Hi guys:

I was banded on august 13. I've been on liquids for the most part but yesterday my friend made me some slamming Soup and it had baby carrots, celery, cilantro, tomatoes for color and some chicken broth and dark meat chicken.

I have to admit I had a piece of that chicken. and today I had a hand full of raisinettes. I am not finding myself hungry but being that the past two days I am picking at stuff (including guacomole, yesterday as well), I am a bit depressed today. My band is not filled. I have not made an appointment but I will on Monday when I go to NYU for my esoph exam.

I sort of feel scared and i sort of feel like I am going to fail at this since I have been picking. No excuses. I just tested the waters and I feel bad about it. I didn't go over board but a hand full of raisins here, some chicken there..... you know what I mean?

How are you guys doing? Anyone experiencing the same thing?

Hey everyone! It's been a while. I've been so tired but the time I check my email, I'm so sleepy and can't seem to read or post. I'm doing well but I am really really trying to figure out how to lose 2 pounds per week consecutively. I'm proud that I'm almost at my 6 month goal of a 50 lbs weight loss! I really want to lose 8-10 lbs this month. This 50 lb weight loss is all since being banded as my dr. did not require weight loss b4. I did 2 day fast and went right into surgery. This is something funny and was very exciting at the moment.......I lost 10 lbs from last Thursday to Friday due to a fast/cleanse for a coloscopy. I got so excited but then gained a pound, then 2 pound, then another 2 pounds but finally did stabalize and netted a 3 lbs weight loss last week. So, am I on to something? I'm seriously thinking about fasting/cleansing at least 1 day a week. Any thoughts on that? Also, my colon test came back good and he found the source of my tail bone pain................hemorrhoids!!! I never had them b4 so was shocked but also thankful it wasn't anything any more serious! Anyone else ever had them? The meds are working though so it's all good. Well, getting sleepy......just wanted to check in and update!

I got the roids after having my son last March. Ouch!!! They flare up every now and again but can be quite painful!!! I feel your pain!

You are all doing so well! I am feeling like I'm a little behind. I'm only down 55 pounds. I feel like I am about 10-15 pounds behind the game!!!!

Don't be hard on yourself. I would kill for your numbers! I've only lost 10lb in six months... ridiculous!

Wow - I had a LOT of catching up to do in just a few days!

It's great reading everyone's individual experiences. It really is different for everyone. Thing is, if you lose at ALL, you're still losing and that's the whole point, right? want2beme, you need to be easier on yourself. Think about this - your current weight is my GOAL weight (at least my initial one), and I've got just over 30 lbs to go before I get there, so you're already lighter than I am. Just be patient with yourself and keep doing the good work. You'll get there!

I weighed in late this week (was out of town helping my mom out after knee replacement surgery), but I am down 2.5 lbs, so I'm half a lb from the 70 lb mark. Given how I ate just about everything I wanted to this weekend, I guess I did okay. It will be nice being back to the usual routine so I can focus on better choices for awhile. I do know that I'm still eating much more carefully than I did a year ago, though. THAT is a positive change!

I don't think I'll quite make the 75 lb mark for my 6 month post-op on Monday, but a 70 lb loss is nothing to sneeze at! I should be able to make 75 by the end of the month though - that would be nice.

At least I won't need a fill while I'm there. I'm not PB'ing but I'm getting mildly stuck if I'm not careful with bite sizes, so I don't think I want to mess with it.

I think my honeymoon period is over and I'm having a much harder time making good choices than I did initially. I got the latest Obesity Help magazine and there's an article about getting out of the "honeymoon period" so I'm hoping it will help reinspire me when I read it.

I have a question for you all. Now that we're 6 months out, do any of you feel like you're more challenged sticking to good food choices?

Pizzai i can totally relate to making right choices right now.

Everyonce in a while i would eat a candy bar. I have no problem with this if i keep it like once a week. Then yester day i was up to 3 in one day. CRAP. I know this is old habits. SO today im kicking my butt to not eat any for a long time. I didnt go through all this to eat freakin candy.

Ok, been awhile since I've checked in on this thread. It's great to see everyone doing so well. Keep up the great work and remember, don't compare yourselves to others, everyone is different.

As for me, I am experiencing my first plateau. Not sure what to make of it, but I am not losing weight (even added a lb or two this week with last weekend being a guys weekend:frown:. Oh well, gotta live a little, right?)

Anyway, last Friday I had a personal trainer at the gym do my measurements for the first time since last April when we joined. In that time, I've lost almost 40 inches off my body and my bf % went from nearly 31% down to 19%.:thumbup:. I could not believe it. I do think part of my plateau is the fact that I lift 4 days a week with some pretty heavy weights. I do a circuit training routine, but the weights are getting up there in some cases. I just think the muscle is starting to really come on. Maybe I'm just deluding myself.

