lucie159

I made my anniversary August 1. In that year I lost 60 lbs... not incredible, but nothing to sneeze at either. Last month I went in and got a fill which brought me to 9.6 cc's in my 14 cc band. The restriction was immediate. I did the liquid diet for the two days, but even at that point I was bubbling up and couldn't drink much at all above a few sips at most. I couldn't keep any food down. But hey.... I WANTED TO LOSE MORE WEIGHT. So, I suffered through the month. That was a mistake. I went in yesterday for a check up. I was honest and told them it was too tight and that I was bringing everything back when I ate. so... they did an xray and saw that I have some dialation and so they took out almost all of what they gave me last month and I have to be on liquids for a week. Now I am having nightmares about slipped bands and all the springs and gears popping like its some kind of clockwork robotic device... hahaha... I am hoping that in a month I will be back to normal, and didn't do any damage by letting my mind control everything once again. So... if your a new bandster, take it from me... tight is not always right!!!!!!

Well.. I am approximately 1 week from my the anniversary of my lap band surgery. I have a 14 cc band, but little did I know that with that size band it would take this long to reach my mini goals. I went on last Thursday and they added 1 cc bringing me to a total of 9.6 cc's. And since last Friday I have lost 8 lbs. hahaha. I finally broke the 300 lbs mark.. I'm at 295.2 lbs. YEA ME!!!! I thought I would cry, but I thought that last year when I was dreaming of under 300 lbs... now, I'm just glad I finally friggin made it!! My husband said... well you finally made it huh? I said "Made it? MADE IT? I CRUSHED 300 lbs.. hahhaha This new restriction is crazy tight though. Now I just wanna watch the weight melt away!!!

Well I guess this fill was the GREEN one... I am now at 292.6 from 304.4 last week.. I feel so different. I know that sounds strange, but I can see a change in my body already.

I went in for a fill today. My last fill was in December, which had me at 8 cc's in my 14 cc band. I struggled through until this month... where I would gain... lose, gain, lose. And had pretty much just lost my way. I don't know what it is about doing the things that you know your supposed to be doing, that just seem to conveniently slip our minds, but I stopped and looked at the situation and realized that I had quit doing all the things the Dr. told me that would ensure good weight loss. Such as... take my vitamins... get my protein, portion my food... and chew, chew, chew. And then I found myself strictly eating soups and slider foods because I would bring back everything solid that I ate. Taking the easy way out. And then be discouraged and frankly outraged that I hadn't lost any weight, cause geesh all I ever eat is soooooouuuuup!!!! ha. Then your mind starts thinking there must be something wrong, Maybe you slipped your band, cause your bringing up everything you eat, But that's not the case. They did an xray of my band and its fine... but the liquid was shooting through it like greased lightening!! so... they gave me a .6 cc fill and I can feel the difference of course since its the first day, but I am hoping that this will help me get back on track. I waited and cried and fought to get some help for 20 years.. it would be sad if I did all that just to let the fat defeat me in the end. SO.. wish me luck, and any suggestions are appreciated. I really need to finally get below that 300 lbs mark!!!

HollyJean.. we could be soul sisters.. I was banded in August of 2012 and am stuck at the 35-40 lbs lost mark and have been for several months.. I have scheduled myself to get another fill in a few weeks and hope this will help, I have 8cc's in my 14 cc band... I am NOT giving up... I gave up for too many years and watched the weight creep up. I kept telling myself that I was supposed to be fat.. it was in my genes... well I want to wear smaller JEANS!!! so I am not giving up!!

I used to have one.. I built it myself and was weighing over 335 pounds when I was using it... so I knew it wouldn't fall down. HA!!! Unfortunately I had to move and took it down and the new apt isn't big enough for it.. but when I finally get into a house I an definitely gonna have one!! Message me and I will tell you how I did it!! It is great exercise even if all you can do is walk around it.

For me it was because I can go back and get a fill which to me is a helping hand.. with bypass and sleeve, once your done with surgery, there isn't much else they can do to help you... and lets face it.. for most of us, this is gonna be a life long struggle... we will ALWAYS need help.

You'll be so happy you did! It's the best thing I ever did for myself. I have nightmares about being forced to smoke a real cigarette.. the thought of it makes me sick!!!!

E-cigs worked for me too.. I smoked for 31 years... I started at 11yrs old!!! I know GOOD LORD!!! but I quit July 11, 2012 and was banded on August 1, 2012... I figured out that it wasn't the nicotine that was my habit... its the HABIT.. that is my problem.. you eat, you smoke, you drink coffee, you smoke... you stress, you smoke.. so... I am ok with having the e-cig for the rest of my life if I must... as long as I never have to pick up another cigarette. I breathe better, I feel better, and I am OH so proud of my accomplishment. Try it.. You will be glad you did. Giving up the cigarettes, and the food is a huge stresser, don't do that to yourself. Even if you work yourself down to 0 nicotine cartridges like I did.. its the habit that will help you. Good luck!

Since getting the band in August of 2012, I have come to the conclusion that chicken's hate me...even in egg form. I have had trouble from the beginning with chicken.. I don't care how slow I eat it, how soft its cooked, what form it's in.. I can't even eat scrambled eggs. It all comes back.. WHATS UP WITH THAT???

I don't know which comes back first... but it feels like it comes back shells, feathers and all!!!

when were you banded? and have you had any fills lately?

