Kelly Ann needs advice!!!!!

[Kelly Ann 0]

I was banded 11/19 lost almost 23 lbs. I can eat roughly 2 cups or more of food no problems right now..regular food now...I am scheduled for a fill 11/30 next Tuesday. Should I do it??? Should I wait a few weeks????? I can feel that I can only eat a certain amount right now and feel it if I eat too much.....Should I wait?????? Is it too soon ???? I want to keep losing weight ......My faithful pals please respond... By the way I went away last week to the ABC Super Soap Weekend at MGM Studios In Disneyworld. I did great!!!!!!! I did have wine but I ate Like one meal a day.... and did not over eat ..... I am sooooo happy !!!!...I have been eating all of my vitamins... I Ifeel great !!!! I even got to do a scene with Ryan from All My Children !!!!!!!!! In front of about a 1500 people!!!! If this is what the band feels like I am thrilled !!!!! I eat and forget about food!!!!!!!!! I fell the obsession is lifted from me........Thanks for the responses and help I love you all !!!!!

[leatha_g 4]

11/19? I'll bet you men 10/19. 23lbs is awesome! Rule of thumb is, if you are losing 1-2 lbs per week, you don't need a fill. I'm sure you've heard it said before, regarding the 2 cup amount - Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! lol. It's all a learning curve, but you're doing awesome! Keep it up!

[Kelly Ann 0]

leatha ---do you think I am eating too much right now and should limit??? Do you think I should wait to fill???? I s the two cups too much in your opinion???

[leatha_g 4]

Jessie Ahroni says if you can eat 2 cups and still lose weight, you're doing okay. Some docs say your pouch is only large enough to hold about 4 oz of food at a time and any more could stretch it. I'm of the mind that as you eat, things are moving through in most cases, so it is very possible to eat more than 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food at a sitting. I've heard it said that if you eat longer than 15-20 minutes, you're eating too long. This is considered pouch-packing too.

Only you can answer the question. Did you answer the questions on the questionaire Michelle/La_Madam sent you? If you're eating only 3 small meals a day, chewing 15-20 times per bite, stop eating as soon as you feel full, do not drink while you are eating, not snacking and ARE exercising, sounds like you're doing okay to me.

Personally, I have started using only dessert plates and cup size bowls/cups for my foods. That way, I am roughly not taking in more than 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time.

How much are you trying to lose? Sometimes, higher BMI's lose very well in the beginning without much restriction. Again, as long as you're losing and doing all the things you need to be doing, you must be doing something right. Maybe you'll want to wait for a fill until you are no longer losing, especially if you are a cash paying patient.

Not sure this helps.. but it's my 2 cents..

[hagerteresa 3]

Hi Kelly Ann,

I ditto what Leatha said. If you are still losing 1-2 lbs a week I think your doing great. I can't think of much else to add. I didn't need my first fill until about month 6 and I based it on that rule. I also allowed myself a 3 week plateau period just to make sure I needed a fill. Otherwise I think your doing great. Teresa

[LisaMG 5]

Yep three week plateau is a good thing to wait for. But when you do plateau for that long it's easy to go on "cruise control". You get to a point to where you have to Just

Do It! I know I did. I did'nt want to be more restricted at first. I had to make myself Just Do It!

[claraluz 2]

You seem to be saying that you can feel your pouch working because you say you can only eat a certain amount. And your weight loss is great. So if it were me, I would wait. My way is to let the pouch tell me how much to eat. I stop eating at the first sign of feeling full regardless of whether it's a half cup or a cup. If you do that, don't drink with meals, don't eat beyond 15 or 20 minutes, and choose primarily solid Proteins, you should do well and I personally wouldn't worry too much about whether it's half a cup or a cup or more. If I wanted to continue weighing and measuring foods, I wouldn't have gotten banded. Good luck.

Nancy

[Zoe 6]

If you started at 217 and 5'7", you were definitely not one of the higher BMI bandsters that Leatha mentioned -- in fact, you're one of the lower BMI people on this board, and you've lost a lot of weight so far. Congratulations!

As long as you're feeling restriction without a fill, I'd wait, especially if getting a fill means paying big bucks to a local doc. If, however, you can eat a huge Thanksgiving meal without restriction or pain, maybe it's time to get that fill after all!

How about waiting until this Friday to see how you're doing? That way you still have your fill appointment locked in if you need it, but you can cancel it without trouble if you're doing OK.