It seems we're all playing "follow the leader" with our journey. We were all excited with anticipation, then somewhat disappointed roughly 1 month out... and here we are over 3 months later.

Just wondering how everyone else is doing? How many fills? How much have you lost? How many cc's in your band? Are you happy, or still in the "Bandster Hell" phase?

Personally, I'm finally liking the band. I was NOT a big fan at first (felt as though it wasn't working at all!). After 3 fills (5.5 CC's in a AP Small band), I finally feel content. I'm slowly losing, and I'm confident I'll pick up the pace after my next fill (2 weeks). It was long and agonizing waiting for restriction - but, I can honestly say the "sweet spot" is within view.

I hope you're all starting to make nice with your bands too!

:smile:

lherstein - You're doing fabulous. Your stats remind me of mine. I was banded on the 11th and had the same starting weight as you. I'm happy to see you're doing so good. I also can't wait to see onederland. It's been over 25 years since I've seend that. I have a 14 cc band with 5 cc's in it.

I don't go back in until May for another fill. I canceled my last one, but the weight loss has really slowed down so I might need another small fill. Haven't quite decided. I don't know if I really want to be that tight. Right now I can eat almost 1 cup of food and eat most anything I want (except white bread, buns, and white rice). I don't feel deprived at all so I might just forget the fill and take things a little slower. It's a tough decision. I sure love seeing the scale moving down.

Anyway - keep up the good work!

I can't believe its been over 6 months. Wt. loss has really slowed for me - for quite awhile now. I know I could be tighter but I'm not sure if I want to be or not. I haven't gained. I may go next week, I'll decide tomorrow.

I am at 5 1/2 month. Down 69 lbs. I feel so much better.

Keep up the good work everyone.

nip50, i know what you mean!!! i didn't want to get to tight either, i am at 3cc's now and i am doing okay, i have to be a little more careful but if i chew,chew, chew and mack sure not to eat anything real dry i can do real well. i don't want to get so tight that i can't eat normal food, that is what we are trying to learn is how to eat properly!!! congratulations!!! you are doing really well!!! i am excited that it is nice out now (i'm in michigan) so i can get outside and walk!!! treadmill is nice but gets boring, now my kids and husband can walk with me!!!:thumbup:Keep up the good work all you bandsters!!!!!:biggrin2:

BandedmomX6- I am losing even slower than you are!!! So hope that makes you feel better! I, too, have PCOS so I know the struggle. (and my surgeon said I have awesome abs which literally almost made me cry from happiness because I have been working out for 4 years with a personal trainer and hadn't lost a pound so at least that let me know I hadn't been just wasting time. I keep telling everyone there is a 6 pack under all my fat, I am just losing weight to expose what I just know is there!!!) So even with a strong core, I am losing really slowly. Have you measured yourself? I am so glad I thought to measure before surgery because I have been amazed at the inches I have lost - I have heard that some people who are slower losers lose more inches. So you might want to start keeping track of that. Anyway, glad you are having good progress - 43 pounds is awesome!

How am I doing? Freaking awesome!

I got down to 199 on Saturday! I'm in ONEderland baby!

75 lost and only 69 to go. I'm over the half way point!!!

I have my 6 month Post Op appointment this week on Wednesday! I can't wait to see my surgeon. Since my last fill in March (6 weeks ago) I've lost like 20 pounds! I was stuck at 221 for nearly a month before this last fill. I think i'm at my sweet spot and I've kicked up my excercise! I've also started going to OA meetings again. I want to make sure this weight never comes back on like it has in the past! The Band has been a great tool for me! I love it.

Just wanted to share with my fellow 10/07 bandsters!

Hi all.....*sigh* I've been stuck where I am for quite a while now. I have just regressed somewhat in my food choices plus I have gotten lax in the exercise area. However, coming to these boards and reading about everyone's successes and struggles really helps. I feel like I am ready to jump back on the wagon! I am very happy with my weight loss so far, but I am ready to lose the next 40 lbs! Congrats to all for all your wonderful weight loss and keep up the good work -- hopefully I will join you...

Congrats Morningoasis on getting to Onederland!!! Love your attitude.

I had my 6month check last wk - down 55lbs w/20 to go. So glad I made this choice. A year ago I was dreading the TX summer ahead and not wanting to be seen in a bathing suit. Today I laid out for a bit w/a new suit on and felt cute for the first time in a while.....

Hope everyone continues to have success!!!

