Msbandtastic

I was banded on October 13, 2010 and this week I am down 101.5 pounds.

It is very normal. Same thing happened to me. I started taking two Fiber gummies per day and now I am even more regular than I was pre-op.

Thank you so much for this post. It was so beautiful and I feel exactly the sae way you do.

Everybody's body is different. I had 5 cc for my first fill, 1 cc for my second fill, and 1 cc for my third fill. Still no restriction. Listen to your own body and don't let others tell you what you should or should not be feeling. Ask yourself if you are chewing your food to the consistency of milk and taking tiny (the size of a pencil eraser) bites. If you are truly doing these things and still getting stuck, you might want to talk to your doctor. I have heard that hiccups could be considered a "soft stop" for some people and may be your bodies way of signalling you that it has had enough food.

I respect your decision. I firmly believe that the Lapband or any other weight loss surgery will only work when you are really ready. I was truly not ready until I reached my 45th birthday.

I have a personal trainer and have sessions two times per week. He charges $30.00 per session. I do cardio on my own M W and Fri. I do cardio at the gym T and Thurs and meet with the trainer directly after my cardio for an hour session. I love having a trainer. I learned very quickly that my trainer works me way harder than I have ever or would ever work myself. In addition, I have learned that everything I thought I knew about the equipment was wrong. I have also learned that I can use a lot higher weights than I ever would have tried on my own. I always think he is crazy and then push myself anyway and the next thing I know, I have done it.

Thank you. I got your message and agree that it will be inspirational for people. I was one of the lucky ones who started losing weight right away but there are those out there that need to hear your message that if they can get through the period known as "bandster hell", there is hope out there for them.

I hate the gym but am always happy when I'm done. I started working with a personal trainer two days per week and he puts me through one grueling exercise after another. Each day is different so I am never bored; just trying not to scream or cry. I hate it at the time but afterwards I am always proud of myself. I even did push ups and pullups one day. Shocking.

I also drink the Premier Protein Shake. It tastes fine. It has 160 calories and 30 grams of protein. I haven't found another shake with higher protein. I also have the Unjury vanilla and I like that with some sugar free pudding thrown in for flavor. I have used the banana, chocolate, and cheesecake flavors.

I have 7 cc in my band and still don't have restriction. I have been able to lose weight but I also exercise like a demon.

My realize band holds 11cc.

Glad your surgery date is finally here. Look forward to following you on your journey.

Such a great question. I have been wondering this myself. I am horrified by the thought of giving myself a suppository. Doesn't it come in pill form.

This question really needs to be answered by you. I think 60 pounds gone is awesome but if you know in your heart that you could have worked harder then you need to step it up and lose even more in the year to come. Good luck to you.

I have not reached restriction yet but I have read enough here to know that it is better to get a small unfill than to be too tight. Being too tight can actually lead to a stall or even a weight gain because you will start relying on slider foods which can actually be more calories than you should eat. Not to mention the health problems that can occur from being too tight. Maybe have them take out .25 or .50 cc and you could end up being at your "sweet spot". Good luck.

I have found the same but it does best if I "shock it" into moving by having a few days at 1100 or so and then throw in an 800 calorie day.

I'm with your husband and believe that water is definitely the best but if you are not going to drink water, Crystal Lite is an excellent alternative.

I LOVE MY BAND! I am only 13 weeks out and have lost 51 pounds so far. Having the lap band is a lot of work but I am finding that I love the work. I am learning so much about myself and am gaining more and more confidence each day. I know the lap band was the right decision for me. I also started the search for the right weight loss surgery five years ago. Originally, I had chosen RNY but I kept cancelling my appointments with the surgeon ( I couldn't get the visual image of myself dying on the operating table out of my head) so after five years I accepted I was never going to be comfortable with RNY and impulsively chose the band. I am ashamed to say I didn't do any research on it until after I had the surgery. Thank God I have come to realize that this was the perfect surgery for me and my needs. I WILL reach my goal and am willing to commit to whatever I need to do to get there. This means following the lap band rules!

It is not going to start working until you start getting fills and it could take months for you to reach your ideal fill level or sweet spot. I have had two fills so far and no restriction yet. BUT my band is helping me in that it gives me hope for my future and I know it eventually will start working. This helps me to get through the hard times now. Choosing the lap band means a lot of hard work ahead of you but if you are willing to do the work, you can eventually reach your goal weight. Good luck.

NO! Do not dare let him off the hook because he is "only a man". He is a complete idiot and I have to question his motives for even telling you that story. I would stay away from him. He does not have your best interests at heart.

I don't understand why you are eating baked chicken and green beans if you do not like them. I am only thirteen weeks banded and have yet to eat baked chicken. I am eating mostly the same foods that I ate before except that I have chosen to limit most breads, sugars, and processed foods. I still can eat them and will occasionally but am trying to retrain myself to eat healthier foods.

Congratulations.

I did the same thing with food. For a whole month before surgery, I went to all my favorite restaurants and pigged out. I actually gained 10 pounds. Every meal was the last time I was going to eat that. I think I actually went into mourning. I now realize there is no last time. I am working really hard right now to get to my goal weight but I will eat all of those foods again in the future, only in smaller quantities. You definitely "deserve" to lose weight. We all do.