FLORIDAYS

Congratulations.... I wish you a happy healthy delivery You are having a baby 6 months after surgery? We're you pregnant during surgery and didn't know it'?

Based on what you said I wonder why you are getting a fill in the first place.... If you are satisfied with aout a cup of food for 4-5 hrs and youre losing weight....it doesn't sound like you need a fill yet. Vacation or no vacation I would wait until I needed one rather than risking being too tight. Maybe you might want to discuss this with your dr.

The pouch only holds 4-6 oz of food so I do not know what she means. You are bound to get satisfied if you eat that amount. If I were you I would call your dr and get a reclarification. For me... I feel like I hit the green zone at 4 months after 4 fills but until then I did not eat larger portions for fear of stretching my pouch... and plenty of times I felt like i could have but thats where the willpower kicks in.

Sounds like you should take a picture of all these clothes and sell it in a LOT on ebay... Or maybe find a high end consignment store... Good luck!

I have no idea why people say what they do.... my Dr never told me I couldnt lose 227 lbs... or even 237 to get to 140... In fact he said if I dropped below 140 he would be taking out some fluid!! I remember when I was about 200... I still had 40 lbs to get to my original goal... people started saying...You are withering (hardly!!) away... you have to stop losing. Oh you have lost enough! Why lose any more? I was like... really? I am still 200 lbs and a size 14.... and considered overweight..... why wouldnt I want to get to a healthy weight for my height? Sometimes you just have to listen to your own body and be realistic in your own expectations....and thank people for their opinions and do your own thing.

I did the same thing and I also used a small plate.... I still use a small plate but like Mis know my bite size so do not need to go with the small utencils. I think its crutial for the first few month to use them when you are at home.... it will become 2nd nature then.

I started wanting the tummy tuck when I hit about 250 and I realized the apron wasnt going away! But i decided to lose as much as I could and get as close to my goal of 160 with a 24 BMI. I am 5'9. While I might like to lose another 10 lbs I went to see my PS and he was comfortable doing it because even a loss of 10 more will not leave me with any extra skin and run the risk of needing a 2nd tt. Thats just my experiece... yours may be different.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?cs=bz&p=Al%20Roker%E2%80%99s%20weight%20loss&fr=fp-tts-701&fr2=ps&vm=r there were several articles on Roker...some positive...some educational... but its getting the word out there... thats a good thing.

My story isnt like yours but I appreciate your candor especially since I believe a lot of people do not understand that the band only does 70% of the work... we must do the rest in the form of eating proper portions, tracking calories and basically making the effort to lose and not just wait for the band to "work". I am impressed that you have a handle on it now. I bet the weight will start falling off! Congratulations!

I completely get it! I am sure I was born a size 14! My tt is the best thing I have done for myself second only to my lapband. I am a month out and my scar is already fading. My recovery was good. I was never in any major pain... I did have an infection related to a hematoma 2 weeks post op but its under control and my dr thinks I will be just fine. Congratulations on making the decision to have this done! You will LOVE the results.

Dedication to the effort and commitment to the band is half the battle in my opinion. You will do great!

I am with the others... Stop the protien shakes and eat a balanced diet. For me that was 1000 calories a day with 3 meals of 3oz protien, 1/2 c veggies and 1/4 c starch. Track your calories in a phone ap and enjoy your food. Make sure to check with your dr on the calories count for you and whether or not you need a fill. Best of luck.

My deepest sympathies for the loss of your grandma. I miss mine all the time!!! I think we are so programmed to have food at life events that we take it for granted...when in fact you don't need to focus on the food to comfort yourself. Instead carry a bottle of Water with you and visit with your friends and family members sharing wonderful memories of grandma while THEY eat!! She would have been be very proud of you for sticking with your eating plan.

Sorry but I do not agree. I didnt do any formal exercise and lost 220 lbs in 23 months. While certainly its benefical if you exercise you can still lose weight with out it...I did. Granted I had to keep your calories at 1000 but I averaged a 10 lbs a month loss. When I started walking I still kept my calories at 1000 and I didnt lose any more or any less. People who are bed ridden and cannot exercise will lose weight if they resduce their calories. In my opinion, To say not to get the band if you arent going to exercise is short sighted because it can work.

Who cares what others think or say.... honestly if you researched, have confidence in your surgical team and have the devotion to the band and the will power to the commitment.... I say go for it and let the neysayers bask in your success.

I lost 220 lbs and mine wasnt covered.... but all are different so check your specific policy requirements.

I was told red meat was fine if chewed to the consistency of baby food.... and let me tell you that is way easier said then done. I am 2 years out and older than grounf beef I just dont eat alot of red meat because it tires my jaw out!!! I am fine with fish, pork and chicken and ground beef... but I have to chew it all up very well. And... I do miss biting into a juicy rare steak.... but I prefer being thin.

My dr prefers to do any plastics when you are no more than 10 lbs of goal. I would love to try to get to 150 but I am happy between 150-160 so I felt I was pretty close with 157. Plastic surgery isnt a means for losing weight. It might be a benefit for some but for me... my skin removed for the tt weighed 10oz. if you check out my gallery...it sure looks like it could have been more... but it wasnt. And for the breast lift he removed 4" of length... which weighed about 8oz.... So add the implants at 1.5 lbs for both... I didnt lose a thing.

About 15k

The 2 weeks of liquid hell I went through taught me so much. I learned while its not fun I can live without food... I just need nutrition. I learned food is just the fuel I need to survive. I also learned that I can do anything I put my mind too....not that I didnt know that part but it was a good reconfirmation. I didnt cheat on my 2 week liquids because I wanted a healthy liver so my Dr could see what he was doing during surgery... and I wanted to do it to prove to myself I was committed to the band.... My dr also adheres to 2 weeks of liquid post op so all and all 4 weeks of liquid essentially changed my life!

Do you know... my husband who has always been pretty normal weight gained 15 lbs the first year I was banded. He was complaining about it...and I told him its because I was still cooking normal and he was eating his plus what I couldnt finish! He started to realize there was truth in that and stopped and lost his weight. It just goes to show you what eating too much of even healthy food can do....

I am not familar with food disorders. I assume I had one since I allowed myself to balloon up to 377 lbs but no one ever identified it. I just chalked it up to overeating, eating the wrong food, not exercising and basically not paying any attention to what I put in my mouth so it would be easy for me to tell you to suck it up and start counting your calories, tracking your portions and just lose the weight becasue that is what I did. I beleive for me it was mind over matter and did I value gastric wreckless abandonment more that I valued my life? However if you have a real problem which needs medical or mental advice I would say to seek it anyway you can to get that problem under control. I would suggest starting to track your calories and when you have eaten your daily allotment...stop eating. Find something else to do, stay busy and keep telling yourself it will all be worth it in the end. Hopefull by doing that and getting the help of a professional or a support group you can be successful. I wish you all the best in your journey.

I wish.....