DELETE THIS ACCOUNT!

I think I'm about to start again for a couple weeks. I am at another plateau and the scale just isn't budging despite counting calories religiously.

Stay on liquids for the next 24 hours to give your stomach swelling time to subside. Then slowly and carefully work back into regular food. Sometimes it takes a couple days so you might be ok.

I've had as little as .1cc both added and removed. Both times it made a world of difference, too.

Those are so awesome! Congratulations!

I have an alarm set on my phone, so every night it at 10pm it sounds and the words "TAKE YOUR PILL!" flash on my phone lol. It works and I never forget!

I went on the pill this past October. The first month was kinda frustrating because I immediately hit a 6 week plateau, but I did start losing again and have been fine ever since. When I went in, I was interested in Depo-Provera. My gyno said no way she'd put me on it because of the massive weight gain people experience on it. So, she recommended the pill. I'm happy with it, however, everyone is different and the hormones effect everyone differently. I'd talk to your doc about it.

That's not silly at all! That's AWESEOME!!! You are doing so well, I'm so happy for you and proud of you!!! Love you!!! ((hugs))

I think you already know the answer- the surgeon says wait a year. So, you need to wait a year for your own health and safety as much as for the baby's.

That's a loaded question and there's a lot of good advice here. I look at the overall nutritional value. I don't do low carb so that's not an issue for me. However, I do keep my overall fat intake to less than 25% of my daily total. I also restrict my calories to 1000-1200 a day. So if I look at a label and it's sugar free but has 30% fat, I won't eat it. Likewise if I look at a label and it's fat free but a huge number of calories, I won't eat it. I honestly don't think you can say sugar free or fat free is better, I think it's more a matter of overall nutritional value for each specific food.

I think I was down about 50-60 pounds before people commented. I think part of it people are afraid to say anything at first in case they're wrong. I mean, it's like the old cliche "Did you lose weight?"...."no! are you calling me fat?"....*sounds of crashing and burning*. People are afraid of this happening so they usually don't say anything until the loss is undeniably noticeable. Plus, as others have stated, big clothes definitely mask it. Just recently I had a big sweater on over my clothes (I was cold!) and when I took it off, my cousin said the difference was huge without the sweater. It will come, just be patient. I'm down 175 pounds and now the difference is so drastic people don't recognize me (literally!).

It's your body and your band, you need to lose the weight however you're most comfortable doing it. If that's waiting on fills, then your surgeon should respect your decision and support you. If he can't or won't do that, find one that will. Btw- he's not the captain. He's the employee. You are the employer paying him to do a job. If you don't like the work he's doing for you? Fire him and hire a new one. Best wishes to you.

Hmmm...could your dryer be on the fritz? Heating things up too much and shrinking them?

It was amazingly quick for me. I had the seminar in December 2011 and the surgery just 3 weeks later January 6, 2012. Granted I spent those 3 weeks running around like a crazy woman between psychologist evaluations, primary care doctor visit, meeting with the nutritionist, attending classes, and having my heart checked. But I did all the usual preop requirements and got it all done in time. My only support is my family and online. I did attend a meeting here locally and just hated it. It was a lot of people talking about how they ate donuts for dinner, walking into the meeting with their 300 calorie Cappuccino in hand, yet whining how they aren't losing weight. About 3/4 of the way through the meeting I actually said "Did any of you actually listen to the nutritionist? Because none of you seem to be taking her advice". That was my first and last meeting. lol Best wishes to you!

My only advice is if you do decide to travel to Mexico for the band, be sure to have a surgeon at home that has agreed to treat and fill you before you have the surgery. A lot of American surgeons won't touch a patient banded in Mexico, and if you get the band and come home with no one to treat you after, you'll be in big trouble. Best wishes.

I don't feel like that all. If I had someone to cook my meals for me, the top trainers in the world, and someone essentially running my life I could lose the weight too. However, someday the cameras and specialists will be gone, do you really think they'll all actually keep that weight off? The band is a tool. Their tools are all the professionals running their lives, our tool is the band. The difference is, their tool isn't going to be there to help them forever. Ours will.

Actually, my doctor didn't require the shakes before surgery at all. I had to go on liquids 24 hours before surgery but that's it. Nothing else. Every doctor is different, don't worry about others just follow your surgeon's instructions. Best wishes.

I think it's pretty normal. I've talked to tons of people who freaked out in the days, even minutes, before surgery. I can remember being hooked up to an IV, waiting for them to wheel me into surgery, thinking "I can yank this thing out (the IV) and just get the hell out right now". I was that scared! Good luck on your surgery, you'll do fine and be glad you did

I've lost 175 pounds over the last year. I lost 100 in the first 6 months, which resulted in dropping about 6 sizes. It feels amazing, I'm not sure I can even put in words. I never thought I'd feel this good.

The reason they say a cup or less of food per meal is because the pouch above your band isn't meant to hold more than a cup of food. So, it's really volume you need to worry about more than weight. When you can use a measuring cup, like with peas, definitely do. But if it's a bulky veggie or say meat, then a food scale is in order. Keep in mind there are 8oz in a cup. Another way to have portion control when you can't use a measuring cup is by portions the size of a deck of cards. Or the palm of your hand. Hope that helps.

I have chronic constipation issues since being banded. I take a chewable fiber supplement daily to help. I drink a ton of water, too. If I do this I'm ok, but if I miss a couple days of the fiber supplement or don't drink enough water, boy I feel the negative effects.

hahaha yeah I know, but you've lost a ton of weight, you know how it is! It's next to impossible to keep up with the dropping sizes so I swear I'm constantly in big clothes lol. That sure I'm wearing in the current pic fit great 2 months ago when I bought it, now it's just too baggy lol

Honestly, it feels kinda surreal. Because I've lost so much so fast I don't think the newness has worn off yet. Well that and the fact I'm still losing. But it really does feel amazing. My kids are thrilled, in large part because I'm actually an active part of their lives now. Before I would sit on the sofa, groaning in the effort just to get up and get a soda. Now, I'm constantly on the go with them doing fun stuff like going to the zoo or even shopping at the mall. I think the emotional change is even greater than the physical one, though. For the first time in my adult life, I'm truly happy. I love my life and the person I'm becoming.

You're choking on a piece of chicken but able to eat Doritos because you're too tight. Doritos are slider foods and slider foods go down always and easy. This is exactly why a band that's too tight leads to weight gain. As for the band...it has tons of use when you use it correctly. I'm sorry your surgeon didn't properly educate you. Unfortunately, just because someone is a doctor doesn't mean they're a good one. The band is supposed to keep you satisfied on less food for longer periods of time. Isn't the fact you're expecting it to stop you from eating and make you feel full, yet it's not working, a clue that something is wrong? Like...maybe your expectations? Food for thought. Good luck.

But the band isn't supposed to make you feel full, in fact if you're eating until you're full you're likely over eating. The band isn't supposed to physically stop you from eating anything, either. It sound like you are expecting the band to do things it simply wasn't meant to do. Here's a link that may help you a bit: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html If you're vomiting and can't eat healthy foods because of the band, it sounds to me like it's likely too tight. You may want to talk to your surgeon. Best wishes

I use Lose It on my phone. It's also online and the online syncs with my phone. It makes counting calories very easy. Plus, you can look up thousands of items from their database, include restaurant food. If you have an android phone, you can find it for free here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fitnow.loseit&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDMsImNvbS5maXRub3cubG9zZWl0Il0. For online, look here: http://www.loseit.com/