Your healing, and you might have taken too big a swallow. Try to slow it down. Also, when I get hiccups... that means I'm full. Even though you have only taken two bites.. you might be full... Invest in a lot of little containers to save the other 3 bites that are left over from your pudding or whatever it is. haha It will be frustrating, but you need to realize now that you are never gonna eat like you did before... you will never have what your mind is sure is a portion size.,,,, a portion size for a banded person is sometimes only 3 bites... so make em count!!! another thing... I can't eat anything solid before noon, sometimes not even yogurt or pudding... that's the time my band has designated for waking up... I get up at 6 a.m... my band gets up at noon!! ( like my son ) haha

I can't eat chicken.... once I ate chicken and when it came back it was whole... feathers and all... hahaha

hahaha.. you people are hilarious!!! This is better then watching soaps. I don't have in-law issues..I have CHILDREN issues!! Grown azz people living in my house, cooking fried food every night at 1:00 am ... it smells like Mel's Diner in here!!! I have been the biggest person in my family since ... forever... but now.. I am steadily loosing... and they are all gaining.. I am gonna be smaller then my children!!! And when I finally am able to shove my son and his fiancee' out the door and we finally have an empty nest.. I am turning the extra room we have into a "red ear turtle" sanctuary!!! At least they eat healthy things.. hahha. I already sold all the living room furniture. They came out and were like "hey are we getting a new couch?" NOPE!! I went out and bought a bowflex, treadmill, stationary bike, weight bench, free weights, stepper, two swiss balls and yoga mats. I turning my living room into a LIVE LONGER room!!!

Well, You my friend sound like an exceptional person, and I can't see anything BUT success for you. I was so inspired to read a little of your story, and see the thought that you put behind your decision. I did that too. I could have opted for the bypass, but saw so many of the people I knew, gain the weight back or fail at changing their eating habits and not succeed. I know that this is going to be a life long struggle for me. And I prove it daily.. I have my good and bad days, but I monitor my weight very closely because I know that my body has Fat memory.. heheh.. like people talk about muscle memory. And if I eat the wrong things, I can gain 5 lbs in one day!!! I have a lot more to lose then you do, but it will be no less a struggle for you then it is for me. I would love to be your band buddy. I have friended a few... but they've disappeared... and not in a weight loss way... hahha.. Good luck to you.. and let me know if you wanna vent/talk/dream...

Its the protein shakes... My husband takes protein, he works out several times a week and is in great shape. Before I had the LB done I used to complain about the "smell"... Now... I smell like him. hahaha.. Its good to have something in common again.. hahaha

I would hold out for a few days... I found that once I lost a few pounds from the fill and was able to go back to the regular food then it got much better. I haven't had a fill in a few months, but am thinking about going in for one soon. good luck

I had my surgery in August of 2012. The thing that I notice most about the body noise movement department is this... after you start getting a few fills... your stomach will start making noises you have never heard. Like a concert in there!!! its not gas... but you will spend the first few weeks running to the potty, cause you think your gonna explode.. that's not it... its your port. My husband used to have conversations with it... when my port starts talking he debates with it like its a political party. ...... "But your stand on the economy is questionable... *gruuuuuuummmmmbbbbblllle* ... I OBJECT! hehehe .. welcome to the adventure of lapband!

I have a question, did you have a hernia repair during your lap band surgery, that might have something to do with it. I was super sore after mine.

You might have pulled an incision site inside. Even though the outside appears to be healed it takes longer for the inner incisions to heal. If you work out to hard to soon you can pull something. Be careful and take it easy.

well, don't go crazy at first buying a bunch of stuff that you won't be able to eat for weeks anyway. Be sure you have plenty of protein shake on hand and some puddings and easy to swallow things are good. You want to make sure that you don't have anything that is really .... rough I guess.... cause just think of it this way.... would you really want something rough coming back up??? Don't let the stuck thing scare you... its really just kind of like ... well.. like when you take too big a bite of something and don't chew it well now... when you swallow it, its kind of uncomfortable and tight in your chest until it hits your stomach then you don't feel it anymore... After the surgery thats kind of the feeling you will get, except your esophagus will send it in reverse... its not throwing up... its more just like... well what happens when you almost swallow your gum... you kind of pull it back up in the back of your throat. Haha I know I explain things weird. It will be ok. Just be prepared for the first few months not feeling the restriction you are expecting to get from the surgery. Even though you read up and study the boards, what you read and what you comprehend are two different things. I am wishing you the best of luck. I had my surgery on August 1, 2012.. So far I have lost 35 lbs... but this month... I finally have restriction and that's where the majority of the weight loss has happened. So have faith.. it will happen for you.

The surgery wasn't bad, they give you pretty good drugs after...hehe... but really not that bad. Hair loss? well... it really depends on if you take your vitamins or not. I don't lose any more then normal, but I supplement by taking biotin. About the nauseous and stuck feeling..... that depends, are you a person who pushes the limits... cause if you follow the guidelines and follow the 20/20/20 rule, you should be ok... 20 bites, chew 20 times, take 20 or more minutes to eat... good luck, and it sounds like 2013 is your year!!!!

It's a slow process, I was banded on August 1, even at this point I have only lost 30 lbs, but I am losing. Slowly, but surely. It takes a few months before you feel the restriction you need to start the real weight loss. Just keep taking your protein, watching your calories, and exercising and it will start falling off. The band isn't a miracle pill, its a tool and you have to learn how to use it. You'll get there.

That's awful, I'm sorry you even have to deal with that.