brown bear

I think it is interesting that different people have different complaints. I have heard about burping, gurgling sounds from the mouth, and flatulence as well as flipped ports requiring more surgery. These seem to be problems for some and not for others, so you cannot know if you will be one of the lucky ones or not.

babyblue - I don't know what is convenient for you (time or location). Let us know if you want to meet somewhere or if you are content to do this online only. longroad - I went with True Results also - Dr. Hollis. So far, so good. It sounds as if you are doing amazingly well. Congrats!

I googled "BMI calculator" and chose the first one on the list. I put your data in and received this answer: 44.3

I agree with chicks regarding the BMI - much more useful measurement. I believe that if you need a percentage, the formula is: (actual weight divided by ideal weight) multiplied by 100 = 258 / 131 * 100 = 196.95% which means that you are currently almost twice as heavy as you should be. If you were at your ideal weight, you would be at 100% of your ideal weight. Hope this helps.

time of the month (for females)

mekadig - Good luck with that second fill!

I don't want to be negative here - just honest. It seems that the experience is different for different people. It seems that it really is easy for some but not for others. I don't know how anyone could possibly know ahead of time if they will be one of the lucky ones or not. As much as I love the band now, I can see that this is not for everyone. I have a friend who had RNY and that was the right thing for her because if she could possibly eat sugar, she would - and a ton of it. The dumping factor with that surgery is actually good for her though she may not like it at times. Anyway, it makes it hard for people to decide if they want the surgery or not. I know what you mean about the gurgling. Mine is not too bad yet. I haven't been banded long enough to know about the restriction issues firsthand yet (one fill). I have heard from others that stress, sinus drainage, TOM all play a part in what they can eat on a given day.

I'm interested in your philosophy. From what you said I thought maybe you are one of those who prefers to eat a little more and maybe have your band a little loose. Is that the case? I am new at this but so far I feel that if I am losing weight I will wait on the fills. No use being tight and risking having problems when I can lose weight a little slower and feel more satisfied with the amount I eat.

I am not much of a cook. I just wanted to say I have eaten Breakstone's cottage cheese for years. I also like it nekkid. I have found that I eat less if I eat meat and a vegetable as opposed to a casserole type dish. I think it is because it is more solid food. I have been eating beef with steamed broccoli. Since I am not much of a cook, I am not picky about what I eat. I open a bag of frozen broccoli and put some in a container with some butter spray and microwave it at lunchtime. I love to put low fat granola in my yogurt and the nutritionist said this helps it stay in the pouch longer so it is a good thing.

Good question. It is supposed to be a reminder to myself of what I need to do. I do not mean for it to apply to anyone else.

I too was tempted to rage but I have sat back and read and been impressed with greythope's calm posts. I think we all agree that exercise is beneficial. Maybe it is necessary for people with sleep apnea - I wouldn't know about that. I still disagree with the statement that exercise is necessary to lose weight. There are successful bandsters that have never exercised. Success is determined by the individual meeting their goals. We cannot know another person's goals unless they tell us. Again, it is better to exercise but not necessary for weight loss if your goals are more modest. Mekadig - walking at lunch is exercise. Maybe with time, that will increase - who knows? Do the best you can and enjoy the results. Remember, you have only had one fill. You are still in bandster hell and maybe if your weight loss has slowed, you need another fill. I look forward to us all reaching and enjoying our goals in the way and at the pace we see fit!

That was my diet and I had no problems. Some people have much less than that and are on regular food sooner. It all seems to work - do what your doctor advises and you will be fine.

These are some great replies. Some people regret surgery in the early days after surgery. To be sure I was not one of those people, I made a list of things I do not like about being fat and things I look forward to when thinner. It is a good thing to do as some people forget what it is like to be fat when they are thinner and only see the bad side (what they cannot eat, etc.). I think what you are feeling is normal but as others said, see it as moving forward with your life. You will be happy with the results, I am sure.

I had the same thought when I saw those pictures - mother and daughter! WOW!!!

Cathy - You are averaging 2 pounds a week. That is great!

Sharon, What issues? Gail

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/ Billie, try the above link for instructions on how to get a ticker. BTW- I am 6 weeks post-op and have lost 17 pounds since surgery. Had 2cc at surgery and 1 fill of 2cc for total of 4cc but everyone is different in what it takes for them to feel restriction. My doc said I am still pretty open and he expects me to be back soon. My stomach is growling as I write this and I think he is right, I am eating more and more as time goes by.

I agree with what Jacqui said (I always enjoy her posts, she is an awesome role model for getting fit), but the flip side is that there are people who lose weight without exercising. As she said, they probably won't lose all their excess weight and it will be slower. My doctor says if you cannot exercise right away, just wait until some weight comes off and it will be easier then. He does not say you never need to exercise, just that it will get easier later. I do not exercise currently because of a foot problem that I do not want to aggravate. I intend to air up my bike tires and do that soon, though. My daughter takes her 11 month old for walks and at one year old the baby will be able to sit in the bike trailer and my daughter plans to start bike riding at that point. I am rambling but the point I want to make is that I believe you can lose weight without exercising but you will not have the same results as those who exercise.

If you are mourning the loss of a favorite pair of pants, put a safety pin in the waist and keep wearing them. Other than that, jump up and down - but hold up your pants, please! :cry_smile:

I am 6 weeks post-op and could eat at least a cup of soft foods. My nutritionist gave me no info on this. I tried to eat no more than a cup at a time but if after a while I was still hungry, I ate more. After fill, I did eat less but that is now creeping up again. I may eat a little more than some others but it seems that this is pretty normal from what I have read.

I had surgery on Wednesday and drove myself to work the following Monday (desk job). I was a little tired but it was fine. Different doctors use different closure methods on incisions so he will tell you if you need to do anything to yours. Mine were closed with durabond (like super glue) and I did nothing to them, it just finally wore off. Good luck! You'll love it, this is great!

Billie, I don't know about Carrie but I know that some people have tickers that show weight lost on the entire journey starting with a pre-op diet. Mine includes weight lost during the 6 month pre-op diet as well as weight lost since surgery. It is easy to get frustrated when the scale does not move and when others seem to do so well.

3 months wait for a fill is not too bad. Some doctors here (very few) require their patients to wait that long for the first fill. The main concern I would think is if you have any problems where do you go? As long as there are no complications, you should be fine. Waiting a while for fills is not a problem and if there is one nearby you can use Fill Centers USA.

Great news!

I was told by my doc that one time usually is not enough to do damage. It is repeated throwing up as with the flu that is the problem. I would definitely contact them though to see if they are concerned. You might be tight now, you may need to do liquids for a day or so if the area is swollen.