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Hi Folks,

Well last Thursday (03-12-09) They added one more CC of fill. I'm hoping it's NOT too tight now. I'm not eating or Drinking enough per day now and almost every bite hurts when I swallow. I'm lucky to drink 3-4 glasses of liquid per day and not much more than one to two cups of food. Today I did manage to eat 2 eggs with a little bit of cheese on it. Now I'm going to try to drink my V-8 fusion drink with my powered Vit/Min's added. If it does not stop hurting by Monday or at least hurt a LOT least I'll call up and talk to the nurse again.

WOW, what the last couple of days this has been. The plus side, I know it's too fast, but I have lost 6 lbs the last two days.

Does all this sound normal to you?? I talk to the nurse Friday and she sounded like I was doing ok, just take it slow and easy for awhile.

I'm just hanging there, doing my best.

Don

PS: I hope everyone else is doing just find.

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Hang in there Don. You should start adjusting to the band after a few days. Strangely, when I had an extra 1/2 cc fill put in, I did not start having problems until a week later. Guess we all react differently. If you do not adjust, be sure and contact your nurse. A slight defill of .05 cc sometimes helps.

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Hi Folks,

Well last Thursday (03-12-09) They added one more CC of fill. I'm hoping it's NOT too tight now. I'm not eating or Drinking enough per day now and almost every bite hurts when I swallow. I'm lucky to drink 3-4 glasses of liquid per day and not much more than one to two cups of food. Today I did manage to eat 2 eggs with a little bit of cheese on it. Now I'm going to try to drink my V-8 fusion drink with my powered Vit/Min's added. If it does not stop hurting by Monday or at least hurt a LOT least I'll call up and talk to the nurse again.

WOW, what the last couple of days this has been. The plus side, I know it's too fast, but I have lost 6 lbs the last two days.

Does all this sound normal to you?? I talk to the nurse Friday and she sounded like I was doing ok, just take it slow and easy for awhile. I'm just hanging there, doing my best. Don

PS: I hope everyone else is doing just find.

Sounds pretty normal, Don. Just take it slow and easy. Very small bites, put the fork down in between bites. Chew a LOT! As for the liquids... sip, sip, sip.

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God Bless all of us, this beautiful Sunday Morning. I havent posted on this thread for a very long time, think its because I have given up on myself, I was wondering if I may join you all again to regain the convidence I once had, and get the verbal support I need. I have been banded about a year an only lost about 45 lbs, have really been down on myself, don't want anyone to feel sorry for me, and above all I don't feel sorry for my self, I get discouraged the you might say,even alittle depressed, I am a nurse so I know all the signs, and I have them,So i am taking everyday as my first, like today, and if I could have all of you as my new family I just might work through this.In Christian Love and great Respect ,Thor (B.J.):)

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God Bless all of us, this beautiful Sunday Morning. I havent posted on this thread for a very long time, think its because I have given up on myself, I was wondering if I may join you all again to regain the convidence I once had, and get the verbal support I need. I have been banded about a year an only lost about 45 lbs, have really been down on myself, don't want anyone to feel sorry for me, and above all I don't feel sorry for my self, I get discouraged the you might say,even alittle depressed, I am a nurse so I know all the signs, and I have them,So i am taking everyday as my first, like today, and if I could have all of you as my new family I just might work through this.In Christian Love and great Respect ,Thor (B.J.):)

At the losing weight game, we are all new and need support to fight this fight. Be well and don't see yourself as a failure. Just get back on the wagon you can do it.

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Hi Mamajude: Give yourself a pat on the back and look at your weight loss as the "glass being half full" and not half empty.

I am a turtle and have lost 40 lbs in 2007, and 40 lbs to the present time. I am extremely happy if I make my calorie count of 1,500 a day. This gives me a healthy diet but I still lose 1 to 2 lbs a month. Sometimes you get discouraged when you read of the quick success of others, but frankly it doesn't matter what the others are doing, just what you are doing. If you are losing weight no matter how small an amount, that is great, if you are gaining, then go back to square one and see why you are gaining. Usually the quantity is the same but the choices are higher fat contents and less Protein. Contact your clinic and request the nutrionist to review your food intake. You probably just have to go back to high protein and get moving a bit more.

Hope this helps.

At the losing weight game, we are all new and need support to fight this fight. Be well and don't see yourself as a failure. Just get back on the wagon you can do it.

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God Bless all of us, this beautiful Sunday Morning. I havent posted on this thread for a very long time, think its because I have given up on myself, I was wondering if I may join you all again to regain the convidence I once had, and get the verbal support I need. I have been banded about a year an only lost about 45 lbs, have really been down on myself, don't want anyone to feel sorry for me, and above all I don't feel sorry for my self, I get discouraged the you might say,even alittle depressed, I am a nurse so I know all the signs, and I have them,So i am taking everyday as my first, like today, and if I could have all of you as my new family I just might work through this.In Christian Love and great Respect ,Thor (B.J.):)

Thor, is it possible you need a fill? Maybe your band needs a little extra Fluid to give you better restriction. See if you can also set an appointment with their nutritionist and review your eating plan - and your exercise plan. Good restriction, healthy eating and exercise are integral to success with this lifestyle change. A lot of your discouragement may be helped by getting back to the basics of banding. I think it's easy for us to lose our focus as time passes, and it leads to less weight loss and lots of feelings of failure (again!). ALL of us have dealt with that on multiple "diets" and we have to keep in mind this is not a "diet" - it is a lifestyle change!

