i was banded in march and have lost 74 lbs! i'm half way done. my briatric center even gave me a pin for my accomplishment! yea!

Congratulations on your accomplishment. You're just the person I've been looking for. There are a bunch of us out there on varius threads who are not succeeding, and we'd like to know what restriction is supposed to feel like. I went through a process of gradual fills, and suddenly reached a point where even a sip of water makes me feel like I'm choking Is there a point where you feel satisfied but not choking or nauseous? Should I keep spending money ($500 per fill) to try to find it? Thanks, and good luck on your second half way!

To have lost that much weight is amazing in such a short amount of time. Can you respond and tell me if you are exercising everyday, how are you eating? I am assuming you are exercising everyday, and want to know what kind of exercise and lifestyle have you changed to have this kind of weight loss.

Congrats on your accomplishment! You must be very proud of yourself!

I am not the person who originally posted, but I have had a similar weight loss, and was banded 3/25/08, so I thought I might share my experience. My starting weight was 252 and my insurance required a 6 month documented weight loss attempt, so I consulted with the dietician on the bariatric team and she supervised it for me. I lost all of 10 pounds. I was still getting my head around the idea of not eating an entire pizza for dinner (something I have done many times) and saying goodbye to all the subs and stuff I loved to eat. My BMI was about 37-38 but I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, knee arthritis, sleep apnea, GERD, everything but diabetes. My liver enzymes were elevated on my cholesterol bloodwork. The surgeon said that could mean a fatty liver and not my meds. I was put on a pre-op diet of full liquids (broth, tea, cream Soups, juice diluted 50% with Water, sugar/fat free popsicles, etc.). I ended up on it for 3 weeks because I caught a cold and my surgery was bumped back, but only a week, not enough time to stop and restart. Up until 4 days before surgery I could have a small amount of lean Protein. I would have 2 hard cooked eggs or 2 unbreaded chicken tenders with just a little salt and pepper in the evening when I tended to be hungrier. 4 days before surgery just liquids.

Post op 2 weeks of liquids, 2 weeks of mushies (apple sauce, instant mashed potatoes with fat free gravy, fat free refried Beans with a little salsa (pulverized in the blender) mixed together and nuked for 2 minutes with fat free cheese sprinkled on top when done, tuna and egg salad made with light mayo/mustard/salt/pepper, runny oatmeal made with skim milk, etc. After that it was regular food, trial and error. Bread even toasted didn't go down well so I have had virtually no bread (tried a slice recently and it was okay, but I had gotten used to not eating bread, so I don't other than fat free croutons on salad). Until yesterday I have had Pasta only once (after talking to dietician, since I hadn't been on regular food for long) and yesterday I tried a little macaroni salad which went okay.

I eat a lot of salad with light or fat free dressings, but if I eat out, I will order my favorite dressings (pepper parm or Pizza Hut's romano cheese). Pizza Hut now offers chicken (grilled, barbecue and one other) on their salad for $2.00 extra, and if you eat there they offer steak. I have gotten the grilled chicken for my protein source, and enjoyed my romano cheese dressing. I buy chicken breasts and tenders at costco frozen and spray a pan with olive oil Pam and cook them on a low heat, then cut up for my home made chicken caesar salad. I use ham and turkey as well (found pillow packs in Mars Supermarket with ham or turkey julienne cuts, ready to toss into salad. My one indulgence is Mars' deviled egg potato salad. Since it has eggs in it I rationalized the potatoes, and have that occasionally. I use ground turkey and make chili with it (1 pkg turkey 93% lean, 1 pkg chili seasoning, 1 can kidney beans undrained, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can Old El Paso chopped green chilis, and some onion--brown the turkey, then put the rest in and simmer--melt Kraft fat free cheddar or mozarella on top). I also make a Tex Mex dip that I love (2 tubs fat free or light cream cheese, 1 can fat free refried beans--stir them together in a baking dish, spreading evenly--cover with chunky salsa, then cover with 1 8 oz pkg of fat free Kraft cheddar or mozarella--serve with baked taco chips if desired--can serve cold or put in oven covered with foil on low heat, about 250, for a couple hours while you clean or do laundry or whatever, and then you have a fondue style dish with melted cheese and warm salsa/cream cheese/refried beans--yum).

I have had one fill of 3 ccs 6 weeks after surgery, but was so uncomfortable I called the surgeon the next day, met him at the hospital and he unfilled between 1.5 and 2ccs. In his office 2 weeks later I told him solid food was still bothering me so he took out another .5cc. On my last visit I had lost 7 pounds, so he talked me out of a fill, even though I am hungrier and capable of eating more. I really made a committment to eating better. Have not had chips (other than baked taco chips) or dip, or much in the way of bread/pasta/rice. I have also tried pizza only once and the dough didn't agree with me, so I invented a crustless pizza to satisfy my craving (microwavable dish--cover bottom with Ragu Homestyle pizza sauce, layer Hormel Turkey Pepperoni, onions, peppers, and Kraft fat free mozarella--nuke in microwave 2 minutes and enjoy). I do the same with turkey meatballs (spaghetti sauce, meatballs, parmesan cheese--nuke for 2 minutes--either a meatball sub without the roll, or spaghetti without the pasta).

On the liquid before surgery I lost 25 lbs, and the rest has been post-op, with almost no restriction. I do exercise mostly every day. Nothing fancy--I belong to Curves, and in January started walking on weekends in a park near home. When daylight savings arrived, I started going to the park daily. There is a 2 mile nature path, and I usually go around twice. On other days, sometimes bad weather, I go to Curves and if daylight and weather permit do once around the park. I don't walk particularly fast--I carry peanuts for the squirrels and stop to feed them. I only walk fast if it starts to rain. So I am doing 2-4 miles a day, plus Curves. In the fall when I lose daylight I will do the park on weekends, and during the week I will have Curves and water aerobics. My legs were starting to slim even before surgery because of the walking. I have gone down several sizes in clothing and would like to reach 150 as my goal weight.

Sorry to go on so long, but there was a lot to tell. I hope some of this info helps. Not every day is easy, but I try to "keep my eye on the prize" and recently based on my bloodwork, my PCP stopped both cholesterol meds, one of my blood pressure meds and my reflux med. I now have one bp med and a pain med for as needed. I may eventually not need the other bp med. I have been on these meds for over 20 years. There is not a potato chip in existence worth eating to have to go back on all those meds.

Patchelton, thank you for the very encouraging and informative post. This is what I needed to hear today. It reminded me that I need to do my part in order for my band to work.