DELETE THIS ACCOUNT!

Wow you look incredible! Congratulations!

I just bake it in the oven. Or, I make a tinfoil "tent" around it and bake it in there to keep it moist. One of my favorites is taking orange roughy or tilapia filets. Put a couple quick sprays of "I can't believe it's not butter" on it, a little salt and pepper, then a couple slices of onion and tomato on it. Make a tinfoil tent around it and bake it at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Open the tinfoil and throw away the tomato and onion slices- they were just to flavor it. Enjoy! It makes a really flavorful and moist fish dinner!

Call your doctor and make an appointment to have your band checked.

I think in moderation you'd be fine. I like a drink now and again. Heck, I freely admit the drinks I like are high calorie, too. However, when I do have one, I am just careful to count the calories towards my daily total. Skinny Girl makes a whole line of drinks/mixed drinks that are lower in calorie: http://skinnygirlcocktails.com/lpa

I personally think your goal should be wherever your doctor and you decide is best for YOU. Throw the weight number out for a moment: If your blood work and other vitals are all good, your doctor thinks you're in a healthy place, and your comfortable...then does it matter what the scale says? Do what is best for you. Besides, nothing is set in stone. If you decide later you want to lose more you always can.

When I go to Subway, I get sub fixings in a salad. It's really good! When I go to Chick-A-Filet, I get their kids' meal. They have chicken nuggets that are baked (so no breading) and they are out of this world good. I get applesauce with it instead of fries. At Wendys, I get a cup of their chili I bet if you look up the other places online (or maybe on a smart phone app) you could find good alternatives for the other places too.

Do you really want my honest opinion? I'd be looking for a new doctor. That is complete and total BS. Go on mushy food for 2 weeks??? Because being Vitamin deficient is a good way to lose weight? ((eye roll)) I'm no doctor nor am I a medical professional, but I'd be finding a new doctor ASAP. Sorry for my bluntness but yours sounds like an ignorant idiot.

I'd say the weight definitely came off my upper body first. My face was the first noticeable place. My arms have decreased a lot, however because they were so big I do have considerable excess skin on them. Honestly, I'm fine with that though. Skin I can easily hide with clothes but there's no hiding fat. I'll take the excess skin over the fat any day. Best wishes.

Wow what a touching story. As someone who also started over 400 pounds, I can very much relate. You're off to a great start and I know next year you'll be happily walking all over that park!

Every doctor has different instructions, I'm afraid. Mine requests liquids for a couple hours before the fill and then 24 hours after.

I'm sure you didn't do any damage. It does smart though when you hit it just right (wrong). As you heal more, you'll notice it less and less. It's just sore right now because the stitches holding it in place are so new. I would ice it today for swelling. If after 24 hours it's still sore, a heating pad will hopefully help. Hang in there

this sounds soooo good!

I'm very sorry you feel mislead. It's unfortunate but too often we see newly banded people who either weren't given all the necessary info or outdated info. But here's the thing: The band may not stop you from eating, but it will definitely make it a lot easier to stop yourself. When you have adequate Fluid in your band, you can easily go 4 or more hours without hunger after eating very little food. A good example- today I had about a cup of Chinese food for lunch. I didn't finish it because I felt satisfied before it was gone. That was about 6 hours ago and it's now almost 9pm where I am- I just realized I haven't had dinner. Why? Because I'm not hungry so I forgot. The band does a superb job controlling hunger, and when you're not hungry all the time and satisfied on very little food, you're no longer preoccupied with food either. You have a really great tool for weight loss. It's only a waste of money if you choose not to use it. You have it and you now have a better understanding of what it does (and doesn't do), so why not use it? Best wishes.

You've received some good advice here. You have to realize the band isn't supposed to physically stop you from eating anything. That is exactly why it's so important to stick to band sized portions and not even serve yourself a big plate of food. The band is there to control your hunger and allow you to be satisfied on less food for longer periods of time. Making good food choices and sticking to band sized portions is your responsibility and always will be. Have a look at this link, I think it'll give you much more realistic expectations of what the band does (and doesn't) do: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html Best wishes.

Yes, you can still get a fill. Sometimes certain foods just tend to be more difficult. Sometimes we are simply not eating small enough bites or chewing enough. What you're experiencing is very normal. Your doctor will know what's best, especially since he uses floro for his fills. Best wishes

I agree, I would see your surgeon and have your band checked.

It's very unfortunate, but what's happening to you doesn't have anything to do with Realize. It's the size of the band. Doctors in the US stopped using the 4cc band years ago because of exactly what's happening to you- it's proven to have a very high slip and complication rate. This is true of 4cc bands by both Allergan and Realize. Can your doctor replace your 4cc band with the newer 10cc or 14cc band?

Wow how awful. I'd be scared out of my mind. Why did you wait over a year get it fixed? And being as you've already waited this long, why not wait a couple more weeks until you safely deliver the baby? Just curious.

Being as you were banded in 2005, I'm going to guess you have a smaller 4cc band. Is this correct?

I think the fact you are aware of where you struggle is half the battle. You know what changes need to be made to be successful with the band. You know it's not a magic fix for fat- it requires permanent lifestyle changes and a new way of thinking about food. You may not feel like you have the tools to make this big change, but the truth is, your honesty with yourself and understanding of the process puts you light years ahead of most people. I can only speak for myself on this part, but while the band can't change your brain, the changes it does make in your appetite helps tremendously. When you're hungry all the time and able to gorge on large quantities of food with reckless abandon then of course we do. But since getting the band, my hunger is almost non-existent. I can easily go 4-6 hours between small meals with no hunger. Because I'm not hungry, I'm no longer pre-occupied with food. I actually forget to eat meals sometimes! If someone had told me I'd be totally satisfied on a cup of food and forget to have meals entirely, I'd have laughed at them. I didn't think it would ever be possible- but it is. I really think you're off to a good start on this journey. You're asking the tough questions and you're doing a lot of soul searching, not rushing in blindly so many do. Take your time and be absolutely sure before making your final decision. Perhaps even seek out a counselor to help you decide. But on a personal level? My opinion? I actually think you'd do well with the band because you're already educating yourself and in tune with your issues. Best wishes.

Good, I'm glad. In the meantime, maybe try a liquid antacid to see if it helps with the heart burn. You may even try sleeping on an incline, like on a recliner, to lessen it. Hang in there

Actually, you shouldn't be having heart burn. Did your doctor put Fluid in your band during surgery? I would call him ASAP and let him know what's happening.

You never want it to "stretch". You need a slight unfill. Here's a great article why too tight isn't good: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/page/index.html/_/support/post-op-support/tighter-isnt-always-better-r118