B-52

It is my understanding there are 3 different size bands. The smaller the band, the less saline it takes to make it tight, less adjustments. I don't know if it will make you loose more weight, but you will get tight faster than those with the larger bands.

Have fun!!!! I've had my LAST fat tuesday about 14 months ago before surgery. No ore over induldging for me. (unless it's all liquid!)

It's a very fine line......If someone wants a tight ban, then it is essential they learn to eat differently. That's the whole point of the band I feel. On the other hand, you can cross that fine line and not be able to eat/drink anything at all. Which is not good. For me, I like my band tight. And I have found that after a fill, things are tighter than usual. It takes a period of time for the band to settle down, or for me to adjust to the tightness. Maybe a combination of both. If after 7-10 day, things don't work themselves out, then you have crossed that fine line and need to pull it back a little bit. Knock on wood, I have 7.5 cc's now, never had a unfill yet. And I never want another fill either. I know I am walking that fine line.

I'm like your Dr. I have never worried about calories, just Protein and Water. Old school = Calories in versus calories burned! Plus, palateaus are normal, and unexplainable. I have been stuck for months gaining and loosing the same 3-5 lbs. Then things begin to fall again, perhaps slowly but loosing just the same.. Increasing my food intake has never done anything for me except have me gain weight.

Today I am declaring my success with the WLS. I have definitley been in the Green Zone since last July, both myself and my Surgeon agree. I have automatic Portion control and calorie intake. I am raley hungry and never think about food. I go to the gym every chance I get because I like it. If feel empty if I miss a day. I'm wearing size medium shirts and jackets, and have a 36" waist. I have been gaining and loosing the same 3-5 lbs for a while now. had a .5cc fill 2 weeks ago, dropped 8 lbs, and gained back 3. Only a few more to my goal. I do not want, or need another fill. It would not make any difference. There is nothing left I can do but let it go and not worry about loosing weight anymore. If I should loose 1 lb per month, I would be happy to be 12 lbs lighter a year from now. If I don't loose any more weight, I'm still happy right where I'm at. So, that's it. There is nothing more I an do.

7 months is approx. 28 weeks. 54 lbs dived by 28 = 1.92 lbs per week, aprox. THAT IS NOT BAD!

I'm waiting for the confetti or baloons or something.....but no. Believe it or not, the BIG celebrations are those milestones that happen along the way!!! Getting there is anti-climantic.

Also, if you're on vacation, you may not have the opportunity, or time to eat. That's not a bad thing, right? Something in the morning is always important, but after that ou may go all day without any time to eat.

I cannot eat anything in the morning, so I have a shake. But, my band loosens up after a few hours so I can have a late breakfast if I wanted to.

I vacation all the time, different countries, everything. I never considered a unfill. I chose a life with the band and I will live day to day with that decision no matter where or what I'm doing.

Ok, this is for those who have met their goals. When do you know you have lost enough weight? Do you simply stop loosing and hit a permanent plateau? Do you get a slight unfill? I have a friend at work who I have known well for over 25 years. She now lives in kansas, but still comes back to our home office every 3-4 months. Saw her the other day and after she complimented me, she said "You need to stop loosing..I think you've done enough" I laughed and said thanks, to which she said "Seriously...You need to stop" I was in a resturant with my wife last week, and at another table was a old friend who did not recognize me even though I was staring right at him. I told my wife, and she said he does not recognize you because you look like this....She held up her pinky finger! There comes a time when BMI's mean absolutley nothing! When you get close to your goal weight, body types are very different. Especially men...you can have a lean and thin person, and you can have a muscular build. Both with very little body fat but 20-25 lbs different weight. There is a NFL Running back for the NE Patriots, who is the exact same height as me, but weighs 10-15 lbs more! I would not call him fat or unfit. I'm not comparing myself to a NFL Athlete, but you get the idea. I have access to a Body Fat % scale, and according to that, I am less than 19% now, which for my age, is very good. My Surgeon is not much help, he does not know me. First time we met was 2 weeks prior to surgery and when asked how much I would like to loose, we both shrugged our shoulders. I had no idea. What was your weight in High School, 40 years ago? Weight when you first got maried? What do you think your best weight was? Make an educated guess and we'll start there. I see my PCP next week and need to talk to him about it.

