muelle

I'm a little over 6 months out and I have only had 2 or 3 hunger pains since surgery, all of them in the last month and a half. I have to remind myself to eat at the end of the day

My surgeon doesn't require any kind of liquid diet after a fill. He says I can eat whatever I feel comfortable eating. I have had 5 small fills for a total of 4.75 cc's and have done the liquid diet for 2 days and also eaten solids afterwards. I didn't have any issues with both ways, but vickyd is right about the liquid diet jump start weight loss. I usually lose the largest amount of my monthly weight loss after a fill, then it slows down the next 3 weeks. Good luck to you on your journey

I have to admit, I have been terrible about working out I am very good at doing like 50 crunches everyday and I take walks every once in awhile, but I have no real good workout routine. I have done well losing and don't really have excess skin, but I agree that this is probably not the norm. I know that I would be doing even better if I exercised. good luck on your journey!

I was terrified also for my first fill after reading some of the storied on here. I have now had 4 fills and am at 4.5 cc's. I was even more terrified when my surgeon told me they don't numb you for fills, but I honestly didn't even feel the needle for my first 2 fills. My surgeon went through the scar tissue from the port incision, which is numb for awhile, so I didn't feel a thing. For my 3rd and 4th fill, I wouldn't really say they hurt, but I did feel a poke with those. Don't worry too much, every surgeon is different and every experience is different. I hope you have a good experience and good luck with your journey!

My favorite dressing, and the only one I use is a low fat low cal balsamic vinaigrette. I just ran out yesterday so I can't look at the brand, but I think it's a Paul Newman brand I have been sucked back in a few times also. I lost my mom a month ago and got sucked in bad for a week or so, but I just had to remember how proud she was of my weight loss and recommitted to my diet. I just did a couple days of liquids and that's usually all it takes to get over the cravings again. Hang in there, it is so worth it in the end

I have stuck to a low carb, low calorie diet. I found that the less carbs I ate, the less I wanted them. I eat chicken breast with salad most of the time usually with no dressing at all but if I use dressing, it's low calorie low fat. I also eat some veggies like broccoli. I keep waiting for the day I will get sick of salad, but I have been doing this for about 4-5 months, since I started solid foods, and I still crave the salads. Once in awhile I will have half of a boneless pork chop or a couple pieces of bacon to change it up a bit. If I feel an absolute need for something with carbs, i go ahead and eat it. I just eat a very small amount of it So far my weight loss has been pretty good, my doctor always seems pleased by it. I average almost 3 pounds a week weight loss. Good luck to you!!!

I actually gained some weight. When I started the supervised diet I was taking fastin, so I lost 25 pounds in two months. I had to stop taking it due to complications sleeping, so the remaining 4 months I gained 30-35 pounds I had taken fastin about two years before that and lost 60 pound in 5 months, but gained that back over the next year. My surgeon said that probably helped my approval because it showed that I could lose the weight. Just hang in there, it really will go fast

I have Highmark BC/BS and had to do 6 month supervised diet also. I went through my doctor though, not a nutritionist. I put off starting it for almost a year because I thought it would take too long and I thought I could lose the weight alone.....boy was I wrong The 6 months went by super fast and surgery was there before I knew it. Good luck!

Pre surgery my husband (of almost 13 years) and I had sex maybe once a month. Post surgery, we have it five to seven times a week, and it's great

I was banded the Monday after Thanksgiving and have lost almost 60 pounds. I started exercising a few weeks ago which has helped to tone up my starting to sag skin Great job on your progress, keep up the great work!!!

I've seen some people post that they feel better after only a couple weeks, but it took me about 6 weeks to feel totally human again. I felt ok, but my energy was pretty low until about 6 weeks out. Hang in there.....it does get better Good luck on your journey!!!

I'm sure it's normal to feel that way. I know that some people that were banded about the same time as me are doing better, but I just try to remember that we are all different. I think back to before my surgery and think of how I would have felt after losing what I've lost, and I realize I would be ecstatic You are doing great, you have lost a large amount and should just feel pride. Keep up the great work!!!!

