I thought I would start a thread and as we get more Merry Losers than they can copy and paste and add their names.

MERRY LOSERS

Dec 3 - CarolK1

Dec 4 - TXbandit (tentative)

Dec 6 - Sghatl

Dec 7 - Newblew

jen hollers

Dec 10 - HeatherA (tentative)

Dec 11 - ::Tracy::

Dec 13 - Caramel

Dec 17 - 100lbsforsale

MissSac

Dec 18 - Mendypoo

Dec 26 - Miss Polly

Dec 27 - jasmona1214

Dec 28 - The Fox

Please feel free to add your surgery date

Caramel:ranger:

AlysonRR, I have kind of forced myself to go to the gym. I am rewarding myself if I make it to the gym 10 times in 2 weeks. it is hard but I want to get this weight off really bad and I think working out is the ony way to do it and not have the flappy skin.

How did your fill go.

I am using cut and paste to post on my fluro...This is what happened with my first fill oh and I am only on liquids for 2 days...then I was told to just take it slow with food.

OK I had my first fill yesterday. Under Fluor.

For me this is what happened. I laid under the x-ray table pulled my shirt up and pants down just enough to show my belly. He rubbed the area with alcohol. Took a picture of the port to see how it was positioned. Put this long needle in and watched on the screen to make sure he got the port. Then I sat up. He filled the band with 5cc of fluid (I have the 10cc band). They gave me a glass of water and I drank it. He switched out the syringe added more fluid had me drink again. When water got stuck he backed fluid out slowly till the water flowed down. I drank more water to make sure everything was going down ok. Then he removed the needle. And I wend home. I think the whole thing took maybe 10 minutes or less and only that long because the x-ray machine was brand new and he wanted to try out the features. It is one especially for bariatric patients.

One thing my doctor had mentioned to me when I was going through the "6 months supervised diet & exercise for insurance" was that I tend to do the same things (exercise in the same way, same time, etc, eat the same foods) & the body very easily gets aclimated to that & adapts. So, his theory was to trick your body- keep it guessing- it doesn't know how much exercise it's going to get today. I've been trying this & it's been working for me.

I, too, wanted to start the healthy lifestyle without waiting for the band. I had my band done on 12/20/07- lost 10 pounds just before the surgery and have lost 25 since- first fill will be 1/31. I try to exercise 6 days/week with treadmill or walking outside; I do anywhere from 40 minutes to 60 minutes at a time, varying by days. I also try to vary the foods I am eating getting a good variety- it's very easy for me to get into a rut.

But, everyone's different, you just have to try what you can do & see what works for you! Good luck!

AlysonRR, I have kind of forced myself to go to the gym. I am rewarding myself if I make it to the gym 10 times in 2 weeks. it is hard but I want to get this weight off really bad and I think working out is the ony way to do it and not have the flappy skin.

How did your fill go.

I am using cut and paste to post on my fluro...This is what happened with my first fill oh and I am only on liquids for 2 days...then I was told to just take it slow with food.

OK I had my first fill yesterday. Under Fluor.

For me this is what happened. I laid under the x-ray table pulled my shirt up and pants down just enough to show my belly. He rubbed the area with alcohol. Took a picture of the port to see how it was positioned. Put this long needle in and watched on the screen to make sure he got the port. Then I sat up. He filled the band with 5cc of fluid (I have the 10cc band). They gave me a glass of water and I drank it. He switched out the syringe added more fluid had me drink again. When water got stuck he backed fluid out slowly till the water flowed down. I drank more water to make sure everything was going down ok. Then he removed the needle. And I wend home. I think the whole thing took maybe 10 minutes or less and only that long because the x-ray machine was brand new and he wanted to try out the features. It is one especially for bariatric patients.

Wow that is fantastic weight loss. I only had 2cc of fluid put in on my first fill out of 10cc. I can't even tell a difference. I still cannot eat alot at one time but I get hungry in between. I was amazed how easy it was to have filled and how it didn't hurt!

Lisamarie, Thanks. I am not always happy with the amount of weight I have lost...I should be but I keep wanting it to be more.

I really dont feel like I have much restriction. I go back at the end of febuary for my 2nd fill so I think I can wait till then. I am excercising like crazy. So I am still losing weight. But I can eat anything. With little to no restriction.

