Hi everyone--I thought I'd listen to some advice from one of the other monthly groups and start one master thread in which we have an ongoing discussion/updates. I don't know about you all but I certainly spend most of my time on these boards on the pre-op forum and the general forum, not here. It would be nice to have just one thread to go to once in this forum.

We can maybe start out with introductions?

As for me, I'm going the "online privacy" route for now (paranoid that people I haven't told about this will somehow stumble across me on this site I guess, which is crazy, I know) but I can give you the big picture:

You can call me Penny, I'm 27, single and live in the Washington, DC area. I have a background in politics (which is why I live in DC) but now I'm a librarian which is much cooler and way more fun (trust me on that). Oh, and there's no "Marion the Librarian" thing with me either. One of the things I hear most frequently (besides the cliche "you have such a pretty face") is "but you don't LOOK like a librarian", which is another one of those bizarre backhanded compliments that you never really know how to take.

Personality wise, I'm kind of dorky, big into public radio and books and popular science. Oh, I'm also a little on the paranoid side (as you may be able to tell from earlier in this post). Beyond that I'm just kind of silly and friendly, VERY much so into traveling and I'm an aspiring "green" domestic diva (but that's not going so well).

Hi Fellow July Butterflies-

I'm still here. I don't post much but I am with you guys. I have to share my news, I am on cloud 9 and am 199 lbs today!! Do we have a special phrase for that? I call it Wonderful. I am so happy to be able to see a long future ahead for myself.

I LOVE MY BAND!!!

congrats!

hey I have a question for you. I see that you got your 3rd fill and then was over filled. I have had 2 fills and have decent restriction but I feel like I could eat a little less than what I am. but I am so nervous to go for the third fill because I dont want to be overfilled. was your 3rd fill a lot over? I think I could do a little more but I am afraid of the over fill

I know this ? wasn't 4 me but hope you don't mind me putting in my 2 cents, I was over filled on my 2nd fill and had to have a slight unfill. that was Oct. 2nd and now I'm ready for another fill. Hope to get it the first week in Dec. my point is I think you just can't tell when it's gonna happen. I also was afraid that I can't tell when I'm at the right restriction. But were new at this and I guess we'll learn as we go.

I know this ? wasn't 4 me but hope you don't mind me putting in my 2 cents, I was over filled on my 2nd fill and had to have a slight unfill. that was Oct. 2nd and now I'm ready for another fill. Hope to get it the first week in Dec. my point is I think you just can't tell when it's gonna happen. I also was afraid that I can't tell when I'm at the right restriction. But were new at this and I guess we'll learn as we go.

thanks kimaly,

thats what i needed to hear. part of me wishes i could have the same restriction that i did 3 weeks ago.. and now i feel like i need a little more.. i know it takes a little time for the fill to settle and see where you are at. i guess what scares me i sometimes i have great restriction, but other times i am hungry all the time and need a little more.. and i guess those times out weigh the times I have good restriction.. so I probably need a little more.. but because I do have restriction sometimes it makes me afraid that I will be overfilled if I get more..

anyways bottom line is that in 20 days I will be traveling for 3 weeks so its probably better to be a little under filled than over filled and stuck in a foreign country. :thumbup: sO I guess I will re-evaluate my fill situation in January anyhow.:eek:

thanks though for the comment!:frown:

When you want to snack just try to drink alot of water or try crystal lite and if you have to have something Atkins makes protien bars with only 2 net carbs and about 100 cals and not really bad.

Kimaly, thanks for the advice I will try that and hope it helps.

Keep up the good work - I seem to be taking the weight off slowly as well. Im not seeing the scale change as fast as I would like but, my body is changing and people

are noticing so thats nice. I know slow and steady wins the race I'm giving my self a year before I get discuraged. I think i'll have it mastered by then.

Hey everyone. I'm new.

I was banded at the end of July. I am only 25lbs down and feeling a bit defeated. I expected to have beern at 40lbs llost by Xmas.

Count your blessings. I am only down 10. And I don't get my next fill until early December. This really stinks. I lose the week after a fill, and then struggle for the rest of the month to hang onto it. I hope the madness ends soon.

Count your blessings. I am only down 10. And I don't get my next fill until early December. This really stinks. I lose the week after a fill, and then struggle for the rest of the month to hang onto it. I hope the madness ends soon.

you should be able to call your doc office and request a fill sooner.

Count your blessings. I am only down 10. And I don't get my next fill until early December. This really stinks. I lose the week after a fill, and then struggle for the rest of the month to hang onto it. I hope the madness ends soon.

I hope so to Orea, you sure have been threw it.

Count your blessings. I am only down 10. And I don't get my next fill until early December. This really stinks. I lose the week after a fill, and then struggle for the rest of the month to hang onto it. I hope the madness ends soon.

I agree they shouldnt make you wait longer than 3 weeks between fills if you need them..It doesnt make sense to make you wait too long. generally they make you wait at least 3 weeks for the fill to settle because believe it or not some fills actually get tighter with time..

I would call and ask for more.

I am the same I lost 3 lbs the first week after my fill and then I lose about 1 or stay the same the weeks following.

ok, so I think I need to start steadly measureing my portions. cause I am missing the out on the "full" feeling. Is it a new feeling I am supposed to feel? Cause I have a bad habit, I eat just 1 bite too many and I don't feel anything before I get stuck. So my question is what am I missing. Also for you ladies that found the "sweet spot" Do you know it when you eat or is it a measured out portion and then you are ok? I am so confused I think.LOL I just don't feel "Full" the bite before I get stuck. Thanks for the input! Michele

May I make a suggestion? Your registered username "Ready2diet" might be playing pyschological games with you. I know it is with me. Remember, we got the lapband so we could LIVE, not DIEt. We have to make LIFEstyle changes for the rest of our LIVES. DIEts don't work, that's why we're here.

I agree. I put in for a name change. Thanks for the idea. Denise:thumbup:

Count your blessings. I am only down 10. And I don't get my next fill until early December. This really stinks. I lose the week after a fill, and then struggle for the rest of the month to hang onto it. I hope the madness ends soon.

I hear ya! That has been my problem too. Today, I got my 5th fill. I thought I had 5cc and I had 4cc.....now I have 5. Well, I am tight. He started to take some out, but I told him it was okay. Now, I don't know. I could only eat a half of cup of soup this evening and then I have to drink water real slow. If this is a "sweet spot" then I ought to start losing better. I kinda wish I had done this after Thanksgiving. I love turkey and dressing, but I like losing more.

Hang in there Orea, you will reach good restriction.

I'll call tomorrow and tell them I am miserable and see what they say.

Hey everyone. I'm new.

I was banded at the end of July. I am only 25lbs down and feeling a bit defeated. I expected to have beern at 40lbs llost by Xmas.

I am only down 23 lbs and like you was hoping to be down 40 lbs by Christmas as well. I am trying to look at it not so much as in how quickly I get there but focusing more on just getting there. The scales are not climbing. I lose 2-3 lbs at a time and then the scale just sits and refuses to budge, then about a month later, I'll lose another 2-3 lbs and repeat. I'm going to get back into exercising and see if that helps and plan on going for another fill on Dec 2nd. Keep your spirits up, we will get there.

I agree. I put in for a name change. Thanks for the idea. Denise:thumbup:

I like your new registered name much better Denise aka Gus'sGirl