futurelookinghealthy

I am 57 and feel better than I have felt in probably 15 years. I've only been banded since September, but wish I had done this so much sooner. I'm finally getting my life back and I LOVE IT!!!!

That is so wonderful. I don't know ya, but I'm proud of ya. Congratulations!

I know exactly what you are talking about, but won't it be nice to not have to wear those ole granny panties anymore. I was banded 09\02 and have lost 37 pounds and gone from a 24 to 18. I'm already in smaller panties but can't wait to get into some of those more stylish Victoria Secret looks. LOL

I love this, I called my mom today and told her I had lost a mid size microwave with a dozen krispy kreme donuts inside and of course she didn't get it right off and told me no, that I had lost my mind. LOL This is the neatest way to really put into perspective what we have lost. I can't imagine how I walked around holding a microwave all day. I can't wait til I've lost a 2 month old horse. Thanks for putting this on the board.

I have had to do the exact same thing as missjoany, so even tho gross I know where you are coming from. I also was banded in Sept., and only had the one impaction, and from that day on I take 2 stool softeners every night since and have had no trouble. It does seem to take a while to get things moving like they should, but eventually it does happen and everything gets back to normal. If you have to - use a suppository, they usually work immediately. Good Luck!

Well I liked 3 pounds making my goal, but that's okay because I really enjoyed the challenge. Thanks Amanda for coming up with it and hopefully you will come up with another one soon. If you do I'm certainly in. I was really surprised that I actually lost weight over the Christmas holidays, but I was determined to get back on track and that last fill really made a difference. Again thanks all, enjoyed doing this with all of you.

Hey Jenn, I was banded Sept. 2nd and I have a Realize 14cc band. I've had 3 fills, the first one was 5 weeks post op with 3cc, the 2nd was a month later with 3cc's and still feeling no restriction whatsoever. I got my 3rd fill 2 weeks ago today @1.5 cc's and I finally feel that restriction everyone keeps talking about. So far in almost 4 months I've had 7.5 cc's, but from what I understand this is not unusual, so hang in there it will happen. I have lost 30 pounds and am hoping that now that I am feeling restriction will start losing a little faster. Good Luck to you and Hang Tight!

I also had to do the same as going to find the team name and then registering and joining. But hopefully it worked. It's always nice to be able to give back, I think this is a great thing you started Inspire, hopefully more will join.

Congrats! I think 30 lbs. is wonderful. I've been banded since Sept. 2nd and I've only lost 29lbs. I did just get my 3rd fill last Wednesday and I think that I may have actually hit the jackpot this time, as I'm feeling very restricted, so much so, I seem to get stuck (lightyly) every meal. I know what you mean about the jeans coming off without even undoing them, when that happened to me I was so excited. I have 2 piles - (1) things that are too big and (2) things I can't wait to get back into from years ago, specifically skinny jeans. LOL Good Luck to future NSV's.

I too understand all of your feelings. 3 years ago, 2 days before Thanksgiving my dad had a heart attack and was transported to the hospital. It's such a long story but he did get over the heart attack but developed a staff infection. After 5 weeks of fighting so hard for his life he did go home to be with his Lord on December 23rd. I and my family was so mad because he should have went home, he got over the heart attack and was getting healthy and because they had to do a tracheotomy (sp?) he developed the infection (they say) from a piece of plastic, which in turn turned into sepsis, which is a fatal staff infection. While still grieving over my father my husband's father became very sick, he had been fighting lung cancer for several months and had to go into the hospital the following March and died just 8 days later. So now I had to grieve for my father-in-law and I was still grieving for my own daddy. I will admit, at that time I was so mad at God. I just couldn't understand how he could take 2 wonderful, loving men and leave us without. It took me quite a long time to get over it, but I know they are both in such a better place, and no longer have any of the pain they suffered down here. Then my husband had a terrible wreck on the 1st anniversary of my father's death and had to have 2 surgeries and is still in line for one more. He is doing so much better, and believe me I am just so glad and thankful that he is still alive and with me and I do thank God everyday for letting me keep my husband. So of course, like all of you, every year at this time I get so melancholy and depressed AND so afraid of what might happen this year. But I do thank God for His loving grace and I know there is a reason for all of this and hopefully one day I will find out what that is. I will keep all of you in my prayers and thoughts and ask that you do the same with me and hope that we all can have a Merry Christmas!

