We are 8 days into the sweetest month of the year. I thought we could start a thread for encouragement and advise.

So, I will start. I was banded on 2/3. So far no problems.

I have been reading for a couple of days and I love the fact that everyone is so supportive. My husband tries, but he just doesn't get it. :thumbdown:

So, who wants to join me on this life changing adventure.

Wow!! I haven't been on lapband talk for a long time. I had surgery 2-11-09. I'm trying to get to the 50 pound mark, but just hover around 45 mark. I just want to be below 200 again!!! I feel like it's never going to happen.

Today I went out to lunch with some co-workers and the food got stuck and after 20 minutes of agonizing pain I finally threw up, twice!!! I was concerned that my first fill was too much, but when I called the Dr. office they asked me some questions and we came to the conclusion that I may have eaten too fast. Hopefully that is the case and it doesn't happen again.

Hey February Bandsters....ROLL CALL! It's been too long since anyone posted here.

Where are we all at? I have been away from this site but I want to get more active...I need the support.:thumbup: I haven't lost anything for months but I am trying to turn that around!

Is there another spot where The Febs have been posting?

Hope to hear something :drool:

~A

hi yes its been a long time!!! I was banded2-13-09 and lost about 80 pds!!! I'm at 159 and would like to be at 145 i have not lost anything in a month!!!

I am going to cry- I was banded on Feb 24 and I have not lost anything....unless you count to same 5 pounds that I have lost and gained ten times over! The thing is that until a few days ago I was eating within the rules and exercising most every day. In fact I was full on one cup of food. I am eating way less than I was before surgery but before surgery, I was losing weight. I have my first fill tomorrow. I hope the doc is aggressive, with the fill.

I'm sorry to hear you aren't losing. I was banded on feb 25 and i've lost 70lbs so far. I've had 2 fills, the second one was to much and i had to get some removed but just went for 3 month check up last week and she had to take more out since I started getting acid reflux for over a month. I was way to tight, I dont have acid reflux anymore. I was to tight and tried to ignore all the signs. I"m pretty happy with my progress so far. I just need to exercise to get tone.

That is so strange you haven't lost any. Are you sure you are eating the right foods? I had my share of bad foods but cutting my portions helped me lose the weight. Good luck to you! Let me know if you have any other questions.

I was also banded on 13 Feb 2009 and have lost 60 pounds but have been flat the amount of weight lost over the last few months; I've been at one weight with a =/- of 3 pounds. Part of my problem lately is stress eating and I'm trying hard to drink water when I'm stress and want to eat. But, this will take time and very difficult to over come. I meet with my doctor on a monthly basis and they have very encouraging. I've had two fills since my initial fill. After four months, it was added fill o make the band smaller and fours months after that was an unfill to increase the size of the band because I was having issues of nausea and others. I'm also stationary biking three times a week and up to a half hour/5 miles.

Hi, Seems we all have a time when we struggle. I seemed to have the opposite time effect. I was banded on 2/10/09. I lost about 20# until my first fill in May ( insurance dictates!) I then lost about 13#. I gained it back over the summer. Had the second fill in Sept. when I really felt restriction. Losing about 5-8# a month. Feeling the band do its job. Feeling in control even though I am a slow loser. Hope to lose 50# by New Year's. I never could have done this without the band.

One interesting thing is that my clothing size has hardly changed. I just starting getting rid of my original clothes so I am feeling much more motivated. I was at the Obesity Help conference and at our table the input was that clothing sizes did not change much until the 60# mark esp. if you have a lot to lose. Any thoughts?

Would love to hear from more of you.

I was banded February 3rd...by the looks of everyone you all are doing great!!! I wish I was doing as well...I have lost only 30lbs but the last two months I ahve started working out...I hope to lose 20 by the end of December....which would leave me 30lbs before reaching my goal...I have had 6 fills since then...(I am in Kuwait got my surgery done here) I know where I am lacking I drink many of my calories but reading about everyone else has got me motivated to do get back on track...

I was banded on Feb 24th and I have lost 60 pounds. I started at 289. I was 267 at surgery. I am 229 now. I have had periods of great weight loss and times when I have yo-yoed for weeks and weeks. I spend Sept & Oct loosing the same 5 pounds and I have been loosing really well for the last 10 days. I am aiming for onederland for my banaversary. I am big boned (really!) so my goal has been set at 174. Sounds high but I will give me a BMI of 25.

