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I have to share my excitment! I was banded in July at True Results in Houston. I've had 4 fills now. The first 3 fills I was only given .5 cc. I was under the impression that that's all they would do at True Results, so imagine my surpise yesterday... The nurse asked me how my hunger level was in between meals... I told her a 6 (out of 10).. so she gave me a 1 full cc! I'm now at 7.2 cc. Feeling the restriction now .. hoping it stays like this!! Much love and happiness to all

I WEIGH LESS THAN MY HUBBY!! I've always weighed more than him. Today I did my weekly weigh in and my hubby told me that I weigh a pound less than him. FIRST TIME EVER!! Darn this feels goods!!! Off to spinning class I go! We can do this!!!

If you didn't see 'Dr. Oz' the other day, the topic was 'Can you really have an addiction to food?' I know, you're all screaming 'YES!' right along with me. It was interesting as the polls of people were pretty split as were the expert's opinions. The Nutritionist's view was that over-eating is behavioral...driven by emotions, learned behavior, and will power. OK, umm, as a yo-yo dieter now skinny b*tch I can personally tell you that anyone who has ever lost big weight dieting has WAY more will power than the average skinny b*tch...When did they ever white knuckle off 50 pounds while starving and shaking waiting for the next meal (I still wonder why I don't get the shakes now on this teeny amount of food). Anyway, the Doctor's view was that there are certain foods (four of them...at least at this point) that trigger the release of natural opiates in our brain that make us feel good and want to come back for more. I think it's a combination of both addiction and emotions. One study used a medicine that is used to help heroin addicts from overdosing by blocking receptors in the brain that the heroin attaches to. They gave it to chocolate addicts and found that 'chocolate hijacks your brain chemistry, triggering the same receptors that heroin affects'. Great...I'm officially an addict. Apparently those around me knew this before I did...Here's a present I got from my SIL for Christmas this year: You can read the Doctor's article and see the three other foods that are addictive on the Oz site HERE. Come follow me on my blog HERE

What kind of tricare do you have? And with your BMI you should have no problems getting approved. As far as dieting, last year tricare didn't require 6 months of dieting beforehand. Of course, the policy could change since it's the new year! Good luck!

Being newly banded just 11 days ago, those feelings of nerves combined with excitement are fresh in my mind. It really is a very minor surgery. I was truly shocked by the lack of pain around my incisions (I have 5 of them, no stitches). I was up walking to the bathroom before I even got out of recovery. My steri strips have come off them just in the last 2 days and they have healed beautifully. The only issue I had was with the gas they pump into your abdomen during surgery. It was a bit painful and uncomfortable. My best advice is to walk as much as you can handle because it really does help to work that air out. So far, I'm doing well. I'm anxious for my first fill on February 6th. As of this past Friday, I've already lost 30 pounds just from the pre-surgical diet and a week post op. I definitely am glad I did this so far! Best of luck to you and be sure to let us know how it goes!

Ding Dang it....was hoping it was instant

My surgeon also gave me a little card saying I have had surgery and that allows me to order off the children's menu, which is really nice!

5 years ago I found myself 24 years old, 322 pounds, and minserable! I decided to have the lap band surgery with the help and support of my family. I successfully lost 90 pounds and my GERD, but couldnt keep up with the frequent and expensive band fills and eventually gained back 25 pounds and the GERD returned. I became demotivated and couldnt stick to a diet long enough to make much progress. Then, last year by eldest brother had the sleeve gastrectomy and went from being 280 pounds and unhappy, to an active marathon runner and happier than I can ever remember seeing him. Not to mention how handsome he looks! Needless to say, that inspired me to do my homeowork on revision surgery and reach out to my "family bariatric surgeon" Dr. James A Davidson (he complete my mother, father, brother and my surgeries). I was concerned that after my emergency gall bladder surgery 3 weeks ago that I would have to push back my surgery due to the weight loss as a side effect of the gall bladder illness. I started a protein shake diet to boost my health and it worked, Dr Davidson approved my bloodwork results and I had surgery on January 13th! The surgery was slightly longer and a bit more invasive since he had to first remove the lap band equipment, so it feels more painful than I remembered. On the bright side, the staff at Forest Park Hospital (Dallas, TX) were very compassionate and informative and the hospital itself is beautiful. I left feeling prepared to handle any issues that might arise and very optimistic. Its only 3 days post-op and I am feeling better everyday! I cannot wait to see my progess in a few weeks, months and especially in a year. I am also starting to put together an action plan. I want to participate in a marathon, learn to scuba dive, buy a bicycle and join a gym! All the things that I was either too embarrassed by my size or just too overweight to do!

Not drinking while you eat is not downing a glass of Water, you can pour yourself a glass of wine, enjoy it before the meal, and sip it during. that's not going to have much effect on anything. I never drank soda very much so didnt/dont miss that. And I can eat almost anything, just in much smaller quantities. My life hasnt changed in that regard, I entertain, go out etc - BUT (and this is a big but) you need to let go of the importance of food in your life. There's a fundamental difference between fat people and effortlessly thin people and that's that thin people enjoy their food, but it has nowhere near as much importance as it does for someone who's gotten fat. They dont sit there worrying about what others will think about what they eat, they dont rush in so that they get their share, they dont worry if they're out of the room while the donuts are brought out, because hey, its only a donut and you can get one anytime you reall want one, right? Make no mistake, to lose weight and keep it off, you MUST change. Your eating habits and approaches have made you fat. Whether you get a band or not, you cant continue to be the same or your weight will only continue to increase. I worried exactly like you are doing before I realised that one fact and then decided that I would go with the band to make sure I really DID change. But it took me several false starts to feel ready to do that. Now, my life is a new normal. There's some things I cant do or eat or whatever, and over the years, that's just become normal to me, no mourning for old times. And now I'm doing it again as I've had major bowel surgery a year ago (lost quite a lot of my plumbing) and now have to relearn how to eat and manage a much shorter digestive system. I would be desperate if I hadnt been through such a change before when I got my band and know that eventually, it will just become normal to me.

First, congratulations. My question is, if you are banded, what was it that was so "Dammmm Hard" for you in the process???