Definitely get it checked out first. If your tooth gets infected it will be very unsafe for you to have surgery. Good luck with your tooth and surgery

How much are you drinking? I had to measure my water and could only drink 4 ccs at a time every 15 minutes. I did this for about a week and never had any pain. You should probably call your doctor though. Good luck, and hang in there

I took phentermine and lost 60 pounds in 5 months, great right? The problem was that by the 5th month, I had developed a tolerance to it, so I quit taking it and gained every pound I lost back over the next year. That's when I looked into getting the band. I was banded almost 4 months ago and am so thankful I did it. I am one of the fortunate ones that has never regained my hunger. It's great to have not felt any hunger pains for 4 months I think of head hunger as cravings, and yes I do still get them from time to time. The difference is that with the band, I can eat a bite or 2 of what I am craving, and feel completely satisfied. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

I get up at 5 am 4 mornings a week to walk/jog on the treadmill. I just grab a bottle of water, throw on my tennies, and take off.

My doctor told me also that I can eat whatever is comfortable after my fills. I've had three so far and have 4ccs in a 14cc band. After my first fill I didn't eat solids for two days out of fear. After my second fill I ate 1/2 a chicken breast for dinner and had no problems. With my third fill I stayed on liquids again for two days because I went out of town and didn't want to "try out" the fill on the road With this last fill I get full after a couple bites, so I feel that is normal. I would stick with whatever your surgeon says, if he says you can eat solids and they don't bother you, than go ahead. My surgical office is a Center for Excellence and my surgeon actually trains other surgeons how to do the lap band surgery, so I trust what he says completely. Good luck on your journey!

My skin was starting to get a little saggy, which is what prompted me to start exercising a couple weeks ago. Since I started exercising I have regained my muscle tone and am losing a little faster. My metabolism has always been very slow and I've always had to eat very little to lose weight. Pre surgery I could take in the average amount of calories per day, and I would still gain weight. I've just always been that way.

I am one that gets full from a bite or two, plus I only eat once a day, sometimes not even that. My surgeon says not to eat if you aren't hungry and I have no hunger, so I have to make myself eat. I make sure that the couple bites I eat is high in Protein, usually chicken or fish. I was worried about lacking in protein because I have never done the Protein shakes either, but I seem to be doing fine health wise. I take Multivitamins, and prenatal Vitamins (for my hair and nails) and tums for Calcium. I know my experience is not typical, and most people wouldn't agree with my diet, but this is working for me. I am a little over halfway to my goal at 16 weeks post-op and feel great. I have enough energy to get up at 5 am, six mornings a week to walk/jog on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes and still have enough energy to get through the day. Let me just point out that I am not advising anyone do what I do, I am just sharing my experience Good luck!

My surgeon says that most people regain their hunger at around 3 weeks post-op. That is about how long it takes for the swelling to go down and the fat pad around the band to reduce. As of today, I am 16 weeks post-op and still have not regained hunger. I think it is great and hope it continues. I have wondered why this is and I think it is just that the surgeon placed the band in a very good spot Good luck on your journey!

This is the first time I've posted on this thread. I was banded November 29, 2010 and have lost 54 pounds. I feel great, I started exercising (finally) about 2 weeks ago and that makes me feel even better. I've had 3 fills, and have 4 ccs in a 14 cc band. I feel full after only a bite or 2, so I think I have pretty good restriction. I've had no complications and still have not regained my hunger, which is great Good luck to everyone and keep up the great work!!!

I had my third fill a couple weeks ago and have 4 ccs in a 14 cc band. I feel great restriction and have made myself adjust to chewing better (I wasn't doing so well with that before). The only problem is that within a couple hours of the fill, after drinking a bottle of water, I got a nagging pain, like a pinch, in my right shoulder and up my neck a little bit. This pain comes and goes, but seems to follow my eating or drinking something. I know I am not overeating because I get full from just a couple of bites. I only eat band friendly foods, no breads, dry meats or anything like that. I have tried to research it and can't seem to find anything that would explain the right shoulder pain so long after surgery. If anyone has any insight on this I would greatly appreciate it. I have a doctor's appointment coming up and will ask him also, but I was just wondering if anybody had any info about it. Thank you for any help you might have for me

Hang in there. I lost around 20 pounds post op in the first 3 weeks, but then I gained about 8 pounds ( I was able to start solids again just in time for Christmas). I had my 1st fill at week 4 and started losing again and haven't gained since then. Good luck to both of you

I'm a full time student so I took a week off, went back for the week of finals and then had 5 weeks off for winter break. I was ok to go back after a week, but the extra time after that was great. It took me a few weeks to adjust, but felt fully human again after about 4-5 weeks. I would recommend that you walk as much as comfortable and follow your doctor's post op instructions. I know this is vague but I know some people go back to work with in a couple days, and some take weeks. Good luck on your journey