I have been lurking here since before I had my surgery and finally decided to take the plunge and join you! I had my surgery on 2-20-08 and other than being in the depths of Band Hell - starvation right now I am doing really well. No complications so far and I am looking forward desperately to a fill. I feel like I have zero restriction and could eat a horse if I wanted to. I actually slightly increased my food on my own because I was feeling weak and sick from not eating enough. I am feeling much better now and really am still eating about a 10th of what I did pre-band and making much better choices, although not 100% of the time!

Hope you all don't mind taking in one more. I could use the support as well.

Thanks!

Hey everybody! I am Kristy and I am from Mississippi. I was banded in Mexico on the 5th of Febuary. So far I have lost 42 pounds and I am proud for it. I got my first fill about 3 weeks ago and I have a 10 cc band she gave me 5 ccs and I already had 1 so now I have 6... but the crazy thing is i am still not having restriction. I did at first maybe like a week after my fill but now I can eat like crazy and I am in the stage where i am wondering if I am the one that the band is not going to work for. I know for a fact that I am not suppossee to be able to eat like this and I didnt pay 7800 bucks to be hungry ya know?? I know its a " tool" and I need to work it but I am telling ya I feel like I have a swarm of bees buzzing in my gut it growls so loud sometimes.. Its kinda like a grazing habbit or something. I think i am gonna get another fill soon and see if it helps. I used to eat a few bites and get a kinda stuck feeling and i knew that i couldnt eat any more but now i can eat and drink( no not at the same time) large portions at one time.. like gulping water with no problem. Or eating a big bite and thinking Oh no I am fixing to barf but I keep waiting and nope it went on down fine.. So i guess my stoma is wide open. ... I am sorry this is so long I just needed to rant I guess. I hate feeling like a failer. I know 42 pounds is alot of weight but i need to lose so much more its so aggravating.:thumbup:

Welcome officeslave and all the others who have posted here! I agree that this is the best group around so please, post often!!! We won't bite! (Unless some of you kinky ones want us too, of course!) =)

Welcome Office slave, We are all in the same boat. Keep posting. There is a lot of information on these boards. Good luck to you.

Welcome officeslave! As babedoe4 mentioned there is lots of information on this board but always remember everyone's experience will be slightly different. You won't necessarily lose weight at the same rate as others, you won't have the same experiences with fills or foods getting stuck, and your body will not respond the same way. I have never thought of myself as competitive, but sometimes I look at the total weight lost in X weeks by different posters and feel discouraged that mine is not keeping pace; compared to others though, I am ahead.

Remember the mantra - the band is a tool; use it properly to achieve results.

Wow Tapshoes,Well put. The band is the best tool we gave ourselves. Here, Here!!!!

Welcome officeslave and all the others who have posted here! I agree that this is the best group around so please, post often!!! We won't bite! (Unless some of you kinky ones want us too, of course!) =)

Your a trip Gibson!

Hey everybody! I am Kristy and I am from Mississippi. I was banded in Mexico on the 5th of Febuary. So far I have lost 42 pounds and I am proud for it. I got my first fill about 3 weeks ago and I have a 10 cc band she gave me 5 ccs and I already had 1 so now I have 6... but the crazy thing is i am still not having restriction. I did at first maybe like a week after my fill but now I can eat like crazy and I am in the stage where i am wondering if I am the one that the band is not going to work for. I know for a fact that I am not suppossee to be able to eat like this and I didnt pay 7800 bucks to be hungry ya know?? I know its a " tool" and I need to work it but I am telling ya I feel like I have a swarm of bees buzzing in my gut it growls so loud sometimes.. Its kinda like a grazing habbit or something. I think i am gonna get another fill soon and see if it helps. I used to eat a few bites and get a kinda stuck feeling and i knew that i couldnt eat any more but now i can eat and drink( no not at the same time) large portions at one time.. like gulping Water with no problem. Or eating a big bite and thinking Oh no I am fixing to barf but I keep waiting and nope it went on down fine.. So i guess my stoma is wide open. ... I am sorry this is so long I just needed to rant I guess. I hate feeling like a failer. I know 42 pounds is alot of weight but i need to lose so much more its so aggravating.

Kristy

Fills are a progressive kind of thing. You have only had one fill. It usually takes three or more to get where you want to be. I have had two fills and will be getting another one on May 2nd. Right now I can gulp water as well and usually don't have any trouble with normal bites of food. I do get full quicker however. In the interim between fills, once you have lost the restriction you had right after getting your fill, work on eating Protein. Make sure that your Snacks are not soft foods but more dense. lunch meat, cheese, boiled eggs, etc. Protein stays with you longer and helps satisfy your hunger. Stay away from carb laden snacks as they will only intensify your cravings. Drink lots of fluids as they will also help with your hunger and will help flush your system out as well.

You can do it. You won't fail. And the band won't fail you either. I know many people who have named their band Patience, and for good reason. LOL

Keep us posted how you are doing and congrats on the weight loss so far!

Thanks Karen for the words of wisdom. I needed them alot. It helps to come in here and talk about things that i know someone else understands.

Please do join us! I've lurked around on other support groups on the forum, and honestly, this is the best one! (don't tell 'em I said so). If I hadn't had my surgery in February, I would have pretended I did just so I could join the double V's.

:tt1:Hi Becca, I have been seeing your replies in the forum generally and just wanted to say that your awesome in the way you encourage and support others. I'm an Aussie banded 13th Jan.. slow loser hoping to fool the old bod to give it up dammit ( fat I mean, Ha!) Anyway my advice to all banders is that any loss is good be patient and determined to make this journey to CHANGE one's life.. can't be done overnight. Love Janice P

Lost 18 kilo so far... still far to go..