I don't know what to do. I haven't been losing like I thought I would. :sad:I try and watch what I eat but then something happens and I eat. I don't feel full until I have eaten too much. What exactly does restriction feel like? I haven't found anything I absolutely can not eat. I am at about 9.1cc's in a 10cc band. I would think by now I would be able to eat only my 1/2 cup but no I can eat a lot more. I work in a school and take my lunch and try to focus only on eating during my lunch break. It gets hard to be around the food that is brought in and sometimes I have some and then feel guilty. I am very proud of what I have accomplished but at the same time I just don't feel it is enough. What do you eat for lunch and dinner? Do you eat cereal for breakfast? Sometimes I would just like to have a sandwich but feel the bread is empty calories and just eat turkey or something. Just looking for some kind of answers. :confused:I see others with 4-6cc in their bands losing 20-30lbs at a time. The most I have lost in a month is 8lbs. and I was at 8.5cc had a fill of about .3cc and lost 1 lbs that month. I go for my checks every 4 weeks and they put in what they think I should have. I am about and 1 and 1/2 hours away from my clinic so I don't want to overfill and be miserable. Any advice or help would be really appreciated.

I've lost about 46lbs. I feel I should be doing better. Its not coming off as quick as I thought it would. But also this was my first month of feeling any real restrictions. I realize that I realy didnt have any before. So hopefully I will see alot more progress.:frown:

I am officially half way there!!! 60 down, 60 to go. I am 6 months out, and I love my band. It has given me my life back.

Hello everyone - it has been awhile since I have posted anything on here - my last posts were in March when I was so tight that I was constantly pbing and in pain - I got a 1cc unfill.... since then my weight loss has stopped...at times I can eat whatever I want (except bread or breaded things) but no matter how slow I eat, I am not getting that "full" feeling anymore. Every once in a while I will be so famished and not get a bite chewed well enough and then spend 45 minutes paying dearly for it. I am getting that grumbling stomach hunger again - which is a big difference from fighting against being too tight (which I dealt with for 6 weeks thinking it would get better).... feeling like I am sliding backwards - have gained back about 3 pounds now because of the "pity" party I am constantly in... I go in for another fill (first one since unfill on 3/31) in a week and although I am concerned about being too tight again, it will be nice to feel full again on 3-4 ounces of food.

I am craving Peanut Butter A LOT - not pregnant, any ideas of what my diet might be lacking for that - or is it mental? lol

Thanks everyone and keep up the great work... I need to remember I have the rest of my life to lose the last 20-30 to get to my "120s" goal...

and that the last won't be as fast as the first.

Hello everyone - it has been awhile since I have posted anything on here - my last posts were in March when I was so tight that I was constantly pbing and in pain - I got a 1cc unfill.... since then my weight loss has stopped...at times I can eat whatever I want (except bread or breaded things) but no matter how slow I eat, I am not getting that "full" feeling anymore. Every once in a while I will be so famished and not get a bite chewed well enough and then spend 45 minutes paying dearly for it. I am getting that grumbling stomach hunger again - which is a big difference from fighting against being too tight (which I dealt with for 6 weeks thinking it would get better).... feeling like I am sliding backwards - have gained back about 3 pounds now because of the "pity" party I am constantly in... I go in for another fill (first one since unfill on 3/31) in a week and although I am concerned about being too tight again, it will be nice to feel full again on 3-4 ounces of food.

I am craving Peanut Butter A LOT - not pregnant, any ideas of what my diet might be lacking for that - or is it mental? lol

Thanks everyone and keep up the great work... I need to remember I have the rest of my life to lose the last 20-30 to get to my "120s" goal...

and that the last won't be as fast as the first.

Are you getting in enough protien? Your body may need Protein.

Crispy2, You said it.... I finally learned the HARD SLIMY way bread and pasta dont do it for me any more. And after my family harped at me about rushing to the bath room or garbage can, I just dont do it!! I work with my band now. Some of us are just hard headed!!

Connie

Hi all, boy I can really get depressed reading all the posts about how much everyone has lost! Good thing I am usually upbeat. I have had 5 or 6 fills (cant even remember my #s now!) and at the last fill I was so happy because I felt restriction. Well, it lasted maybe 2 weeks,only in the morning. Once in a while I feel it at lunch. I think my food choices are pretty good, though like any normal person, I fall off my diet once in a while. I'm doing ok on my protein (thankfully, since I really don't like the shakes!), have to work on fiber. Calorie count is usually around 1000 to 1200, mostly breakfast and lunch, I eat very lightly in the evening since I get home so late. I've been unable to exercise much due at first to a fractured ankle and a couple of torn ligaments. Then my arthritis in my (same) knee hit and I was bedridden for 2 days. I just got off the crutches, thank God, and am trying to make do with a cane. Still a lot of pain though. Usually by this time of the year, I am up to walking 3 miles a day and by June I am up to 5 miles which is my daily goal. I don't get much exercise in the winter, start back in Spring when weather warms. I don't have another fill due until June 4. Sigh. Wish I could get to her before then but I am scheduled to be out of the office on reviews the last 2 weeks of May. Hope I'm not in a wheelchair by then, hahaha! (I "think" I'm joking) Oh well, I will just keep plugging along. Congrats to everyone who is losing, keep up the good work. :)Laura