As for the a.m vs. p.m. deal, I was told early on that after sleeping all night your pouch is smaller. As the day wears on, your pouch relaxes a little and gets a little bigger. That is the reason why we can eat more at night than in the morning.

Keep up the good work all.:smile: I'll try to check on you all more often.

On another note, does anyone understand why I am unable to eat in the morning and then able to eat anything at night? Also, for the first time, my restriction seems tighter now than it did 3 weeks ago when I got the fill.

It's funny that you say that. I'm just the opposite. One big difference I've noticed since I was banded was the affect it had on my night time snacking. I eat dinner and maybe, for a little sweet snack, I'll have a weight watchers brownie. That's it. No more urges for a fourth meal while watching TV.

That's awesome, Sandy.

I seem to have kicked the 'sweet snack at night' habit myself. A few months ago I started eating dinner a little later - like 6:30-7pm and that seems to have done the trick!

I had a follow up appointment today. My doctor is ordering some additional blood work. I've noticed lately that I seem to bruise very easily. They're worried I'm not getting enough iron. In the meantime, I am getting a new vitamin with more iron and going to try to eat more red meat.

We also talked about plastic surgery and I got numbers of a few local surgeons to schedule consultations with this summer

I mentioned that I have my yearly at the gyno coming up in April. The PA said since I'll be seeing a new doctor *whimper* to make sure they know all about my band, weight loss, and PCOS. She said it's important to have them make sure the lining in my uterus is normal (I guess because of all the hormonal changes) and that they check to see if my uterus and/or bladder have dropped or shifted. Have you guys ever heard of that? I didn't know that was something that can happen after a big weight loss.

Candle....good advice on the dinner thing! that might work...ill give it a try.

As far as the Gyno goes...cant help you there.

I know they say it's bad to eat late but it's working for me.

I don't go to bed until 12:00-1:00am so eating dinner at 5:30-6:30 was leaving me wanting something in the 8-9:00pm hour. I was eating a snack at night about 5 days per week and now I only do it like 1-2x per week, if at all.

It was usually something small and a healthy-ish choice, in the 75-125 calorie range but that really adds up over the course of the week.

I do find I'm hungrier in the morning and ready for breakfast a little earlier now though.

Candle, I don't know about the whole gyno thing - I do know my time of the month is a big heavier but other than that, I've felt pretty good. I guess it makes sense, since having less fat in the way might leave room for things to move around a bit. Who knows though!

Sorry to hear about the bruising thing. You've lost a LOT of weight in a very short period of time, so maybe it has something to do with that. Let us know how the blood work comes out.

As for me, I'm FINALLY closer to getting that interview in LA!!! I spoke on the phone with the hiring manager about a few more questions she had and she wants me to come out. Not sure when yet (HR person suggested NEXT WEEK, hiring manager mentioned the first week in March). This is getting exciting! I'll probably squeeze in a few interviews and some apartment-hunting while I'm up there (and definitely a stroll on the beach). Cross your fingers!

I find it amusing that I'll probably wind up moving just as Spring arrives in WI, but what can do you? At least the roads will be better for the drive out!

Update - I'm going to CA the first week in March - yee-HA! Wish me luck!

:cursing:

Oh, one more thing. I still have restriction! Is that normal? I've lost about 14 lbs since Christmas. How long do most fills last?

They could last forever---you could be at your sweet spot--enjoy it!

WooWhoo Pizzi!! Congrats on the upcoming trip to L.A. I'll be sending positive vibes in your direction. I hope you do get the job offer. What an exciting year you're having!

I just returned from my 6 month check with the lapband Dr. I thought I'd get a little fill today but turns out my port has moved or flipped and it needs to be checked out under fluoroscopy. I'm waiting for them to call me to schedule it for tomorrow or possibly next week. I'm bummed, but they say there is no cause for concern.

On the bright side, I had lost 18 more pounds since my last visit in December. They continue to say they think my goal weight is too low by at least 10 pounds. I hope they are right, but I find it hard to believe that I could really be getting that close to goal. We discussed plastic surgery and they said I was ready for a consult!!!! I've already called the dr. they recommended and have scheduled my consultation for March 11. I'm having a great year too!

So --i also may be looking for a job out of town---I am in NYC--I have applied for a job in Tampa, FL--they required a photo and a video of me---so in the cover letter I told them that I have the band and that in 6 months to a year I will look different---It has been a week and I haven't heard anything --do you think it was a mistake to tell them about the band?

FYI--i am 6 months out now--312lbs top wieght--248lbs now--150 goal