Lisamarie, Thanks. I am not always happy with the amount of weight I have lost...I should be but I keep wanting it to be more.

I really dont feel like I have much restriction. I go back at the end of febuary for my 2nd fill so I think I can wait till then. I am excercising like crazy. So I am still losing weight. But I can eat anything. With little to no restriction.

That's what I am not good about doing the exercise!!!Yuck!!! I know that it will boost my losing if I could just get with it. I just hate sweating!

Good luck on your next fill!

I actualy am starting to like excercising. I can start to tell that I am getting stronger. My trainer told me it takes 1 month to build one pound of muscle. And I think I am getting some. wow

I dont like walking on the treadmil. But it is only 30 minutes. and I just got an MP3 player and I got a book on it so I can listen to the book and walk. I think it will turn out to be a good solution.

Yahoo. No fill.

I was sceduled for a fill today and Doc told me maybe next month. I am so relieved, I was preparing myself for a fill so I could just get over it. I dont know how long this feeling will last, my goal for Feb. is to lose 8 pds. so that I can be under 250

God has truely blessed me.

I was banded on 12-19 first fill on 1-21........ I just got enough nerve to schedule my second fill for 2-19....I hate needles and it wasnt the most pleasent experience but in time I think it will get easier.. I use to hate going to the dentist , that nervous feeling- now I have that with my fill visit.....however it only last 5 minutes then it's over and more weight loss will come.. The bright side :frown: Good Luck

I was banded the same day as you and had my fill the same week. I also dont feel any difference from my first fill. I am waiting till a full 2 weeks before calling becaus eI have heard some fills dont always work for the first week. But I figure I will call them next week.

i got my first fill on wed and feel nothing! Stinks, I was so looking forward to restriction. I called and I made a sooner appt for another fill for next fri. (my b-day) That will b a great present if I get restriction!! I hope it works!!

I was banded 2/26/07 and had my first fill on 1/22/08 and since then I really haven't felt much difference except that certain foods keep getting stuck and it's frustrating because before the fill I was eating great (sticking to a very low carb plan - 30 max carbs per day) and was losing weight. Now everytime I go to eat I get nervous that it's gonna get stuck so because of those few bad times I've been kinda laxidasical about the carb thing and have been eating soups and soft foods that I know will go down. Because of that I've gained about 4 lbs. back from the 34 that I've lost so far...I'm starting to get discouraged. I go back to doc on Monday (2/4) for a 2nd fill (possibly) but I'm kinda nervous that it'll just make things worse. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Kelly-

What foods are you having trouble with?

From what I've heard, the notorious problem foods are bread, pasta, and rice.

You need to keep your eye on why you had this procedure.

Eliminate those foods you have trouble with - and get back on the program.

Your fills will help you, but you need to work the band as it was intended to be worked.

Chew your food 25-30 times per teensy bite. Put your fork down in between bites. Listen to your body.

If you are currently getting stuck after that 1st fill - I would learn to work with the first fill before getting tighter.

Now, after all I wrote, I want to wish you a better day. Know that all of this will pass if you will just follow the bandster rules.

C.N.

I've had my second fill and feel about like Kelly. I can't eat meats the way I'd like to. Hot wings is one of my favorites. They always get stuck in my throat now, 11 days out from my second fill. I'm not complaining though because this is what I wanted -- A limitation on what I could eat. My willpower is not good.

So, I've decided to back away from chicken until I can teach myself how to eat it properly by eating smaller bites and slowing down. I found a recipe on another website for a cottage cheese omelet, which I am having for breakfast this morning and a little bacon, which I can eat. This is my first time of trying it.

So, just figure out what you can eat. Tilapia is really good. I like that. I've also grown to love creamed spinach, which I have quite frequently.

does anyone know how may fills insurance companies will pay for..Is it every month, every six weeks? I feel bad going back to my dr. after the first fill and him saying I havent lost anything...but i do want to get that second fill...

My company switch insurance companies so the new insurance will not cover my fills but you only go when u need them its my Dr. require me wait a entire month in between fills, but I have seen people on here that get fills twice a month. I hope my second fill last longer than the first one.