and can't wait to get to my goal wait. To maintain your goal weight what is usually recommended? To keep it filled or have it taken out? I have had a bad headache for a week now. I also have dropped 3 pounds. I am wondering if I am depriving my body of something and it is reacting as a headache. I am drinking tons of water so I know I am not dehydrated.

I don't know if maybe it is my sinuses or something else.........why is our bodies such mysteries. Does anyone else out there feel like a detective trying to find clues for answers???????????? Keep us updated Tom so we know how things go. You are doing sooooo GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom--you are THE MAN!:clap2: The poster boy for lap-band! My doc also tells me I am one of his greatest success stories. The patient who wants to be able to eat 25 wings is obviously dilusional:wacko:! My doc told me about a patient who would throw up every time she ate bread(duh) , but just wouldn't stop eating it. Eventually, her band slipped(big surprise), and when he scheduled her for surgery, he asked her if she wanted it put back, or just removed, and she told him to remove it! Because she couldn't give up bread?!! It takes all kinds, I guess. But, I am really happy for you and hope that you will be feeling better very soon.

PR Brooksie--how are you doing with your fill? Is there any difference this time? I hope things are going well for you. I think I finally found my sweet spot--at least I hope so anyway. I am leaving for MOntana on Friday--yeah! I'm glad I am filled properly so I can't pig out on vacation! And it helps that my in-laws(who we are visiting) are on Weight Watchers, so hopefully there will be healthy food to eat while I'm there! I am just freaking out about not being able to work out for a whole week! My friends up there are trying to find a gym that I can get a temporary membership for. I'm a little obsessed with the gym I guess--words I never thought I would ever say in my lifetime!

That is great Tom. Let us know what it is like to eat with no fill. If you feel a big difference. If you get that pressure feeling after a couple of bites or if it now takes a lot longer with it empty. I am just curious and can't wait to get to my goal wait. To maintain your goal weight what is usually recommended? To keep it filled or have it taken out? I have had a bad headache for a week now. I also have dropped 3 pounds. I am wondering if I am depriving my body of something and it is reacting as a headache. I am drinking tons of Water so I know I am not dehydrated.

I don't know if maybe it is my sinuses or something else.........why is our bodies such mysteries. Does anyone else out there feel like a detective trying to find clues for answers???????????? Keep us updated Tom so we know how things go. You are doing sooooo GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I'll see what happens long-term but I've definitely had MUCH more of an appetite since yesterday morning. I met my son for a late lunch yesterday. He's 19 and eats LOTS so he wanted a buffet, but fortunately doesn't have expensive tastes so we went to Golden Corral. I was well controlled but definitely ate more than I've been eating. Since I've been losing 2-3 pounds per week, that's a good thing! For dinner last night, I had 3 ounces of grilled pork chop and about a cup of grilled veggies. I had NO problem with anything getting stuck or getting it all down. (Lately, I wouldn't have been able to eat all of the pork chop, let alone the veggies.) I had a Slim Fast Breakfast bar and a cup of V8 for breakfast, about 2 ounces of grilled chicken and 1/2 cup of Pasta in a tomato based sauce for lunch and for my afternoon "grazing" I had a salad with about 1 cup of salad greens, maybe 1/4 cup of cucumber, 1/4 cup of tomato, some goat cheese (that I made!), some horseradish cheese and about an ounce of grilled pork chop. Prior to the unfill, I haven't been able to eat many vegetables at all, and certainly not a salad.

It's going to be a new learning curve as to how much I can eat to maintain. I feel like I'm pigging out but my son kept asking if that's all I was going to eat. I figure I probably need to almost triple what I was eating just to maintain current weight. (If the 500 calories less a day to lose a pound is correct, I need at 1000-1500 more calories a day than I was eating which was 800-1200 calories.) Based on my weight, I should need about 2000 calories a day base, plus whatever I do to burn calories.

Feeling wise it feels great, especially since I was experiencing quite a bit of restriction before even though I only had 2 cc. I wouldn't be surprised if I do have to get a bit of a fill to control what I eat. I've been hungry off and on today, which almost never happened with the fill. Before, fixing food was often more effort than it was worth so even if hungry, I didn't always eat much because I didn't want to go to the trouble of fixing it. I have leftovers today so fixing was easy. I'll have to make sure I have appropriate things stocked to eat easily. I think I have a bit more energy with eating right but it's so hot that I'm not sure.

I think the reason we have to be such detectives is that we're all so different. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for someone else. The nice thing about here is we can all relate our individual experiences and try different things until we find what works for us.

Tom