That's kind of where I am. I have been trying to loose these last 5-8 lbs for months, and I am beginning to wonder if that's it, I'm finished, or will it take a year. I definitley do not want or need another fill. I still feel the restiction, limited to portions and food types, and every morning I still get the gurgling with my morning coffee. I am a gym rat, do some serious cardio every day, then weights a few days a week. But as far as weight loss, not much is happening.

I am impressed with all the various recipes, and glad you're all enjoying them so much. With no disrespect, what is all the fasination with food? As I move along the banded journey, I keep becoming less ans less interested in food, or eating for that matter. I used to think and fantasize about food all the time. But now it is way down on my list of things. I don't feel like eating that much anymore. Come to a WLS website to get off on food. To be skinny, one will have to think and eat like a skinny person does. Sorry, just had to say.

It's the same feeling you get when you stand here with fridge door wide open, and even though there is plenty there, nothing looks good! So you go and sit down and say the heck with it.

Not just keeping liquids down, is there a problem with them going down. Right after a fill, you can be swollen. That's why you should have nothing but liquids for a day or two after. And lastly, when your band starts to have some restriction, you have to learn to eat a whole new way. Stay with very soft foods, small bites ans swallows, wait enough time between. Eat like a bird! Then see if that helps. Also, if you drink while eating you will definitely get what your describing!

It's all part of the Healing Process.....you had major surgery under full anesthesia.

So, based upon everything I've read so far...it is not really the Lap bands fault, correct? It is more of all the other unfortunate issues you have been enduring.

It's normal not to be concerned about loosing weight yet. This is PHASE 1....surgery, pre and post...the healing part. Then you go to PHASE 2....which is the process of adjustments (fills) to get your band working properly PHASE 3...let the real weight loss begin!!! Think of it as someone who has just undergone bi-lateral total knee replacements.....they're still healin...not even allowed to stand on their feet yet. After that comes the rehab...months to a year. THEN you can start running 5k's. But not right after surgery!

In the 13 months I have been banded, I have never really had that full feeling. To me, it is more a lack of interest in food. Even when I am eating a meal, I usually just stop because I'm not interested, I'm not enjoying it, or something like that.

I thought about this in a similar way, and I am figuring I will ask for a slight unfill. I can always get it re-filled if a problem arises.

All insurance companies have different criteria. If you don't meet their criteria, then you don't meet their criteria.

I have 7.5 in mine. I never had the problems with sleeping as you have described. But that it one of the questions my Dr always asks me, so it is something they look out for. So I would speak with your Dr.

I've never been a chocolate fan...and I have all but given up on meat. No matter how hard I try I just cannot get it down easily. So I choose not to waste my time or money on it. I do like a lot of fish, chicken, and mostly make stir-fry meals in the wok. I have a Protein smoothie I mix up in the blender for Breakfast everyday, usually have Soup or something similar for lunch, then there's dinner. That's about it. I can graze on things like tortilla chips, etc, but I'm not eating them by the handfulls. Just one here and there.

Having the band is the EASIEST thing I have ever done. I do not diet, I do not count calories, and I do not monitor food portions, I do not keep journals. I eat when I'm hungry - which is seldon, and I eat what I want. and I know what is good and bad to eat. Plus the band prevents me from eating certain foods. I do not see how the band, if adjusted properly, cannot work. An individual can, if they wanted to endure the pain and discomfort, "Cheat" the band. The band has taken away my hunger cravings. I can, and have, gone all day without eating at all because I was pre-occupied doing something else, ie: traveling. I have to remind myself to eat, and then the band controls the amount of food I can eat - portion control. But I have learned to "listen" to the band, and dictate how and when I eat. I have reached my goal weight in 12 months. And I am still loosing, although slowly now.

I take Lovaza every day, have been for well over a year...never got in the way of my band or loosing weight! Incidently, I enjoy taking Lovaza and have no plan to ever stop.