I am now in the process of organising my second fill.

I had my lapband on 9.9.09 and for quite a while I felt the satiation and satiety expected with the band. I assumed that although there was probably only a little saline in it, there was obviously swelling of the stomach. Most of the time I did not think about food, I could generally lose track of time and not think about eating, and when I did eat I was easily satisfied with only a small amount. It was great not thinking about food! I lost weight on the pre-op diet and also after the lap band. However as I approached my first fill these effects were wearing off and the weight loss was slowing, if not stopping.

I had lost a total of 12lbs from the start of the pre-op diet to the date of the first fill and it showed. I was delighted with the weight loss and the way I was feeling about food.

The first fill was on 12.10.09 under X ray guidance. The anaesthetist was a little concerned to fill it too much because of the distance involved if I was too restricted. Four hours after the fill we went out with my daughter for a Chinese meal that night. I was surprised to find that I was really hungry. I had some clear soup, still felt really hungry and did not feel any ill effects from the fill apart from some very slight discomfort late that night.

I have left it 2 weeks post-fill to see what would happen. I had put on a pound before the fill and the three days of liquids post-fill saw that go again. However my weight is now stationary and has been for the past two weeks but my trousers are getting tighter again-another sign that things are not as good.

I am trying to be sensible with what I eat - completely avoiding biscuits, chocolate etc and sticking to low carb low calorie choices. However I finding that I am gradually increasing the amount I am eating at meals, otherwise I am not satisfied. I am still hungry a lot of the time, and thinking about food again, Although I do sometimes experience some restriction (a tight feeling or discomfort in the chest) it is generally only if I have eaten something fast and not chewed it well enough. The “half a glass of food” is not enough anymore. I am snacking at times but on healthy foods. My husband has also noticed my eating is gradually changing back. I remember well how I felt after the banding and I am concerned because I feel that is the state I should be in and I am definitely not in that state anymore.

I emailed the above to my consultant and got a lovely email back in which he says I am describing "pretty much a standard course" and that I might not be too far away from having a pretty good level of restriction.

So I am organising another band fill as soon as I can.

That sounds lovely thinin10! I have never seen snow! We are looking at having our hottest Christmas ever! Around 40 degrees celcius or more, - not sure how you measure that in the US but here it it bloody hot!

louloubelle: I grew up on the Canadian border so used to be really good about converting the temps.... if memory serves you double and add 30 to the celcius and you get pretty close to the temp in farenheit ....sowell over 100 degrees and that is indeed bloody hot!

I know it's not super close but do you ever get to New Zealand in the winter... lots of snow! We spent Christmas and new years there a couple years ago and I adored it (of course it was early summer then)! It'll take several more year of saving though to do another such trip.

Snow is wonderful... you have to experience it... and not in a city but out where when you see the snow... you're seeing it with the stars as a backdrop and it's all untouched ...it really does look like a postcard and when the light hits it - it truely does sparkle like somebody thru glitter all over. I know that sounds like a lot of hype but it's not. I will likely always live in a northern hemisphere... I could not imagine not having snow. It can be brutal to drive in.. getting out to gas your car up when it's 30 below out is a nightmare... but you wake up to that vigin snow all over and thick on the branches of the evergreens and it's so worth it to me. I'm sure everybody feels that way about something special that the area they live in has to offer. I have freinds from the south that think I need to be medicated when I talk like that after they've been up here when it's so cold your nose hairs literally freeze when you breath thru your nose!

Well if I don't get back on before the holidays everybody have a wonderful ,safe and happy holiday. :scared2:

hmarko: you might be right about the salivating. I have not been doing that this last week or so and ready for a fill so...

I didn't know there was such a cookbook. I love to cook and make up recipes and so it's something I made up. The first time i made meatloaf muffins they got too dry... i overdid the grains in them given how small they are. I use the livestrong site to keep track of my calories so thankfully I can now track my recipes (before they were a little different each time since I could never quite remember what I put in them the 1st time!). It's as follows: 1# of ground turkey; 4 eggs; 1/4 cup dry oatmeal; 1 1/2 cups of loosley ripped up fresh spinich and 2T (1 oz) of crumbled blue cheese. Mix up and put in muffin tins sprayed w/ pam and cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.. they're fabulous! It makes a dozen of them. If you like them let me know... I did up a recipe for fiberful meatballs cooked in an arrabiata sauce that I just love... I have 3 and it's plenty with a side of seasoned stewed tomatoes and a 1T of course grated paremsan on top. My husband has always said he can spot ground turkey in a recipe and does not like it.. that was like waving a red flag in front of me of course! I cooked chili, meatballs and meatloaf muffins all with ground turkey and he had no idea and loved them all. The meatloaf is pale so he suspected...but by then he liked them and no longer cared. I did a waldorf salad with pears and apples and greek yogurt with a bit of agave necter in it too and that I really like, but not as filling for the calories..but I can eat apples that way without discomfort and had to have some honeycrisp's when they came out this fall.

I have not tried the green Beans yet.. i'll have to. I have done pea pods but they can be a bit stringy. I adore the jicima though... even just plain.

I'm going to do a stir fry this weekend... think I'm ready to tackle all those veggies at once! I'll just make sure they're cooked a bit softer. I can use tofu then too and that is easy to eat and a good protien source. :eek:

I have to remember to try these! I'll probably forget i am a creature of habit. Right now i'm STILL on semi solids - had a cold - been 2 weeks since my fill today i finally managed dark meat chicken. Dry oatmeal? Like instant? Not the steel cut right?

I love the passion you have about the snow I know what you mean though i've only experienced it skiing in quiet runs. I live in NYC and I love NYC during the holidays and the decorations!

Hrmarko: do try the meatloaf muffins... you won't be disappointed. Dry oatmeal... just old fashion quaker oats.

I would LOVE to see NYC over the holidays. One of the guys I work with has a few days of vacation to burn before the end of the year so he's going for the week next week. I have never been. I had a freind who had been in NYC and she is the youngest of a group of girls I hung with from high school. We had 12 of us already booked on flights to fly out to Celebrate her 40th with her and all the fun stuff we wanted to do. Then 911 happended. Everybody cancelled but 2 of us and finally did after pressure from family..my husband was freakin' out about me flying- we cancelled as well. I was in the air on 911 on a business trip and ended up stranded in Detroit so he made the 17 hour drive to come and get me so then a week later for me to be saying I was flying out again and to NYC was more than he could handle. Sorry.... is that thoughtless of me to bring up 911 to a New Yorker... I am so not sure on the eitquette of that.

I bet it's wonderful right now... all the people and lites! I would adore doing nothing more than sitting at a wine bar and poeple watching even. There's just SO much there to do. I was set to go to Columbia so I've always had the urge to be out there.... something to put on my bucket list! Have a wonderful holiday and let me know what you think of the recipe! :rolleyes2:

Thinin10 - no one really knows the ettiquette for 9/11... even a new york... I was in the city... did not lose anyone but had friends in that building all that got out... with the years the memories fade for some (like me) but not for others.

Ok I have to copy that recipe on a to do list so I don't forget!