Don't worry about what other people are doing - your 45 pounds are gone! You have already proven you can do this. Ask for help from your doctor - and come back here for any additional "tough love" you need!

Speaking of "tough love" - check out the mentoring thread "I'm here to help..." started by IndioGirl several months ago. IndioGirl is a very positive person who has reached her goal and then some - she is a wonderful mentor with great ideas and a bit of an attitude that will make you laugh. The other folks on that thread are also wonderful people - several very successful, many struggling, and all learning together how to make these necessary changes and be successful.

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Mamajude - you are healing now and may not lose much in weight for a few weeks. Everyone is different at this point - some will lose and some will not. I was kinda in the middle. The important thing is to be patient with yourself, follow the rules your doctor has set out for you and allow yourself time to heal. You are going to have this band for a looong time - and you will be successful in your own time.

Don - whenever I have had a fill of any size I always have a hard time with food and liquids for several days - up to a week - because there is always swelling involved. After your swelling goes down you may have an easier time of it. After my first 2 fills I had very little restriction after the swelling was gone - this time I have just about the right amount of restriction 2 weeks post fill. As Phyll said, make sure your bites are tiny - fork down as you make sure that last bite goes down okay. It's slow, but it works. Small sips of liquids - and you might try a cup of tea or coffee. The warm liquids really help me in the morning when I am tighter than later in the day.

Hang in there...

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Hi Thor, I haven't had my surgery yet due to another problem, but my surgeon told me I would only lose 40 lbs the first year so maybe that normal.

Edited by KentuckyWildcat
misspelled word

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Hi Thor, I haven't had my surgery yet due to another problem, but my surgeon told me I would only lose 40 lbs the first year so maybe that normal.

We all lose differently, so I don't think they should put those thoughts in your head. I lost about 85 lb the first year. My weight loss has slowed down since then, but I'm still losing slowly but consistently. Others will tell you that you can expect to lose about 50% of your excess weight. They are quoting you statistics and we don't all fit in to their little boxes! You set YOUR goals on what YOU want, follow the rules, stay focused on your goal and you WILL make it! Healthy food choices, Protein first, then veggies... keep the carbs to a minimum and find some exercise that you can do on a regular basis. I have bad knees... I do Water aerobics.

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Well said, Phyll. My doctor says my goal is reasonable - I will accept that! I wonder how old those stats are - I see many people here on LBTalk who are at their goal or below. I believe as doctors and nutritionists work with the band and banded patients they are learning more and more how to help their patients with healthy eating habits and exercise - and staying focused on their goals. You are an inspiration to us - even in my mid 60's I know I can do this and I will reach my goal and maintain - you are doing it, I can too.

Make sure you are at the right fill level, plan, eat healthy, exercise... always keep your goal firmly set in your mind. You can attain that goal.

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Well said, Phyll. My doctor says my goal is reasonable - I will accept that! I wonder how old those stats are - I see many people here on LBTalk who are at their goal or below. I believe as doctors and nutritionists work with the band and banded patients they are learning more and more how to help their patients with healthy eating habits and exercise - and staying focused on their goals. You are an inspiration to us - even in my mid 60's I know I can do this and I will reach my goal and maintain - you are doing it, I can too.

Make sure you are at the right fill level, plan, eat healthy, exercise... always keep your goal firmly set in your mind. You can attain that goal.

ABSOLUTELY!!

8_9_33.gif

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Hi all, well i haven't been on for a long time. I had about giving up on ever getting a date. Medicare said I would have to do another 6 months......I started this program March 2008, and started another 6 months Feb 2009, but as luck would have it I got a call last week saying Medicare was oking my surgery........So today, March 18 I am going to Idaho Falls, Idaho to meet with my doc for a second time in a year and he is going to give me a date, after that I go and get my instructions for my kidney diet......I am so excited and so ready. A little scard about the whole thing. yes, but know this is going to be my life saver.

Now i will be back on and sharing and getting info. Watching alll my new friends as they lose.........God Bless. Rosie

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Mamajude - you are healing now and may not lose much in weight for a few weeks. Everyone is different at this point - some will lose and some will not. I was kinda in the middle. The important thing is to be patient with yourself, follow the rules your doctor has set out for you and allow yourself time to heal. You are going to have this band for a looong time - and you will be successful in your own time.

Don - whenever I have had a fill of any size I always have a hard time with food and liquids for several days - up to a week - because there is always swelling involved. After your swelling goes down you may have an easier time of it. After my first 2 fills I had very little restriction after the swelling was gone - this time I have just about the right amount of restriction 2 weeks post fill. As Phyll said, make sure your bites are tiny - fork down as you make sure that last bite goes down okay. It's slow, but it works. Small sips of liquids - and you might try a cup of tea or coffee. The warm liquids really help me in the morning when I am tighter than later in the day.

Hang in there...

Thank you, WOW, it sure is tight, but I'm doing better day by Day. I sure had to change my eating habits. I'm eating a little bit more each day, still not getting the amount of food or Water I'm suppost to but it's hurting less as I eat & drink. I'm at 37 lbs down for the last 3 days. That might be a good thing as I continue to adjust to this last fill.

You said that when you 1st get a fill you have swelling, that's one of the quetions I was going to ask, WHY the pain?? That pretty much explains it. THANKS.

My 1st fill did not feel like much of a restriction but this 2nd one made me feel what a "REAL" restiction is like. It got my attention right away.

Just hanging in there and trying to understand what "THE BAND" is telling me.

Thanks to everyone for the help & incouragement.

Don

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