I have dropped from a size 26 to size 18...almost a 16! I have lost 59 pounds. I have dropped sizes all along. Love giving away the fat clothes!!

I'm sorry to hear you aren't losing. I was banded on feb 25 and i've lost 70lbs so far. I've had 2 fills, the second one was to much and i had to get some removed but just went for 3 month check up last week and she had to take more out since I started getting acid reflux for over a month. I was way to tight, I dont have acid reflux anymore. I was to tight and tried to ignore all the signs. I"m pretty happy with my progress so far. I just need to exercise to get tone.

That is so strange you haven't lost any. Are you sure you are eating the right foods? I had my share of bad foods but cutting my portions helped me lose the weight. Good luck to you! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Note this post was last April- once I had restriction I lost really well. Then I took a long flight and had to have an unfill. I didn't lose in Sept and Oct. I had a fill in mid October. I was losing slowly until last week when I realized I was having too much sugar and being careless about the band rules. I have lost 4 pounds in the last week.

Hey February Bandsters....ROLL CALL! It's been too long since anyone posted here.

Where are we all at? I have been away from this site but I want to get more active...I need the support. I haven't lost anything for months but I am trying to turn that around!

Is there another spot where The Febs have been posting?

Hope to hear something

~A

I was recently on a plateau and I thought I was following the rules most of the time. I am very active on another site and I posted a daily score card of band rules for myself and others. I would fess-up daily and it only took a week to figure out what I was doing wrong. This wasn't why I started the score card, but I soon realized that my occasional sugar treat was a daily habit, I was not taking 20 minutes to eat, and I was not getting enough Water.

but I soon realized that my occasional sugar treat was a daily habit, I was not taking 20 minutes to eat, and I was not getting enough Water.

YES!! My occasion treat I realized, was becoming my focus and my hourly treat!! lol I have been VERY lucky that my baaad habits have not caused a gain, I am just not losing. Which seriously? If I really work this I bet I will lose very fast, like I did in the begining.

I am so glad I got back on here. I was feeling like SUCH a failure. But we are all human and everyday has a new dawn.

I am having a port revision next Friday and so until then I am forcing myself to do the liquid pre-op diet. I think this will accomplish two things. Getting my snacking back out of the picture and also a sort of "pouch test". I just want to start over. I had this nailed back in February!

I am excited again...like I haven't been for a while. I am so glad we are all here!

~A

I was banded on 2-3-09. I have averaged 8-10lbs every month except last month. I suffered a great lost with the unexpected death of my mother. She was my very best friend and biggest supporter. She is the one who convinced me to have this surgery.

I had not had a fill since June so when I went to my last appointment and had only lost 2lbs they gave me a fill. I am now back on track and seeing a therapist to deal with my grief without turning to food. As of today I am down 89lbs with 54lbs to get to my goal.

Has anyone else had to deal with the death of a loved one while on this journey? If so I would love to hear how you are staying focused. My greatest supporter is gone. I need all the help I can get.

Hey ja9rhone.

I am so sorry to hear about your mother and biggest supporter:crying:

Just try to remember when you are struggling, what she wanted for you. You were very lucky to have a supportive Mom! I told my Mom in the beginning of all of this that I was going to see a nutritionist to work on my weight and she said "oh good I was afraid you were going to have WLS. That's such a cop-out" So I haven't told anyone :thumbup:

So I am going to give you the advice I have given myself but have yet to follow...lol Join a support group or two. There are other people going through what you have gone through....although maybe not both at the same time. It helps to have someone to lean on. When my Dad passed away I was very lucky to have my Husband for a couple of reasons. He is a great friend and partner but he had already lost his Dad too. It really helped having support from someone who has "been there"

You'll be in our thoughts!

~A

Ja9rhone, I'm truly sorry that you've lost your support. I have not lost anyone during the journey, but early last year I lost one of my sisters. My mother died when I was nine, and I've lost quite a few siblings over the past 15, almost 20 years. Because they all died from illnesses, I try to tell myself that the best thing I can do is to try to stay as healthy as I can, in their memory.

I agree with the previous poster about support meetings, and this site has been very helpful for me.

You know that your mother was proud of you, and would be still.

Take care of yourself, and keep in touch. We're here for you.

Debbie