I'm with the whole crew on walking. When I first got my band, I had had 2 back surgeries with a fusion and I have a disease in my feet that makes them swell about 3 sizes bigger than they should be. But I started out walking just a little at a time and now 11 weeks later I'm up to 2 - 3 miles about 4 times a week. When I can't walk outside I have a dvd by Leslie Sansone on "Walking with Leslie Sansone" and you do it all in front of your TV. There are 3 levels and I'm up to level 2 but hopefully soon I can get to Level 3. It's really not that hard and pretty darn convenient. Good Luck!

I know every doc is different but 5 grams is hard. My doc told me 5 grams fat and 15 grams carb, which is a lot easier to find than 5. I am a slow loser but I have lost over 25 pounds in 11 weeks by going by the 15 grams. Good Luck to you and hope you find your answer.

I have found that bread is my worse enemy. I've been banded for 11 weeks, and have noticed that right before I realize I am stuck I get a horrible case of the hiccups. I mean they hurt so hard I almost want to cry. Anyone else have this symptom?

I was banded on 09/02/10 and went home with an empty band for 6 weeks. On my 6th week my doc put in 3cc and it helped some, and then 4 weeks later he put 2cc in and now it feels more like he took out than put in. For some reason I now feel as if I can eat more than I could before the fill. Anyone ever had this experience? Hopefully in 2 weeks I get my 3rd fill and it will make all the difference. Isn't it funny, how it's different for everyone. That's what makes the world go 'round. LOL

Thank God, back on track. A loss of 4.5 lbs. Good Luck to everyone.

I not only had the sweet taste after my first fill, but I now have it all the time. It is weird and I have no idea what it means. I just had my 2nd fill Thursday and forgot to say anything to my dr. but the taste is still there.

I found out I was hypo in 1976 and have been on thyroid medicine since. Before banding, the weight was so hard to lose. I was banded 09022010 and have lost 24 pounds, which doesn't seem like a lot to me but hey at least I am losing and that is the main goal here. I just had my 2nd fill so hopefully it will go faster but because I do have a thyroid problem if I plateau or it is just slow I don't sweat it. But by all means take your medicine, because it not only messes with your weight but with so many other parts of the body especially the nerve center. Losing weight is already a depressing process but if you are on thyroid medication and don't take it you will get depressed and it will make matters worse. Take it from an old pro. LOL

I gained 7 pounds after about my 4th week of banding but it was mostly due to swelling of the legs and ankles. Hopefully that will change after next week as I am going to get my veins done. The dr. said I should lose all swelling and hopefully more weight afterwards. Do you have any swelling?

I have a Realize band and my doctor sent me home empty. I did not get my first fill of 3cc's until 6 weeks out and just got my 2nd fill of 2 cc's yesterday.

Well, of course I'm upset with myself, I only lost 1/2 pound. But I'm getting my second fill on Wednesday and hopefully this will make a difference. Wish me luck. Congrats to all you guys that lost, even if it was just 1/10th remember it's still a loss.

I never quite know when is the right time to exercise. I ususally do it immediately after I eat, but someone told me it's like swimming and you should wait about 30 minutes and let the food start digesting somewhat before starting. Does anyone know the correct answer.

Laura Lane, If you can't find it on youtube, go to hulu.com and put the name of the show in the search area and you can watch the whole thing as if you were watching it on TV

I'm new to the forum and sure this subject has already been discussed, but here I go anyway. I was a diet coke addict, and was banded September 2nd. I have not had a single drink but I'm wanting one so bad I can taste it. Is there anyone out there that is still drinking carbonated drinks while banded and what did it do to you?

I was on it 3 years ago. It is costly, I lost 40 pounds in 3 months, stayed on it another 3 more months and lost 6 more pounds. Went off of it and in less that 6 months had gained back 53 pounds. So not worth it!

I also had that problem, so I went to the grocery and made sure I had plenty of low cal low carb food and I have a special drawer in my fridge that my family knows is just for me. So when I get those munchies I go to that drawer only and start pulling out sf jello, yogurt, pepperoni stix, string cheese, celery, etc. and I'm usually okay. Good Luck